Elenco Electronic Component Kit - Manual (Page 24)

There are many other mechanical parts used by
manufacturers of electronic equipment. Most of
them fall into the category of switching or connecting
circuits. In Figure 36, five of the six parts shown are
used to switch or connect signals to the printed
circuit board. Only the spacer falls into a different
category, called mounting. The switch is used to
redirect current or voltage from one circuit to
another. The wire nut is used to hold two twisted
wires together and insulate them (prevent them from
being bare and exposed) at the same time. The PC
board male and female connectors are used to
attach wires from controls or other circuits to the
printed circuit board. The Earphone Jack is used to
bring a signal from the printed circuit board to an
earphone. The spacer holds the printed circuit
board away from the case to prevent leads from
shorting to the case. There are many different methods for mounting
printed circuit boards. The simplest method is using
machine screws and spacers. Figure 37 shows
some of the common screw heads used by
electronic manufacturers. The oval head screw in
Figure 37 has a tapered end that will cut into the
metal and make a thread for the body of the screw.
The self-threading screw eliminates the need for a
nut and lockwasher but can produce metal
fragments that must be removed to prevent shorts
from occurring.
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MECHANICAL PARTS
OTHER MECHANICAL PARTS MOUNTING HARDWARE
Figure 37
Round Head
Pan Head
Fillister Head
Flat Head
Oval Head Self-threading
Figure 36
Switch
Wire Nut
Female Connector
Earphone Jack Female
Spacer
PC Board Male
Connector