Abstract: An apparatus and method for the high speed manufacture of a plurality of leads allows for the manufacture of various lengths of leads, as well as leads utilizing different wire gauges. The lead making apparatus has a plurality of wire gripping devices which are movable between an open position and a closed position. Each of the wire gripping devices has a channel which is dimensioned to allow the wire to be positioned and maintained therein. A wire feed is positioned proximate to the wire gripping devices and cooperates with the wire to advance the wire into the wire gripping devices. A drive belt is provided adjacent to the wire gripping devices and cooperates with the wire gripping devices to move the wire gripping devices. Whereby the drive belt moves the wire gripping devices in the same direction as the wire feed advances the wire, such that as the wire gripping devices are moved, the wire will be advanced into the channels of the wire gripping devices.

Abstract: A robot hand is disclosed for fitting a length of channel-shaped sealing strip to a flange running around the door opening of a motor vehicle body. The sealing strip, with the sides of its channel initially splayed apart, is held coiled in a cassette. A take-up roller is initially driven by a motor to pull a length of the strip out of the cassette until its end engages the flange, rollers confining the strip to move in a curved path. A cradle carrying these rollers is then transversely moved clear of the path by piston-cylinder assemblies. The robot hand is then caused to travel around the door opening, the motor now rotating two parallel-axis rollers spaced either side of the flange. The latter press the sides of the channel of the sealing strip into gripping engagement with the flange and also drive the robot hand around the door opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for the series production of Moebius ribbons comprises a threading robot having its four degrees of freedom (X,Y,Z,R). A second robot, movable in one direction, with two degrees of freedom (Z',R') is mounted on the first robot. The two robots cooperate to transfer between them a ribbon of delicate material, the ribbon being extracted from the ribbon cartridge and imparted with the 180.degree. twist required for the manufacturing of the Moebius ribbon.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of forming air turning assemblies is disclosed along with a novel vane supporting rail structure for use therewith. The apparatus holds a pair of rails in spaced parallel relation at a clinching station at which the edges of a vane may be engaged in opposed slotted protuberances in the rails. The spacing of the rails may be increased at the station against a yieldable biasing force, the station including a deforming mechanism for deflecting the vane edges to lock the vanes to the rails. The rails include cam surfaces leading to the vane receiving slots and blocking walls at the trailing ends of the slots to facilitate introducing the vane edges into the slots.

Abstract: An apparatus for lining installed pipework which includes a swaging die which is attached directly or indirectly to the pipe to be lined, pulling structure attached to the leading end of the liner pipe and threaded through the pipework to reduce the external diameter of the liner pipe by up to 15%, pushing structure located between the die and the pipework, and heating and cooling apparatus for the liner pipe.

Abstract: A device for the insertion of filling wires into a wire jointed-band is described, being positioned in the conveying direction of a machine for the production of the wire jointed-band behind a feeding device for the plugging wires. By means of a guiding plate with channels and a roller the filling wires are inserted into the respective openings of the already completed wire jointed-band. The device according to the invention allows a sectional mechanical insertion of the filling wires into the actual wire jointed-band. The filling wires can be inserted simultaneously with the plugging wires, resulting in a substantially higher production speed.

Abstract: A coil of a tube is formed. The coil is vibrated while a threadlike piece is passed in through the inlet end of the tube so that a given point of the tube reciprocates along a helical path. Provision is made to ensure that inlet end of the tube does not cause a portion of the threadlike piece upstream of and close to that inlet end to move diametrically while being fed into the tube. Provision is also made to form a coil of the treadlike piece, from which the threadlike piece is pulled out along the axis of the coil and fed to the inlet end of the tube by a conveying force resulting from the vibration of the coil of the tube. A feeder to supply the threadlike piece into the tube may be provided between the inlet end of the tube and a coil feeding device.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for performing the remotely-manlated installation and removal of a pass-through conduit unit into and out of a channel formed in a partition wall. A feed assembly is part of the apparatus and includes a plurality of parts assembled to form an elongated body in the channel. An articulated coupling such as a ball joint couples the conduit unit to the elongated body. A drive is operatively connected to the elongated body for displacing the latter in the channel. A crane has a holder for holding and remotely manipulating the conduit unit as the latter is installed or removed from the channel.

Abstract: The present system for joining tape leaders is comprised of an elongated member which has a finger like protrusion and a cam protrusion both of which are disposed close to one end thereof. The elongated member has an elongated slot at one end which fits over a stud and is further rotationally coupled to a crank so that the elongated member can pivot around said stud in a number of different positions in response to the crank being moved. The crank is rotationally coupled to a cam follower and the crank is further arranged to rotate about a stud.

Abstract: A method for formation of duct from preformed pieces. A number of ductwork pieces are formed out of sheet material, the pieces having edge configurations adapted to interlock with each other to form a seam of a completed duct. The individual pieces are fed into an edge interlocking machine and are acted upon by the machine to form a duct having a predetermined length. The machine includes a stationary frame member, guide rails elongated in the direction of ductwork movement through the machine, rollers associated with at least some of the guide rails for effecting interlocking of the edge configurations of the duct work pieces to form duct seams, and structure for mounting the guide rails to the frame member. The guide rails are relatively movable with respect to the frame member and to each other to form ducts of different sizes and so that transition ducts can be formed as well as straight duct.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing plastic tubular elements with rubber or metal fittings at one or both ends, includes a conveyor for a plastic tube, a stop for metering a given length of the plastic tube, a cutter for cutting the length and a series of jaws for transferring the cut length to a least one head which automatically effects an axial mounting of a fitting over or within at least one end of tube length, after insertion of a core within the fitting and tube end bores.

Abstract: A composite tape made of highly different components is laminated in a process that maintains registry between the components. Strips of metal and insulating material are aligned in registry and first tack bonded at intervals. Then the strips are area bonded to create the composite.

Abstract: Apparatus for the manufacture of circular wreaths, such as Christmas wreaths, is adapted for making either single-faced or double-faced wreaths, utilizing either artificial or natural wrapping materials.Disclosed is an apparatus or machine for securing facing materials to an elongated, straight wire core to form a wreath section capable of being joined end to end with other similar sections in a separate, subsequent assembly operation to produce a circular wreath of selected diameter. The machine includes means for feeding a wire core in the direction of its length, while imparting intermittent rotational movement thereto about its own axis, with each such movement being on the order of approximately 180.degree. of angular travel about the core axis. The opposite sides of the core are thus alternately presented to the operator for positioning of the wreath facing material in longitudinal contact with the core.

Abstract: A method for assembling sheet metal pipes, and a machine for carrying out the method which comprises assembling a pipe from a preformed pipe blank into a finished pipe without permanently deforming the pipe blank material. The method comprises the steps of folding of a preformed pipe blank, having a male lock joint member along one longitudinal edge and a female lock joint member along the other longitudinal edge so as to move the longitudinal edges toward each other, and then inserting the male lock joint member into the female lock joint member, with the spring tension created in the pipe blank due to the folding action effecting a locking action between the two lock joint members.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing flexible duct comprising feeding a strip of cloth and a channel formed strip of metal in parallel through a work station having a pair of crimping rollers which fasten an edge of the fabric into the channel. A forming ring is provided at the work station to guide a first coil of fabric attached to channel strip around to meet and overlap a second coil of fabric being fed into the work station. A roller member is rotatably fixed above the work station to force the overlapping edges of adjacent coils of fabric down into the channel of the metal strip being simultaneously fed in parallel with the fabric toward the crimping rolls. The roller member carries with it a string which it inserts into the channel over the overlapping edges of the fabric prior to the combined materials being fed into crimping rollers where they are forced into a retained and fixed position within the enfolded arms of the crimped channel of metal.

Abstract: Apparatus is supported by one end of a line of rails for feeding metal bars from a coil lengthwise into parallel longitudinal slots in the rails to form continuous straight electrical conductors. The feeding apparatus includes a plurality of staggered straightening rolls for straightening the conductor bar as it is pulled from the reel for feeding it into the slot in line with the apparatus, the apparatus being adjustable transversely of the rails to locate it in line with the different slots.

Abstract: The invention comprises bending longitudinal edges of coiled ribbons toward the board elements of girders and drawing the ribbons over these elements with subsequent fixing of bent edges thereto. Then the ribbons are tensioned lengthwise, and the bent edges are crimped around the board elements of the girders.The arrangement for effecting this method of installation comprises a coiled ribbon mounted in an uncoiling means a bending mechanism for shaping the ribbon to obtain a profile corresponding to the board elements of the girders, and means for crimping the bent edges of the ribbon. The bending mechanism receiving the ribbon from the coil comprises a rigid frame disposed beneath the ribbon drawn between two adjacent girders which are rigidly connected to a pair of bilaterally symmetrical bending heads mounted to both end faces of the frame.