# US 4,398,327 A · Pledget loading apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,398,327 A - Document ID: US4398327A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/220,250 - Filed: 1980-12-24 - Granted: 1983-08-16 - Earliest claimed: 1979-12-29 - Assignees: Sankin Engineering Company Limited - Inventors: Sakuzo Yamazaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398327A ## CPC - A61C 19/00: Dental auxiliary appliances (dental chairs or accessories therefor, working stands whether or not combined with chairs A61G15/00) - Y10T 29/51: Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for metal shaping or assembling - Y10T 29/5145: to sever product to length - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A pledget loading apparatus for automatically applying a cut segment of a flocculent material such as absorbent cotton to the needle of an elongated needle instrument such as a dental probe needle instrument. The instrument is inserted into an instrument receiver unit to be loaded with such a pledget on the needle and is automatically conveyed into a position ready to be removed from the apparatus. A continuous length of flocculent material is stepwise supplied and cut into segments in an area suitable for being applied to the needle of the instrument. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for applying a cut segment of a flocculent material to an elongated needle instrument having a needle, comprising, in combination, an instrument receiver unit for receiving therein at least an axial portion of said needle instrument in such a manner that the needle of the instrument axially projects out of the receiver unit, said instrument receiver unit having an axial bore extending and laterally open throughout the length of the unit, thrust-out means operative to thrust the needle instrument laterally out of the axial bore in said instrument receiver unit into a predetermined first position laterally adjacent the receiver unit, transfer means operative to convey the needle instrument from said first position to a predetermined second position remote from the first position, supply means for storing a continuous length of flocculent material thereon and feeding a leading end portion of the continuous length of flocculent material to a predetermined delivery area into which the needle of said instrument is to axially extend when the instrument is received in said instrument receiver unit, and cutting means operative to cut said leading end portion into a segment in said delivery area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said instrument receiver unit is shiftable between a latched position in which said thrust-out means is inaccessible into said axial bore and an unlatched position in which the thrust-out means is accessible into said axial bore. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising unlatching means operative to shift said instrument receiver unit between said latched position and said unlatched position thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which said instrument receiver unit is angularly movable about a predetermined axis between said latched position and said unlatched position thereof, said axial bore in said instrument receiver unit being laterally open away from said axis in a first direction deviating from said first position and a second direction directed toward said first position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which said unlatching means comprises an externally toothed gear having a center axis substantially coincident with said axis about which said instrument receiver unit is angularly movable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) An apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 to 5, in which said needle instrument has a shank portion larger in diameter than said needle and in which said transfer means comprises an endless needle-carrier belt having a substantially straight travelling path portion extending in a direction substantially parallel with the spacing between said first position and said second position, said needle-carrier belt being adapted to have said needle rollably received thereon along said travelling path portion and a belt and pulley arrangement including an endless belt having a substantially straight travelling path portion substantially parallel with said travelling path portion of said needle-carrier belt, said endless belt of said belt and pulley arrangement being adapted to have said shank portion rollably received thereon along said travelling path portion thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which said endless belt of said belt and pulley arrangement constitutes a first endless belt of the arrangement which further comprises a second endless belt having a substantially straight travelling path portion substantially parallel with said travelling path portion of said first endless belt, said travelling path portion of the first endless belt and said travelling path portion of the second endless belt being spaced apart from each other and having formed therebetween an elongated clearance for receiving therein the shank portion of said instrument. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, in which said transfer means further comprises drive means operative to drive said needle-carrier belt to travel at a first speed and in a first direction along said travelling path portion thereof, said first endless belt to travel at a second speed and in a second direction identical and parallel with said first direction and said second endless belt to travel at a third speed lower than said first speed and in a direction opposite to and parallel with said first direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) An apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 to 5, in which said supply means comprises a support member pivotally movable about a fixed horizontal axis, a spool rotatable about an axis fixed with respect to said support member and substantially parallel with the axis about which the support member is pivotally movable, said spool being adapted to have said continuous length of flocculent material wound in layers thereon, a feed roller rotatable about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said spool, said spool being radially aligned with said feed roller and being adapted to bear in rollable and weight-transmitting relationship on the feed roller, a nip roller rotatable about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said feed roller, and biasing means urging said nip roller into rollable contact with said feed roller.