Machine for mounting electrical components onto printed-circuit boards

Abstract

In apparatus for inserting the connecting leads of circuit component parts which are successively arranged along a feeder tape with the leads extending from the tape in a same direction, a mounting bracket is provided which is manually rotatable about a vertical axis and on which are mounted a tape advancing mechanism and a cutter for cutting off the connecting leads of the component part which is brought to a cutting position. An insertion head extends coaxially with the vertical axis to provide reciprocating movement in response to the feeder advancing movement. A gripper is pivotally mounted at the lower end of the insertion head and operable to rotate during the downward movement of the insertion head from a horizontal position to hold the component part whose connecting leads are being cut off to a vertical position to orient the cutoff ends of the leads toward matching holes of a printed-circuit board. The insertion head is also rotatable about the vertical axis with the rotation of the mounting bracket so as to orient the ends of the gripper toward the matching holes. A second gripper is mounted below the first gripper and operable to reciprocate along the vertical axis in synchronism with the feeder advancement to hold the connecting leads which extend downward through the matching holes to give them a bend. The second gripper is also manually rotatable about the vertical axis to permit orientation of its gripping ends to the matching holes.