Transistor inserter

Claim 3

An insertion head assembly adapted for use in an insertion apparatus for inserting electrical components with leads into a circuit board, said insertion head assembly comprising a retaining means, slide means mounted to said retaining means for vertical movement, said slide means having component-lead-straightening means and component lead guide means depending therefrom, spindle means mounted in said slide means for vertical movement relative to said slide means, receiving means mounted on said spindle means for engaging an electrical component, ejection means associated with said spindle means for ejecting a component, means for causing the straightening means and guide means to move out of the path of said component-receiving means during an insertion cycle.

Claim 4

An insertion head assembly adapted for use in an insertion apparatus for inserting electrical components with leads into a circuit board, said insertion head assembly comprising a retaining means, slide means mounted to said retaining means for vertical movement, said slide means having component-lead-straightening means and component lead guide means depending therefrom, spindle means mounted in said slide means for vertical movement relative to said slide means, receiving means mounted on said spindle means for engaging an electrical component, ejection means associated with said spindle means for ejecting a component, means for causing the straightening means and guide means to move out of the path of said component-receiving means during an insertion cycle.

Claim 5

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said component-lead-straightening means consist of a pair of arms pivotally mounted to said slide means, lead-straightening blades mounted adjacent the lower extremity of each of said arms and camming means associated with said retaining means for causing said arms to pivot during an insertion cycle.

Claim 6

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said component lead guide means consists of a pair of arms mounted to said slide means for pivotal and limited vertical movement, guide plates mounted adjacent the lower extremity of each of said arms, said guide plates having relatively flat portions with abutting edges and aperture means thereon, camming means associated with said guide arms and said spindle for causing said arms to move during an insertion cycle.

Claim 7

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said aperture means in the guide plate flat portions are formed by a notch terminating in a slot in the abutting edge of one of said plates, and a meshing projection between two notches on the abutting edge of the other plate, the projection adapted to mesh with the notch on the first plate to form one aperture, the edge of said first plate and the notches of the other plate abutting to form two additional apertures, the areas of both plates adjacent said apertures being relieved to form guide surfaces sloping toward the respective apertures.

Claim 8

An insertion head assembly as in claim 2 wherein the slide means consists of a block having a central vertically extending passage therethrough in which said spindle means is mounted for vertical movement, said block also having channels in opposite sides thereof in which said straightening means and said guide means are pivotally mounted, the means causing said guide means to move out of the path of the component-receiving means consisting of projections extending from said guide means, slots extending from said channels into said central passage, and vertical grooves on said spindle means whereby said projections normally ride in said grooves until said spindle means is projected downwardly relative to said block whereupon the projections are forced out of said vertical grooves forcing the guide means to move away from the path of the component-receiving means.

Claim 9

An insertion assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said retaining means has a hollowed rectangular area in which said slide means is mounted, said means causing said lead-straightening means to move out of the path of said component-receiving means consisting of rollers on said straightening means, pivoted spring-loaded cams on said retaining means, said cams having a first flat camming surface and an adjacent second arcuate camming surface whereby as the slide means moves downwardly the first camming surfaces coact with the rollers to force the straightening means into the area immediately below the component-receiving means to straighten the component leads and upon further downward movement of said slide means the rollers coact with said arcuate camming surfaces to move the straightening means out of the path of said component-receiving means.

Claim 10

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said slide means has a vertical centrally extending passage therethrough in which said spindle means consisting of an elongated rod, the lower portion being hollow, said component-ejecting means consisting of a cylinder and piston means in said hollow portion, a source of air pressure, and value means connecting said source with said cylinder and piston means whereby upon activation of said value means, air pressure forces the piston means downward to eject a component from said receiving means.

Claim 11

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cylinder means consists of a hollow collet adapter mounted for limited movement in the hollow portion of said spindle, said adapter having a collet clamp at its lower extremity, said component-receiving means consisting of a collet clamped in said collet adapter means, a first resilient means biasing said adapter means downwardly, a second resilient means biasing said piston means upwardly, slots in said collet adapter, a pin extending through said slots into said spindle whereby said adapter movement is limited by the length of the slots and the pin provides a limit stop for upward travel of said piston means.

Claim 12

An insertion head assembly for inserting electrical components having leads into electrical printed circuit boards with existing insertion apertures and the like, comprising: a. means for holding said components with leads extending in the direction of the circuit board, b. means to propel said holding means toward said circuit boards, c. means to straighten said leads during a first part of said insertion cycle. d. means to guide said leads during a later part of said insertion cycle, and e. means to eject said components from holding means into the circuit boards.

Claim 13

An insertion head assembly for inserting electrical components having leads into electrical printed circuit boards with existing insertion apertures and the like, comprising: a. means for holding said components with leads extending in the direction of the circuit board, b. means to propel said holding means toward said circuit boards, c. means to straighten said leads during a first part of said insertion cycle. d. means to guide said leads during a later part of said insertion cycle, and e. means to eject said components from holding means into the circuit boards.

Claim 14

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for propelling said holding means includes: f. a retaining means, g. a slide means mounted for relative movement in said retaining means, h. a spindle means mounted for relative movement in said slide means, whereby relative movement is effected between said retaining means, said slide means and said spindle means during an insertion cycle.

Claim 15

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means to straighten said leads comprises: f. depending arms pivotally mounted to said assembly, g. straightening blades mounted on the ends of said arms, and h. cam means on said assembly to first swing the arms into a lead-straightening position and then away during an insertion cycle.

Claim 16

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means to guide said leads comprises: f. guide arms depending from said assembly and mounted thereon for pivotal and limited linear movement, g. guide plates haviNg edge portions with funnel-shaped apertures in one edge thereof, h. said edges normally in abutting relationship, i. camming means associated with said arms and said propelling means to move said plates away from the insertion path during the latter portion of the cycle.

Claim 17

An insertion head assembly for use in inserting electrical components into predrilled holes in printed circuit boards comprising: a. a retaining block having a hollow open-ended chamber portion, b. a slide block mounted for linear movement in the central part of said chamber portion, c. said slide block having channel portions on opposite vertical sides thereof and a vertical aperture extending therethrough, d. component-lead-straightening means pivotally mounted to said slide block in said channel portions, e. component lead guide means mounted for pivotal and limited linear movement in said channel portions adjacent said component-lead-straightening means, f. spindle means extending through said slide block vertical aperture and one end of said retaining block for connection to a power means the other end being hollow, g. a component-holding means mounted on the end of said spindle means, and h. ejector means mounted in the hollow end of said spindle for ejecting a component from said holding means.

Claim 18

An insertion head assembly for use in inserting electrical components into predrilled holes in printed circuit boards comprising: a. a retaining block having a hollow open-ended chamber portion, b. a slide block mounted for linear movement in the central part of said chamber portion, c. said slide block having channel portions on opposite vertical sides thereof and a vertical aperture extending therethrough, d. component-lead-straightening means pivotally mounted to said slide block in said channel portions, e. component lead guide means mounted for pivotal and limited linear movement in said channel portions adjacent said component-lead-straightening means, f. spindle means extending through said slide block vertical aperture and one end of said retaining block for connection to a power means the other end being hollow, g. a component-holding means mounted on the end of said spindle means, and h. ejector means mounted in the hollow end of said spindle for ejecting a component from said holding means.

Claim 19

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 14 and further including: i. a roller and cam means adapted to first pivot the lead-straightening means into straightening means in the first part of an insertion cycle and then to pivot the straightening means out of straightening position.

Claim 20

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 14 and further including: i. a groove and projection camming means adapted to pivot the lead guide means away from a guide position during the latter portion of the insertion cycle.

Claim 21

An insertion head assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said ejector means comprises: i. a collet adapter in the hollow end of said spindle means, j. a piston with an ejector pin mounted for linear movement in said collet adapter. k. a source of fluid pressure, l. means connecting said fluid pressure source with said piston, whereby upon activation, the fluid pressure causes said piston and pin to eject a component from said component-holding means.