Abstract: A machine control system for a multi-spindle machine includes a controller (42, 86). The controller is operative to reduce the risk of potentially damaging machining chip formation by controlled disengagement of a low speed clutch (18) of a transmission (14) which drives spindles (36) which rotate work pieces. Automatically selectively varying timing and duration of periods of disengagement of the low speed clutch breaks the continuity of chips to reduce the risk of developing damaging conditions as a result thereof.

Abstract: A feeder apparatus for a metal strip includes: a reciprocating block reciprocally moved by a driving means of a press apparatus when conveying the metal strip in which through-holes are formed in a predetermined direction; a moving block disposed above the reciprocating block and connected to a connecting member that moves in the direction of movement of the reciprocating block; a pin block that moves with the moving block and is provided with conveying pins whose front ends are inserted inside the through-holes; and an upper-lower cam portion that raises and lowers the pin block. The moving block is not pulled by the reciprocating block, and the feeder apparatus further includes a moving block driving means for reciprocally moving the moving block separately to movement of the reciprocating block.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus, for moving sliders for opening and closing mating zipper elements along the mating zipper elements, includes a roller and a projection. The roller rotates about an axis substantially perpendicular with a path of a film including the mating zipper elements and contacts the film as the film moves in the film path at a speed equal to the speed of rotation of the roller. The projection rotates about an axis at a speed different than the rotational speed of the roller, with the projection rotating into proximity to the moving film along predetermined lengths of the film so as to be contactable with sliders mounted thereon. The projection comes into contact with sliders positioned along the mating zipper elements of the predetermined lengths of film and pushes those sliders along the mating zipper elements to respective registered positions.

Abstract: An elongated truss boom structure is adapted to be flattened and coiled to a stowed configuration. The truss boom includes longerons, battens, and diagonals A fixed ladder shaped structure is formed by a plurality of fixedly coupled battens which interconnect two adjacent longerons. The truss boom is flattened for stowage by arranging all of the longerons coplanar to the plane of the fixed ladder shaped structure. The longerons preferably have a corrugated cross section. For stowage the longeron is heated and compressed into a ribbon shaped cross section, and upon deployment the longeron is heated to restore its corrugated cross section. A mechanical assembly machine includes a drum, a stowed flattened truss boom rolled into a coil around the drum, a device for unrolling the coil, an actuating and locking mechanism, and a control arm which connects the actuating and locking mechanism to the drum.

Abstract: A cottoner having a wadding section forming station, the station having: a carrier, a holder, and a feed mechanism mounted on a base in series. Moving means on the base reciprocate the a carrier toward and away from the feed mechanism. An operating controller on the base open and close the holder. The carrier has a gripper for gripping a length of wadding material to carry it from the holding means toward the feeding means when the carrier is moved toward the feed mechanism while the holder is open. The carrier releases the length of wadding material when moved away from the feed mechanism while the holder is closed to hold the length of wadding material. The cottoner includes an inserting station for inserting each section of wadding material formed at the wadding section forming station into a container. The cottoner also has a sensing station for sensing if the wadding material has been inserted, and inserted properly, into the container at the inserting station.

Abstract: A machine (70) for receiving a continuous strip (10) of elongated products (12) mutually attached end to end includes a frame (82) and is arranged for incrementally feeding the strip of products and performing a manufacturing operation therewith. Each two adjacent products (12) are attached at an indentation (14). The machine include a feed mechanism (90) for incrementally feeding the strip of products. The feed mechanism includes first and second feed fingers (216, 218) mutually opposed on opposite sides of a feed track (108). The first and second feed fingers are movable toward the strip of product until in feeding engagement therewith without gripping the strip of products. The feed mechanism includes a drive carriage (94) and a follower carriage (96) arranged for independent sliding movement along the direction of feed and return. The feed track extends through both the drive carriage and follower carriage to guide the strip of product.

Abstract: A drive unit (10) comprising a cam (11) acting on at least one hydraulic drive plunger (16, 17) hydraulically connected to at least one thrust plunger (18, 19) for a traction carriage (20, 21) to be moved along its stroke. The at least one thrust plunger (18, 19) is a double-acting plunger one side of which is connected to the at least one hydraulic drive plunger (16, 17) and the other side of which is connected to an expansion element (41, 42) storing kinetic energy in the form of pressure when the carriage is pushed in its forward stroke and giving the kinetic energy back for pushing the carriage (20, 21) when in its backward stroke. In particular, the at least one drive plunger (16, 17) are two in number and are disposed in phase opposition to be controlled by the cam (11) for alternately pushing two carriages (20, 21) aligned with each other along a forward stroke.

Abstract: A soldering device includes a tube (1) for delivering a source of heating energy such as gas which is slidingly mounted in a chamber (52) such as a piston cylinder so that only the tube needs to be moved in order to move the heat source up and down with respect to a workpiece. Likewise, in a solder dispenser, the solder is supplied through a rigid tube (33) which may be slidingly mounted in a cylinder (52). The two may be used together in a combined soldering device/dispenser.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of supplying electronic components successively to a loading position of an electronic component mounting machine at a high speed and in a stable manner is disclosed, in which a dancing guide is operatively connected with a feeding unit for taking out a predetermined length of the electronic-component tape from a supply reel before feed pins of the feed unit advance a carrier tape of the electronic-component tape to move a leading one of the electronic components into the loading position. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a separating unit, operatively connected with the feed unit, for separating an adhesive tape from the leading electronic component and the carrier tape before said feed pins advance the carrier tape. The separating unit is composed of a pair of spaced movable guide rollers and a fixed guide roller.

Abstract: A splicing tape feeding device is disclosed which is adapted for supplying a splicing tape for joining a magnetic tape to a leader tape. The splicing tape feeding device includes a stationary base member and a movable member displaceable relative to the base member. The base member and the movable member have splicing tape transport paths with a lateral width not less than that of the splicing tape. Parallel flanges are formed on opposite sides of each of the tape transport paths and prevent a lateral displacement of the splicing tape. Engageable mating portions are formed on the base member and the movable member to eliminate a distance in the feeding direction of the splicing tape between the base member and the movable member.

Abstract: A wire electrical feeding device for an electrical discharge machine. Vibrator assemblies are utilized to feed the wire electrode through electrode guides of the electrical discharge machine. A first vibrator assembly vibrates through a locus which includes a component in the wire feeding direction. The wire electrode is selectively pressed against the first vibrator assembly when the first vibrator assembly is moving in a direction having a component in a wire feeding direction. In the alternative, a second vibrator assembly, which is coupled to the first, clamps the wire electrode when the first vibrator assembly is moving in a direction having a component in the wire feeding direction. The vibrator assembles may each be driven at different vibrational frequencies.

Abstract: Containers of explosive liquids can be prevented from exploding by filling the containers with meshes made from metal foil which occupies a negligible fraction of the volume of the container although it must completely fill the container. In order to refill the containers, the rib mesh (1) must consist of sufficiently small, spherical bodies (24). The invention also deals with the production of these filling bodies (24) from aluminum strip expanded into a mesh. The aluminum strip is first passed through a calibration opening (4) which compacts it into a bar (2) of circular cross-section which is then compacted perpendicularly to its length and continuously transported in the longitudinal direction as it is being squeezed. The front piece of the bar is then detached and pressed in a mould with a hemispherical bottom (21) by a die with the same inner contour to form a spherical filling body.

Abstract: Apparatus for low liquid wet treatment of a textile material in various forms, such as lengths of fabric in rope form or yarn in skein form, through a treating chamber in the presence of a treatment liquid with the textile material being circulated through a predetermined path of treatment on oscillating support members in the form of parallel beams arranged in rows and caused to oscillate in an alternate manner in which alternate support members are driven through a raised support and movement path wherein the textile material is supported and moved forward thereon while intermediate support members are moved through a lowered return path out of supporting engagement with the textile material.

Abstract: A crank drive for the material feeder of a machine tool is constructed so that the position of the crank pin along a line of action thereof, viewed in a position/time curve of the crank pin, is a modified sine curve, which curve is modified in that the peaks of the sine curve are flattened. To achieve this, the crank pin is adjustable relative to a crank disc on the one hand by a basic eccentricity setting device and on the other hand by an eccentricity correcting device. The eccentricity correcting device comprises cams mounted stationarily on the bearing arrangement of the crank disc and a cam follower engaging the cams. The cam follower acts on a main slide movably guided on the crank disc. The basic eccentricity setting device is effective between the main slide and a secondary slide carrying the crank pin. The secondary slide is guided on the main slide.

Abstract: A press feed is provided having a simple, low-friction, low-inertia linkage mechanism to positively drive feed rolls or grippers of the press feed with substantially uniform pressure. The linkage mechanism includes a three-link assembly having first and second substantially parallel links and a third cross link pivotally connected to the first and second links. The first and second links are pivotally mounted to a housing of the press feed substantially equidistant from the connections to the third cross link. The third cross link has a groove extending substantially at right angles to the transverse axis of the third cross link extending between the connections of the third cross link to the first and second links.

Abstract: Apparatus for bending hollow profiles 3 into spacer frames for insulating glass panes, the hollow profile 3 being advanced by a gripper 2 displaceable along a conveyor 4. The magnitude of the stepwise advance of the hollow profile 3 corresponds to the lengths of the legs of the spacer frame to be made. A pickup 6 on the gripper 2 measures precisely each stepwise advance.

Abstract: A thin-web frame feeding device for intermittently feeding a thin-web frame at a predetermined pitch along a guide rail has first and second shafts supported by bearing stands for synchronized axial sliding motion in the same direction and for rotation in opposite directions. The first and second shafts are provided with feeding claws rotatable in accordance with the rotation of the shafts into and out of positions where spontaneous portions of the thin-web frame are clamped. The feeding claws are axially moved in accordance with the axial sliding movement of the shafts to feed the thin-web frame.

Abstract: A material loading apparatus for material working machines comprises loading slide elements for stepwise conveying one of a wire and strip material guided in a main guide along a guidance direction. The loading slide elements having a controlled slide-mounted material clamping device, an oscillating drive connected to the loading slide elements and a controlled material holding device. Stopping of the material clamping device at its extreme positions along the main guide is achieved via slide abutments. A resilient transmission system is provided in the driving connection between the oscillating drive and the slide-mounted clamping device. The loading slide elements have, in connection with oscillating drive, a main slide guided in a main guide and a secondary slide provided on the main slide and capable of moving substantially parallel to the main guide.

Abstract: A pneumatic device for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press and having a dual cylinder arrangement on the feed slide block for moving a lower stock gripping jaw into engagement with the stock to be fed, and a dual cylinder arrangement in the main block for actuation the feed slide in a stock feed direction; the piston rods of the latter dual cylinders affording separate fluid conduits for respectively supplying pressure fluid first to the cylinders on the feed slide block and secondly to a buffer unit on the feed slide that is adapted to cushion the terminal portion of the movement of the feed slide in a non-feed direction. Also an arrangement is provided for removably securing to the main block to the feeder a bridge block which houses a substantial portion of the feeder control valving and also a stock clamper whereby the control valving and the stock clamper controls for the feeder may be readily removed for replacement of repair purposes.

Abstract: The crank assembly of the advancing apparatus is eccentrically supported in an intermediate shaft. This intermediate shaft is in turn supported in an oscillating slide. Accordingly, the oscillating movement of the slide is superimposed over such of the driving pivot of the crank assembly. The intermediate shaft includes a cam disk. Due to the cam disk the intermediate shaft oscillates in operation and causes in turn the oscillating movement of the slide, which oscillating movement proceeds oppositely to the oscillating movement of the driving pivot. The sum of these two movements in the zones of the end positions thereof is accordingly zero. Accordingly, the driving pivot is at rest over a prolonged time span. Due to this prolonged rest period between individual feeding steps, elastical deformations of working structures and of the workpiece being worked upon, can attenuate and fade out prior to the working proper, and at the same time the length of the advancing is not subjected to a change.

Abstract: A pair of arms is hingedly connected to a rocker. These arms support the pressing bar. At their opposite ends the arms are pivotably mounted such to the casing of the appratus that in one position thereof the axis of rotation of the lower feeding roller coincides with the pivot axis of the pivotal point of the arms at the casing. By this design it is no longer necessary to adjust the apparatus for the intermittent feeding of a web-shaped workpiece by utilizing auxiliary structures to various respective thicknesses of the web being fed.

Abstract: A sheet paper feed unit comprises an actuator, which is formed of a piezoelectric device, and an idling roller, and sheet paper is clamped between the actuator and idling roller and transported by the vibration of the piezoelectric device. A control unit determines information pertinent to a parameter specific to the sheet paper to be transported, and imparts a drive condition which complies with the information to the piezoelectric drive unit. The piezoelectric device is activated in the condition which complies with the paper specific parameter, whereby the sheet paper is transported at a stable speed.

Abstract: The driving gear meshes with the gear on the web of a planetary gear. This planetary gear includes an arrestable sun wheel. The output sun wheel is rigidly connected to the drive shaft. It extends through a sleeve section of the web. A longitudinally displaceable shifting sleeve is located on the sleeve section, which shifting sleeve has a plurality of control disks. These control disks control via a roller the rocking movement of the upper feeding roller. Accordingly, the period of the rocking movement can be selected depending on a respective selected control disk. If the sun wheel is unlocked, the shifting sleeve may be moved such that it engages directly the drive shaft such that by properly selecting the number of teeth it is possible to choose between a rotational speed transmission relation of 1:2 and 1:1.

Abstract: A material feeding apparatus for intermittently feeding a sheet or rod material in a predetermined length has a first gripper device having a first fixed gripper and a first movable gripper for cooperation with each other in clamping and unclamping a material therebetween, and a second gripper device having a similar construction as the first device and carried by a slide block provided for reciprocatory sliding movement along the path of feed of the material.

Abstract: A compensated web transport for decorators, in which the motion of the web is matched with that of a container being decorated. Controlled motion of the web is used to reduce distortion in the transfer of labels to irregularly shaped containers.

Abstract: A pair of rollers receives the stock between them and are movable laterally in unison to advance the stock gripped between them in a feeding movement. A slide block is slidably carried by a disk and is provided with a coupling that is offset from the axis of the disk. The coupling is connected to the pair of rollers so that rotation of the disk will move them in their lateral movement. The length of the feeding movement is adjusted by moving the slide block relative to the disk to adjust the distance between the coupling and the axis of the disk. The slide block is provided with a measuring surface that is located so that the distance from the measuring surface to the reference surface corresponds to one-half the length of the feeding movement. The slide block is clamped in position by a locking plate that is slidably supported by the disk.

Abstract: A cam shaft of a press feed having a first pair of cam surfaces is rotated at a preselected speed depending upon the speed of the press. Continuous rotation of the cam surfaces is converted to intermittent oscillating rotational movement of an output shaft through a preselected angle of rotation by a pair of cam followers. The cam followers are nonrotatably connected to an output shaft that is connected by an adjustable linkage mechanism to a slide block. The intermittent oscillating rotational movement of the output shaft is transmitted to the slide block to advance the slide block containing stock material such as a bar or wire through a preselected distance corresponding to a preselected feed length. The feed length is adjustable by changing the length of travel of the linkage mechanism with respect to the degree of rotation of the output shaft.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus for intermittently feeding a strip by a constant length into manufacturing machines. A pair of first and second rolls and a pair of first and second brake shoes are arranged along a strip transporting path. The rolls move swingingly in a strip transporting direction to transport the strip clamped between the rolls. The rolls move away from each other when they swingingly move in a direction opposite to the strip transporting direction. First and second cams are mounted respectively on outer and inner shaft members of a drive shaft for rotation therewith. The inner shaft member can be adjusted in its angular position relative to the outer shaft member. The cams are operatively connected to the second brake shoe.

Abstract: In a multi-slide wire and strip forming machine, an improvement that enhances the flexibility of the machine primarily from the standpoint of providing increased forming time relative to feeding time. The machine includes a wire forming means operable at the work station in response to the machine camshaft and operable over a predetermined forming. Wire feeding means is also included operable in response to the camshaft over a predetermined feeding period. An improved gearing arrangement is provided intercoupling the camshaft and the wire feeding means and configured to provide during a full camshaft rotation, different intervals of the predetermined forming and feeding periods, respectively.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus for intermittently feeding a strip by a constant length into manufacturing machines. A pair of first and second rolls and a pair of first and second brake shoes are arranged along a strip transporting path. The rolls move swingingly in a strip transporting direction to transport the strip clamped between the rolls. The rolls move away from each other when they swingingly move in a direction opposite to the strip transporting direction. First and second cams are mounted respectively on outer and inner shaft members of a drive shaft for rotation therewith. The inner shaft member can be adjusted in its angular position relative to the outer shaft member. The cams are operatively connected to the second brake shoe.

Abstract: A fluid operated stock feed apparatus for intermittently advancing stock along a feed path. The feed apparatus includes a stationary body having fluid operated stock holding clamps mounted thereon. A stock feed head is mounted for reciprocation relative to the body and has fluid operated stock feed clamps mounted thereon and a feed piston is mounted in the body for extending and retracting the stock feed head. A main control valve is provided in the body for controlling the application of fluid pressure to the fluid pressure operated stock holding and stock feed clamps and a pressure operated auxiliary valve is provided in the body and is responsive to the pressure from the main control valve for controlling the application of fluid pressure to the feed piston.

Abstract: A fluid operated stock feed apparatus for intermittently advancing stock along a feed path. The feed apparatus includes a stationary body having fluid operated stock holding clamps mounted thereon. A stock feed head is mounted for reciprocation relative to the body and has fluid operated stock feed clamps mounted thereon and a feed piston is mounted in the body for extending and retracting the stock feed head. A main control valve is provided in the body for controlling the application of fluid pressure to the fluid pressure operated stock holding and stock feed clamps and a pressure operated auxiliary valve is provided in the body and is responsive to the pressure from the main control valve for controlling the application of fluid pressure to the feed piston. The main body is formed with a bore therethrough and the feed cylinder is provided in one portion of the bore.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic feeding of a carrier to a laminating station. The apparatus has a gripper device which is fastened to two guide rods and which is movable t o anf fro horizontally. Each of the guide rods is guided in a linear guide and is mounted in supports which are connected to one another by means of an angular cross-strut. A pneumatic cylinder is articulated centrally to the angular cross-strut by a lengthened piston rod. The gripper device grips the carrier at a predetermined distance (X.sub.min) from the front edge, to transport it in the direction of a laminating station. A sensor for detecting the front edge of the carrier which is transported into the gripper device is located on a holding bracket fastened to a displaceable holding block. The upper and lower gripper strips each have a perforation in the center of their bevelled strip part.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus for feeding a sheet material successively to different working stations. The apparatus includes an oscillation driving device, a main sector roll integrally carried by a main roll shaft and adapted to be oscillatorily driven by the oscillation driving device, and a sub-sector roll integrally carried by a sub-roll shaft extending in parallel with the main roll shaft. The sub-sector roll is adapted to cooperate with the main sector roll in clamping a sheet material therebetween and feeding the same.

Abstract: A machine wherein wire is being withdrawn from a reel or barrel by a wire comb forming unit which draws the wire at a given frequency has a lever which is pivoted at such frequency by a rotary cam and carries a first roller. The lever is pivotable about the axis of a second roller and the wire is trained first over the second roller and thereupon around the first roller on its way toward the wire comb forming unit. The pivoting lever ensures that the wire is drawn from the reel or barrel at a constant speed in spite of intermittent consumption of wire in the wire comb forming unit. The diameters of the two rollers are the same.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus for intermittently feeding a sheet-like blank material to successive work stations has a pair of sector rolls adapted to be driven by an oscillation driving device in synchronism with each other such as to clamp the material therebetween and feed the same intermittently in one direction, by virtue of a driving connection device which drivingly connects the rolls to the oscillation driving device. The apparatus further has a roll release device adapted to move the rolls away from each other when the rolls are oscillated in the directions counter to the feeding directions thereby releasing the sheet-like blank material from the clamping force.

Abstract: A tube bending apparatus made up of a drive motor, bend head and saw together with associated clamping units are mounted on a common work surface, the apparatus being programmed to form rectangular window frames by coordinating the speed of advancement, distance of travel between bends as well as the sequence of bending and cutting with operator input data relating to quantity and frame dimension. The machine can be operated either in a manual or automatic mode, and in the automatic mode is operable at different selected speeds, according to the length of sides of the frame, with a reduced speed interval at the end of each period of advancement preliminary to braking and clamping of the workpiece to perform either a bending or cutting operation.

Abstract: A gripper device which is a part of a slide-fastener finishing apparatus and which is used to grip and take out completed fasteners successively by grippers reciprocally moved along the fastener flow direction.The improvement comprises placing a driven belt-like member in an endless fashion over two rotation wheels, the wheels being positioned on an extended line of fastener flow at predetermined intervals, mounting two gripper-equipped members on the belt-like member at equal intervals, each gripper equipped member including a gripper which is movably mounted so as to be able to align with the center of the completed fastener outlet port, moving each gripper-equipped member to the completed fastener outlet port by rotating the rotation wheels in forward and reverse directions, and then gripping and taking out the completed fasteners with each gripper.

Abstract: A robotic end effector adapted to grip a fabric ply at a point remote from a free edge portion of the ply and a fabric edge influencing element resiliently supported from the end effector is provided to minimize distortion of the free edge portion of the fabric ply.

Abstract: An improvement in a strip feeder for feeding a continuous strip of sheet material to a punch press, for example. The feeder includes a drive roller segment and an idler roller. The drive roller segment is driven in oscillating fashion by the punch press through a cam oscillator drive. A lever assembly connects the cam drive with the drive roller segment shaft. The lever assembly includes a lever which pivots about a point adjustable along the length of the lever. This adjustment, which can be made while the feeder is in operation, is effective to vary the oscillating travel of the feed roller segment and, accordingly, the length of strip which is fed.

Abstract: A grip-feed machine for gripping a material in the form of strip or the like and feeding the gripped material in a bending machine which has a sun gear, comprising: a guide bracket having a guide shaft securely received therein; a cradle member having lower and upper portions and movable axially forwardly and backwardly on and along the guide shaft and formed at the lower portion thereof with a rack gear in parallel to the guide shaft; a gripping mechanism for gripping the material and feeding the gripped material in the forward and backward directions of the guide shaft; a pinion gear held in mesh with the rack gear of the cradle member; a direct current servomotor for driving the pinion gear to rotate about an axis thereof; an angular position detector having mounted thereon a detecting gear which is held in mesh with the sun gear and adapted for detecting the angular position of the detecting gear to produce a pulse signal indicative of the angular position of the detecting gear; and control mechanism for

Abstract: An input shaft of a press feed is rotated at a preselected speed and is drivingly connected to a cam that rotates the input shaft. Continuous rotation of the cam is converted to oscillating rotational movement of a cam follower through a preselected angle of rotation. The cam follower is nonrotatably connected to an output shaft that is connected by an adjustable drive link and gear arrangement to a driven feed roll. Oscillating rotational movement of the output shaft is transmitted to the driven feed roll to advance the driven feed roll in contact with the strip material through a preselected degree of rotation corresponding to a preselected feed length of the strip material to the press. The end of the drive link adjacent to the output shaft is movable relative to the output shaft.

Abstract: In a rod cement feeding apparatus, the rod passes between two plates, pivoted to one another, each plate having a semi-cylindrical groove, so that the two grooves for a substantially cylindrical passageway for the rod. The surfaces of the plates in which the grooves are provided are, over most of their length, spaced apart by projections, so that opposed slots are formed which extend into the passageway for the rod. Projecting into one such slot is a spring-urged jaw which co-operates with a fixed jaw which projects into the other slot, the jaws being moved lengthwise of the passageway by a pneumatic cylinder arrangement. As the jaws are moved in one direction, the spring-urged jaw tends to bite into the rod so that the rod is fed with the jaws during their advancing movement, while when the jaws are moved in the opposite direction the rotatable jaw releases its grip so that there is no tendency for the rod to be fed in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for feeding a work piece to a tool includes a control system for monitoring feed operation. The feed mechanism includes at least one vise movable with respect to a support structure to advance a work piece. The amount of movement permitted the movable vise is adjustable by a coarse and fine adjustment system employing simplified structure for setting the stop defining the movable vise start feed position. The movable vise is driven by a mechanism interconnected to the movable vise by a pin and slot arrangement which permits the vise to accommodate warped work pieces. Preferably, the feed mechanism includes a second fixed vise, one jaw of which is adjustable to permit parallel alignment of vise jaws forming the fixed vise. The control system employs a manifold having a mounting surface for interconnecting various ones of the devices operating the feed at a central, programmable location.

Abstract: A wiring machine wire placing head comprises a housing with wire guides, a wire gripper unit, a wire feed mechanism, and a wire break pickup. The wire feed mechanism is constructed as two electromagnetic drives connected to a source of controllable voltage. One of the electromagnetic drives is mechanically connected with the wire gripper unit which is constructed as two jaws installed with a clearance therebetween and spring-loaded against each other. One of the jaws is rigidly secured to a pivoted lever mounted in the housing and the other jaw is connected to the armature of one of the electromagnetic drives. The wire break pickup is constructed as a set of contacts arranged to be operated by an abutment provided on the pivoted lever.

Abstract: Sheet feed apparatus for intermittently advancing a sheet, such as a thermoplastic sheet including a frame, sheet engaging mechanism reciprocally mounted on the frame for intermittently advancing the sheet, mechanism for reciprocally moving the sheet engaging mechanism in a to-and-fro path of travel including a stationary shaft and a rotatable shaft concentric with the stationary shaft, a primary crank arm fixed to the moveable shaft for rotation therewith, a secondary crank arm rotatably mounted on the primary crank arm for rotation relative thereto, and mechanism coupling the primary crank arm and the secondary crank arm for rotatably driving the secondary crank arm in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the primary crank arm.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing backing strips and exposed films from drop-in cassettes wherein the window for the foremost unexposed film frame is located in front of an opening for observation of symbols on the backing strip has a pusher which is movable through the opening to expel the leader of the backing strip through the window and into the nip of two first advancing rollers which introduce the leader into a first channel for entry into a collecting receptacle. The leader of exposed film is stripped off the backing strip by a deflector and enters a second channel to advance into the nip of two second advancing rollers and to be transported to a splicing station for connection to the trailing end of the preceding film. The pusher can enter a circumferential groove of one first advancing roll and the other first advancing roll has a shallower groove for a finger which directs the leader of the backing strip into the first channel.

Abstract: A film advance mechanism is provided in which film is advanced stepwise by two reciprocal film-engagement pins (20). The pins (20) are mounted on a cam follower (10) and the pins and cam follower are arranged to rotate relative to a circular cam (12). The surface profile of the cam (12) moves the pins (20) into engagement with the film during about 60.degree. every revolution thereby allowing the film to be stationary for about 300.degree.. Two reciprocal location pins (33) are also provided which are synchronized with the film-engagement pins and are arranged to engage the film only when the film is stationary.

Abstract: A novel arrangement for the air circuit conduit lines of a pneumatically operated feeder for punch presses and the like. In order to insure that the stock gripping action of the feeder occurs before the initiation of the feed motion of the feed slide of the feeder a physically circuitous or roundabout path is provided for the air flowing between the control valve and the head end of the main feed cylinder. In this arrangement the main cylinder is located in the control circuit so as to be effectively disposed downstream of the stock grip cylinders when pressure air is directed to the main cylinder and so as to be effectively disposed upstream of said grip cylinders when pressure air is exhausted from said main cylinder. This arrangement will facilitate the establishment of the short but necessary time delay needed to enable the completion of the stock grip and release actions before movement of the feed slide commences.

Abstract: A rotary power transfer component incorporated in the rotary to reciprocating motion conversion drive mechanism which operates the reciprocating feeder of a multiple slide machine increases the time available to the forming operation by correspondingly decreasing the feed time of the wire or ribbon stock during each cycle. The rotary power transfer component comprises a drive wheel and crank wheel mounted for respective eccentric rotation. The drive wheel, which is driven at a uniform rate of rotation synchronized to the forming operation of the machine, has an eccentric fixed pin which engages a radial slot in the crank wheel to thereby impart to the latter a synchronized cycle with varying speed of rotation within the cycle to be converted to a rapid advance feed stroke and a slow return stroke for the reciprocating drive of the feeder during which return stroke the forming operations are performed.