Method for singling out and serially feeding electrical leads

Abstract

A hopper funnels a plurality of electrical leads one on top the other and serially drops the leads onto a rotating cylindrical feed roller. The roller is provided with a helical groove which picks off individual leads and transports them transversely of their lengths along the top of the cylindrical roller. The pitch of the groove determines the spacing between transported leads. The roller simultaneously projects each lead lengthwise toward a sensing device which senses the end of each lead in turn and also triggers an applicator which connects an electrical contact to each sensed lead. The leads are then transported along the roller to an escapement station at the end of the roller where the leads escape by gravity to a collection area. An ejectment mechanism initially detains each lead from the escapement station until connected with a contact. The ejectment mechanism positively ejects each lead toward the escapement station.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.