Abstract: A socket for establishing electrical connection with a circuit board comprises a dielectric housing having a board receiving slot and a plurality of terminals disposed for engaging respective contacts on the circuit board. The terminals are arranged in at least first and second sets corresponding to respective first and second sets of the contacts on the circuit board. The first set of terminals engages the first set of contacts when the circuit board is inserted into the slot in a first position, and the second set of terminals engages the second set of contacts as the circuit board is pivoted through an angle to a second position. When the circuit board is removed from the socket, the terminals of the second set disengage their respective contacts before the terminals of the first set. Thus, a socket has terminals arranged such that a portion of the terminals provide make first, break last electrical interconnections.

Abstract: A tool for removal and insertion of a backplane or other electrical member with respect to a housing comprises a frame which can be fixed with respect to the housing and a carriage which can be connected to the electrical member. The carriage is guided in floating relation with respect to the frame and is movable in a first direction to remove the electrical member and in a second direction to insert the electrical member. Fixing the frame with respect to the housing prevents movement of the frame away from the housing, thereby enabling application of force to the carriage sufficient to overcome resistance to insertion of the electrical member.

Abstract: A tappable conductive bus bar (11, 11') has a longitudinal slotted recess (17, 19) receiving at least one louvered spring strip (22, 23). At least one tab (26) is received through a gap (21) in the bus bar (11) to engage the louvered spring strip (22, 23). The bus bar (11) supplies current, with minimum wiring and parts, to one or more tabs (26), and the spacing between adjacent tabs (26) is not critical. Thus, the bus bar (11) is completely tappable.

Abstract: An apparatus for laterally positioning flat cable in a machine for performing an operation on the cable comprises a base and a pair of cable guides which are movable with respect to the base. Each of the cable guides has a cable guide surface configured complementary to a respective cable side edge. The cable guide surfaces are in opposing relationship. A linkage is connected for moving the cable guide surfaces convergently and divergently through respective proportional distances on opposite sides of a target plane of convergence between the cable guide surfaces. When the cable guide surfaces are spaced apart at a distance equal to or greater than the cable width and the cable is introduced between the cable guide surfaces, operation of the linkage so as to move the cable guide surfaces convergently causes the cable to become confined between the cable guide surfaces with the cable longitudinal axis aligned parallel to the target plane.

Abstract: A ram drive mechanism for an automated terminal crimping machine of the type having a rotating crank shaft with an offset crank pin (2) protruding therefrom and orbiting about the rotation axis of the crank shaft. The mechanism includes a ram (20) mounted for reciprocating motion in a first direction toward a crimping zone and in a second direction away from a crimping zone. The ram (20) carries tooling for performing a terminal crimping operation. The invention also includes a ram drive linkage comprising a drive link (40) having a pivotal connection with the crank pin (2) at one end. An other end of the drive link (40) has a pivotal connection with a link pin (50). The drive linkage reciprocates the ram (20) in accordance with orbiting of the crank pin (2).

Abstract: A mechanism for rotating a machine element and in particular for rotating a mandrel which holds a workpiecein a machine comprises a first frame member having a substantially linear road surface. A machine element is rotatably secured to a carrier on an axis extending transverse to the road surface. The machine element includes a wheel member having a substantially circular wheel surface adapted to engage the road surface, and may include a mandrel adapted to hold a workpiece. A first drive mechanism is operable for moving the carrier and the first frame member relatively together for engagement of the wheel surface with the road surface, and for moving or at least permitting movement of the carrier and the first frame member relatively apart for disengagement of the wheel surface from the road surface. A second drive mechanism is operable to produce relative movement of the carrier parallel to the road surface.

Abstract: A tool for applying an electrical connector to an electrical cable comprises a pair of jaws relatively pivotable on a pivot axis between closed and a range of open positions. A first one of the jaws has a support surface configured to receive a bottom surface of the connector thereon, with the support surface defining a support plane for the connector. A second one of the jaws defines a nest for the connector, the nest having side walls disposed in respective planes at respective different distances from the pivot axis of the jaws. The side walls are arranged such that when the jaws are in the closed position the respective planes of the side walls are angularly offset from perpendicular to the plane of the support surface, and when the jaws are at some open position, the respective planes of the side walls are perpendicular to the plane of the support surface.

Abstract: A socket for an electrical component comprises a dielectric housing (10) having contact retention cavities (12) and contacts (20) disposed in respective ones of the cavities. At least two of the contacts (20) each comprises a generally U-shaped configuration having first and second legs (21, 22) with a transverse element (23) joining together said legs. An extension (24) of the first leg (21) is bent back toward the second leg (22) and arranged to engage a lead of the electrical component. A tab (26) sheared from a center portion of the transverse element (23) and the first leg (21) extends downwardly from the second leg (22) through an aperture in a bottom of its respective cavity, thereby defining a slot (27) in the center portion of the transverse element and the first leg.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring crimp height between crimped opposite sides of a terminal which has been crimped to an element is provided. The apparatus is particularly useful for measuring the crimp height of a terminal when one or more of the crimped opposite sides has a surface profile that is non-planar, or when a soft insulation sleeve is present on the terminal in the crimp area. The apparatus includes a pair of opposed probe members which are relatively movable between open and closed positions. In the open position the probe members are spaced apart- In the closed position the probe members are biased against the crimped opposite sides by springs. The probe members are specially configured to match the surface profiles of the crimped opposite sides.

Abstract: A socket for electrically connecting a circuit panel to a substrate comprises an insulative housing (10) defining an elongated slot (12) for receiving the circuit panel (14). A plurality of terminal receiving cavities (16) are spaced apart along a length of the slot, and each of the cavities is open to the slot on opposite sides (22, 24) thereof. The housing includes a rib (20) extending beneath the slot along its length. A plurality of electrically-conductive terminals (30) are disposed in respective ones of the cavities. Each of the terminals comprises an integral body including a housing engaging section (32) having opposed surfaces (34, 36) each gripping a respective opposite side (46, 48) of the rib. Each terminal has a lead (58) extending to an exterior of the housing for electrically engaging a substrate, and a pair of resilient contact arms (52, 62) extending into the slot from respective opposite sides of the slot for electrically engaging opposite sides of the circuit panel.

Abstract: A socket for receiving a lead of an electronic component comprises a socket body having a tubular body portion and a lead gripping portion. The tubular body portion defines a reception zone for receiving the lead of the electronic component along a lead receiving axis. The lead gripping portion has angularly spaced apart spring fingers which are separated by gaps. The spring fingers extend from the tubular body portion and converge inwardly toward the lead receiving axis to define a constriction for frictionally gripping the lead. Segments of the tubular body portion which are adjacent to and axially aligned with the gaps between the spring fingers are bent outwardly. The outwardly bent segments define retention barbs which are engageable with a wall of the hole in the substrate to retain the socket in the substrate.

Abstract: A forward housing member for an electrical connector of the type having an array of contacts disposed within a dielectric housing assembly includes a generally planar body section and an array of contact receiving passageways extending therethrough from a forward face to a rearward face thereof, the forward housing passageways having a selected dimension and a selected location. The forward housing member is assembled to a forward face of a discrete rearward housing member such that the passageways are generally aligned with corresponding passageways of the rearward housing member and forward contact sections of the contacts in the corresponding rearward passageways extend in a close fit into the passageways of the forward housing member.

Abstract: An apparatus which automatically trims an exposed end of a conductor to a proper length, inserts the exposed end in a terminal and crimps the terminal thereto, all in a single operation, is disclosed. The apparatus includes anvil tooling for supporting the terminal during a crimping operation. A ram movable toward and away from the anvil tooling has a first cutting edge which defines a boundary between a conductor permitted zone and a conductor excluded zone during movement of the ram toward the anvil tooling. The ram has a first crimping die disposed in the conductor permitted zone. The first crimping die captures the conductor and crimps the terminal to the conductor. A conductor shearing element is disposed in the conductor excluded zone. The conductor shearing element has a second cutting edge which cooperates with the first cutting edge during movement of the ram toward the anvil tooling for trimming any portion of the conductor which extends across the boundary.

Abstract: A right-angle header (10) includes a main housing (50) and a post locating member (200) securable thereto along a rear face thereof and including an array of post-receiving passageways (222,224,236,238) extending vertically therethrough to a mounting face (30), including post-locating portions at least at the mounting face. Contacts (100,130,140,160) include contact sections (118,120,142) exposed for mating across the mating face, body sections (102,132,144) including a right-angle bend, and post sections (110,110',148) which extend through the apertures of the post locating member (200) and beyond the mounting face for insertion into through-holes of a circuit board (40) upon mounting the header (10) thereto.

Abstract: A boardlock for holding a socket to a circuit board comprises an integral body including a main beam, a socket retention section adapted to self-retain to the socket, and a circuit board retention section engageable in a hole in the circuit board. The circuit board retention section is substantially flat and, together with at least the main beam, defines a plane. The circuit board retention section includes a pair of spaced apart legs extending in the plane from the main beam to a common remote end defined by a tie bar. The legs are dimensioned to extend beyond an exit of the hole at a far side of the circuit board. Portions of the legs are divergently angled as they extend to a widest dimension of the circuit board retention section. The widest dimension is chosen to be wider than a widest dimension of the hole exit in the circuit board, and to be spaced from the main beam by a distance greater than a thickness of the circuit board at a periphery of the hole exit.

Abstract: A tool for inserting electrical sockets (4) mounted on a carrier strip (2) into holes in a circuit board (80) has a socket guide (14) which is indexable to accommodate different sockets each having one of several possible known lengths. The tool includes a body (12) and a carrier strip advancing mechanism (42, 44, 46) operable on the carrier strip to feed the sockets to a feed station (52) in a vertical orientation. A ram (20) is movable through the feed station along a path between a first position above the feed station and a second position below the feed station to drive one of the sockets from the carrier strip to an insertion station. A guide tube (24) connected to the body below the feed station defines a tubular bore (26) through which the ram passes for guiding the socket driven by the ram from the carrier strip to the insertion station. The socket guide (14) is disposed between the feed station and the guide tube and guides the socket driven by the ram from the feed station to the guide tube.

Abstract: A socket supports a plurality of integrated circuit chips in a vertical stack and interconnects the chips to circuit traces on a substrate. The socket includes a dielectric base having a top surface and a bottom surface. The base holds a plurality of electrical contacts. Each of the contacts has a foot portion which extends below the bottom surface for electrical connection with one of the traces, and a main body portion which extends above the top surface for electrical connection with respective electrical leads extending from the chips. Each of the main body portions has a solder coating on one side. The contacts are arranged such that the solder coated sides abut their respective leads, and the contacts are electrically connectable with the leads by reflow of the solder coating.

Abstract: A shut height adjustment device is provided for a press having press and tooling rams coupled in spaced relationship during a forward stroke of the press ram. The adjustment device includes a carrier defining a rotation axis and a plurality of apertures concentric with the rotation axis. A plurality of spacers are removably held in the plurality of apertures. Each of the spacers extends parallel to the rotation axis between a pair of opposite end surfaces which accurately define a length of each of the spacers. Different ones of the spacers have different lengths. The carrier is rotatably mountable on a post coupled between the press and tooling rams such that the different ones of the spacers may be selectively disposed between the press and tooling rams for engagement by opposed contact portions of the rams during the forward stroke of the press ram.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed for inserting terminals into cavities of a bobbin to terminate the ends of electrical windings. The machine includes a shear mechanism that separates the terminals from the carrier strip and then guides the terminals during insertion thereof. The shear mechanism includes a pair of links that form a toggle having a center pivot that is attached to the piston rod of an air cylinder. Movement of the toggle links in turn moves a pivoting lever that causes the shear blades to reciprocate. As the piston rod is made to extend, the links straighten and then pass center a small amount until a stop setscrew is engaged. As the links straighten the shear blades enter the die and sever the segments of carrier strip from the terminals. As the links pass over center the shear blade is partially withdrawn so that it clears features projecting from the sides of the terminals while a guide portion of the blade remains in guiding engagement with the severed terminals during insertion thereof.

Abstract: A portable crimping tool is disclosed that includes an actuating mechanism that varies the amount of force made available to the crimping dies. A linear actuator having an axis is provided to move a movable die along that axis into crimping engagement with the mating die. The actuating mechanism includes a pair of links pivotally attached to a slide member. A wedge carried by the linear actuator engages a pair of rollers on the links, causing the rollers to move about other rollers attached to the frame, thereby causing the links to move the dies into crimping engagement.