APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ELECTRODE CAPSULES WITH TWO STATIONS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY MIRROR-IMAGE ARRANGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO A PLANE

摘要

Devices which shorten the time needed for the assembly of electrode capsules on welding grippers are provided. Such devices may have two stations for withdrawal of electrode capsules. The withdrawal stations may have a mirror-image arrangement with respect to a given intermediate plane and may be situated in a peripheral zone of the apparatus. Two guide ducts may house two respective rows of electrode capsules. Two prechambers can be provided, each one being arranged between the associated withdrawal station and an outlet end of the associated guide duct. A retractable stop pin may be mounted between each prechamber and the associated withdrawal station, said pin, when extracted, blocking an electrode capsule inside the withdrawal station. To transfer an electrode capsule from the prechamber to the associated withdrawal station, the apparatus may be provided with two positioning devices which can be selectively operated in order to accomplish this.