Abstract: Handle sticks for frozen confections are removed from a hopper by a rotatable slotted wheel and driven by air under pressure through tubes, which can be curved, to an insertion station. Molds containing partially frozen material are conveyed to and aligned with the station. The sticks received at the station are aligned with the axes of the molds and driven into the molds by plungers.

Abstract: A loading and unloading mechanism is mounted to a pot broach to allow both loading and unloading of the pot broach during a single cycle. The mechanism includes a carriage having offset loading and unloading arms mounted thereto which simultaneously move in response to a single operating cylinder to load a blank workpiece into the inlet of the pot broach while unloading a finished workpiece from the outlet of the pot broach.

Abstract: An automatic component insertion machine in which at least some of the component holding units each comprise a plug-in key unit which electrically identifies a respective component type and which is mechanically coded so as to accept only a correspondingly coded packaging stick containing the respective components. The packaging stick may be filled at a testing station which is similarly mechanically coded.

Abstract: A mechanism for sequentially feeding pins includes a collet having a longitudinal bore for feeding pins from one end to a second end, the second end holding the pins in position. The second end of the collet has at least one longitudinal slot contained therein, providing variations in the cross sectional area of the bore when the holding end of the collet is tightened around a pin. Pins are pushed through the center bore of the collet from a bottom feed point. Pins are positioned in an indexable disc having cutouts for containing the pins and delivering the pins one-by-one to the feed end of the collet bore. The disc cutouts are sequentially indexed by a ratchet and pawl mechanism. The collet can also be used to hold a pin for insertion into a hole in a printed circuit board and fastening of the pin to the printed circuit board by rolling over a portion of the pin with a punch, the punch being positioned coaxially with the collet bore.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for preparing framed diapositive assemblies by automatically coupling together a diapositive, an integrally formed frame and a transparent plate. The apparatus comprises three partially overlapping horizontal discs, each formed with the same number of openings, symmetrically positioned around a central vertical pivot. The discs are mounted on their pivots at a short mutual distance and the pivots, one of which is driven to rotate, are synchronized in motion. A magazine is positioned over and in correspondence with the upper disc and another magazine over and in correspondence with the lower disc, respectively for feeding into the openings the transparent plates and the frames. The opening on the intermediate disc for the diapositive, is formed at the periphery of the disc itself and comprises an elastic support means, such as two side brushes.

Abstract: A machine for blanking an integrated circuit chip from a segment of a film strip held in a fixture, forming its leads, and placing the chip on a multilayer substrate. The fixtures are stacked in a magazine which is mounted on the machine. A transfer mechanism transfers one fixture at a time from the magazine to a punch press where the IC chip is blanked from its film segment, and its leads are formed. The punch is retracted, and a multilayer substrate, which is mounted on an X-Y table, is positioned by the table under the punch so that the excised chip is directly above a chip pad and the chip leads are above the chip lead pads of a predetermined chip pad. The punch is lowered to position the chip on its chip pad. The substrate is coated with an adhesive flux to retain the chips and their leads in place. The punch is retracted and the X-Y table is moved to clear the punch press. A microcomputer controls the machine.

Abstract: An automatic fastener emplacement mechanism for selectively applying fasteners, such as spring clips, to a work piece is provided. The mechanism preferably includes a vibratory hopper or other storage means for receiving the spring clips in bulk and properly orienting same on a track and an assembly tool having a nose piece for properly positioning the tool relative to the work piece and a ram for driving the fastener onto the work piece. Placement of the work piece properly within the nose piece will result in contact and/or displacement of an actuation member or trigger by the work piece which will cause a single fastener such as a spring clip to be fed, preferably by known means such as pneumatically through an escapement down a delivery tube, directly from the hopper track to the work piece. The clip is held in the nose piece against the work piece by the continued introduction of compressed air into the tube. Thus, the nose piece does not require a stop member or a catcher/holder mechanism.

Abstract: For distributing annular workpieces onto a plate provided with a plurality of bolts protruding from the plate surface, each to hold and arrest a correctly positioned workpiece, there is provided a magazine which accommodates a plurality of workpieces in contact with one another at their peripheral surfaces, the magazine being inclined at an angle with respect to the plate surface, being relatively displaceable in the direction of its inclination parallel to the plate surface, and being provided at its lower end with a resilient holding device for the individual release of one workpiece at a time.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high speed machine which can automatically insert radial lead electronic components onto the printed circuit board one-by-one. A combination of such machines installed at a work station can automatically insert many components onto one printed circuit board at the same time. In a similar way, the combination of such machines installed at many work stations can be arranged into a conveyorized assembly line which can automatically insert many components onto many printed circuit boards simultaneously. The apparatus and method for producing this result will significantly save labor in manufacturing electronic equipment.

Abstract: Apparatus for placing a sheath on a vertically oriented elongated member, the sheath having an open end for receiving the elongated member, comprises an upright magazine for containing a stacked plurality of the sheaths with the openings thereof oriented downwardly, a downwardly extending passage having an upper end communicating with the magazine and a lower end having a discharge opening arranged on a vertical axis with which the elongated member is to be aligned for being received in a respective said sheath discharged from the discharge opening onto the elongated member, a first gate defining the boundary between the magazine and the passage and for blocking transit of the sheath from the magazine into the passage and a second gate below the first gate a distance about equal to the length of a respective said sheath for blocking transit of the sheaths to the discharge opening of the passage, whereby the sheaths may be individually discharged by gravity onto respective said elongated members consecutively

Abstract: Electronic components, such as DIP's, which have at least one row of generally right angular or generally linear leads projecting from their bodies, are dispensed from their respective columns in a magazine of the machine, one by one, and as predeterminedly selected by a picker controlled by computer means. Due to occasional obstructive slight irregularities in the formation of the bodies and/or their leads, means is provided to insure exact registration of each selected component with a component inserting mechanism. Improved means for rapid, reliable release and transfer of the successive selected components from the magazine, and between the delivery ends of its respective columns and, a lead conditioning means at the locality of such registration, enable efficient coordination with the inserting mechanism whereby continuous output at a higher rate is attainable.

Abstract: An automatic wire feeder for feeding pieces of wire in an assembly operation. More particularly, an automatic wire feeder for feeding pieces of wire in a radial assembly operation wherein the automatic wire feeder drops the wires, one by one, in a wire loading device having means for holding the wires in assembled condition.

Abstract: A screw tightening apparatus comprising a motor-driven tool, a screw magazine for screws affixed to a strip-like carrier, and a screw advancing and tightening means for advancing the screws one at a time to a standby position in which a motor-driven bit may engage the screw for applying the same. A bell crank has a spring arm for advancing the screw strip and a drive arm driven by a projection on a plunger against the force of a feed spring to a cocked position, preparatory to advancement of the screw strip, the cocked position being maintained by a pivoted pawl which has a hook that locks the bell crank in such cocked position. A second projection on the plunger member engages the pawl to effect unlocking thereof near the end of a retracting stroke of the plunger member, whereby the feed spring drives the bell crank to advance the strip. A novel means for unlocking a spring-loaded axially slidable lock sleeve is provided.

Abstract: For mounting a food product, such as a frankfurter or an apple, on a stick, an apparatus includes relatively reciprocable jaws which converge on and hold the food product in position on an insertion axis. Individual sticks are gravity fed through a supply duct which aligns each stick with the insertion axis. A reciprocating rod drives each stick along the insertion axis into the food product.

Abstract: A machine for inserting quilting buttons of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,174 includes a male button drive mechanism and a female button drive mechanism in axial alignment with positive and rapid acting button feed means for very rapidly driving a female button part through a pad or the like and driving the male button part into the female button part so as to secure the quilting button in extension through such a pad. The invention is particularly directed to very rapid quilting operations.

Abstract: A sequencer for assembling into a transferee magazine predetermined numbers of fixtures from a predetermined plurality of transferor magazines, each of which transferor magazines is adapted to hold a plurality of fixtures. Each of the fixtures stacked in a transferor magazine holds an integrated circuit (IC) chip of the same type. The transferor magazines are removably mounted on transferor bases mounted on a support member. Positoning means are also mounted on the support member and a transferee magazine is removably mounted on a transferee base secured to the positioning means. A transfer mechanism is mounted on the positioning means to transfer a fixture from a transferor magazine to the transferee magazine when the transferee magazine is in fixture transfer position with respect to a transferor magazine.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming medical needle holder assembly employing a generally tubular needle holder, a filter element constituted by a wad of a lengthy filament yarn of snythetic resin and a generally tubular filter retainer adapted to be received in the needle holder with the filter element fitted in the needle holder.

Abstract: Apparatus for dropping rings one at a time from a stack and including apparatus for receiving piston rings so dropped and applying them to pistons. The apparatus includes a tube, upper and lower pawls slidably mounted in the lower end of said tube and an oscillating cam having a pin and slot interconnection to said pawls to cause them to project and retract alternately in order to drop a ring from the lower pawl while retaining the stack with the upper pawl and to drop the stack onto the lower pawl. Adjacent the lower end of the tube is a ring spreader which has a jaw engageable with one side of a piston ring and bifurcated jaw engageable with the other side of the piston ring with means to cause the jaws to engage the piston ring and spread the bifurcated jaws apart to open up the ring, whereupon the spreader may be lowered to position the ring around the piston.

Abstract: The present apparatus transfers cylindrical rivet slugs or blanks from a supply point to an annular elastomeric holder which is coaxial with and associated with rivet head forming means. The apparatus comprises a fluid pressure power cylinder having a piston rod projecting therefrom and a transfer arm fixed to the piston rod. The power cylinder operates to raise and lower the transfer arm and means are provided for swinging the transfer arm horizontally between positions in axial alignment with the rivet slug supply means and the rivet head forming means. The transfer arm receives a rivet slug at the supply means, lowers by operation of the power cylinder, swings to axial alignment with the rivet head forming means, and raises to insert the rivet slug in the elastomeric annular holder. The movements are then reversed to return the transfer arm to the starting position.

Abstract: This invention pertains to machines for installing tapped nuts, studs, or the like machine parts, whether or not having their outer surface provided with thread, knurling or similar profiles, which are to be pressed into corresponding cavities provided in a work piece, usually made of a material softer than the material of the said machine parts.

Abstract: A system for automatically assembling a tape cassette including upper and lower cassette housing halves, a pair of reel hubs received in said housing halves and a magnetic tape wound about both reel hubs, which comprises a magnetic tape-loading mechanism for winding a magnetic tape about the reel hubs and loading the reel hubs and magnetic tape into the lower housing half placed on an assembly line, wherein the magnetic tape-loading mechanism comprises a reel hub-fitting device for fitting each of the paired reel hubs on a tape takeup jig; a tape takeup device for winding a magnetic tape about the reel hubs; and a tape transfer device for holding the reel hubs fitted on the tape takeup jigs and a magnetic tape in the same arrangement as actually takes place in the tape cassette and thereafter loading both reel hubs and magnetic tape into the lower housing half.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically and sequentially feeding each of a plurality of pins, for supporting aperture masks adjacent the glass face plates or viewing panels of color television picture tubes, to a mechanism or gun for insertion of each of the pins into the glass of the face plates or viewing panels. The mechanism includes a rotatable turret or cylindrical pin magazine or canister which holds a relatively large quantity or plurality of the pins vertically stacked in columns adjacent the outer periphery of the turret or magazine for the pin feeding operations and which can readily and rapidly be removed from the mechanism and replaced by another full turret or pin magazine when the first one is empty of pins.

Abstract: A coiled vibrating feeder is provided for individually feeding a plurality of workpieces. An elongated enclosed tubular passageway is formed, preferably by coiling an elongate tube into a bundle having a plurality of generally concentric coil turns and including a charging end for receiving the workpieces to be fed and a discharging end. The coils are circumferentially vibrated about the axis of the bundle by alternating strong forward pulses and weaker return pulses so that the workpieces progress therethrough from the charging to the discharging end. A bonding material such as a plastic material or the like substantially engages all of the coils, thus increasing the rigidity of the bundle of coils, thereby increasing the efficiency of transferring the forces of the vibrations from the vibrator to the coils and hence to the workpieces to more effectively move the latter.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing lamp envelopes for axial-geometry incandescent lamps comprises a plurality of magazines for receiving stacks of lamp envelope components and a transport moveable with respect to the magazines and having component-receiving platforms alignable with ends of the magazines. The platforms are supported on rotatable hubs and the hubs have axial bores through which components are pushed onto the platforms by pusher means. The hubs are supported at one end of a transport arm, the other end of the arm being supported for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the hubs so that the transport arm may be moved relative to the magazines. An arrangement of holding magnets and spring-biased slotted plates associated with the platforms controls the holding and release of components.

Abstract: A registration system is adapted to operate with a conventional snap fastener attachment machine and serves to position a fastener having a logo imprinted on a surface in any one of a plurality of desired positions to assure that the fastener, when emplaced on the garment, will be positioned to enable correct orientation of the logo. The fastener is associated with a notch, which notch is coated by one of a plurality of finger members associated with the registration system. The coaction of the notch by the finger member serves to terminate rotation of the fastener and further serves to indicate to the operator that orientation is correct. The finger members can be selected according to the nature or configuration of the garment to permit a single fastening machine to accomplish fastener attachment and automatic orientation of the same.

Abstract: A pair of laterally spaced pocketed starwheels, mounted on a common shaft for synchronized rotation, receive and cradle composite fiber cans in a manner so as to preclude distortion of the cans upon movement past a capping station wherein the edge of each can engages an aligned flexible lid which is wiped onto the can end as the end is drawn past an inclined plate by continued movement of the can. A shaft mounted backing plate, laterally spaced from the outermost starwheel, stabilizes the can during the lid mounting operation.