System for soldering printed circuits

Claim 1

A apparatus for soldering printed circuit panels comprising a plurality of stations through which the printed circuit panels are horizontally conveyed, the stations including a preheat station having heating means and rolls for conveying the panels through the preheat station to elevate the temperature of the panels, a flux station for coating the panels with a flux and including rolls for conveying the panels through the flux station, a soldering station including at least one solder immersion chamber defined by upper and lower retainer guide means and two pairs of rolls, the rolls functioning to convey printed circuit panels horizontally through the chamber, each roll pair including an upper roll and a lower roll, the guide means being parallel to the rolls and the lower guide means positioned close to the lower rolls to minimize solder leakage, means adjacent the ends of the pairs of rolls for further enclosing the solder chamber, an opening in the lower guide means parallel to the rolls, a manifold parallel to and below the solder chamber and communicating with the opening in the lower guide means, means for pumping solder into the manifold to flood the solder chamber through said opening, means providing a solder flow path that flows solder around wide panels in the chamber to maintain the chamber full, whereby printed circuit panels conveyed by the rolls through the solder chamber are quickly and efficiently soldered, a solder leveling station at the exit of the solder immersion chamber including upper and lower air knives to level the molten solder and open holes in the panels by removing excess solder, a cooling station including means for conveying the soldered panels from the solder leveling station to the cooling station, an air transport table in the cooling station including a perforated surface, and means for flowing cooling air through the perforations to convey and support the panel on a cushion of air thereby cooling the panel.

Claim 2

A apparatus for soldering printed circuit panels comprising a plurality of stations through which the printed circuit panels are horizontally conveyed, the stations including a preheat station having heating means and rolls for conveying the panels through the preheat station to elevate the temperature of the panels, a flux station for coating the panels with a flux and including rolls for conveying the panels through the flux station, a soldering station including at least one solder immersion chamber defined by upper and lower retainer guide means and two pairs of rolls, the rolls functioning to convey printed circuit panels horizontally through the chamber, each roll pair including an upper roll and a lower roll, the guide means being parallel to the rolls and the lower guide means positioned close to the lower rolls to minimize solder leakage, means adjacent the ends of the pairs of rolls for further enclosing the solder chamber, an opening in the lower guide means parallel to the rolls, a manifold parallel to and below the solder chamber and communicating with the opening in the lower guide means, means for pumping solder into the manifold to flood the solder chamber through said opening, means providing a solder flow path that flows solder around wide panels in the chamber to maintain the chamber full, whereby printed circuit panels conveyed by the rolls through the solder chamber are quickly and efficiently soldered, a solder leveling station at the exit of the solder immersion chamber including upper and lower air knives to level the molten solder and open holes in the panels by removing excess solder, a cooling station including means for conveying the soldered panels from the solder leveling station to the cooling station, an air transport table in the cooling station including a perforated surface, and means for flowing cooling air through the perforations to convey and support the panel on a cushion of air thereby cooling the panel.