Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (100) which includes electrical contacts (10) of the insulation displacement type, an inner housing (20), an outer housing (40), and a strain relief meter (50). The assembly (100) is assembled by first securely placing the electrical contacts (10) within the inner housing (20) and then inserting the inner housing (20) into the outer housing (40) so that the electrical contacts (10) can be terminated to wires by using the insulation displacement method of wire recitation. The inner housing (20) is fully inserted into outer housing (40), and is then in a fully latched position within the outer housing (40). Strain relief member (50) is then mounted to outer housing (40) and includes an abutment flange (55) for ensuring that the inner housing (20) has been fully inserted within outer housing (40).

Abstract: A safety guard system provided for a machine having a ram which is movable toward and away from a work zone and an actuator which is operable for driving the ram through a ram stroke toward the work zone. The safety guard system includes a safety guard mounted for movement along a guard path between open and closed positions with respect to the work zone. The safety guard is releasably coupled to the ram for movement during the ram stroke from the open to the closed position before completion of the ram stroke, and the safety guard is arranged to decouple from the ram upon either one of reaching the closed position or earlier encountering an obstruction in the guard path. A guard sensor effects a first signal upon the safety guard reaching the closed position, and an object sensor effects a second signal upon decoupling of the safety guard from the ram.

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 method and apparatus is disclosed for automatically positioning and forming a drain wire of a cable and then positioning the formed drain wire for automatic termination to a connector. Each cable is in turn rotated until a sensing whisker senses that the drain wire is in a known position. The drain wire is then formed by forming tooling and the cable is again rotated to position the formed drain wire in a desired angular position. A clamping mechanism maintains pressure on all of the cables thereby inhibiting rotation thereof except for the cable that is being processed.

Abstract: An initially integral terminal useful for terminating to flat conductor cable includes upper and lower plate sections coextending from a hinge to define a cable-receiving region therebetween, with first and second portions of both plate sections defining opposed cooperative arrays of termination means for terminating to said flat cable upon said upper and lower plate sections being pressed toward each other and into the flat cable. Upstanding opposed side wall sections join the first and second portions which are otherwise separated by an aperture proximate the center of the flat cable, enabling easy severing of the side walls at the aperture to define separate electrical terminations after application of the assembly to the flat cable. One or two contact sections can extend from a free edge of one of the upper and lower plate sections for connection to another article, defining a mid-cable tap for either single- or dual-connector cable respectively.

Abstract: A machine for cutting pin headers of a desired length from a standard length of pin header stock is disclosed. A vertically disposed track is provided for receiving the standard lengths of pin header stock. The stock is allowed to fall by gravity to a cutting station where a single cutting blade cuts individual pin headers from the end of the stock. The cut pin headers are deposited into a bin for convenient unloading. Leftover, or residual pieces of stock are directed into another bin for discarding or salvage.

Abstract: Conductor feeding apparatus for selectively feeding conductors selected from a group or from feeding all of the conductors in the group comprises first and second clamping assemblies which are moveable towards and away from each other between remote and proximate positions. Each clamping assembly has a clamp for each one of the conductors. When it is desired to feed selected conductors, the selected conductors are clamped in the first clamping assembly and the non-selected conductors are clamped in the second clamping assembly. The second clamping assembly is moved towards the first clamping assembly so that the ends of the selected conductors project beyond the second clamping assembly. The projecting ends are gripped in a conductor puller and pulled along the feed paths.

Abstract: The present invention is a hand operated tool for flattening a portion of a ribbon cable preparatory to installing a cable tap. The tool includes a set of rollers which are closeable upon the cable. The rollers are then rotated, first in one direction and then the other while varying the pressure on the rollers to effect removal of kinks and to generally flatten a portion of the cable.

Abstract: A hand operated tool for terminating the conductors of a hybrid cable to insulation displacement contacts contained in a connector. The tool includes a ratchet actuated cam which drives a ram and presser plate toward an abutting member upon which the connector assembly is secured. Free ends of the abutting member pass through the connector housing to provide adequate support. The free ends are then structurally supported by a bar that can be latched in place during operation of the tool. An interlock precludes operation of the tool without the support bar being in place. The operable handle which drives the ratchet is automatically disengaged when the ram has advanced to its fullest. A release mechanism provides for return of the ram to its starting position.

Abstract: Apparatus for rotating an electrical lead through an angle of 180 degrees comprises a frame in surrounding relationship to a conveyor clamp in which the lead is held, rotating assemblies and a control system. The rotating assemblies are in alignment with each other and on each side of the conveyor clamp, and are movable from a remote position to a proximate position relative to the conveyor clamp. The rotating assemblies contain rotating clamps. The control system releases the lead from the conveyor clamp simultaneously with closure of the rotating clamps in the rotating assemblies. After rotation of the rotating assemblies, the lead is released by the rotating clamps and the conveyor clamp is closed to grip the lead in its rotated orientation.

Abstract: An automated method of making an electrical harness of the type having a plurality of discrete wires includes one end of some or all of the wires terminating in a conductor. A wire of a desired type is automatically selected from a plurality of wires that are available for use. The wire is terminated with selected terminals and one end inserted into an appropriate cavity of a selected connector housing. Of the selected wires, at least one is of a different type than the others.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wire selection and feed apparatus for use in an automated machine for making electrical cables. The apparatus includes a rotary turret having a plurality of wire holders angularly spaced about its periphery. The desired wire is selected by rotating the turret until the appropriate wire holder is in the feed, or select, position. The wire holder is then advanced thereby presenting the end of the selected wire to a work station for processing. At this point the wire may be fed a desired amount into the work station by bringing a wire feed until into feeding engagement with the wire.

Abstract: Apparatus (30) includes means (28,29) to position a block (12) having multiple apertures (14) with a given aperture positioned along a loading axis (IA); a series of linear driving motors (32,40,56,112) are sequentially operated to grasp, hold and transport a terminal wire (24) and insert the terminal (16) thereof into a selected block aperture (14) in a sequence with an inverse cam (90) and roller mechanism (80,94) driven by a lever (96) to convert linear motion into a particular curvilinear movement to cause the terminal to clear the wires previously loaded in apertures in the block in a high speed insertion cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurately aligning a cavity in a plastic connector housing for insertion of an electrical terminal and attached wire during a block loading operation. The apparatus includes a two part terminal guiding member having a funnel shaped hole through which the terminal and wire are passed. Features are included that engage the connector housing moving in until a selected cavity is in alignment with the funnel shaped hole which has the same shape as the cavity and is the same size or slightly smaller. The terminal and wire are then inserted into the selected cavity and the two part guiding member opened and withdrawn.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method of wrapping a binding tape about a bundle of wires in an automated environment. A tape handling system is provided that de-reels and stores slack tape prior to performing the tape wrap operation. This slack type is then provided to the tape wrapping mechanism at a controlled tension to avoid stretching or breaking the tape.

Abstract: A selective wire feed for feeding any one of a plurality of wires which are arranged in pairs, each pair having a first wire and a second wire. Each wire pair has a feeding unit associated therewith which comprises a driven belt and two idler belts. The idler belts are movable between a feeding position and a non-feeding position. A specific wire is fed by moving its associated feeding belt to its feeding position and actuating the driven belt so that the wire is fed by the two belts. A wire guide is provided and has convergent passageways which extend to a wire outlet. A cutter is provided adjacent to the outlet so that a wire which has been fed can be cut. Thereafter, the wire which has been fed can be retracted by reversing the direction of the driven belt.

Abstract: Conveyer for wires comprises first and second endless belts which are in side by side coplanar relationship. The conveyer has a feeding stretch which comprises portions of the belts which are in opposed confronting relationship. The feeding stretch portion of the first belt is longer than the feeding stretch portion of the second belt so that there is an overlappingn portion of the first belt. The second belt is shiftable between a loading position and an unloading position. In the loading position, the overlapping portion of the first belt is located at the loading end of the conveyer so that a wire can be placed on the overlapping portion. In the unloading position, the overlapping portion of the first belt is at the discharge end of the conveyer. The wire on the overlapping portion can thus be removed.

Abstract: Apparatus for deploying end portions of an insulated signal wire and ground wires juxtaposed therewith, to locate said wire end portions in respective wire receiving channels of electrical contacts on opposite sides of an insulating electrical connector body, comprises means for combing out the wire end portions into parallel relationship, means for pushing back the insulation from the end portion of the signal wire and for splaying the wire end portions in opposite directions to locate them so as to straddle the connector body and means for wiping each wire end portion into a respective one of the wire receiving channels.

Abstract: Apparatus for terminating ribbon cable to a two row connector having insulation displacing terminals facing opposite sides comprises a conductor programming station on a carriage, a connector positioning carriage, and a terminating station. The conductor programming station has combs which deflect individual conductors from the plane of the cable into channels in a pair of spaced apart templates which realign the conductors. The connector positioning carriage is slideable on a pair of rails to position a connector between the templates, and the two carriages are moved as a unit to the terminating station where the connector is positioned between a pair of insertion rams, which have tooling which passes through slots in the templates to terminate the conductors.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting and stripping a plurality of wires, applying terminals to the ends of the wires, and inserting wires en masse into the cavities in a connector housing. A shuttle having telescoping tubes which contain the wires therein is attached to carriage which travels on a rail and delivers wires axially at a first fixed spacing on a linear path to an operating zone, insertion station, and strip and shear station. Tubing collapses to extrude wire into operating zone where wires are compensated by deflecting laterally of their axes various amounts such that subsequent rolling into a template will restore the wire ends to a straight array so they can be terminated to a strip of terminals at a second fixed spacing. Tubes expand to draw terminated wires therein as shuttle retreats, then connector housing is delivered onto linear path and shuttle advances to insert terminated wires therein.