Abstract: An apparatus is provided for inserting workpieces such as electrical components into a workpiece holder. The apparatus includes a housing with push pins mounted on a press plate for engaging and inserting the workpieces into receptacles in the workpiece holder. The pins are mounted in such a manner that if the entire housing is pushed downward in the direction of the exposed pin shafts and perpendicular to the plane of the bottom surface of the press plate, and if a given pin shaft encounters a restrictive force greater than or equal to a predetermined safe resistance, that pin shaft will be allowed to travel upward vertically through the plate frame. This escape release feature thus has the effect of a vertical "clutch," preventing damage to the pins, the loading plates, and the components whenever the pin shaft encounters excessive resistance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting torque overshoot in power tools wherein torque per angle rate is sensed on each rundown and the speed of the tool is automatically adjusted to maintain torque accuracy on higher torque rate joints while maintaining speed on lower torque rate joints, automatically minimizing tool heating and maximizing job rate. In the setting of threaded fasteners, joint rates are defined as high (hard), medium or low (soft). Two torque points are defined, a first torque point and a second torque point, which are percentages of the target torque, for example 25% and 50% respectively. Two angle values are defined corresponding to the number of degrees of tool spindle rotation measured along the portion of the torque/angle curve between the first torque point and the second torque point on typical linear hard and medium joints.

Abstract: A device has a plurality of push pins for inserting workpieces into a device for securely retaining the workpieces. The push pins are resiliently biased to prevent damage to the components or the pins themselves. The pins may be mounted by springs which are stressed to a predetermined force, and the displacement of the pins may be sensed by mechanical or optical sensors. Alternatively, the pins themselves may be compressible to prevent damage to the device.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for installing fasteners in a panel and automatically sensing and compensating for certain error conditions which commonly arise in the installation process. The system includes monitoring the load exerted during the installation process and comparing the exerted load to nominal load values. If an error results between the two load values, appropriate corrective action is taken. If there is no corrective action which can be initiated to rectify the error condition, the system is halted.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for installing fasteners in a panel and automatically sensing and compensating for certain error conditions which commonly arise in the installation process. The system includes monitoring the load exerted during the installation process and comparing the exerted load to nominal load values. If an error results between the two load values, appropriate corrective action is taken. If there is no corrective action which can be initiated to rectify the error condition, the system is halted.

Abstract: A versatile production system produces different kinds of products in small quantities.The system includes production lines for assembling parts into different kinds of products, testing the assembled products, and conveying the products that have passed the tests to a collective packing terminal.Each production line has a pallet feeder for feeding pallets one by one to the start of the production line.Each production line has a bypass structure. The bypass structure includes a first switcher, a main line, a bypass line, and a second switcher.The first switcher determines whether or not a product conveyed on a pallet must be repaired or tested, and according to the determination, switches the pallet and product from the production line to one of the main and bypass lines.The main line receives pallets and products switched thereto by the first switcher and conveys same.

Abstract: A cord fastener assembling apparatus includes a first inclined chute for gravity delivery of a succession of female members to a first pocket and a second inclined chute for gravity delivery of a succession of male member to a second pocket which is aligned with the first pocket. An assembling block is reciprocally movable between an assembling position in which an assembling chamber is disposed between AND aligned with the first and second pockets and a discharging position remote from the assembling position. First and second rod-like pushers are reciprocally movable, in timed relation to one another, to force the female member and the male member, respectively, form the first and second pockets into the assembling chamber of the assembling clock. Within the assembling chamber, the female member and the male member are forcibly coupled together into an assembled cord fastener.

Abstract: Make-up of a pipe section and coupling to form a tubular joint having proper stand-off at proper make-up torque is automatically controlled. The coupling is first rotated onto the pipe section to a hand-tight position and the length of the coupling and the distance from the open end of the coupling to the pin end of the pipe section are measured by a digital measuring device which inputs these measurements to a computer. The number of turns of the coupler required to attain optimum stand-off is calculated by the computer. The pipe section is held stationary and power tongs rotate the coupling further onto the pipe section while the applied torque and the number of turns are measured and provided as inputs to the computer. The computer determines that the made up tubular joint is acceptable or not acceptable during the rotation by determining if the stand-off is within a predetermined make-up stand-off range at the same time that the make-up torque is within a predetermined make-up torque range.

Abstract: A caulking machine has a column with a table for placing a work piece having rivet shanks passing therethrough, a cylinder vertically movably mounted on the column, a piston shaft fixedly mounted in the cylinder so as to be movable together with the cylinder, a spindle rotatably mounted in the piston shaft, and a rivet head forming tool having a forming shaft and mounted to the bottom end of the spindle. The forming shaft is adapted to be pressed against the rivet shank in the work piece by operating the cylinder, and can be rotated by a motor via the spindle to form a rivet head on the rivet shank. The machine has a rotation detector for determining whether a rivet head is being formed or the machine is idling by measuring the rotation of the forming shaft. If it is determined that the machine is idling, a display device can be activated and the operation of the machine can be stopped.

Abstract: A method and a device for tightening threaded joints includes applying torque on the joint by means of a power tool until a predetermined pretension level in the joint is reached, whereupon a controller connected to the power tool is arranged on one hand to initiate power shut-off and on the other hand to initiate continued successively decreasing power supply to the tool as the predetermined pretension level is passed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining present machining height during machining of a workpiece includes an analog resistive sensor, a discrete resistive sensor and a resistive integrity sensor. Analog sensor preferably has a plurality of resistive elements. Discrete sensor includes contact break points on resistive legs, each leg having a different resistive value to create a step-wise incremental change in resistance of discrete sensor as contacts are lapped away. Integrity sensor has resistive value in fixed relation to resistive value of discrete sensor such that ratio is indicative of integrity before machining. Invention enables use of electronic lapping guide with electrically conductive lap without shorting out. Discrete sensor value used to determine location of rear plane of analog sensor and analog sensor value used to confirm identity of break point as part of method for determining current lapping height.

Abstract: In manufacturing a slide fastener chain, (a) two series of alignment markers are applied to the continuous fastener tapes at intervals longitudinally thereof with their respective patterns matched with each other; (b) the opposed continuous fastener tapes are fed in side-by-side toward an element-attaching station; (c) the corresponding alignment markers are detected during the feed of the opposed continous fastener tapes; (d) the feeds of the opposed fastener tapes are controlled in such a way that the fastener tapes are allowed to continue feeding if the corresponding alignment markers prove to be in registry with each other, or the feed of the preceding fastener tape is restrained to thus bring the corresponding alignment markers into registry, if the corresponding alignment markers proves out of registry with each other; and (e) the two rows of continuous fastener elements are applied to the longitudinal edges of the opposed fastener tapes with the alignment markers in registry with each other, so that a

Abstract: A method of applying top end stops on to a slide fastener chain comprises holding a top end stop or stops in between an anvil and a horn, moving the anvil and the horn together into alignment with a path of travel of the fastener chain, threading the fastener chain through the top end stop, clamping and attaching the top end stop by fusion to the fastener chain, and moving the anvil and the horn out of the path of the fastener chain. This method is reduced to practice by an apparatus which essentially comprises an anvil and a horn which are vertically movable together in one instance toward and away from a horizontal path of the fastener chain and means of moving the anvil independently from and against the horn in another instance to clamp and attach the top end stop to the fastener chain.

Abstract: A wire press-installing apparatus wherein a ram is lowered onto the joint block to press wires into rows of receiver terminals that are erected at specified pitches on the joint block of a wiring harness. The joint block is intermittently fed by a distance equal to the pitch of the terminal rows and only the predetermined wires are selectively taken out and seated into the associated rows of receiver terminals. This prevents wrong wires from being seated in unintended terminals or the joint block from being fed by a wrong pitch. The apparatus has a wire misinstallation detection mechanism, which consists of wire guides mounted vertically slidable on the lower front and back side of the vertically movable wire press-installing blade through a resilient member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic removal and supply of needles in needle boards intended for the densification of fiber webs or non-woven fabrics into needle felts in which, in conformance with a prior art method intended only to supply needles and a corresponding apparatus, the needle bores of the needle board are addressed individually, a needle is held available in front of each addressed open needle bore and this needle is driven into the open needle bore, with the tricks of the needles being oriented in the proper position for installation.

Abstract: A slide fastener is made from a workpiece formed of a pair of longitudinally extending parallel tapes having confronting edges provided with longitudinally extending and transversely couplable coupling elements. This workpiece is passed along a treatment path through a gapping station, a bottom-stop installing station, a slider-mounting station, a top-stop installing station, and a cutting station. The elements are removed from the tapes at gaps spaced longitudinally of the workpiece in the gapping station and a bottom stop is fitted to the elements at one end of each of the gaps in the bottom-stop installing station. A slider is mounted on the elements at the slider-mounting station between each gap and the following gap and a top stop is fitted to the elements in the top-stop installing station at each gap. Finally the tapes of the workpiece are transversely cut at the gaps at the cutting station into individual slide fasteners.

Abstract: A terminal dereeling apparatus is provided for permitting efficient feeding of terminals into a terminating press. The terminal dereeling apparatus includes a terminal reel mount for permitting the unwinding of a terminal reel with substantially uniform tension throughout the unwinding. A take-up reel is provided in proximity to the terminal reel for efficiently winding the interleaf material disposed between adjacent layers of the terminal strip wound onto the terminal reel. A sensing apparatus, such as a photo-optical sensor is provided in spaced relationship to the terminating press for monitoring the feeding of terminals on the strip of terminals into the terminating press. The sensing apparatus is operative to interrupt the terminating process in response to a variation of the terminal feeding from a specified terminal feeding sequence.

Abstract: In the formation of finished slide surfaces for slide rails on a track for an electromagnetically levitated vehicle, the track is constructed as a girder-like beam with the slide rails located on cantilevered parts of the upper surface of the beam. The beam can be formed of prestressed concrete. Initially the slide rails are provided with a height oversize. The height oversize part of the slide rails is removed and the slide surface of the rails are finished to the desired degree. The height oversize part is removed by cutting and grinding devices mounted on a machine frame movable over the upper surface of the track. The machine frame is adjustable in the vertical direction from a datum plane formed by the lower surfaces of support stators secured to the undersides of the cantilevered parts of the track. The machine frame rides on the upper surface of the beam and is in contact with the lower surfaces of the support stators.

Abstract: A powered fastener installation apparatus and method wherein the successful installation of a fastener is indicated by directly detecting the event of the fastener stem breaking. The device releases any partially upset fastener before withdrawing from the workpiece so as to prevent damage to the workpiece. The fastener installation device includes means for transferring the fastener from a feed module to the pulling head and avoiding partial upsetting or disassembly of the fastener, which can lead to jamming the device. The pulling head and transfer apparatus are provided with a vacuum to retain the fastener without mechanical gripping, thereby allowing easy purging of the fastener and preventing the fastener from falling out of the device unintentionally. Moreover, use of the vacuum retention allows greater flexibility and tolerance of errors in the placement and angular orientation of the robot arm and workpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a panel having at least first and second targets thereon detectable with x-rays and comprising relatively moving the panel and an x-ray detection apparatus along a search path to locate the targets on the panel. With the targets located work operations, such as drilling and shearing, are performed on the panel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for joining panels, which panels have bevelled trailing and leading edge faces, the apparatus and method abut the trailing and leading edge faces of adjacent panels and secure them together by means of an adhesive and the application of a force to the scarf joint.

Abstract: A fastener mounting apparatus includes a punch which is connected with a base to be mounted on one section of a press and a fastener mounting section which is movable relative to the punch during operation of the press. A conveyor is operable to conduct fasteners to a loading station in the fastener mounting section. An ejector assembly applies force against a slug cut from a member to move the slug away from a die. The ejector assembly includes a pin disposed in a coaxial relationship with the punch and a spring assembly offset to one side of the punch. A force transmitting member or rocker arm transmits force from the spring assembly to the ejector pin. A loading force applied against the fasteners by the conveyor is terminated during a portion of each operating cycle of the press to reduce the force urging the fasteners toward the loading station and prevent jamming of fasteners at the loading station.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening compressed bales of fiber includes means for supporting one or more of said compressed bales of fiber in a row. A reciprocating tower is provided and supported for reciprocating alongside the row of said bales of fiber and has a cantilevered portion which extends over the row of bales of fiber at a height which is adjustable. Reducing means is supported by the cantilevered portion over the top surface of the bales for removing fiber therefrom. A horizontal channel is disposed adjacent to and above the reducing means for receiving fiber removed from the bale by the reducing means. The horizontal channel is connected to a telescoping vertical channel within the tower means for delivering fiber from the reducing means to the discharge channel in the tower when a suction force is created therein.

Abstract: A repair station located at the insertion head of an electrical component assembly machine, the repair station permitting the testing and placement of components into the sequence of components to be inserted into printed circuit boards.

Abstract: The invention involves apparatus for equipping circuit boards with electronic components wherein the terminal pins of the components inserted into openings in the circuit board lying on an anvil. The anvil serves the purpose of severing and bending the terminal lugs by means of suitable cutting tools each consisting of a stationary and a movable knife. Monitoring devices are provided for the terminal pin ends protruding from the openings on the side of the circuit board opposite the components. According to the invention, there is assigned to each terminal pin (26, 27) a magnetic field-dependent sensor (151, 251), whose actuating magnet (131-140, 231) is movable over monitored. Preferably the individual push rods (101 to 110) are guided at a lateral distance between the movable knifes (7, 10; 17, 20), under spring pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization of the same of tooling for a robot or the like for installing rocker arm assemblies to the cylinder banks of an engine. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes jaws to grip the rocker arm assembly, a bolt runner to torque the rocker arm bolt and means to angularly float the jaws, allowing the rocker arm assembly to align itself with the engine cylinder bank push rod and valve spring.

Abstract: The guide tube is disconnected and removed from the upper internals of the reactor to a work station in a pool of borated water. The work station includes a clamp-and-index tool, a metal-disintegration-machining (MDM) tool, pick-and-put tool, a brush tool, a nut hopper, a pin-insertion/torque tool, and a crimping tool. These tools are hydraulically operable. The clamp-and-index tool positions and, by repeated centering maintains the guide tube in precise position for removal and replacement of its split pins, the MDM burns through an old pin-and-nut assembly severing it into readily removeable fragments. This pin fragment is removed by an expeller on the clamp-and-index tool. This pick-and-put tool removes the burned nut fragment and replaces it with the new nut. The pin-insertion/torque tool inserts the new pin and torques the new nut onto the new pin. The crimping tool crimps a locking cap secured to the nut onto the pin. The tools are controlled from a command center external to the pool.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a lapped edge of a substrate during lapping of a row of thin film magnetic transducer elements. First and second electrical lapping guide structures are formed on each side of the row of transducer elements. The lapping guide structures include a series of switching junctions, each switching junction paralleled by a resistor. A lapping resistor which provides a change in resistance proportional to the lapping of the row is measured and compared with the position of the lapping plane as determined from each switching junction change of state. Calibration of the resistor versus lapping plane position is effected to permit an accurate determination of the lapped surface from subsequent resistance measurements of the lapping resistor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the throat height of batch fabricated thin film magnetic transducers. During deposition of the transducer elements on a substrate, a resistive electrical lapping guide is deposited on at least one end of the array of transducer elements. The electrical lapping guide includes a plurality of switching junctions formed between a section of electrically resistive material and conductors. At least one switching junction is deposited on the substrate having a known switching plane position. During lapping of the transducer pole tip ends to a final height, the switching junction will change state to provide an accurate indication of the lapped throat height. The throat height, as determined from measured resistance of the lapping guide, is compared to the switching junction position at the time said switching junction changes state. Subsequent resistance measurements are calibrated in light of this comparison.

Abstract: A series of wire processing machines strip insulation from wire segment ends and attach electric terminals to the ends. A quality control device inspects each stripped end and sends signals which prevent the terminal attachment machine from operating upon the defective stripped end. The quality control device comprises an illuminated field at which the stripped end momentarily stops, an optical lens opposite the illuminated field for providing an optical image of the stripped end, and a converter for converting the optical image to an electronic image signal. Solid state electronic circuits compare the image signal to a reference signal, provide an error signal if the stripped end is defective and store the error signal in a memory circuit. The error signal, if present, is recalled from the memory at the appropriate time and converted to an output signal which prevents the downstream terminal attachment machine from operating on the defective wire end.

Abstract: A part feed assembly (10) for feeding parts from a feed line to an assembling machine including a multiple part escapement (12) including a plurality of linearly aligned openings (14) for sequentially receiving a part from the feed line. A drive mechanism (20) is operatively connected to a ball screw shaft (16) for incremental rotation of the ball screw shaft (16). A cart (44) threadedly engages the ball screw shaft (16) for incremental linear movement axially along the shaft (16) and for supporting the escapement (12) thereon to advance the openings (14) in the escapement from the feed line to the assembling machine where the parts are released from the openings (14).

Abstract: Insertion of a lightguide preform (12) into a tube (14) without contacting the sides thereof is accomplished by first roughly aligning the rod in spaced axial alignment with the tube. Thereafter, the offset of the rod from the axis of the tube is measured and the amount of lateral movement of the rod from the axis is determined. Then the rod is moved laterally in accordance with the determined amount of movement to precisely align the rod with the tube. Once alignment has been achieved, the rod is inserted in the tube and the tube is collapsed thereabout. An apparatus (10) for practicing this method is disclosed.

Abstract: A device for mounting an integrated circuit with two rows of terminal pins to a circuit board comprises a pair of stationary knives and a pair of movable knives, each stationary knife overlying the respective movable knife on opposite sides of a stationary anvil member. Each stationary knife is provided in the region of its cutting edge with a multiplicity of spaced parallel slots extending transversely to the cutting edge, whereby the stationary knife is formed in the region of the cutting edge with a multiplicity of cutting tabs. Each cutting tab is connected to a respective strain gauge strip in turn electrically connected to a processing or monitoring circuit by means of a multiplicity of leads. The monitoring circuit detects the electrical resistances of the strain gauge strips and thereby determines whether the corresponding cutting tab has been loaded or engaged by a terminal pin during a bending and severing operation. The monitoring circuit includes a microprocessor and a display.

Abstract: A residual distance to a stop surface and a minimum pressing force are specified. A machine part is moved through the residual distance. The pressing force is detected and compared with the specified minimum pressing force. The machine part is moved against the stop surface only when the pressing force exceeds the specified minimum pressing force.

Abstract: Apparatus for installing a set of dissimilar piston rings (12,14,20,38) which must be arranged in proper predetermined order and orientation in an internal combustion engine piston. The apparatus includes a ring supporting element 48 for retaining the set of piston rings in the order in which they will be installed, order sensing means (115,136,138) for producing an electrical disabling signal if a corresponding ring is not in a predetermined sequential order and a plurality of orientation sensing means (140,142) for producing an electrical disabling signal if a corresponding piston ring is not in its proper orientation. Expanding means (60) responsive to a control means (174) operates to expand the set of rings to allow coaxial insertion of a piston and subsequently to relax the rings into corresponding grooves of the piston as long as a disabling signal has not been generated by the corresponding sensing means (115,136,138,140,142).

Abstract: Inspection apparatus is especially useful to verify the presence of metal parts such as pull tabs on can-production lines and to shut down lines not only if parts are missing or misplaced, but also if the sensors are shorted or the timer switch or circuit operation has otherwise been disturbed. Four stages of operation are coordinated with the mechanical progress of the machine, regardless of its speed of operation; these stages are the activating and deactivating of sensors (usually just before and just after a mechanical operation), then on switching a timing switch to low, and then on switching it back to high just before the sensors are again activated. At and after the stage of deactivation, the sensors are read for actual lack of signals, and latches of their signals during activation are also read to determine whether the parts were actually sensed. The signal to read is turned off when the timing switch goes high.

Abstract: A preprogrammed microprocessor controlled apparatus for controlling automatic wire crimping equipment. The equipment disclosed is adapted to perform, in automatic sequence, a plurality of wire crimping steps on a dynamoelectric machine such as a motor. A wide variety of crimp height settings is selectively inserted by the equipment operator to achieve optimum crimp height for each crimp step to be performed. The crimp height setting mechanism includes an eccentric cam positioned by means of a pulse operated stepper motor with correct positioning indicated by a feed back pulse train from the cam shaft position encoder which pulse train is compared with the input information established by the equipment operator. Automatic and semi-automatic sequencing modes of operation are provided as determined by input selections established by the equipment operator.

Abstract: A slide fastener slider is assembled from a stock of slider bodies, pull tabs and springs with apparatus which loads a body on an anvil at a loading station, moves the anvil to an assembly station and at the assembly station positions a pull tab to receive the lugs on the body therein, inserts a spring over the pull tab trunnion and between the lugs, the tip ends of the lugs thereafter being clenched to fixedly secure the spring to the body. The assembled slider is then ejected from the anvil to a collection point. In a further embodiment, the slider body instead of having lugs between which the spring is received and the tip ends of which are clenched to hold the spring, has lugs with recesses at the outer side surfaces thereof. The wing-like sides of the spring are inserted over the tip ends of such lugs with a spreading action until the spring sides snap into the recesses to secure the spring to the body.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a tape cassette includes: a rotary table having at least one pair of hub chucks for demountably holding a pair of hubs supplied to the rotary table; a mechanism for clamping an initial end of a supplied tape to one of the hubs held by the hub chucks; a tape winding member for winding a predetermined length of the supplied tape onto the one hub; a cutting member for cutting the trailing side of the wound tape on the one hub; another mechanism for clamping the terminal end of the cut tape to the other of the hubs; and an assembling mechanism for transporting the hubs to which the ends of the tape are clamped and on which the tape is wound, to a position adjacent to a mounted cassette half, demounting the hubs from the hub chucks and assembling the hubs into the mounted cassette half.

Abstract: Mounting arrangement for insertion of tubes into tube plate apertures of the walls of large heat exchangers, especially in wide condensers and in large power plant coolers, comprising a cross slide device fitted with a thrust means, guiding channels aligned with apertures and a roller arrangement which are adapted to advance the tubes mounted by the apparatus.