Abstract: A high pressure steam condensation soldering facility (10) is described. The facility (10) incorporates a chamber (12) having a centrally located heat processing zone (45) into which high pressure steam is injected to reflow solder on articles (43) therein. A baffle (41) having a conical top portion (51) with a plurality of apertures (52) therein permits controlled amounts of the steam to pass therethrough while redirecting a portion of the steam along the wall (16) of the chamber (12) to interpose a shield of steam between the wall and uniformly heated processing zone (45).

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (31) is placed in a holder (10) and then positioned on a polishing pad (35) in a polishing machine (40). A mechanical force is applied to the holder (10) to cause a predetermined pressure on the wafer (31) therein as the polishing pad (35) is rotated. Simultaneously, water at a pressure slightly higher than the pressure applied to the wafer (31) is injected into the holder to form a water bearing layer between the wafer and the holder that permits free floating rotative motion of the wafer as it is being polished.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling high speed strand takeup reel shrouds during reel crossover by moving the shrouds once the output speed of the reel motors have deaccelerated to a preselected rate.

Abstract: A fused silica glass tube (26) is extruded from a melt (21) in a chamber (11) pressurized with an inert gas. A shield is placed in close, spaced, relation to the melt (21) surface during the gas pressure extrusion process to substantially eliminate losses from the melt due to vaporization.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a cable unit (30), which comprises a center portion and a plurality of layers of twisted conductor pairs, the pairs in the center portion and in each layer are oscillated in alternately opposite directions after which the unit is bound and taken up in a stationary container (62) by a system (100) which distributes the unit in a predetermined pattern of varying size convolutions. This distribution, which results in a dense package of a cable unit having a free end that facilitates testing of the unit during takeup, is accomplished while the speed at which the unit is being advanced and distributed into the varying size convolutions is maintained substantially constant.

Abstract: First end portions (22c) of terminal pins (22) are gripped in a gripping means (54) on one side of a substrate (24) and intermediate portions (22cs) of the pins then are inserted into the substrate. In the insertion operation, second opposite end portions (22i) of the pins are extended into a straightening means (74) on the opposite side of the substrate (24). Tip portions of the first pin end portions (22c) then are disposed in the gripping means (54) and tip portions of the second pin end portions (22i) are disposed in the straightening means (74). To straighten the pins (22), relative reciprocating movement then is caused between the pin intermediate portions (22cs) and the pin tip portions to flex and coldwork the first and second pin end portions (22c and 22i) in a lateral direction simultaneously.

Abstract: A backplane (22) supporting a plurality of pins (21) is supported in a fixture (84) which is mounted on a movable platform (51). A pair of straightening bars (82 and 83) are attached to a movable holding bar (76) above the backplane-supported pins (21) and are spaced at least a distance equal to the spacing between alternate rows of the pins. The straightening bars (82 and 83) are positioned to capture the tips of alternate rows of pins (21). The fixture (84) is then reciprocated in a first direction and then in a second direction to process the pins (21) through a single straightening cycle. Eventually, the straightening bars (82 and 83) and all of the rows of pins (21) are processed in a similar fashion whereby each of the pair of bars processes each row of pins through a single straightening cycle. In this manner, each pin (21) is processed ultimately through two straightening cycles.

Abstract: In the growth of gadolinium gallium garnet monocrystals, a crucible is charged with a preformed body (65) of oxide powders to form a melt. In preparation therefor, the oxide powders are formulated into a typical particulate material (16) which is compacted into a body (65) having a desired size and shape. For holding material (16), there is provided a pouch (38) of a first size having elastic walls expandable to a second size, larger than body (65). The pouch (38) is disposed within a chamber (36) having inside walls conforming to the desired shape of the body (65) but of the second size. An open neck (42) of the pouch (38) extends through and is sealed to an opening (60) in chamber (36). Then a vacuum is drawn between the pouch (38) and chamber (36) to expand pouch (38) to said shape and second size formed by the chamber walls. As the particulate material (16) is introduced into the expanded pouch (38), such material conforms to the shape and second size of such expanded pouch.

Abstract: A universal strand clamp (10) is provided for securing a strand or cable (12) to a wall panel (14) to provide strain relief for terminating ends (16) of individual conductors (18) of the cable. The cable (12) is secured into a body portion (22) of the clamp (10) by a cable tie (20) which extends about portions of the outer periphery of the body portion and into a cross bore (40) of the body portion.

Abstract: A drawn lightguide fiber is coated with a layer of a plastic material by moving the fiber through a container of the coating material and a die. The die is made of a relatively flexible material and is mounted so that a lower end extends through an opening of a diaphragm which is adapted to apply substantially coplanar forces to the lower end of the die to reduce the size of an exit orifice. The coating on the fiber is measured and if necessary, as a result of that measurement, the diaphragm is adjusted either manually or automatically to change the size of the die orifice and provide a coated fiber having a predetermined diameter.

Abstract: A pulse generator comprises a toroid (11) of a superconducting material such as Niobium on a glass or ceramic substrate (12). A cryogenic source such as liquid helium cools the toroid to within a few degrees of absolute zero and a perpetually circulatory current is set up in the toroid. A laser beam is fired at the toroid to cause localized heating and the resultant current drop due to the material resistance causes an output pulse to be induced in an adjacent current winding (14).

Abstract: Several CRT monitor assemblies, (10, 10', 10", 40, 60, 120, 170, 190), each of which incorporates a specially constructed de-ionized air generating system (12, 12', 12", 45, 70, 130, 175, 175') are adapted to produce a laminar-type flow of de-ionized air, in a predetermined direction, across the screen (26, 26', 26", 42a, 66a-69a, 126a-129a, 171a, 172a, 171a', 172a') of one or more monitors (11, 42, 66-69, 126-129, 171, 172) so as to prevent the build-up of detrimental static charge on the screens.

Abstract: Several flat cable embodiments (10, 10', 10", 10'", 10"") are disclosed, as are methods and apparatus (30) for the selective manufacture and connectorization of same. In accordance with one preferred flat cable embodiment (10), adapted for telephone under carpet applications, two precisely offset arrays of rectangularly shaped conductors (13, 14) are separated by a center film (16), with each array being adhesively bonded through an associated adhesive coating (21 or 22) to only the respectively adjacent one of two outer films (18 or 19).

Abstract: Terminal pins (18) in a terminal pin strip (16) are integrally interconnected by webs (22) located intermediate free insertion ends (18i) and free connector ends (18c) of the pins so that when the webs are severed to separate the terminal pins, the severing operation does not disrupt the integrity of smooth finished surfaces on the connector ends of the pins. Each terminal pin (18) also is formed with an intermediate push shoulder (18ps) for applying pressure on the pin to insert the pin into an aperture (20a) in a support structure, such as a printed wiring board (20), without damaging the connector end (18c) of the pin. Assembly of the terminal pins (18) into the printed wiring board (20), utilizing terminal pin strips (16) on respective supply reels (24), is accomplished with apparatus comprising a pair of pin transporter mechanisms (26), a pair of web-severing punch-and-die mechanisms (28), and a pin insertion mechanism 30.

Abstract: A method of curing a layer of RTV encapsulating material (24) disposed between a substrate (20) and a chip carrier (22), without the formation of voids in the material immediately adjacent opposed surfaces (32 and 34) of the substrate and the chip carrier, respectively, initially involves cleaning the substrate-chip carrier assembly (20-22) with an activating solvent (e.g., xylene), after which the assembly is blow-dried. The encapsulating material (24), having a viscosity on the order of 6-9 poise, then is flowed between the substrate (20) and the chip carrier (22) and a layer of the material also may be flowed over the top of the assembly. The assembly (20-22) next is immersed in a water bath (46), which includes on the order of 10 milliliters of water for each cubic centimeter of the material (24) to be cured, at room temperature under a hydrostatic head on the order of 3-4 inches for on the order of 16 hours or more, while the material cures.

Abstract: A transition device (10) is provided to facilitate the forming of a lightguide ribbon cable unit (22) from a plurality of individual insulated light conductors (24). The light conductors (24), which each include a light-conductive glass fiber (12) surrounded by an inner layer (14) of insulation and an outer layer (16) of insulation, are mounted into converging channels (44) of the transition device (10), such that portions of the glass fibers which have been stripped of insulation extend from an exit end (50) of the device arranged in a parallel side-by-side array between two strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes (18 and 20) to form the ribbon cable unit (22). The assembled transition device (10), ribbon cable unit (22) and light conductors (24) produce an optical fiber assembly (93).

Abstract: A vector generator (11) for a computer graphics system of the type in which the beam (26) of a CRT (13) is deflected by analogue deflexion signals to form an image comprised of a plurality of discrete vectors each defined, in each of two, orthogonal deflexion axes, the first and second digital words respectively defining the initial position and the length of the vector. The vector generator (11) includes circuitry (43, 44) that ensures that each vector is drawn with substantially uniform brightness regardless of the length of the vector. Additional circuitry (42, 54) is furnished so that an instantaneous indication may be obtained of a light pen (19) strike or the occurrence of edge violations. This circuitry (42, 54) also yields continuous digital information concerning the current beam position.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for reclaiming a jelly-filled telecommunication cable. The process comprises the steps of cutting the cable into segments of jelly bearing insulated wires and forming the segments into a slurry heated to a temperature sufficient to soften the jelly. The slurry is milled thereby liberating insulation from the wires with a substantial portion of the softened jelly adhering to the liberated insulation. The jelly-bearing liberated insulation is then separated from the wires.

Abstract: Polymeric coatings can be applied to substrates such as metal foils by first coating the foil with a wetting hydrosol followed by applying a coupling agent thereto and thereafter coating the substrate with the desired polymer.

Abstract: An off-line system for handling elongated magnetic articles such as axially leaded diodes 12 includes a magnetic receiving chute 20, a blocking mechanism 45, a magnetic loading station 75 for supporting at least one tray 55 and for loading diodes 12 therein, and a drive train 115. The chute 20 receives the diodes 12 and guides such diodes downwardly to an outlet 24 and the tray 55. Over a major accessible face of the tray 55 a cover 63 is slidably removable from a second end 60. At the loading station 75, the tray 55 is disposed in an upright manner resting on the second end 60 at a first elevation with a first end 59 extending at least to the outlet 24 of chute 20. An elevating mechanism 80 applied to the end 60 elevates tray 55 to a second elevation, while the cover 63 remains at about the first elevation. A portion of tray 55 is thereby opened adjacent the first end 59 which opening abuts to and registers with the outlet 24 of chute 20.