Abstract: Trailing wire ends of a cable supply on a pay-off reel initially are connected to respective matrix points of a controller in a preselected numerical order. The cable then is fed from the reel, and a leading end portion is desheathed, using heat. The desheathed portions of the cable wires then are pressed or "ironed" from a twisted-pair bundle configuration into an individual-wire common plane configuration. As the desheathed portions of the wires next are fanned out of the common plane configuration in random order, they are sorted into two groups, depending on the side of a connector plug on which they are to be located, in response to signals from the controller, which also identifies each wire and stores information as to its random numerical position in its respective group. The cable then is cut to length adjacent the supply reel and a new sequence of operations is initiated.

Abstract: A leading end portion of a thermoplastic jacketed cable is desheathed by applying heat from a movable, continuously operating annular radiant heat source to heat-soften a narrow (e.g., on the order of 1/8 of an inch or less) annular section of the jacket without contacting the jacket. A gripper slide assembly is moved parallel to the cable to grip and apply tension on the leading end portion of the jacket to separate the jacket along the heat-softened section and to remove the leading end portion of the jacket from the cable. After the slide assembly has moved sufficiently to cause separation of the jacket, the heat source is moved axially of the cable from the area of jacket separation so as to preclude damage to the insulation on the cable conductors and to permit the heat softened material of the jacket remaining on the cable to reharden and form a smooth edge along the line of separation.