James E Buns

US Patent:

56240546, Apr 29, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/483611

Inventors:

James Buns - Grayslake IL

Assignee:

Wes-Tech Automation Systems - Buffalo Grove IL

International Classification:

B65G 5900

US Classification:

221 6

Abstract:

A compact and lightweight ball bearing feeding device for use in connection with a production process. The device is easily adapted to be mounted at any point along such production process and includes a canister for maintaining a supply of ball bearings, a loading tube for transferring ball bearings from the canister to a two-position loading device, the loading device which places an individual ball bearing in an ejecting position and a delivery tube through which a ball bearing may be delivered to a desired production point. The device does not require any electrical power, employs pneumatic actuation for its operation, automatically senses when a supply of ball bearings is running low and minimizes the introduction of contaminants and magnetism into the ball bearings.