Dual head armature processing method and apparatus

Apparatus for electrically testing components as they move incrementally on a conveyor, said apparatus including

• a first and second testing stations for testing a component,
• a component lift located at a fixed position relative to the conveyor for transferring a component between the conveyor and one of said testing stations,
• a reciprocating mechanism supporting said first and second testing stations above the conveyor, said reciprocating mechanism movable in parallel with the movement of the conveyor and provided with a positioning device for selectively placing either said first or said second testing station above said component lift, and
• a control circuit for controlling the sequence of operation of said testing stations, said component lift and said reciprocating mechanism whereby a component is tested on one of said testing stations while another component is either being loaded into or removed from the other testing station.

A method for processing components as they move incrementally on a conveyor, said method including the steps of

• a. at a single conveyor location, transferring a component from the conveyor to one of a pair of processing stations that are movable relative to the single conveyor location,
• b. processing the component in one of said processing stations while the conveyor increments to its next position,
• c. moving the other of said processing station to a position above said single location,
• d. unloading a previously processed component from the other processing station,
• e. incrementing said conveyor by one step,
• f. loading an unprocessed component into said other processing station, and
• g. repeating steps b-f above.