Apparatus for automatically inserting leads on electrical and/or electronic components into corresponding holes in a substrate

Abstract

The apparatus comprises two carriages 4, 5, movable in opposite directions F1, F2, and operable in an operating station S below a substrate 100. The carriages comprise corresponding bushes 23, 24, movable perpendicularly relative to the substrate 100, and within which slide needles 47, 48. Bushes 23, 24 are positioned in contact with the printed circuit, and co-axially with respect to two holes 100a chosen in the latter to allow the needles to pass through the aforesaid holes. Above substrate 100, device 150 centers the needles relative to the projecting leads 10, on component 11, which are held between clamping mechanism 2 stationary in station S. After they have been centered, the needles are raised to meet the ends of the leads 10a triggering off a device 200 which moves component 11 down towards substrate 100 at the same time as the needles move back down again, until leads 10 are inserted into holes 100a and bushes 23, 24 which then bend those sections of leads 10 which are protruding from circuit 100 (10c) back against the underside of the circuit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.