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US 6,116,401 AGranted
Apparatus for rotating articles
AssigneeCarleton, Inc.
InventorNicholas D. Carleton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A static article-rotating apparatus having a continuous helical channel designed within a tubular member is disclosed. One or more guides smoothly and continuously deflect an article as it passes through the channel thereby rotating the article.
Claims24
An apparatus for rotating an article, comprising:
- a) a tubularly-shaped member defined by a diameter;
- and
- b) means for rotating the article as the article traverses said tubularly-shaped member, wherein said means for rotating includes a pair of opposing sidewalls that extend substantially across the diameter of said tubularly-shaped member thus forming a smooth and generally continuous channel, and attaches to an interior surface of said tubularly-shaped member.
A static article-turning apparatus, comprising:
- a) a tubularly-shaped member;
- and
- b) a guide attached to an interior surface of said tubularly-shaped member, said guide communicating with at least a portion of the interior surface of said tubularly-shaped member for defining a channel therethrough, said channel having a pair of opposing sidewalls that extend substantially across a cylindrical cross-section of said tubularly-shaped member and form a smooth and generally continuous inner surface, wherein portions of said guide and the interior surface of said tubularly-shaped member engage and angularly-deflect the article as the article traverses said channel, thereby turning the article.
A static article-turning apparatus, comprising:
- a) an outer tube;
- and
- b) an inner tube attached to an interior surface of said outer tube, said inner tube having a helically-shaped radial opening formed therein, said helically-shaped radial opening having smooth and generally continuous sidewalls, the smooth and generally continuous sidewalls forming a channel for angularly-deflecting the article as the article traverses said channel, thereby turning the article.
A static article-turning apparatus, comprising:
- a) a tube;
- and
- b) a cylinder having a helically-shaped radial opening therethrough so as to
- present a pair of smooth and generally continuous inner sidewall surfaces for the article to contact, said cylinder having a diameter slightly less than a diameter of an interior opening of said tube and attached to an interior surface of said tube.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.