Article orientation device

A device for orienting tapered articles to a desired end to end relation, the articles being delivered to the device in a random fashion, said device including:

• a. a first delivery section arranged to receive the articles in a random fashion and deliver the same in aligned, single file relation;
• b. an orientation section including detection and rotating structures arranged to receive the articles from said first delivery means and selectively turn certain ones thereof whereby all of the articles are arranged in the same end to end relation;
• c. a second delivery section arranged to receive the oriented articles from said orientation section for delivery;
• d. said orientation section including;
• 1. at least one, generally horizontal, rotating wheel member positioned to receive articles from said first delivery section and deliver the same to said second delivery section;
• 2. a ramp element arranged adjacent said wheel arranged to extend generally radially outwardly from and angularly upwardly from said wheel member and being generally aligned with the aligned flow of articles from said first delivery section;
• 3. a shiftable, article positioning, kicker element arranged generally adjacent said first delivery section, normally positioned to direct the articles onto said rotating wheel for unshifted delivery to said second delivery section and being shiftable from said normal directing position to at least a second position to direct one end of the articles onto said ramp element, the other end of the article being delivered to said rotating wheel whereby the rotating movement of said wheel moves the other end of the article forwardly of the one end of the article for delivery of the same to said second delivery section in shifted, reversed position;
• and,
• 4. said detection structure arranged adjacent said first delivery section, sensing the end to end orientation of the articles being delivered therepast and arranged to control the position of said kicker.