Chip feed apparatus and chip feed casing therefor

摘要

A chip feed apparatus capable of permitting a chip feed casing to be used for storage and transportation of chips in a distribution channel as well and preventing a weight of chips from being applied to a chip storage space of a hopper, resulting in positive separation and feeding of chips by the hopper. The chip feed apparatus includes a chip feed casing formed on a side surface thereof with a chip outlet, a hopper formed on a side surface thereof with a chip inlet and connected to the chip feed casing while enabling vertical movement of the hopper, a chip separating and aligning pipe inserted into a hole communicating with the chip storage space, and a chip feed path of which one end communicates with the chip separating and aligning pipe and the other end is defined at a chip pick-up position. The chip outlet of the chip feed casing is open at a lowermost end of a chip receiving space or below the lowermost end. The side surface of the chip feed casing and the side surface of the hopper are connected to each other while the chip outlet and chip inlet are kept aligned with each other.