US2494923A - Method and apparatus for bending and exhausting tubular lamps - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1950 J.'YODER EI'AL 2,494,923

umnon mo APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND mus'rms TUBULAR mums 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 3, 1948 lnvewbors:

Jo'e Yoder', Rober' lr Au't'h,

Jan. 17, 1950 J. YODER ETAL 2,494,923

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING ANDEXHAUSTING TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Sept. 3, 1948 4 Sheetsheet 4 Z Their A=tborne9 atented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND EXHAUSTING TUBULAR LAIVIPS JuelYoder, Milwaukee, Wis., and Robert Auth,

South Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 3, 1948, Serial No. 47,608

' (oi. sic-2o) 22 Claims.

ture of the lamps to the specific degree of workability for proper bending because of variations in the thickness, etc., of the lamp envelope and variations in the introduction of heat therein. Accordingly, we find it desirable to vary the time interval the lamp assembly is heated and to suitably control the other bending and exhausting operations in agreement therewith so as to complete the lamp in a manner normally associated with all operations necessary to bend the lamp being carried on separately from the other operations common to both types of lamps. This manner of operating allowed separate very specific controls to be exercised in both the bending and the usual lamp manufacturing operations, which was believed to be desirable to permit the proper carrying out of the complexities of both operations. The segregation of all operations associated with the bending of the lamp from all other operations was also believed desirable because inherent variations in the tubular lamp envelope must be compensated for in the bending operations rendering them unsuitable for the usual fixed sequence of automatic lamp manufacture.

One object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus for performing the heating, bending and the socalled exhausting operations necessary to transform a straight unsealed lamp assembly into an operable lamp having a curved form. The heating operation in the present apparatus has the dual function of driving out occluded gases and other contamination from the lamp assembly and of rendering the lamp envelope workable, thereby advancing two lamp-mamng operations at one time and elimimating the expense, inconvenience and objectional cooling periods associated with prior manufacture. When the lamp assembly is heated repeatedly, the time intervals between each heating interval allows said lamp assembly to cool, causing air carrying additional contamination to be sucked into the lamp assembly.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus for heating a lamp assembly to a definite workable condition, for

bending said lamp assembly and performing all operations of the so-called exhaust schedule nec essary to convert it into an operable lamp. The commercial manufacture of bent tubular lamps is hampered by the difflculty of providing the required amount of heat to increase the temperaonly with the fixed-cycle lamp-making machines. This manner of operation permits the incorporation therein of the advantages of the efiicient and low cost automatic lamp-making apparatus and, in particular, the advantages of the tube-bending manufacture and apparatus disclosed in patent application Serial No. 574,724

Greiner et al., filed January 26, 1945.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby high speed and utmost economy are obtained by intimately associating the bending and exhausting operations of lamp manufacture. These objects are partially achieved by the manner of heating the lamp assembly, the controls effected over the g5 bending operation and the manner of effecting the complete exhaustion of contaminating elements from said lamp, the treatment of the lamp cathodes and the filling of said lamp. The method and apparatus can also include the treatment of a fluorescent coating carried on the inside of the lamp envelope during the aforementioned heating thereof.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following detailed description of a species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a plan view of apparatus for bending a relatively long tubular lamp assembly into a circular shape and for performing the various operations in the exhausting and filling thereof, the view being modified by having portions of the lamp-carrying turret and the bending apparatus broken therefrom and having notations added thereto indicating the operations taking place at each of the work stations of said apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one-half of the turret, a head of the apparatus and the adjacent end of the lamp assembly at one of the loading stations; Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective and plan views, the former having a portion broken therefrom, of the lamp holder of each head; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the heating, bending and control means of our apparatus associated with the head thereof at work station 9; Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective the lamp assembly I.

illustration and wiring diagram of the control pin and associated means located at the bending station and the various operating and operationinitiating elements comprising the main and auxiliary driving means of the apparatus associated with the apparatus at said station, the adjacent preheat station and the underlying bed of said apparatus; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the lower end of the lamp assembly and a portion of the control pin at the bending station; Fig. 8 is a plan view, partially broken away, of the edge of the form and the jaws thereof which engage the lowerend of the lamp assembly; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the end portion of the stationary commutator ring located opposite station II with the ends of the lamp assembly and the ends of the leading-in wires extending therefrom indicated in dot-dash lines at the position taken at said station.

The lamp manufacturing apparatus appearing in the drawing effects the manufacturing procedure of our invention while the lamp assembly I is retained in one of the heads 2 about the turret or carrier 3 and is advanced in step-bystep fashion by indexing movements of the turret or carrier 3. The lamp assembly I is held in a proper working position below the head 2, of which there are sixteen spaced equidistantly about the turret 3, and is advanced through a corresponding number of work stations comprising a path of movement by successive counterclockwise indexing movements of the turret 3. The manner of advancing the lamp assembly I and the manner of effecting the manufacturing steps along the path of movement correspond, to a certain extent, to that associated with other related exhausting and filling apparatus, for instance, that disclosed in Marshaus Patent 2,247,513, issued July 1, i941, and is particularly applicable to high-speed manufacture.

An operator occupies a position opposite stations I and 2 and, during the dwell of the heads 2 at said stations, introduces a lamp assembly I therein by inserting the end of the exhaust tube 4 (Fig. 2) extending from one end of said lamp assembly into the exhaust port 5 and the metal cap 6 on said end of the said lamp assembly into the holder 1. The lamp assembly I, which is particularly characterized by a relatively long tubular glass envelope 8 with or without a fluorescent coating on the inner surface, is suspended in a vertical position entirely through the engagement of the holder I with the metal cap 6 which is fused permanently to the end of the envelope 8. The exhaust port 5, on the other hand, makes a gas-tight connection to the lamp assembly I permitting said lamp assembly I, which is closed off correspondingly at opposite ends by the electrode supporting sub-assemblies or stems 9 (only one appearing in Fig. 2) to be exhausted and gas filled by means of the exhaust tube 4. The lower end of the lamp assembly, in the present instance, is not provided with an exhaust tube or other opening into the interior of the lamp assembly I; however, in other instances it may have an exhaust tube like that shown in combination with the upper end but which has been sealed off within the electrode sub-assembly 9 atthat end to completely close In the present instance, both ends of the lamp assembly I correspond in every way except for the presence or absence of the exhaust tube 4 and have metal end caps 6 like that shown permanently sealed to both ends.

The operations taking place at the work stations about the turret or carrier 3 are initiated by the indexing movements thereof which advance the head 2 carrying the lamp assembly I through the loading stations I and 2 and into the station 3. In the movement of the head 2, the lamp assembly I advances through the open end and into the interior of the oven III indicated in Fig. 2 and suitable connections are established through the exhaust port 5 of the head 2 to exhausting means (not shown) so that the lamp assembly I is heated and is exhausted. These operations are cooperative in .that the heat introduced into the lamp assembly I assists in driving the air and contamination therefrom, which air and contamination are withdrawn therefrom by the exhaust. These operations are also continued at stations 4 and 5, the next stations in the order of movement. The succeeding index of the turret 3 continues to advance the lamp assembly through the oven I0 and finally, when station 6 is reached, completes the breaking of the exhaust connection to the exhaust port 5 and connects a source of non-contaminating gas, in the present instance nitrogen, thereto so that the lamp assembly I becomes filled therewith. During the period of dwell of the head 2 at the next work station I, the lamp assembly I continues to be heated by the oven I0 but is otherwise untreated since the connection thereto through the exhaust port 5 is opened to the atmosphere.

Still referring generally to the operations comprising the present invention, the next succeeding indexing movement of the turret 3 advances the head 2 to station 8 and in so doing carries the lamp assembly I out of oven I 0 and into operative relation to the longitudinally divided tubular oven II which moves to surround the lamp assembly I as shown from a position outward from the path of travel thereof after the index has been completed. The oven II permits a considerably higher input of heat into the lamp assembly I at station 8 and because of its completely circular shape permits a more even heating of the entire periphery of said lamp assembly I.

The next succeeding work station 9 taken by the head 2 provides for the final heating of the lamp assembly I and the bending of said assembly to the circular shape of a form or mold I2. These operations correspond to those described in detail and claimed in Greiner et a1. patent application Serial No. 574,724, filed January 26, 1945, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention and are, in the present instance, performed under suitable controls, as hereinafter described, which are particular to this invention and which are a major contributing factor to the success of the invention. When the lamp assembly I first takes station 9 (Fig. 5), it usually does not lie in a true vertical position and is not in proper alignment with the control pin I4 (Figs. 5, 6, 7) directly below the head 2. The first operation at this work station therefore provides for the repositioning of the lower end of the lamp assembly I by a movement of the positioning arm I3 (Fig. 5) which swings over against a lower end portion of said lamp assembly I. The movement of the positioning arm I3 occurs immediately after the station 3 is taken by the lamp assembly I and is quickly followed by the upward movement of the control pin I4 into engagement with the lower end of said lamp assembly I, the return outward movement of the positioning arm I3 and the advance of the longitudinally divided plate Ill, which is then located to one side of the lamp assembly I, toward and around to close proximity to the opposite side of the lamp assembly l. The succeeding operation of bending the lamp assembly i to the peripheral groove about the form I2 occurs very rapidly, after the control pin I 4 has been lowered, and is brought about by upward and rotary movement of the form i2 which pulls the lower end of said assembly around with said form I2 and .at the same time lays additional portions of the grooved periphery of the form I2 against said lamp assembly I.

At the upper limit of movement of the form I2,

gas at pressure is introduced into the lamp assembly 0 through the exhaust and eliminate the flattening and the wrinkles produced therein during bending. In the lastmentioned interval and in a very short, directly following, rest period, the lamp assembly I cools, thereby completing the last step in the bending operation.

The separation of the bending apparatus, which is permanently located at station 9, from the lamp assembly I! is initiated after the jaws of the support means it associated with the head 2 (Fig. 5) are closed on the lamp assembly I and consists in dividing the two similarly shaped halves making up the form I2 and moving them outward of the turret 3 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. The plate Il also swings out from behind the lamp assembly I and is withdrawn outward from the path of movement thereof at such times so that no interference is presented to the index of the reshaped lamp assembly I to the next work station.

At the next station I0, an exhaust connection is made to the lamp assembly I through the exhaust port 5 to efiect the evacuation of said assembly I while said lamp assembly I is still heated to a high temperature. The exhaustion and cooling operations also continue at the next succeeding station II and are supplemented by a conditioning operation performed on the electrode sub-assemblies 9 of the lamp assembly I by the passage of electricity through said subassemblies 9. This latter is brought about by the wiping of the leading-in wires 20 and 2I at opposite ends of the lamp assembly I against the various contact sections of the stationary commutator ring 22 permanently located at this station.

The movement of the lamp assembly I toward station I2 breaks the exhaust connection thereto and, first, causes the mercury dispenser 23 (Fig. 2) on the head 2 associated with the lamp assembly I to be actuated so that a quantity of mercury passes down through the exhaust port 5 port 5 to expand it of said mercury and gas are withdrawn during the period said assembly I remains at said station. Electrical connections are also made to the lamp assembly I at station I2 by the continued wiping of the leading-in wires 20 and 2;,I against a further extent of the commutator ring 22. The passage of electricity in this instance effects the treatment of the electrodes of the assembly I and may develop a small discharge between various portions of each of the electrode assemblies 6 at each end of the lamp assembly l. The exhaust connection to the lamp assembly i is continued during the movement of the head 2 to station I3; however, different connections are made to the sections of the commutator ring 22 contacted at this point so that substantially operating conditions are established within the lamp assembly I and a discharge occurs between the electrodes at opposite ends thereof.

An exhaust connection continues to be made at stations I4 and I5, the next succeeding stations into which the lamp assembly I is indexed, although at the latter of these stations said exhaust connection is broken just prior to the index of the lamp assembly I therefrom. At such times another connection is made to a source of gas that is to comprise the flnal filling of the lamp assembly I for an interval, causing the proper quantity thereof to be introduced into said lamp assembly i. At station I6, the final sta- Y tion in the cycle of operations covered by this invention, the exhaust tube 4 is sealed off close to the now operable lamp assembly I and said assembly l and the remainder of the exhaust tube 4 are removed from the head 2. The latter 0D- erations necessitate the release of the supporting means I8 and holder i and then the opening and into the exhaust tube 4 and then causes a of the exhaust port 5, and also prepare the apparatus for the succeeding cycle of operation.

Reference is now made to the details of the apparatus and method of invention, and particularly to the first operation in the cycle hereinbefore outlined, which operation is the insertion of the straight lamp assembly I into one of the heads 2. The operator first wipes the leading-in wires 26, extending from the upper end of the lamp assembly I 'up along the exhaust tube 4 extending therefrom so that they do not interfere with the proper insertion of said assembly I, and then moves said lamp assembly i so as to thread the end of the exhaust tube 4 upward through the central opening in the holder l, the opening in the shield 25, and the outlet of the exhaust port 5. At the limit of motion, the top (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) of the metal cap 6 on the end of the lamp assembly i comes to rest against the bottom of the holder I and the crown or embossment 26 of said metal cap 6 is located within the opening thereof where it is clamped securely in place. The latter operation is eflected by manually moving the pin 21 extending from the ring 28 located within the central opening in the holder 1 whereby said ring 28 is rotated clockwise so that the segmental projection 29 on the lower surface thereof is moved around nearly diametrically opposite a similar projection. 30 on the holder i so that the crown 26 of the metal cap 6 is gripped-therebetween. The ring 26, which rests on an inwardly projecting shoulder within the opening in the holder 1, grips the metal cap 6 with such force that suflicient friction is produced between it and the cap 6 and the holder 1 to keep it in place and to allow the full weight of the lamp assembly I to be carried thereby. A lug 3i extends from the top of the crown 26 of strain being placed on thecaptintoanotchinaflngerufastenedto' the top surface of the holder 1 and provides a convenient guide to the rotational orientation of the lamp assembly I so that the exhaust tube 4, which is off-center with respect thereto, enters the exhaust port 5 at the same time the cap 6 is aligned with the opening in the holder I. The engagement of the lug 3| with the finger 32 also prevents the lamp assembly I from turning and the exhaust tube 4.

After insertion of the lamp assembly I has been completed, the exhaust port 5 is caused to complete the gas-tight connection to the exhaust tube 4 by the manual act of rotating the cap 33, by means of the arm 34 extending therefrom. The cap 33 is screwed further onto the body 35 of the exhaust port 5 and compresses the rubber washer 35 so that it expands laterally and completely fills the space between said exhaust tube 4 and said body 35.

Other portions of the head 2 of the apparatus supporting the lamp assembly I include the cooling chamber 31 which surrounds and is in contact with a considerable extent of the body 35 of the exhaust port 5, and the main support bracket 38 to which the cooling chamber 31 is attached and which extends laterally to a mounting at the periphery of the turret 3. The main support bracket 38 of the head 2 also assists in the support of the pinch clamp 39 which controls the connecting passage between the exhaust port 5 and the terminal block 40, which passage is defined by the deformable rubber tube 4|. In the normal use of the apparatus the pinch clamp 39 remains in an open position and connects the exhaust port 5 and the lamp assembly I to the main manifolding of said apparatus at all times. The function of the pinch clamp 39 is to provide a means of closing ofi and isolating the exhaust port 5 when said exhaust port 5 is not provided with a lamp assembly I or the lamp assembly I is in some way defective so as to allow the atmosphere to leak into said exhaust port 5. Closing oif the pinch clamp 39 is accomplished either manually or mechanically by a horizontal actuation of the lever 42 which is pivoted on the support bracket 38 at a position permitting an extending portion of said lever 42 to distort one wall of the rubber tube 4| sufficiently to close the passage therethrough. Both the exhaust port 5 and the pinch clamp 33 correspond to means well known in lamp-exhausting apparatus, for instance the apparatus in Marshaus Patent 2,247,513 hereinbefore referred to, and, as in said apparatus, are permanently connected to the mercury dispenser 23 directly thereabove by the terminal block 40, and to the exhaust line of the head 2 consisting of the pip 43, the glass trap 44, and the pipe 45. The head 2 also supports the shield 25 located between the exhaust port 5 and the lamp assembly I by means of the angular brackets 46 and 41 extending from the main support bracket 38, and the holder I for the lamp assembly I by means of the post 48 which extends from the shield 25.

Control over the connections made to the exhaust line of the head 2 is determined by the position of the movable section 5| of the rotary valve 52 and in particular the passage 53 therein, which communicates with the pipe 45, with respect to other passages such as that indicated at 54 in the lower stationary section 55 of the rotary valve 52. The upper movable section 5| of the rotary valve- 52 is keyed to the turret 3 by means and is presently turned so that the passages 33 connected to the heads 2 at the loading stations I and 2 are over a solid portion of the stationary section 55 and are blocked oil. The lower section 55 of the'rotary valve 52 has a fixed position on the upper end of the stationary center support column 51 of the apparatus, which column 51 also functions as the support means for the door ill of the oven III, which duplicates that shown in the Marshaus patent hereinbefore referred to, is slid back by movement of arm 8| to permit the lamp assembly I to pass into said oven I0 whereupon it is again slid back over the open end thereof to prevent the escape of heat therefrom. Reference may be had to the Marshaus patent for further details of the door opening means and the manner in which it is caused to operate at a particular moment in the rotation of the main driving shaft and, accordingly, in the cycle of operation. In the present instance, the loss of heat from the oven III is also further retarded by the shield 25 which is mounted between the exhaust port 5'and the arcuate opening I0 (Fig. 2) in the top of said oven III accommodating the post 48 of the holder I and the exhaust tube 4 of the lamp assembly I. Damage and consequent early deterioration of the exhaust port 5 and the other parts ofthe head 2 from the heat absorbed thereby are also prevented by the supplemental cooling of these parts by the flow of water through the chamber 31, the water being introduced therein from pipe 82 at one side of the head 2 and discharging through pipe 63 at the opposite side thereof. The cooling water is distributed to each of the heads 2 of the apparatus by means of a trough 54 mounted on the top of the turret 3 which is constantly being filled by the flow from a stationary pipe 65 located thereabove and drains from the pipes 63 of the heads 2 to the stationary trough 36 mounted under the center portion of said turret 3.

The index of the head 2 to station 3 also effects the connection of said head 2 and the lamp assembly I to a source (not shown) of vacuum by causing the movable section H of the rotary valve 52 to be turned so that the passage 53 therein is aligned with the passage 54 in the lower stationary section 55 thereof. The vacuum connection to the lamp assembly I exhausts the air and contamination therefrom and. in combination with the heating operation which increases the temperature of the envelope 8 of the lamp assembly I and which causes the liberation of still other contamination therein, is continued for the entire period the lamp assembly I is located atstation 3. The heating and exhausting operations occurring at station 3, and further along the path of movement of the head 2 in certain instances, can also contribute to the treatment and exhaust of products contained in a fluorescent coating on the inner surface of the envelope 8 of the lamp assembly I.

The succeeding index of the turret 3 advances of the stud 5550 that it is turned correspondingly 5 the head 2 and the lamp assembly I to'station 4 where said lamp assembly I continues to be heated bya further extent of the oven I and exhausted'by a source of vacuum (not shown) connected thereto through the rotary valve 52 in the manner of the corresponding connection made thereto at station 3.

At station 5, the next in the order of those taken by the head 2, the heating and exhausting operations are still further advanced in the same manner; however, it is preferred that each succeeding portion of the oven I0 into which the lamp assembly I is moved be at a slightly higher temperature so that the quantity of heat introduced therein be as great as practicable at each station.

At station 6 a further extent of the oven III heats the lamp assembly still further and another connection is made through the rotary valve 52 thereto which introduces therein an inert gas, in the present instancenitrogen. The function of the inert gas is to prevent the absorption of foreign materials and the consequent contamination of the interior parts of the lamp assembly I during the directly succeeding heating and bending operations of the apparatus and to cause the atmospheric pressure on the outside of said lamp assembly I to be balanced with a corresponding pressure within said lamp assembly I when it is heated to a softened condition. To effect this result, it is preferred that the inert gas be forced into the exhausted interior of the lamp assembly I at slightly higher than atmospheric pressure while it is located at station 6, as the excess gas will then cause an outward rather than an in-- ward circulation thereof during the directly succeeding intervals of operation of the apparatus.

At station I, the next in the cycle of operation, the lamp assembly I is still exposed to the heating effect of the oven I0 and a change occurs in the connections made thereto so that the gas contained therein is reduced in pressure to atmospheric. This latter condition is brought about by the rotation of the movable section I of the rotary valve 52 to a position whereby passage 53 is located over another passage (not shown) in the stationary section 55 thereof, which passage is vented to the atmosphere. The indexing movement of the head 2 from station I is preceded by the sideward movement of the door 61 at the rear of the oven I0, an operation brought about in the same manner as that effecting the movement of the door 60 at the front end thereof.

The advance of the head 2 and the lamp assembly I to station 8' takes place at a moment when the oven II, shown occupying said station, is in a retracted position radially outward of the path of travel of said lamp assembly I and is immediately followed by a movement of said oven II, causing it to advance to station 8. In the advance of the oven II, the almost duplicate halves 68 and. 68 of which it is comprised, first separate so as to pass to either side of the lamp assembly I and then close thereabout. The oven II corresponds to the oven I5 at station 9, which is shown in further detail in Fig. 5, and is comprised of two separable halves 68 and 68' forming a cylindrical whole and having electrical resistance elements (not shown) over their entire interior surfaces. The cylindrical shape and the independent mounting of the oven II permits it to provide a more uniformly distributed heat to the entire outer surface of the envelope 8 of the lamp assembly I and allows a higher temperature at station 8 than possible with the continuous oven III at the preceding stations, thereby 10 I providing more eflicient, more satisfactory, and more rapid operation. The movements of the oven I I to and from operative relation to station 8, causing it to avoid the indexing movements of the lamp assembly I, are the result of corresponding movements of the mounting means for said oven II which means is comprised of the vertically disposed shafts 69 and 69 (Fig. 1) attached to said oven I I by the brackets I0 and I0 and the movable carriage 1|. The shafts 69 and 69 are mounted at a fixed position on the carriage I I, which is provided with supporting rollers II at the four corners thereof, and is adapted to roll back and forth over a portiton' of the bed I2 of the apparatus. The halves 6B and 68 of the oven I I are at all times under the rotative influence of the vertical shafts 69 and 69', respectively, which in turn are held at a position determined by the position of rollers not shown) on the ends of the cam follower arms 13 and I3, respectively, extending from said shafts 69 and 69, in the cam tracks 14 and I4, respectively, of the stationary cam I5. Accordingly, the advance and retracting movements of the oven II and corresponding movement of the carriage II, which is brought about by the rotation of a fixed position spur gear I6 in engagement with the gear rack 11 attached to said carriage II, also effects a displacement of the rollers on the cam follower arms I3 and I3 along the length of the cam tracks I4 and I4, respectively. The cam tracks I4 and I4 are more widely separated at the opposite ends of the course of travel and cause the oven halves 68 and 68' to be brought together both at station 8 and at the retracted position. This manner of operation is desirable to keep the loss of heat from the oven II, which in the present instance is retained at a sufiiciently high temperature to heat the lamp envelope 8 to 500 C. to a minimum, and is such that the oven II is open, retracted and then closed at the retracted position immediately prior to the index of the head 2 and the lamp assembly from station 8. Further explanation of the means and timing of the operation of the spur gear I6 controlling all operations of the oven II follows in conjunction with the explanation of the heating and bending apparatus located at station 9, which apparatus is directly associated with the controlling elements of the entire machine.

The indexing movement of the head 2 which advances the lamp assembly I from station 8 to station 9 positions said lamp assembly I in operative relation to the oven I5 and various groupings of apparatus, which by their cooperative function cause the said lamp assembly I to be bent into an almost complete circle. The lamp assembly I has a temperature still slightly less than required to permit it to be reshaped at the time it takes station 9, and the oven I5, which is movable to and from a position around the lamp assembly I, is required to heat the lamp assembly I to a temperature where the lamp envelope 8 is properly workable and yet not subject to unnecessary collapse and distortion. This condition in the lamp assembly I is not readily determinable as the heating operation of the apparatus as a whole is subject to slight variations, to a certain extent in the present instance the re- 70 sult of a variable index rate, and the usual commerciallamp assembly I is also subject to slight structural variations which vary the heat required to condition it to Within the relatively narrow limits of workability required. The present apparatus is particularly satisfactory since it compensates for both these variable conditions by suitably controlling the length of the heating period occurring at this station in accordance with the elongation resulting in the lamp-assembly I when it becomes heated to a workable condition. The elongation in the lamp assembly I is detected by the sensitive feeling action and corresponding movement of a control pin I4 (Figs. 5 and 6) brought up into engagement with the lower unsupported end thereof and eflects a control which extends both to the bending apparatus and various portions of the apparatus as a whole. The control is particularly desirable as it permits the lamp assembly I to be quickly bent to shape immediately after it becomes heated to the proper condition and is instrumental in placing in operation the various means of the bending apparatus which are required to complete the shaping of the lamp assembly I and which are actuated in a fixed order after said bending operation is initiated.

The heating operation and the controls associated with the pin I4 are not in effect at the time the lamp assembly I is indexed into the station 8, as at that time the rotation of the main drive shaft I8, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6, has still to cause any misalignment of the lower end of the lamp assembly I to be corrected, to effect the upward movement of the pin I4 into engagement with said end of the lamp assembly I and cause the oven I8 to take an operative relation to the lamp assembly I. The index has resulted as the rotation of the main drive shaft I8 has caused the offset portion 18 of the cam 88 to advance to a position between two of the rollers 8i and has by further rotation displaced the spider 82 (only partially shown) counter-clockwise a distance equal to the center-tocenter distance of the rollers 8I. The regularly shaped portion 83 of the cam 88 is presently passing between two of the rollers 8| and the spider 82 which is attached directly to the lower portion of the vertical drive shaft 88 (Fig. 2) of the turret 8 is retained in one position. The cam '88, the spider 82 and the other associated apparatus conform to conventional indexing apparatus in which each head 2 is represented by a roller 8I on the spider 82 and is advanced by the advance of said roller 8I by the cam 88.

The continuing rotation of the main drive shaft 18, which is driven by the electric motor 84 through the reduction gears 88 and 88, after the index occurs causes the positioning arm I8 (Fig. 5) to be moved down into engagement with the lower end portion of the lamp assembly I so that any misalignment thereof is corrected. The positioning arm I8 is pivoted on a pin 8'! extending between portions of the fixed bracket 88 on the bed I2 and, directly follgwing the index, is swung down from a vertical position to the position in which it appears in Fig. 5 by movement of the push rod 88 which, as shown in Fig. 6, is connected to the cam follower lever 88. A roller 8I on the follower lever 88, which is pivoted on the stationary rod 82 extending from a portion (not shown) of the bed I2, lies within the channel of cam 88 and efiects the movement of the follower lever 88 and the positioning movement of the arm I8 when the rotation of the main drive shaft I8 and said cam 88 advance it into a diil'erently shaped portion of the channel. In the course of the downward swing of the arm I8, the bifurcated end 84 thereof engages and gathers in the lower end portion of the lamp assembly I so that the said end portion is adjusted laterally.

The complete positioning operation, however, is I not complete until the movable finger 88, which is pivoted on one fork of the bifurcated end 84 of the positioning arm I8, is moved from alignment with said side to the position across the forks as shown, thereby gathering in said lamp assembly I into the base of the forked end 84 and aligning it with the control pin I4. This latter operation is brought about by the finger 88 when the rota-- 88 and creates a vertical motion of said rod 88 which carries the roller 88 (Fig. 5) on arm I88 against one end of the lever III of the operating means for said finger 88. Other portions of the operating means comprises the link I82 joining lever III and the arm I88, and the rod I84 joining arm I88 and the finger 88, and are such that the motion of lever III is transferred to the finger 88. Resisting this motion is the spring I85 which extends between the arm I88 and a post'attached to the arm I8, and which by its contraction provides for the return of the finger 88 and asso-,

ciated operating means after the arm I88 and roller 88 are lowered in the course of the operation of the positioning arm I8. A'guide stud I88 extending from bracket 88 and sliding within an opening in the arm I88 keeps it and rod 88 from turning out of position. Immediately after the positioning arm I8 has properly engaged the lower end portion of the lamp assembly I, the rotation of the main cam shaft I8 causes'the control pin I4 to move up into engagement with the end of the lamp assembly I and causes the finger 88 to swing out away therefrom, and said arm I8 to again swing back to a vertical position so as to complete the cycle of operation of said positionin arm I8.

The engagement of the control pin I4 with the lower end of the lamp assembly I is elfected by momentarily disturbing the balance of the supporting means therefor, which means is comprised of the vertically movable support rod I81 and mociated apparatus mounted on ,one side of the balance beam I88 (Fig. 6) and the counterweight I88 on the opposite side thereof. The rod I81, which is slidable vertically within the bracket II8 attached to the bed I2 of the apparatus, is moved in accord with the motion transferred thereto from the balance beam I 88 through the yoke III, the links II8 and the block II8, the latter being clamped directly to rod I81, and travels upward sufiiciently to carry the head of the control pin I4 which is clamped to the upper end thereof by block II4, into engagement with the metal cap 8 on the lower end of the lamp assembly I as shown in detail in Fig. 7. The insulated leading-ln wires 2I at this end of the lamp assembly I fall into respective slots II8 at opposite sides of the center of the head of the control pin I4 as they have been arranged in that relation to said lamp assembly I- by the operator at the time it was inserted therein. The motion of rod I81 and change in balance of the beam I88, which pivots about the pin II8 on the depending bracket II'I secured to the under side of the bed I2, is brought about when the rotation of the main cam shaft I8 causes the roller II8 on the cam follower lever II8 to pass into a hollow in the edge of cam I28, and the resulting motion of the follower lever I I8 about the stationary pivot pin -I2I carries the offset end of the rod I22 down against the beam I88. Further rotation of the drive shaft 18 immediately advances the roller II8 beyond the depression in the cam I28 and returns the rod I22 to the raised 13 position shown wherein the relatively slight friction of the shoe I 23 is depended upon to keep the rod I98 and, consequently, the control pin I4 in place. The friction shoe I23, and the spring I24 and the adjusting screw I 25 which back it up are contained in a protruding portion of the bracket lIii above the bed 12 and can be easily adjusted to vary the force required to cause the control pin I4 to move down.

The operations in the course of those taking place at station 9 are the upward movement of the positionin arm I3 already described, which clears said positioning arm I3 from the path of travel of the oven I5, and the movement of the oven l5 which carries it into operative relation to the lamp assembly I. Both of these operations are initiated by the rotation of the main drive shaft 18 and therefore have the proper time relation which causes the oven I5 to be advanced to a position about the lamp assembly I without delay and soon after said lamp assembly I takes station 9.

The oven I5 is located radially inward of the station 9 as the motion is initiated, but otherwise corresponds to the oven II located at station 8, and accordingly is comprised of two similar movable halves I26 and I26 which are mounted on the movable carriage I21. The brackets I23 and I29 near the top and at the bottom, respectively, of the oven I5 attach each half I26 or I26 to a vertically disposed shaft lit or H39 carried by the carriage I21 and provide for the separation of said halves I26 and I26 during the advance thereof and for a following closing movement which causes the said halves I25 and I26 to come together around the lamp assembly I. At the retracted position, the carriage I21 is so located that the rollers I3 I-I3 I on the arms I32I32, which are attached to the lower ends of shafts I3II-I3ll', respectively, are located within the more widely separated portions of the cam tracks I33--I33, respectively, in the stationary cam I34 and both halves IZt-IZIS of the oven I5 are held against each other as shown. The advance of the carriage H1, which is supported by rollers I35 at the four corners thereof, moves the rollers I3II3I' to the more closely spaced portions of the cam tracks l33-I33, respectively, in the cam I34 so that the halves I26--I26' are separated, and finally moves said rollers I3II3I' to another more widely spaced portion of the cam tracks I33-I33 so that said halves I26-I2Ii' are brought together. The advance of the oven I5 is effected through the rotation of a spur gear H6 in engagement with the rack I31 located along one side of the carriage I21 in the manner of the spur gear 16 and the rack 11 associated with the oven II at station 8, and in the present instance is brought about in combination with the movement of oven II by the operation of the electric motors I38 and I39, shown diagrammatically In Fig. 6, which are the driving means for the spur gears I36 and 18, respectively. The electric motors I38 and I39 are similarly connected through lead I 40 and leads I and I42, respectively, to one side of the line source I43 of electrical current of the apparatus and advance the ovens I5 and II at the same moment as both are connected throu h leads I44 and I45, respectively, to a common switch i 46 controlling the completion of a circuit through wire I41 to the opposite side of the line source I43 of electrical current. At such times the cam I48 so that the raised portion of the edge thereof is carried into position below the roller on the actuating lever I49 of the switch I46, which is a totally enclosed commercial product having an integral actuating lever I49, and the said switch I46 is operated, completing the circuit between lead I45 and the lead I41. The movements of the ovens I5 and II continue until terminated by the passage of the roller on the actuating lever I49 of the switch I 46 from the raised portion of the edge of cam I48 upon further rotation of the drive shaft 18 and advance said ovens I5 and II to a position about respective lamp assemblies I. Both ovens I5 and II have a length greater than that of the lamp assembly I and an opening at the upper end which accommodates the exhaust tube 4 and the support post 48. Oven I5 also has an opening in the lower end which surrounds control pin I4 and which is sufiiciently large to permit said control pin I4 to move vertically during the heating interval.

The directly succeeding operations of the apparatus, which are initiated by the retraction of the oven I5 and consequent termination of the heating functions of the apparatus, occur only after the lamp assembly I is brought to a suitably workable condition to permit it to be properly reshaped. This workable condition is produced by a temperature in the lamp assembly I somewhat below that of the oven I5 and is indicated by a softening and consequent lengthening of the envelope 8 thereof. The weight of the lower portion of the lamp assembly ,I, at such times, is sufficient to cause a downward movement of the control pin I4, a movement produced against the slight friction of the shoe I23 and a very slight upward component produced by the counterweight I99. The pressure exerted by the control pin I4 does not disturb the elongation of the lamp assembly I which urges said control pin I4 downward until the collar I5I on the lower end portion of the support rod I01 located below the bed 12 of the apparatus comes to rest on the top end of the latch I52. At that time the balance beam )8 has also moved to a position where it bears against the roller on the actuating arm I53 of the switch I54 and repositions said arm I53 sufficiently to close said switch I54. Since the lengthening of the lamp assembly I can only occur when it has been heated to a definite condition, the downward movement of the control pin I4, as indicated by the making of the circuit through the switch I54, establishes a definite basis for the succeeding operations which are directly dependent on the workability thereof. In the present instance, the circuit controlled by the switch I54 is caused to bring about a sequence of operations which are independent of those brought about by the rotation of the main drive shaft 18 and which effect a control compensating for variations in the heat requirements of succeeding lamp assemblies 1 and other variations in the heat-producing functions of the apparatus. Both these variable conditions are of particular importance where the high rate of speed and automatic nature of the present apparatus are considered.

The control executed by the downward movement of the pin I4 and the completion of the circuit through the switch I54 is directed to the operation of the electric motor I55 which rotates the auxiliary cam shaft I56 and which the rotation of the main drive shaft 18 turns 7 brings about an immediately succeeding fixed seanus-as quence of operations by the corresponding rotation of the cams located at positions along said shaft I56. The switch I54 is connected through wire I41 to one side of the line source I43 of electrical energy and, in closing, completes, through wire I51, the connection of said source I43 to the electric motor I55 which is also permanently connected through wires I58 and I42 to the opposite side thereof. Appropriate gears I59 and I60, coupling the electric motor I55 and the auxiliary cam shaft I56, establish the rate of rotation of said auxiliary shaft I56 so as to time the operations initiated thereby at fixed intervals.

After the electric motor I55 and the auxiliary cam shaft I55 arebroug-ht into operation, the immediate function of the apparatus is to cause the oven I to open and retract from the lamp assembly I at station 9 so that the heating function thereof is terminated. Both movements of the oven I5 are under the control of the electric motor I38 as hereinbefore described and, in the present instance, are brought about by rotation of said electric motor I38 in a direction opposite that previously occurring upon the making an electrical circuit thereto through the switch I64 associated with the cam I65 on the auxiliary cam shaft I56. The switch I64 is permanently connected throughwires I66 and I41 to one side of the line source I43 of electrical energy and is caused to take a closed position at this time by the advance of a hump on the edge of the cam I65 into a position below the actuating arm thereof, at which position the circuit through said switch I64 and the wires I61 and I68 is complete to the particular section of the electric motor I38 producing the desired direction of rotation. In the present instance, electric motor I38, and several others yet to be described, are a type known as permanent-split capacitor motors and are capable of operation in either direction, depending on the making of appropriate connections to either of two sections thereof.

Also synchronized with the retraction of the oven I5 is the advance of the form I2 and the other bendingapparatus associated therewith to operative relation to the lamp assembly I. These functions of the apparatus are also controlled by the circuit completed by the switch I64 and are brought about by the connection made from said switch I64 through wire I61 to the electric motor I69, which connection causes said motor I69 to advance the supporting carriage I for the form I2 and its associated apparatus in a corresponding manner to that causing the motor I38 and the carriage I21 to retract the oven I5. A permanent connection between the motor I69 and the line source I43 of electricity is present in the wires HI and I 42 at all times.

The heating function of the oven I5, the control afforded by the pin I4 and the reshaping operations of the form I2 and associated apparatus correspond to a great extent to the operations of the single-station non-automatic apparatus disclosed and claimed in the co-pending patent application Serial No. 574,724 of Greiner et al., flied January 26, 1945, and assigned to the assignce of the present invention. The form I2 and its associated apparatus (which are here shown somewhat diagrammatically) are duplications of corresponding portions of the aforesaid apparatus; however, the manner and means of controlling them are, in certain instances, particular to the presently described apparatus. The

form or mold I2 which comprises two compiementary circular halves I12 and I12 (Fig. 5) is indirectly mounted on a vertically movable U-shaped floating carriage I13 located on the three duplicate columns I14 upstanding from the forward corners and the rear portion of the horizontally movable main support carriage I10 and is advanced toward the lamp assembly I through the rotation of the spur gear I15 on the shaft of the motor I69, which gear I15 engages the rack I 16 on the side of said support carriage I10. Rollers I11 at the four corners of the carriage I10 permit it to roll along the surface of the bed 12 of the apparatus and can be supplemented by rails (not shown) therealong to guide said carriage I10 in a. definite path. Both halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 are similarly mounted on opposite legs of the floating cariage I13, the half I 12, for instance. being fastened to one end of a horizontally disposed shaft I18 journalled in one legthereof, and are orientated by the gears I19 and I19, respectively. The form I2 is held so that the complementary semi-circular jaws I and I80 (Fig. 8), at one position at the periphery thereof, take positions directly opposite both sides of the metal end cap 6 on the lower end of the lamp assembly I at the limit of the advance of said form I2 and the support carriage I10. The advance of the support carriage I10 also moves the heater or backing plate I1 of the apparatus associated with the form I2 and in so doing advances it first to a position beyond that of the lamp assembly I where the roller I8I on the lever I82, which is pivoted on said carriage I10, bears against a fixed stop (not shown) at said work station. The continuing further motion of the support carriage I10 causes pressure on roller I8I which forces the heater I1 to swing into close proximity to the side of the lamp assembly I opposite that adjacent the form I2. This last operation, which results as the gear segment at one end of the lever I82 turns the gear I83 on the supporting shaft I84 for said heater I1, swings said heater I1 where it can compensate for heat lost by that side of the lamp assembly I which will be stretched in the reshaping operation. The heat is generated in electrical resistance wires (not shown) within the refractory blocks making up the heater I1 which is supported at intervals on its length by arms I85 engaging the shaft I84. The heater I1 also functions as a means to prevent the straight portion of the lamp assembly I from bowing out of alignment as the bending operation progresses.

The next occurring operation is the closing axial movement of the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 which causes said halves I12 and I12 to move into contact with each other and which causes the semi-circular jaws I80 and I80 thereon to pass into the groove about the crown 26 of the metal end cap 6 on the lamp assembly I as indicated in Fig. 7. Both halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 are held in place by the engagement of the levers I86 and I 86', respectively, along opposite sides thereof with the circumferentially grooved hubs I81 andi81 extending therefrom and are influenced through the toggle leverage formed by the links I88 joining the opposit ends of said levers I88 and I86 and the slide I89. In their separated position the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 are so held by the levers I86 and I86, respectively, which pivot at intermediate points on pins I90 (only one being shown) extending from the floating carriage I13,

anemone and the slide itt, which is located within ways in a rearward depending portion of said carriage lit, that they are spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the lamp assembly i and are at a position determined by the seating oi the head of the pin Ilti within a recess in said slide ltd. The closing movement of the halves H2 and. Hit of the form it results from the triggering action of an upward movement of the pin it", a movement which raises the head thereof from the recess in the slide itt and which occurs against the compression resistance of the helical spring Wt butting against the collar M3 on the lower end thereof and the bottom of the ways for the slide "80. The pin ii is triggered by the upward movement of the armature H94 of the solenoid i05 located permanently on the support carriage H0 below the lower end of said pin MM and releases the slide I|89 so that the contraction force of the spring I06 moves said slide I89 and, through the toggle leverage, said halves I12 and iii of said form i2. The spring i98 extends between a post upstanding from the floating carriage iii and an arm of a lever I91 pivoted on the pin W8 and engaging a pin in the end of the slide I80 and in contracting advances said slide M0 to -a position where the pressure of engagement of the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 causes the levers I88 and I86 to be directed almost directly against each other and therefore to be locked in place. The triggering of the form closing apparatus brought about by the solenoid I05 is the result of the momentary completion of a circuit thereto by the switch 200 (Fig. 6) under the control exerted by the cam I on the auxiliary cam shaft ibt and is therefore synchronized with the advance of the form I2. The switch 200, which is connected to the solenoid I95 by wire 202, completes a circuit through wires I88 and I4! to one side of the line source I43 of electrical energy, the opposite side of which is permanently connected through wires 203 and I40 to said solenoid I95.

The succeeding operations in the reshaping of the lamp assembly I occur very rapidly and, in efi'ect, first cause the control pin I4 to move down away from its supporting position below the lower end thereof so that. said end, which is now gripped and supported by the Jaws I80 and I80 of the form I2, is free to move laterally in accord with said reshaping operations. At the time these operations begin, the control pin I4 is supported through the engagement of the collar I5I with the latch I52, which is pivoted between laterally protruding portions of a lower section of the slider 204, extending between the rods 205 and is at a vertical position governed by the butting of said lower section against corresponding fixed collars 208 attached to the rods 205. The respective portions of the slider 204 engaging the rods 205 are of corresponding form and are limited to a vertical direction of movement thereby, as said rods 205 are duplicate flxed members extending from the base of bracket IIO. A spring 201 extending between posts in the extending portion of the slider 204-and the latch I52 keeps said latch I52, which pivots on the pin 208, biased to a position below the collar I5I, at which position the base of the notch in the edge thereof bears against the roller 20IHoining the collars 208.

As operation of the apparatus begins, a downward motion of the control pin I4 is brought about by a downward movement of the slider 204 which causes said latch I52 to move down and swing out from under the collar iti and which also causes the downward motion of the fixed tooth 2 it on an upper section of the slider 2% to engage and forcibly pull said collar iti and control pin It downward. The upper section of the slider 20d engages the rods 205 in a manner corresponding to the lower section and is connected by an intermediate web till to the lower section thereof. This motion of the slider 200 is effected by the energization of the operating solenoid 2 I2 for this particular portion of the apparatus, which solenoid m is mounted at a fixed position on the lower surface of the bed 12 thereof. The solenoid 2I2 is connected through the link 2H3 to one end of a lever 2 i t pivoted on a bracket 2 it (only partially shown) depending from the lower surface of the bed l2 and introduces motion in said lever 2H1 which, in turn, is transferred through link 2I8 to the slider 204. The solenoid 2H2 is also connected electrically by wires 203 and IE0 to one side of the supply line I43 and, at the moment of operation, is also connected by wire tn, the switch 2 I8 and wires I66 and I4! to the other side of said supply line I43. The completion of the circuit through the switch 2I8 occurs with the rotation of the protruding portion of the edge of the cam 2I9 into engagement with the roller on the actuating lever of said switch 2I8 and causes the armature 220 of the solenoid 2I2 to be lifted, thereby efiecting a movement of lever 2M and a downward movement of the slider 204 against the upward biasing force of the springs 22I-22I surrounding the lower ends of the rod 205 and bearing against the collars 222222 thereon. The movement of the slider 204 in lowering the latch I52 causes a further extent of the edge thereof to bear against the roller 209 so that said latch I52 is forced back away from its position below the collar I5 I The engagement of the fixed tooth 2I0 on the slider 204 with the collar I5I moves said collar I5I and the pin i4 rapidly downward to the limit of motion where the top of said pin I4 is completely separated from the metal end disc 8 and other portions of the lamp assembly I. In this latter downward movement of the rod IN the balance beam I08 tips still further and moves the actuating arm I53 of the switch I54; however, the switch I54 does not change from its closed condition.

During the subsequent operations of the apparatus when the switch 2I8 is again caused to take an open position and the circuit to the solenoid 2 I2 is broken, the expansion force of the springs 22I-22I raises the slider 204 and its associated means in preparation for the succeeding cycle of operation. The latch I52 passes the collar I5I without disturbing it in the upward motion as it is kept in a retracted position while passing said collar I5I by the roller 209 and does not swing out again until its upper limit of motion is complete and the notched edge of said latch I52 is opposite the roller 209. In the succeeding cycle of operation when the control pin I4 is moved upward into engagement with another lamp assembly I, the collar I5I, in its corresponding movement, moves against the projecting edge of the latch I52 and forces said latch I52 back until it is above the end thereof. The collar I5I also has the function of keeping the control pin I4, which is offset from the rod I01, from turning from its proper position and effects this function through its engagement with the rod 223 depending from the bracket I I0.

The other reshaping operations of the apparatus initiated at the same time as the downmesons ward motion of the control pin I4, include the upward and rotative motions of the reshaping form I2 which result from the completion of still another circuit by the switch 2I8 controlling the electric motor 224 located on the support carriage I10. Because of the relatively short interval of time required to lower the control pin I4 sufllciently to provide the relatively slight clearance required between it and the metal end cap 3 on the lamp assembly I at the start of the reshaping operation, no interference can occur therebetween in the immediately occurring operation of rolling of said lamp assembly I onto the form I2. Both the movement of the control pin I4 and the upward and rotating motions of the form I2, which cause'the lamp assembly I to be rolled into the peripheral semi-circular groove therein, occur very rapidly giving little chance for the lam assembly I to cool.

The switch 2I3 in the present instance completes a circuit from one side of the supply line I43 of electrical energy through the wires I33, I41 and 2", 225 to the electric motor 224, which is also permanently connected through wires 223 and I42 to the other side of said source I43 and thereby effects a direction of rotation in the motor 224 necessary to roll the form I2 upward along the lamp assembly I. Until this rolling motion occurs, the form I2 is positioned vertically by the engagement of the floating carriage I13 with the collars 221 (only one appearing in Fig.5) on the three columns I14, and is orientated rotatably by corresponding trains of gears, like that shown in gears 228 and 229 which engage the gear I13 or I13 on the supporting shafts for the respective halves I12 and I12 of said form I2. The gear 223 associated with the half I12 of the form I2 is mounted on an intermediate shaft 230 under the control of the gear 23I which, in turn, meshes with the stationary rack 232 upstanding from one side of the support carriage I10 and corresponds to similar means associated with the half I12 of the form I2 and engaging the stationary rack 232' at that side of the support carriage. I13. The shaft 230 and the pivot pin for the gear 223 are mounted on the floating carriage I13 and are adapted for vertical movement therewith during which the gear 23I is turned by its engagement with the rack 232 and turns the half I12 of the form I2 at a very slightly greater speed than would occur if it were rolled along a surface. The vertical motion of the floating carriage I13 is effected by means engaging chains 233-233 attached correspondingly to respective portions of said carriage I13 adjacent the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2, which chains are looped up and over sprockets 234234 on the idler shafts 235, 233 on a platform 231 and down under the driven sprockets 230 on the shaft 239 and the idler sprockets 240 (only one being indicated) on the shaft 24I on the support carriage I10. The opposite ends of the chains 233 and 233' are attached to eyelets on the top and bottom surfaces of the floating carriage I13 so that an endless coupling is formed which is suitable for controlling both the up and down movements of said floating carriage I13. Outboard bearings fix the position of the shafts 235 and 235 on the platform 231, which is mounted at a fixed vertical position on the upper ends of the columns I14 and the racks 232-232, and the position of the shafts 233 and 2 on the support carriage I10. Counterweights 242-242' midway along the lengths of the chains 233-233, respectively, also balance out the weight of the form I2 and the associated assembly mounted on the floating carriage I13 and allow the energy exerted by the electric motor 224, which drives the shaft 230 through the worm gears 243 and 244, to be expanded in moving, rather than in lifting, said assembly, thereby permitting the movement of the form I2 to be more rapid and controllable.

The upward rolling movement of the form I2 is carried on to a point where the full length of the envelope 3 of the lamp assembly I is wrapped into the semi-circular peripheral groove in said form I2, at which time opposite ends of said envelope 3 are located relatively near each other as indicated in Fig. 2. Further rotative movement of the carriage I13 is terminated by the interruption of the circuit to motor 224 and the butting of said floating carriage I13 against the stop collars 245 on the upper portions of the columns I14. At the above limit of motion the circuit to the motor 224 is broken by operation of the switch 2 I3 as the hump on the edge of the cam 2I3 then passes from below the roller on the actuating arm thereof. It is also preferred that a brake, such as shown in combination with the apparatus in the Greiner et al. application hereinbefore referred to, or other means he provided to assist in preventing further movement of the form I2 once it has taken its upper limit of motion.

Just prior to the time the upward motion is completed, the continuous rotation of the auxiliary shaft I53 rotates the cam 246 so that the switch 241 is actuated, thereby effecting the opening of the Jaws 243243 of the support means I3 (Figs. 2 and 5) and the introduction of a gas at pressure into the lamp assembly I. The switch 241 is connected to one side of the supply line I43 of electrical current through wires I33 and I41 and in actuating completes the connection through wires 250 and 25I to the solenoid 252 located on the platform 231 above the jaws 243 and 243 and to the solenoid 253 of the valve 254 controlling the source (not shown) of gas. The energization of the solenoid 252,

- which is permanently connected through wires 255 and I42 to the opposite side of the line. causes the armature and plate 250 attached thereto to move downward and forces said plate 253 against the rollers 251 on the upper ends of the jaws 243 and 249 with sufllcient strength to separate said Jaws 243 and 243 against the resistance provided by the contraction force of the spring 253 extending between said ends. The jaws 243 and 243 pivot about the pin 253 extending from the end of the fixed arm 230. which is attached to the side flange of the bracket 33 of the exhaust port 5, and are held at a position directly over the center of the form I2 where they are in the best position to engage and support the lamp assembly I after it is completely shaped. The operation of the jaws 243 and 243 at this time is for the purpose of separating them so that both the form I2 and the lamp assembly I pass between the nibs thereof without being disturbed. The energization of the solenoid 253, on the other hand, which is permanently connected to one side of the line through wires I, 203 and I40, opens the valve 254 so that th gas supplied thereto is conducted through pipin (not shown) to a passage corresponding to passage 54 (Fig. 2) in the lower half 55 of the rotary valve 52 and thence through the exhaust port 5 to the lamp assembly I. The function of the gas. which is preferably nitrogen or another inert gas at a pressure of 3 to 6 inches of mercury, is

to expand and round out the envelope is at the lamp assembly I to the general curvature of the groove of the form It and eliminate the dat tening, waves, and any other irregularity that develops in the envelope 9 while it is being wrapped about said form it, The introduction of the gas in the lamp assembly i and the contact of said assembly I with the form It; increase the rapidity with which said assembly i, which is now separated from the heater I1, cools and completes the series of operations required to reshape said lamp assembly Ii.

No operation occurs in the moment after the rolling of the lamp assembly I! is complete, as the directly succeeding interval is used to allow still further cooling of said assembly II. The length of the cooling period is normally in the order of a few seconds during which the lamp assembly I cools to a condition where every portion is solid and undistortable and is not as readily chilled injuriously by contact with other apparatus. Termination of the cooling interval occurs when the jaws 248 and 249 of the support means I9 close on the lamp assembly I and is directly followed by the separation of the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 so that said lamp assembly I is freed of all apparatus located permanently at work station 9. The first of these operations, the closing movement of the jaws 249 and 249 of holder I9, is brought about by rotation of cam 246 to a position where the roller on the actuating arm of the switch 241 passes from the hump thereon so that said switch 941 is opened and the circuit to the solenoid 252 retaining said Jaws 248 and 249 in an open position is broken and said laws 249 and 249 are free to close. Access to the lamp assembly I is given by a radially extending notch 264 (Fig. 1) in the rim of each half I12 and I12 of the form I2 which permits the nibs of said jaws 249 and 249 to engage the sides and pass beneath said lamp assembly I. Since it is also very desirable that any chilling of the lamp assembly I be avoided, the nibs of the jaws 249 and 249 are covered with asbestor stockings and are preheated, the latter being effected while said jaws 249 and 249 .are located at station 9, by an electrlc heater 265'. Means (not shown) extending over the oven II hold the electric heater 265', which is of a conventional design having a coiled resistance wire within channels in a refractory disc, at a position just below the course of travel of the jaws 249 and 249, at which position the heater 265' is free to heat by radiation and convection the nibs of said Jaws 249 and 249 during their period of dwell at station 9. The breaking of the electrical circuit controlled by switch 241 and actuating the jaws 249 and 249 also actuates the solenoid 259 and valve 254 and thereby breaks the connection conducting the gas at pressure to the lamp assembly I.

The immediately succeeding operation of separating the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 is also under the control of the rotation of the auxiliary drive shaft I56 and is brought about by the operation of the solenoid 264 (Figs. 5 and 6), which is located on the platform 231, with the completion of a circuit thereto through the switch 265. At the present moment a, hump on the edge of the cam 266 is carried into engagement with the roller on the actuating arm of the switch 265 and the consequent.closing of said switch 265 completes a circuit from the wires I66 and I41, leading to one side of the supply ataatm line I09 of electric current to the wire 991! leading to the solenoid 999. The eflect of the operation of the solenoid 966 is to force the armature its against the cupped end 999' of the lever 269 which is then located directly below so as to cause the lever I911 of the operating apparatus for the form It to be turned counter-clockwise about the support pin I99 and separate the halves I19 and I12 of said form It. The lever 269 pivots on the far end (Fig. 5) of the pin 216 extending through a rearward depending portion of the floating carriage I119 and has a longitudinal slot accommodating the pin ill in the rearward extending arm of the lever I91. The separation of the halves I12 and I19 of the form I2 is brought about very rapidly by the motion imparted to the slide I99 by the lever I91 and transferred to said halves ill and I12 through links I99, lit and levers I96, I06 respectively. At the limit of this movement, the slide I99 has been moved to such an extent that an enlargement in the slot therein accommodating the fixed pin I9I is carried to a position below the head of said pin I91 and the apparatus is locked in position by a longitudinal displacement of the pin' I9I under the constant influence of the spring I92 carrying the head of said pin I9I into said enlargement. Heretofore the head of the pin I9I has slid along the flat top surface of the slide I99 and has not interfered with-the motion of the slide I99 although under the constant downward biasing efiect of the expansion force of the spring I92 which bears against the bottom of the ways for said slide I89 and the fixed collar I93 on a lower portion of the pin I9I.

The succeeding operation of the apparatus further prepares the apparatus permanently located at station 9 for the index of the lamp assembly I therefrom by retracting the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2 from the course of movement thereof. This retraction is caused by a corresponding movement of the support carriage I10 for the entire assembly of bending apparatus at this station and is effected by the required rotation of the electric motor I69 engaging through gear I15 the rack I16 on the side of said carriage I10 and controlled by a circuit including the switch 265. Because of the slightly slower response of the motor I69 and associated means, the carriage I10 does not retract until the halves I12 and I12 of the form I2, which are also under the control of the circuit made by the switch 265, have started to separate and therefore does not cause interference between the form I2 and the lamp assembly I. The circuit made to the 1 motor I69 at this time includes the wires 214 and 261, the switch 265 and the wires I66 and I41 and is interrupted when the form I2 and the carriage I10 are fully retracted by the passage of the hump on the edge of the cam 266 from below the roller on the actuating lever of said switch 265. In the retraction of the carriage I10, the apparatus also effects the corresponding retraction of the heater I1 mounted thereon by first carrying the roller I9I on the actuating lever I92 therefor away from the fixed stop (not shown) so that said heater I1 swings out from behind the lamp assembly I and then withdraws in the direction of movement of the carriage I10. Also under the control of the circuit completed by the switch 265 is the retraction movement of the oven I I located at station 9, which movement similarly separates the lamp assembly I from the apparatus permanently located at said station so 23 that said lamp assembly I can be indexed without interference therefrom. The circuit In the present instance is through wire 215 and wire 251 .and makes a particular connection to the electric motor I39, which causes it to turn in a direction retracting the oven I I.

During the succeeding period of operation in which the lamp assembly I is indexed from station 9 by motion of the head 2 and the turret I, the form I2 and the associated apparatus are moved to a position to start the succeeding cycle of operation by being lowered. This lowering movement of the form I2 is produced in a man ner corresponding to the previous upward motion thereof by motion of the floating carriage I'll under the influence of the operation of the motor 224. At this time an electric circuit to the motor 224 is made through wire 215. switch 211 and wires I45, I41 by the actuation of said switch 211 which is under the control effected by the cam 215 on the auxiliary drive shaft I55. The motor 224 is caused to turn in a direction which moves the supporting chains 233 and 292' and the floating carriage I13 down on the columns I14. At the limit of motion the floating carriage I19 again rests on the stop collars 221 on the columns I14 and is no longer under the influence of the rotation of the motor 224 as the circuit thereto is broken by the properly timed operation of the switch 211 by the further rotation of the cam 219.

As hereinbefore described, all but the initial operations taking place at station 9 are in a fixed sequence having a definite duration determined by the shape of the various cams on the auxiliary cam shaft I55 and are not dependent on the rotation of the main drive shaft 18 which is responsible for the control of most of the remaining operations of the apparatus. The rotation of the electric motor I55 and the rotation of the auxiliary cam shaft I55 has continued uninterruptedly after they were initially placed in operation and has controlled the duration as well as the initiation of all operations of the sequence so that it has not been necessary for the main drive shaft I8 to continue in operation. In order to realize the advantages of this non-operative period of the drive shaft I an interruption in the rotation thereof is brought about by breaking the circuit to the driving motor 24. This operation occurs very shortly after the auxiliary cam shaft I58 initially starts to rotate, as then an extended hump on the edge of the cam 255 thereon passes below the roller of the actuating arm of the switch 28I. The electric motor 84 is connected by wire 282 to the switch 22I. which is in turn connected through wires I55 and I4! to one side of the line I42 and becomes inoperative when the switch 28I takes an open position. The motor 84 is also connected permanently to the opposite side of the supply line I43 by the wires 253 and I40. The completion of the group of functions controlled by the auxiliary cam shaft I55 makes it again necessary that the main drive shaft 18 take over the operation of the apparatus, a function which is brought about by the passage of the hump on the edge of cam 259 from below the roller of the actuating arm of the switch 25I so that said switch 28I again takes a normally closed position and so that the circuit to the motor 84 is again complete. The auxiliary cam shaft I 55 does not relinquish control of the apparatus to the main drive shaft 75, however, and continues to rotate until said shaft I4 causes the control pin I4 to rise in the succeeding cycle away from the roller on the actuating arm I58 of the switch I54. These operations break the circuit to the driving motor I55 of the auxiliary cam shaft I55 and allow it to remain idle during the interval the lamp assembly I is heated by the oven I5.

The recurrence of rotative motion in the main drive shaft 19 turns the indexing cam 55 so that it advances the spider 92 and thereby indexes the turret 3 and the head 2 followed in this description, to station III. The operations of the apparatus occurring while the now circularly shaped lamp assembly I is at station III are just those of allowing said lamp assembly I to cool and, at the same time, to be drawn on by exhausting means connected to the head 2 through the rotary valve 52. The rotation of the movable section 5I of the rotary valve 52 occurring with the index advances the passage 52 therein connected to the head 2 into alignment with a passage (not shown) corresponding to passage 54 in the stationary section of said valve 52, which passage is permanently connected to the exhausting means. The exhausting operation continues for the entire period of dwell of the head 2 and the lamp assembly I at the station II, during which time the fo lowing head 2 and the lamp assembly I carried thereby pass through the reshaping operations just described at station 9.

The succeeding index of the head 2 advances it and the circular lamp assembly I to station II where a second exhaust connection made through the rotary valve lamp assembly I in the manner occurring at station I0. Also made effective during the latter index is a stationary commutator ring 22 (Figs. 1 and 9) which is located below the turret 2 in a position to be wiped by the bare ends of the insulated leading-in wires 20 and 2I extending from opposite ends of the lamp assembly I. The operator, when initially inserting the lamp assembly I into the head 2 at station I or 2, bends the pairs of leading-in wires 20 and 2I to a position which causes them to take the position shown so that they pass into the lower and upper channels 295 and 295, respectively, in the commutator ring 22 during the index. Each leading-in wire 29 or 2I of the pair thereof at the opposite ends of the lamp assembly I lies at a position spaced from the adjacent leading-in wire 25 or 2| and, when station II is reached by the head 2, rests against one of the several separate metal sections 251 and 288 of the commutator ring 22 which are spaced from other similarly conductive sections thereof by portions of the insulating main body of said ring 22. At station II suitable electrical connections are made to the metal sections 25'! and 289 of the commutator ring 22 to cause electrical currents to pass between respective leadingin wires 20, 20 or 2|, 2| at each end of the lamp assembly I so as to effect the heating and the consequent activation of the cathodes of the electrode assemblies 9 within the lamp assembly I in a manner well known in discharge lamp manufacture.

Succeeding operations in the cycle effected by the apparatus occur during the indexing motion of the head 2 from station II to station I2 and are carried on without interruption in the indexing motion. Almost immediately in the above index the head 2 effects the discharge of a measured amount of mercury from the dispenser 23 mounted thereon by carrying the ends of the resilient brushes 289 and 285' of said dispenser 52 is allowed to draw on said 22 against the stationary contacts 290 and 29I as indicated in Fig. 2. The dispenser 23 corresponds to that disclosed in detail in United States Patent 2,313,657-Marshaus, dated March 9, 1943, and is actuated by the application of electrical energy to the solenoid 292 surrounding the upper portion thereof through the momentary connections made between the contacts 299 and 29I which are permanently connected to a source of current (not shown) and the brushes 299 and 289' which are connected to the solenoid 292. The contacts 299 and 29I are in the form of metal bolts extending through a block 293 of insulation material which is mounted on supporting means (not shown) extending over the turret 3 and are wiped by the offset ends of the brushes 289 and 289', which are similarly mounted on the L-shaped bracket 294 of insulating material carried by the upper removable housing 295 of the dispenser 23. The current passing through the solenoid 292 causes the magnetic flux generated thereby to permeate the upper housing 295 and raise the metal piston 295 so that the plunger 291 connected thereto is correspondingly raised and the mercury dosage contained within the aperture 292 is lifted from the mercury pool and trapped behind the float 299. At the limit of the movement of the plunger 291, the aperture 298 is also above the upperend of the sleeve 300 and is at a position where the mercury dosage falls from the aperture 298 and is carried by gravity downward through the discharge passage 3M of the dispenser 23 and into the adjoining exhaust passage of the head 2. The almost immediate movement of the brushes 289 and 289' from engagement with the contacts 299 and 29I in the continuing index movement breaks the electrical connection to the solenoid 292 and allows the piston 295 and the plunger 291 to again drop down to the position shown where the mercury in the dispenser 23 flows into and fills the aperture 298.

The second operation occurring during the index of the head 2 to station I2 is initiated midway in the index when the passage 53 in the upper movable portion SI of the rotary valve 52, which passage 53 is connected to the head 2, is aligned with another passage (not shown) corresponding to the passage 54 in the stationary portion 55 of the rotary valve 52 and connected to a source of ionizable flushing gas, in the present instance, argon. The gas discharged by the passage in the stationary portion 55 of the rotary valve 52 is at a pressure which causes a desired amount of said gas to be admitted into the lamp assembly I during the brief period said passage is in communication with the passage 53 and assists in sweeping any portion of the mercury dosage which may have lodged in some portion of the exhaust passage in the head 2 or exhaust tube 2 down into the envelope 8 of the lamp assembly I.

When station I2 is reached by the head 2, the lamp assembly i is again drawn on by an exhaust source connected thereto through the rotary valve 52 and the cathodes of the electrode assemblies 9 thereof are again heated by current conducted thereto through the commutator ring 22. The manner of making the electrical connections to the electrode assemblies corresponds to that occurring at station I I and shown in Fig. 9 where separate metal sections in the commutator ring 22 are engaged by the leading-in wires 20 and H of the lamp assembly I. However, the electrical connections are such at this station that a voltage difierence between the cathodes at oppooperator observes all lamp assemblies I taking station I3 and is givennotice of a defective lamp assembly I, and in certain instances the improper operation of the apparatus, if said lamp assembly I is not operating thereat.

The succeeding indexing movement of the head 2 carries the lamp assembly I to station It which is beyond the extent of the commutator ring 22 and interrupts the electrical treatment of the lamp assembly. The exhaustion of the lamp assembly I, on the other hand, is not interrupted at station I4 as another exhaust connection through the rotary valve 52 is made to the head 2 while it is located at this station.

At station I5, the next station taken in the course of movement of the head 2, the lamp assembly I is connected through the rotary valve 52 to a source (not shown) causing its exhaustion, and thereafter causing it to be filled with an ionizable gas. The source is controlled automatically in the usual manner by time-initiated valving means and connects the lamp assembly I to a supply of argon in the present instance, which gas is at a pressure resulting in a known filling of said gas passing into said lamp assembly I.

Station I5 is the last station taken by the head 2 in its course around the apparatus which forms the cycle of operation thereof. At this station the lamp assembly I is sealed either manually or by mechanical means fusing and tipping of! the exhaust tube 4 within the open end of cap 6 of said lamp assembly I and is removed from the apparatus after the support means I8 and the holder I are opened. No connection is made through the exhaust passage of the head 2 at this station as the passage 53 in the rotary valve 52 connected thereto is located over a solid portion of the stationary portion 55 thereof at such times. The head 2 is also prepared for another cycle of operation by the removal of the remaining portion of the exhaust tube 4 which falls therefrom after the arm 35 i turned to release the gripping action of the rubber washer 38 of the exhaust port 5.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of manufacturing tubular discharge lamps of curvilinear configuration in a sequence of operations which comprises heating a lamp assembly to drive out the contamination therein and to render it workable, immediately thereafter bending said lamp assembly to the desired configuration, exhausting the lamp assembly before appreciable cooling occurs therein, immediately thereafter introducing an ionizable gas into the lamp assembly, and then permanently sealing the lamp assembly to complete the manufacture.

2. The method of manufacturing tubular discharge lamps of curvilinear configuration in a sequence of operations which comprises heating the lamp assembly to drive out the contamination therein and to render it workable, successively during the heating operation exhausting the contaminated atmosphere from the interior of the lamp assembly and then filling said inmamas 27 'terior with an inert gas, immediately after the heating operation bending the lamp assembly to the desired configuration, exhausting the lamp assembly before appreciable vcooling occurs therein, immediately thereafter introducing an ionizable gas into the lamp assembly, and then permanently sealing the lamp assembly to complete the manufacture.

3. The method of manufacturing tubular discharge lamps of curvilinear configuration in a sequence of operations which comprises heating the lamp assembly to drive out the contamination therein and to render it workable, successively during the heating operation exhausting the contaminated atmosphere from the interior of the lamp assembly and then filling said in-- terior with an inert gas, immediately after the heating operation bending the lamp assembly to the desired configuration, introducing additional inert gas at pressure into the lamp assembly during the bending thereof to assist in preserving the original cross section of said lamp assembly, exhausting the lamp assembly before appreciable cooling occurs therein, immediately thereafter introducing an ionizable gas into the lamp assembly, and then permanently sealing the lamp assembly to complete the manufacture.

4. The method of manufacturing tubular discharge lamps of curvilinear configuration in a sequence of operations which comprises subjecting the lamp assembly to progressively greater temperatures to heat said lamp assembly at a high speed without lnJurious shock and thereby drive out the contamination therein and render said lamp assembly workable, immediately thereafter bending said lamp assembly to the desired configuration, exhausting the lamp assembly before appreciable cooling occurs therein, immediately thereafter introducing an ionizable gas into the lamp assembly, and then permanently sealing the lamp assembly to complete the manufacture.

5. In combination, a carrier having mounted thereon a plurality of heads each adapted to hold an article, means including drive means to trol the period of dwell of each headfat the station occupied by said one work means.

7. In combination, a carrier having mounted thereon a plurality of heads each adapted to hold an article, a main drive shaft, means to rotate said main drive shaft continuously, indexing means driven from said drive shaft to periodically index said carrier and carry said heads to a plurality of work stations. work mechanisms at a plurality of said stations for performing work on said article, an auxiliary drive shaft associated with one of said work mechanisms which has a variable period of operation, means to rotate said auxiliary drive shaft, and means associated with "said one work mechanism for concurrently renpletion of the operation of said one work mechanism whereby to independently control the period of dwell of each head at the station occupied by said one work mechanism.

8. In combination, a carrier having mounted thereon a plurality of heads each adapted to hold a tubular vitreous article, means to periodically index said carrier to carry saidheads to a plurality of work stations, work mechanisms at a plurality of said stations for performing work'on said article, one of said work mechanisms including means for heating and elongating said article and means for bending said article to arcuate shape, means associated with said one work mechanism for rendering the indexing means inoperative and for subsequently reinitiating operation of said indexing means whereby to indepenperiodically index said carrier to carry said heads I to a plurality of work stations, work means at a plurality of said stations for performing work on said article, one of said work means having a variable period of operation and having associated therewith means to render the drive means for the indexing means inoperative during the period of operation of said one work means and means to subsequently reinitiate operation of said indexing means upon completion of the operation of said one work means whereby to independently control the period of dwell of each head at the station occupied by said one work means.

6. In combination, a carrier having mounted thereon a plurality of heads each adapted to hold an article, means including drive means to periodically index said carrier to carry said heads to a plurality of work stations, work means at a plurality of said stations for performing work on said article, one of said work means-having a variable period of operation and having associated therewith means controlled by a condition of said article to render the drive means for the indexing means inoperative during the period of operation of said one work means and means to subsequently reinitiate operation of said indexing means upon completion of the operation of said one work means whereby to independently condently control the period of dwell of each head at the station occupied by said one work mechanism, and control means actuated by said article upon elongation thereof during heating at the last-mentioned station and including means for initiating operation of the last-mentioned means.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular lamp assembly and having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing said head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and to render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the heated lamp assembly to a desired configuration, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of th path of movement for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular lamp assembly and having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing said head along a path of movement, separate heating means located along the path of movement and developing successively higher temperatures for heating the lamp assembly advanced by the head at high speed without injurious shock to drive contamination therefrom and to render the lamp assembly workable, means also located along said path adjacent the highest temperature portion of the heating means for bending the lamp assembly to a desired configuration, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement assembly through said'exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

11. Apparatus of th class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular lamp assembly and having an exhaust, port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing said head along a path of movement, means extending along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom, a movable oven, means mounting said oven to advance it to and from operative relation to the head at a directly succeeding portion of the path of movement to heat the lamp assembly retained thereby to a workable condition, means located adjacent the oven along the path of movement of the head for bending the lamp assembly to a desired configuration, means connected to the head along a. succeeding portion of the path of movement for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular lamp assembly and having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing said head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and to render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the heated lamp assembly to a desired configuration, plural means adapted to be connected to the exhaust port of the head upon movement thereof for exhausting the atmosphere from and introducing an inert gas into the lamp assembly dur-' ing the heating thereof, for increasing the pressure of the inert gas in the lamp assembly during the bending thereof to assist in preserving the original cross section thereof, and for thereafter exhausting the lamp assembly and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means, op-' erating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

13. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular lamp assembly by one end thereof and having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing said head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and to render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the heated lamp assembly to a desired configuration, gripper means mounted on the head, means for actuating said gripper means to engage and support the lamp assembly at a point remote from the said one end thereof after it has been bent, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for supporting a tubular for exhausting the "lamp lamp assembly through engagement with one end thereof, said head also having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection to said end of the lamp assembly and having auxiliary support means at a fixed position for engaging an intermediate portion of the lamp assembly in its final bent shape, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing the head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the heated lamp assembly to a desired configuration and into position to be engaged by the said auxiliary support means of the head, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for suspending a tubular lamp assembly in a vertical position through engagement with one end thereof, said head also having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection to said end of the lamp assembly, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing the head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the lamp assembly to a desired configuration, operating means connected to the bending means and including control means located below the head in a position to engage the lower end of the lamp assembly for oper-' ating the said bending means when said lamp assembly becomes suitably workable and elongates, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement of the head for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising a head having means for suspending a tubular lamp assembly in a vertical position through engagement with one end thereof, said head also having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection to said end of the lamp assembly, movable carrier means for supporting and advancing the head along a path of movement, means located along the path of movement of the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive contamination therefrom and render it workable, means also located along said path of movement for bending the lamp assembly to a desired configuration, vertically movable counterbalanced control means located below the head in a position to engage the lower end of the lamp assembly when said head is in operative relation to said heating means, means engaging the said control means and controlled by the vertical position thereof for operating the bending means when the lamp assembly is heated to workability and by elongating lowers said control means, means connected to'the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement of the head for exhausting the lamp assembly through said exhaust port and then introducing therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the several aforesaid means in proper synchronism.

9,494,988 31 17. Apparatus of the class described comprising said lamp assembly becomes suitably workable a head having means for suspending a tubular and elongates. lamp assembly in a vertical position through en- 20. Apparatus of the class described comprisgagement with one end thereof, said head also ing a head having means for supporting a tubuhaving an exhaust port for making a gas-tight r lamp assembly and having an exhaust port I connection to said end of the lamp assembly, movm king a gas-tight connection thereto, a able carrier means for supporting and advancing movable carrier f upp t nd indexing a d t head along a path of movement, means head successively to a plurality of work stations cated along the path of movement of the head along a pa h of movement. means located at o for heating the lamp assembly to drive contami- 10 of said work Sta-tions for heating the p nation therefrom and render it workable, means sembly to drive contamination therefrom and also located along said path f movement f to render it workable, means connected to the bending the lamp assembly to a desired configuexhaust port of the head i actuated by the ration, means for relocating the lower end of an indexing motion of the Carmel: causing improperly aligned lamp assembly, operating Ila-sting and gas-mung oPel'atlons to be applied means connectedto the bending means and inthe lamp assembly vanously in index of eluding control means located below the head in the head' indexing means for advancmg the a position to engage the lower end of the lamp ner to position the head and lamp assembly at assembly for operating the bending means when the stations and thereby t the heating said lamp assembly becomes suitably workable exhaus mg and gas mung of Sam lamp assemblyand elongates, means connected to the head along a succeeding portion of the path of movement 5 embly to a desired configuration, means conof the head for exhausting the lamp assembly nected to the indexing means for interrupting through said exhaust port and then introducing th e operation thereof and initiating the sequence therein an ionizable gas, and means operating the of operations of the bending means at definitely several aforesaid means in proper synchronism. timed intervals and then restoring the operative 18. Apparatus of the class described comprising condition of the indexing means. a head having means suspending a tubular 21. Apparatus of the class described comprislamp assembly in a vertical position through enm a head having means for supporting a. tubu- "gagement with one end thereof, said head also lar lamp assembly and having an exhaust port having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight for making .13 1 connection t t a connection o aid n f the l m assembly. movable carrier for supporting and indexing said movable carri r m ns f pporting and adhead successively to a plurality of work stations van n the ad al g a pa f m v m n along a path of movement, means located at means located along the path of movement of the one of said work stations for heating the lamp head for heating the lamp assembly advanced assembly to drive contamination therefrom, thereby to drive contamination therefrom and means connected to the exhaust port of the head render it workable, means also located along said and actuated by the indexing motion of the carpath of movement for bending the lamp assembly rier for causing exhausting and g -filli pto a desired configuration, operating means conerations to be applied to the lamp assembly nected to the bending means and including conously in the index of the head. means at the trol means located below the head in a position work station i y succeeding h occupied to engage the lower end of the lamp assembly for by the first'mentmned heating means for operating the bending means when said lamp asmg w lamp assembly to a sembly becomes Suitably workable and elongates. indexing means for advancing the carrier to posi- 19. Apparatus 01' the class described compristhe head and lamp assembly at t work ing a head having means for suspending a tubui s? the fi' i gi and lar lamp assembly in a vertical position through g 0 amp assem en ng .means engagement with one end thereof, said head also mated with the last'mentioned heaimg means having an exhaust port for making a gas tight for performing a sequence of operations to reconnection to said end of the lamp assembly, ape the lamp assembly to a desired configura" movable carrier means for supporting and adoperating means connected to the last-men vancing the head along a path of movement, heating means and the bending means means located along the path of movement of 3 gg zfii gg g zgg g g y f the head for heating the lamp assembly to drive thergwiih to a workgble te y t t on contamination therefrom and render it workable, th f l-lre or n means also located along said path of movement mp mg 8 opera Ion o e ndexmg and heat ing means and initiating the sequence of operafor bending the lamp assembly to a 0 tions of the bending means at definitely timed figuration comprising mwable form havmg a intervals and then restoring the operative congrooved periphery for receiving the lamp assemdmon of the indexing me ans. bly, means mounted at the periphery of said 22 A aratus h form for gripping the free end of said lamp asing A g g z g g gzf. gsgg gsg g zfigg:

sembly, and operating means for moving and rohr lamp assembly and having an exhaust port for making a gas-tight connection thereto, movassembly to roll said lamp assembly into the said head successively to a plurality of work staperipheral gmme thereof and then to separate tions along a path of movement, means located from said reshaped lamp assembly and etum t0 0 at said work stations for performing lamp-makits former position, and control means operatively mg operations on the lamp assemb] in: the actuation of said operating means when 7 of the head and actuated by the indexing mo-

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