Westinghouse Electric Corporation

John O Kurtz

Stanley Katsuyoshi Wakamiya

David Jerome Tilles

Charles M Miller

Mark W Westerdale

Fred S Blake

Apparatus for separating individual flat articles of random thickness from one end of a stack of such articles and delivering separated articles, on command, to a transport device. Included in the apparatus is a pick-off device having a friction surface drivable in a direction of article delivery and oriented to engage an exposed surface on one article at the one end of the stack and advance the one article in the direction of delivery, an anti-doubling device for restricting advancing movement of other articles by the pick-off device, a delivery device having a drivable friction nip for pulling a separated article from the pick-off device in the direction of article delivery, and a control system for operating the pick-off device and the delivery device to position each separated article in the friction nip in readiness for delivery, on command, to the transport device. The anti-doubling device is a friction roller supported for movement between a first position of contact with the friction surface of the pick-off device and a second position separated from the friction surface of the pick-off device by the thickness of an article advanced from the one end of the stack. A constant slip torque is imposed on the friction roller independent of friction roller speed, by a magnetic hysteresis device.

Apparatus for separating and delivering flat articles of random length

The electronic component retrieval and insertion apparatus for printed circuit boards is a tactile and displacement monitoring device for the retrieval from a source and insertion of electronic components into a through-hole PCB utilizing force and displacement sensors on extendable fingers adjustable for a multitude of shapes such that excessive force to the component and PCB can be avoided and the final position of the inserted component can be checked to verify proper seating.

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Laurel, MD, United States of America

John O Kurtz