Apparatus for inserting terminals into panel members

Claim 2

Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting devices into a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said electricaL connecting devices being in the form of a continuous strip comprising a carrier strip having transversely extending supporting ears extending from at least one side edge thereof at periodic intervals, said connecting devices being on one side of said carrier strip, each connecting device extending between two adjacent supporting ears and being integral at each end with a supporting ear, said apparatus comprising: supporting means for supporting said panel-like member in a first plane, strip feeding means for intermittently feeding said strip along a first path extending parallel to, and spaced from said first plane. first severing means on said first path for severing the leading end of each of said connecting devices from its associated ear during feeding of said strip, severing and inserting means for severing the leading connecting device of said strip at its trailing end from said strip and inserting said leading connecting device into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means, a ram reciprocable along a predetermined second path, said path, extending transversely of said first path and said plane, said first severing means comprising a movable severing blade on said ram and a fixed severing member on said second path, said movable and fixed severing members constituting a cooperating pair of severing members for severing the said leading end of one of said connecting devices from one of said ears, said severing and inserting means comprising a severing and inserting punches on said ram and a fixed trailing end severing member, said severing and inserting punches having gripping means on its end and having a severing edge cooperable with said trailing end severing member, said punches being effective to bend said leading connecting device along said second path with concomitant severing thereof from said strip and to insert said device into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting devices into a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said electrical connecting devices being in the form of a continuous strip comprising a carrier strip having laterally extending ears extending therefrom at spaced-apart intervals, said connecting devices being on one side of said carrier strip and each connecting device being disposed between two adjacent ears with its leading and trailing ends integral with said two adjacent ears, said apparatus comprising: supporting means for supporting said panel-like member in a reference plane, strip feeding means for feeding said strip along a first path which is spaced from, and which extends parallel to, said reference plane, a ram, said ram being reciprocable along a second path which extends towards and away from a panel like member supported on said supporting means and which intersects said first path, first severing means for severing the leading end of each of said connecting devices from its associated ear, said first severing means comprising a first movable shearing means on said ram and a first fixed shearing means on said path whereby said leading end is severed when said first movable shearing means moves past said first fixed shearing means, a second fixed shearing means on said path located downstream, relative to the direction of strip feed, from said first fixed shearing means, a punch on said ram, said punch having on its lower end bending means for bending the leading connecting device of said strip out of the plane of said strip so that said leading connecting device is parallel to said second path, second movable shearing means cooperable with said second fixed shearing means, and connecting device holding means for holding said leading connecting device during movement of said punch towards said panel-like member whereby, during each operating cycle of said apparatus, the leading end of a connecting device which is upstream from the said leading connecting device is Severed from its associated arm, and leading connecting device of said strip is bent out of the plane of said strip, the trailing end of said leading connecting device is severed from said strip, and said leading connecting device is carried to, and inserted into, said panel-like member.

Claim 4

Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting devices into a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said electrical connecting devices being in the form of a continuous strip comprising a carrier strip having laterally extending ears extending therefrom at spaced-apart intervals, said connecting devices being on one side of said carrier strip and each connecting device being disposed between two adjacent ears with its leading and trailing ends integral with said two adjacent ears, said apparatus comprising: supporting means for supporting said panel-like member in a reference plane, strip feeding means for feeding said strip along a first path which is spaced from, and which extends parallel to, said reference plane, a ram, said ram being reciprocable along a second path which extends towards and away from a panel like member supported on said supporting means and which intersects said first path, first severing means for severing the leading end of each of said connecting devices from its associated ear, said first severing means comprising a first movable shearing means on said ram and a first fixed shearing means on said path whereby said leading end is severed when said first movable shearing means moves past said first fixed shearing means, a second fixed shearing means on said path located downstream, relative to the direction of strip feed, from said first fixed shearing means, a punch on said ram, said punch having on its lower end bending means for bending the leading connecting device of said strip out of the plane of said strip so that said leading connecting device is parallel to said second path, second movable shearing means cooperable with said second fixed shearing means, and connecting device holding means for holding said leading connecting device during movement of said punch towards said panel-like member whereby, during each operating cycle of said apparatus, the leading end of a connecting device which is upstream from the said leading connecting device is Severed from its associated arm, and leading connecting device of said strip is bent out of the plane of said strip, the trailing end of said leading connecting device is severed from said strip, and said leading connecting device is carried to, and inserted into, said panel-like member.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bending means, said second movable shearing means, and said holding means comprise the end of said punch and a recess in said end, said end of said punch being adapted to engage and bend said leading connecting device during movement of said ram, said recess being adapted to receive said leading connecting device after bending thereof, and edge portions of said recess being movable past said second fixed shearing means to sever said trailing end of said leading connecting device from said associated arm.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said strip having said laterally extending ears extending from both sides of said carrier strip and having said connecting devices on both sides of said carrier strip, said apparatus having an additional first severing means, an additional bending means, an additional second fixed and movable shearing means, and having an additional connecting device holding means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including terminal strip feeding means for feeding said strip, said feeding means comprising a reciprocable feed arm engageable with said carrier strip.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including spring means on said end of said punch for retaining said leading connecting device in said recess.

Claim 9

Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting devices into a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said electrical connecting devices being in the form of a continuous strip comprising a central carrier strip having transversely extending supporting ears extending from both side edges thereof at periodic intervals, said connecting devices being in two parallel columns with one column on each side of said carrier strip, each connecting device extending between two adjacent supporting ears and being integral at each end with a supporting ear, said apparatus comprising: supporting means for supporting said panel-like member in a first plane, strip feeding means for intermittently feeding said strip along a first path extending parallel to, and spaced from said first plane, first severing means on said first path for severing the leading end of each of said connecting devices from its associated ear during feeding of said strip, severing and inserting means for severing said connecting devices at the trailing ends thereof from said strip and inserting said connecting devices into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means, a ram reciprocable along a predetermined second path, said path extending transversely of said first path and said plane, said first severing means comprising two spaced apart movable severing blades on said ram and two spaced-apart fixed severing members on said second path, each of said movable and fixed severing members comprising constituting a cooperating pair of severing members for severing the said leading end of one of said connecting devices from one of said ears, said severing and inserting means comprising two spaced apart severing and inserting punches on said ram and two spaced apart severing members at the intersection of said first and second paths, said severing and inserting punches each having gripping means on its end and having a severing edge cooperable with one of said trailing end severing members, each of said punches each being effective to bend a leading connecting device of said strip out of said first path and into said second path, to grasp one of said leading connecting devices, and to move one of said connecting devices along said second path with concomitant severing thereof from said strip and to insert said devices into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting devices into a panel-like member such as a printed circuit board, said electrical connecting devices being in the form of a continuous strip comprising a central carrier strip having transversely extending supporting ears extending from both side edges thereof at periodic intervals, said connecting devices being in two parallel columns with one column on each side of said carrier strip, each connecting device extending between two adjacent supporting ears and being integral at each end with a supporting ear, said apparatus comprising: supporting means for supporting said panel-like member in a first plane, strip feeding means for intermittently feeding said strip along a first path extending parallel to, and spaced from said first plane, first severing means on said first path for severing the leading end of each of said connecting devices from its associated ear during feeding of said strip, severing and inserting means for severing said connecting devices at the trailing ends thereof from said strip and inserting said connecting devices into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means, a ram reciprocable along a predetermined second path, said path extending transversely of said first path and said plane, said first severing means comprising two spaced apart movable severing blades on said ram and two spaced-apart fixed severing members on said second path, each of said movable and fixed severing members comprising constituting a cooperating pair of severing members for severing the said leading end of one of said connecting devices from one of said ears, said severing and inserting means comprising two spaced apart severing and inserting punches on said ram and two spaced apart severing members at the intersection of said first and second paths, said severing and inserting punches each having gripping means on its end and having a severing edge cooperable with one of said trailing end severing members, each of said punches each being effective to bend a leading connecting device of said strip out of said first path and into said second path, to grasp one of said leading connecting devices, and to move one of said connecting devices along said second path with concomitant severing thereof from said strip and to insert said devices into a panel-like member supported on said supporting means.