Rotary Object Feeder

摘要

A rotary object feeder (10) comprises a sun member (32) having a sun axis (X-X) and being rotatable about a sun axis (X-X) of rotation at a rotational speed of W1. The feeder also has a planetary member (14) mounted for connection to the sun member (32), the planetary member (14) having a planetary axis (Z-Z) located at a constant distance X from the sun axis (X-X). The planetary member (14) is rotatable about the planetary axis of rotation (Z-Z) and is also mounted for rotation around the sun axis (X-X) with the sun member (32). The planetary member (14) is rotated about the planetary axis (Z-Z) at a rotational speed of W3 which is opposite in direction to W1. N pick-up members (86a-e) are mounted on the planetary member (14), where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3. The pick up members (86a-e) are rotatable with the planetary member (14) about the planetary axis (Z-Z) and rotate with the planetary member (14) around the sun axis (X-X). The pick-up members (86a-e) are driven about the planetary axis (Z-Z) and the sun axis (X-X) such that the pick-up locations of the pick-up members (86a-e) follow a common cyclical path having M apexes, wherein M = (N+1), and W3 is equal in magnitude to (M/N) x W1. <IMAGE>