Abstract: Conventionally co-axial cable is made in a continuous extrusion machine by continuously extruding an aluminium tubular cladding (1) through an annular die and simultaneously continuously introducing a core (4), comprised of a conductive wire surrounded by insulation, through an bore in a mandrel (3). A gap is inevitably present between the outer surface of the core (4) and the tubular cladding (1). To eliminate the gap it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the tubular cladding by swagging or drawing step by compacting the insulation of the core before introduction to the mandrel (3). The insulation then gradually expands to recover its original diameter and fill the cladding which has been extruded to its final diameter.

Abstract: The object of this invention is processes and devices for the automatic connection of conductor wire or optical fiber section ends to adapted component receptacles using clamps of various types and having specific uses.A device according to the invention comprises a conveyor (1) which feeds clamps to various end processing units. Loading unit (5) positions wire sections in a first type of clamp (2). Units (4), (20) modify the ends for purposes of their connection. Unit (21) interchanges the ends in clamps to arrange them in a preferential order for the connection which is subsequently performed by one or more units (32). The invention uses clamps adapted to a variety of operations, to hold a group of wires (72) or to hold components (34).An application is the automatic production of conductor wire bundles.

Abstract: A method and means for producing disks of tightly packed on-end aligned fibers wherein side-by-side filament tows are surrounded and pulled by a Chinese-finger type gripper sleeve which tightens about the tows and compacts the filaments as it is pulled. The gripper sleeve and filament assembly is further compacted by being pulled through a draw-down die and into a tube surrounded by a backup casing. The highly compacted mass of filaments with the surrounding portion of the sleeve within the tube are cut free from the external portion of the portion of the puller sleeve and the loaded tube is removed from the casing. A plurality of disks of predetermined thickness containing the desired highly compacted on-end aligned fibers are then formed by cross-sectionally cutting the filament loaded tube segment by segment.

Abstract: A twisted wire manufacturing apparatus is provided with cradle which is suspended at a pair of rotating shafts having extreme ends opposed to each other through bearings. A main body of the wire twisting machine is mounted on the cradle. A raw material guide and a twisted wire guide are mounted in respect to a pair of rotating shafts having axial insertion holes. A raw material capstan and the twisted wire take-up machine are mounted on the cradle. The raw wire material is guided through these devices. Another twisted wire manufacturing machine has a plurality of injection dies communicating with an annular groove formed in the rotary head. An annular shoe for gradually reducing a sectional area of the annular groove is slidably fitted to the annular groove. The raw material is supplied into the annular groove and the raw wires are injected from the injection dies. One injection die of a plurality of injection dies is provided with an adjustment for increasing an injection resistance of the raw wires.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a stranded conductor for use in an electric power cable, the cross-sectional shapes of wires being drawn towards or through a rotatably driven lay plate by which the wires are laid helically in a layer around the axis of the conductor are so modified that, on emerging from the lay plate and passing into at least one die downstream of the lay plate, the wires of modified cross-sectional shape fit tightly together and, if present, around a central wire or a preceding layer of helically applied wires. The wires of each layer preferably are initially of the same cross-sectional shape and size as one another, e.g. approximately circular, and, preferably, the modified cross-sectional shapes imparted to the wires of each layer are the same as one another, e.g. approximating to a sector of an annulus. No compacting of the wires is required in the die or dies and, as a consequence, a capstan drawing the wires through the die or dies is not subjected to a undesirable load.

Abstract: A twisted wire manufacturing apparatus is provided with a plurality of injection dies communicating with an annular groove formed in a rotary head. An annular shoe for gradually reducing a sectional area of the annular groove is slidably fitted to the annular groove. Raw material is supplied into the annular groove and raw wires are injected from the injection dies. One of the plurality of injection dies provides an increased injection resistance to reduce the injection speed of a core raw wire injected from that injection die relative to the injection speed of outer layer raw wires injected from other injection dies.

Abstract: The reinforcing wires in a fibrous duct are inserted by simultaneously piercing opposite sides of the duct with elongated piercing means mounted on a reciprocally movable frame. The piercing means may be the reinforcing wires themselves or may be separate structure, such as tubes, which can function as guides for the insertion of the wire before they are withdrawn.

Abstract: The insertion head of the present invention is for a wire trimming and inserting machine, i.e., a machine or apparatus for loading color-coded, or otherwise coded wires into a connector half. It includes a platform with an appendage coupled thereto. The appendage has a channel formed therein to receive and guide wire therethrough to a terminal of a connector half. The insertion head includes a spring biased guide, which bears against the channel-received wire, and imposes a movement-retarding force or drag on the wire to insure that the latter is held taut until engaged with the connector terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing binding wire from a bale. The bale containing a plurality of peripheral baling wires is supported on a conveyor and a cutting knife moves vertically along the bale to cut the wires. A pair of gripping knives are located on the opposite side of the bale from the cutting knife and the gripping knives more respectively from the upper and lower ends of the bale toward the vertical midpoint of the bale to gather the cut wires together. The gathered cut wires are engaged by a rotatable winding mechanism which acts to wind the cut wires and remove the wound wires to a discharge site.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of assembling a chromatography column including the steps of providing a cylindrical core element, winding an innermost layer of uniformly spaced fibers helically about the core element, winding a plurality of concentric annular layers of uniformly spaced fibers about the innermost layer so that the fibers of each layer are helically wound about the most inwardly adjacent layer in reverse hand orientation relative to the next inwardly adjacent layer, enveloping the outermost layer of fibers in a column housing, and coating the fibers with stationary phase material.

Abstract: Paper-making, pulp-dewatering wires or webs are now made of a woven fabric of synthetic resin filaments. Such a fabric is often accidentally perforated. A patch of similar fabric is placed on the perforation and secured to the wire by means of a series of staples. The patch is circular and the legs of the staples are radially directed. The patch is positioned on the paper-contacting face of the wire and the bight of the staples does not protrude from the underside of the wire. An apparatus is disclosed for the insertion of the staples through the wire and the patch.

Abstract: An automatic coil winding and finishing machine. First and second bobbin conveying devices of the apparatus are capable of reciprocating on linear lines while holding coil bobbins, and of stopping the coil bobbins at predetermined positions. The first conveying devices allow the coil bobbins to be fed from a feeding device to a coil winding device and then to be discharged therefrom after the completion of the coil winding process. The second conveying device receives the coil bobbins from the first conveying device, and then allows them to be subjected to coil finishing processes in cooperation with devices for the coil finishing processes, as the coil bobbins remain held by the second conveying device. The intervals at which the conveying devices hold the coil bobbins may be determined in such a manner that the intervals are reduced when the coil bobbins are transformed from the first conveying device to the second conveying device.

Abstract: A powder-in-tube method of producing an oxide superconduction wire is disclosed in which a preformed copper oxide superconducting powder is continuously filled into a tube precursor having a U shape cross-section formed from a long strip of metal material. The tube precursor is formed into a tube by bending and welding. The resulting tube is drawn to a reduced cross-section and further heated to sinter the packed powder to form the finished oxide superconducting wire.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the high speed reshaping of round wire as it exits a drawing machine, but prior to its being collected on a bobbin or a stempack. The shape imparted to individual wires is such that as the preshaped wires are applied to a core by a stranding machine, a cable results in which there is substantially no interstitial space between the wires which add excessive bulk.

Abstract: A wire processing system, comprises:(a) structure to advance a wire of selected cross section generally endwise toward a primary station, the wire having a forward portion,(b) a wire deformer at the primary station to form at least one bend in the advancing wire,(c) a clamp at the primary station to clamp the forward portion of the wire that has passed the deformer,(d) a cutter to sever the wire after a selected length of wire has advanced past the cutter, whereby a wire section of predetermined length is formed,(e) and conveyor apparatus operable to grip the formed wire section and to convey that section along a generally longitudinally extending travel path away from the primary station after the clamp releases the wire, and with at least one end of the formed wire section presented laterally for processing, as for example insulation stripping and attachment of terminals to stripped wire ends.

Abstract: A wire straightener, and multiple preform rollers prepare a continuous length wire for further forming with multiple form rollers having multiple spaced apart notches on an exterior surface edge of the rollers. The notches cause a section of the wire to be non-formed. After the formed wire is fed to a gripper housing where the wire is cut to a predetermined length, the non-formed section is punched to create the fastener head. The end section of the fastener opposite the head is tapered and the finished fastener is ejected from the machine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shaving elongate metal stock such as rod, wire and the like, characterized by the employment of a plurality of progressive die stations each including diametrically opposed segmental dies which are automatically indexed to remove surface imperfections from metal stock, to impart desired cross-sectional shapes to the metal stock and/or to impart desired tapered profiles to the metal stock. The segmental dies at each station are rigidly secured to respective carriages by heel and toe clamps and the carriages are radially advanced and retracted in rigid restraints by hydraulic actuators provided with adjustable mechanical stops which limit inward carriage adavancement. The carriages and hydraulic actuators for each station are mounted on a mounting plate which is securable to an upright support plate at any one of a member of rotated positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a core wire for use in laying optical fibers over a long distance produces a plurality of continuous corrugated deep grooves in a wire that are capable of holding therein the optical fibers longitudinally along the peripheral surface of the wire. An endless raw wire material of circular cross section is formed by the apparatus into a wire of square cross section through plastic processing and thereafter the wire is formed into a core wire of a flower patterned cross section with a plurality of petals having corrugated deep grooves in the periphery thereof continuously longitudinally thereof through a rolling device. In addition, the core wire so constructed is formed into a core wire with spiral corrugated deep grooves formed in the peripheral surface thereof. The rolling means has forming rolls equal in number to the number of ridges of the square wire, and each such roll having two perfect corrugated convex portions formed widthwise on the peripheral surface thereof.

Abstract: A jumper wire feeder which can be mounted on an apparatus for automatically inserting axial components and is capable of cutting wires consecutively to a predetermined length by means of an inserting tool. The wire is fed by a servomotor drive to a predetermined length between right and left inserting tool portions.

Abstract: A flexible strand stacker comprises:(a) a conveyor having an elongated endwise traveling stretch onto which the strand is fed to be carried endwise on the stretch,(b) a gripper to grip a trailing portion of the strand as forward extent of the strand is carried endwise on the stretch,(c) structure to effect displacement of the gripper to a position locating the gripped portion of the strand sufficiently out of alignment with the stretch that the strand is progressively pulled sidewardly off the stretch in response to endwise travel of the stretch relative to the strand,(d) and a holder such as a roller is provided to temporarily and locally hold the trailing portion of the strand to the traveling conveyor means stretch to travel therewith; the holder then releases the wire strand and the gripper initially grips the trailing portion of the strand.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a fiber reinforcement body which is to be incorporated into a metal matrix in a fabrication technique based on a molten metal infiltration process for producing a metal matrix composite material are disclosed herein. The apparatus of the invention comprises means for supporting the chill members in longitudinally spaced relation to each other, means for forming uniformly distributed windings of the yarn on each of the chills, and means for forming similar windings of the yarn around, and extending between the chills in a way so as to connect them together.

Abstract: An electric stripper comprising a pivotal arm carrying a cutter blade and pivoted to a rotary housing. The cutter blade is movable toward or away from the axis of rotation of the housing by the pivotal movement of the arm. The arm is pivotally movable by being biased by springs. When an interchangeable wheel is mounted on the housing, a pivotally moving portion of the arm slidingly moves relative to a biting amount adjusting portion of the wheel in engagement therewith to thereby pivotally move the arm against the biasing springs.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method and assembly for testing the electrical integrity of a multi-circuit cable harness. An intermediate harness product is prepared including a short test tab comprising a portion of insulated multiconductor cable extending from a terminated multi-circuit connector. The test tab is stripped to expose at least a portion of the tab conductors. Adjacent exposed portions of the tab are contacted with a test probe capable of electrically testing the adjacent circuits of the harness. If a positive test result is obtained, the test tab is trimmed to provide the finished cable harness product. If a negative test result is obtained, the test tab is left on the intermediate harness product to provide a ready visual indication of a defective cable harness product.

Abstract: A method of forming wire harnesses and a cylindrical body pin assembly for connection to a peg board of the type used to form such harnesses is disclosed. The pin assembly comprises a cylindrical pin body and a cylindrical drive nut that are rotated relative to each other to axially move a pair of wire fingers protruding from one end of the pin body. The fingers are received within a hole in the peg board and are moved axially over a spreader disposed between them to separate the fingers and cause an enlarged shoulder on the fingers to abut against the peg board. After a selected number of pin assemblies have been installed in the peg board, wires may be wound around them to form the harness. The outer cylindrical surfaces of the pin body and drive nut are substantially equal in diameter to provide relatively straight, smooth sidewalls.

Abstract: A die set assembly for crimp connecting an electrical lead to terminals or the like. The device includes apparatus for cooperatively feeding the length of electrical lead, a length of terminal, and a crimp connector strip, carrying series of crimp connectors. The device further includes apparatus for adjustably positioning a cutter relative to the die set assembly, whereby when the length of electrical lead and crimp connector strip have been positioned in the machine, and the terminal length determined, the machine will crimp a crimp connector, a lead and predetermined length of terminal and sever the crimp connector from the strip and cut a predetermined length of terminal.

Abstract: Electrically conductive wires, to be connected to multiple terminal connectors and assembled in a wire harness, are prepared for harness assembly by winding individual wires on a reel, cutting each wire to length with both ends of the wire protruding in aligned but opposite directions from the reel, transporting the reel and wound wire by grasping the protruding ends in conveyor mounted clamps, and presenting the wire ends to stripping and terminal attachment machines as the conveyor carries the reel mounted wire. Each piece of wire remains on its individual reel for storage and handling of stacks of reels, and for manipulation of the wire during its placement in a wire harness.

Abstract: A wire insertion tool includes a pair of fingers which are selectively cammed to different states. One finger supports the terminal as the wire is inserted into the terminal by the other finger avoiding reaction forces on the substrate to which the terminal is attached. The fingers have a state in which they keep the wire aligned with the insertion portion of the fingers as the fingers travel from terminal to terminal in a wiring cycle. The fingers have a wire sever state to sever the wire at the end of the wiring cycle in which a length of wire is attached to a plurality of terminals. A feed assembly feeds wire to the fingers as the wire is played out during the wiring cycle to minimize tensioning the wire as the tool travels.

Abstract: The invention is a system for the assembly of wire harnesses. More particularly the invention provides an assembly tool and a wire feed system for delivering a completed wire from a wire fabrication cell to the final wire harness assembly point. The assembly tool consists of two symmetrical parts which function together in jaw-like fashion to receive and then guide a wire to an assembly point. Each half of the assembly tool is double-ended, so that the wire may be inserted from either the left or right half of the assembly tool. The wire feed system includes a wire tensioning and centering tool mounted on the end effector and a pneumatically driven wire feed system. Back pressure is used to effectively blow the wire from a first point remote from the assembly point to the gripper for acquisition by the gripper.

Abstract: In wrapping a wire around a pin, the turn being produced is rolled against the pin by a tool surface (21) which rotates with the wrapping motion, so that defined and reproducible contact areas are created. As far as the forces are concerned, the contact-making and wrapping are decoupled from each other; the tension of the wire therefore needs to be designed only still for the wrapping process proper.

Abstract: The present invention concerns superconductor lengths constituted by superconducting filaments based on a ternary chalcogenide of molybdenum (PbMo.sub.6 S.sub.8) assembled within a stabilizing matrix based on copper. The invention provides a method of fabricating superconducting filaments consisting of mixing a powder of a ternary chalcogenide of molybdenum with a metal powder of smaller granulometry and chosen from the components of the chalcogenide in question, or from the group of metals consisting of aluminum, silver, gallium, rhenium, and titanium, in sheathing the mixture of powders obtained by means of a metal wall constituted from one of a group of metals formed by molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, titanium and vanadium, and in subjecting the superconducting lengths obtained after drawing and cold working using conventional wire drawing techniques to a final heat treatment consisting of heating to a temperature of about 800.degree. C. for at least twenty hours.

Abstract: A winding machine for coil bobbins in which a one-piece or divided index carriage is reciprocally movable in its axial direction and reversibly rotatable about the axis. A plurality of slide plates are supported on the carriage for reciprocally slidable movement axially along the carriage and equally angularly spaced from each other, a plurality of bobbin mount jigs project outwardly in one row from each of the slide plates in equally spaced relationship, and a plurality of part guide members corresponding in number to the number of the bobbin mount jigs are provided to guide wire onto and about bobbins loaded on the bobbin mount jigs. A common soldering unit solders wire to the bobbins, a common bobbin feed unit is provided to feed bobbins to the jigs, a product discharge mechanism discharges complete full coil bobbins from the machine and a cut unit is optionally provided to cut wire to a predetermined length.

Abstract: A machine for straightening and polishing a round bar comprises a bed, a plurality of straighteners, and a plurality of squeezing-and-rubbing machines. A pair of polishing discs face each other on rotating shafts extending from the squeezing-and-rubbing machines. Central longitudinal axes of the rotating shafts upon which the pair of facing polishing discs are mounted are offset from but parallel to each other and rotate in the same direction. Thus, the round bar is straightened while being passed through the straightening tubes and is polished while being rotated by the polishing discs.

Abstract: In the installation, a strip is shaped from a split tube which is welded or seamed to give a closed tube in a welding or seaming station. Associated with the welding or seaming station is a suction mechanism used for the removal of on the one hand the cold air flow produced by the moving open tube and on the other the air flow heated during welding and flowing back from the closed tube, as a result of the reduction of the internal cross-section thereof. This obviates air turbulence in the welding or seaming station, which could whirl up the pulverulent material introduced into the open tube in a dosing station and could be deposited on the longitudinal edges of the split tube. This could unfavorably influence the seaming or welding process.

Abstract: Forming a core unit from telecommunications conductor units of twisted together conductors in which the units are first changed in relative positions laterally of their passline and then are passed between two rollers to form them into a curved array. The positions of the units in the array influence their final positions in the core unit as they move towards a core unit closure device. Hence as the positions in the array change because of the positional change in relative positions of the units upstream from the array, then the units change in relative positions in the core unit by extending backwards and forwards around the core unit axis.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for winding an electrical conductor about the leg of a magnetic core. A single set of drive rolls and a single set of ironing rolls cooperatively tightly wrap the conductor about the leg of the magnetic core.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a saddle-shaped coil a wire supplied from a winding station is laid in a continuous process by means of a wire guide against a surface of a non-magnetic molding, which surface is concave in a first direction and convex in a direction transverse to the first direction to form a number of continuous turns defining a window, the wire, as soon as it has been laid, being fixed in position instantaneously or substantially instantaneously. In one example the surface of the moulding on which the wire is to be laid and fixed is provided, prior to laying the wire, with a thin layer of contact adhesive and the wire is previously provided with a coating of contact adhesive.

Abstract: A torsion spring having a coiled portion and straight ends is formed on a spindle by a winding machine with the coiled portion being wound around the spindle. A transfer device for transferring the torsion spring to a spring feeding position in which the torsion spring is fed to a spring inserting device receives the torsion spring directly from the spindle and transfers it to the spring feeding position keeping the torsion spring in a predetermined orientation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a stranded cable. The wire stretching step and annealing steps which have been performed independently prior to the twisting step in the field of stranded cable production are combined in the invented apparatus. The rotary element defines an annular space in cooperation with a shoe member such that the cross sectional area of the annular space decreases progressively. The roughened wire guided into the annular space via the shoe member is press molten and subjected to extrusion moulding to obtain a plurality of wires, which in turn are twisted together. Since the stretching and annealing are performed by a single apparatus, shop space conventionally required for device installation is reduced.

Abstract: Helixes are assembled into face structures by providing an initial helix which is stretched and retained on a work table, and a first helix which is attached to the initial helix, inserting into the first helix of a prestretched second helix by means of a joining tool and from a discharge conduit so that the second helix exits from the discharge conduit at an acute angle with respect to the first helix and moved along the latter connecting the second helix with the first helix by inserting an insert wire into the overlapping areas between the head arches of the first and second helixes, and displacing the thus finished face structure by a predetermined distance between insert wires in a timed sequence before a subsequent such inserting step for a further helix to be inserted into the second helix.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprising a cork-engaging member, including a corkscrew, and a holder for aligning and guiding the corkscrew, via its own diameter, with respect to the bottle. The corkscrew itself is improved by the provision of an outer layer of friction reducing material such as a tetrafluoroethylene or other suitable plastic. Additionally, the tip portion of the corkscrew is formed in an improved manner which prevents fragments of cork from breaking off and falling into the bottle even though the screw is driven completely through the cork. Also disclosed is an improved method of making such a corkscrew.

Abstract: An apparatus (50) for cutting a wire (21) and softening the insulation thereof. The apparatus (50) is comprised of a pair of wire cutters (52) with a pair of opposed rollers (74, 76) associated therewith. The rollers (74, 76) are mounted for relative movement away from one another to enable an insulated wire to be passed therebetween and into the wire cutters (52). The rollers (74, 76) are also relatively movable toward each other for engaging and softening the wire (21) insulation upon actuation of the wire cutters (52) to cut the wire.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for intermittently feeding wire forward along a generally longitudinal axis, cutting and forming a front end of the wire at a first station into a jumper bridge for an electronic hybrid substrate and presenting the jumper bridge at a second station for removal from the apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of this invention are used to maintain a predetermined arrangement of stranded multi-conductor pair cable units (23--23) within a first group (24) of units while controlling the formation of a laminate (30) comprising a plastic-coated metallic strip (31) into an internal shield which is disposed between the first group and a second group (26) of the units. A device (100) is interposed between faceplates (71, 82) through which the units and the strip are advanced prior to their advance through closing dies (131, 132) and apparatus which encloses the core with a sheathing system. The device controls the formation of the internal shield from the strip and is effective to prevent any buckling of the strip as it is formed into a configuration having arcuate end portions that partially enclose the groups of the units.

Abstract: A wire wrapping tool (10) includes a gun (20), a bit (24) for cutting, stripping and wrapping a wire (21), a sleeve (25) for receiving the bit and a wire softening device (26). The device (26) includes a pair of opposed rollers (28,30) for softening the wire (21) pulled therethrough.

Abstract: In a wire lead forming machine whereby a European-type plug is attached to plug-end portions of two wires of a cable length, a wire bending device at each of a wire stripping and a plug attachment station has a pair of carriages mounted on parallelogram linkages for horizontal translatory movement. A clamping element on each carriage swings down to clamp a wire end portion against a flat top surface portion on the carriage, whereupon the carriages diverge, bending the wires to hold their tip portions parallel and spaced apart. A restraightening device at a station between the stripping and the plug attachment stations has upper and lower jaws between which the wires are received. The upper jaw swings down to confine the wire end portions in coplanar relationship, whereupon other jaws, moving horizontally between the upper and lower jaws, push the wires together.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming brush contacts from spools of wire and holders for angular ended wire segments cut from said wires, has a wire feeding means for feeding spools thereof independently of each other, a cutting device for cutting segments from the wires and feeding the segments to a common collection point where the segments are loaded into the holders provided, and a crimping device for crimping the holder to retain the wires therein without causing flaring of the exposed ends. A checking station is provided to determine whether each brush contact contains the requisite number of wire segments and ejection means to eject defective contacts. The completed contacts are collected in such a manner as to prevent damage thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a wire fin tube for heat transfer which comprises a wire fin forming station, a fin guiding station, a wire fin delivery station, a tube feeding device and a welding device, whereby a plurality of wires are simultaneously shaped into wavy wires which in turn are wound around a tube in the form of plural helices. The fin guiding station is characterized by having at least two different paths of different lengths whereby the wavy wires are wound around the tube in at least two different phases.

Abstract: The valve includes an input port and two output ports and an arrangement to cause fluid pulses to appear at the output ports as a result of the appearance of fluid pulses alternately at the inlet port. The fluid pulses fed to the inlet port directly appears at the outlet ports and directly causes the valve to pass at least through three successive positions for every two successive pulses at the inlet port. This valve controls the operation of a pneumatic control circuit of a wire cutting, skinning and wrapping tool which is mounted in the handgrip of the tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting pairs of terminals with a pretwisted pair of insulated wires routes, cuts, strips, identifies, and secures such identified ends of the pretwisted wire pair to appropriate terminals. Routing operations are performed in part by pairs of biaxially translatable dressing finger assemblies which engage the twisted pair and provide points about which the wire is routed to achieve complex wiring patterns having multiple bends. Routing and terminating operations are performed by a pair of substantially identical mechanisms which are also mounted for biaxial translation.

Abstract: A stepped combination apparatus comprises transferring means for moving a bundle of component wires arranged in plural rows and plural lines in the longitudinal direction; pushing means for pushing the component wires to the line direction to put out a component wire at the opposite side; shifting means for shifting the component wire which is put out by the pushing means, to the other row; and stepped-bending means for stepped-bending the component wire which is put out. The operation time can be significantly shortened and a U-shape bundle of component wires can be treated by the apparatus.