Semi-automatic solder feeding apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SOLDER TO THE TIP OF AN ELECTRICAL SOLDERING DEVICE COMPRISING: MOUNTING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO SUCH SOLDERING DEVICE; CONDUIT MEANS SECURED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND GUIDING A WIRE OF SUCH SOLDER THERETHROUGH TO SAID SOLDERING TIP; AN OPEN CHANNEL PORTION IN SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR LATERALLY EXPOSING A PORTION OF SAID SOLDER; ROTATABLE RATCHET WHEEL MEANS HAVING A PERIPHERAL SURFACE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SOLDER THROUGH SAID OPEN CHANNEL PORTION; SELECTIVELY ACTUATABLE DRIVE MEANS IN RECTILINEARLY MOVABLE RELATIONSHIP TO SAID CONDUIT MEANS FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID RATCHET WHEEL MEANS FOR CAUSING SELECTIVE ALTERNATING FORWARD AND REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RATCHET WHEEL MEANS; SAID DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A SOLENOID HAVING A RECTILINEARLY RECIPROCABLE ARMATURE, SAID ARMATURE BEING EFFECTIVELY SECURED TO SAID RATCHET WHEEL MEANS IN DRIVING RELATIONSHIP THERETO; AND PAWL MEANS FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID DRIVE MEANS SAID PAWL MEANS BEING IN RATCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RATCHET WHEEL MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION THERETO DURING SUCH FORWARD MOVEMENT AND PERMITTING ROTATION THEREOF DURING SUCH REARWARD MOVEMENT, WHEREBY SAID RATCHET WHEEL MEANS DRIVES SAID SOLDER DURING SUCH FORWARD MOVEMENT ONLY.