Methods of and apparatus for straightening backplane-supported pins
AssigneeWestern Electric Company, Inc.
InventorWilliam M. Chisholm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A backplane (32) supporting a plurality of pins (31) is clamped to a fixture (86) which is mounted on a movable platform (48). A pin straightening assembly (85) is attached to a movable holding bar (73) above the backplane-supported pins (31). By selective vertical movement of the straightening assembly (85), tips of the pins (31) are captured therein. The assembly (85) is then reciprocated horizontally in the plane of the assembly to straighten the pins (31) in a first plane. The tips of the pins (31) are then captured by other portions of the assembly (85). The platform (48) is reciprocated horizontally in the plane thereof to straighten the pins (31) in a second plane.
Claims25
A method of straightening pins supported in a backplane, which comprises the steps of:
- securing the backplane in a pin straightening assembly with the pins extending from the backplane and tips of the pins being fully exposed within the assembly;
- capturing the tips of the pins only within a first planar surface of the pin straightening assembly;
- providing relative reciprocating motion in a first direction between the first planar surface and the backplane to straighten the pins in the first direction;
- withdrawing the tips of the pins from within the first planar surface while the backplane remains secured within the pin straightening assembly to again fully expose the tips of the pins;
- capturing the tips of the pins only within a second planar surface of the pin straightening assembly which is recessed planarly from the first planar surface in a direction away from the pins to be straightened;
- and
- providing relative reciprocating motion in a second direction between the second planar surface and the backplane to straighten the pins in the second direction.
A method of straightening pins supported in a backplane, which comprises the steps of:
- securing the backplane in a pin straightening assembly with the pins extending from the backplane and tips of the pins being fully exposed within the assembly;
- capturing the tips of the pins only within a first planar surface of the pin straightening assembly;
- reciprocating the first planar surface in a first direction to straighten the pins in the first direction;
- withdrawing the tips of the pins from within the first planar surface while the backplane remains secured within the pin straightening assembly to again fully expose the tips of the pins;
- capturing the tips of the pins only within a second planar surface of the pin straightening assembly which is recessed from the first planar surface in a direction away from the pins to be straightened;
- and
- reciprocating the backplane in a second direction to straighten the pins in the second direction.
A method of straightening pins supported in a backplane, which comprises the steps of:
- capturing the tips of only a first group of the pins within a first planar surface of a pin straightening assembly;
- reciprocating the assembly in a first plane to straighten the pins of the first group in the direction of the first plane;
- capturing the tips of only a second group of the pins within the first planar surface of the assembly;
- reciprocating the assembly in the first plane to straighten the pins of the second group in the direction of the first plane;
- capturing the tips of only a third group of the pins, composed of some of the pins of the first and second groups, within a second planar surface of the assembly which is recessed from the first planar surface in a direction away from the pins to be straightened;
- reciprocating the backplane in a second plane to straighten the pins of the third group in the direction of the second plane;
- capturing the tips of only a fourth group of the pins, composed of the remaining pins of the first and second groups, within the second planar surface of the assembly;
- and
- reciprocating the backplane in the second plane to straighten the fourth group of pins in the direction of the second plane.
Apparatus for straightening pins supported in a backplane, which comprises:
- means for straightening the pins in a first direction and having a pin-capturing surface located in a first plane;
- means for straightening the pins in a second direction and having a pin-capturing surface located in a second plane recessed from the first plane in a direction away from the pins to be straightened;
- means for holding the first-direction and second-direction straightening means for common movement;
- means for supporting the backplane with the pins extending toward the commonly supported first-direction and second-direction straightening means;
- means for selectively moving the holding means to:
- (1) capture tips of the pins only within the first-direction straightening means;
- (2) reciprocate the holding means in the plane of the first-direction straightening means while the pin tips are captured within the first-direction straightening means;
- and
- (3) capture tips of the pins only within the second-direction straightening means;
- and
- means for selectively moving the backplane supporting means in the plane of the second-direction straightening means while the pin tips are captured within the second-direction straightening means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.