Apparatus and process for applying contact dots

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to the present invention there is provided a process for attaching a tarnish-resistant metal contact on a metal member comprising the steps of Engaging an end of a metal element with the metal member, Welding the metal element to said metal member, Heating the metal element to establish a difference in temper along a boundary within the element in the region of the weld, and Pulling the element from the member to break the element away from the member along the boundary within the element in the region of the weld leaving the end of the element attached to the member to provide a tarnish-resistant contact on the member.
The invention also provides an apparatus for attaching a tarnish-resistant contact to a metal member, comprising, feed means for engaging a metal element with a metal member, means for welding said metal element to said metal member and establishing a difference in the temper within the element along a boundary in the region of the weld, and means for pulling the element and braking it away from the member along the boundary in the region of said weld leaving the end of the element attached to the member to produce a tarnish-resistant contact on the member.
Optionally means may be provided for coining the tarnish-resistant contact subsequent to breaking away the end of the element from the member.
The process and apparatus of the invention provide for reliably attaching a contact to a metal member from which female sockets may then be fabricated by conventional techniques well known in prior art.
The process and apparatus of the invention provide for substantial economy by eliminating waste and minimizing the amount of contact material, e.
g.
, gold, required to provide an electrical contact.
Further expensive manual operations or complex automatic apparatus presently required for preparing contacts are not required.