WIRE GUIDE ASSEMBLY

• US 3,839,777 A
• Filed: 10/26/1973
• Issued: 10/08/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene T. Puzio
• Original Assignee: Eugene T. Puzio
• Inventors: Puzio, Eugene T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eager, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US05/410,106
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 29/23MW,23MM,23R,23D,23P,23J
• US Class Current: 269/55
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/22 specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/01209 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53243 Multiple, independent conductors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53265 with work-holder for assembly

Abstract

A wire guide assembly comprises a pivotally supported wire bundle retainer which may be selectively positioned on a wire harness board or the like to guide and retain the wires during harness fabrication and then rotated to a release position wherein the retained wires may be conveniently removed from the wire bundle retainer by a simple, rapid, one step manipulation. The center of gravity of the wire bundle retainer may be selectively offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of its support post so that said retainer may freely fall to the harnessing position from the release position after the wires have been removed therefrom. Selectively located protrusions or notched portions may be employed to provide stop means for establishing the limits of arcuate travel of the wire bundle retainer. Locking means which may comprise an interlocking pin and groove arrangement may be provided to maintain a fixed orientation between the wire bundle retainer and the support post when mounted in other than a vertical position.

Claims

1. A wire guide assembly comprising:

a support post having a first end and a second end;

a wire bundle retainer pivotally coupled to said support post generally adjacent said support post first end and selectively recessed to provide a first arm and a second arm arranged in spaced relationship with respect to one another so as to form a wire bundle receiving cavity therebetween, said wire bundle receiving cavity opening to a first edge of said wire bundle retainer, said wire bundle retainer having a center of gravity axially offset from the location of the pivot coupling between said wire bundle retainer and said support post so that said wire bundle retainer is free to rotate to a first given position when said support post is oriented in a vertical position; and

stop means selectively located on said wire bundle retainer so as to cooperate with said support means to limit the arc of rotation of said wire bundle retainer between said first given position and a second given position.

2. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein a bisector of said wire bundle receiving cavity is oriented substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support post when said wire bundle retainer is disposed in said first given position.

3. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wire bundle retainer has a selectively proportioned notched portion extending between a second edge of said wire bundle retainer and a pivot pin receiving aperture extending transversely through said wire bundle retainer.

4. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said support post has a bifurcated portion at least adjacent said first end thereof, said wire bundle retainer being pivotably coupled to said support post in such manner as to selectively rotate within said bifurcated portion.

5. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wire bundle retainer has a first selectively proportioned notched portion extending between a second edge of said wire bundle retainer and a pivot pin receiving aperture extending transversely through said wire bundle retainer, and a second selectively proportioned notched portion extending a predetermined distance in a predetermined arc from said pivot pin receiving aperture toward said wire bundle receiving cavity, whereby the pivot point of said wire bundle retainer may be selectively varied.

6. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises a raised portion extending outwardly from at least one side of said wire bundle retainer to contact said support post when said wire bundle retainer is in said first given position.

7. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wire bundle retainer further comprises a third arm disposed intermediate said first arm and said second arm to provide a further wire bundle receiving cavity.

8. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said support post comprises pin means located remote from said first end thereof, said wire bundle retainer having a notch one end of which opens to an edge of said wire bundle retainer remote from said first edge thereof, said notch having a width proportioned to freely accept said pin means along the length thereof, said pin means abutting the closed end of said notch when said wire bundle retainer is in said first given position.

9. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 8 further comprising lock means cooperative with said pin means to maintain said wire bundle retainer in said first given position.

10. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said lock means comprises at least one protuberance extending into and restricting the width of said notch at a predetermined location selectively spaced from the closed end of said notch so that said pin means is releasably engaged in said notch between said protuberance and the closed end of said notch when said wire bundle retainer is in said first given position.

11. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wire bundle retainer is planarly rotatable through at least ninety degrees of arc from said first given position to said second given position.

12. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said center of gravity of said wire bundle retainer is so located with respect to said point of coupling between said wire bundle retAiner and said support post as to be offset from the longitudinal axis of said support post throughout at least ninety degrees of a predetermined arc of rotation of said wire bundle retainer.

13. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said support post second end is arranged to be fastened to a supporting member.

14. A wire guide assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said support post second end terminates in a sharpened point.