Finger cot handling apparatus
AssigneeAgri Dynamics, Inc.
InventorsBrian A. Gobrogge, James R. Whitten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for loading thin-walled, elastic, tubular members having a single closed end, such as finger cots, condoms, balloons or the like, onto elongated rod or finger elements for subsequent placement onto a mandrel for processing or testing, where the tubular member is drawn in inverted manner onto the finger elements by suction and where separable finger element alignment blocks are provided to properly align and position the finger elements to receive the tubular member.
Claims25
In an apparatus for loading a thin-walled, elastic, tubular member having one closed end and one open end onto finger elements, the improvement comprising:
- vacuum means to draw the tubular member onto the finger elements;
- a housing block defining a suction chamber which receives said finger elements and into which said vacuum means draws said tubular member;
- and
- co-acting finger element alignment means to align said finger elements.
An apparatus for loading a thin-walled, elastic, tubular member having one closed end and one open end onto rod-like finger elements, the apparatus comprising:
- finger elements adapted to receive thereon a thin-walled, elastic, tubular member having one closed end and one open end;
- a suction chamber which receives said finger elements;
- vacuum means to draw the tubular member into said suction chamber and onto said finger elements;
- movable finger element alignment means to align said finger elements.
A method of loading a thin-walled, elastic, tubular member having one closed end and one open end onto a set of plural, radially expandable, finger elements, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing vacuum means adapted to produce a suction sufficient to draw a tubular member, a suction chamber, plural, radially expandable, rod-like finger elements, and separable finger element alignment means;
- inserting said finger elements through said finger element alignment means and into said suction chamber such that said finger elements are retained and aligned by said finger element alignment means;
- activating said vacuum means to produce a suction within said suction chamber such that a tubular member is drawn into said suction chamber and onto said finger elements;
- deactivating said vacuum means and separating said finger element alignment means;
- and
- removing said finger elements with the tubular member disposed thereon from said suction chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.