Machine for processing and securing parallel lead electronic circuit elements to a printed circuit board

In a machine for automatically inserting parallel lead type circuit elements into openings in a printed circuit board, the improvement comprising supply means for selectively supplying to appropriate circuit element separating means a group of electronic circuit elements from a plurality of groups of electronic circuit elements, said element supply means including a shelf sub-assembly consisting of a plurality of shelves stacked one above the other, each said shelf being adapted to support one of said groups of electronic circuit elements, vertical drive means for displacing said shelf subassembly in the vertical direction, horizontal drive means for displacing one of said shelves in the horizontal direction, tape feeding means for incrementally feeding said group of electronic circuit elements disposed on said horizontally displaced shelf, and separating means for sequentially separating an electronic circuit element from said group of electronic circuit elements in response to each incremental feeding thereof.

In a machine for automatically inserting parallel lead circuit elements into openings in a printed circuit board, the improvement comprising transfer means for selectively gripping and transferring said electronic circuit element, said transfer means including a plurality of chuck means, each said chuck means comprising a fixed block, a first movable block slidably engaged in said fixed block, a second movable block slidably engaged in said first movable block, engagement means for effecting relative movement of said first and second movable blocks with respect to each other, said second movable block including a fixed claw formed thereon, said second movable block further including at least two movable claws disposed thereon, said movable claws including spring biasing means for biasing said movable claws into one of a closed and open position for respectively grpping and releasing said supplied circuit element, and further spring biasing means for bringing said second movable block into engagement with said fixed block to define an open position.

In a machine for automatically inserting parallel lead type circuit elements into openings in a printed circuit board, the improvement comprising insert means for receiving a circuit element at a predetermined position and inserting same to an inserted position, said insert means including lead bending and cutting means, said lead bending and cutting means including a first rotatable mold having a plurality of spaced blade holes, each said blade hole including a cutting edge surface facing in the direction through which said rotatable mold is adapted to be rotated, said cutting edge surface terminating in a subtly curved surface, and a non-rotatable mold coaxially disposed with respect to said rotatable mold, said non-rotatable mold including the same number of blade holes as said rotatable mold, the blade holes in said non-rotatable mold being aligned with the blade holes in said rotatable mold when said element is displaced from said predetermined position to said inserted position.