Ball magazine for a device for lapping and/or grinding balls

Abstract

A ball magazine for a device for lapping and/or grinding balls includes a ball removal section configured to be connected to the device and receive balls from the device, a ball storage section connected to the ball removal section and configured to receive the balls from the ball removal section, and a ball feed section configured to guide the balls from the ball storage section back to the device. At least part of the ball storage section, which may be formed as a channel, is sloped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball magazine for a device for lapping and/or grinding balls, the ball magazine comprising:
 a ball removal section configured to be connected to the device and receive balls from the device,   a ball storage section connected to the ball removal section and configured to receive the balls from the ball removal section, and   a ball feed section configured to guide the balls from the ball storage section back to the device,   wherein at least part of the ball storage section is sloped.   
     
     
         2 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1 ,
 including a raising unit between the ball storage section and the ball feed section, the raising unit being configured to raise the balls from a lower level to a higher level relative to the device and to guide the balls to the ball feed section.   
     
     
         3 . The ball magazine according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the raising unit comprises a conveying screw or a conveyor belt.   
     
     
         4 . The ball magazine according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the raising unit comprises a conveying screw, and   wherein a thread flight of the conveying screw is based on a ball diameter.   
     
     
         5 . The ball magazine according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the raising unit is configured to guide a spacer associated with each of the balls.   
     
     
         6 . The ball magazine according to  claim 5 ,
 including an alignment section configured to align the spacer with a conveying axis of the raising unit.   
     
     
         7 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the ball removal section slopes upwardly away from the device.   
     
     
         8 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1  including at least one ball guide. 
     
     
         9 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the ball removal section, the ball storage section and/or the ball feed section a spacer guide element for guiding spacers associated with the balls.   
     
     
         10 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1  including securing means for preventing the balls from falling out of the ball storage section. 
     
     
         11 . A system for lapping and/or grinding balls, comprising:
 a first device for lapping and/or grinding balls;   a second device for lapping and/or grinding balls; and   a ball magazine according to  claim 1  arranged between the first device and the second device such that the ball removal section of the ball magazine receives the balls from the first device and the ball feed section guides the balls from the ball magazine to the second device.   
     
     
         12 . A system for lapping and/or grinding balls, comprising:
 a device for lapping and/or grinding balls, and   a ball magazine according to  claim 1  connected to the device.   
     
     
         13 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the ball storage section comprises a channel.   
     
     
         14 . The ball magazine according to  claim 1 ,
 including an elevator between the ball storage section and the ball feed section, the elevator being configured to raise the balls from a lower level to a higher level relative to the device and to guide the balls to the ball feed section.