Abstract: A special cartridge is provided which is used in wire harness making applications. The cartridge is loaded with a single length of wire which has been pre-cut to the desired length and also marked for identification with an ink jet sprayer, or other wire marking device, prior to being wound on the spool in the cartridge.Once the wire is thus wound, it may sequentially be passed through a curing oven to dry the inked coding on the wire. Then the cartridge is engaged by an end effector on an articulated robot which passes both the leading end and the trailing end of the wire into selected wire strippers, crimpers, and a wire tester.Once the wire reaches this point it is now wound on the reel in the cartridge with the proper terminals crimped on both ends.

Abstract: A harness wiring universal formboard of modular construction utilizes modules which define a grid of forming pin stations each of which has a pin which is selectably retracted or in the extended mode for use in the wiring harness pattern. The single board can be used with any pattern, and the particular pin pattern desired is achieved by applying a pattern sheet across the front of the board with holes punched at the locations where the pins in the desired pin pattern should be, and then with the pattern in place rotating the board upside down so that gravity pulls the pins through holes in the formboard at those locations permitted by the pattern achieved. The extended pins are then locked into place and the module or modules righted to the appropriate angle and height most convenient for the harness maker.

Abstract: Means and method are provided for conveniently breaking out wires from a wire bundle in a wiring harness during the fabrication or layout stage, there being a wrapper having two parallel rows of holes punched therein and a specially designed comb having teeth with detent ends which are inserted through the first row of holes in the wrapper. The wire bundle is then passed alongside these teeth with the desired strands being broken out between the teeth, and subsequent to the breakout process the wrapper is folded over the wire bundle and the second row of holes engaged securely over the detent ends of the comb teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus for the orderly dispensing of wire to form a harness, comprising a strand pay out head which is moved by an automated control unit in two dimensions over a layout table having strategically positioned pegs and wire gripping elements thereon such that the wire is engaged in one of the gripping elements, entrained around certain of the pegs, secured in another of the gripping elements and cut, the entire process being performed repeatedly and automatically to lay all of the wires of the particular harness in the required configuration. The wire pay out head has a swivel mounted feed unit which receives wire from a continuous source and ordinarily the end of the wire projects slightly from the feed and is automatically retained by any of the gripping elements upon the passage therethrough of the feed unit, subsequent to which a knife on the pay out device cuts the wire if such is required for the harness being made.