I need some help on a gravity fed magazine for my cnc system. What i have is several pieces of pvc pipe that i'd like to stack into a magazine style cartridge that will dispence them out single file order. Kinda like in a chute I have a rough drawing of my idea. What i've discovered is that when you stack the pieces in a radom order with only one way out they become locked by there own geometry and stop the flow. Maybe you (guys or girls) know where i can find some documentation on such a magazine. I know some one out there has already figured out the physcs behind this idea because I'm sure I'm not the first to need this magazine. Anyway have a look at the drawing and you'll understand what I need. The drawin shows some of my ideas that might work?

oops here is the dwg again

Not sure of the shape that you are trying to feed through this but on a gun magazine a spring is used to push. You could also make it air assist or vibration assist. I would need to know how you are using this (parts loader, tool changer?). Can't imagine ball bearings getting stuck or even cylinders but hex stock for sure.

if your feeding round stock why not try something layed out like one of those soda can despencers you see in walmart.is all it is is a set of angled shelves.this is ruff but i hope it can help.

The shape is exactly like a soda can. The idea I've shown does lock up on it's self I made a prototype and found unless you agitate the whole compartment constantly the cylinders create a log jam effect and is quite strong I can put about 100lbs of weight on them and they hold even tighter with more force. The zig zag effect works but eats up alot of area. I'm thinking indiviual "cells" or rows with a actuated door at the ends to feed into a single column idea. Keep the ideas coming I'm still not finished with this yet.

this is ruff but how about something on this order.