Patent GB-842623-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for automatically assembling electrical components on a circuit matrix
IPC: H05K13/04
Filed: 1956-10-24
Abstract: 842,623. Making electrical components. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Oct. 24, 1956 [Oct. 26, 1955], No. 32438/56. Class 83 (2). In apparatus for successively placing electrical components 16, Fig. 1, with wire leads on circuit matrices 17 for subsequent soldering, means such as a magazine 18 supplies like components to a placement head 10 which moves each component towards a preset identical position on each successively fed matrix 17, so that the leads enter the perforations provided. Gripping jaws 218, Fig. 8e, of a lead-anchoring mechanism 11 on the other side of the matrix pull the leads through. In the apparatus described, after the required number of matrices 17 have been filled in one position by a given component a further group of components from another magazine 18 is supplied to another predetermined position on each matrix 17 and the operations are repeated until all the different components have been placed on the matrices. Each matrix 17 is mounted on a pallet 20 and is fed into position in turn along tracks 23, 24 by a feed-wheel 25 driven through a slipping-clutch and engaging a rack-gear 22. Accurate location of each pallet 20 along its feed path is provided by a solenoid-operated taper-pin 26 which engages a recess 27 in the pallet. The pin 26 is mounted on a slide 28 which is adjustable along guide-rods 29, 30 by a lead-screw (not shown) on a shaft 31 driven by a servo-motor controlled electrically from coded punch cards. The placement head 10 and lead anchoring mechanism 11 are mounted on a " C "-shaped frame 12 which is slidable along guide-rods 33 for setting the mechanisms at the required position across the matrices 17. Adjustment along the guides 33 is obtained by a further lead-screw 37 engaging a nut 40 on the frame 12 and driven from a further servomotor 36 controlled from a second set of coded electrical signals. The placement head 10 and lead anchoring mechanism rotate synchronously in the frame 12 through interconnected shafts 54, 70 driving bevel-rings 68, 74 on the heads. The shafts 64, 70 are coupled through a clutch 79 to a third motor 41 which is similarly controlled from data on punch cards to set the heads at the required angle for the selected component. Accurate location at the required angle is provided by solenoid-operated " Y " members 71, 75 which engage indexing pins 72, 76 on the heads. Actuation of the heads for placing and securing the components is controlled through further interconnected shafts 48, 54, driving a bevel ring 51 on the placement head 10 and a toothed ring 61 on the securing-head 11. During rotation of the heads these shafts 48, 54 are coupled for synchronous rotation with the shafts 64, 70 through the clutch 79 which interconnects driven gears 62, 63 with the shafts. During operation of the devices the clutch is moved so that the shaft 64 is locked to a fixed member 83 to prevent rotation of the heads while shaft 48 actuating the devices is driven from the motor 41 through gears 45, 47 and clutch-plate 81. The placement head 10, Fig. 2, comprises a main body 101 rotatably supported on bearings 107 in a cradle 106 so that it can be set to the required angle for the component. The cradle 106 is vertically adjustable by screws 112 in a part 109 of the " C " frame 12 according to the thickness of the circuit matrices. A cylindrical operating column 102 is vertically slidable in bearings 115, 116 and is raised and lowered for the placement operation by a camming cylinder 103 having a groove 120 engaging a roller 123 on the end of an arm 117 projecting from the column 102. The arm 117 projects through a groove 118 on the body 101 to prevent its rotation when the cylinder 103 is rotated by the gear 57 and bevel-ring 51. Further cams 121, 122 on the top of the cylinder 103 actuate pushrods 125, 127 which control the release of the components 16 from carriers 131, Fig. 3, in the magazine 18 and lower stabilizers 151 which grip each component after its release. In the placement operation collets 132 (Fig. 3) on the universal carriers 131 for the components 16, as described in Specification 807,279, are first of all engaged by descending resilient prongs 137 on a pivoted receiving member 138 attached at the base of the column 102. At the same time descending push-rods 142 engage carrier supporting fingers 129 in the magazine 18 to release the carrier 131 from the magazine. When the ends of the component wire have been inserted through the selected apertures in the circuit matrix, the stabilizers 151, Fig. 8c, descend and grip the component under the action of a spring- loaded toggle mechanism 161. Release of the components from the carriers 131 is caused by a rack 173 actuated from the cam 121 and pushrod 125. The rack 173 initially rotates gears 169, 170 driving a cam 168 which opens the gripping jaws of the carrier 131 and on completion of this operation meets a stop so that continued movement of the rack 173 causes the receiving member 138 to pivot as in Fig. 8d and remove the carrier 131 out of the path of the component 16. The lead anchoring mechanism 11, Fig. 6, comprises jaws 218 which pull the component wires down until the component is sealed on the matrix and lead clipping jaws 219, 220 which bend the leads on the under surface and clip them to the required length. The mechanism is operated by various cams 212, 228 on a shaft 213 driven from the bevelled integral gearring 61, 221'through a gear-wheel 222 and a reduction gear (not shown). One cam 212 controls the raising and lowering of the housing 205 through a roller 214 which is adjustable on the body to set the distance of the mechanism below the surface of the matrix. The housing 205 slides on hollow cylindrical posts 206 and is urged upwards by springs 211 within the posts which engage pins 210 on the housing 205 and raise it to a position determined by the cam 212. In the raised position the jaws 218 (Fig. 8e) normally held apart by a spring 254 are caused to grip the wire ends by the lowering of a wedge 233 and the jaws are lowered together with the wedge on a cylindrical member 235 controlled from the cams to pull on the wires. The clipping jaws 219, 220, Fig. 8f, have blunt ends one above the other so that the overlapping jaw pushes the wire end to one side after the shearing operation. Each jaw is formed in two separate units with the ends overlapping in opposite directions so that the wires at each end of the component are bent oppositely.