Feeding and indexing apparatus

A feeding and indexing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of article feed units spaced along and movable in a circular path for carrying articles, respectively;
• cam means disposed radially inwardly of and concentrically with said circular path, said cam means having a wavy cam profile including a plurality of mountains and a plurality of valleys alternating with said mountains;
• a plurality of cam followers movable in contact with said cam means;
• drive arm means rotatable about a center of said cam means for moving said article feed units;
• a plurality of driven arms operatively coupled to said drive arm means and to said cam followers at respective junction points;
• and
• a plurality of connecting members operatively coupled to said driven arms, and to corresponding article feed units, each of said connecting members being provided for allowing the respective distance between a rotating axis of said driven arm and a corresponding article feed unit to vary;
• wherein said article feed units can start and atop along said circular path at specific intervals when said drive arm means is rotated at a constant speed;
• and
• wherein a pitch angle defined between adjacent ones of said mountains or valleys is different from a pitch angle defined between adjacent ones of said junction points of said drive arm means and said driven arms.