Abstract: A method for fabricating muntin grid pieces includes steps that attach a pair of material strips to opposed edges of the muntin bar element. The material strips may be provided in side-by-side strips that may be separated an simultaneously applied to the opposite sides of the muntin bar element. The connection between the material strips and the muntin bar element may be made with an adhesive or a mechanical connection. The method allows the material strips to be connected to the muntin grid pieces before the muntin grid pieces are assembled into a muntin bar grid for a window.

Abstract: Insertion devices may be used to insert portions of pre-wound coils into the slots of dynamoelectric machine components. Some machine components may have poles that have pole tips that extend away from the pole in a peripheral direction. Such pole tips may obstruct access to the slots from the axial region of the bore. The coil insertion devices may have a ram that has a longitudinal axis and may be configured to insert a portion of a stretch of pre-wound coil into a bore of the machine component. The coil insertion devices may have pushing members that move in a direction having a circumferential component with respect to the axis. The pushing members may insert portions of stretches of pre-wound coils into machine component slots that are difficult to access from the axial region of the bore.

Abstract: A lead insertion machine includes a substrate supply, a conductive lead supply, and an lead insertion mechanism. The conductive leads are inserted into lead passages formed in side walls of the substrate. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor die carrier including the steps of forming a plurality of conductive leads, forming a substrate for holding a semiconductor die, the substrate having a plurality of insulative side walls defining an exterior surface of the substrate, each of the side walls having a plurality of lead passages formed therethrough, and simultaneously inserting at least one of the conductive leads into the lead passage of one of the side walls for retention therein and at least one other of the conductive leads into the lead passage of another of the side walls for retention therein.

Abstract: In preparing a wire harness production, modified wire harness wiring pattern information is generated. The generated information relates to second patterns, in which some parts of a first pattern are altered. Each of the second patterns is simulated for practicality. Where practical, according to the simulation, a first sub-pattern is modified to one of the second sub-patterns to achieve the desired second pattern. Jig arrangement pattern information is generated by applying at least one sub jig arrangement pattern to each of the wire harness path patterns of a standard type vehicle included in wire harness path pattern information. Path decision information is used to select one wire harness path pattern. A jig arrangement pattern selector selects a jig arrangement pattern. A path plan is generated by integrating the modified second sub pattern having the necessary alterations and the selected jig arrangement pattern.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for insulating interior walls of lamination slots of dynamo-electric machine components are provided. The relative speeds and sequence of cutting, forming, and inserting a piece of insulation material into the slot of the lamination core of a dynamo-electric machine component may be determined by a central drive mechanism. The central driving mechanism may have a plurality of cams, rotating with a main shaft, to control the translations of cutting, forming and inserting members.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting terminals carried on a carrier strip into cavities in a housing having a slide assembly with a cam track movable between a first and a second position, and a pivoting lever with a cam follower. The cam follower is positioned in and cooperates with the cam track. The lever is movable between an open and closed position and has first and second shearing blades. An eccentric pin extends through the lever and is attached to a rotary actuator. The eccentric pin is positioned to act as the pivot point for the lever. The rotary actuator is movable between an engaged and disengaged position. As the lever is moved to the closed position, the first shearing blades engage and shear a first portion of the carrier strip. As the rotary actuator moves to an engaged position, the second shearing blade engages and shears a second portion of the carrier strip.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for loading a contact shield and a strain relief onto a dielectric member on an end of a cable having a center conductor surrounded by insulation. The assembly includes a strip guide for conveying a contact shield along a carrier path to a loading station. The contact shield is joined to a carrier strip. A holder is provided at the loading station to hold the dielectric member on the end of the cable. A slider moves the holder to and from the loading station along a cable loading path. A shear assembly is also provided at the seating station to remove the contact shield and strain relief from the carrier strip and seat the contact shield and strain relief along a seating path with the dielectric member. Optionally, the shearing assembly may include first and second shears for separately removing a strain relief and the contact shield, respectively, from the carrier strip.

Abstract: Device for putting polyethylene cladding on a galvanized steel plate, wherein a galvanized steel plate unroller from unroller is passed through a plate press, an ultrasonic cleaner, a dryer, an intermediate frequency heater, and a roll press in succession, and polyethylene sheets unrolling from one pair of sheet unrollers are welded on opposite sides of the galvanized steel plate, and rolled on a sheet roller, thereby automatically putting polyethylene cladding on the galvanized steel plate, to improve workability and productivity.

Abstract: A method of separating a thin die (20, 60) from a support body (72) of a semiconductor wafer (70). The thin die (20, 60) being initially attached to the support body (72) by an attachment mechanism (78, 178). The attachment mechanism may be a plurality of tethers (78, 178) that extend between the thin die (20, 60) and the support body (72).

Abstract: Device for putting polyethylene cladding on a galvanized steel plate, wherein a galvanized steel plate unrolling from unroller is passed through a plate press, an ultrasonic cleaner, a dryer, an intermediate frequency heater, and a roll press in succession, and polyethylene sheets unrolling from one pair of sheet unrollers are welded on opposite sides of the galvanized steel plate, and rolled on a sheet roller, thereby automatically putting polyethylene cladding on the galvanized steel plate, to improve workability and productivity.

Abstract: A combination book binding machine with a plastic coil forming machine, whereby a plastic spiral coil is formed at a first raised temperature, then cut to a length sufficient for the plastic spiral coil to bind a book, cooled and then advanced toward a receiving coil conveyor of a coil binding machine, for binding the book with a plastic coil at the lowered cooled temperature. The binding machine and method for spirally binding a sheaf of papers into a book uses an adjustable speed drive to rotate the cooled flexible plastic spiral coil into respective holes in the book. The book has a plurality of holes in a row adjacent one edge of the book to receive the leading edge of the plastic spiral binding coils. A cylindrically shaped mandrel is spaced apart from a glidable block. The plastic pre-formed spiral binding coil is fed onto the mandrel from the distal end thereof, with the leading edge of the binding element facing and spaced apart from the book.

Abstract: A cutting and crimping device comprising a frame with a front end and a back end, the frame comprising a protrusion on the front end, the protrusion having a first crimping portion and a first cutting portion on opposed sides thereof, a cutting arm with a front end and a back end, the cutting arm pivotally coupled to the frame on one side thereof, the cutting arm comprising a second cutting portion on its front end, a crimping arm with a front end and a back end, the crimping arm pivotally coupled to the frame on an opposite side thereof, the crimping arm comprising a second crimping portion on its front end, an actuator coupled to the back ends of the cutting and crimping arms, the actuator operable to move the cutting and crimping device between an open position wherein the front ends of the arms are separated from the protrusion by a maximum distance, and a closed position wherein the front ends of the cutting and crimping arms are separated from the protrusion by a lesser distance.

Abstract: An apparatus for making notched muntin bars. The apparatus includes an uncoiler or support for a supply of ribbon stock, a notching device, a roll forming machine and a severing device. The ribbon stock has a surface with first and second finishes. The notching device receives ribbon stock from the supply of ribbon stock. The notching device includes a punch that is moveable from a first position to a second position. In the first position the punch is activated to remove sections of material having the first finish. In the second position the punch is activated to remove sections of material having the second finish. The roll forming machine receives the ribbon stock from the notching device to form hollow muntin bar stock that has a first side with the first finish and a second side with the second finish. The formed muntin bar stock has notches in the first side having the first finish and notches in the second side having the second finish.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided that increases the efficiency of material handling apparatus, such as those used to trim and form electrical leads on solid state electrical devices. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotatable pulleys, an endless belt capable of retaining devices to be processed that is disposed around the pulleys such that rotation of the pulleys will cause said belt to travel around said pulleys, and a plurality of paired tooling members, each of said paired tooling members having first and second tooling members disposed on opposing sides of the belt and directly opposing so as to cooperate and perform a tooling operation on the leads when reciprocated toward each other along a common axis. In a preferred embodiment, two horizontally aligned pulleys with vertical axes of rotation are used to rotate the belt in a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A method for fabricating muntin grid pieces includes steps that attach a pair of material strips to opposed edges of the muntin bar element. The material strips may be provided in side-by-side strips that may be separated an simultaneously applied to the opposite sides of the muntin bar element. The connection between the material strips and the muntin bar element may be made with an adhesive or a mechanical connection. The method allows the material strips to be connected to the muntin grid pieces before the muntin grid pieces are assembled into a muntin bar grid for a window.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing profiles formed so as to have different cross-sectional shapes in the height direction, in which a long-sized hoop of workpiece is indexed, a plurality of types of component members having outer contours corresponding to the respective cross-sectional shapes of the profile are formed in a plurality of stages and indexed in the state where the component members are replaced on the workpiece, and the component members are sequentially ejected from the workpiece, laminated into a profile in the final stage.

Abstract: A system for fabricating muntin bars from sheet material. Sheet material in the form of thin ribbon stock is fed to a first forming station including a punching mechanism that punches the ribbon stock at a precisely predetermined location. The ribbon stock is delivered from the first forming station to a second forming station in the form of a rolling mill. The stock passes through a succession of forming rolls to produce a tube having a desired cross-sectional shape. The tube is delivered from the second forming station to a third forming station including a severing apparatus that severs the tube at a precisely predetermined location to produce a muntin bar. After severing, the muntin bar is engaged by a conveyor and moved to a desired location.

Abstract: A casing and a lid which are supplied to a casing/lid supply machine are fed to a main assembly line where a light-shielding sheet is mounted on the casing and a film cover supplied from a film cover assembly line is mounted in the casing. Pressers supplied from a presser assembly line are mounted on the lid. The casing and the lid are combined with each other, completing a film case. The film case manufacturing system is capable of efficiently manufacturing highly accurate film cases and is relatively compact in structure.

Abstract: An electronic controller unit is formed of first and second base plates parallel to one another and spaced apart having a flexible substrate circuit board thereon with an intermediate portion of the circuit board extending between the two base plates. A connector is joined to the intermediate portion of the circuit board between the two base plates and is sealed to an edge of each base plate to form one side of the unit housing. A three-sided frame is joined to the other three sides of the two base plates to completely enclose the circuit board. The two major sides of the unit are formed by separate base plate pieces that are severed from an integral frame after the flexible circuit is bonded thereto. This allows the unit to be manufactured without bending of a rigid plate having the flexible circuit mounted thereto.

Abstract: A system for fabricating muntin bars from sheet material. Sheet material in the form of thin ribbon stock is fed to a first forming station including a punching mechanism that punches the ribbon stock at a precisely predetermined location. The ribbon stock is delivered from the first forming station to a second forming station in the form of a rolling mill. The stock passes through a succession of forming rolls to produce a tube having a desired cross-sectional shape. The tube is delivered from the second forming station to a third forming station including a severing apparatus that severs the tube at a precisely predetermined location to produce a muntin bar. After severing, the muntin bar is engaged by a conveyor and moved to a desired location.

Abstract: An amorphous magnetic core is produced by wrapping cut strips of amorphous metal about a mandrel to form a distributed gap core. The cut strips are secured to the mandrel during assembly by wrapping the strips with amorphous metal ribbons that have been weakened in predetermined areas but not fully parted. After the core has been built to its desired size, the weakened ribbons are completely parted. This method of making an amorphous magnetic core produces a tightly wound distributed gap core without the need for a belt winder or specialized strip holding devices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a shock absorber. A section of a steel wool strip is severed from a supply thereof. The perforated area of a tube is wrapped with the steel wool strip section. Said tube is embedded in sound-absorbing material and accommodated in a housing. The steel wool strip section is severed from the supply thereof by a thermal cut. An appropriate device for carrying out the inventive method comprises a supply station for the steel wool strip (6), a severing station (9) for severing individual steel wool strip sections from the steel wool strip supply, a transport station for transporting the steel wool strip and/or the steel wool strip section in the direction (A) towards the tube to be wrapped. Said device also comprises a wrapping station (7) for wrapping the steel wool strip section around the tube, whereby the severing station (9) comprises a thermal severing device (10) for cutting through the steel wool strip (6).

Abstract: A method of processing a leadframe strip defining a first row of alignment holes and a second row of alignment holes. One embodiment of the method comprises allowing incremental advancement of said leadframe strip using said first row of alignment holes and refraining from using said second row of alignment holes to allow said advancement.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting terminals carried on a carrier strip into cavities in a housing having a slide assembly with a cam track movable between a first and a second position, and a pivoting lever with a cam follower. The cam follower is positioned in and cooperates with the cam track. The lever is movable between an open and closed position and has first and second shearing blades. An eccentric pin extends through the lever and is attached to a rotary actuator. The eccentric pin is positioned to act as the pivot point for the lever. The rotary actuator is movable between an engaged and disengaged position. As the lever is moved to the closed position, the first shearing blades engage and shear a first portion of the carrier strip. As the rotary actuator moves to an engaged position, the second shearing blade engages and shears a second portion of the carrier strip.

Abstract: Sensor arrangements are provided to detect whether initial and final wire leads were properly terminated to tang terminals of dynamo-electric machine components. The sensor arrangements may detect whether excess wire from the termination of the initial wire lead is present on a first side of a wire gripper. The sensor arrangements may detect whether excess wire from the termination of the final wire lead is present on a second side of a wire gripper. The sensor arrangements can include two sensors or a single sensor to detect the presence of the excess wire. Beam sensors, vision sensors, or tactile sensors may be used to detect the presence of the excess wire. A plunger device is provided to facilitate the tearing of thin initial and final wire leads to a tang terminal of a commutator.

Abstract: The device includes a conveyor element for supplying separator strip in a first plane, a device for cutting sections from the separator strip, another conveyor element for preparing the separator strip sections at one folding site and a unit for supplying plates to be jacketed to the folding site in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. Next to the plane in which the separator strip section is prepared at the folding site, there is a negatively pressurized roller as the device for tensioning the separator strip section prepared in the folding site. In the area of the folding site on the side of the plane in which a separator strip section is prepared at the folding site which is opposite the side from which the plate to be jacketed is supplied, there is a pair of folding rollers.

Abstract: When any of facilities of a film producing and packaging system suffers a failure, a film processing controller shuts off the film producing and packaging system. The operator repairs a failing facility and manually discharges a length of an elongate film which may possibly be defective. After the failing facility is repaired, the film processing controller is restarted to operate the film producing and packaging system, which then automatically discharges a length of the elongate film corresponding to a preset number of sized films. It is possible to easily and quickly discard a portion of the elongate film which has been made defective by the facility failure.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making a contoured muntin bar. A supply of sheet material having a finished surface on at least one side in the form of a coiled ribbon is unwound and fed along a strip path of travel to a punch station. At the punch station a ribbon punching mechanism punches the ribbon at a precisely predetermined locations along the ribbon to form one of a plurality notch patterns that define a portion of a contoured muntin bar. Downstream along the travel path from the punch station the ribbon is fed through a forming station having a succession of forming rolls that define a succession of forming roll nips to bend the ribbon and form a generally closed cross-sectional tube. The rolls form a number of bending stages to produce a muntin bar tube having a contoured shape with raised sides to provide an attractive appearance to a muntin grid.

Abstract: An axial type electronic component inserting apparatus is provided for inserting into holes of a board a pair of lead wires of each of axial type electronic components connected by a tape at regular intervals. A first kind of the components have a larger tape interval and a second kind of the components have a smaller tape interval. The apparatus includes a pair of centering chucks having recesses for contacting both sides of the body of the component, and being movable in a symmetrical manner with respect to the center to adjust the body of the component from both sides of the main body while the recesses come in contact with both sides of the body of the component, thus resulting in centering of the component.

Abstract: An automated screening and splining apparatus for continuously seating an elongated flexible spline material in a screen frame having a screen retaining channel along first, second, third and fourth perimeter sides and corners of the screen frame and defining a spline sealing area within the screen retaining channel for receiving spline material therein, and the screen frame having first, second, third and fourth perimeter edges, comprising: (a) frame assembly; (b) slide carriage device mounted on the structural support device having first moving device for latitudinal movement along a y-axis between a third position and a second position, and for latitudinal movement along the y-axis between third position and fourth position; and the slide carriage device having second moving device for longitudinal movement along an x-axis between a second position and a third position, and for longitudinal movement along the x-axis between a fourth position and first position; and (c) a spline dispensing head assembly mou

Abstract: In order to provide a device for the production of gasket layers for single or multiple layered gaskets from one respective gasket layer section of a starting material comprising several continuous gasket layer sections, comprising a follow-on combination tool with several machining stations which follow one another along a direction of feed and in which the gasket layer sections are machined during operating cycles, wherein at least one of the machining stations is designed as a station for cutting outer contour lines, in which facing outer contour lines of two adjacent gasket layers are cut by means of a tool for cutting outer contour lines, and a feeding device, by means of which the gasket layer sections are moved further along the direction of feed by a feed distance v between two operating cycles, with which the outer contour lines of the gasket layers are cut with less resources and the starting material can be better utilized it is suggested that the tool for cutting outer contour lines be designed su

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for injecting material into a substrate. The apparatus 10 comprises a needle assembly having a needle 14, a movable central portion 26 and a substantially stationary top portion 26. The material to be injected 17 is threaded through apparatus 10 into needle 14, and is cut to the desired length by cutter 18. When needle 14 penetrates a substrate, an additional portion of material 17 is fed into the apparatus 10, and when needle 14 is removed from substrate 12, the additional material pushes into needle 14, forcing cut portion 16 to remain in the substrate. In the method of using the apparatus, additional steps for orienting the angle of the apparatus, and steps of controlling the concentration of the injected material in the substrate may be included.

Abstract: A duct assembly for transporting pressurized fluid therethrough. The assembly includes first and second duct sections. Each of the duct sections has sides extending between opposite ends. Each of the sides join an adjacent side and has a flange extending laterally outward from each end. The first and second sections are positioned in end-to-end relation so that the flanges extending outward from one of the ends of the first section face the flanges extending outward from one of the ends of the second section to define flange pairs. The assembly also includes a plurality of connector pairs. Each of the connector pairs are positioned at one of the ends of the duct sections. Each of the connector pairs includes a first connector spanning adjacent flanges of the first duct section and a second connector spanning adjacent flanges of the second duct section.

Abstract: Apparatus for making a contoured muntin bar. A supply of sheet material having a finished surface on at least one side in the form of a coiled ribbon is unwound and fed along a strip path of travel to a punch station. At the punch station a ribbon punching mechanism punches the ribbon at a precisely predetermined locations along the ribbon to form one of a plurality notch patterns that define a portion of a contoured muntin bar. Downstream along the travel path from the punch station the ribbon is fed through a forming station having a succession of forming rolls that define a succession of forming roll nips to bend the ribbon and form a generally closed cross-sectional tube. The rolls form a number of bending stages to produce a muntin bar tube having a contoured shape with raised sides to provide an attractive appearance to a muntin grid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrical terminal implementation device that fabricates individual terminals, positions the terminals at their point of use, and connects the terminals to the subject components. The present device may also include apparatus for attaching the terminals to a component, testing the connection between the terminal and the component, coating the terminals with flux, shaping the terminals, and burnishing the component. More specifically, the present invention includes a terminal feeder by which integrated terminals are fed into the device. The integrated terminals are directed from the feeder toward a punch by a selector assembly. Before an individual terminal is cut from the integrated terminals by the punch, a loader assembly grips the individual terminal. Once separated from the integrated terminals, the individual terminal is moved by the loader assembly to the positioner assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for serially making formed parts from a web of deformable material with a stud mounted therein having a plurality of progressive die forming stations for forming multiple parts from the web by advancing the web through each forming station. In one embodiment, the apparatus has feeding, driving and transfer mechanisms for controlling the feeding and insertion of studs at spaced locations into the web.

Abstract: Automated equipment mounts heat sinks on printed circuit boards. First heat sinks, semiconductor modules and second heat sinks are consecutively seated on a plurality of built-up pads as the built-up pads move from station to station around a built-up pad conveyer. Rivets are mounted in a first heat sink and inserted through holes in a semiconductor module and a second heat sink when seating the semiconductor module and the second heat sink. Working the rivets fixes the first heat sink, the semiconductor module and the second heat sink permanently, and thereby forms a semiconductor product. After that, a label is attached on the semiconductor product and the riveting quality and the labeling quality of the semiconductor product are inspected.

Abstract: A method for moving a workpiece having a first plurality of alignment features and a second plurality of alignment features. The method comprises attaching the workpiece to a workpiece advancer using at least a portion of the first alignment features such that the workpiece can move incrementally relative to the workpiece advancer. The method also includes shifting the workpiece using the workpiece advancer.

Abstract: A system for fabricating muntin bars from sheet material. Sheet material in the form of thin ribbon stock is fed to a first forming station including a punching mechanism that punches the ribbon stock at a precisely predetermined location. The ribbon stock is delivered from the first forming station to a second forming station in the form of a rolling mill. The stock passes through a succession of forming rolls to produce a tube having a desired cross-sectional shape. The tube is delivered from the second forming station to a third forming station including a severing apparatus that severs the tube at a precisely predetermined location to produce a muntin bar. After severing, the muntin bar is engaged by a conveyor and moved to a desired location.

Abstract: An aggregate of semiconductor devices, including semiconductor packages packaging the semiconductor devices, the packages being on a tape which is wound on a reel, is provided. The aggregate of semiconductor devices includes the semiconductor packages arranged consecutively on a first tape; and the aggregate also includes a second tape, which is a spacer tape, having spacers (protrusions), provided between adjacent windings of the first tape on the reel, providing spaces for the semiconductor packages. The semiconductor packages can be provided with bumps, e.g., on the side of the first tape opposite the side of the first tape having the semiconductor packages thereon, and the first tape can be a flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A system for fitting pins into a connector, wherein the pins are formed by portions including an end portion of a continuous wire, which portions are arranged one after another and linked together by and separable at frangible regions. The continuous wire is fed to a first unit which advances the wire and guides the end portion of the wire in a rectilinear direction of advance toward a second unit. The second unit is mounted on a rotary shaft perpendicular to this rectilinear direction and rotated so that the end portion of the continuous wire is introduced into the second unit by the first unit and then the second unit is further rotated to cause separation of the end portion from the continuous wire by bending. The second unit then inserts the separated portion into the connector.

Abstract: A feeding pin 146 is downwards inserted into an insertion hole h formed in a direction in which the hoop T is fed so that the feeding pin 146 is moved in the feeding direction. The feeding pin 146 is completely caught by the hoop T to restrain the hoop T in the feeding direction. Thus, overrunning of the hoop T can completely be prevented. Thus, the hoop T can be stopped at a predetermined position. Moreover, cutting of the hoop T and separation of the terminal by cutting can accurately be performed. A hoop holding pin 151 is downwards inserted into the insertion hole h formed at a position different from a position at which the feeding pin 146 is inserted prior to insertion and removal of the feeding pin 146. Thus, further accurate feeding of the hoop T can be performed and, therefore, accurate cutting of the hoop T and separation of the terminal by cutting can be performed.

Abstract: A distributed gap core is prepared by a process comprising the steps of inter-wrapping a plurality of amorphous metal strips with a continuous amorphous metal ribbon having at least one weakened area and separating the at least one weakened area to form a joint region. The strips may comprise one or more groups of cut ribbon having substantially aligned longitudinal edges and substantially aligned transverse edges.

Abstract: Insulating slot liners for insertion into stator core winding slots are formed from a narrow-width reel of insulating material. The width of the material is determined by the inner circumferential surface of the winding slot that must be insulated, instead of being based on the axial length of the stator core as has been the practice in the past. As a result, slot liners may be easily produced for stator cores of different axial lengths by simply adjusting the length of material cut from the reel. Preferably, the cutting mechanism used to cut the length of material is adapted to form a pair of opposed cuffs when the material is cut. An insulator blank formed in this manner is pushed into a die, thereby forming a U-shaped slot liner. A transfer mechanism functions to move the slot liner into a respective winding slot. The slot liner preferably passes through a reduced diameter guideway defined in a guide element as it is moved into the winding slot.

Abstract: An electronic parts insertion head including a supporting block, an insertion guide movable between first and second positions with respect to the supporting block and configured to guide a lead wire of an electronic part to an attaching hole of a printed wiring board in the first position, an insertion guide moving mechanism configured to move the insertion guide between the first and second positions, a cam capable of moving with respect to the supporting block, a cam follower arranged on the insertion guide and positioned to move along a cam face of the cam, and a cam position changing mechanism configured to change a position of the cam with respect to the support block, wherein the insertion guide changes a movement locus when the position of the cam is changed by the cam position changing mechanisms.

Abstract: In a coiling apparatus for measuring cutting and optionally marking a succession of lengths of an elongate flexible such as wire or cable, the leading edge of each of the elements are clamped in the same angular position in a rotary coiling assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting an indefinite length suture to uniform lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to surgical needles includes a drawing tower having first and second guide members defining a drawing axis parallel thereto. First and second grippers are provided to grip the indefinite length suture and to alternately draw it along the drawing axis, with each gripper being mounted for reciprocal movement along a guide member. Each gripper alternately grips the suture and draws it a distance beyond the location of a cutter assembly while the other gripper reciprocates to a start position before the cutter assembly. A tipping assembly heats a predetermined small length of the suture to stiffen the suture thereat after subsequent cooling, in preparation for cutting the suture and inserting a stiffened lead cut end of the suture into an end of a needle for swaging thereto.

Abstract: Insulating slot liners for insertion into stator core winding slots are formed from a narrow-width reel of insulating material. The width of the material is determined by the inner circumferential surface of the winding slot that must be insulated, instead of being based on the axial length of the stator core as has been the practice in the past. As a result, slot liners may be easily produced for stator cores of different axial lengths by simply adjusting the length of material cut from the reel. Preferably, the cutting mechanism used to cut the length of material is adapted to form a pair of opposed cuffs when the material is cut. An insulator blank formed in this manner is pushed into a die, thereby forming a U-shaped slot liner. A transfer mechanism functions to move the slot liner into a respective winding slot. The slot liner preferably passes through a reduced diameter guideway defined in a guide element as it is moved into the winding slot.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting an indefinite length suture strand to uniform lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to a surgical needle includes a drawing tower having at least one guide member defining a drawing axis parallel thereto. First and second gripping devices are provided to grip the indefinite length suture strand and draw it along the drawing axis; each gripping device mounted for reciprocal movement on at least one guide member. A retractable cutter for cutting the indefinite length suture strand is also provided for cutting the strand at a start position along the drawing axis. The indefinite length suture strand is fed to the drawing axis and drawn a predetermined distance beyond the location of the retractable cutter for positioning within a suture receiving opening formed in the surgical needle, while the second gripping device reciprocates to a start position along the drawing axis.

Abstract: A semi-automated machine for preparing double-armed sutures, i.e., a suture with a surgical needle at either end of the suture, from a bulk supply of surgical needles and an indefinite length of suture material is described. Each of the surgical needles has a suture receiving opening formed therein for receiving a suture. The machine includes a needle singulation station, a precise positioning station, a suture feeding and cutting station, a swage station, a pull-test station and an off-load station. A universal gripper mounted on a rotary indexing device automatically receives each individual needle in a predetermined orientation and conveys the needle for sequential processing from station to station to form the needle-suture assembly. A suture drawing and cutting station automatically inserts an end of the indefinite length of suture into the first of the pair of needles that form the double-armed suture.