Abstract: Printed circuit boards 10 having connector terminals 14 and 16 overlaying contact pads 17 and 18 are loaded into fixtures 22 which are conveyor 31 advanced through a pair of solder applying stations 33 and 34 whereat solder is laid and melted at the junctures of the terminals and contact pads. As a fixture approaches a solder applying station, the conveyor is slowed down and a programmed controller 170 is enabled for operation. If a circuit board is sensed by a photodetector 172, a second photodetector is rendered effective to sense elements 176 projecting from a side of the fixture. The sensed elements 176 effectuate the generation of count pulses and output signals to control the movements of solder applying devices 36 to soldering sites where solder feed devices 136 lay discontinuous stripes of solder at the junctures of the contact pads and terminals.

Abstract: An electrical component (10) is encased in a housing (31) and is provided with pairs of terminals (24-26) which permit surface mounting on a printed circuit (36, 37, 38) in a number of different orientations. The terminals are blanked from a metal strip (21) to form T-shaped terminals (24-26, 54-56 and 74-76) which are subsequently bent about the housing to form a number of sets of terminal pairs.

Abstract: A method and system are used for simultaneously programming a group of erasable programmable read only memories (EPROMs) (11) originally set in the "all-ones" state, by routing (17-49) programmed bytes, bit by bit, to each memory site on each EPROM and blocking (48) or bypassing the programming steps where a programmed byte consists of all ones, thus saving the programming time that would be normally used to program "all-ones" sites. Each programmed site and the sites set in the "all-ones" state are verified (52) prior to the routing of subsequent programmed bytes.

Abstract: Parts (10) to receive a thin strip of solder are advanced along top surfaces of a pair of upwardly inclined channel plates (26, 27). Pressurized solder (31) is pumped between the plates to a precise head which projects as a meniscus (28) above the top surfaces of the channel members and is deposited on the advancing parts. The head of solder is maintained at a height to insure a partial flow of solder through a V-shaped trough (51). Any fluctuations in the height of head of solder is rapidly compensated by an increased or decreased flow of solder through the trough. A significant reservoir of solder is maintained between the channel plates so that the solder is held at a substantially constant temperature.

Abstract: Capacitor blanks (10) are gravity advanced down an inclined chute (22) into engagement with a flipper vane (36) whereat one (18) of a pair of oppositely disposed test probes (18) and (19) is advanced to engage and push the capacitor blank into engagement with the other probe. If the capacitor blank is not engaged by the test probes so that a predetermined minimum capacitance reading is attained by a test set (29), the test probe (18) is withdrawn and a signal generated to control the operation of the flipper vane (36) which functions to thrust the capacitor back up the chute. Upon proper positioning of the capacitor and completion of a test, the flipper vane is again operated in such a fashion that the tested capacitor passes to a sorting device (61, 64, and 65) which directs the capacitor blank into either an accept recepticle (62) or reject recepticle (63).

Abstract: Sheets 12 are fed one at a time from a stack 11 by a freely mounted roller 13 magnetically coupled to a rotating drive roller 14. As the stack is depleted, an elevator 27 is operated to maintain the top sheet in contact with the roller 13.

Abstract: Parts (10) with terminals (17) wrapped with insulation coated wire (20) are loaded into quick clamp and release fixtures (24) and then advanced by a conveyor (26) through a flux applying station (42) and then through an insulation removing and solder depositing station (46). Solder is pumped through a well (47) and divided into two oppositely flowing sets of streams capped by open top housings (66, 67 and 68). The hot solder flowing counter to the direction of movement of the terminals acts to melt and wash away the insulation whereafter the solder flowing in the direction of movement of the terminals acts to deposit solder on the wire wrapped terminals.

Abstract: A base housing unit (32), which supports a connector (48) on a bottom wall (40) thereof, includes a vertical boss (46) spaced from the connector to provide a cable receiving recess (70). An elongated slot (42) is formed through the vertical boss (46). A first end section of a flat cable (10), having accordion pleat sections (64, 66 and 68) formed therein, is threaded through the elongated slot (42). The pleat sections (64, 66 and 68) are positioned within the recess (70) and the first end section of the cable (10) is terminated on the connector (48). A cover (50) is then secured to the base housing unit (32). In response to the application of tension to a free end of the cable (10), the pleat sections (64, 66 and 68) flex to bind the cable between the connector (48) and the cover (50).

Abstract: A work piece 10 with projecting terminals 16, 17 and 18 on which are wrapped loose turns of wire 19, 20 and 21 is advanced into and held between arms of a yoke 30. Upper ends of the terminals are positioned between jaws 36, 37 and 38. A cam plate 49 is initially moved by fluid cylinders 53 and 54 to move V-shaped cam surfaces 48 against the jaws which partially close about the terminals. Next, fluid cylinders 65 and 66 are operated to move a slide 60 on which the jaws are mounted so that the now partially closed jaws engage and compact the loose wraps of wire against the work piece. Finally, the yoke 30 is withdrawn to permit stationary knockout pins 76 to dislodge the work piece into a discharge chute 79.

Abstract: Various permutations of plugs (13) are inserted in keying holes (12) formed in a connector 10 secured to an edge of a printed circuit board (11). A carrier nest (16) is loaded with a permutation array of plugs (13) at a load station (20), advanced to an insert station where the array is checked, and then advanced to an unload station (22) where a group of insert pins act through carrier nest holes (17) to seat the plugs in the connector holes (12). At the inspect station, checks are made for missing plugs and plugs in wrong holes. If plugs in wrong holes are detected, the plugs are dumped from the carrier nest and a new array of plugs are loaded into the carrier nest (16). If a missing plug is detected, the carrier nest is returned to the load station and a plug is loaded into the proper nest hole (17).

Abstract: The integrity and connection of cable wires (10-13) extending between two banks of terminals (20-1 to 20-4 and 16-19) are checked for shorts of the wires to ground, to battery wiring between each other and for opens and misconnections or cross-connections of the wires. Unique recognition circuits are provided for controlling, analyzing (circuits 43, 53, 68, 92, 112, 181) and displaying (displays 23, 24, 31 and 32) the test results to accordingly apprise an operator(s) stationed at either or both ends of the cable.

Abstract: A pair of vacuum chambers (27 and 28) are mounted on a T-bar gripper (19) which engages the back walls of a pair of adjacent batteries (16). Operation of a knurled, internally threaded collar (23) draws the vacuum chambers into sealed (54) engagement with the battery casings. A pair of drills (66) mounted at acute angles greater than 45.degree. are operated to drill angular holes (71) through the casings into the vicinity of the bottoms of the casings. Application of vacuum to the chambers draws electrolyte from the casings to levels below the levels of the entries of the angular holes into the casings.

Abstract: Pressurized molten solder 71 is flowed along a confined first channel 86 and forced through a series of spaced, aligned apertures 88 as solder jets which rise, fall and merge to form a solder stream which flows along a second channel defined by channel walls 93 and 94. Spring held printed circuit boards 10 are advanced by a conveyor 21 which is tilted to move a far section of each board into engagement with the top of channel wall 93 and then a near section of each board into engagement with the top of channel wall 94 whereafter the board is spring held to ride along the tops of channel walls while a thin stripe of solder is applied to the board.

Abstract: The integrity and connection of cable wires (10-13) extending between two banks of terminals (20-1 to 20-4 and 16-19) are checked for shorts of the wires to ground, to battery wiring between each other and for opens and misconnections or cross-connections of the wires. Unique recognition circuits are provided for controlling, analyzing (circuits 43, 53, 68, 92, 112, 181) and displaying (displays 23, 24, 31 and 32) the test results to accordingly apprise an operator(s) stationed at either or both ends of the cable.

Abstract: The tension imparted to an advancing strand 11 is regulated by passing the strand about a permanent magnet sheave 13 interposed between a pair of permanent magnet discs 19 and 21. The sheave and discs are axially polarized so that the magnet fields about the sheave are in opposing or repelling relation with the magnetic fields about the discs. By moving (26, 27 and 28) a disc toward or away from the sheave the intensities of the coupled lines of magnetic force are increased or decreased to accordingly vary the magnetic drag placed on the sheave and thus the tension imparted to the advancing strand 11.

Abstract: A terminal strip 10 (see FIG. 7) is assembled by the method and apparatus so that two tiers of pins 11 are forced fitted into blind holes 13 formed in a plastic strip 12. Two tiers of terminal pins are advanced by two rows of pusher rods 41 and 42 from stacks 16 of pins through holes 31 and 32 in a slide bar 28 into passageways 26 and 27 of a loader block 21 so that the leading end of the pins project from the block while the trailing ends are fully seated within the passageway. The slide block 28 is shifted to block the rear end of the passageways 26 and 27. Next, a work holder nest 51 loaded with a plastic strip 12 is moved toward the now held pins 11 to force seat the pins into the blind holes 13. The nest is withdrawn, and cleats 63, 64 and 58 pull the plastic strip 12 to withdraw the pins 11 from the passageway to permit the subsequent removal of the assembled terminal strip 10.

Abstract: A non-jamming magazine 51 supports bar-like articles 10 in inclined positions so that the lowermost articles may be successively withdrawn and the remainder of the stack will drop without cocking an article between side rails 22 and 23 to jam and preclude further withdrawal of the articles. A parallelogram fixture 50 is used to receive a supply of articles 10 and upon flexing of the fixture, the articles are placed in inclined positions for loading into the magazine.

Abstract: A circuit board container assembly includes a box (10) with internal side wall slots (16 and 17) for receiving dividers (21 and 22) in which are formed vertical slots (28, 29, 31 and 32) and into which are placed printed circuit boards (11). Thee dividers are color coded to indicate discrete offset positionings of edge tabs (23, 24, 26 and 27) on the respective dividers. The offset positioning of the edges permits the selection of dividers which are mounted in the wall slots to provide spacings of the bottoms of the divider slots at distances closely proximating the width of the circuit boards placed in the slots so that the boards are snugly held during transport of the box.

Abstract: A rotor (23) is mounted for rotation in a housing (10) having a pressure chamber (31) and an exhaust chamber (33) formed about the rotor. The rotor is provided with slots (36 and 37) which are moved sequentially in pairs into alignment with plungers (48 and 68). When a plunger (48) partially overlays a slot (36), pressurized air passes from chamber (32), through an exposed portion of a slot (36), through plungers openings (49, 44, and 43) to one end of an air cylinder (12) while exhaust atmospheric pressure is presented from chamber (33), through an exposed portion of a slot (37), through a plunger openings (71, 67, 64, and 63) to the opposite end of the air cylinder (12) to permit movement of a piston (83) to drive some external mechanism.

Abstract: A conveyor 21 rapidly advances a series of workholders to move printed circuit board connectors 10 mounted therein along a short insulating rail section 37 and a second long cooled rail 31. Presoldered leads 13 overlaying contacts pads 14 are heated to temperatures slightly above the melting point of solder during movement along the first rail 28 and are cooled to solidify the solder during movement along the second rail. A belt 44, moving at the same speed as the conveyor, presses the boards to ensure good contact of the leads with the pads during the melting and cooling of the solder.