Cable gathering device (wire stacker)

• US 9,624,045 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schleuniger Holding AG (Metall ZUG AG)
• Original Assignee: Schleuniger Holding AG (Metall ZUG AG)
• Inventors: Wortmann, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US14/357,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20150158678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/186 Cylindrical articles, e.g. tubes, rods, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/052 with wire-feeding mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/28 for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable gathering device (wire stacker) (12) for processing electrical or optical lines (8), such as wires, cables, line bundles, optical fibers etc. comprising a platform (2) which can be tilted downwards which has an accommodating region (2a) for accommodating one or more lines (8) after a processing step, characterized in that the platform (2) has a removal region (2b) adjoining the accommodating region (2a), wherein lines (8) located in the accommodating region (2a) can be brought into the removal region (2b) by tilting the platform (2) downwards, from which the lines (8) can be removed and wherein the lines (8) are retained in the removal region (2b) by retaining means (2d) in the tilted position of the platform (2).

Claims

1. A cable gathering apparatus comprising:

a tiltable platform, said tiltable platform having a line receiving region, said tiltable platform having a line removal region;

a partition wall situated to control line movement from said line receiving region into said line removal region, said partition wall projecting from above said tiltable platform in a direction towards said platform to delineate a boundary between said receiving region and said removal region;

an actuator operatively connected to controllably tilt said tiltable platform to transfer lines from said receiving region into said removal region; and

,

a retainer configured to hold lines in said line removal region when said tiltable platform is tilted comprising a tray that has its base formed by said tiltable platform.

2. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a tray that has its base formed by said tiltable platform.

3. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a side wall of said tray forming said retainer.

4. The cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said partition wall extends at least partially into said tray between said receiving region and said removal region.

5. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an underside of said line removal region, said actuator acting on said underside.

6. The cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

there is an axis of rotation for said tiltable platform, said axis of rotation being located under said receiving region.

7. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a recess in said tiltable platform, said recess being located in said removal region.

8. A cable gathering apparatus comprising:

a tiltable platform, said tiltable platform having a line receiving region, said tiltable platform having a line removal region;

a partition situated to control line movement from said line receiving region to said line removal region;

an actuator operatively connected to controllably tilt said tiltable platform to transfer lines from said receiving region past said partition into said removal region; and

there is an axis of rotation for said tiltable platform, said axis of rotation being located under said receiving region.

9. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a retainer configured to hold lines in said line removal region when said tiltable platform is tilted.

10. The cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said partition is a wall projecting from above said tiltable platform in a direction towards said platform.

11. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a tray that has its base formed by said tiltable platform.

12. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a retainer configured to hold lines in said line removal region when said tiltable platform is tilted, said retainer being formed by a side wall of said tray.

13. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a second side wall of said tray being situated to prevent lines from falling from said receiving region.

14. The cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said partition is a wall projecting from above said tiltable platform in a direction towards said platform and extending at least partially into said tray between said receiving region and said removal region.

15. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

an underside of said line removal region, said actuator acting on said underside.

16. A cable gathering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a recess in said tiltable platform, said recess being located in said removal region.

17. A cable handling process comprising the steps of:

depositing lines on a receiving region of a tiltable platform;

employing a partition to prevent the lines deposited on the receiving region from passing to a removal region of the tiltable platform;

controllably pivoting the tiltable platform to pass lines deposited on the receiving region from the receiving region to the removal region beyond the partition; and

,

retaining lines passed to the removal region.

18. A cable handling process as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

further pivoting the tiltable platform with the lines situated within the removal region.

19. A cable handling process as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

during said step of further pivoting the tiltable platform, retaining lines in the removal region with a recess located in said removal region.