Marker band locator system

A method of locating a marker band comprising:

• a) providing a marker band locator system comprising:
• i) a hopper having a hopper outlet opening;
• ii) a plurality of marker bands configured in said hopper;
• iii) an indexer comprising:
• a band receiver having a pressure port;
• an indexer actuator configured to move the band receiver from a locating position to a secondary position;
• wherein in a locating position, the hopper outlet opening is aligned with the band receiver to locate a marker band from said plurality of marker bands in the band receiver;
• iv) a pressure source fluidly coupled with the band receiver and configured to produce a flow of gas into the band receiver;
• v) a vacuum source fluidly coupled with the pressure port in the band receiver and configured to produce a flow of gas from pressure port and a vacuum pressure;
• vi) a pressure gauge configured to measure the vacuum pressure;
• b) measuring the vacuum pressure;
• c) wherein when the vacuum pressure is above a threshold vacuum pressure level, moving the indexer by the indexer actuator to move the indexer and a located marker band, located in band receiver, to a secondary position;
• d) wherein when the vacuum pressure is below a threshold vacuum pressure level, initiating said flow of gas into the pressure port by the pressure source to jostle the plurality of marker bands within the hopper and subsequently producing said flow of gas from the pressure port by said vacuum source and measuring the vacuum pressure.