Apparatus and method for separating and cutting lead wires of lamps

An apparatus for cutting lead wire of a lamp, said lamp being of the type including:

• a bulb;
• a lower bulb portion extending from said bulb in a direction parallel to a first axis of said bulb, said lower bulb portion having a width in a direction parallel to a second axis of said bulb, and a thickness less then said width in a direction parallel to a third axis of said bulb, said first, second and third bulb axes being mutually perpendicular;
• and
• first and second lead wires extending from said lower bulb portion substantially parallel to said first bulb axis and spaced apart in a direction parallel to said second axis;
• said apparatus comprising:
• separator blade means for separating said first and second lead wires, said separator blade means having a first shearing edge thereon;
• carrier means, attached to said separator blade means, for moving said separator blade means between said first and second lead wires to separate said first and second lead wires;
• length adjustment means, operably associated with said separator blade means, for moving said lamp relative to said separator blade means to a relative position such that said first shearing edge of said separator blade means is adjacent a point at which said one lead wire is to be cut;
• and
• cutter means operably associated with said separator blade means and having a second shearing edge thereon and being movable from a first position wherein said one lead wire to be cut is located between said first and second shearing edges and a second position such that said second shearing edge passes across said first shearing edge when it moves from said first position to said second position thereby cutting said one lead wire between said first and second shearing edges.

A lamp wire cutting system, comprising:

• a plurality of lamps, each of said lamps including:
• a bulb;
• a lower bulb portion extending from said bulb in a direction parallel to a first axis of said bulb, said lower bulb portion having a width in a direction parallel to a second axis of said bulb, and a thickness less than said width in a direction parallel to a third axis of said bulb, said first, second and third bulb axes being mutually perpendicular;
• and
• first and second lead wires extending from said lower bulb portion substantially parallel to said first bulb axis and spaced apart in a direction parallel to said second axis;
• a main frame;
• holder means, connected to said frame, for sequential holding each of said lamps at a predetermined position relative to said frame;
• separator blade means for separating said first and second lead wires of each of said lamps when each of said lamps is held at said predetermined position by said holder means, said separator blade means having a first shearing edge thereon;
• carrier means, attached to said separator blade means, for moving said separator blade means between said first and second lead wires to separate said first and second lead wires;
• actuating means, operably associated with said separator blade means and said holder means, for moving said holder means and said lamp relative to said separator blade means to a relative position such that said first shearing edge of said separator blade means is adjacent a point at which said one lead wire is to be cut;
• and
• cutter means operably associated with said separator blade means and having a second shearing edge thereon and being movable from a first position wherein said one lead wire to be cut is located between said first and second shearing edges and a second position such that said second shearing edge passes across said first shearing edge when it moves from said first position to said second position thereby cutting said one lead wire between said first and second shearing edges.

A method of separating first and second lead wires of an electrical component and cutting one of said lead wires to a predetermined length, comprising:

• inserting a separator blade having a first shearing edge thereon between said first and second lead wires;
• thereby separating said first and second lead wires;
• then moving said electrical component relative to said separator blade to a relative position such that said first shearing edge of said separator blade is adjacent a point at which said one lead wire is to be cut;
• and
• moving a cutter means, having a second shearing edge thereon from a first position wherein said one lead wire to be cut is located between said first and second shearing edges to a second position, such that said second shearing edge passes across said first shearing edge when it moves from said first position to said second position;
• thereby cutting said one lead wire between said first and second shearing edges.

A method of separating lamp lead wires, comprising:

• sequentially positioning in a predetermined position in space a plurality of lamps of the type including:
• a bulb;
• a lower bulb portion extending from said bulb in a direction parallel to a first axis of said bulb, said lower bulb portion having a width in a direction parallel to a second axis of said bulb, and a thickness less than said width in a direction parallel to a third axis of said bulb, said first, second and third bulb axes being mutually perpendicular;
• and
• first and second lead wires extending from said lower bulb portion substantially parallel to said first bulb axis and spaced apart in a direction parallel to said second axis, a length of each of said first and second lead wires being substantially greater than a spacing, parallel to said second axis, between said lead wires immediately adjacent said lower bulb portion;
• moving a separator blade, in a direction parallel to said third bulb axis, between said first and second lead wires of each of said lamps when each of said lamps is positioned at said predetermined position;
• thereby separating said first and second lead wires;
• and
• wherein said inserting step is further characterized in that said separator blade has a straight upper surface and a curved lower surface converging to meet said straight upper surface at a tip, and said blade is inserted tip first between said first and second lead wires with said straight upper surface closely adjacent said lower bulb portion.

A method of separating lamp lead wires and cutting one of said lead wires to a predetermined length, comprising:

• sequentially positioning in a predetermined position in space a plurality of lamps of the type including:
• a bulb;
• a lower bulb portion extending from said bulb in a direction parallel to a first axis of said bulb, said lower bulb portion having a width in a direction parallel to a second axis of said bulb, and a thickness less than said width in a direction parallel to a third axis of said bulb, said first, second and third bulb axes being mutually perpendicular;
• and
• first and second lead wires extending from said lower bulb portion substantially parallel to said first bulb axis and spaced apart in a direction parallel to said second axis;
• moving a separator blade, in a direction parallel to said third bulb axis, between said first and second lead wires of each of said lamps when each of said lamps is positioned at said predetermined position;
• thereby separating said first and second lead wires;
• moving said lamp parallel to said first bulb axis and relative to said separator blade to a relative position such that a first shearing edge located on said separator blade is adjacent a point at which said one lead wire is to be cut;
• and
• moving a cutter means, having a second shearing edge thereon from a first position wherein said one lead wire to be cut is located between said first and second shearing edges to a second position, such that said second shearing edge passes across said first shearing edge when it moves from said first position to said second position;
• thereby cutting said one lead wire between said first and second shearing edges.