______________________________________insert feeder 100horizontal mounting post hole 101stack of inserts 102lowest insert 103individual insert 104individual insert face 105insert spacing 106insert magazine lower end 107insert magazine 108insert magazine lower end 109insert magazine side wall 110insert magazine side wall 112insert magazine bottom 114insert magazine foot stop 115stack pusher 116stack pusher roller 118outfeed roller side support 120outfeed roller side support 122magazine support plate 124magazine support plate 126magazine height adjustment slot 128magazine height adjustment slot 130magazine height adjustment slot 132magazine height adjustment slot 134magazine pivot pin 136magazine pivot block 138magazine mounting block 140magazine feed angle 142mechanical drive mechanism 200drive motor 202motor shaft 204motor driven sprocket gear 206sprocket drive belt 208sprocket gear 210main drive shaft 212outer drive sprocket 214transport drive belt 216camshaft roller pulley 218upper infeed roller drive disc 220upper infeed roller 221clutch drive sprocket 222upper infeed roller grooves 223clutch output sprocket 224clutch output shaft 225camshaft drive belt 226insert transport mechanism 300upper transport belts 302nip 303lower transport belts 304transport belt vertical spacing 306upper out feed roller 308lower outfeed roller 309lower infeed roller 330lower infeed roller 332infeed pulley support bearings 334 and 336infeed pulley support bearings 338 and 340lower infeed pulley grooves 342 and 344insert support discs 346 and 348camshaft assembly 400vacuum output cam shaft 402on which cam is mountedrotatable cam 404arc of travel of cam 405vacuum port 406vacuum port recess area 408vacuum access passage or manifold 410vacuum circuit 411exterior of camshaft 413stripper blade or doctor knife 416stripper knife support block 418stripper blade , vacuum cam spacing 419insert dispensing angle 420insert deflection 421cam shaft bearing 422cam shaft bearing 424vacuum source 426rotary union 428shaft collar 430cam stop position 432electrical control mechanism 500package 501product photo sensor 502product photo sensor signal 504electrical controller 506electrical clutch 508electrical clutch operating signal 509electrical clutch solenoid 510electrical signal generator 512electrical signal from signal generator 514tip sensor 516electrical inlet 518clutch pawl 520fault signal 522tip sensor photocell signal 524reject gate 526alarm 528______________________________________ fig1 is a side view of an insert feeder 100 . at the center is shown mounting support post hole 101 . a stack of inserts 102 is placed in insert magazine 108 . the inserts 102 are placed generally vertically in face to face relationship between the insert magazine side walls 110 and 112 , resting on the insert magazine bottom 114 . the stack of inserts 102 slides from the upper end 107 of the magazine 108 to the lower end 109 of the magazine . a stack pusher 116 , having a stack pusher roller 118 mounted thereon , holds the stack of inserts 102 vertically and urges the stack 102 downwards towards the device 100 . at the right of feeder 100 are mounted two extensions 120 and 122 which serve as outfeed roller side supports for outfeed rollers . below the device 100 ar the magazine support plates 124 and 126 . two sets of height adjustment slots 128 and 130 , and 132 and 134 are provided . set 128 and 130 are used if the device 100 is to be mounted dispensing vertically . sets 132 and 134 are used if the device is to be mounted dispensing horizontally . as shown in fig1 the device can be mounted from a vertical position to a horizontal position . the magazine 108 remains in the same magazine feed angle 142 regardless of the insert dispense angle 420 of the device 100 . magazine height adjustment slot 132 , magazine pivot pin 136 , magazine pivot block 138 and magazine mounting block 140 are shown to the left of fig1 . the magazine 108 ca be moved vertically to adjust the device to various size inserts and to adjust the vertical position of the vacuum cam insert interface as shown in fig1 and 12 . the device 100 pivots around the mounting hole 101 and the magazine 108 pivots around pivot pin 136 . as stated , this pivoting ability allows the device to be operated through a wide feed angle from vertical to horizontal . fig1 shows the shallow feed angle 142 of the magazine 108 . fig1 shows the device 100 attached to magazine 108 with stacked inserts 102 fed into device 100 with individual inserts 104 being ejected singly out of the opposite side of the device 100 . the individual inserts 104 are transported out of the device by four parallel outfeed belts . two belts above and two belts below , spaced apart from each other hold the inserts 104 and transport the inserts 104 out of the device 100 . fig2 is a top view of the device 100 . to the left of fig2 is the magazine 108 , comprising adjustable magazine side wall 112 , adjustable side wall 110 and bottom 114 . the spacing of side walls 110 and 112 can be adjusted to accommodate different sized inserts . inserts 102 are shown in magazine 108 . magazine supports 124 and 126 can be seen at the end of magazine 108 . vacuum source 426 and electrical inlet 518 are shown on the top left of device 100 . to the right of fig2 is shown an ejected insert 104 , outfeed roller side supports 120 and 122 and upper outfeed roller 308 . an insert 104 held between and being transported by belts 302 and 304 is also shown . fig3 is a side view , in section of the mechanical drive mechanism . the mechanical drive mechanism 200 of the insert feeder 100 is provided as follows . first reviewing fig3 . motor shaft 204 extends out of the single electrical drive motor 202 used . motor shaft 204 is affixed to motor driven sprocket gear 206 . sprocket drive belt 208 , a timing belt , is driven by sprocket gear 206 and in turn drives sprocket gear 210 . sprocket gear 210 is journaled to main drive shaft 212 . direction of movement of belt 208 is shown by an arrow . belt 208 continuously runs and provides the power to drive outfeed belts 302 and 304 which carry inserts 104 out of the device 100 . in the best method , belts 302 and 304 are constantly in motion and the drive train to these belts is not subject to starting and stopping loads . journaled to main drive shaft 212 and stacked on to gear 210 is outer drive sprocket 214 . mounted on outer drive sprocket 214 is transport drive belt 216 . drive direction of transport drive belt 216 is shown by the arrow in fig3 . transport drive belt 216 passes around camshaft roller drive pulley 218 as shown in fig4 then around upper infeed roller drive disc 220 , then around clutch drive sprocket 222 and back to outer drive sprocket 214 . a partial section has been taken out of clutch drive sprocket 222 to show part of the clutch output sprocket 224 and its associated drive belt 226 . electrical clutch 508 , not shown in this drawing , engages the clutch drive sprocket 222 to the clutch output sprocket 224 upon receiving a signal from the electrical clutch controller 506 . in operation , belt 208 is always in motion and being driven . belt 216 and its associated sprockets are always in motion . drive belt 226 is only driven and in motion when the electrical clutch 508 has activated by a product feed signal 516 and the clutch output sprocket 224 is then connected to the main drive shaft 212 , through belt 216 and associated sprockets . insert transport mechanism 300 as shown in fig3 comprises upper transport belts 302 and lower transport belts 304 . generally two upper transport belts 302 and two lower transport belts 304 are mounted above and below the outlet from the stripping mechanism 400 . the stripping mechanism is the nip 303 of the belts . that is , the belts are one above and one below the cam 404 in the arc of travel 405 of the cam . the transport belts 302 , 304 transport the individual inserts 104 away from the cam 404 to the package . the horizontal spacing 306 of belts 302 and 304 can be varied to accommodate different sizes of inserts being fed . transport belt 302 extends around upper out feed roller 308 and is driven by upper infeed roller 221 . vacuum output cam shaft 402 is shown in hidden lines on the camshaft roller pulley 218 in fig3 shown on the left bottom of fig3 is a stack of inserts 102 . the inserts 102 are stacked in a column . the face of the lowest insert 103 in the column 102 rests against vacuum port 406 in cam 404 . cam 404 has a vacuum port 406 and a vacuum port recess area 408 formed therein . the shaft 402 upon which the cam is mounted , has been drilled out to form a vacuum access passage . above the inserts 102 is shown stripper blade 416 which is mounted on stripper blade support block 418 . the inserts to be stripped are pulled through the stripping blade , vacuum cam spacing 419 . the stripper blade 416 is adjustable in position in height , angle and depth to accommodate different size inserts and to accommodate the desired insert dispensing angle 421 as shown in fig1 and 12 . fig1 is a schematic showing three dispensing angles 420 through which the device can be used by rotating the device around the mounting 101 and 136 and by changing the radial position of the vacuum cam 404 on vacuum cam shaft 402 . fig4 is a front view of the device with the support structure removed . the purpose of this view is to show the power train and the lateral position of all parts . upper infeed roller 221 is affixed to upper infeed roller drive disc 220 upper infeed roller 221 turns continuously as long as power is fed to motor 202 . upper transport belts 302 are affixed around upper infeed roller 221 , in grooves 223 . the belts 302 are not shown in this view . as stated , two upper transport belts 302 are used . there are four transport belt retainer grooves 223 in roller 221 so that the transport belts can be spaced to accommodate different width inserts . fig4 shows electric motor 202 , as connected to three drive belts , 208 , 216 and 226 . for belt 226 to be driven , electrical clutch 508 must be engaged . at the bottom of fig4 vacuum rotary union 428 is shown mounted to camshaft 402 . movable shaft collar 430 is used to adjust the cam stop position 432 . camshaft 402 is hollow up to the vacuum port 406 . the hollow is a vacuum access passage or manifold . the vacuum port 406 , in the best method is approximately one sixteenth of an inch diameter . the vacuum source 426 is a remote pump not shown . no vacuum shut off is used . the size of the port 406 is such that during the short cycle of the vacuum cam , where the cam 404 is not closed off by an insert 104 vacuum is not materially lost . when electrical clutch 508 is engaged , clutch output shaft 225 on which is mounted clutch output sprocket 224 moves belt 226 which in turn powers cam drive sprocket 222 which turns vacuum output shaft 402 . vacuum port recess area 408 is designed to maximize surface contact and to minimize vacuum loss . in the best method , the area is approximately one half inch . at the upper left of fig4 is shown electrical signal generator 512 . fig5 is an expanded perspective view of the clutch and cam drive mechanism and the outfeed belts . clutch output shaft 225 is stationary until clutch 508 is engaged . in use , clutch 508 is engaged upon the electrical controller 506 receiving a product feed signal 516 . prior to engaging clutch 508 , transport drive belt 216 is turning . clutch drive sprocket 222 is idling on shaft 225 . outfeed belts 302 and 304 are turning , moving outwards away from nip 303 . rollers 221 and 223 are turning . cam 404 is stationary . on both sides of stationary cam 404 are free rotating insert support discs 346 and 348 . the discs 346 and 348 serve to prevent bouncing of the insert stack 102 when the cam 404 is rotated with camshaft 402 . upon receipt of a product feed signal 516 from the controller 506 , electrical clutch 508 is engaged . in the best method a modified wrap spring clutch is used because of the smooth acceleration characteristics of a wrap spring clutch . the wrap spring clutch 508 brings clutch output shaft 225 up to the transport belt speed in approximately three milliseconds . the insert 104 , held by vacuum port 406 is accelerated , and rotated out of the stack 102 , in an arc of travel 405 , into the nip 303 of outfeed belts 302 and 304 . electrical clutch 508 , engages solenoid 510 which lifts pawl 520 . on one 360 degree rotation of the shaft , the pawl reengages , terminates cam movement , and starts a dwell period . programmed into the controller 506 is a programmed count , counting corresponding magnetic pulses 514 generated by generator 512 which is operated off main motor shaft 204 . a delay of approximately three motor revolutions is programmed into the controller , before the clutch 508 can be again engaged and the cam rotated again . the dwell time is designed to allow the vacuum to build up and the port 406 pick up an insert 104 and pull the insert away from the stack 102 . the present device operates at 520 revolutions per minute . dwell time in the current device is determined to be a minimum of three milliseconds between rotations of the cam 404 to build up vacuum at the port 406 and for the cam 404 to engage an insert . fig6 . camshaft assembly 400 includes cam shaft 402 and associated rollers 330 and 332 . rollers 330 and 332 are mounted in bearings 334 336 , 338 , and 340 to turn freely on cam shaft 402 . roller 332 is driven by transport drive belt 216 . mounted between rollers 330 and 332 are free floating insert support discs 346 and 348 . cam shaft 402 has a vacuum access passage 410 formed through approximately one half of the cam shaft 402 length . vacuum port 406 is formed radially through the camshaft 402 . cam 404 is press fit onto and around camshaft 402 , centered over vacuum port 406 . fig6 shows the cam 404 with its vacuum recess area 408 mounted at the center of the cam shaft 402 and vacuum port 406 extending outwardly . lower infeed pulleys 330 and 332 are always in motion . infeed pulley support bearing 334 and 336 support pulley 330 . infeed pulley support bearings 338 and 340 support pulley 332 . lower transport belts 304 not shown in this view are mounted on pulleys 330 and 332 in grooves 342 and 344 . grooves 342 and 344 are not in alignment with the grooves 223 in the upper infeed roller 221 . the transport belts 302 and 304 are staggered with zero vertical clearance . the transport belts 302 and 304 are staggered because if they were mounted over each other the belts would interfere with each other . the cam shaft 402 with its associated cam 404 and vacuum port 406 only rotates when electrical one revolution clutch 504 is triggered . returning to fig6 and to the left side of the cam shaft assembly , vacuum source 426 is attached directly to rotary union 428 which is mounted on the camshaft 402 . no vacuum manifold is needed because of the design of the vacuum system . fig6 shows the movable shaft collar 430 used to adjust the position of cam 404 . when the dispensing angle 420 of the device is changed , the cam vacuum port 406 has to be rotated so that the vacuum port 406 is approximately perpendicular to or normal to the face of the insert 104 to be fed . shaft collar 430 allows rotating camshaft 402 and its associated vacuum cam 404 to the required position 432 to generate the desired arc of travel 405 to carry an insert 104 to the nip 303 of the outfeed belts 302 and 304 . on the right of fig6 can be seen transport drive belt 216 and on the left side the camshaft drive belt 226 previously described in fig3 and 5 . fig7 is a front view of the rotatable cam 404 . vacuum port 406 and vacuum port recess area 408 can best be seen in this view . fig8 is a cross section of the rotatable cam 404 showing the vacuum circuit 411 . fig9 is a shadow view of the vacuum cam 404 mounted on shaft 402 . fig1 is a schematic of the device showing the electrical control mechanism 500 . a product 501 passes in front of a product photo sensor 502 . upon product photo sensor 502 detecting the product 501 , sensor 502 sends a product photo sensor signal 504 to the controller 506 . controller 506 signals 509 , an electrical clutch solenoid 510 to engage a one revolution electrical clutch 508 , and at the same time the controller 506 counts the signals 514 generated by signal generator 512 which is mounted to the main drive shaft . electrical signal generator 512 detects magnetic pulses and converts the pulses into signal 514 , generated as so many pulses per inch of coupon travel . upon receiving signal 509 , the output shaft 225 attached to the camshaft drive clutch 508 rotates 360 degrees driven by belt 226 and its attached camshaft 402 . the camshaft 402 with its attached insert 104 rotates through 360 degrees . the camshaft accelerates to output belt speed and while doing so , rotates 360 degrees . the entrained insert 104 is pulled in to the nip of the moving output feed belts which strip the insert off and propel the insert into the product , while the cam rotates back to its point of beginning . tip sensor 516 detects whether an insert 104 has passed under tip sensor 516 within the prescribed count received by the controller 506 . in the device used , approximately 70 counts , with 20 counts per revolution of the electric motor 202 would correlate with the linear travel of one insert from the magazine through the area scanned by the tip sensor 516 . if no insert 104 is detected within count 514 , a second signal 509 is sent to the electronic clutch 508 to make a second try to feed the insert 104 . if no insert 104 is detected on a second attempt to feed an insert , then a fault signal 522 , generated by the controller 506 is sent to sound an alarm 528 or to operate reject gate 526 , to divert the package 501 . as best seen in fig1 is tip sensor photocell 516 and pulse generator 512 . tip sensor photocell 516 radiates across the space between belts 302 and 304 to a sensor . an insert 104 passing across this field interrupts the signal 524 . if the signal 524 is interrupted this signifies that an insert has passed along the transport belts and therefore into a product . the tip sensor signal 524 from the tip sensor photocell 516 must be recorded within a programmed count generated by the pulse generator 512 . the pulse generator 5 - 2 is operated by a magnetic encoder which is continuously running and is mounted on the motor drive shaft 204 . if no tip sensor signal 524 is received within the count generated by the pulse generator 512 , the controller 506 recycles the vacuum cam 404 to pick up another insert . if no signal 524 is received on the retry a fault signal 522 is generated and an alarm 528 or an output bypass signal or reject signal 526 or both is given . the fault signal 522 is to notify the operator of problems and the reject signal can be used to divert the missed product . if a set number of inserts in a row is missed the device can be signaled to shut down . fig1 is an expanded side view of the insert vacuum cam interface . inserts 104 are mounted magazine 108 . the inserts bear against insert magazine foot stop 115 . that stop extends about one third up the insert . mounted above stop 115 can be seen cam 404 , outfeed belts 302 and 304 , and outfeed belt nip 303 . stripper or doctor blade 416 mounted on stripper knife support block 418 can be seen as can the stripper blade vacuum cam spacing 419 . in the best method , vacuum cam 404 does not stop in a position 432 perpendicular to or normal to an insert . the stop position is approximately one half a degree beyond normal . the stop beyond normal creates an insert deflection 421 of approximately one thirty second of an inch to one sixteenth of an inch depending on the flexibility of the insert 104 . the deflection 421 makes the stripper blade vacuum cam spacing 419 less critical and solves one of the problems in feeding very thin inserts . fig1 shows the arc of travel 405 of the vacuum cam 404 . the greater the angle of feed 420 the greater the arc of travel 405 of the cam 404 with its entrained insert 104 . the insert dispense angle 420 as shown in this fig . depends o the flexibility of the insert . as the insert dispense angle 420 goes from horizontal to vertical , the insert 104 travels farther along the arc of travel of the cam 405 before being fed into the nip 303 .