Dropper random-separating mechanism

A dropper random-separating mechanism comprising:

• a plurality of dropper rows arranged in parallel, each dropper row having a plurality of droppers arranged sequentially;
• a plurality of pairs of separating pawls equal in number to said plurality of dropper rows, each pair of separating pawls being positioned at a respective dropper row for separating a foremost dropper of said respective dropper row, and each of said separating pawls being movable between a first position in which said foremost dropper is held and a second position in which said foremost dropper is separated from following droppers of said respective dropper row by a predetermined dropper separation space;
• urging means for urging each of said separating pawls into said second position;
• a cam member formed with a plurality of cam portions and mounted on a common rotational shaft, each cam portion having a first portion by which a corresponding separating pawl is held in said first position and a second portion, said corresponding separating pawl being allowed to be urged into said second position by said second portion;
• a plurality of power transmission means provided between said cam member and said separating pawls for forming power transmission paths between said cam member and said separating pawls;
• drive means for driving said common rotational shaft so that one separating pawl of said plurality of pairs of separating pawls is held in said first position by the first portion of said cam portion corresponding to said one separating pawl and is allowed to be urged into said second position by the second portion of said cam portion corresponding to said one separating pawl;
• and
• regulating means for connecting and disconnecting said power transmission paths, the movement of said one separating pawl into said second position being regulated by disconnecting the corresponding power transmission path when said common rotational shaft is rotated.