Abstract: The present invention involves a method and apparatus for sequencing leadless and leaded surface mountable components, feeding them directly from a sequencer to chip placement heads, and placing them at selected locations on a circuit board. The chip carriers of an endless chain conveyor carry each component of the sequence of components to a chip placement head. Direct supply from a sequencer having the chip carriers and a series of individual programmably controlled dispenser heads provides for quick and flexible variation of the input sequence without manual intervention. A plurality of the chip placement heads are mounted on a turret assembly to facilitate continuous unloading of the chip carriers and orienting, centering, and squaring of the components prior to placement on a circuit board.

Abstract: The novel tester comprises jaws for orienting the component about a longitudinal axis of the tester in order to ensure proper positioning of the electrical connectors for engagement by test contacts of the tester. Each component usually has a mounting surface for engaging a dot of glue by which the component is held to the circuit board, and the novel tester provides means for generally preventing tilting of this mounting surface relative to longitudinal axis of the tester during testing.

Abstract: Described is a machine for pre-gluing raw circuit surfaces of printed circuit boards (P.C. boards) at an adhesive station and properly positioning the P.C. boards at a placement station for placement of leadless electronic components (chips) onto the adhesive. A carousel provides program preselected vertical supply of taped components to a feeder assembly which feeds individual chips onto a nozzle of a turret-type vacuum head at a pick-up station. The turret-type head has four nozzles spaced 90.degree. apart about the central axis of the head. As the turret is rotated, a chip is transported by a nozzle, sequentially, from the pick-up station to a centering and testing station, a centering and orienting station, and a placement station. Located between the testing and orienting stations is a chip removal station for ejecting defective or inverted chips. Sensors are located at the adhesive and placement stations to detect defective P.C. boards so that they may be bypassed.

Abstract: A feed assembly is engageable with feed holes spaced along the length of a taped supply of electrical components in order to index the taped components to a pick-up station and aid in transfer of the components from the tape to a turret-type vacuum head at the pick-up station. Cyclical actuation of the feed assembly actuates a cutter for that portion of the tape which has been emptied of the components.

Abstract: Described is a machine for pre-gluing raw circuit surfaces of printed circuit boards (P.C. boards) at an adhesive station and properly positioning the P.C. boards at a placement station for placement of leadless electronic components (chips) onto the adhesive. A carousel provides program preselected vertical supply of taped components to a feeder assembly which feeds individual chips onto a nozzle of a turret-type vacuum head at a pick-up station. The turret-type head has four nozzles spaced 90.degree. apart about the central axis of the head. As the turret is rotated, a chip is transported by a nozzle, sequentially, from the pick-up station to a centering and testing station, a centering and orienting station, and a placement station. Located between the testing and orienting stations is a chip removal station for ejecting defective or inverted chips. Sensors are located at the adhesive and placement stations to detect defective P.C. boards so that they may be bypassed.

Abstract: Under direction of a machine controller, an endless chain conveyor is incrementally passed by a plurality of loader heads. The loader heads receive a series of components taped on a reel supplied substrate, sever individual taped components from the supply, and load the individual taped components onto clip carriers of the endless conveyor, on command, in a preferred sequence. The clip carrier mounted components are then indexed past a cutter assembly for trimming the lengths of the leads and removing the substrate, and a positioning disc assembly for positioning the components in the clip carriers before being passed to a rotary transfer assembly. The rotary transfer assembly removes individual components from the conveyor and rotates to an unload position above a linear loader, which laterally transfers the components from the rotary transfer to an insert head assembly.

Abstract: Under direction of a machine controller, an endless chain conveyor is incrementally passed by a plurality of loader heads. The loader heads receive a series of components taped on a reel supplied substrate, sever individual taped components from the supply, and load the individual taped components onto clip carriers of the endless conveyor, on command, in a preferred sequence. The clip carrier mounted components are then indexed past a cutter assembly for trimming the lengths of the leads and removing the substrate, and a positioning disc assembly for positioning the components in the clip carriers before being passed to a rotary transfer assembly. The rotary transfer assembly removes individual components from the conveyor and rotates to an unload position above a linear loader, which laterally transfers the components from the rotary transfer to an insert head assembly.

Abstract: An electronic component lead cutting and outwardly clinching mechanism for cutting the component leads that extend from the underside of a printed circuit board and for outwardly clinching the portions of the leads remaining after the cutting to the underside of the printed circuit board. The severed scrap portions of the leads fall into a scrap discharge chute to be carried away from the cutting and clinching mechanism. A lead detector is incorporated into the mechanism to detect the presence or absence of the leads during the shearing action.