摘要 |
The apparatus (10) discharges serial arrays of solid components (12) contained in a three dimensional matrix of feeding positions, into a delivery track (16), one serial array at a time. The matrix of feeding positions is comprised of trays (24) each having a row of component containing channels (28). The trays are stacked one on top of another, and loaded in a box-like container (18). The container (18) is lowered by the apparatus (10), presenting one tray at a time to a plurality of funnel-shaped discharge openings (60). A shuttle (80), capable of selectively blocking the discharge openings (60), is aligned with one opening (60) at a time, and is operative to receive a serial array of components (12) contained in a channel (28) aligned with that opening. Upon receiving the components (12), the shuttle (80) returns to a home position in alignment with the delivery track (16), whereupon it discharges the components into the track. The shutle (80) is indexed along a row of channels (28), one channel at a time, until the first tray (24) is emptied. Thereafter, an adjacent tray (24) containing another row of channels (28) is lowered into alignment with the funnel-shaped apertures (60). The indexing of the shuttle (80) and the trays (24) is repeated until the entire matrix of components (12) is unloaded into the delivery track (16). |