Abstract: An improved method for robotic placement of electronic parts having depending electrical leads on a circuit board. A part is selectively abstracted from a supply in which the parts are arranged with the leads pointing upwardly, and the part is re-oriented during movement to the circuit board such that the leads are pointing downwardly when the part is emplaced on the circuit board with the leads extending through pre-drilled holes in the board.

Abstract: Device for screwing screws through a hole of a plate into a base plate for securing insulating material, the device having a magazine with plates and a magazine with screws. The device has a screw driver which can be moved up and down. The screw driver according to the invention feeds a plate and a screw towards their mating position in line with the screw driver during the upward stroke of the screw driver.

Abstract: A machine that takes screws out of a hopper and delivers them to a screw driving station where they are driven by motor operated screw driver members to secure a hinge to a door and a jamb. Inside the hopper, a screw lifting member engages, lifts, aligns and delivers individual screws to a hopper discharge station. Pressurized air blows the screws from their respective discharge stations onto tracks, there being one track associated with each discharge station. Elongate transfer tubes positioned at the discharge end of the tracks deliver the screws to a movable head member which upon receiving a charge of screw members moves downwardly and inwardly to a fixed position screw driving station where a door and jamb are positioned. Screw driver members are brought into driving relation to associated screws by horizontally inward movement of a motor that rotates the screw driver members.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for supplying components for insertion into a printed circuit board, which apparatus comprises a component dispenser, the component dispenser having first and second substantially parallel elongate support elements for supporting components at locations spaced-apart along the lengths thereof and structure for allowing relative movement of the first and second support elements both transversely of and parallel to the length of the first support element so that, in use of the apparatus, relative movement of the first and second support elements of the dispenser causes components supported by one of the support elements to be transferred to the other support element and then returned to the one support element at positions which are advanced along the one support element from the previous positions thereof whereby the components may be supplied one by one from the dispenser.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for attaching cable to a surface and for thus installing the cable. Apparatus includes driving guns improved for driving fasteners through clips, and guns having the capability to selectively prevent the advance of the magazine contents, such that the gun plunger may strike a fastener more than once. Apparatus also includes driving guns having modified magazines for receiving clips and improved clips which may be loaded into the modified magazines of the guns. The clips have retainer means thereon functional for assembling the clips into a strip by engagement of the retainer means on surfaces of adjacent clips. The clips may be used with staples or nails as fasteners. The driving surface of the gun may be modified for accommodation of the combination design of clip and fastener.

Abstract: Collars for surrounding the nipples of an anode bar are produced from a coil of aluminium sheet material. Sheet metal strips are separated from the coil, and are then pre-shaped to substantially U-shaped parts in a bending unit. These U-shaped parts are then pushed over the nipples of the anode bar, and their overlapping ends are fixed to one another by means of a fixing device, to form closed collars.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for automatically delivering power transmission belt preforms from a supply to a work station for entrainment on a pair of cooperating pulleys, in which position a cutting, abrading operation, or the like can be performed on the belt. Once the belt is completed, structure automatically removes the belt from the pulleys and delivers the same to a desired destination.

Abstract: A tufting machine feeds upholstered female and male button parts into drive mechanisms above and below a central table for receiving a cushion to be tufted. A retractable needle drive assembly forms an aperture through a cushion on the table along a drive axis of the machine, and, following retraction, a male button driver moves a male button part into the aperture and holds this button part on the drive axis while an upper drive mechanism drives a female button part onto the male button part to lock the parts together to complete a single tufting operation. Safety means prevent damage to elements and mechanisms of the tufting machine by possible malfunctioning or improper operation.

Abstract: An automated apparatus is operative for attaching sequential hinges, such as easel hinges having rosette fastening elements thereon, to sequential pairs of first and second substantially flat, penetrable members, in order to hingeably connect the penetrable members together. The apparatus includes a jaw assembly, a feeder assembly for feeding sequential hinges to the jaw assembly, a jaw advancement assembly for advancing the jaw assembly to a work station, first and second member advancement assemblies for advancing sequential pairs of first and second members, respectively, to the work station, a hammer assembly for urging the sequential pairs of first and second members into engagment with sequential hinges at the work station and a control assembly for controlling the jaw advancement assembly, the first and second member advancements assemblies and the hammer assembly.

Abstract: The feed device comprises a housing (10) of sufficient size to contain a cylindrical piece (15), equipped with a removable cover (20), through which passes a nozzle (24) connected to a compressed-air distribution source (25, 26). A flexible pipe (11) is fastened at one of its ends to the housing (10). A loading unit (12) consisting of a fixed part (28) and of a rotary arm (29) is connected to the end of the flexible pipe (11) opposite the housing (10). The pieces (15) can, in particular, be plugs for plugging the tubes of a steam generator of a pressurized-water nuclear reactor.

Abstract: A machine that takes screws out of a hopper and delivers them to a screw driving station where they are driven by motor operated screw driver members to secure a hinge to a door and a jamb. Inside the hopper, a screw lifting member engages, lifts, aligns and delivers individual screws to a hopper discharge station. Pressurized air blows the screws from their respective discharge stations onto tracks, there being one track associated with each discharge station. Elongate transfer tubes positioned at the discharge end of the tracks deliver the screws to a movable head member which upon receiving a charge of screw members moves downwardly and inwardly to a fixed position screw driving station where a door and jamb are positioned. Screw driver members are brought into driving relation to associated screws by horizontally inward movement of a motor that rotates the screw driver members.

Abstract: A part inserting apparatus has part holding members (3) circulated to receive separated electronic parts (A, R) of specific continuous part groups for transfer to positions of part inserting heads (28, 29), and then, the parts are supplied to the part inserting heads (28, 29) for effecting the insertion of the parts. By forming the transfer means for the electronic parts (A, R) into a highly rigid ring member (4) extending in a plane, but requiring a small exclusive installing space, proper initial timing and positional accuracy of the associated components may be maintained over a long period for stable insertion of electronic parts.

Abstract: A table supports a cardboard file unit body as it is manually slid edgewise forwardly, engaged against a fixed but adjustable side edge guide, into engagement with a fore-and-aft movable front edge guide and an air microswitch thereon that actuates a punch mechanism. After punch operation, the front edge guide moves forward, bringing the punched portion of the body between the wings of a metal tab waiting at a peening station. Arrival of the front edge guide at its forward position trips another air microswitch to actuate a tab peening mechanism. The tabbed body is then manually withdrawn rearwardly and a new tab is automatically fed rearward to the peening station from a stack of tabs in front of that station. The punching and peening mechanisms, front edge guide and tab feed slider are actuated pneumatically.

Abstract: A method of fitting a rubber stopper for a water-proof connector terminal onto an end portion of an electric wire includes the steps of: successively feeding a group of rubber stoppers aligned in a row in a state wherein each of the rubber stoppers has its longitudinal axis extending vertically; transferring each of the rubber stoppers into a stopper housing portion; retaining the electric wire disposed on an imaginary line passing through the center of the stopper housing portion; and press-fitting the wire into the rubber stopper, whereby the rubber stoppers are successively and continuously fitted on the respective wires. Also disclosed is an apparatus which may be suitably employed to carry out the above-described method. The apparatus includes an aligned stopper successively feeding section, a stopper transfer section, a rotary conveyor section, and a wire press-fitting section.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to self-piercing fasteners, such as studs, bolts or nuts, the method of attaching such fasteners to a panel and fastener installation apparatus, including the installation head and die button. The fastener includes a self-piercing and riveting annular wall which is driven into a panel supported against a die member by the installation head. The die member includes an annular die cavity surrounding a central projecting die portion which is telescopically receivable in the free open end of the fastener annular wall. The free end of the fastener annular wall includes a piercing surface which mates with a piercing surface at the outer edge of the projecting die portion to pierce a slug from the panel.

Abstract: A method for joining stacked thin plates (metal sheets in particular) or plate sections by stamping dies, and an apparatus for performing the method, in which stacked plate portions are severed by stamping them along a longitudinal portion of their peripheries and pressed them out of the plane of the plate, and in which subsequently, by means of a counterpressure die element, the plate portion nearer the plates is enlarged on the cut sides by swaging, yet without the plate portion remote from the plates being enlarged. Further, during the stamping and pressing operation the counterpressure die element, or the swaging die, remains stationary inside the bottom die 2, but subsequently, during the coining operation that generates higher pressing forces, the yields counter to an elastic supporting force, whereupon the flowing material of the plate piece nearer the plates forms flange portions which grip the plate associated with it from behind.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for automated and semi-automated installation of blind rivets, comprising mechanical, pneumatic, and electronic subassemblies, with self-diagnostic capabilities. The system includes a rivet transfer arm external to the installation tool, which receives pneumatically fed rivets in a "home" position and transfers the rivets to an "advanced" position of alignment with the tool's nosepiece. A mandrel collection system routes separated mandrels from the tool to a remote receptacle through a channel under vacuum. Various sensors detect rivet placements, mechanism positions, and air pressure conditions, and signals from such sensors together with user inputs are received by a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU diagnoses the state of the installation system, produces command signals for a plurality of solenoid valves to regulate the system pneumatics, and reports status and fault conditions to the operator.

Abstract: An automatic machine for mounting leadless components such as chip components onto a substrate. The components are delivered on belts wound onto belt reels having a substrate holder operating as a feed device in the longitudinal direction. The machine has a "pick and place" device with a positioning unit and a mounting head, as well as a component delivery device for the components on the belt reels. The component delivery device has a holder unit for the belt reels, a belt guide having a plurality of belt guide tracks, a belt conveyor and a peel-off unit for peeling off the material covering the belts. The belt conveyor is a single unit. In each individual mounting operation, a separate belt is moved into the belt conveyor position specified by the belt conveyor unit.

Abstract: A device for automatically presenting mandrel rivets to the nosepiece of a rivet installation tool, which receives rivets from a supply in a slidably mounted transfer arm while the arm is in a retracted position, and axially and radially moves the arm relative to the tool axis to a position of alignment with receiving jaws within the tool. The rivet is then propelled into the tool's nosepiece from the transfer arm by an air blast. The presentation device may be separately mounted within a rivet installation machine, or may be mounted to the tool body in a hand-held configuration. A first version provides successive, separately actuated axial and angular movements of the transfer arm, while a second version provides simultaneous axial and angular movement of the arm. The rivet is held within the transfer arm by a vacuum, which vacuum may be rapidly changed to a positive pressure on command to propel the rivet from the arm into the tool.

Abstract: Process for removing the wrapper from a fibre bundle, characterized thereby that it mainly consits in successively gripping the fibre bundle (1) at the wrapper (2), freeing the embraced bundle of fibres (4) over a determined length from said wrapper (2), gripping said bundle of fibres (4) at the freed part and removing it from said wrapper (2), and carrying it away to a suitable arrangement, while the empty wrapper (2) is carried away as waste.

Abstract: A dispenser is provided to dispense laminations to a forward position whereat they may readily be manually grasped for withdrawal from a dispenser and insertion into a preformed coil. One or more laminations may be dispensed in a selected group of laminations so that this entire selected group may be withdrawn at one time and need not be separately manipulated to align those laminations before they can be inserted into the coil. When the laminations are withdrawn from the forward dispensing position, a proximity sensor senses the absence of such laminations and controls an actuator to transversely move laminations from the bottom of the stack of laminations in the dispenser to the forward position, ready to be withdrawn by the operator, and then the actuator withdraws to the rearward position. Abutment means are axially adjustable to select one, two or more laminations in the selected group of laminations being dispensed to the forward position.

Abstract: A pick-and-put tool, new-nut hopper and pin-insertion/torque tool for completing the installation of the new split-pin assembly in a lower guide tube under water after the old split-pin assembly has been severed into fragments. One fragment, located in the upper counterbore of the LGT, includes a portion of the old nut and the portion of the pin on which it is threaded. The pick-and-put tool includes a clamp and hydraulic cylinders for moving the clamp between a home position and an advanced position and for pivoting the clamp in each position. There is also a cylinder for raising or lowering the clamp in each position. The pick-and-put tool has stops which stop the movement of the clamp precisely in the home position or the advanced position and in their pivoted positions. The pick-and-put tool is mounted in the pool such that it can properly align with both the LGT and hopper. The clamp is first moved from the home position to the advanced position.

Abstract: A tandem clip system comprising a driving tool and a magazine for push-on clips of the type adapted to engage the post of a workpiece extending through a perforation in an element to which the workpiece is to be fastened. The push-on clips are arranged in tandem fashion in a strip thereof. Each clip comprises an integral part of the next adjacent clip with a line of weakening therebetween. The driving tool is conventional, having a driver and actuating means therefor. The driver is provided with a modified tip for severing the forwardmost clip from its strip and driving it on its respecting work piece post. The tool has a modifed guide body with a drive track for the driver tip. The clip feed mechanism is affixed to the guide body and actuated by the driver tip to advance the forwardmost clip to the drive track after each tool actuation. The guide body also has a clip support assembly for supporting each clip in the drive track including the last clip of a strip.

Abstract: Apparatus (24) for feeding electrical connectors from slide packs (SP), to a pick and place robot (2), comprises an elevator (44) which is raised to pick the lowermost pack (SP') from a stack of packs (SP) in a magazine (36). The elevator (44) is then lowered into a connector feed position in which a ram (54) on a flexible chain (52) is run step by step through the pack (SP') on the elevator (44) to place each connector (C) in the pack (SP'), in turn, at a pick-up station (26) to be picked up by the robot (2). When the pack (SP') on the elevator (44) has been emptied of connectors (C), the elevator (44) is raised and the ram (54) is advanced in one stroke beneath pack (SP') on the elevator (44) and a latch (56) on the ram (54) rises to engage the end of the empty pack (SP') nearest to the pick-up station (26). The ram (54) is then retracted, in one stroke, to eject the empty pack (SP') from the apparatus (24).

Abstract: A tension spring takeout device for use in an automatic tension spring mounting apparatus for automatically mounting tension springs for mounting a pad receive member to a seat frame forming an automotive seat. The tension spring takeout device comprises a stock mechanism into which the tension springs are discharged from a part feeder having a separation mechanism for separation of the tension springs that are successively supplied, and which are arranged in a line and stocked; a takeout mechanism comprising a predetermined number of takeout means located in the stock mechanism so as to correspond to the mounting intervals of the tension springs to the seat frame and operable to push out a predetermined number of tension springs simultaneously; and a transfer device adapted to catch the tension springs pushed out by the takeout means of the takeout mechanism as well as to transfer and mount the tension springs to the mounting portions of the seat frame.

Abstract: Transport anchors to be introduced into moulds for concrete parts are held at disposal in a magazine. An ejection device transversally displaceable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lowest transport anchor in the magazine brings the transport anchor to a gripping member which grips the head of the transport anchor. By means of a displaceable carriage carrying the gripping member, the transport anchor seized by the gripping member is introduced into the mould by its free end.

Abstract: In an electronic component mounting apparatus comprises a component feeding section including a feeding table unit loaded with several types of electronic components which feeding table unit is adapted to laterally reciprocate on a base, and stopping at a predetermined position thereby to feed the components continuously to a transfer mechanism, the transfer mechanism for absorbing the electronic components and mounting them on a board on an X-Y table on the other side, the X-Y table fixing and stopping the board to a predetermined position, and a board transport section for transporting the board onto the X-Y table for delivering the board having the electronic components mounted thereon, a component feeding apparatus wherein the component feeding table unit of the component feeding section is divided into a plurality of feeding tables each adapted to be moved individually on a straight line by a drive mechanism, the apparatus further comprising means for moving the table to a predetermined position in oppos

Abstract: An installation apparatus and method of attaching a female element, such as a nut, to a panel, wherein the panel is pierced and the female element is permanently installed in the pierced panel opening in a continuous operation. The female element includes a body portion and an annular barrel portion. In one of the methods disclosed, the panel is pierced by the free end of the barrel portion and the panel slug is disposed in the barrel portion as the nut is installed in the panel. In the presently preferred method, the panel is pierced by a punch received through the body and barrel portions, prior to driving the female element into a mechanical interlock with the panel. In the preferred installation, the free end of the barrel portion is deformed into a hook-shaped end portion, opening toward the body portion, and the panel is simultaneously driven into the hook-shaped barrel end portion, forming a very secure mechanical interlock.

Abstract: Disclosed is device (10) for orienting and conveying a headed fastener (14), wherein the device is positioned beneath any suitable dispenser (12) whereby headed fasteners are removed from a supply container and successively dropped with random orientation onto the device. The device (10) is configured to receive the headed fasteners (14) within a selected groove (32, 132) so that the headed fastener will assume a predetermined orientation within the device. The oriented fastener is then conveyed from the point it is received in the groove to a conduit (55, 57) which directs the headed fastener into the feeder tube (16) of the fastening machine. The fasteners are rotated as they are conveyed along the device in order to create a gyroscopic effect in the fastener as a means of maintaining the relative orientation of the fastener as it moves through the groove toward the feeder tube.

Abstract: A box holder swingably mounted on a frame is angularly movable between a box receiving position and a box attaching position. The box holder has a casing, an anvil slidably disposed in the casing, and a pair of gripping jaws angularly movably disposed in the casing for gripping the box therebetween against an end of the anvil. A first fluid cylinder is disposed on the frame for pressing the anvil in the box attaching position. An ultrasonic horn mounted for movement toward and away from the box holder is pressed by a second fluid cylinder toward the anvil holder in the box attaching position to grip the box between the end of the anvil and the ultrasonic horn. While the box is gripped between the anvil and the ultrasonic horn, the ultrasonic horn is energized to apply ultrasonic vibrations to weld the box to the box pin inserted therein.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus for applying electrical connector sections to a flat multiconductor cable. The apparatus includes a multiconductor cable, and a connector station which includes two connector applying sections. Each section includes a connector supplying magazine or feed for delivering a connector section from the supply magazine to tooling which receives the connector section. Air cylinders advance the tooling to the cable for securement of the connectors thereto and retract the tooling from the connector receiving position.

Abstract: A process for the assembly of a composite driving belt having a substantially trapezoidal cross-section and intended for use on V-shaped pulleys, consisting of an endless carrier in the shape of at least one metallic band and of a plurality of transverse elements which rest against one another with the parallel parts of their principal faces and which have been mounted slidably on the carrier, while lateral recesses have been provided for receiving the band(s), in such a fashion that the transverse elements are in contact with one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving and positioning a tool for plugging a defective heat exchanger tube of a steam generator in a nuclear reactor includes a base, a plug magazine supported on the base, a guidance mechanism mounting the plugging tool and a positioning mechanism supported on the base and mounting the guidance mechanism. The guidance mechanism is operable to align and position the tool relative to the plug magazine and the defective heat exchanger tube to correspondingly effect, upon operation of the tool, plug loading when the tool is located in a plug dispensing position adjacent to the plug magazine and plug unloading when the tool is located in a plug applying position adjacent to the defective tube. The positioning mechanism is operable to assume folded and unfolded conditions to transfer the guidance mechanism and the plugging tool therewith respectively between the plug dispensing and applying positions.

Abstract: A connector mounting press for mounting connectors onto a circuit board. The press includes a connector receiving space and a device to releasably hold a connector therein to be picked up by a descending tool unit for mounting on an underlying circuit board. A device for automatically transferring connectors from a magazine to the space and for applying a constant pressure on the connectors in the magazine and space is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for rapidly and accurately inserting axial lead components such as capacitors and resistors or the like into printed circuit boards mounted in an X-Y PC board positioning device. In accordance with the invention a plurality of magazines each of which contain a multiplicity of the components are loaded into a receiver chute of the apparatus. The apparatus functions, responsive to a signal from the PC positioning device, to remove an individual component from a magazine, deflect the leads to a position at right angles to the body of the component and insert the thus formed leads accurately into spaced apertures of the PC board which have been manuvered by the X-Y apparatus to a component receiver station. The device includes means for automatically removing exhausted magazines and replacing the same with filled magazines.

Abstract: An applicator for installing a radially installed spring retaining ring into an external groove of a shaft comprises a ramp having a slot for receiving a groove shaft. The ramp also includes a pair of opposed side walls between which the rings travel. Each ring includes a pair of flats arranged to guidingly engage the side walls to prevent the ring from rotating as it advances along the ramp.

Abstract: A gear train is assembled by vibratory feeding each of its gears into a nest in overlapping meshed aligned spaced relation. A fastening nut is vibratory fed in alignment with the journal for the gear which is distal the bracket to which the gear train is to be secured. The bracket includes a plurality of journals each mating with the journal bearing of a corresponding gear located in the nest. A robotic arm carries the bracket and inserts the journals into the gears in an axial direction, passing the journal for the distal gear through that gear bearing and into the nut for capturing the overlapped nested gears between the nut and the bracket.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an end plug to a nuclear fuel rod tube end includes a stationary base, a support carriage and a track assembly mounting the support carriage on the base for reciprocal movement relative to the base. The carriage is movable along a generally linear path between extreme positions located remote from and adjacent to the stationarily-positioned tube end to which the end plug is to be applied. The apparatus also includes a plugger guide supported on the carriage for movement therewith. The plugger guide has an elongated central bore with one end for receiving the end plug and an opposite end for receiving the tube end. An end plug supply magazine, mounted on the carriage and which in turn mounts the plugger guide, delivers the end plug into alignment with the one end of the plugger guide's central bore.

Abstract: A traveler carrier for refilling a traveler magazine of a traveler insertion device with travelers, includes a clip formed of springy flexible material holding the travelers together in a row by spring action from outside the travelers, the clip having an open longitudinal slot formed therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically mounting tension springs (tension coil springs) to suspend a seat frame and a pad receiving member forming an automotive seat is disclosed which comprises a supply hopper, a transfer mechanism, a guide member, a setting device and a direction restricting member. In the apparatus, when loaded into the supply hopper, the tension springs are separated from one another and then discharged one by one therefrom to the transfer mechanism, where they are rectified in the right and left deviations thereof by the guide member before they are delivered to the setting device. Then, the tension springs are caught and lifted up by the setting device and, during this lifting operation, they are rectified in the direction thereof by the direction restricting member, so that they can be automatically mounted to the seat frame as well as to the pad receiving member.

Abstract: A method of fitting a rubber stopper for a water-proof connector terminal onto an end portion of an electric wire includes the steps of: successively feeding a group of rubber stoppers aligned in a row in a state wherein each of the rubber stoppers has its longitudinal axis extending vertically; transferring each of the rubber stoppers into a stopper housing portion; retaining the electric wire disposed on an imaginary line passing through the center of the stopper housing portion; and press-fitting the wire into the rubber stopper, whereby the rubber stoppers are successively and continuously fitted on the respective wires. Also disclosed is an apparatus which may be suitably employed to carry out the above-described method. The apparatus includes an aligned stopper successively feeding section, a stopper transfer section, a rotary conveyor section, and a wire press-fitting section.

Abstract: A truss structure for use in orbital systems and methods of constructing the same are disclosed. The structure is characterized by high stiffness and a precisely determined geometry and takes the form of an oblique triangular prism. The structure is constructed of a plurality of substantially identical triangular frame elements which achieve high stowage volume efficiency during transport to the construction site. In a first embodiment the truss is formed by joining the first vertex of an element to the third vertex of the next element to form a chain of elements, then sequentially joining the second vertex of each Nth element to the first vertex of the subsequent element N+2 and to the third vertex of the subsequent element N+3. Further embodiments employ an indexing and an indexing and rotating fixture.

Abstract: The device of the invention allows a hair-pin spring with two legs to be inserted astride a plate having windows for locally welding the legs together. This device receives one plate at a time and moves it lengthwise, and a corridor guides each spring in turn, the spring being moved along the corridor towards its insertion position. A mask movable parallel to the plane of the plate from the edge furthest from the zone through which the introduction takes place allows the window to be covered furthest from the zone through which the introduction takes place so as to avoid jamming.

Abstract: A device for delivering spring clamps is disclosed, which spring clamps are welded to a pipe frame for a vehicle seat so as to extend spring members across such pipe frame. In this spring clamp delivery device, a movable delivery mechanism is operated to charge the spring clamps that are discharged via a transfer rail from a supply hopper individually into a plurality of chutes which are provided in the movable delivery mechanism substantially at the same intervals as those of the spring clamps relative to the pipe material, and then to deliver such spring clamps to the pipe material that has been set in a welding machine. Thus, even if varied in size, the spring clamps can be delivered to the pipe material in such a positive manner that they can be positioned to correspond to the predetermined positions of the pipe material.

Abstract: A slider supplying apparatus, for use with a slide-fastener finishing machine, includes a rail for slidingly supporting a number of sliders in succession from a reservoir, with the opposite wings of each slider body astride of the rail and with a pull tab hanging from the slider body, and a chute defining a guide channel for passage therethrough of the slider bodies and having an upper end portion disposed adjacent to a free end portion of the rail for receiving the successive sliders therefrom. The upper end portion of the chute has a sloping edge engageable with the pull tab of each slider, as the latter slides forwardly on the free end portion of the rail, so as to raise the pull tab perpendicularly to the slider wing. The chute also has a guide slit coextensive with the guide channel for receiving the pull tab of each slider in such raised posture while the slider body is in the guide channel.

Abstract: There is disclosed in the present application an apparatus for staking to a leader block the trailing end of a length of magnetic tape wound on a reel of a substantially closed cartridge. The leader block is sized and shaped to fit into and close an opening in the wall of the cartridge and later when the cartridge is in use to provide a means by which the tape may be grasped to be withdrawn from the cartridge. The present apparatus is mounted on a movable platform which permits its withdrawal to a retracted loading position out of the way of a cartridge loading or winding operation. In its retracted position, the apparatus is provided with a short length of rod to be used later for securing the trailing end to the block by staking the rod length with the tape end into an appropriately sized slot in the leader block.

Abstract: A device wherein pharmaceutical capsules, each consisting of a separable bottom for receiving the said pharmaceutical product and a separable top for closing the said bottom, are fed in bulk into an input feedbox and sent, through a number of withdrawal and positioning ducts, to a rotary conveying device having two parts, one over the other, the first having a number of upper recesses for the tops and the second having a number of lower recesses for the respective bottoms, the rotary conveying device cooperating with a suction opening device designed to hold the tops inside the upper recesses and to suck the bottoms into the lower recesses, so as to separate the latter from the respective tops.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a continuous supply of workpieces to a pickup station comprises a frame having a magazine in the top thereof, the workpieces being packaged in open-ended trays stacked in the magazine. A pickup plate assembly pivots downward from a position paralleling the bottom of the magazine, where it picks up a tray, to an inclined delivery position aligned with the inclined surface of a delivery station. Holding means are released so the connectors slide from the open end of the tray until it is empty. Thereafter the pickup plate pivots further downward and the empty tray is ejected.

Abstract: A device for automatically presenting fasteners in a predetermined disposition comprising a container for the fasteners which presents the fasteners to a rotary drum which raises the fasteners upwardly for deposit into a chute. The fasteners are fed down the chute to a ramp which positions individual fasteners in a predesired position in a feed barrel for receipt by a fastener tool. An escapement mechanism is positioned between the chute and the ramp so that a single fastener at one time falls down the ramp into the feed barrel.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically loading a series of hairpin tubes into a magazine that is used to temporarily store the tubes so that they can be later laced into a fin pack. The magazine contains individual open-ended compartments for receiving and storing the tubes therein. The compartments are indexed into a loading station having a ram for driving hairpins into the indexed compartment. A gripping mechanism is also located in the loading station having fingers that engage the extended legs of the hairpin and guide the legs into the magazine compartment.