Abstract: A tape feeder has a driving member which performs reciprocating motion, and a tape-advancing mechanism driven by the driving member for intermittently advancing a tape containing electronic parts to thereby position each of the electronic parts at a predetermined takeout position. The tape-advancing mechanism comprises a driving force-converting device for converting a driving force received from the driving member to a driving force for use in tape-advancing motion of the tape-advancing mechanism, such that speed of the tape-advancing motion is varied as the tape-advancing mechanism is driven by the driving member.

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 feeder is disclosed having twin feed slides axially reciprocable in side by side relation along parallel axes for intermittently advancing strip stock to a downstream machine for further processing. Each feed slide has clamps which serve to advance the stock with the traveling slide clamps activated and the clamps of the other slide being deactivated during its idle return movement. Each feed slide additionally has a rotatable crank mechanism and a single acting power cylinder associated therewith for providing a primary motive force in a stock advancing direction in cooperation with the associated crank mechanism. The crank mechanism serves both to trigger actuation of the driving force of the power cylinder to advance its feed slide and additionally provide harmonic deceleration of its feed slide under high rates of feed to ensure precision termination of the advancing feed slide to positively limit its feed stroke.

Abstract: A duplex feeder having two separate complementary stock feeding units each having its own independent semi-automatic control circuit, these two separate control circuits being alternately operated by a demand feed signal generating means that is adapted to be responsive to the successive operative cycles of the press with which the feeder is to be used whereby a first operative cycle of the press causes just a first one of said feed units to move through a feed-index cycle of movement so as to advance the stock through a first incremental feed step and whereby the next operative cycle of the press causes just the second one of said feed units to move through a feed-index cycle of movement so as to advance the stock through its next incremental feed step.

Abstract: A stock feeder for repetitively feeding uniform segments of a continuous web of stock material from a roll to a production machine. The feeder comprises a frame, a pair of hold clamps located on the front portion of the frame, and a movable feed block which carries a pair of feed clamps that grips and pulls the stock material to a position which is held by the hold clamps. To obviate the necessity to reposition the clamps when changing the width of stock material, the frame includes first and second pairs of laterally adjustable stock roller guides located, respectively, on its front and rear portions.

Abstract: A high speed article feeding apparatus for successively feeding articles in sheet or strip form to a work station for the performance thereon of a shaping or forming operation. A reciprocable shuttle includes a pneumatic feed clamp for clamping the work during a feed stroke and a pneumatic hold clamp for holding the work at the work station. The shuttle is operated by a pneumatic cylinder. A pneumatic circuit includes two interconnected pneumatic values to control the operation and sequencing of the elements of the feeder for fast operation without misfeeds.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for indexing a strip of sheet material in fixed amounts along the support surface of a table enable an instrument supported from a carriage spanning the support surface to work on the material in precisely controlled segments and utilize one or two stops fixed in the table and movable engagement means operatively associated with the stops to limit the advancement of the sheet material as the material is indexed. The apparatus includes a transport mechanism connected for movement with the engagement means, and the sheet material is coupled to the transport mechanism for movement along the support surface. The stops define limits of travel of the engagement means and the transport mechanism to precisely fix the amount of advancement of the sheet material between work positions.

Abstract: A dual slide pneumatic feeder for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like wherein the fluid motors of the feeder are controlled by a fluid valve means that is adapted to be intermittently driven by a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism is adapted to be actuated from two different control points; first from a trigger means that is operable in response to the movement of the press ram, and secondly from a means operable in response to the completion of a feed stroke of one or both of the two feed slides. In this control environment the two feed slides may be made to execute a plurality of consecutive feed strokes in response to each cycle of operation of said press.

Abstract: A high speed dual-slide type pneumatic feeder for intermittently advancing strip stock into the work station of a punch press or the like characterized by a novel asynchronous type fluid control system which includes a rotary control valve that is intermittently stepped to a plurality of predetermined operative angular positions by means of a ratchet mechanism that is adapted to be operated in response to the ram motion of the punch press. The feeder is also characterized by an improved, compact, flexible and more efficient structural arrangement, and by a novel stock grip releasing system and valving arrangement therefor that automatically causes the stock to be released immediately after completion of each feed stroke of the feeder.

Abstract: A pipe snubbing apparatus and method which may utilize either the draw works of a conventional rig or a pump to provide power for raising the movable gripping assembly.The movable gripper is moved downwardly by stored power, such as pressure stored in an accumulator. The rate of movement of the movable gripping assembly may be controlled by controlling flow of fluid to and from a piston and cylinder assembly associated with the movable gripping assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for feeding length stock into a work tool such as a punch press. The feed apparatus includes a pneumatically operated traveling clamp and a pneumatically operated fixed position clamp. The traveling clamp is linearly reciprocated between two positions by a pneumatically operated lever and linkage which varies the velocity of the traveling clamp proportionately with distance from the fixed position clamp to decelerate the traveling clamp as the feed stock reaches the desired position in the work tool. Interdependent pneumatic control systems for sequencing the advancement of the stock with the cyclic operation of the work tool and for sequencing the clamps with the feed advancing mechanism are also disclosed.

Abstract: A reciprocating sheet feeder for feeding sheet material into a press, such as a deep draw cupping press. The sheet feeder comprises a rocking or pivoting framework that has gripper means thereon for gripping the edges of the sheet to be fed and when the frame is rocked about its pivot axis, moving a length of the sheet into the press and then releasing the sheet prior to a return stroke for the rocking feeder.The grips of the rocking feeder thus reciprocate during use. The feeder is used in combination with edge guides that are positioned ahead of the grips with respect to the direction of movement of the sheet so that the sheet is primarily guided while under tension. The pivoting frame is made so that it does not have substantial strength in torsion or in lateral directions of the sheet, so that the sheet essentially guides the frame during the feeding stroke to avoid buckling or misguiding the sheet. The framework does have rigidity needed for moving the sheet in its longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Apparatus wherein sheet material is longitudinally step-advanced by alternately being gripped and released in a guide path by a reciprocative gripper, and alternately released and gripped in a gripping station, the sheet material being restrained against buckling from the guide path by guide means adjacent to both of opposite faces of the sheet material, and the guide means enabling the reciprocative gripper gripping the sheet material in the guide path to be operated for effecting a forward feeding stroke having the sheet material released in the gripping station, and subsequently a backward stroke, throughout which latter stroke the reciprocative gripper is in a released condition with reference to the sheet material and the latter is gripped in the gripping station.