US3275119A

US3275119A - Lead-in wire orienting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3275119A
Application number: US291335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley C Shappell
Original assignee: Sylvania Electric Products Inc
Current assignee: GTE Sylvania Inc
Priority date: 1963-06-28
Filing date: 1963-06-28
Publication date: 1966-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-27
Also published as: GB1041647A

Description

p 27, 1966 s. c. SHAPPELL 3,275,119

LEAD-IN WIRE ORIENTING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 STANLEY C. SHAPPELL INVENTOR.

ATTORNE p 7. 1966 s. c. SHAPPELL LEAD-IN WIRE OHIENTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1963 STANLEY C. SHAPPELL INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1966 s. c. SHAPPELL 3,275,119

LEAD-IN WIRE ORIENTING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MGINIIIHIHMIM" INVENTOR.

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ATTORN Y p 7, 1966 s. c. SHAPPELL LEAD-IN WIRE ORIENTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 28, 1963 f s \%w TANLEY c SHAPPELL INVENTOR Q ATTORNE Se t. 27, 1966 s. c. SHAPPELL 3,275,119

LEAD-IN WIRE ORIENTING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1963 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 STANLEY C. SHAPPELL INVENTOR.

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ATTORN Y United States Patent C) 3,275,119 LEAD-IN WIRE ORIENTING APPARATUS Stanley C. Shappell, West Boxford, Mass., assignor to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 28, 1963, Ser. No. 291,335 2 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates to the manufacture of electric lamps having lead-in wires extending from an end thereof,

. and more particularly to electric lamps having substantially tubular envelopes, such as fluorescent lamps for example.

One of the problems involved in the manufacture of electric lamps is the manipulation of the lead-in wires thereof to insure their proper disposition during various lamp manufacturing operations. For example, during the sealing operation in which a lamp mount including the lead-in wires is sealed to the end of a lamp envelope, the lead-in wires are usually maintained quite close to the exhaust tube and the lead-in wires are protected from the heat of the sealing-in operation. Thereafter, the lamp envelope is exhausted and, in some cases, provided with a gas filling. Upon completion of the exhaust operation, the exhaust tube is sealed or tipped off, usually within the re-entrant stem of the lamp mount. In order that this operation may be performed satisfactorily, it is necessary that the lead-in wires be spread apart a substantial distance from the exhaust tube in order to permit the aforesaid tipping-off operation.

In some cases, such as in the manufacture of fluorescent lamps for example, one of the steps in the lamp exhaust sequence is cathode breakdown, i.e., an electric current ispassed through the lead-in wires in order to heat the lamp electrode which is mounted on the lead-in wires inside the lamp envelope. In order to insure the proper performance of this operation, the lead-in wires which were disposed along and in close proximity to the exhaust tube during the sealing-in operation, must be spread apart sufficiently to insure proper wiping contact with electrical contact members connected to a source of electrical energy and disposed along the path traversed by the lamp during the lamp exhaust operation.

Subsequent to the lamp exhaust operation, the lamps are tipped off and then based, i.e., they are provided with a cap or base having one or more electrical contact members to which the lamp lead-in wires are connected. Thus, in order to insure the proper operation of a lamp basing apparatus, it is necessary that the lamp lead-in wires be oriented in a particular location. More particularly, it is necessary that the lead-in wires be aligned with the electrical contact members of the base so that they can be connected thereto.

Over the years a number of different lead-in wire orienting devices have been designed and used. Within limits, these lead-in wire orienting devices have effectively performed the operations for which they were designed. In

some circumstances, the lead-in wires are so disoriented initially that the lead-in wire orienting apparatus cannot perform its operation effectively. The primary purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically effecting an initial or preliminary lead-in wire orientation in order to insure the satisfactory operation of the main lead-in wire orienting'apparatus which positions the lead-in wires for the basing operation.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, means are provided for automatically rotating each lamp about and on its own longitudinal axis so that at least one of the lead-in wires will always be located in a predetermined position just before the lamp moves into position for the main or primary lead-in wire orienting operation associated with the lamp basing operation. Since the ice lead-in wires are usually located about apart during the lamp exhaust operation, the apparatus of this invention, in effect, accomplishes the orientation of both leadin wires by the operation performed on one of them only. In the specific embodiment of the apparatus of this invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below, the lead-in wire orienting apparatus is located at a work station along the path traversed by elongated tubular lamps disposed horizontally and supported by heads or cradles mounted in spaced relationship on an endless chain conveyor of the indexing type. The apparatus of this invention includes means for rotating a lamp at this work station, means for sensing or detecting a lead-in wire extending from the lamp and means for terminating lamp rotation after lead-in wire detection whereby the lead-in wires are caused to assume a uniform disposition in a predetermined reference plane.

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a specific embodiment of the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGURES 4A, B, C and D are schematic details illustrating the lead-in wire orienting sequence.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational detail looking in the direction 55 of FIGURE 1.

F IGURE 6 is a framentary detail in section, taken along the line 66 of FIG. 2, illustrating the manner in which a lamp lead-in wire deflects the feeler finger of a norm-ally closed electrical circuit to terminate lamp rotation.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit associated with the lead-in wire orienting apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1 thereof, the apparatus of this invention is organized about a base plate .10 located at a work station of a conveyor of the indexing type. A fragmentary portion of three dilferent lamps is shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the progression of lamps to the station at which the apparatus of this invention is located. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base plate 10 is mounted on a bracket '12 which is in turn fixedly mounted on a suitable stationary member not shown. As is shown best in FIG. 2, a pair of

yokes

14 and 16 are pivotally mounted in a pair of brackets 18 and 20 mounted on the base plate 10. Each yoke is a weldment consisting of several members to each of which a letter designation has been added to facilitate identification. For example, the yoke 14 comprises base member 140, boss 14b, a pair of forwardly extending 'legs 140, a pair of rearwardly depending legs 14d and a pair of rearwardly extending plates 142. The yoke 16 is similiarly constituted and the members thereof are similarly identified.

As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the yoke 14 is pivotally supported between the brackets 18 and 20 through its forwardly extending legs 14c. The yoke 16 is similarly supported, i.e., through its forwardly extending legs 160. The

yokes

14 and 16 which are pivotally supported between the brackets 18 and 20 are connected to one another by a pair of pins 22 which extend between the rearwardly extending plates 14e and 16s. Each pin 22 is provided with a compression spring 24 concentric therewith and lying between a rearwardly extending plate 14c and a rearwardly extending plate 16e. Each pin 22 is fixedly secured to one of these yoke plates and extends freely through an aperture provided therefor in the other corresponding yoke plate. v

The base member 14a of yoke 14 is provided with a boss 14b and the base member 16a of yoke 16 is provided with a similar boss 16b. A shaft 26 is supported in suitring 33, is mounted on shaft 28. A sprocket 34 is pinned. to the shaft 26 between the boss 14b and the wheel 30.

A similar sprocket 36 is pinned to the shaft 28 between boss 16b and the wheel 32. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the

sprockets

34 and 36 are connected to one another by a chain 38 which also meshes with a sprocket 40 mounted on the output-shaft 42 of motor 44 mounted on thebase plate 10. Thus the

Wheels

30 and 32 are driven continuously by the motor 44. i

As is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the

rearwardly depending legs

14d and 16d of

yokes

14 and 16. respectively are provided with

rollers

46 and 48 respectively. Roller 46 rides on the lower face of a slide 50 whereas roller 48 rides on the upper face of the slide 50. The slide 50 extends between the

yokes

14 and 16 and is slidably supported intermediateits ends by a pair of slide guides 52 and 54 mountedon the base plate 10. The

slide 50 is reciprocatively disposed in channels cut in the upper surface of the

guides

52 and 54, the

guides

52 and 54 being capped by

guides plates

56 and 58 respectively. The slide 50 is a spring-loaded member, being provided w'th a compression spring 60 concentric therewith. One end of the compressing spring 60 abuts-a spring retainer 62 disposed on the slide 50 near the slide guide 52 and the other end of the spring 60 abuts a spring stop 64 pinned l to the slide 50.

As is best shown in FIG. 3, the rearward or left hand end of the slide 50 has a block 66 secured thereto. A bumper 68 isdisposed on the slide between the block 66 and the slide guide 52. The lower face of the block 66 is provided with a cutout 67 for receiving in interlocking engagement the bifurcated end of a link 70.. The other end of the link 70 is pivotally supported in a pivot block 72 secured to bracket 74 which depends from base plate 10.. The link 70 is provided with a protuberance 71 located intermediate the ends thereof.' The protuberance 71 is aligned with and is disposed in operative relationship with respect to the plunger 76 of a solenoid 78 which is supported by and depends from the base plate 10. a

The forward end of the slide 50 is provided with an insulator block 80 mounted thereon. As shown particularly in FIG. 6, an upper electrical contact 82 and a lower elec trical contact 84 are mounted on the insulator block 80. A feeler finger 86 is fitted in and supported by the insulator block 80 and extends through a slot 8-7 out in a finger holder pin 88. The feeler finger 86 normally bridges the

electricalcontacts

82 and 84, but during operation it is deflected by a lamp lead-in wire so that it no longer bridges the

electrical contacts

82 and 84. The

electrical contacts

82 and 84 are connected by tension springs 90 and 92 respectively to terminals 94 and 96, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and.3 for example,.the terminals 94 and 96 are supported in an insulator 98 attached to a bracket 100 mounted on the base plate 10.

Wires

102 and 104 connect the terminals 94 and 96, respectively, through a suitable relay to the solenoid 78.

The sequence of operation ofthe lead-in wire orienting apparatus is-illustrated schematically in FIG. 4A, B, C and D. In the .schematic illustration of FIG.'4A, lamp 1 is located at a station immediately preceeding the lead-in wire orienting station, lamp 3 is located at the lead-in wire orienting station and lamp 5 islocated at a station immediately following the lead-in wire orienting station.

It will benoted that the lead-in Wires 2 of lamp 1 and the lead-in wires 4 of lamp 3 are located in different random planes whereas the lead-in wires 6 of lamp 5 are located in the horizontal plane. I

Immediately after a lamp, such as lamp 3 for example, has moved into the lead-in wire orienting station as shown in FIG. 4A, the

wheels

30 and 32 are displaced to move them into frictional engagement with the lamp 3 as shown in FIG. 4B. Since the

wheels

30 and 32 are driven continuously, the rotating wheels cause the lamp. 3 to rotate finger 86 as shown in FIG. 6 and thus breaks the electrical circuit through the

electrical contacts

82 and 84 and the finger 86. Breaking of this electrical circuit across the contacts- 82 and 84 actuates a suitable relay to cause energization 'of' the solenoid 78 as shown in FIG. 3. a

As shown in FIG. 3, when the solenoid 78 is energized. the plunger 76 thereof isdisplaced from the solid to the phantom position. This displacement of the plunger 76 of the solenoid 78 displaces the link 70 from the solid to the phantomposition as shown in FIG. 3,'thus effecting a rearward displacement of the slide 50. When'the slide 50 is thus displaced rearwardly, the inclined faces 50a thereof pass between the.

rollers

46 and 48 on

legs

14d and 16d of yokes. 14 and 16 respectively. Since the

yokes

14, and 16 are pivotally supported in brackets 18 and 20, this camming action is transmitted through the

rollers

46 and 48 to efiect a displacement of the

wheels

30 and 32 from the solid position in engagement with the-lamp 3 to the phantom position out of engagement with the lamp 3 as shown in FIG. 3. This terminates the rotation ofthe lamp 3.

Referring back now to FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that an interval of time elapses between the time that they feeler finger 86 is deflected by a lead-in wire 4 sufficiently to break the circuit across the contacts 82 .and 84 as shown in FIG- 6 and the point of time at which the.

wheels

30 and 32 have actually been displaced out of. engagement with the lamp 3. During this interval of time, the lead-in wires 4 of lamp 3 are displaced from the random plane disposition as shown in FIG. 46 to the desired horizontal reference plane disposition as shown in FIG. 4D. With the lead-in wires 4 of the lamp 3 now oriented in the desired reference plane, the conveyor carrying the lamps is indexed to advance the lamp 3 out of the lead-in wire orienting station and the lamp 1 into the lead-in wire orienting station so that a similar orienting operation may be effected thereon.

The sequence of operation of the lead-in wire orienting apparatus will now be described with particular reference to FIGURES 7 and 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the lamp 3 is being rotated to efi'ect orientation of the lead-in wires 4 thereof.. As one of the lead-in wires-4 moves. past the feeler finger 86 lying in its path, the finger 86 is deflected sufficiently to break the normally closed circuit. across

electrical contacts

82 and 84. Asshown in FIG. 7,'breaking of the circuit across contacts82 and 84 de-energizes coil relay 11 and thus permits coil relay contacts 11a to close and energize coil relay 13. Energization of coil relay 13 effects a closing of coil relay contacts 13a and thus energizes solenoid 78. As shown in FIG. 3, energization of solenoid 78 causes displacement of plunger 76 thereof from the solid to the phantom position and the consequent displacement of 'link 70 from the solid to the phantom position. This displacement of the link 70 effects retraction of the slide 50. As the slide 50 retracts, the spring 60 is compressed and the

rollers

46 and 48 are displaced by the inclined faces 50a of the slide 50 as it movestherebetween. This displacement of the

rollers

46 and 48 causes the

yokes

14 and 16 to rotate on their pivots and displace the

wheels

30 and 32 from the solid to the phantom position, i.e., out of engagement with'lamp3.

With the lead-in wires 4 of the lamp 3 now oriented and the wheels 30 and.32-out of engagement with the.

meantime, the normally closed cam operated timing switch 15 keeps the

wheels

30 and 32 in the up or disengaged position until another lamp is :in position. Then the switch 15 opens, thus breaking the circuit across coil relay contacts 13b. This efiects de-energization of coil relay 13 and solenoid 78, thus permitting the solenoid plunger 76 to advance from the phantom to the solid position as shown in FIG. 3. This frees the link 70, and the spring 60 then drives the slide 50 forward. As the slide 50 moves forward, the

rollers

46 and 48 ride across the inclined faces 50:: from the high to the low side and thus permit the

Wheels

30 and 32 to drop into engagement with the next lamp.

The circuit across

contacts

82 and 84 includes a cam operated timing switch 17 which is designed to open the circuit across the

contacts

82 and 84 in cases where, during any given dwell period, there is no lamp in the lead-in wire orienting station. Thus the switch 17 opens the circuit whenever necessary in order to lift the

wheels

30 and 32 for the next lamp.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for effecting orientation, in a pre-determined reference plane, of the lead-in wires extending from an end of a substantially tubular lamp envelope and lying in a random plane, said apparatus comprising:

means for rotating said tubular lamp envelope about its own longitudinal axis;

a normally closed electrical circuit including a pair of electrical contacts and a deflectable conductive finger, said finger normally bridging said electrical contacts and lying in the path traversed by said lead-in wires during rotation of said lamp envelope, said finger being deflectable out of engagement with one of said electrical contacts by engagement therewith of only one of said lead-in wires whereby said normally closed electrical circuit is opened;

and means, controlled by the opening of said normally closed electrical circuit, for terminating the rotation Of said lamp envelope whereby said lead-in wires are caused to assume a disposition in a pre-deterrnined reference plane.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said means for rotating said tubular envelope about its own longitudinal axis comprises a pair of driven wheels disposed in register with one another and synchronously rotatable into and out of engagement with said tubular lamp envelope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,681 10/1952 Keil 198-33 2,683,521 7/1954 Reynolds 198-33 3,004,649 10/ 1961 Waltke 198-33 3,074,531 1/ 1963 Pechy 19833 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD A, SROKA, SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,

Examiners.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING ORIENTATION, IN A PRE-DETERMINED REFERENCE PLANE, OF THE LEAD-IN WIRES EXTENDING FROM AN END OF A SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR LAMP ENVELOPE AND LYING IN A RANDOM PLANE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID TUBULAR LAMP ENVELOPE ABOUT ITS OWN LONGITUDINAL AXIS; A NORMALLY CLOSED ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELECTRICAL CONTACTS AND A DEFLECTABLE CONDUCTIVE FINGER, SAID FINGER NORMALLY BRIDGING SAID ELECTRICAL CONTACTS AND LYING IN THE PATH TRAVERSED BY SAID LEAD-IN WIRES DURING ROTATION OF SAID LAMP ENVELOPE, SAID FINGER BEING DEFLECTABLE OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF SAID ELECTRICAL CONTACTS BY ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH OF ONLY ONE OF SAID LEAD-IN WIRES WHEREBY SAID NORMALLY CLOSED ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT IS OPENED; AND MEANS, CONTROLLED BY THE OPENING OF SAID NORMALLY CLOSED ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, FOR TERMINATING THE ROTATION OF SAID LAMP ENVELOPE WHEREBY SAID LEAD-IN WIRES ARE CAUSED TO ASSUME A DISPOSITION IN A PRE-DETERMINED REFERENCE PLANE.