Abstract: A load side phase control circuit is used in conjunction with a conventional fluorescent light ballast (step-up autotransformer) and an isolation transformer to achieve fluorescent lamp brightness control. A resistor and capacitor connected in series shunt the phase control circuit to maintain low level illumination even when the phase control circuit is nonconducting and also provide a transient suppression when the phase control circuit switches to a conducting state. The circuit is especially suited to printed circuit board preassembly and subsequent connection to the lamp and ballast by a one step crimping operation. The resulting fluorescent lamp system--of the rapid start type--is well suited for use as a task light where the lamp is mounted relatively close to an underlying work area and receives power from a conventional outlet.

Abstract: A wire processing system wherein lengths of insulated wire are sequentially presented to processing stations for insulation stripping and subsequent terminal crimping, is disclosed employing an improved wire gripping and transporting arrangement having a flexible conveyor belt with a plurality of wire keepers molded to and distributed about the belt, each keeper including a pair of upstanding resilient projections having a gap therebetween to receive and grip a section of wire, an input station where wire is pushed into the gap between projection pairs, and an output station including a picker to be positioned adjacent the projection pair between the wire and the belt with relative motion between the picker and the keeper ejecting the wire from the gap. The belt is entrained on a drive wheel having a plurality of generally flat peripheral surfaces, and on an idler wheel.

Abstract: Fabricating techniques for forming insulated electrical connectors of the type to be subsequently mounted in panel apertures including techniques for simplifying the mold required to form such connectors and improvements in the connector itself and the manner in which that connector grips edges of an aperture in which it is mounted are disclosed. In its preferred form, the insulated electrical connector has a pair of generally flat parallel opposed side walls each provided with staggered notches oppositely extending from opposed side wall edges toward and slightly past one another in an overlapped and interleaved manner to form in the region of notch overlap a pair of slots extending generally parallel to one another and transverse to the notches.

Abstract: Electric heater assemblies to encircle and warm hermetic compressor housings are fabricated by the selection of a sheathed tubular heating element of a length of the same order of magnitude as the circumference of the compressor housing to be encircled and a bend is introduced near the end of the selected element. An elongated tensioning member and the element bend are positioned closely adjacent one another and a mass of non-metallic material molded about the element bend and a portion of the tensioning member to join the member to the selected element. Opposite ends of the tensioning member may be joined to the heating element near the opposite ends thereof by introducing a similar bend near the end opposite the one end of the selected element and similarly juxtaposing the tensioning member and bend and thereafter molding a further mass about the element bend and tensioning member so as to form a loop for encircling the housing.

Abstract: A method of insulating electrical connectors having terminals with leads extending therefrom by using a flexible insert arrangement for an electrical connector mold for supporting leads extending therefrom and closing the mold end which includes a flat resilient body having one or more lead-accepting depressions normal to the body across one edge thereof and an arrangement actuable as the mold halves are closed on one another for deforming the body to temporarily displace the body resilient material about each electrical lead extending from the mold to complete the formation of an insulating material-accepting connector forming cavity. A flowable insulating material is then injected into the cavity to form the insulated connector.

Abstract: A radiant heating device and a method of forming such a device are disclosed wherein a metal heat radiating plate has a first surface for forming a front surface of the heating panel with the surface opposite that first surface having an electrically insulated sheet heating element affixed thereto. The plate and heating element are embedded in a flowable material to cover the heating element and the plate edges about substantially the entire periphery of the plate while leaving the plate front surface substantially material free and that flowable material solidified to form an electrically and thermally insulating frame for supporting the plate and the heating element.

Abstract: A flexible insert arrangement for an electrical connector mold for supporting leads extending therefrom and closing the mold end is disclosed and includes a flat resilient body having one or more lead-accepting depressions normal to the body across one edge thereof and an arrangement actuable as the mold halves are closed on one another for deforming the body to temporarily displace the body resilient material about each electrical lead extending from the mold to complete the formation of an insulating material-accepting connector forming cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing elongated lengths of material from a supply thereof, such as insulated wire mounted on spools or reels, into lengths, such as into electrical leads of predetermined lengths. The wire is drawn off continuously from the reel and is fed intermittently into the apparatus wherein it is cut off to lengths and gripped in the apparatus with the ends of the cut-off lengths a fixed distance apart and exposed. When the wire is thus cut off and gripped, it is moved at right angles to the length thereof along the apparatus while work operations are performed on at least one end of the lead, the work operations consisting of stripping insulation from the end of the lead and applying a terminal thereto. When the leads have been completely processed, the apparatus straightens the leads out in the direction of the length thereof and delivers them to a receiving station, and wherein the leads are counted and removed from the receiving station in batches of a predetermined number.

Abstract: A machine for attaching terminals to electrical conductors is disclosed wherein the bed and ram of an applicator are relatively movable together and apart and each carries a cooperating one of a pair of crimping dies to crimp a terminal onto a conductor when the ram and bed are moved together. A terminal feeding device supplies terminals to be crimped by the dies seriatim and in synchronism with relative movement between the ram and bed and a unidirectional coupling such as a chain connects the terminal feeding device to the ram so that the feeding device is actuated to supply a terminal when the ram retracts from the bed. A spring biasing device opposes operation of the unidirectional coupling to restore the feeding device for subsequent actuation. The cooperating dies and terminal feeding device are independently removably attached to the machine allowing independent replacement to accommodate specific conductor-terminal combinations.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing filler from a jacketed multiconductor filler cable for termination of the conductors in that cable is disclosed, wherein the outer insulating jacket is removed from a portion of the cable near one end, and an air flow is induced in the vicinity of the jacketless portion to separate the filler from the conductors and thereafter the separated filler is severed from portions of individual conductors near the one end of the cable for termination as desired. The air flow may be provided by a nozzle and die or guide having coaxial apertures therein and relatively movable between a spaced apart position and a position in close proximity for severing the filler material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing elongated lengths of material from a supply thereof, such as insulated wire mounted on spools or reels, into lengths, such as into electrical leads of predetermined lengths. The wire is drawn off continuously from the reel and is fed intermittently into the apparatus wherein it is cut off to lengths and gripped in the apparatus with the ends of the cut-off lengths a fixed distance apart and exposed. When the wire is thus cut off and gripped, it is moved at right angles to the length thereof along the apparatus while work operations are performed on at least one end of the lead, the work operations consisting of stripping insulation from the end of the lead and applying a terminal thereto. When the leads have been completely processed, the apparatus straightens the leads out in the direction of the length thereof and delivers them to a receiving station, and wherein the leads are counted and removed from the receiving station in batches of a predetermined number.

Abstract: A conveyor system for use in processing lengths of flexible material in which the conveyor system is formed of a pair of parallel spaced chains adapted to be displaced longitudinally and carrying a plurality of gripping devices positioned to successively receive lengths of flexible material from a source thereof. The lengths of flexible material are conveyed in an intermittent fashion to permit various work operations to be performed on the successive lengths of flexible material. The gripping devices include a body member fixed to the conveyor having a notch therein adapted to receive a cross section of the lengths of flexible material, and a lever pivotally mounted on the body member and having a arcuate surface adapted to secure the lengths of flexible material in the notch of the body member.