Apparatus for sorting pills

An apparatus for separating and feeding identically shaped small objects, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of horizontally spaced funnels holding the objects and each having a downwardly open outlet;
• a housing;
• a roller forming together with the housing a plurality of arcuate passages generally centered on an axis and each having an upper inlet end at a respective one of the outlets and a lower outlet end, whereby the objects can enter the upper inlet ends of the passages and move downward through the passages, the roller having an outer periphery exposed in the passages and formed with a row of outwardly open grooves forming in the respective passages pockets of a shape corresponding generally to a shape of the objects;
• and
• means for rotating the roller such that the pockets move upward in the respective passages, whereby the objects are separated from one another and aligned behind one another in the passages.

An apparatus for separating and feeding identically shaped small objects, the apparatus comprising:

• a funnel holding the objects and having a downwardly open outlet;
• a housing;
• a wheel rotatable about the axis forming together with the housing an arcuate passage generally centered on a horizontal axis and having an upper inlet end at the outlet and a lower outlet end, whereby the objects can enter the upper inlet end of the passage and move downward through the passage, the wheel having an outer generally circular periphery centered on the axis, exposed in the passage, and formed with a row of outwardly open pockets of a shape corresponding generally to a shape of the objects;
• means for rotating the wheel such that the periphery moves upward in the passage, whereby the objects are separated from one another and aligned behind one another in the passage;
• and
• a disk having an axially directed end face forming an end surface of the passage.

An apparatus for separating and feeding identically shaped small, objects, the apparatus comprising:

• a funnel holding the objects and having a downwardly open outlet;
• a housing and a first wheel together forming an arcuate passage generally centered on an axis and having an upper inlet end a at the outlet and a lower outlet end, whereby the objects can enter the upper inlet end of the passage and move downward through the passage, the wheel having an outer periphery exposed in the passage and formed with a row of outwardly open pockets of a shape corresponding generally to a share of the objects;
• a second wheel separate from and smaller than the first wheel and exposed in the passage generally at the funnel outlet;
• and
• means for rotating both the wheels in the same direction with the periphery of the first wheel moving upward in the passage, whereby the objects are separated from one another and aligned behind one another in the passage.