Parts assembler for ballpoint pens

Apparatus for assembling a ballpoint pen by placing a barrel assembly onto a cap assembly with inserted refill assembly and spring, wherein said barrel assembly has a larger diameter threaded end and a smaller diameter tip end, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• means for receiving and transporting single-file along a predetermined path the cap assemblies with the open end extending vertically upward and the refill assembly and spring inserted therein to extend vertically upward and thereby form a cap, refill and spring assembly;
• means for receiving a plurality of barrel assemblies;
• means for transporting the barrel assemblies in single-file order;
• means for aligning the barrel assemblies with the larger diameter threaded end extending vertically downward including a vertical passage including restrictions at each end only permitting passage of the smaller diameter tip end and means for dropping the barrel assemblies in a horizontal attitude into the vertical passage such that the smaller diameter tip will pass through the restriction and the larger diameter threaded end will be momentarily detained;
• and
• means for moving an aligned barrel assembly over the predetermined path and into alignment above a cap, refill and spring assembly including a rotating carrousel assembly positioned over the predetermined path of the cap, refill and spring assembly receiving and transporting means and having vertical pockets to hold each barrel assembly and wherein the bottom of said carrousel vertical pockets are formed by a stationary plate having a trailing edge which the barrel assembly moves across to be dropped onto the cap, refill and spring assembly thereby allowing the barrel assembly with the larger diameter threaded end extending vertically downwardly to drop downward over the cap, refill and spring assembly.