Patent GB-900494-A (GB)
Title: Tape applicator
IPC: H05K13/00
Filed: 1960-08-02
Abstract: 900,494. Adhesive tape applicators. TRIGGS, W. W. (ACF. Industries Inc.). Aug. 2, 1960, No. 26685/60. Class 73. Relates to apparatus in which electrical components in the form of a wafer or disc of ceramic material and having circuitry formed thereon, e.g. by printing, are provided with resistor elements in the form of a section of adhesive tape. According to the invention, the wafers 6a, Fig. 1, are fed down between vertical guideways 3, 4 and are delivered singly to and held in the operative position by means of reciprocating stops 7, 16. In this position the wafer lies between two tape applicator heads A, B, Figs. 1, 2, of octagonal form receiving tape from reels 193 and each mounted for rotation in a yoke 35 fixed to the end of a shaft 54 adapted to be reciprocated in a bearing 36 by a fluid motor 38. The shaft 54 is also mounted in the bearing 36 for angular movement through 90 degrees so that the tape can be applied horizontally or vertically to the wafers. A panel 53 is fixed to each shaft 54 for movement therewith, the tape reel 193 together with the tape feeding and severing means being mounted on the panel so that these also move with the shaft 54 and applicator head. Each face of the octagonal head corresponds to the length of tape to be applied and reciprocation of the shaft 54 causes intermittent rotation of the head to present each face in turn to a wafer. As the applicator heads approach to apply tape to each side of a wafer, the severing means 131, Fig. 2, operates to sever the tape at an angle of the octagonal head, the severed portion of the tape being held to the head by suction until after application to the wafer. The wafer then drops to a further position between fixed and reciprocating presser pads 163, 167, Fig. 11, which cause firm adherence of the tape to the wafer. One side of each applicator head is provided with eight ratchet teeth 90, Fig. 11, adapted to be engaged by a pawl 91 mounted on a pivot pin 92 secured to an offset head of a reciprocating rod 94 sliding in a guideway 95 in the base of the yoke 35. The rod 94 is urged outwardly by a spring 97 and the pawl 91 is of bell-crank form and is urged by a spring 101 into engagement with the ratchet teeth 90. Thus, when the yoke 35 and its applicator head is reciprocated by the motor 38, the free extremity 94a of the rod 94 abuts the face 103 of the fixed bearing 36 whereby the ratchet is operated to rotate the applicator head. The cutter assembly comprises a blade 130, Fig. 10, mounted on an arm 131 pivoted at 154 on a panel extension 133, the arm 131 being actuated by a link 140, Fig. 2, connected to a solenoid C-1 clamped to the panel 53. The arm 131 is urged outwardly away from the applicator head by a spring 154a. The arrangement is such that when the applicator heads are positioned as shown in Fig. 10, the solenoid is energized to swing the arm 131 so that the blade 130 engages in a slot 60 formed at each angle of the octagonal head and thus severs the tape and at the same time suction is applied to hold the severed portion of the tape to the head while it is moved to the vertical position for application to the wafer. This movement takes place during movement of the applicator heads away from the wafer, Fig. 10, showing a previously severed tape portion being applied to a wafer. A pair of tape spools are provided for each applicator head to provide two lengths of resistor tape on each side of the wafer and the tape passes from the spools over guide rollers 200, Fig. 2, and about spacer guides 201 and beneath a presser roll 120, Fig. 10, marking the separation point between the tape R and a polyethylene protective backing 202 which is picked up by powerdriven rolls 204, Fig. 2, also mounted on the panel 53. The tape R passes around the back of the applicator head and is in contact with six of its faces at any one time.