Abstract: High speed wire feeding means comprises a wire feed roll and a pressure roll, the wire feed roll being driven by a printed circuit motor under the influence of control means which maintains a high and constant level of acceleration and deceleration at the beginning and end of the feeding cycle. One embodiment has a single driven feed roll and a plurality of side-by-side pressure rolls for feeding a plurality of wires. This apparatus is capable of producing a bundle of wires having varying lengths in a minimum amount of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing electrical harness assemblies and sub-assemblies of the type comprising at least one multi-contact electrical connector and wires secured to, and extending from, the terminals in the connector. The apparatus comprises an insertion zone through which the wires are fed and in which the wires are severed. Electrical connectors are fed into the insertion zone and positioned in alignment with the severed ends of the wires. The wires are connected to the terminals in the connector by moving the connectors laterally towards the wires and, at the same time, moving an insertion tool towards the wires and towards the connector to push the wires into the terminals in the connector. The wire feed means is programmable to permit selective feeding of the wires and/or the feeding of different wire lengths during each operating cycle so that a variety of types of harness assemblies and subassemblies can be produced.