Apparatus for inserting wires into terminals and for manufacturing electrical harnesses

• US 4,043,017 A
• Filed: 02/11/1976
• Issued: 08/23/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Folk, Kenneth Foster, Ross, Milton Dean, Shatto, Walter Clifton Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spruill, Robert Louis
• Application Number:
  US05/657,138
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 29/203 D, 29/203 DS, 29/203 DT, 29/203 MW, 29/203 P, 29/203 J, 29/203 S
• US Class Current: 29/749
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/01 for connecting unstripped conductors to contact members having insulation cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53217 Means to simultaneously assemble multiple, independent conductors to terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53261 Means to align and advance work part

Abstract

Apparatus for inserting wires into terminals comprises a templet plate having wire-receiving slots extending therethrough from one surface to the opposite surface. The slots extend to one edge of the plate so that wires positioned on one surface adjacent to the edge will, when pressed progressively against the surface, move into the slots. Inserters move through the slots and insert the wires into a connector positioned under the other face of the templet. In accordance with a further aspect of the disclosure, a shuttle type wire feed is provided in combination with the templet plate and a second wire insertion apparatus is provided to produce electrical harnesses.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inserting wires into the wire-receiving portions of electrical contact terminals, said terminals being contained in an electrical connector or the like, each terminal having wire-receiving portions which receive a wire upon movement of said wires laterally of its axis and into said wire receiving portions, said wire receiving portions being in side-by-side relationship, said wire receiving portions facing in a common direction, said apparatus comprising:

a wire guiding templet comprising a plate-like member having oppositely facing first and second surfaces, a plurality of wire guiding slots extending across said member from one edge thereof, each of said slots extending entirely through said surface from said first surface thereof to said second surface thereof, each of said slots having a width which is sufficient to permit passages therethrough of one of said wires, each of said slots having a dead end,

connector locating and supporting means proximate to said second surface for locating said connector adjacent to said second surface with each of said wire-receiving portions being proximate to one of said dead ends,

wire insertion means normally spaced from said first surface, said wire insertion means being movable towards said first surface and through said dead ends of slots, said wire insertion means being effective to move wires disposed in said slots through said slots, beyond said second surface and into said wire-receiving portions of said terminals and,

wire pressing means, said wire pressing means being moveable across said one surface from a location adjacent to said one edge thereof to a location which is proximate to, but spaced from, said dead ends of said slots, said wire pressing means being effective during movement across said surface to move wires positioned thereon progressively into said slots until end portions of said wires are adjacent to said dead ends of said slots and in alignment with wire receiving portions of terminals in a connector located on said connector locating and supporting means whereby,

upon locating said connector is said connector locating and supporting means, locating portions of said wires proximate to said first surface and proximate to said one edge of said plate like member, and upon locating each of said wires in one of said slots, and upon applying a pressing force against said wires by said pressing means and moving said pressing means across said surface from said one edge, said wires are progressively moved into said slots until portions of said wires are adjacent to said dead ends and are in alignment with said wire receiving portions of said terminals, and upon movement of said wire inserting means towards said first surface and through said slots, said wires are inserted into said wire-receiving portions of said terminals.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said pressing means comprising a roller.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, at least one of said slots extending from said one edge in non-parallel diverging relationship with respect to an adjacent one of said slots.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said slots extending from said one edge in non-parallel diverging relationship across said templet, said dead ends being in side-by-side spaced apart relationship.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said connector locating and supporting means comprising block means having a connector supporting and locating surface portions, said templet being secured to said block means and extending therefrom, said one edge being remote from said connector locating and supporting surface portions.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said wire insertion means being mounted on, and normally spaced from, said block means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including actuating means for moving said roller across said one surface and for thereafter moving said insertion means towards said one surface.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including wire feeding means for feeding wires along a wire feed path from substantially endless sources to said templet and for locating portions of said wires proximate to said one edge of said templet.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including means on said feed path for inserting said wires into another connector at a location remote from said connector and for severing said wires adjacent to said other connector.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said wire feeding means comprising a shuttle which is reciprocable along said feed path.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, said shuttle having releasable wire clamping means for releasably clamping said wires in side-by-side parallel relationship during movement of said shuttle towards said templet.

12. Apparatus for connecting individual wires to electrical contact terminals in each of two electrical connectors, said contact terminals each having a wire-receiving portion which receives a wire upon movement of said wire laterally of its axis and into said wire-receiving portion, said wire-receiving portions in each of said connectors being arranged in side-by-side relationship in a row, said apparatus comprising:

frame means, first and second wire insertion stations on said frame means, each of said insertion stations having connector supporting means for supporting one of said connectors in a predetermined position, each of said insertion stations further having insertion means for moving wires laterally of their axes and into the wire-receiving portions of terminals in a connector in the associated connector supporting means, each of said insertion means being normally spaced from its associated connector supporting means and being movable towards and away from its associated connector supporting means,

a wire feed shuttle, said feed shuttle being reciprocable along a wire feed path which extends from a location beyond said first wire insertion station to said first wire insertion station, between said connector supporting means and said wire insertion means at said first wire insertion station thence to said second wire insertion station,

said feed shuttle having releasable wire clamping means for clamping wires, which extend from substantially endless sources in side-by-side relationship, said clamping means being effective to hold said wires in side-by-side co-planar relationship during movement of said shuttle towards said second insertion station whereby said wires are pulled to said second insertion station, said shuttle being effective to release said wires during return movement of said shuttle past said said first insertion station and

wire severing means at said first insertion station for severing said wires whereby,

upon positioning first and second connectors at said first and second insertion station, moving said shuttle to said second insertion station and then returning said shuttle to its initial position, and upon moving said insertion means to said connectors and actuating said severing means, said wires are severed and electrically connected to said terminals in said connectors.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, said feed shuttle having wire guide means thereon said guide means being normally spaced from, and in advance of said wire clamping means in the direction of wire feed towards said second insertion station, and a lost motion connection between clamping means and said guide means whereby, upon movement of said shuttle along said path towards said second insertion station, said guide means arrives at said second station prior to arrival of said clamping means and said guide means comes to rest, and upon further movement of said clamping means towards said second insertion station, said wires are moved through said guide means into said second insertion station.

14. Apparatus for inserting wires into the wire-receiving portions of electrical contact terminals, said terminals being contained in an electrical connector or the like, each terminal having wire-receiving portions which receive a wire upon movement of said wire laterally of its axis and into said wire receiving portions, said wire receiving portions being in side-by-side relationship, said wire receiving portions facing in a common direction, said apparatus comprising:

a wire guiding templet comprising a plate-like member having oppositely facing first and second surfaces, a plurality of wire guiding slots extending across said templet from one edge thereof, each of said slots extending entirely through said surface from said first surface thereof to said second surface thereof, each of said slots having a width which is sufficient to permit passages therethrough of one of said wires, each of said slots having a dead end,

connector locating and supporting means proximate to said second surface for locating said connector adjacent to said second surface with each of said wire-receiving portions being proximate to one of said dead ends,

wire insertion means normally spaced from said first surface, said wire insertion means being movable towards said first surface and through said dead ends of slots, said wire insertion means being effective to move wires disposed in said slots through said slots, beyond said second surface and into said wire-receiving portions of said terminals,

wire feeding means comprising a shuttle for feeding wires along a said path from substantially endless sources to said templet and for locating portions of said wires proximate to said one edge of said templet, additional means on said feed path for inserting said wires onto another connector at a location remote from said connector and for severing said wires adjacent to said other connector,

said shuttle having releasable wire clamping means for releasably clamping said wires in side-by-side parallel relationship during movement of said shuttle towards said templet, said shuttle further having guide means thereon, said guide means being between said clamping means and said templet, and lost motion connecting means serving to connect said clamping means to said guide means whereby,

upon movement of said shuttle along said path towards said templet, said guide means arrives at said templet prior to arrival of said clamping means, and said guide means comes to rest and upon further movement of said clamping means towards said templet, said wires are moved towards said templet and guided into said one surface of said templet by said guide means thereby to locate portions of said wires proximate to said first surface and proximate to said one edge of said plate-like member, and upon applying a pressing force against said wires and moving said pressing force across said surface from said one edge, said wires are progressively moved into said slots until portions of said wires are adjacent to said dead ends and are in alignment with said wire receiving portions of said terminals, and upon movement of said wire inserting means towards said first surface and through said slots, said wires are inserted into said wire-receiving portions of said terminals and upon return movement of said shuttle, said wires can be severed adjacent to said other connector and inserted into said other connector.