Abstract: A printed wiring card tab protector for shielding the gold plated printed wiring card tabs from contamination with solder during a wave soldering process. The protector has a first fold that slips over the tabs and is thereby frictionally held in place while a second fold deflects away the solder wave.

Abstract: A holder for electrically heated temperature controlled soldering instruments includes a hollow housing having a forward portion for sealingly engaging the handle shoulder of the soldering instrument. The forward end of the housing is so arranged that the handle end of the instrument is higher than the tip with the instrument held downwardly at an angle with respect to the central axis of the housing. A hollow cone having an inner heat-reflecting surface is disposed in the housing about the tip. The housing and cone may be evacuated to reduce heat losses. A locking element is pivoted to the forward end of the housing and biased into its closed position to lock the instrument in the holder. The locking element is so designed that the instrument pushes the element into its open position upon insertion. The locking element opens when the operator pulls the instrument out with his finger adjacent the forward end of the housing. The holder includes means on its top for securing thereto another tool.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in a circuit board mass soldering apparatus wherein a circuit board is contacted with molten solder at a soldering station and excess solder is removed from the surface of the board while still molten by impingement of a high velocity heated gas stream thereon, by providing a substantially horizontal louvered exhaust system adjacent to and in advance of the mass soldering station, below the travel path of the boards. The louvers extend and open into the path of the effluent gas stream such that the momentum of the gas stream carries it and entrained soldering fumes and particulates into the louvers to the underside thereof from which it may be exhausted by conventional means.

Abstract: The present invention is a heater box for use in combination with a heating unit in an improved portable soldering furnace which includes a casing having a base and a hood which covers the base. The base has a first compartment wherein a soldering iron, having a shaft, a handle and a soldering head, and a second compartment. The heating unit includes a cylindrical bottle, which holds a flammable gas under pressure, a valve, which is mechanically and fluidly coupled to the cylindrical bottle, and a burner tube, which is mechanically and fluidly coupled to the valve. The heating unit is disposed in the second compartment of the base.The heater box includes a heating chamber having a back wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls and being open at both its front and its top and it is disposed in the second compartment of the base and mechanically coupled to the heating unit. The heater box also includes an insulating apparatus for insulating the heating unit from the heating chamber.

Abstract: A solder mask (62) of special construction is mounted on each of a plurality of crystal filters (10) having continuous seams (16) defined by peripheral edges (20) of filter metal covers (14) and peripheral portions (18) of filter metal headers (12). The crystal filter-solder mask assemblies (10,62) then are passed over a solder wave (24) to solder the continuous seams (16) of the crystal filters (10) simultaneously. The crystal filters (10) are suspended on magnetic carriers (104) of an endless conveyor (106) as the filters pass over the solder wave. During the wave-soldering operation the solder masks (62) preclude solder from access to various critical areas of the crystal filters (10).

Abstract: A purge gas unit is provided for establishing an enclosed zone for purge gas within a tube or pipe having portions which are to be joined by welding at a predetermined location relative to the length of the tube or pipe. The purge unit includes at least one cone to be positioned on one side of the location where the welding is performed and a second cone positioned on the other side of the location. A purge gas supply tube is connected between the cones and has at least one opening therebetween through which purge gas is supplied to the weld zone in the pipe or tube between the cones. The gas supply tube extends through one of the cones beyond the weld zone defined between them and is connected to gas supply means.

Abstract: Metal strips of indefinite length are made from a plurality of limited-length rolled-strip sections by temporarily clamping adjoining ends of a pair of such strip sections between semi-cylindrical halves of a reel and welding them together while the reel is rotated to wind the two strip sections into a double-layer coil thereon. A trailing end of the second strip section of this pair is then similarly joined to a leading end of a third strip section in another such reel, upstream of the former; as the two reels are rotated in opposite directions, the first strip section is fed forward from the unwinding double-layer coil of the downstream reel while the second strip section is fed back to be wound jointly with the third strip section into another double-layer coil on the upstream reel. In an analogous manner, further strip sections can be joined to the preceding ones with the aid of one additional reel whereupon the first reel becomes available for positioning upstream of the last one to continue the process.

Abstract: An electric soldering iron having an elongated heater barrel extending from a handle and a soldering tip projecting from the end of the barrel is provided with a thermally isolated fume exhausting attachment positioned coaxially of the barrel and surrounding the tip for withdrawing objectionable fumes, gases, smoke and other air-borne contaminants from the soldering site. The attachment includes a metallic shell having a forward hood portion, overlying the tip and forming a fume exhaust chamber connected to a vacuum source by an exhaust conduit including a flexible transparent plastic tube portion, and a rearward slotted clamping portion secured to the front end of the barrel by a clamping ring. A compressible thermally insulative sleeve of alumina silicate fibers is interposed between the clamping portion and the barrel for thermally insulating the attachment from the heated barrel to preclude burn injury to the user of the iron.

Abstract: A circuit board edge member includes an elongated body of electrically insulative material having front, back and inner wall member and a plurality of pairs of contact elements seated with one of each pair between the front and inner walls and the other of each pair between the back and inner walls. A tongue is integrally attached to the inner wall and extends from the body in line with a circuit board receivable at a circuit board seat formed in the body. The contact elements are formed with a gold inlay solid phase bonded to a portion of the contact element which is received on opposite faces of the tongue. The tongue has a reverse taper and may be slotted to provide polarization. Mounting ears may be provided on opposite ends of the base to facilitate attachment of the edge member to a circuit board using conventional screw fasteners or snap in devices.

Abstract: In a flash welding apparatus, different length guides and driving devices thereof are formed on lower parts of an inlet side electrode table and an outlet side electrode table and the electrode tables and a compact rotary shear unit are arranged in the direction perpendicular to a strip line when both of the electrode tables are approached and one of the guides is commonly used as a guide for shifting a flash trimmer lower unit and a guide is formed on one of the upper electrode frames of the electrode tables so as to shift a flash trimmer upper unit and the rotary shear unit of the inlet side electrode table and the rotary shear unit of the outlet side electrode table and a pair of the upper and lower trimmer units are aligned in the plan view.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for continuously hot rolling steel slabs. Separate pieces of steel slabs are continuously fed from a slab yard and delivered to a carriage which is adapted to move reciprocatingly along the line of path of the steel slab pieces. The carriage carries a welder which can move transversely of the path of the slab pieces, and also clamp devices for clamping preceding and succeeding slabs to fix them to the carriage, as means for keeping the preceding and succeeding slab pieces in abutting condition. As a steel strip including a plurality of slab pieces welded together is moved at a predetermined rolling speed into a rolling mill, the carriage moves substantially at the same speed to keep the succeeding slab in abutment with the trailing end of the last slab piece of the steel strip, to permit the welder to weld these slab pieces at their abutting end. This welding is performed only over a part of the cross-sectional area of these slab pieces.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for joining narrow width thin gage metal or alloy strip end to end to form an elongated coil. The trailing end of a first strip segment and the leading end of a second strip segment are cut so as to match when placed in a butting relationship and to establish a joint between the strips. A preselected gap is established between the butting ends and a braze material is inserted in the gap. After heating to braze the strip segments together, the brazed joint is hammered to reduce the joint geometry to that of the parent metal strip segments.

Abstract: An improved purge unit is provided for establishing an enclosed zone around a weld area for retaining an inert gas. The purge unit is particularly advantageous when welding a branch pipe or pipe connection to a main pipe or header. The purge unit has a cone-shaped member which is inserted into an opening in the header through the branch pipe or connection and is then expanded to establish the enclosed zone around the inside of the weld area. An inert gas is then supplied through the purge unit into the zone and the cone-shaped member is subsequently collapsed and withdrawn after the weld is complete. An expandable tube is employed to expand the cone-shaped member and has a rod extending therethrough and connected to the member to provide greater stability for the purge unit.

Abstract: A welding fixture includes members supporting the ends of a print band and spaced to permit welding of the ends of the band with a laser beam. The edges of the band on either side of the weld joint are held parallel by means of at least two alignment pins on either side of the weld with the pins forming one terminal of a plurality of switches in circuitry to indicate proper alignment of the band prior to welding. One support member of the fixture is pivotable or tiltable to enable the ends of the band to be made square prior to welding.

Abstract: A general purpose soldering tool holder which will fit most electrically-heated soldering instruments. The tool holder is provided with an external apertured grill to permit the circulation of air therethrough. The outer surface is maintained cool to the touch due to the provision of a heat shield spaced from the grill. The heat shield preferably consists of a material having low-heat transfer characteristics. The soldering instrument is guided by a tip alignment flap forming part of the heat shield. The instrument rests on an intermediate ledge forming part of the tool housing and on an upper rest shaped to accommodate the handle of the soldering instrument. The housing further includes trays for holding a solder spool and a desoldering braid spool which may also be mounted on a shaft. A well is provided in the housing upon which rests a non-wicking foam pad and an outer porous wicking pad for cleaning the tip of the instrument. This will reduce evaporation and subsequent cooling by the cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A chipper head is removably affixed to the holder head of a welding rod holder in an area spaced from and opposite the point of support of a welding rod whereby the welding rod holder functions as a combination welding rod holder and chipper hammer.

Abstract: A continuous production line is divided into a plurality of zones, with each of which there is associated a presettable counter. An anticipated length of a material, which has been calculated from information regarding the material before welding, is converted into a given number of pulse signals, which in turn are preset in the counter, with its timing being shifted a zone to zone distance. Long materials which have been sequentially joined by welding into a continuous length of material are fed into the production line, and the length of material actually fed is detected by means of a feed length gage, and an output of the gage is converted into a pulse signal. The length of the material actually fed is substracted from the anticipated length of the material, i.e., the preset count value, as the material is being fed. Thus, it is presumed that a welded joint across the length of material is present in the zone where a preset count value becomes zero as a result of the aforesaid subtraction.

Abstract: There is shown and described an apparatus for utilization with soldering equipment or the like. The apparatus includes a tray having a plurality of compartments therein for storing various components and/or tools. A suitable light arrangement is provided wherein light can be applied to any portion of the tray. A suitable cover of appropriate strength and thermal resistivity is provided over the compartments for use as a work surface.

Abstract: A welding fixture includes members supporting the ends of a print band and spaced to permit welding of the ends of the band with a laser beam. The edges of the band on either side of the weld joint are held parallel by means of at least two alignment pins on either side of the weld with the pins forming one terminal of a plurality of switches in circuitry to indicate proper alignment of the band prior to welding. One support member of the fixture is pivotable or tiltable to enable the ends of the band to be made square prior to welding.

Abstract: An improved process plug for use during immersion soldering of aluminum heat exchanger coils, such as an air conditioner evaporator. The plug allows the solder to flow into an open bell or female socket of a suction header tube to "pretin" the internal finish of the bell or tube joint while preventing the solder bath from entering the coil. The process plug is designed to achieve a "short" or reduced area joint so that the plug can be readily removed by heating. The suction header tube joint is completed by hand soldering of a precoated male copper transition tube.

Abstract: A crop shearing and joining method and apparatus includes a manually operable crop shearing assembly for producing clean linear edges at the ends of respective strips, sheets or the like, and a joining assembly for welding or otherwise securing the ends of two different strips or sheets together. Also, a strip aligning and clamping assembly comprising two independently operable clamping devices utilizes one of the clamping devices to provide an alignment stop for aligning the end of one strip relative to the welding torch or the like in the joining assembly and then uses that aligned strip end to facilitate alignment of the strip end to be joined therewith. Moreover, the clamping devices provide substantially full backing support of the aligned strip ends during the joining operation.

Abstract: A solder extractor apparatus is configured as a self-contained bench unit ving a pump motor to provide an instantaneous source of pressure or vacuum available to the operator from a common port on the apparatus, the pump being started by the operator when he lifts the solder extractor iron from its support holder, and thereafter, the use of the pressure or vacuum being controlled by a foot operated switch so as to be available at the appropriate time in the solder extraction process.

Abstract: A purge unit is provided for establishing an enclosed zone around a weld area to receive an inert gas. The purge unit is particularly useful when a branch pipe is to be affixed to a main pipe or a header. The purge unit is inserted into an opening in the header through the branch pipe or connection and is then expanded to establish the enclosed zone around the inside of the weld area. An inert gas is then supplied to the unit into the zone to cover or blanket the inside of the weld area. After the weld is complete, the purge unit is collapsed and withdrawn through the opening and through the branch connection so as not to leave any material within the main pipe which could cause contamination.

Abstract: A device is described for masking the gold connector tabs located along the edges of printed circuit boards to prevent the connectors from becoming solder coated during wave solder operations. The device is comprised of a pair of angle sections coupled to each other by tensioning means. The sections are easily applied to the circuit board assembly without scratching the gold contacts. Moreover, they provide stiffness to the board and a dam to prevent solder from flowing over the board and damaging the electrical components mounted thereon during wave soldering. The device is easily removable from the circuit boards after soldering and is reusable. Finally, the device of the present invention is characterized by long life, reasonable cost and ease of use.

Abstract: In a welding machine used on a continuous processing line of strip steel such as a continuous mill line or continuous annealing line for welding the leading end of the following coil to the trailing end of the preceeding coil to provide a continuous section of the strip steel to the line, there is provided a pair of clamping mechanisms for clamping the coil ends to be joined and at least one of the clamping mechanisms is adapted to be movable in the width direction of the strip so as to provide, in combination with a strip width detecting unit, an automatic edge aligning arrangement. In addition to the automatic edge aligning arrangement, there is provided, at the entry end of the welding machine, a coarse edge aligning apparatus which comprises a clamp for clamping the leading end of the following coil and a detecting mechanism for detecting the center of the width of the leading end of the following coil.

Abstract: An adjustable counterweight assembly for exerting a torque on a rotatable tubular member. A weight carriage is mounted with a frame of the counterweight for radial movement with respect to the tubular member, and an adjusting assembly moves the weight carriage radially to vary the torque exerted on the tubular member. To mount the counterweight with the tubular member, a plurality of plates, each of which has a substantially regular arcuate surface, are affixed to the counterweight frame to engage the uniform outer surface of the tubular member. A mounting assembly detachably secures these arcuate surfaces to the tubular member.

Abstract: An apparatus for bonding the flexible leads of a sprocketed lead frame tape to the terminals of an integrated circuit device is provided with a movable index station, movable bonding anvil means and a vertically moving bonding tool. The flexible leads on the lead frame tape are automatically positioned by the indexing station relative to the bonding tool with extreme final accuracy. The device to be bonded to the flexible leads may be manually or automatically positioned relative to said bonding tool to align the bonding tool, the flexible leads and the integrated circuit device terminals in axial bonding alignment.

Abstract: Machine for cold butt welding of metal blanks, wherein one of the blank clamping devices mounts on its housing a carriage with blades for cutting off the ends of the blanks, adapted for possible displacement in the direction of the force upsetting the blanks to position these blades at such distances from the device housings that assure the upsetting of an amount of metal as needed for the welding. The machine is provided with guide members carrying blank clamping devices, single-endedly fixed, that is in a cantilever fashion, in a power drive housing installed on a bed of the machine and adapted for set turning in at least one vertical plane in relation of the upsetting force. The blanks may be in different relationships in space. The invention can be successfully employed in welding aluminum and copper blanks of any cross-sectional shapes: circular, square, rectangular, rhombic, etc.

Abstract: The invention provides a purge unit for establishing a closed zone for an inert gas around a weld area. The purge unit is particularly adapted for use where a branch pipe is welded to a main pipe or header. The purge unit is inserted into an opening in the header and is then expanded to establish the closed zone around the inside of the weld area. An inert gas, in a volume much less than otherwise required, is then supplied through the unit into the zone to cover or blanket the inside of the weld area. After the weld is complete, the purge unit can be collapsed and withdrawn through the opening so as not to leave any material within the header which might cause contamination.

Abstract: A soldering iron holder system for a soldering station is disclosed which includes a protective, insulated chamber into which the working shaft and heated tip of the soldering tool may be inserted. A self locking cradle supports the tool from its handle portion and prevents its undesired removal from the holder system. For additional security, the system includes hold-down for fastening the entire system to the bench top. The holder also includes means for dispensing wire solder on demand. A built in reservoir and pump are also provided to supply cleansing fluid as for cleaning the soldering tip. To assist in the latter, a sponge is affixed to the body of the holder and is wetted from the reservoir by operation of the pump.

Abstract: A hand held, vacuum operated desoldering tool and a holder fixture therefor is disclosed in which the desoldering tool has a tubular, barrel body with a nozzle tip forward end and a vacuum line attachment fitting at its opposite, rear end. A trigger is disposed in a trigger housing formed contiguously to the rear end for connecting the vacuum line to the interior of the barrel body and forward tip end of the tool. Thus when the trigger is actuated by the fingertip of the operator, the body is evacuated and an impulse of air is drawn thereinto through the forward nozzle tip of the tool for a desoldering operation. A baffle and filter are disposed within the tubular body to prevent solder and other particles from entering the trigger mechanism and the vacuum supply line.Another component of the combination disclosed is a tool holder and power tip cleaner for the desoldering tool. The tool holder includes a short, large diameter cylindrical body which carries a power piston.

Abstract: Underwater welding apparatus including a welding chamber and at least one source of gas under pressure connected to the welding chamber through a demand valve, in which the demand valve allows the flow of gas to the chamber to increase as the increase in the hydrostatic head causes the pressure of the gas in the chamber to increase, and to decrease as the hydrostatic head decreases.

Abstract: Annular coupling members are disclosed for welding together sections of pipe used, for example, in the construction of oil pipelines, such annular coupling members containing annular bodies of exothermic materials such as "Thermite" material, and upon being ignited being capable of producing true welding of the interfaces between the coupler and a pair of pipes welded thereto or between the two pipes directly. These interfaces are beveled to accommodate variations in the diameters of the pipe sections so that any such variations will not adversely affect a true weld at these interfaces. Since the annular exothermic bodies are positioned adjacent the interfaces and interior of the annular coupler, the vast quantities of heat generated by igniting the "Thermite" bodies are directly utilized to form true welding of the interfaces, rather than being lost in varying degree to the material of separate reaction vessels, sprues, etc., as in prior art techniques.

Abstract: An appliance is disclosed for dressing the working surface, e.g. tip, of a soldering iron. A housing of chemically-stable material defines a treatment chamber with an access opening through which the tip of a soldering iron is received. The treatment chamber is partially filled by a packing which in the disclosed embodiment includes Teflon shavings carrying a cleaning agent including ammonium chloride. The insertion of a hot iron results in the vaporization of a quantity of the cleaning agent as well as some scrubbing action by the packing with the effect that the tip of the iron is effectively dressed, removing oxides and foreign particles while leaving a coating of liquid solder on the tip at an operating temperature.