US3149714A

US3149714A - Filament transfer apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3149714A
Application number: US48617A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Williams; Oleg J Orebic
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1960-08-10
Filing date: 1960-08-10
Publication date: 1964-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-22

Description

p 22, 1964 w. J. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,149,714

FILAMENT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 W/LL/AM J. W/L A/HMS M;

OLEG J3 OREB/C.

P 1964 w. J. WILLIAMS ETAL FILAMENT TRANSFER APPARATUS Sept- 22, 1964 w. J. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,149,714

FILAMENT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet s 106 u 4 U U INVENTORS FIG 6 Way/1 Wan/7M5 m7 OLE'G J: OEEE/C' P 1964 w. J. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,149,714

FILAMENT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7.

IN VEN TOR5.

WILL/19M JT Wall/7M5";

0456 J. OEEB/C.

Sept- 22, 1964 w. J. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,149,714

FILAMENT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mvvtlumc 34H UZZLNLO v 01E 72 5 ZOU IJ r @QZXUOJ LUNND-r own 3 0260 5 225 v wzZh no @2605 HTTOEA/EV.

United States Patent 3,149,714 FILAMENT TRANSFER Al I ARATUS William J. Williams, Bloomfield, NJ and (blag .l. flrebic,

New York, N.Y., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. It), 1969, Ser. No. 48,617 4- Qlaims. (Cl. 198--33) The present invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of electrical devices, such as incandescent lamps and the like, and more particularly, to apparatus for transferring a filament directly from a filament feeding apparatus to all types of filament mounting machines.

Heretofore, the lead wires (on which a filament had been previously mounted) were spread to a predetermined spacing by a spreading device of a filament mounting machine (of the type shown in US. Patent No. 1,907,532, issued May 9, 1933, to I. Flaws, Jr.) thus stretching such filament to the required predetermined length. The lead wires presently employed have a larger diameter, are formed of hard nickel and are not readily spread to the predetermined spacing with required accuracy by the conventional spreading device of such filament mounting machine. As a result this lead wire spreading method was replaced by a method wherein the filament was stretched to the predetermined length before it was presented to the filament mounting machine for mounting on the lead wires. Filament transferring and orienting apparatus (of the type shown in US. Patent application Serial No. 787,165, filed January 16, 1959, by T. Hamilton et al. and assigned to the asignee of the present invention) satisfactorily stretches the filament to the predetermined length and is operative to present the stretched filamen to a filament mounting machine of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,637,144, issued May 5, 1953, to R. M. Gardner et al. However, when such filament transfer apparatus is employed with a filament mounting machine of the type shown in the above-mentioned US. Patent No. 1,907,532 the filament clamping device of such filament mounting machine (for clamping the hooks in the ends of the lead wires about the legs of the stretched presented filament) obstructs the path of movement of the filament transferring and orienting apparatus. Because of the above-mentioned hardness of the larger diameter lead Wires, an increase in the spacing between the clamping jaws of the filament clamping device (to clear the path of movement of the filament transferring and orienting apparatus) materially reduces the clamping force in such clamping jaws thereby rendering the filament clamping device inoperative to close the hooks in the hard larger diameter lead wires.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of an improved filament transfer apparatus which is operable to transfer a filament-directly from a filament feeding device to all types of filament mounting machines.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a simplified filament transfer apparatus, which eliminates the filament transfer device previously utilized to transfer the filament from the filament feeding device to the filament transferring and orienting apparatus.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing an improved filament transfer apparatus operable to transfer a filament directly from a filament feeding device to all types of filament mounting machines, the improved filament transfer apparatus being rotatable between the filament feeding device and the filament mounting machine and Eatenteal Sept. 22., 1954:

"ice

also limitedly reciprocable between the filament feeding device and the filament mounting machine to first pick up and then discharge a filament.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the filament transfer apparatus of the present invention and portions of an associated filament feeding device and filament mounting machine at the time in the cycle of operation indicated by the line 8-8 in FIG. 15;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the filament transfer apparatus and associated filament feeding device and filament mounting machine shown in FIG. 1, with portions of the filament transfer apparatus shown in vertical section to illustrate the details thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the filament transfer apparatus when viewed along the line III-III of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of a head of the filament transfer apparatus, with the fixed and movable jaws thereof in the open position and with portions of the head shown in section to illustrate the details thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, the jaws of the head being shown in the closed position;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the head rotating mechanism and illustrating its operation at the individual work stations;

FIGS. 7 through 14 are diagrammatic plan views illustrating the operation of the filament transfer apparatus;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view showing the complete cycle of operation of the filament transfer apparatus, which cycle comprises one revolution of the main cam shaft of the filament transfer apparatus; and

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of an incandescent lamp mount fabricated on the filament mounting machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Although the filament transfer apparatus of the pres ent invention is operable to transfer a filament directly from a filament feeding device to all types of filament mounting machines, the filament transfer apparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a filament mounting machine for mounting vertical type filaments and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings and referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a turret of the filament transfer apparatus is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10.

This turret 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is mounted on a hollow shaft 12 rotatable on a post 14 upstanding from a slide 16 and is provided with a plurality of, for example siX, filament supporting means or heads 18 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a conventional filament feeding device of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned copending US. patent application Serial No. 787,165, is indicated generally (in the left-hand portions of such figures) by the reference numeral 20, and a conventional filament mounting machine of the type shown in the above-mentioned US. Patent No. 2,637,- 144 is indicated (in the right hand portions thereof) by the reference numeral 22.

Before proceeding with a description of the operation of the filament transfer apparatus of the present invention it is deemed advisable to describe the heads 18.

Heads Referring to FIG. 1, each head 18 is provided with a pair of fixed jaws 24 which are pivotably mounted for vertical oscillation on a block 26, which in turn is adjustably mounted in a body 28 of the head 18 and such fixed jaws 24 are operable to secure one leg of a filament 30 (as hereinafter related). To provide means for securing the other leg of the filament 30, a pair of movable jaws 32 are pivotable vertically at 34 (FIGS. 4 and on a block 36, which block 36 in turn is pivoted at 38 on the body 28 for lateral oscillation with respect to the body 28. In order to bias the movable jaws 32 laterally toward the fixed jaws 2 1 and an adjustable stop 39 carried by the block 36 against a wedge-shaped cam 40, a headed shaft 41 carrying a spring 42 extends between the movable jaws 32 and fixed jaws 24 and through the

blocks

36 and 26 and carries a jaw operating arm 44 on its upper end (as viewed in PEG. 1), which jaw operating arm 44 is frictionally biased against rotation with respect to the block 26 by friction springs 46.

Referring now to FIG. 15 and the time (in the cycle of operation of the filament transfer apparatus) indicated by the line SS, it will be appreciated that t to filament feeding device has previously deposited a filament 30 into the pick-up position P-P (FIGS. 1 and 7) adjacent Station 1, the filament pick-up station. In this pick-up position P-P, the legs of such filament 30 are supported by side rails 48 and are aligned by grooves 49 (thus orienting the unsupported body of the filament 30) and such filament has been positioned by a pneumatic means, such as an air jet 50, against a stop 52, The fixed jaws 24 and movable jaws 32 have just been moved to the closed position, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 about the legs of the positioned filament 319 disposed at the pick-up position by a jaw closing mechanism.

Jaw Closing Mechanism This jaw closing mechanism (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) comprises an adjustable bolt 54 upstanding from a lug 56 adjustably carried by a bell crank lever 59, which lever 59 is driven from a cam (not shown) by a cam lever 61 and a connecting rod 63.

When the bolt 54 is moved from the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 3 to the solid-line position shown therein, such bolt 54 engages the jaw operating arm 44 and rotates such jaw operating arm 44 and the headed shaft 41 (against the action of the friction springs 46) from the open position shown in FIG. 4 to the closed position shown in FIG. 5 as limited by a stop 57 which prevents fracture of the legs of the filament 30. During this rotation the fixed jaws 2 4 and movable jaws 32 (which are biased by leaf springs 53, FIGS. 4 and 5, into engagement with rectangular cam sections 61 on the headed shaft 41) move off the short sides of the cam sections 66 and onto the long sides of the cam sections 69, thus closing the fixed jaws 24 and movable jaws 32 about the legs of the filament 30 at the pick-up position P-P (FIGS. 1 and 7) adjacent Station 1, the filament pick-up station.

Shortly after the time S-S (FIG. 15) in the cycle of operation, the slide 16, the turret carried by the slide 16 and a now loaded head 18 on the turret 1d are moved to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, a distance d from the position shown in these figures to the position shown in FIG. 8 by a first drive means or turret reciprocating mechanism.

Turret Reciprocating Mechanism Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the slide 16 is reciprocable in suitable guides 62 provided on a bed plate 64. To translate the rotary movement of a bell crank lever 66 of the turret reciprocating mechanism (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) into linear movement of the slide 16, this bell crank lever 66 carries a coupling block 68 slidable in a bifurcated end 67 (FIG. 2) of such bell crank lever 66, and the coupling block 68 has a pin 70 extending through the coupling block 68 and into transverse bifurcations '71 on the slide 16. The conventional means used to oscillate the bell crank lever 66 comprises a link 72 (FIG. 3), a cam lever 74 and a cam (not shown).

Operation of the above-described linkage at the predetermined time (FIG. 15) results in the horizontal counterclockwise rotation of the bell crank lever 66, as viewed in FIG. 2, about a vertical axis with attendant linear movement of the slide 16, turret 1t) and the now loaded head 18 to the right a distance [1 (FIGS. 2 and 8) preparatory for the unlocking of the turret 1t) and the indexing movement of the head 18 from Station 1, the filament pick-up statiomto Station 2.

Turret Locking Blechanism This turret locking mechanism has a locking pawl 76 (FIGS. 13) pivoted on the slide 16 at 78 and normally engageable in one of the six notches 813 provided in a ratchet Wheel 82 keyed to the hollow shaft 12. The operating means for the locking pawl 76 comprises a lostmotion type connecting rod 84 and conventional linkage (not shown) for connecting such connecting rod 84 to a cam (not shown).

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the turret locking mechanism and other mechanisms, hereinafter to be described, are provided with suitable ball and socket type connections adapted to permit these mechanisms to perform their assigned functions while also permitting the linear reciprocating movement of the turret 10 at the predetermined times (FIG. 15).

At the time indicated in FIG. 15, the locking pawl 76 is rotated in counterclockwise direction (FIG. 1) about its pivot 78 by the above described linkage and is removed from the notch 80, during the above-described linear movement of the turret a distance d from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, preparatory for the rotary indexing movement of the turret 11) by a second drive means or turret indexing mechanism.

T urrel Indexing Mechanism Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, it will be noted that such turret indexing mechanism has a lever 86 rotatably mounted on the hollow shaft 12, which lever 86 carries an indexing pawl 88 mounted on a pin 90 and biased by a spring 92 into an adjacent notch 86 on the ratchet wheel 82. The drive means for the indexing pawl 88 comprises a connecting rod 9 (FIGS. 1-3), a cam lever 96, and a cam (not shown).

After the turret 10 is unlocked (FIG. 15) and the turret 11) has moved the distance d from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, the turret indexing mechanism is operable to index the turret 10, in clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, through an angle of 60 from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 9, thus moving the now loaded head 18 from Station 1, the filament pick-up station, to Station 2. The indexing movement of the turret 111 is about an axis which is generally perpendicular to the plane of reciprocable movements of the turret 10, as shown in FIGS. 7-14.

During this indexing movement (FIG. 15 stretching means, such as a jaw spacing mechanism, is operative to stretch the filament 30 a predetermined amount; a head 116 of the filament mounting machine 22 (FIGS. 1 and 2) carrying a stem 114 begins its index; and orienting means, such as a head rotating mechanism, is operable to position itself preparatory for rotation of such head 18 a predetermined amount at the end of the indexing movement of the turret 10.

Jaw Spacing Mechanism A rounded end 96 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the wedge-shaped cam 40 is spring biased into engagement with a stationary cam 98 afiixed to the post 14. During the indexing movement of the turret 10, such cam 98 forces the wedgeshaped cam 40 inwardly toward the shaft 12 which rotates the movable jaws 32 counterclockwise in a horizontal plane (FIG. 1), thus stretching the filament 30 a predetermined amount. Further stretching of the filament 30 is caused by the stationary cam 98 during the successive indexes of the head 18 to

Stations

3 and 4.

Head Rotating Mechanism As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body 28 of each head 18 is rotatably mounted in the turret and carries a gear segment 100 (FIG. 6) driven by a rack 102 having a roller 104 biased by a spring (not shown) into engagement with a head rotating cam 106, which cam 106 in turn is rotatable on the hollow shaft 12. To provide drive means for the head rotating cam 106, a connecting rod 108 is pivoted at 109 on an ear of the cam 106 and such rod 108 is driven by a cam lever 112 (FIG. 3) from a cam (not shown).

At the time indicated in FIG. and during the indexing of the turret 10 and the heads 18 carried thereby, the head rotating earn 106 rotates in unison therewith in the same clockwise direction (FIG. 1) and at the same speed as the heads 18, so that such heads 18 and the cam 106 are relatively stationary with respect to each other. It will be noted from a consideration of FIG. 6 that the dotted-line positions of the fixed jaws 24 and the movable jaws 32 on the head 18, the dotted-line position of the rollers 104 and the dotted-line position of the cam 106 indicate schematically the final indexed position of such elements. Since the heads 18 and the cam 106 are relatively stationary with respect to each other during the indexing of the turret 10, the heads 18 are not rotated by the cam 106 during the indexing movement of the turret 10. However, as hereinafter described, a subsequent (FIG. 15) counterclockwise rotation of the cam 106 (while the turret 10 and the heads 18 carried thereby are at rest) from the dotted-line position (FIG. 6) to the solid-line position of such cam 106 will cause rotation of the heads 18 and the fixed jaws 24 and the movable jaws 32 carried thereby to the solid-line position shown in FIG. 6.

However, before such head rotating mechanism is operable to rotate the heads 18 and near the end of the period of unison indexing of the filament mounting machine 22 and the turret 10 (FIG. 15), the turret locking mechanism causes the locking pawl 76 to engage the next presented notch 80 in the ratchet wheel 82 and to thus lock the ratchet Wheel 82 preparatory for the later retraction of the indexing pawl 88 of the turret indexing mechanism. After indexing of the turret 10 is completed, the turret reciprocating mechanism is operable to move the turret 10 and the loaded head 18 at Station 4, the filament discharge station, to the right, (as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10) a distance d from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the stretched filament 30 secured in the head 18 at Station 4 is presented to a stem 114 in the head 116 at Station M of the filament mounting machine 22 while such filament 30 is disposed at an angle ,8 with respect to the vertical axis of the head 18 to clear open hooks 126 (FIG. 16) provided in lead wires 123 of the stem 114. During the travel d of the turret 10 (FIG. 15) with movement of the fixed jaws 24 and movable jaws 32 from their solid-line position to the dotted-line position as shown in FIG. 2, the stem 114 (FIG. 16) carried in the head 116 (FIG. 2) of the filament mounting machine 22 completes its indexing movement (FIGS. 8 and 9) into Station M (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the filament mounting machine 22, (preparatory for receiving the filament 30) and the filament clamping mechanism advances into operative relation with respect to the stem 114.

Filament Clamping Mechanism The filament clamping mechanism has a slide 118 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is reciprocable in a slide bracket 120 by conventional linkage (not shown) between the solid-line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the dottedline position shown in such figures. During movement of the slide 118 to the left (FIGS. 1 and 2) to such dottedline position, lead wire guides 122 and an upper anvil 1241;] and a lower anvil 124L (carried by the slide 118) are moved into the clamping position, where the guides 122 position the lead wires 123 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 16) on the line DD (FIG. 10) and the anvils 124U and 124L engage the open hooks 126 (FIG. 16) provided in such lead wires 123.

Thereafter the head rotating mechanism rotates the head 18 and the stretched filament 30 in clockwise direction (FIG. 6) through the angle ,6 to position the legs of such stretched filament 30 in the hooks 126 of the lead wires 123 (FIG. 11). This rotation of the head 18 is caused by the aforesaid movement of the head rotating cam 106 independently of the turret 10, from the dottedline position (FIG. 6) to the solid-line position shown therein. Simultaneously therewith, as shown in FIG. 6, the heads 18 and the filaments 30 carried thereby at

Stations

2 and 3 are rotated in a similar clockwise direction by the head rotating mechanism through the angles ,8 and 5 respectively.

During the head rotating operation the turret indexing mechanism is operated to cause the indexing pawl 88 to engage the next notch in the ratchet wheel 82, which ratchet wheel 82, locked in place by the locking pawl '76, remains stationary during such operating movement of the head.

At the time indicated in FIG. 15 an upper clamping jaw 12811 and a lower clamping jaw 128L (FIGS. 1 and 2), which are both rotatably mounted in bearings 130, are moved by conventional linkage (not shown) from the solid-line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 11 to the dottedline clamping position in FIG. 1 (and the position shown in FIG. 12), where such clamping jaws 128U and 128L compress the open hooks 126 against the anvils 1241i and 124L respectively to secure the legs of the stretched filament 30 in the now closed hooks 126.

After the clamping operation is completed (FIG. 15 a jaw opening mechanism (FIGS. 1-3) is thereafter operative to open the fixed jaws 24 and the movable jaws 32 to free the stretched filament, now aifixed to the stern 114 carried by the head 116 at Station M of the filament mounting machine.

Jaw Opening Mechanism This jaw opening mechanism (FIGS. 1-3), which is similar to the hereinbefore described jaw closing mechanism, comprises an adjustably mounted bolt 132 carried by a lever 134 pivoted at 136 on one 01": the bearings 130, which lever 134 is connected by a connecting rod 138 and a cam lever to a cam (not shown).

In order to open the fixed jaws 24 and movable jaws 32 on the head 18 at Station 4, the bolt 132 is moved from the right-hand dotted-line position shown in FIG. 3 to the left-hand dotted-line position shown in such figure. During this rotary movement the bolt 132 engages the jaw operating arm 44 which is then still in its forward dotted-line position shown in FIG. 2, to cause rotation of the headed shaft 41 to open

jaws

24 and 32, against the action of the friction springs 46.

Near the end of the jaw opening operation the filament feeding device 20 (FIG. 5) advances the next filament 30 forward to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, and deposits such filament 30 in the pick-up position PP (FIG. 13). During this filament feeding operation the filament clamping mechanism is retracted to the solid-line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 13 and the turret 10 is retracted to the left a distance d to the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 14, where the now open fixed jaws 2 1 and movable jaws 32 of the head 18 at Station 1 are positioned about the legs of the filament alaema Bil at the pick-up position PP preparatory for the start of the next cycle of operation.

In order to complete the description of the filament transfer apparatus of the present invention it will be understood that at Station the now empty head 18 is rotated in counterclockwise direction (FIG. 6) through an angle of [3 or 90 thus moving the fixed jaws 2d and movable jaws 3?. from the horizontal dotted-line position shown at Station 5 in FIG. 6 to the vertical solidline position shown at such station. During indexing of such head 18 from a point adjacent Station 5 to a point adjacent Station l, a roller 14-2 (FIGS. 1-2) carried by the wedge-shaped cam 40 engages a stationary barrel cam 144 mounted on the post 14, which barrel cam 144 retracts the movable jaws 32 to the starting position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing a filament transfer apparatus having a turret which is rotatable and reciprocable between a filment pickup position and a filament discharge position thus enabling the improved filament transfer apparatus to transfer a filament directly from a filament feeding device to all types of filament mounting machines. In addition, the improved filament transfer apparatus of the present invention eliminates the filament transfer device previously utilized to transfer the filament from the filament feeding device to the filament transfer apparatus.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

We claim: 1. Apparatus for transferring a filament from a filament pick-up position on a filament feeding device to a filament receiving position on a filament mounting machine, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a turret movable with both a rotating motion and a reciprocating motion;

(b) filament supporting means carried on said turret to receive and secure a filament before transfer and to carry the filament during transfer, and also to release the filament after transfer;

(a) drive means for reciproeabiy moving said turret and said filament supporting means into predetermined position adjacent to said pick-up position;

(d) said filament supporting means then operable to receive and secure a filament;

(e) said drive means then reciprocably moving said turret and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby a predetermined distance away from said pick-up position;

(1) indexing means operable to rotate said turret to move said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby to a position proximate to said receiving position on said mounting machine, with the axis of rotation of said turret being generally perpendicular to the plane of reciprocation of said turret as moved by said drive means;

(g) said drive means then operable to reciprocate said turret and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby into predetermined position adjacent to said receiving position on said mounting machine;

(It) said filament supporting means then operable to release the filament carried thereby to said mounting machine;

(i) said drive means thereafter operable to reciprocably move said turret and said filament supporting means away from said mounting machine; and

(j) actuating means for actuating said turret, said filament supporting means, said drive means, and said indexing means in the foregoing filament transfer sequence.

2. The transfer apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein said filament supporting means comprises two pairs of filament gripping jaws, jaw-closing means operable to close said jaws about said filament when said filament supporting means is positioned adjacent to said pick-up position, jaw-opening means operable to open said jaws when said filament supporting means is moved adjacent to said receiving position on said mounting machine, and said jaw-closing means and said jaw-opening means actuatable in predetermined time sequence by said actuating means.

3. Apparatus for transferring a filament from a filament pick-up position on a filament feeding device to a filament receiving position on a filament mounting machine which is rotating with an indexing motion, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a turret movable with both a rotating motion and a reciprocating motion;

(1)) filament supporting means carried on said turret to receive and secure a filament before transfer and to carry the filament during transfer, and also to release the filament after transfer;

(c) drive means for reciprocably moving said turret and said filament supporting means into predetermined position adjacent to said pick-up position;

(:1) said filament supporting means then operable to receive and secure a filament;

(c) said drive means then reciprocably moving said turret and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby a predetermined distance away from said pick-up position;

(f) indexing means operable to rotate said turret to move said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby to a position proximate to said receiving position on said mounting machine, with the axis of rotation of said turret being generally perpendicular to the plane of reciprocation of said turret as moved by said drive means;

(g) said drive means then operable to reciprocate said turret and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby into predetermined position adjacent to said receiving position on said mounting machine while said mounting machine is stationary between indexes;

(It) said filament supporting means then operable to release the filament carried thereby to said mounting machine while said mounting machine remains stationary between indexes;

(i) said drive means thereafter operable to reciprocably move said. turret and said filament supporting means away from said mounting machine while said mounting machine remains stationary between indexes; and

( 1') actuating means for actuating said turret, said filament supporting means, said drive means, and said indexing means in the foregoing filament transfer sequence.

4. Apparatus for transferring a filament from a filament pick-up position on a filament feeding device to a filament receiving position on a filament mounting machine, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a turret movable with both a rotating motion and a reciprocating motion;

(b) a head carried on said turret, said head separately rotatable with respect to said turret;

(c) filament supporting means carried on said head to receive and secure a filament before transfer and to carry the filament during transfer, and also to release the filament after transfer;

(d) drive means for reciprocably moving said turret, said head and said filament supporting means into predetermined position adjacent to said pick-up position;

(c) said filament supporting means then operable to receive and secure a filament;

(7") said drive means then reciprocably moving said turret, said head and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby a predetermined distance away from said pick-up position;

(g) indexing means operable to rotate said turret to move said head and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby to a position proximate to said receiving position on said mounting machine;

(h) said drive means then operable to reciprocate said turret, said head and said filament supporting means and the filament carried thereby toward said receiving position on said mounting machine;

(1) locking means operable to look said turret in position with respect to rotation, and said head then rotatable with respect to said turret to position the filament carried by said supporting means adjacent to said receiving position;

(j) said filament supporting means then operable to release the filament carried thereby to said mounting machine;

(k) said drive means thereafter operable to reciprocably move said turret, said head and said filament supporting means away from said mounting machine; and

(l) actuating means for actuating said turret, said filament supporting means, said drive means, said indexing means, said head, and said locking means in the foregoing filament transfer sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,326,874 MacBeth Dec. 30, 1919 1,382,994 Lott June 28, 1921 1,907,552 Flaws May 9, 1933 1,975,051 Peiler Sept. 25, 1934 2,653,502 Meyer Sept. 29, 1953 2,843,272 Roeber July 15, 1958 2,844,917 Caldwell July 29, 1958 2,878,620 Calehuff et al Mar. 24, 1960 2,927,679 Rively Mar. 8, 1960 2,931,276 Zerlin Apr. 5, 1960 3,007,097 Shelley et al. Oct. 31, 1961

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A FILAMENT FROM A FILAMENT PICK-UP POSITION ON A FILAMENT FEEDING DEVICE TO A FILAMENT RECEIVING POSITION ON A FILAMENT MOUNTING MACHINE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A TURRET MOVABLE WITH BOTH A ROTATING MOTION AND A RECIPROCATING MOTION; (B) FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS CARRIED ON SAID TURRET TO RECEIVE AND SECURE A FILAMENT BEFORE TRANSFER AND TO CARRY THE FILAMENT DURING TRANSFER, AND ALSO TO RELEASE THE FILAMENT AFTER TRANSFER; (C) DRIVE MEANS FOR RECIPROCABLY MOVING SAID TURRET AND SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS INTO PREDETERMINED POSITION ADJACENT TO SAID PICK-UP POSITION; (D) SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS THEN OPERABLE TO RECEIVE AND SECURE A FILAMENT; (E) SAID DRIVE MEANS THEN RECIPROCABLY MOVING SAID TURRET AND SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS AND THE FILAMENT CARRIED THEREBY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AWAY FROM SAID PICK-UP POSITION; (F) INDEXING MEANS OPERABLE TO ROTATE SAID TURRET TO MOVE SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS AND THE FILAMENT CARRIED THEREBY TO A POSITION PROXIMATE TO SAID RECEIVING POSITION ON SAID MOUNTING MACHINE, WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID TURRET BEING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID TURRET AS MOVED BY SAID DRIVE MEANS; (G) SAID DRIVE MEANS THEN OPERABLE TO RECIPROCATE SAID TURRET AND SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS AND THE FILAMENT CARRIED THEREBY INTO PREDETERMINED POSITION ADJACENT TO SAID RECEIVING POSITION ON SAID MOUNTING MACHINE; (H) SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS THEN OPEABLE TO RELEASE THE FILAMENT CARRIED THEREBY TO SAID MOUNTING MACHINE; (I) SAID DRIVE MEANS THEREAFTER OPERABLE TO RECIPROCABLY MOVE SAID TURRET AND SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING MACHINE; AND (J) ACTUATING MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID TURRET, SAID FILAMENT SUPPORTING MEANS, SAID DRIVE MEANS, AND SAID INDEXING MEANS IN THE FOREGOING FILAMENT TRANSFER SEQUENCE.