Patent GB-730012-A (GB)
Title: Lead-in wire orienting apparatus for electric lamps, discharge devices, and the like
IPC: H01J9/28
Filed: 1952-03-04
Abstract: 730,012. Making electric lamps and like devices. SYLVANIA ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, Inc. March 4, 1952 [April 18, 1951], No. 5662/52. Class 39 (2). In apparatus for orienting the outwardly projecting end portions of leading-in wires sealed into the envelope of an electrical device such as a radio valve, fluorescent lamp &c., prior to a further processing or testing operation a series of such devices, e.g. tubular fluorescent lamps, are indexed through a sequence of work stations at one of which a wedge device effects partial separation of the wires from one another and, at a subsequent station, a pair of jaws which are reciprocated in a plane are moved into encircling engagement with the respective wires, the return stroke of the jaws being accompanied by their downward rotation to effect a further bending of the wires away from one another. The apparatus may be adapted to operate upon wires of magnetic material by providing at the station preceding that occupied by the wedge device, magnetic means arranged to effect a preliminary change in the position of the wires before the operation of the wedge. The example shows an indexing chain conveyer for a plurality of fluorescent discharge tubes 20, Fig. 2, which are loaded into automatically opened pairs of grippers 56 mounted at intervals on an upper sprocket chain 26 and co-operating pairs 58 mounted on a lower chain 28. Loading of the tubes may be effected automatically by apparatus such as that described in Specification 694,453. The tubes are carried through a succession of work stations, and, as shown, a station G is provided with a pair of oppositely directed permanent magnets 72, 72<SP>1</SP> between which the end of the tube provided with an exhausting tube 128 and leading-in wires 70 is halted. The magnets are carried at the ends of slides 102 which are reciprocated within guideways by a link system controlled by a vertical connecting rod 82, whereby the leading-in wires are bent slightly away from the exhausting tube, Fig. 5 (not shown). The tube is next indexed to station H, Fig. 4, where a split wedge 74 is engaged between the two wires and opened out to separate them still further. This movement is effected by the exhausting tube 128 of the lamp exerting pressure between the abutting curved edges of a pair of normally closed fingers 130, 132 secured to and extending forwardly from a pair of vertical rods 120, 122 whch depend from and are pivotally mounted in a block 124 attached of the frame of the apparatus, the two halves 116, 118 of the split wedge 74 being also secured to the rods 120, 122 so the wires are displaced laterally by movement of the latter and assume the positions substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6. At the next station I the wires 70 are bent further outwardly by two pairs of jaws 76, 78, into positions substantially at right-angles to the exhaust tube 128, Fig. 7 (not shown). The jaws 76, 78 and their operating devices are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the devices for the respective jaws being similar. Each comprises a slide 108 operated by a lever 110 under the control of the vertical connecting rod 82 and disposed within a channel-shaped slide 134 the forward end of which is provided with a pair of upstanding pins 136 each located within a recess or cut-out 138 in the sides of the slide 108. The front end of the slide 108 has a cross-shaped projection 140, and the front end of slide 134 carries a pair of pivoted arms 142, the adjacent edges of which are recessed to form between them a chamber 146 which accommodates the transverse arm of the cross 140 so that the pivoted arms 142 are separated when the slide 108 is moved forwardly, the channel-shaped slide 134 meanwhile being held temporarily against movement by the frictional engagement of brushes 145<SP>1</SP> bearing against it. At the end of the lost motion provided by the pins 136 within the cut-outs 138 the slides 108 and 134 move along together and at the end of their forward stroke the wire 70 lies between the pair of open arms 142. The arms 142 are offset downwardly to provide a mounting for L-shaped drag-members pivoted thereon at 148, and each comprising a normally upstanding arm 150 and a horizontal arm 152, Fig. 4, which terminates in a transverse portion 154 directed inwardly towards the similar portion 154 of the other co-operating arm 142. At the commencement of the rearward movement of the slide 108 the arms 142 pivoted on the slide 134 are moved towards one another so that the respective transverse parts 154 are closed around the wire 70, after which the continuing movement of the slides brings the upstanding arms 150 of the L-shaped members against a resilient stop on the end of an adjustable plate 162 mounted on a part 80 of the machine frame, whereby the L-shaped members are tilted downwardly and the bottom edge of the transverse parts 154 rides upon the wire 70 and bends it downwardly into a substantially horizontal position.