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This Document Copyright 1999 © by
John F. Uske (All Rights Reserved)

<Mateer machine stripped apart for rebuilding>

LEGO
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<Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions>
<Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions>
<Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions> <Analyzing the schematics to determine the circuitry functions>

On The Spot Precision Engineering.

From the beginning I can see that this is a mechanically synchronized machine. The guillotine knife, film advance reel, bottle transport, are all driven from a single main shaft. They are connected together by roller chains with sprockets and also timing belts and pulleys. However the sleeve feed is not mechanically synchronized to the machine. The sleeve feed is started by a photo eye that detects the presence of a bottle in the feed zone. This signal simultaneously energizes the cutch and deactivates the brake. Friction rollers then pull the sleeve down past the film opening wedge. A second photo eye, which is aimed at the logo area of the sleeve and when one logo has passed this eye is triggered and the clutch is denergized and the brake reactivated. This all starts again when the next bottle comes into the zone. The clutch/brake sequencer board receives all of the photo eye signals and outputs all of these actions. This all happens very fast when the machine is running.

I trace out the circuitry for the 3 relays that are there and find out they are activated by photo eyes mounted on the conveyor, which detect when bottles are present on the infeed line to enable the sleeve feed cycle. I then plug relays into the empty sockets and get no response when I activate them manually. Now it is time for me to make some more phone calls.