Method for seizing, and holding for transfer of small objects, particularly coiled filaments for electrical lamps and the like

Claim 2

Method of seizing, treating in a solvent bath, holding for transfer, and releasing small filamentary coils for lamp filaments comprising providing a transparent foil forming a transport belt essentially inert with respect to the solvent bath and having cuts which define at least two projecting portions, one having a direction of projection in the direction of transport of the belt and the other having a direction of projection opposite the transport direction, the projecting portions being connected with the belt at a region remote from said projections and extending substantially transverse to the direction of transport; guiding said belt over a surface having a sharp radius of curvature to deflect the cut projecting portions from their position with respect to the surface of the belt as the belt is bent and to form outwardly projecting flaps; introducing a single filamentary coil on the belt in the space between the oppositely directed projecting flaps as the belt is guided over said sharply bent surface and at a location opposite said surface; subsequently moving said belt over a path having a maximum radius of curvature which is substantially less than that of the sharp bend, to permit said flaps to close over the coils; subjecting the belt and the coils held thereon to a solvent bath; optically inspecting the filament coils as they are held between the projections of the transparent belt; and guiding the belt over a surface which has a radius of curvatures similar to said sharp radius of curvature to release the coils being held between oppositely directing flaps and to retrieve the coils from the belt.

Claim 3

Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of guiding the belt over a surface having a sharp radius of curvature comprises guiding the belt over a surface having a radius of curvature which is up to about half of the disTance of the connecting regions of a pair of oppositely directed projecting portions.

Claim 4

Method according to claim 1, wherein the cuts are interconnected.

Claim 5

Method according to claim 3, wherein the cuts form a continuous cut which is, in plan outline, approximately Z-shaped.

Claim 6

Method according to claim 1, wherein the belt is a polyethylene ribbon in the order of about 50 Mu thick.

Claim 7

In the method of manufacturing filamentary coils for lamp filaments, in which filaments material is wound on a dissolvable core, the step of: feeding a length of core material, with filaments wound thereon; cutting said core and filaments in predetermined length; passing a receptacle beneath the cut length, in time synchronism with the cutting operation, one receptacle, each, being presented for each cut length; providing a chemical solvent bath in which the core material for the filamentary material is dissolvable; providing a transparent foil forming a transport belt essentially inert with respect to the solvent bath and having cuts which define at least two projecting portions, one having a direction of projection in the direction of transport of the belt and the other having a direction of projection opposite the transport direction, the projecting portions being connected with a belt at a region remote from said projections and extending substantially transversely to the direction of transport; guiding said belt over a surface having a sharp radius of curvature to deflect the cut projection from their positions with respect to the surface of the belt as the belt is bent and to form outwardly projecting flaps, said surface having said sharp radius being in proximity to the receptacles carrying single cut cores and filaments wound thereon, the guiding movement of said belt being synchronized with the movement of said receptacles to present deflected cut projections each time a receptacle appears opposite said cut surface, to load one cut core and filament thereon between said projecting portions; subsequently moving said belt over a path having a maximum radius of curvature which is substantially less than that of the sharp bend, to permit said flaps to close over the filaments wound on the core; subjecting the filaments wound on the cores, held on the belt, to a solvent bath of such composition that the cores are dissolved, said projecting portions retaining said unsupported coils in position on the belt, said step subjecting the belt to the solvent bath including contacting the coils and dissolving cores with turbulence; removing the belt and the filaments, after dissolution of the cores from the filaments from said bath; optically inspecting the filament coils as they are held between the projections of the transparent belts; and guiding the belt over a surface which has a radius of curvature similar to said sharp radius of curvature to release the filaments being held between oppositely directing projecting portions and to retrieve the filaments from the belt for assembly of the filaments into lamps.

Claim 8

In the method of manufacturing filamentary coils for lamp filaments, in which filaments material is wound on a dissolvable core, the step of: feeding a length of core material, with filaments wound thereon; cutting said core and filaments in predetermined length; passing a receptacle beneath the cut length, in time synchronism with the cutting operation, one receptacle, each, being presented for each cut length; providing a chemical solvent bath in which the core material for the filamentary material is dissolvable; providing a transparent foil forming a transport belt essentially inert with respect to the solvent bath and having cuts which define at least two projecting portions, one having a direction of projection in the direction of transport of the belt and the other having a direction of projection opposite the transport direction, the projecting portions being connected with a belt at a region remote from said projections and extending substantially transversely to the direction of transport; guiding said belt over a surface having a sharp radius of curvature to deflect the cut projection from their positions with respect to the surface of the belt as the belt is bent and to form outwardly projecting flaps, said surface having said sharp radius being in proximity to the receptacles carrying single cut cores and filaments wound thereon, the guiding movement of said belt being synchronized with the movement of said receptacles to present deflected cut projections each time a receptacle appears opposite said cut surface, to load one cut core and filament thereon between said projecting portions; subsequently moving said belt over a path having a maximum radius of curvature which is substantially less than that of the sharp bend, to permit said flaps to close over the filaments wound on the core; subjecting the filaments wound on the cores, held on the belt, to a solvent bath of such composition that the cores are dissolved, said projecting portions retaining said unsupported coils in position on the belt, said step subjecting the belt to the solvent bath including contacting the coils and dissolving cores with turbulence; removing the belt and the filaments, after dissolution of the cores from the filaments from said bath; optically inspecting the filament coils as they are held between the projections of the transparent belts; and guiding the belt over a surface which has a radius of curvature similar to said sharp radius of curvature to release the filaments being held between oppositely directing projecting portions and to retrieve the filaments from the belt for assembly of the filaments into lamps.

Claim 9

Method according to claim 6, wherein the step of guiding the belt over a surface having a sharp radius of curvature comprises guiding the belt over a surface having a radius of curvature which is up to about half of the distance of the connecting regions of a pair of oppositely directed projecting portions.

Claim 10

Method according to claim 6, wherein the cuts form a continuous cut which is, in plan outline, approximately Z-shaped.

Claim 11

Method according to claim 6, wherein the belt is a polyethylene ribbon in the order of about 50 Mu thick.