Tool for inserting and removing circuit components

Claim 1

An inserting and removing tool for circuit devices of the type comprising a body having leads extending from a first pair of parallel sides, said leads extending in one direction substantially normally of the plane of said body and being arranged in two rows, said body having a second pair of sides which extend between said first pair of sides, said leads being insertible into aligned receptacles in a printed circuit board or the like, said tool comprising: a tool head having an open side and having too opposed sidewalls which are spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to the spacing between said rows, said side-walls having free ends which define said open side of said head, a pair of opposed gripping arms between said sidewalls, said arms having free ends, said free ends being spaced apart by a distance which is always equal to at least the distance between said second pair of sides of said circuit device, actuator means for moving said arms between an extended position through an intermediate position to a retracted position in said head, said free ends of said arms being proximate to said free ends of said sidewalls when said arms are in said extended position, said free ends of said arms being remote from said free ends of said sidewalls when said arms are in said retracted position, arm closing means, said closing means being effective to move said free ends of said arms relatively towards each other during movement of said arms from said extended position to said intermediate position, spaced apart end walls extending transversely to and between said sidewalls, said arm closing means comprising opposed surface portions of said end walls, said opposed surface portions being cooperable with said arms to move said free ends of said arms towards each other upon movement of said arms from said extended position to said intermediate position whereby, a circuit device can be gripped between said arms for the purpose of removing said leads from said aligned receptacles by moving said arms to extended position and locating said device with said second pair of sides between said arms, subsequently moving said arms to said intermediate position so that device is gripped between said arms, and upon subsequent movement of said arms to said retracted position, said device is moved into said tool head.