Abstract: An apparatus for printing upon the body of axial lead components arranged upon a component tape. The tape has equally spaced openings for receiving sprocket teeth and equally spaced component receiving openings. There are tabs associated with said component openings extending from the tape defining slots being narrowed at the end away from the tape. The slots may be spread by bending the tape. The apparatus comprises a horizontal base, a print station fixed above the base, a bending roll mounted on an axle substantially parallel to the horizontal base, an entry guide for slidably holding the loaded tape below the top of the bending roll and an exit guide for slidably holding the loaded tape below the top of the bending roll. The exit guide has a sprocket wheel for engaging the sprocket openings in the tape to pull it over the bending roll.

Abstract: A system for handling axial lead components comprises a flexible metal tape or molded plastic strip (to electrically test components while on strip), that has been especially perforated by die punching to have a plurality of sprocket receiving holes along its edges and a plurality of component receiving holes spaced centrally and along the length of the tape. The component holes have tabs at each lateral end thereof that define a component lead receiving slot. The slot has a predefined width at the end away from the tape. The slot width increases toward the base of the tabs. The predefined width of the slot at the end away from the tape is smaller than the diameter of the lead to be received in the slot. Only by flexing the tape to spread the tabs can a lead be inserted, freely rotated or removed from the slot. At least one tape flexing station is associated with each system.