Abstract: An apparatus for use in installing integrated circuit sockets on printed circuit boards. A frame, on which is mounted dispenser tubes loaded with integrated circuit sockets, is positioned at an acute angle and vibrated at low frequency, causing the integrated circuit sockets to slide down the dispenser tubes. A template, containing cavities to receive the integrated circuit sockets, is slidably mounted at the lower end of the dispenser tubes. As the integrated circuit sockets are discharged from the dispenser tubes, they fall into the cavities, pin side up. A printed circuit board is aligned above the loaded template and the two are clamped together causing the integrated circuit socket pins to pass through corresponding holes in the printed circuit board. The clamped printed circuit board and template are then rotated 180 degrees and the template is removed, leaving the integrated circuit sockets mounted on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An improvement to carousel-type component dispensers which eliminates the requirement of operator intervention in order to access the next component required in the assembly of a work piece. Each time the operator inserts his hand in the dispenser to remove a component, he interrupts a light beam which triggers the dispenser's indexing mechanism to position itself for the next position of rotation. When the operator removes the component, the light beam path is restored and a light activated detector signals the dispenser's rotation mechanism to rotate the dispenser to the position specified by the indexing mechanism.The apparatus includes time delay circuitry which prevents the carousel from rotating while the operator's hand is in the carousel accessing a component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inserting solder preforms on selected circuit board back plane pins. A template, drilled with a pattern of holes corresponding to the pattern of back plane pins and counterbored in hole positions corresponding to back plane pins which are to receive solder preforms, is positioned at an acute angle and vibrated at low frequency. Solder preforms are placed at the upper end of the template and due to the vibration and angle the template is positioned at, slide down the surface of the template and are trapped in the counterbored holes. The preform loaded side of the template is aligned with the circuit board back plane and the two are clamped together, causing the selected back plane pins to pass through the corresponding solder preforms positioned in the template's counterbored holes. The clamping circuit board and template are rotated so the template is positioned above the circuit board.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously partially stripping the insulation from the ends of a plurality of wires in a twisted wire cable comprising a first clamp which clamps the midpoint of a length of the twisted wire cable and second and third clamps which clamp the wire ends to position them properly between stripper blades attached to the second and third clamps. The second and third clamps are mounted so they may be slid along a rail. Air activated cylinders pull the second and third clamps in a direction away from the midpoint of the twisted wire cable, partially stripping the insulation. Also disclosed is a modification to the air cylinders which allows the apparatus to simultaneously fully strip and untwist the ends of the wires.

Abstract: A control for a resistance solder unit for maintaining solder probe temperature within an acceptable range is provided using a redundant interlocking switching circuit. A pair of dual, single pole, single throw, variable time delay electronic relays, and a pair of dual, single pole, single throw electrical relays may be interconnected into the supply line for the AC to DC soldering transformer to control the time and duration of current to a resistance soldering probe. Included may be an autotransformer-coupled feedback from the resistance solder ground return of the soldering probe. Typically, visual and audible signals provide probe power status.