SOLDERING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE APPARATUS

摘要

A selective soldering apparatus comprises a bath 3 for molten solder 5, a solder nozzle 19 and a pump 9 for pumping molten solder 5 through the nozzle 19. The nozzle has a nozzle body 21 with an inner bore 22 through which solder is pumped to overflow a nozzle outlet 33. A jacket 23 provided around the nozzle body 21 to form an enclosed space 26 open at its upper end 28 to solder which has overflowed from the nozzle outlet 33 and the cover lower end being adjacent the surface 11 of molten solder in the bath, wherein a spiral pathway 25 is provided in the enclosed space 26 so that the overflowed solder runs down the pathway into the solder bath 3. A port 39 is provided at the lower end of the jacket for gas to flow into or out of the spiral pathway so that the pathway can be purged of air when solder is not flowing through the pathway.