Abstract: Circuit panel rack apparatus includes a hanging rack having a slot with a sloping surface. A roller is movable along the sloping surface. The roller moves downwardly along the sloping surface to hold a circuit panel in the rack, and the roller moves upwardly along the sloping surface to release the panel. The upward movement of the roller along the sloping surface is caused by the upward movement of a stem secured to the roller. The roller is biased downwardly along the sloping surface and against the circuit panel by a compression spring disposed about the stem.

Abstract: Paddle apparatus for an accumulator for receiving and transporting printed circuit panels including a plurality of tip elements and caps are distributed on the tip elements. The caps act as cushion elements to prevent inadvertent damage to the printed circuit panels and for providing sufficient friction to help maintain the circuit panels in place in the accumulator apparatus as the circuit panels are moved.

Abstract: Accumulator apparatus includes an endless belt having a plurality of spaced apart paddles extending outwardly from the belt, and the spaces between the paddles receive printed circuit boards for transporting the circuit boards. The paddles include slots for receiving the belt, and the paddles are spaced apart in accordance with the distance between the grooves in the belt. The grooves in the belt serve a dual purpose, and the dual purpose includes the spacing apart of the paddles and the meshing with gears for moving the belt.

Abstract: In the disclosed method, a punch having a hollow open end is used to cut a portion of polarized film from a continuous sheet of polarized film. Subsequently, this portion of film is held by its perimeter while a piston that fits inside the punch and has a flexible convex shaped tip pushes the center of the portion of the held film against a liquid crystal display cell. Then the force exerted by the piston is increased. This forces the portion of film against the display cell with a rolling motion away from its center. The rolling motion eliminates the trapping of air bubbles between the portion of film and the display cell. By further increasing the force of the piston against the display cell, the flexible tip of the piston deforms in a lateral direction. Thus it completely covers the display cell, even though its undeformed cross-sectional area is less than that of the display cell.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting and removing layers of photoresist overlaying tooling holes in a printed wire board blank. A lower cutter is mounted on a base so that its cutting edge projects above the upper surface of the base a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a layer of photoresist. A cutter head is mounted on the base for movement parallel to the upper surface of the base. An upper cutter is mounted on the cutter head for movement by a cutter actuator to cause the upper and lower cutters to sever segments of layers of photoresist overlaying a tooling hole of a PWB blank positioned between them. Each cutter is provided with a plunger movable within their respective cutters. The upper surface of the lower plunger, when the lower plunger is retracted, projects above the lower cutting edge of the lower cutter; and the upper plunger is biased downwardly so that its bottom surface projects below the cutting edges of the upper cutter.

Abstract: A positive pressure apparatus for depositing a thin, even layer of an adhering liquid material to seal openings on a metallic clad film-type carrier is disclosed. The openings, on the film side opposite the metallic lamination, are covered prior to the etching process in order to minimize undercutting by the etching material on the metallic lamination and to provide support for the resulting integrated circuit leads. The apparatus uses a positive pressure mechanism to force the fluid material through a porous ceramic element in order to obtain uniform flow.

Abstract: A locator pin is provided as part of an apparatus for maintaining accurate registration between a circuit board on which a conductive pattern is to be formed and a printing mask containing the image of the conductive pattern. The locator pin comprises a base member, an upright body member having a plurality of annularly arranged slots therein, and a threaded expansion pin fitting into the body member. The body member has a first cross-sectional area when the expansion pin is not screwed into it and a second cross-sectional area when the expansion pin is forcibly screwed into it. The first cross-sectional area of the body member is less than that of registration holes in the circuit board and printing mask, permitting the circuit board to be easily positioned adjacent the printing mask. The second cross-sectional area is at least as great as that of the registration holes so that the circuit board and printing mask are interlocked in accurate registration with one another.

Abstract: Grinder apparatus for grinding wheat, grains, and the like is disclosed which includes mating conical stones for grinding after the grain has been cracked by a quasi or semi-conical burr which cooperates with a helical cutter groove for the initial cracking of the grain.