Abstract: A spindle assembly for a component pick and place machine includes a housing containing a spindle for movement therein along a longitudinal axis of the spindle; the housing accommodating a valve for controlling the flow of air to an inner bore of the spindle; the inner bore of the spindle having an opening at one end for communicating the flow of air for picking and placing the components; and the flow of air from the valve to the inner bore of the spindle is internal to the housing through passageways.

Abstract: A spindle assembly for a component pick and place machine includes a housing containing a spindle for movement therein along a longitudinal axis of the spindle; the housing accommodating a valve for controlling the flow of air to an inner bore of the spindle; the inner bore of the spindle having an opening at one end for communicating the flow of air for picking and placing the components; and the flow of air from the valve to the inner bore of the spindle is internal to the housing through passageways.

Abstract: A system (10) uses shared resources (44, 54) to perform conventional load/store operations, to preload custom data from external sources, and to efficiently manage error handling in a cache (42, 52, 48). A reload buffer (44, 54) is used in conjunction with a cache (42, 52) operating in a write-through mode to permit lower level memory in the system to operate in a more efficient write-back mode. A control signal (70) selectively enables the pushing of data into the cache (42, 52, 48) from an external source. The control signal utilizes one or more attribute fields that provide functional information and define memory characteristics.

Abstract: A system provides a method and apparatus for accessing information in a cache in a data processing system. The system optimizes a speed-critical path within the cache system by using a prediction scheme. The prediction scheme subdivides the address range of address bits and compares the portions separately. A comparison of a critical portion of the address, along with a prediction bit, are used to generate a prediction.

Abstract: A method for use with a data coherency protocol has the steps of receiving a bus transaction in a data processor from a bus, receiving a first response from a memory location, .generating a first protocol signal, receiving a second response from the memory location, generating a second protocol signal and outputting either the first or second protocol signal responsive to the coherency protocol. The data processor operates at a clock frequency at least twice as fast as the bus. The data processor can query its memories at least twice and receive at least two responses during a single cycle of the bus clock. Therefore, the data processor can ignore busy responses from the memories that occur before the end of the single bus clock cycle.

Abstract: A data synchronization system (12) for use with a first and a second device has control circuitry (34), first circuitry (36, 38, 40, 42 and 44) and second circuitry (32). The control circuitry generates a first and a second control signal. The logic states of the two control signals depend upon the ratio of the clock frequencies of the two devices. The first circuitry receives a first data signal from the first device and generates a first output signal for the second device depending upon the logic state of the first control signal. Conversely, the second circuitry receives a second data signal from the second device and generates a second output signal for the first device depending upon the logic state of the second control signal. The synchronization system may be incorporated into data processing systems in which the data processor and bus operate at different clock frequencies.

Abstract: A tri-fold row marker comprises three arm segments, a winglet pivotally coupled to the toolbar, an inner arm pivotally coupled to the winglet, and an outer arm pivotally coupled to the inner arm. A marker disc is mounted to the distal end of the outer arm for marking the ground surface when said row marker is its extended working position. The winglet is provided with a first bell crank extending upwardly from the winglet and a second bell crank extending downwardly from the winglet. The inner arm is provided with a third bell crank extending downwardly therefrom. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to the agricultural implement and the first bell crank for retracting and extending the row marker. An inner control arm is pivotally coupled to the agricultural implement and the third bell crank for pivoting the inner arm relative to the winglet when the hydraulic cylinder is extended or retracted. An outer control arm is pivotally coupled to the second bell crank.

Abstract: A pair of grain drills are positional for side by side operation in the field and connected to a towing tractor by weight transfer hitch having a rear end portion connected to the grain drills and a forward tongue portion having its front end connectable to the tractor drawbar and its rearward end totally connected to the forward end of the rear hitch portion for swinging about a transverse horizontal pivot. A hydraulic cylinder has its ends respectively connected to the tongue and the rear hitch portion and pressure to the cylinder is controlled by an adjustable pressure control valve that delivers pressurized fluid from the tractor hydraulic system to the cylinder at a pre-selected pressure below the tractor system pressure, whereby the force exerted by the cylinder on the tongue transfers a portion of the weight of the machine to the tractor drawbar.

Abstract: Hitch structure for connecting first and second implements for operation side-by-side in the field, and one directly behind the other for transport. A freely rockable swing hitch has a forward end connected to one side of the first implement frame for pivoting less than 180.degree. about an upright axis located inwardly from the side. A latch on the swing hitch mates with a frame-mounted rear bracket to secure the hitch in the transport position. The same latch secures the swing hitch to a bracket on the forward towing hitch when the swing hitch and towing hitch are in the field-working position. A sliding tubular member and two-position latch selectively secure the towing hitch in either a central transport position or an offset field-working position. Both latches have release levers for changing from one position to the other, and the latches automatically lock in the new position when the desired position is attained.

Abstract: Compensation is made for inherent lateral shifting of portions of a pivoted working surface along a work surface, when the pivot point of the working surface is maintained on a line of feed into contact with said work surface, during relative pivoting of said working surface into conformity with said work surface. The working surface is supported by a quadrilateral linkage system having a remote instantaneous center point which, during pivoting of the working surface, is maintained substantially on a quiescent centerline of the linkage system. By spacing the pivot point of the working surface from this center point along the centerline, the pivot point is caused to move laterally of the centerline during exercising of the linkage system. The distance and direction of spacing the pivot point from the center point is selectable so as to cancel the inherent lateral shifting referred above.

Abstract: A multi-spindle pick and place head is moveable in X and Y in order to pick up a group of components simultaneously, one component per spindle, at a pick station and to transport them to a placement station at which the components are placed simultaneously on corresponding placement sites of a printed circuit board. Each spindle or the whole head is moveable in Z, as required. Each component may be "SCOT" processed (e.g., squared, centered, oriented and/or tested) while on the spindle and during transport to the placement site. In another embodiment, two multi-spindle heads may operate in parallel, along with a separate "SCOT" station intermediate of the pick and place stations, such that one head transports a group of components from the pick station to the "SCOT" station for processing and the other head transports at least part of that group of processed components from the "SCOT" station to the placement station.

Abstract: The invention comprises an extended input system by which additional component supply stations are located out of reach of the pick and place heads of a machine for handling surface mountable components and are selectively addressable by a supply shuttle which fetches individual components and delivers each component selectively to a test pocket or a utility pocket of a transfer assembly, from which the components are retrievable by a pick and place head of the onserter. In a preferred embodiment, the transfer assembly provides a second shuttle on which the utility and test pockets are mounted for movement back and forth between the supply shuttle unload station to a pick-up station of the head, and the component testing occurs during transit of the transfer shuttle.

Abstract: A cassette-like supply and peel assembly of a tape feeder, comprising the support and guide for an electrical component supply tape and the mechanism for peeling a cover from the tape, is removably interconnectable with a drive assembly which provides motive power to the peeler and stepwise feeding of the tape. The length of the feeding steps is adjustable according to the center-to-center distances between components, which can vary from tape to tape. An operator can adjust the step length from the rear of the feeder by varying one limit of a stroking length of the feeder.

Abstract: A hitch assembly for joining two implements together for side-by-side field operations. Half of the hitch assembly is carried by each implement drawbar and consists of a collapsable linkages pivotally mounted to the drawbar in a cantilvered fashion. Springs floatingly suspend each linkage for ease for movement between its collapsed stored configuration and an unfolded, extended configuration assembled with the other linkage. Equalizer linkages extend between the assembled hitch assembly and the two implements to maintain fore-and-aft alignment of the two implements and bumper-cable means control the side-to-side spacing of the two implements.

Abstract: A single disk opener blade is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis offset approximately seven degrees from the transverse direction. A seed tube extends closely adjacent the disk blade forwardly of the rotational axis generally in the shadow of the leading edge of the blade. The tube is angled around the disk blade hub to provide a narrow profile and to reduce the vertical velocity of the material deposited in the furrow. A furrow-firming and blade-scraping extension is connected to the lower end of the tube and extends rearwardly to a location behind the axis. The side of the firming extension is located transversely beyond the shadow of the disk blade to help form one side of the seed trench and to permit the seed to settle in the trench. Depth control structure includes a wheel support arm fixed to one end of the disk blade spindle and a quadrant fixed to the opposite end of the spindle for selectively adjusting the arm.

Abstract: Pressures applied to a component for pickup and placement thereof are each selectable, according to introduction of gas under pressure into a piston and cylinder configuration defined by a tool, such as a vacuum spindle, telescopically supported in a tool holder. An actuator with closed loop velocity and displacement control moves the tool holder to and fro along a longitudinal axis according to a known programmable controller. Thus, compression of the gas and relative displacement between the tool and holder allows controlled pick and place pressures to be varied and monitored programmably. The pressurized gas also acts to prevent dirt contamination of the bearing surface between the tool and holder and consequent impairment of telescoping and rotational movements therebetween.

Abstract: Under direction of a machine controller, an endless chain conveyor is incrementally passed by a plurality of loader heads. The loader heads receive a series of components taped on a reel supplied substrate, sever individual taped components from the supply, and load the individual taped components onto clip carriers of the endless conveyor, on command, in a preferred sequence. The clip carrier mounted components are then indexed past a cutter assembly for trimming the lengths of the leads and removing the substrate, and a positioning disc assembly for positioning the components in the clip carriers before being passed to a rotary transfer assembly. The rotary transfer assembly removes individual components from the conveyor and rotates to an unload position above a linear loader, which laterally transfers the components from the rotary transfer to an insert head assembly.

Abstract: Under direction of a machine controller, an endless chain conveyor is incrementally passed by a plurality of loader heads. The loader heads receive a series of components taped on a reel supplied substrate, sever individual taped components from the supply, and load the individual taped components onto clip carriers of the endless conveyor, on command, in a preferred sequence. The clip carrier mounted components are then indexed past a cutter assembly for trimming the lengths of the leads and removing the substrate, and a positioning disc assembly for positioning the components in the clip carriers before being passed to a rotary transfer assembly. The rotary transfer assembly removes individual components from the conveyor and rotates to an unload position above a linear loader, which laterally transfers the components from the rotary transfer to an insert head assembly.

Abstract: Under direction of a machine controller, an endless chain conveyor is incrementally passed by a plurality of loader heads. The loader heads receive a series of components taped on a reel supplied substrate, sever individual taped components from the supply, and load the individual taped components onto clip carriers of the endless conveyor, on command, in a preferred sequence. The clip carrier mounted components are then indexed past a cutter assembly for trimming the lengths of the leads and removing the substrate, and a positioning disc assembly for positioning the components in the clip carriers before being passed to a rotary transfer assembly. The rotary transfer assembly removes individual components from the conveyor and rotates to an unload position above a linear loader, which laterally transfers the components from the rotary transfer to an insert head assembly.

Abstract: An improved head assembly, for an electronic component lead cutting and clinching mechanism, having an improved construction for detection of lead absence or presence incorporating pivotal anvils which complete electrical circuits during the cutting and/or clinching of the component leads. The pivotal anvils cooperate with pivotal cutter-former arms which are actuated by a reciprocable driver. The driver includes a receiving and orienting tip for aligning the scrap portions of the leads for evacuation from the head assembly. Adjustable eccentric pins allow adjustment of the anvils for manufacturing tolerance corrections and for lead receiving orifice corrections.