Apparatus for forming and trimming the leads of electronic components

Apparatus for processing electronic components such as transistors and the like having a body with a plurality of leads aligned in a row and extending therefrom, comprising:

• an elongated guide means forming a transistor body passageway extending between an entry end and an exit end and having a single slot along the length of its bottom side through which the transistor leads project, the width of said slot being only slightly wider than the width of one of said leads, said entry end being elevated relative to said exit end and said passageway extending through a work station;
• metering means disposed along the length of said guide means between said entry end and the work station for feeding transistors one-at-a-time to the work station;
• positioning means disposed at the work station for receiving and causing each transistor fed thereto to be stopped and positioned with a predetermined orientation;
• a die assembly disposed at the work station beneath and on one side of said guide means and movable between a retracted position and a lead engaging position, said die assembly including a die plate having a lead receiving notch in one edge thereof, a pair of pivotable lead engaging members lying beneath said die plate with one end of each member positioned proximate said notch, and a lead length determining shoulder lying beneath the ends of said pivotable members;
• a forming and cutting assembly disposed at the work station beneath and on the opposite side of said guide means relative to said die assembly and movable between a retracted position and a working position, said forming and cutting assembly including a forming member for mating with said die plate and said pivotable members to form said leads into a predetermined configuration, and a cutting element having a shearing edge for cooperating with said shoulder to trim the formed leads to a predetermined length, said cutting element including an elongated member having an upper surface terminating in said shearing edge on the side nearest said die assembly means, and said forming member including a body portion slideably mounted to said surface and a shaping element formed on the side of said body portion nearest said die assembly for engaging said ends of said pivotable members and deforming the leads beneath said notch, and means urging said body portion into a position with said shaping element extending over said cutting edge when said forming and cutting assembly is in said retracted position but permitting said cutting element to move relative to said forming member a predetermined distance in the direction of said die assembly after said forming member has mated with said die assembly;
• and
• actuating means for actuating said metering means to feed a transistor to the work station, for actuating said positioning means to receive and position the fed transistor, and for then simultaneously actuating said die assembly means and said forming and cutting assembly means to form and trim the leads of the transistor.