Abstract: A method for installing a section of heat shrink tubing on a wire. The method utilizes an infeed guide that receives the continuous length of tubing and initially opens the tubing from a compressed condition. The continuous length of tubing is received in a cutting guide and cut to a desired length. After cutting, a pair of spaced support jaws move together to open the cut section of tubing. A funnel having a first opening and a second opening is moved into engagement with the section of tubing such that the second opening is received within the section of tubing. A wire is inserted into the funnel which guides the wire into the cut section of tubing. Once the wire is received within the cut section of tubing, the funnel and support jaws are removed and the wire is removed with the section of support tubing installed thereon.

Abstract: A system and method for installing a section of heat shrink tubing on a wire is disclosed. The system includes an infeed guide that receives the continuous length of tubing and initially opens the tubing from a compressed condition. The continuous length of tubing is received in a cutting guide and cut to a desired length. After cutting, a pair of spaced support jaws move together to open the cut section of tubing. A funnel having a first opening and a second opening is moved into engagement with the section of tubing such that the second opening is received within the section of tubing. A wire is inserted into the funnel which guides the wire into the cut section of tubing. Once the wire is received within the cut section of tubing, the funnel and support jaws are removed and the wire is removed with the section of support tubing installed thereon.

Abstract: A system and method for installing a section of heat shrink tubing on a wire is disclosed. The system includes an infeed guide that receives the continuous length of tubing and initially opens the tubing from a compressed condition. The continuous length of tubing is received in a cutting guide and cut to a desired length. After cutting, a pair of spaced support jaws move together to open the cut section of tubing. A funnel having a first opening and a second opening is moved into engagement with the section of tubing such that the second opening is received within the section of tubing. A wire is inserted into the funnel which guides the wire into the cut section of tubing. Once the wire is received within the cut section of tubing, the funnel and support jaws are removed and the wire is removed with the section of support tubing installed thereon.

Abstract: Systems and methods for soldering a workpiece using a solder application system. A nozzle includes a plurality of walls and a floor that together define a nozzle reservoir for containing liquid solder. The plurality of walls also define a soldering region that is external to the nozzle reservoir. The plurality of walls in the soldering region define holes that are configured to dispense the liquid solder from the nozzle reservoir.

Abstract: A system and method for installing a section of heat shrink tubing on a wire is disclosed. The system includes an infeed guide that receives the continuous length of tubing and initially opens the tubing from a compressed condition. The continuous length of tubing is received in a cutting guide and cut to a desired length. After cutting, a pair of spaced support jaws move together to open the cut section of tubing. A funnel having a first opening and a second opening is moved into engagement with the section of tubing such that the second opening is received within the section of tubing. A wire is inserted into the funnel which guides the wire into the cut section of tubing. Once the wire is received within the cut section of tubing, the funnel and support jaws are removed and the wire is removed with the section of support tubing installed thereon.

Abstract: A terminal reel cart that supports two reels of terminals and two terminal applicators such that the terminal applicators can be loaded with the strip of terminals and moved into position relative to a terminal station of a wire processing system. The terminal reel cart supports the reels of terminals and the terminal applicators. The reel cart includes a plurality of wheels that allow the cart to be easily moved throughout a processing facility. The reel cart includes a pair of paper take up reels that are each driven by a motor and collects the paper backing from the strip of terminals. The paper take up reels are driven by a drive motor on the wire processing system.

Abstract: A terminal reel cart that supports two reels of terminals and two terminal applicators such that the terminal applicators can be loaded with the strip of terminals and moved into position relative to a terminal station of a wire processing system. The terminal reel cart supports the reels of terminals and the terminal applicators. The reel cart includes a plurality of wheels that allow the cart to be easily moved throughout a processing facility. The reel cart includes a pair of paper take up reels that are each driven by a motor and collects the paper backing from the strip of terminals. The paper take up reels are driven by a drive motor on the wire processing system.

Abstract: A wire processing machine includes a signal applicator that applies a sensing signal to a section of wire. When the signal applicator is applying the sensing signal to the wire core of a section of wire, the wire processing machine is actuated to move a pair of wire processing blades until the wire processing blades contact the wire core. When the blades contact the wire core, the wire core is grounded, which is sensed by the control unit of the device. The position of the wire processing blades when the wire core is grounded is used to determine the diameter of the wire core.

Abstract: A terminal reel cart that supports a reel of terminals and a terminal applicator such that the terminal applicator can be loaded with the strip of terminals and moved into position relative to a wire processing system. The terminal reel cart supports the reel of terminals and a terminal applicator. The reel cart includes a plurality of wheels that allow the cart to be easily moved throughout a processing facility. The reel cart includes a paper take up reel that is driven by a motor and collects the paper backing from the strip of terminals. The paper take up reel is driven by a drive motor on the wire processing system.

Abstract: A wire gripping assembly is provided with a pair of lever arms that are each movable between a gripping position and a release position. Each lever arm includes a plurality of engagement teeth that interact with drive teeth formed on a moving rack member. The rack member is coupled to a piston movable within an open interior of a drive cylinder. Pressurized air is supplied to either side of the piston to move the piston and rack member. The movement of the piston and the rack member within the drive cylinder results in pivoting movement of the first and second lever arms between the gripping position and the release position.

Abstract: A wire feed station of a wire processing system draws a supply of wire into the system. The wire feed station includes first and second feed wheels that create a nip to pull the wire through the feed station. A drive assembly is coupled to the first and second feed wheels to cause rotation of the feed wheels. The drive assembly includes first and second drive shafts that are coupled to the first and second feed wheels through a pair of flexible couplings. The flexible couplings allow the first and second feed wheels to move relative to each other to adjust the feed nip. The flexible couplings allow a single drive motor to rotate the first and second feed wheels through a pair of drive shafts without the use of a complex belt or gear assembly.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a crimping press for crimping terminals on an electrical conductor. A master tool is positioned in a test crimping press and the press is operated to crimp a test bar to a desired crimp height. During the process of crimping the test bar to the desired crimp height, a standard force profile is generated. The standard force profile is recorded in a control unit. The master tool is transferred to a crimping press to be calibrated. Once the master tool is in place, the crimping press is operated until the crimping press creates a crimp height on the test bar equal to the desired crimp height. During the crimping process that results in the desired crimp height, an actual force profile is determined for the crimping press being calibrated. The actual force profile is compared to the standard force profile and the actual force profile is adjusted by an offset factor such that the adjusted force profile replicates the standard force profile.

Abstract: A device is provided for gathering, cutting and stripping insulated wire. The device includes first and second cutterhead assemblies. Each cutterhead assembly includes a central cutting knife and a pair of stripping blades spaced laterally on either side of the cutting knife. A drive system moves the cutting knives in a direction toward each other to cause the cutting knives to cut the wire to a predetermined length and moves the stripping blades in a direction toward each other to cause the stripping blades to sever the insulation on the wires. A positioning head assembly located upstream of the cutterhead assemblies positions the insulated wire between the cutting knives on each cutterhead assembly for cutting and stripping. Wire gathering elements gather the wire positioned between the cutterhead assemblies such that the wire may be found by another handling device downstream of the cutterhead assemblies.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting and stripping insulated wire. The apparatus includes a pair of cutting heads which are mounted on a supporting structure in opposed relation and each head includes a cutting blade and a stripping blade which is located downstream of the cutting blade. The insulated wire is fed between the cutting heads by a pair of endless belt feed units, one of which is located upstream of the heads and the other is located downstream of the heads. Each feed unit includes an endless timing belt, and the belts of each feed unit cooperate to move the wire in both a downstream and upstream direction during the programmed sequence of operation. The belts of each feed unit are moved in a direction toward each other by a chain drive and a torsion spring is operably connected to the chain drive in a manner such that operation of the chain drive in a direction to move the belts toward each other will increase the force of the torsion spring to provide a yieldable force against the wire.

Abstract: An apparatus for crimping terminals on an electrical conductor including a novel mechanism for adjusting the crimp or shut height. An anvil is secured to a supporting structure and a ram is mounted for reciprocating movement on the supporting structure in a direction toward and away from the anvil. The anvil and the ram carry cooperating die members which act to crimp the terminal on a conductor which is positioned between the anvil and the ram. The ram is moved in reciprocating movement by a toggle mechanism which interconnects the ram and the supporting structure, and the toggle mechanism is movable between an under-center open position, an on-center crimping position and an over-center open position. The location of the pivotal connection of the toggle mechanism to the supporting structure can be adjusted to selectively vary the spacing between the die members when the toggle mechanism is in the on-center position to thereby adjust the crimp height.

Abstract: A laser positioning system for a wire cutting and stripping apparatus. Insulated wire having an outer layer of frayable insulation is fed in a downstream path in increments of length by a feeding and measuring unit. A wire burning unit is located upstream of the feeding and measuring unit and includes two pair of cooperating heated dies, which serve to burn a pair of short lengths of the insulation and provides spaced areas of exposed bare wire. A cutting and stripping unit is located downstream of the burning unit and includes a pair of cooperating cutting blades and two pair of cooperating stripping blades which are located on either side of the cutting blades. A laser sensing unit is disposed adjacent the cutting and stripping unit, and generates a laser beam curtain that senses a change in diameter of the wire.

Abstract: A blade for cutting insulation from an insulated electrical conductor. The blade includes first and second opposed surfaces interconnected by an end. The end has an opening extending at a compound angle toward the interior of the blade. The opening is defined by a first pair of cutting edges converging at an angle less than 90.degree. toward the interior of the blade member and a second pair of cutting edges intersecting the first pair of cutting edges and converging toward the interior of the blade at a second non-parallel angle greater than the first angle. The blade is capable of maximizing the portion of the insulation that is cut from various size insulated conductors.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting and stripping insulated wire. The apparatus includes a pair of cutting and stripping units which are mounted on a supporting structure in opposed relation and each cutting and stripping unit includes a central cutting knife and a pair of stripping knives, spaced laterally on opposite sides of the cutting knife. The insulated wire is fed between the cutting and stripping units and when a predetermined length of wire has been fed, the cutting units are moved toward each other in a first stroke of movement to cause the cutting knives to cut a length of wire. The wire and the cut length are then moved axially away from each other by gripping units in a first stroke of movement to position the cut end of the wire and the end of the cut length between the cutting knives and the respective stripping knives.

Abstract: An improved wire feeding and measuring apparatus having a pair of cooperating feed belts to feed a wire in an axial direction. A drive wheel is located downstream of the feed belts and rotates in contact with the wire at a slightly faster speed than the feed belts, while a measuring wheel, operably connected to an encoder, is also engaged with the wire and is located opposite the drive wheel. The measuring wheel is biased toward the drive wheel by a spring exerting a light force. Guides are associated with each wheel and each guide includes a wire supporting surface and a slot located adjacent the supporting surface. The periphery of each wheel projects a slight distance through the slot in the respective guide and engages the wire. The guides maintain the wire in a tangential relation to the periphery of the wheels and prevent wrap around of the wire on the wheels.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) comprising rotatable feed belts (16,18) driven by a reversible electric servo-motor (20) which is operated by a pre-programmed electronic controller (30) feeds accurately measured lengths of a wire strand (12), regardless of wire slippage which may occur relative to the feed belts. Controller (30) receives feedback signals from an encoder (22) indicative of the distance and direction wire (12) actually moves, compares the feedback signal with stored data and recognizes the amount and direction of any wire slippage. Wire movement less (or more) than the desired length results in forward (or reverse) operation of servo-motor (20) and feed belts (16,18) to move the wire forward (or in reverse) until the desired length is reached. Encoder (22) is operated by a measuring wheel (24) which engages and is rotated by wire strand (12) itself during forward or reverse movement. Either "run-out" of wire strand (12) or too large a "following error" shuts down the apparatus.