US 4,632,008 AGranted

Method and apparatus to fill primer feed tubes

OwnerLarry D. Hornerinventor

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Abstract

A method for orienting and stacking primers one on top of another in a vertical upright position inside of a tubular receptacle. An apparatus with a slotted hopper and a gate to orient and stack primers in a removable tubular receptacle one on top of another in a vertical fashion. The apparatus can include a vibrator to facilitate orientation of the primers in the hopper and to speed passage of the primers through the apparatus. The apparatus may further include a handle to allow it to be held in one hand. In an alternative embodiment, the tubular receptacle is not removable from the gate. Another embodiment has a smooth hopper and a tubular receptacle to receive and stack primers one on top of another. An alternative embodiment of the apparatus has a removable gate and a removable receptacle to accommodate different sized primers.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus to orient and stack primers comprising:

(a) a hopper defined by a flat surface surrounded by an upstanding wall, said flat surface including a plurality of parallel slots formed in a portion thereof for facilitating the orientation of said primers in an upright position;
(b) handle means attached to said hopper enabling said apparatus to be held in one hand, said handle means including a frame and trigger;
(c) an adjustable gate including:
(i) a ramp for directing primers into an axial passageway extending through said gate;
(ii) stop means located above said ramp to prevent improperly oriented primers from entering said passageway;
(iii) deflector means for directing said primers into said passageway after leaving said ramp;
and
(iv) chuck means for releasably receiving and gripping a primer tube and for positioning said tube in axial alignment with said passageway to receive said primers;
and
(d) vibrator means driven by an electric motor mounted in said frame and actuated by said trigger to agitate said primers on said hopper facilitating upright orientation of said primers and to speed passage of said primers into said tube.

7 more elements

An apparatus to orient and stack primers comprising:

(a) a hopper defined by a flat surface surrounded by an upstanding wall, said flat surface including a plurality of parallel slots formed in a portion thereof for facilitating the orientation of said primers in an upright position;
(b) handle means attached to said hopper enabling said apparatus to be held in one hand, said handle means including a frame and trigger;
(c) a detachably mounted adjustable gate including
(i) a ramp for directing primers into an axial passageway extending through said gate;
(ii) stop means located above said ramp to prevent improperly oriented primers from entering said passageway;
(iii) deflector means for directing said primers into said passageway after leaving said ramp;
and
(iv) chuck means for releasably receiving and gripping a primer tube and for positioning said tube in axial alignment with said passageway to receive said primers;
and
(d) vibrator means driven by an electric motor mounted in said frame and actuated by said trigger to agitate said primers on said hopper facilitating upright orientation of said primers and to speed passage of said primers into said tube.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.