Abstract: An articulated coordinate measuring arm having swiveling joints which are unlimited by an end-stops. Power and signals are transmitted through a swiveling joint using a multi-conductor electrical slip-ring sub-assembly. Joint position transducer signal conditioners are closely located to the joint position transducers to reduce signal noise degradation. Rigid transfer members connecting the joints comprise a freely rotating shaft mounted within an outer sheath, wherein both shaft and sheath extend substantially the length of the transfer member, and the shaft outer diameter approaches that of the sheath inner diameter.

Abstract: An inspection and measuring apparatus comprises a housing, having a holder for supporting a workpiece for rotation about a first vertical axis and for limited rotation about an orthogonal axis, a light beam supported out from a second vertical axis for positioning for selective interruption by the workpiece upon rotation of the light beam means for detecting the coordinate position of interruption of the beam by the workpiece and comparing same to a reference.

Abstract: An article positioning apparatus for locating an article or transporter at predetermined X, Y plot coordinates through the use of tapes characterized by sufficient stiffness to resist bending under compressive loads, whereby the tape can be used not only to pull but also to push the transporter into position in conjunction with other positioners. A version of the apparatus utilizes the tape drive to also establish a support associated with the transporter at predetermined X, Y and Z coordinates.

Abstract: Automatic crimping apparatus for crimping contacts of different sizes on electrical wires is positioned at the side of a conveyor that moves successive wires to and from alignment with a crimping station which includes a shaker bowl furnishing contacts to a sender station. The sender station sends the contacts one at a time via a pneumatic line through a hollow chuck and collet to seat the barrel end of the contact end upon a contact locating seat that is precisely positioned within a cam operated multi-pin crimper. The contact end receiving seat is apertured and recessed in one end of a funnel assembly and locating structure having a wire receiving and guiding funnel at the other end to define a wire guide path in alignment with the apertured contact end receiving seat. With a contact end positioned on the receiving seat, a portion of the wire receiving barrel of the contact is in the operative region of the crimper, with the other end being firmly grasped in the collet.

Abstract: A contact on the end of a wire is inserted into an aperture of a multi-pin connector by a traveling insertion head that moves in three dimensions to fetch the wire from a wire holder, pull it from the holder and drive it into a selected aperture of the connector. The head moves back toward a wire to insert the wire end contact between a pair of rotating wire drive rollers which grasp the contact and wire to position the contact wholly within a protective insertion quill. The insertion head is then driven into alignment with a selected connector aperture, slightly inserts the quill into the aperture while the contact is fully protected, and the wire drive rollers are rotated to drive the contact and wire through the quill into the connector. A pull test is provided by pivotally retracting the rollers which still grasp the wire. The rollers and quill are withdrawn and opened to enable the rollers and quill to move laterally off the now connected wire to prepare for fetching the next wire.

Abstract: A movable working head carries a pair of drive rollers, an insertion quill, and a routing nozzle that are manipulated so that a first terminal on one end of a wire is grasped between the rollers and inserted into the quill which is then inserted partly into a connector aperture. The rollers are rotated to drive the wire and terminal through the quill into an engaged position within the connector, terminal insertion is tested, and the insertion quill is replaced with the routing nozzle so that the working head can traverse a harness routing path with the rollers and nozzle sliding freely along the length of the wire towards its other end. Near the second end of the wire, the rollers grasp the second terminal pin, rotate with the pin 180.degree. about an axis parallel to the roller axes and are moved to insert this terminal pin into the insertion quill so that the working head may move the quill and rollers to a second connector.

Abstract: A wire harness is partly assembled by winding a number of wires on individual reels, fixing terminal pins to the wire ends, stacking the reels in the carousel support, upon which a multiple pin connector is mounted, and withdrawing individual wires for conection to the connector. A spindle extending through all wire reels is detachably connected to a support bar to enable the entire stack of reels with the wire thereon to be handled as a unitary assembly. The reels are stacked flat upon each other because the reel hubs are thicker to accommodate enlargement of reel peripheries as wire projects from the reels.

Abstract: A movable working head carries a pair of drive rollers, an insertion quill, and a routing nozzle that are manipulated so that a first terminal on one end of a wire is grasped between the rollers and inserted into the quill which is then inserted partly into a connector aperture. The rollers are rotated to drive the wire and terminal through the quill into an engaged position within the connector, terminal insertion is tested, and the insertion quill is replaced with the routing nozzle so that the working head can traverse a harness routing path with the rollers and nozzle sliding freely along the length of the wire towards its other end. Near the second end of the wire, the rollers grasp the second terminal pin, rotate with the pin 180.degree. about an axis parallel to the roller axes and are moved to insert this terminal pin into the insertion quill so that the working head may move the quill and rollers to a second connector.

Abstract: Electrically conductive wires, to be connected to multiple terminal connectors and assembled in a wire harness, are prepared for harness assembly by winding individual wires on a reel, cutting each wire to length with both ends of the wire protruding in aligned but opposite directions from the reel, transporting the reel and wound wire by grasping the protruding ends in conveyor mounted clamps, and presenting the wire ends to stripping and terminal attachment machines as the conveyor carries the reel mounted wire. Each piece of wire remains on its individual reel for storage and handling of stacks of reels, and for manipulation of the wire during its placement in a wire harness.

Abstract: A scanning laser beam is directed in a circular scanning pattern, perpendicular to the surface of a part that moves across the scan pattern. Reflected light received solely from part edges or other surface discontinuities is compared with a number of preselected threshold levels. When reflection intensity attains any one of the selected threshold levels, an event is triggered, and the beam position at the time of the event, together with the intensity level triggering the event, are recorded, so as to provide information limited to the part edges and other surface discontinuities.

Abstract: Three-dimensional information and a three-dimensional display of the surface of an object is provided by a scanning laser beam mounted on a high-speed rotating disc to repetitively scan across an object transported below the disc upon a moving carrier. Light reflected from the object surface back along the axis of the scanning beam is detected to indicate surface characteristics, such as reflection intensity. Positions of the projected beam in the course of its scanning rotation and of the carrier in the course of its transport motion are detected to generate signals that define the XY position of the scanning beam. Light of the projected energy beam, as reflected from the object at an angle to the beam axis, is imaged by a second lens upon a linear detector array, whereby the position of the image along the linear detector array will indicate elevation of the reflecting area along the axis of the projected beam.

Abstract: Improved laying of high strength composite tape is achieved by stretching a strip of tape entirely across the area on which the tape is to be laid before pressing any part of the tape against the work surface, and then pressing the tape against the surface while the tape is stretched across and adjacent the work surface. The tape is held and stretched across the work surface on supply and takeup reels on opposite sides of the work surface, so that the reels need not move along the tape with the moving pressure foot. The pressure foot and both reels are mounted for independent motion completely around the work surface to enable tape strips to be laid in all directions across the work surface without rotating the work surface.

Abstract: High strength composite tape is prepared for laying in side-by-side strips upon a work surface by precutting the strips to a predetermined length and mounting the strips upon a carrier belt in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, so that the pressure foot of the machine applying the tape to a work surface may press to the end of one tape strip without pressing the end of the following tape strip. Improved laying of the tape is achieved by stretching a strip of tape entirely across the area on which the tape is to be laid before pressing any part of the tape against the work surface, and then pressing the tape against the surface while the tape is stretched across and adjacent the work surface. The tape is held and stretched across the work surface on supply and take up reels on opposite sides of the work surface, so that the reels need not move along the tape with the moving pressure foot.

Abstract: High strength composite tape is prepared for laying in side-by-side strips upon a work surface by precutting the strips to a predetermined length and mounting the strips upon a carrier belt in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, so that the pressure foot of the machine applying the tape to a work surface may press to the end of one tape strip without pressing the end of the following tape strip. Improved laying of the tape is achieved by stretching a strip of tape entirely across the area on which the tape is to be laid before pressing any part of the tape against the work surface, and then pressing the tape against the surface while the tape is stretched across and adjacent the work surface. The tape is held and stretched across the work surface on supply and take up reels on opposite sides of the work surface, so that the reels need not move along the tape with the moving pressure foot.

Abstract: The surface of a part to be identified or inspected is scanned by a laser beam projected normal to the surface to be scanned from the end of a rotating arm in a circular scan pattern. A small collector lens is fixed to the end of the rotating arm and has a hole through which the projected beam passes. The part moves across the scan pattern in a direction perpendicular to the projected beam, and intensity of reflected light received by the lens and transmitted to a detector provides precision information concerning surface characteristics, orientation and discontinuities.

Abstract: Material is drawn from a roll of flat stock, passed through a pipe forming machine, and welded to provide a continuous length of pipe which is stored in a variable size loop. Pipe is withdrawn from the loop by means of a series of pipe straightening and feeding rollers which feeds the pipe to a bending machine. The bending machine is suspended from an overhead platform for rotation about a vertical axis and carries a shearing cutter so that multi-bend pipe sections, such as automobile exhaust pipes, may be bent, severed and dropped onto a conveyor for inspection and disposition while the pipe is being continuously formed from the flat stock. Distance between bends and plane of bend are respectively controlled by the pipe feeder and the bend machine rotation. Differences between forming and bending rates are compensated by varying the amount of pipe in the storage loop.

Abstract: A rotary pipe bending machine employs a single hydraulic motor to drive clamp and pressure dies toward the bend die and to rotate the bend and clamp dies. The motor piston is connected via a chain to drive a clamp die carrier toward a rotatably mounted bend die and toward a bend die shaft actuator. Upon continued motion of the clamp die carrier, it engages the actuator to rotate the bend die together with a clamp die mounted on the carrier. The motor cylinder is movably mounted and connected to a pressure die carrier so that as the motor piston drives the clamp die carrier and the bend die, the cylinder, reacting to the driving force of the piston, drives the pressure die carrier, together with a pressure die thereon, toward the bend die with a force that is produced by reaction to the required bending force. Thus the pipe is frictionally tensioned according to the magnitude of the bending force.

Abstract: Material is drawn from a roll of flat stock, passed through a pipe forming machine, and welded to provide a continuous length of pipe which is stored in a variable size loop. Pipe is withdrawn from the loop by means of a series of pipe straightening and feeding rollers which feeds the pipe to a bending machine. The bending machine is suspended from an overhead platform for rotation about a vertical axis and carries a shearing cutter so that multi-bend pipe sections, such as automobile exhaust pipes, may be bent, severed and dropped onto a conveyor for inspection and disposition while the pipe is being continuously formed from the flat stock. Distance between bends and plane of bend are respectively controlled by the pipe feeder and the bend machine rotation. Differences between forming and bending rates are compensated by varying the amount of pipe in the storage loop.

Abstract: A tube bending machine includes a carriage mounting a rotatable chuck for grasping and positioning a length of tube relative to the bending head of the machine. Motion of the carriage along the bed of the machine toward the bending head and rotation of the chuck relative to the carriage are powered by a pair of remotely mounted stationary motors each driving a chain. One chain is connected directly to the carriage and the other engages a sprocket rotatably mounted on the carriage and connected to rotate the chuck. The arrangement provides a differential drive in which the carriage can be driven by operation of both motors and the chuck can be driven by differential operation of the two motors. In addition the chuck can be rotated simultaneously with advance of the carriage.

Abstract: A rotary pipe bending machine employs a single hydraulic motor to drive clamp and pressure dies toward the bend die and to rotate the bend and clamp dies. The motor piston is connected via a chain to drive a clamp die carrier toward a rotatably mounted bend die and toward a bend die shaft actuator. Upon continued motion of the clamp die carrier, it engages the actuator to rotate the bend die together with a clamp die mounted on the carrier. The motor cylinder is movably mounted and connected to a pressure die carrier so that as the motor piston drives the clamp die carrier and the bend die, the cylinder, reacting to the driving force of the piston, drives the pressure die carrier, together with a pressure die thereon, toward the bend die with a force that is produced by reaction to the required bending force. Thus the pipe is frictionally tensioned according to the magnitude of the bending force.