Gas shrouded wave soldering

An apparatus for wave soldering an element comprising:

• a solder reservoir adapted to contain molten solder, and having at least one solder wave nozzle for producing a hollow solder wave projecting therefrom;
• pump means for forming the solder wave from the nozzle;
• cover means for covering at least a portion of the reservoir having at least one longitudinal slot for the solder wave to pass therethrough;
• supply means for supplying pressurized gas to the underside of the cover means in the form of gas discharge pipes extending on both sides of the solder wave beneath the longitudinal slot in the cover means, the gas permitted to pass upwards through the slot on both sides of the solder wave and provide a gas blanket over the solder wave, and
• conveyor means for moving the element in a predetermined path over the cover means ensuring at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave.

An apparatus for wave soldering an element comprising:

• a solder reservoir adapted to contain molten solder, and having two solder wave nozzles project from the solder reservoir, a first nozzle for producing a first hollow solder wave projecting in direction of movement of the element in the predetermined path, followed by a second nozzle for producing a second hollow solder wave projecting counter to the direction of movement of the element in the predetermined path;
• pump means for forming the first and second solder waves from the first and second nozzles;
• cover means for covering at least a portion of the reservoir having at least one longitudinal slot for each of the solder waves to pass therethrough;
• supply means for supplying pressurized gas to the underside of the cover means in the form of gas discharge pipes extending on both sides of the solder waves beneath the longitudinal slots in the cover means, the gas permitted to pass upwards through the slots on both sides of the solder waves and provides a gas blanket over the solder waves, and
• conveyor means for moving the element in a predetermined path over the cover means ensuring at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave.

An apparatus for wave soldering an element comprising:

• a solder reservoir adapted to contain molten solder, and having at least one solder wave nozzle projecting therefrom;
• pump means for forming a solder wave from the nozzle;
• cover means for covering at least a porting of the reservoir having at least one longitudinal slot for the solder wave to pass therethrough wherein the cover means is in the form of a cover plate extending over the reservoir and having skirts at the edges of the cover plate to extend down below a level representing a solder level in the solder reservoir;
• supply means for supplying pressurized gas to the underside of the cover means, the gas permitted to pass upwards through the slot on both sides of the solder wave and provide a gas blanket over the solder wave;
• a gas diffuser arrangement located above the cover plate downstream of the solder wave, the gas diffuser arrangement having vanes means to supply laminated flow of gas towards the solder wave to entrain with gas passing upwards through the slot on the downstream side of the solder wave and form a laminated flowing gas blanket over the solder wave, and
• conveyor means for moving the element in a predetermined path over the cover means ensuring at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave.

An apparatus for wave soldering an element comprising:

• a solder reservoir adapted to contain molten solder, and having at least one solder wave nozzle projecting therefrom;
• pump means for forming a solder wave from the nozzle;
• shroud means surrounding the nozzle having skirts extending down below a level representing solder level in the solder reservoir, the shroud means forming longitudinal gaps on both sides of the solder wave;
• supply means for supplying pressurized gas within the shroud means in the form of gas discharge pipes extending on both sides of the solder wave beneath the longitudinal slot in the cover means, the gas permitted to pass upwards through the longitudinal gaps on both sides of the solder wave, and
• conveyor means for moving the element in a predetermined path over the shroud means, ensuring at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave.