Abstract: A cassette for holding and dispensing a viscous material for use in an apparatus for depositing the viscous material onto a substrate through openings formed in a stencil positioned over substrate. The cassette includes a body having a base and interior defined by first and second side walls and first and second end walls substantially orthoganol to the base. The base has a plurality of apertures formed therein, and a cover plate adapted to slide within the interior of the body. The cover plate having a plurality of protruding members wherein each of the protruding members corresponds to and is aligned with a corresponding one of the apertures of the base.

Abstract: A multi-rail transport system for transporting printed circuit boards along adjacent pairs of rails including first and second brake rods having parallel longitudinal axes and a plurality of brake cylinders slideably mounted on the brake rods, wherein each of the brake cylinders is adapted to be actuated between an engaged condition in which the brake cylinders are fixed in position and a disengaged condition in which the brake cylinders are free to slide along the brake rods. Also provided is a plurality of rails mounted to corresponding pairs of the brake cylinders. The system further includes first and second shuttles movably mounted adjacent to the brake rods, the shuttles being adapted to move in directions substantially parallel to the first and second longitudinal axes and to selectively engage the rails.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for aligning two objects (1,2), such as a board and screen in a screen printer, each having at least one reference mark (6a,7a) on a surface thereof, whereby alignment of the objects is indicated by alignment of corresponding reference marks on the surfaces of the objects. The apparatus comprises support means for supporting the objects in use with the said surfaces facing one another, and imaging means (20), mounted for movement between the said surfaces in use, for acquiring, on a single imaging surface thereof, simultaneous images of respective areas of the surfaces of the objects, which areas contain corresponding reference marks. The apparatus includes control means (4,8) for determining the locations of the reference marks in the images and determining therefrom the extent of misalignment of the objects, and means (3), responsive to the control means, for adjusting the relative positions of the objects to bring the objects into alignment.

Abstract: Support means for a workpiece, such as for example a printed circuit board to be screen printed, comprise a plurality of parallel upright elongate members, upper ends of which engage the underside of the workpiece or components secured thereon. Armatures and electromagneto magnets are provided in a housing selectively to clamp the elongate members in a raised position or allow them to fall to a lowered position.Clamping means to clamp the workpiece comprise clamping plates on opposite sides of the workpiece and having very thin foils projecting laterally therefrom over the workpiece and operating means to lower or raise the clamping plates to clamp or release the workpiece.

Abstract: Screen printing apparatus incorporating drive means for a squeegee comprising a drive motor, a lead screw rotatable by the motor and a rider for the lead screw, said rider being coupled to a mounting for the squeegee preferably through stroke adjustment means and the lead screw having two oppositely handed threads thereon such that rotation of the motor causes reciprocating motion of the rider longitudinally of the lead screw at substantially uniform speed.Adjusting means to adjust the distance between two members such as a printing head of screen printing apparatus and a table on which articles to be printed can be laid, comprising a pair of coaxial shafts, eccentric members secured on the shafts, bushes secured to respective ones of said members and means to rotate the shaft such that the eccentrics when rotated in the bushes cause the members to move relatively to one another by the sum of the eccentricity of the two eccentrics having regard to the angle through which they are rotated.