Indexers
Motion transformation mechanisms with local contact

Indexers are mechanisms that transform a continuous rotational movement into a sequence of regular movements alternating with periods of rest. These movements can be rotational or translational [8].

Generally speaking, one complete revolution of the input movement corresponds to a fraction of a revolution of the output movement and an elementary stopping time. During this stopping time, the output shaft must be immobilized regardless of the loads to which it is subjected: this is the locking function. An indexer cycle is shown in figure 44.

Indexers have a wide range of applications, particularly in automatic assembly, bottling and packaging lines (where an object...