Abstract: The apparatus for transporting workpiece holders in circulation between a charging station (16), a work station (22) and a discharge station (26) has a carriage (20) with two sockets (36, 38) for workpiece holders (12) to be placed on it from above. The carriage can be moved between a front position and a rear position. In the first of these, one work piece holder (12) each with a workpiece can be set on the first and the second sockets. In the other position, the two workpiece holders (12) can be lifted from the carriage (20), and the workpiece holder (12) located in the work station (22) is clamped against the underside of a frame (24). From the discharge station (26), a conveyor system (14) transports the workpiece holders (12) back to the charging station (16).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the mutual alignment of a film and a printed circuit board prior to printing of the printed circuit board. At least two cameras are used to optically register the respective position of a marker on the film in relation to a respectively associated reference marker on the printed circuit board. In the event of a deviation or deviations from a set position, the relative position of the printed circuit board to the film is corrected within a tolerance range. At least two markers and associated reference markers are registered simultaneously with at least one camera. Preferably, the markers and the associated reference markers are each respectively arranged in squares of groups of nine and each of the groups is registered by one camera.

Abstract: The device is used for the mutual alignment of perforated printed circuit boards and pattern carriers, for example films. It consists of a support (10) with parallel pins (16) axially slidable and laterally immovable within guides disposed thereon. In order to achieve a very exact alignment of the printed circuit boards and the films in spite of unavoidable tolerances regarding the position and the diameter of the centering bores cooperating with the pins (16), the pins are substantially polygonal in cross-section, having parallel lateral surfaces with either chamfered or rounded corners. The corners of the pins taper from the support (10) toward their free ends. They furthermore can be retracted into the support (10) using an actuator to prevent the tilting of the printed circuit boards in the course of their removal.

Abstract: The method includes locating a target on a printed circuit board laminate having a circuit pattern etched thereon and utilizing the target to locate the laminate in a punching device. Preferably two such targets are employed and the laminate is adjusted in the X and Y directions as well as rotationally to bring the target into prescribed relationship with reference markings whereby to locate the holes precisely in the laminate whereby to facilitate stacking of the same. In related apparatus two television cameras are employed to operate with two targets to feed data into a microprocessor which generates signals to cause an alignment of the laminate to be punched. With respect to punching mechanisms special techniques are employed to locate the centers of the targets so that these centers can be aligned with cross hairs to take into account the deviations possible in the configurations of the targets.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting operations, such as punching holes in sheets of material at precise locations thereon. Each sheet has a reference marking thereon and is placed on a receiver one by one and is held in fixed position on the receiver. A T.V. camera views each sheet to detect the reference marking thereon and a visual display of the marking is produced on a T.V. monitor. Also produced on the monitor is a cross-hair grating with a coincident shaded box. The cross-hair grating is first aligned with a marking reference on a master sheet to establish a fixed relation between the cross-hair and the marking reference on the master sheet and thereby between the cross-hair and the operating system, for example, the punches for punching holes in the sheets. The master sheet is removed and the sheets to be punched are placed one by one on the receiver which is moved to align the reference marking on each sheet, as viewed on the monitor with the cross-hair grating thereon.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking a plurality of laminate layers in registered superposed relation to enable the layers to be joined to form a composite board comprising a table having a surface on which a plurality of laminate layers can be successively stacked in aligned superposed relation on pins slidably received in respective apertures in the table. The pins rest on support members which are carried on a lower support table mounted beneath the surface of the table on which the laminate layers are stacked. The lower support table is raised relative to the stack of laminate layers after successive laminate layers have been placed on the pins so that a given projection of the pins from the laminate layers will be obtained.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting operations, such as punching holes in sheets of material at precise locations thereon. Each sheet has a reference marking thereon and is placed on a receiver one by one and is held in fixed position on the receiver. A T.V. camera views each sheet to detect the reference marking thereon and a visual display of the marking is produced on a T.V. monitor. Also produced on the monitor is a cross-hair grating with a coincident shaded box. The cross-hair grating is first aligned with a marking reference on a master sheet to establish a fixed relation between the cross-hair and the marking reference on the master sheet and thereby between the cross-hair and the operating system, for example, the punches for punching holes in the sheets. The master sheet is removed and the sheets to be punched are placed one by one on the receiver which is moved to align the reference marking on each sheet, as viewed on the monitor with the cross-hair grating thereon.