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 programmable insertion tool is provided for inserting the contact pins of a pin header connector into plated through holes in a printed circuit board. The tool utilizes push pins of differing lengths to position selected contact pins to selected different depths thereby providing a make first, break last capability for these contact pins when connecting or disconnecting to a mating connector half.