Component inserting apparatus

Claim 1

A component inserting apparatus for inserting electrical and electronic components into printed circuit boards, said apparatus comprising chuck means for gripping a body portion of a component having a plurality of lead wires extending outwardly therefrom in the same direction, insertion guide means which contacts outer sides of each of the lead wires so as to regulate the lead wires to be positioned at predetermined positions thereby to guide the lead wires into corresponding openings formed in a printed circuit board, a vertically movable guide shaft member for rotatably supporting said insertion guide means, and an insertion shaft member coupled with said chuck means so as to be movable in the same direction as said guide shaft member and also to be movable relatively with respect to said guide shaft member, said insertion guide means being provided with a follower portion contacting a cam formed in said insertion shaft member and rotating said insertion guide means in association with sliding movement of said insertion shaft member for spacing said insertion guide means from the printed circuit board in the course of insertion of the lead wires of the gripped component into the corresponding openings in the printed circuit board and also for rotating said insertion guide means in a direction to be spaced from the component.