Apparatus for producing an electrical component having a current conductive path formed on an insulating substrate

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT COMPRISING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING A BLANK, SAID BLANK COMPRISING AN INSULATING SUBSTRATE COATED WITH A FILM OF A CONDUCTIVE NATURE, AN ELECTRODE INCLUDING A BLADE, RESILIENT MEANS FOR MECHANICALLY BIASING SAID ELECTRODE TOWARD THE BLANK, A FIRST PART OF THE BLADE THEREBY ENGAGINT THE BLANK WHILE A SECOND PART OF THE BLADE IS SLIGHTLY SPACED FROM THE SURFACE OF THE BLANK TO FORM A SPARK GAP THEREBETWEEN, MEANS FOR PROVIDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE ELECTRODE AND THE BLANK SO THAT SAID FIRST PART OF THE BLADE TRAILS BEHIND THE SECOND PART THEREOF, AND ELECTRICAL SUPPLY MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE FILM AND THE ELECTRODE FOR PRODUCING SPARKING AT SAID SPARK GAP WHICH PROGRESSIVELY REMOVES PREDETERMINED PORTIONS OF SAID FILM IN THE VICINITY OF SAID BLADE FROM THE BLANK, SAID FIRST PART OF THE BLADE RESTING DIRECTLY UPON THE INSULATING SUBSTRATE WHERE THE FILM HAS BEEN REMOVED.