Magazine for storing fasteners and similar objects
AssigneeAtlas Copco IAS GmbH
InventorsMichael Wüste, Daniel Burmeister
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magazine for storing elements which each have a shaft and a head. The magazine includes a cylinder defining a shell surface in which is formed a helical-shaped groove. The shaft of each element to be stored can be inserted into the groove while the head of each element protrudes outward radially over the groove. The head of each element can be impacted in the peripheral direction by a suitable carrier in order to move the elements through the groove one after the other to an outlet end of the groove where the elements are ejected individually.
Claims13
A magazine for storing multiple elements which each have a respective shaft and a respective head, the magazine including:
- (a) a cylinder defining a shell surface extending about a rotational axis;
- (b) a groove formed in the shell surface and extending in a helical shape along the shell surface from a groove starting end in multiple loops about the rotational axis to a groove outlet end;
- (c) the groove having a width and depth sufficient to receive the shaft of each respective element therein in a position in which the respective shaft extends toward the interior of the cylinder while the respective head, having a cross-sectional dimension larger than the width of the groove, protrudes from the groove radially outwardly with respect to the rotational axis;
- and
- (d) at least one carrier mounted for rotation about the rotational axis in position to contact a respective element and slide the respective element along the groove.
A method for storing a number of elements which each have a respective shaft and a head, the method including:
- (a) storing a first element of the number of elements in a stored position at a first location of a groove formed in a shell surface defined about a rotational axis, the groove having a width which allows the shaft of the first element to pass therethrough and prevent the head of the first element from passing therethrough, the groove extending in a helical shape along the shell surface from a groove starting end through multiple loops about the rotational axis to a groove outlet end, wherein in the stored position at the first location of the groove the shaft of the first element is received in the groove while the head of the first element protrudes from the groove radially outwardly with respect to the rotational axis;
- (b) storing at least one additional element of the number of elements in a stored position at a respective additional location of the groove, wherein in the stored position at the respective additional location of the groove the shaft of the respective additional element is received in the groove while the head of the respective additional element protrudes from the groove radially outwardly with respect to the rotational axis;
- and
- (c) moving a carrier about the rotational axis to contact the first element or a respective additional element and push the contacted first element or additional element along the groove while the shaft of the contacted first element or additional element remains received in the groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.