Western Electric Company, Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

At&t Technologies, Inc.

Willard E Rapp

Herbert A Pohl

Michael A Muhlberger

Stanley Golinski

Nagesh R Basavanhally

An appartus (10) attaching successive pairs of wires (12) to successive pairs of opposed contacts (15) of a connector (16) comprises a connector-carrying carriage (44,46) mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis. Each of a pair of ram assemblies (100) is mounted on opposite sides of the carriage for movement to and from a separate one of a pair of opposed contacts on the connector. Each pair of wire guides (58) is situated adjacent to a separate one of the ram assemblies for guiding a wire pulled thereacross into alignment with one of a pair the opposed connector contacts. Once each wire is aligned with the connector contact, each ram assembly is actuated to attach the wire to the contact. After wire attachment, an advancing mechanism (120, 126, 134, 142, 146) advances the carriage so that each of a successive pair of contacts is opposite a separate one of the ram assemblies.

Method and apparatus for attaching connectors

A first one of a plurality of continuous pin strips (24) is selectively fed into an input slot (40) of a machine (38) by first guiding each pin strip into one end (65a) of a separate one of a plurality of spaced channels (64) extending across a plate (46). The plate is selectively indexed by means of a servo-actuator (71) to position the other end (65b) of a first one of the channels containing the first strip in alignment with the input slot on the machine. The first of the pin strips within the first channel is advanced through the first channel and into the input slot.

Method and apparatus for selectively feeding strips of material

Automated insertion of pins (14) into apertures (12) in a backplane (10) is achieved by first shearing a predetermined number of pins from a continuous strip of pins (26). The sheared pins (12) are then engaged in a pin holder (134) which is indexed to locate the pins in registration with the apertures (12) in the backplane (10). The pin holder (134) is displaced towards the backplane (10) to insert the pins (14) into the apertures (12). As the pins are inserted, they are simultaneously engaged by a pair of guide fingers (244) which travel therewith to guide the engaged pins into the apertures without interfering with any previously inserted pins. The guide fingers disengage themselves from the pins once insertion thereof is substantially completed. An apparatus (10) is also described for carrying the above-described steps in sequence.

Method and apparatus for inserting pins in a substrate

An apparatus (44) for automatically inserting contact fingers (26) on an edge connector (14) into corresponding apertures (28) in a backplane (10) comprises a nest assembly (77) rotatably mounted to an end (74) of a transfer slide (73). The transfer slide (73) is mounted for movement along a path underlying a rotatable, multi-sided carousel (68), storing a stack of edge connectors on each side thereof, and a ram (49) overlying the backplane. When the transfer slide (73) is displaced to a side of the carousel (68), the nest assembly (77) will engage an endmost edge connector (14) stored on the carousel side. Upon displacement of the transfer slide (73) to the ram (49), the nest assembly (77) rotates to position the contact fingers (26) of the engaged edge connector for insertion in the apertures (28). The ram is then actuated to force the edge connector from the nest assembly towards the backplane to drive the contact fingers into the apertures.

Method and apparatus for inserting multi-leaded articles into a substrate

A plurality of rows of leads (6,7) extending from a connector (5) are inserted into vias (32--32) in a circuit board (24) having components thereon. A plurality of slots (84--84) in a comb (60) are aligned with the vias (32--32) and the connector (5) moved towards the comb to position the leads (6,7) therein. A downward force is applied to the connector (5) causing the leads (6,7) to slide along the slots (84--84) and into the vias (32--32). The comb (60) is arcuately moved a short distance to disengage the leads (6,7) therefrom and then moved upward, away from the board (24). The board (24) with the connector (5) thereon is removed. The comb (60) is then moved back to the vertical position to receive the leads of the next connector (5) to be inserted in the vias (32--32).

Technique for inserting connector leads into a circuit board

An insertion head (80) for inserting a contact (30) having opposed tines (34--34) into a connector cavity (28) having opposed ribs (49--49) protruding from the inner wall thereof. The insertion head (80) severs a contact (30) from a spine (44) of contact strip (42) and the contact (30) is then moved laterally, away from the strip, to a vertically aligned position above the cavity (28). A punch (128) pushes the contact (30) into the cavity (28) while simultaneously spreading the tines (34--34) apart to straddle the opposed ribs (49--49).

Contact insertion head and method of inserting contacts

A device (26) for softening the insulation of a wire (21) having a pair of opposed rollers (28, 30) and means (22) for mounting the rollers. The rollers (28, 30) are mounted in such a manner as to be movable away from one another to enable an insulated wire (21), to be wire wrapped on a terminal, to be passed therebetween. The rollers (28, 30) are also movable towards each other for engaging and softening the wire insulation.

Wire insulation softening device

Keying members (42--42), used to permit mating connectors (32--32) to be inserted onto the proper locations on a backplane (22) of a PCB mounting shelf (10), are initially inserted in a transfer member (62). The transfer member (62) is then positioned proximate the backplane (22) and the keying members (42--42) are urged therefrom onto the backplane (22) by an ejection apparatus (60).

Technique for inserting keying members into backplanes

A power operated tool (20) functions to cut and collect a multitude of precious metal contacts (11,11) from wire spring relays (10). The tool (20) includes a pair of jaws (31,32) that in the open position fit over several rows of contacts (11,11). When the tool (20) is energized, the jaws (31,32) are snapped shut thereby severing the contacts (11,11) from the relays (28). The jaws (31,32) in the closed engaged position define a closed chamber (41) having a port (44) for attachment to a vacuum source for sucking the severed contacts (11,11) into a collection vessel. The jaws (31,32) reopen following collection and the tool (20) is ready to cut the next set of spring contacts (11,11).

Relay cutting tool

An apparatus (50) for cutting a wire (21) and softening the insulation thereof. The apparatus (50) is comprised of a pair of wire cutters (52) with a pair of opposed rollers (74, 76) associated therewith. The rollers (74, 76) are mounted for relative movement away from one another to enable an insulated wire to be passed therebetween and into the wire cutters (52). The rollers (74, 76) are also relatively movable toward each other for engaging and softening the wire (21) insulation upon actuation of the wire cutters (52) to cut the wire.

Wire cutting and insulation softening apparatus

A wire wrapping tool (10) includes a gun (20), a bit (24) for cutting, stripping and wrapping a wire (21), a sleeve (25) for receiving the bit and a wire softening device (26). The device (26) includes a pair of opposed rollers (28,30) for softening the wire (21) pulled therethrough.

Wrapping of insulated wire

A filter assembly for an extrusion apparatus comprises a stationary filter having a flat, hard surface and slidable means having a plurality of apertures for both accumulating filtered debris and cleaning the filter surface when the debris is removed by sliding a clogged slide aperture out of position while replacing it with a clean aperture.

Cleanable filter and method of cleaning same

Screen devices for use with an automatic screen changer (10) of an extruder (11) are fabricated from a screen preform (32) including an elongated carrier strip (36) having a plurality of screen elements (33--33) connected thereto. The screen changer (10) includes a pair of recesses (21,22) for receiving screen devices and is movable between a first position in which one recess is in the path of the extrudate (11) while the other recess is outside the path thereof and a second position in which the dispositions of the recesses is reversed. While a recess (21 or 22) is outside of the path of the extrudate, a used, clogged screen device is ejected therefrom and a new screen device is fabricated, in situ, therein. The screen device is fabricated by feeding the preform (32) between a punch (54) and the recess. The punch (54) is then actuated to sever an element (33) from the preform (32) and in the same motion insert it into the recess.

Fabrication of screen devices

A power-operated tool functions to remove wire leads and solder from terminals e.g., terminals which include two bent lugs, without any application of heat to the leads or terminals. The tool includes a number of scrapers, each having a scraping edge. With the scraping edges initially maintained forced apart, the scrapers are positioned axially forwardly along a terminal, so as to locate the scraping edges beneath one or more soldered wire leads. The tool is then energized, causing the scrapers to be moved axially rearwardly along the terminal, and simultaneously causing the scraping edges to be moved generally radially inwardly toward one another so as to engage firmly a plurality of surfaces of the terminal. The axially moving scraping edges serve to scrape the wire lead and solder axially off the terminal. Two embodiments of the tool are disclosed.

Wire lead and solder removal tool

The disclosure concerns apparatus which automatically performs screen-changing functions associated with the use of screen devices for filtering extruded plastic materials. The apparatus includes a slide assembly with two apertured recesses for receiving screen devices, and mechanisms for aligning the recesses alternatingly with a direction of advance of the extruded plastic material. A screen device is replaced within one recess, as a screen device within the other recess filters the extruded plastic material. Such screen device replacement is provided through the automatic, sequential operations of screen device ejection, screen device carrier, screen device introducing and screen device reloading mechanisms.

Growing community of inventors

Franklin Township, NJ, United States of America

Willard E Rapp