CA1086031A

CA1086031A - Electrical harness making apparatus

Info

Publication number: CA1086031A
Application number: CA306,861A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Vladimiro Teagno; Alessandro Chiusa
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1977-07-07
Filing date: 1978-07-06
Publication date: 1980-09-23
Also published as: BR7804222A; MX144626A; FR2397080B1; AU3714278A; AU3714178A; JPS5419056A; DE2829789A1; GB2002267A; NL7807190A; DE2829801A1; AU516203B2; FR2401590B1; CA1093942A; IT1097503B; JPS5419290A; GB2002268B; SE7807621L; GB2002267B; BR7804223A; IT7825458A0

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Harness making apparatus comprises a wire holding head traversable between first and second wire terminating stations to convey one end of each wire of a series of wires simultaneously from the first station to the second station, means to terminate the one end of each wire simultaneously at the second station, means to feed a predetermined length of each wire simultaneously past of through the head when at the first station after termination at the second station and means to sever and terminate the other end of each wire simultaneously at the first station.
The feed means may comprise a nip drawing wires from a first and second series of pulleys, movable apart and together to draw predetermined lengths of wires from supply reels.

Description

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The invention relates to a harness making apparatus.
Accor~incJ to the invQntion, harness making apparatus comprises a wire holding head travexsable between first and second wire term.inating stations to convey one end of S each wire of a series o wires simultaneously from the first station to the second station, means to terminate the one end of each wire simultaneously at the second station, means to feed a prede~ermined length of each wire simultan~ously past or through the head when at ~le ~irst station after termination at the second station and means to sever and terminate the other end of each wire simultaneously at the first station.
Exampl.es of the invention will now be described with reexence to the accompanyiny drawi.ngs in which~
Fi~uxes la-c are diagrams showing the general mode of operation o~ the apparatus;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view o a wixe holding head at a fixst termlnating station in a first exampl.e of apparatus;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wire holding head at a second terminating station of the ~irst example of appaxatus;
Figu.re ~ i.s a side elevation of a second example of harness making apparatus;
Figure 5 is an enlarged ~ragmentary view, partly in s~ction of a connector holding jaw device of the harness . .
maklng apparatlls of Figure 4;
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Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of part of the apparatus of Figure ~, ~urther illustrating the connector ; holding device of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of part of Figure 6 showing a wire gripping finger in a gripping position;
Figure 8 is a transverse partly sectional view of the harness making apparatus of Figure 4 illustrating means for moving a lower connector holder;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary transverse section of the harness making apparatus of Figure 4 illustrating wire hold- .
ing means at a first terminating station of the apparatus and; : :
Figure 10 is a transverse view which, in conjunction with Figure 6, illustrates operation of a severing ram of the harness making apparatus of Figure ~.
As shown diagrammatically in Figure la, the apparatus comprises a wire holding head 11 which is arranged to hold one end of wires 10 extending from a wire supply 9 and first and second operating stations 13 and 14 at which lower and upper matable connectors 30, 33 and 18 and 19, respectively, are moun-ted. The connectors are described in our Canadian Patent No.
1,068,363 which issued on December 18, 1979, movement together of tho conncctors about wires suitably located between them to mate the connectors, terminating the wires in terminals con-ta:ined in the connectors.
Briefly stated, in operation of the apparatus the _ 3 _ G~

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.. , . . .. ~ . .. . -6~3~1 wire holding head 11 holding one end of wires 10 fed from - the supply 9 traverses from the irst operating station 13 adjacent the supply to the second distal operating station 14 drawing the wi.res from the supply, terminates that end of the wires in the connectors 18 and 19 at that station, and returns to the first station 13 adjacent the supply for a dwell p~riod in which measured lengths of wires are ed by the supply through the head to extend in slac]c condition between the stations and are then severed and terminated at their other ends in connectors 33,30 at the first station~
This enables wire harnesses of greater length than the separation of the first and second stations to he manu~actured.
The wire supply comprises a series of storage reels, measured lengths of wires are drawn from the storage reels and fed by a wire measuring and feed apparatus to the wire holding head as described in our co ending patent scriQ~ 30~ f;kdP~ 6~ ~97~, application ~ b ~ e-~ . and to which reference is hereby made. The wire feed apparatus comprises a series o roller pairs, the rollers of each pair being lndividually biased together to form a nip, adjacent rollers being mounted for differential 51ip on a common driven shat.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the wire holding head 11 is mounted ~or movement along a rail 12 extending between ~he operating stations 13 and 14 by a chain drive 8 indicated in dash-dot lines. The head 11 comprises ront and rear blocks 16 and 17, respectively, havin~

3~ 31 aligned wire-receiving bores 20. The wires are held in the bores by releasable, pneumatically operated/ pistons 21 provided in the rear block. The front block 16 is mounted on a piston and cylinder assembly 22 mounted for reciprocal movement in the rear block and biased ko a fo~7ard position by a spring 23, permitting lost motion bl~
between the front and rear blocks. A wire severing ~
24 is mounted for vertical movement on a base part 25 of the front block and biased ln an uppermost position by springs 26 (only one shown).
Upper and lower connector holders 27, 28 and 34, 35, respectively, are provided at the first and second stations.
The upper connector holders comprise verkical feed tubes 36,37 respectfully receiviny the upper connectors in a sliding fit, and ~he tubes being mounted for lost motion on rams 38,39. The rams are linked at their upper ends for vertical reciprocating movement by cam means in cam heads ~1,42.
The lower connector holders 28,35 comprise, respectivel~, carriage blocks 44,~5 mounted on dovetailed slide blocks 46,47 for horizontal movement on rails ~8,49 on ~ixed base plates 90,91 to deliver individual connectors 30, 18 received in locating recesses 50,51 in the blocks ~ 5 in~o alig~ment with the upper connectors received in the upper holders for ~ermination of the wires. Ball catches 70,71 are provided on the holders to retain them in alignment into the upper connectors. Connector - , : : . : . :

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ejection mech~nisms comprise pawls 53,54 pivotally : mounted on blocks 44,45 and having opexativc ends located by ball catches 55,56 received ~n notches in curved profiles of the pawls in engagement under a connector Release of the pawls from the ball catches with ejection o~ the connectors is effected by a bell-crank 58 (shown in Figure 3 only) pivoted on bases 90,91 one arm of which bell-crank can be brought into driving engagement with a re~r end of the pawl after termination by operation of a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly 62 having a piston rod 61 hooked around khe other arm 60 of the bell-crank.
An extension 85 is provided on the block 35 at ~hesecond station to engage the wire holding head 120 to arrest its forward ~ravel. Upper and lower wire holders 6~,65 respectively are provided at the first station 13.
The upper wire holder comprises a sleeve-form head mounted by pins 67 and compression spring 68 for lost motion on a ram linked for vertical reciprocating movement to a cam mechanism in cam head 41.
The lower wixe holder 65 comprises a bar mounted for vertical sliding movement in a slot in block 44.
qlhe bar is retained in a depressed position, when not o~erative, agalnst the action of a biassing spring 7~, by ~5 ~le aatch 74 o~ a latch en~aging a re~ess 73 in the holder G5. q'he latch is fixed by a pin 75 on a slider 76 mounted fQr sliding movemen~ on a plate 77 and biased to .
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engage the recess 73 by a spriny 78. ~ hooked rear end 80 of the la~ch enga~es one end of a lever 81, pivotally mounted on block 82 which is ~i~ed on base 9o, the other end of which latch is located .in a hooked end 83 of a S piston rod of piston and cylinder assembly 840 operation of the piston and cyllnder assembly releases the latch to permit upward movement of the bar 65 so that channels formed on the end of the bar receive and locate the individual wires.
Protective covers 86,87 are ~ixed on the base plates 90,91 to protect the ejectlon mechanisms.
In op~ration of the apparatus, during movement of the h~ad to the second distal station, with the lower wir~ holder 65 depressed, the wires are held by the pneumatic grip 21 and lost motion of the rear bloc]c 17 relative to the fo~ard block 16 of the head on abutment with the stop 85 protrudes the leading ends of the wires into alignment with respective contacts of the lower connector 18. The ram 39 i9 then operated to ram the upper connector 19 onto the lower connector lg terminating the wlres.
The head then returns to the station 13 with the grip 21 rel~ased to permit free movement of the wire3 within the bores. Wires are then fed ~hrough the head by ~5 the nip to the required len~ths and extend in slack relation between the statlons.
The upper and lower wire holders 27,34 and 28,35, - ' ' . ' , , ' , , ,, , . . , ' ' . ' ~ . ':
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respectively, are then operated b~ the ram and piston and cylinder assembl~ 84 ~o hold the wires between theml while the severing ~ 24 is depressed by a ram 89 operated by a cam mechanism in head 41 to sever the wires behind the connector 30.
bl~de The severing ~* 24 is then retracted by operation of ~iston and cylinder means 22 and the ram 38 operated to ram an upper connector 33 onto the lower connector 30 to terminate the wires as described above.
If necessary means may be provided to raise the lower connectox to facilitate alignmen~ with the wires.
Subsequent to termination of both ends o~ the wires the connectors may be ejected by operation of the ejection mechanism and means (not shown) are provided to shift the carriage blocks 44,45 horizon~ally along rails 48,49 to a location remote from the rams prior to such ejection.
Loading of the lower connec~or6 may be accomplished manually or by automatic means with the carriage blocks 4~, ~5 remote from the rams during which the pawls and lowex wire holders 65 are depressed by the lower connectors and held in the condition of Figures 2 and 3 b~ the ball catch mechanisms 55,56 and the catch 74, respectively.
It should be noted that the lost motion during inal forward movement of the head 11 at the distal ~5 ~tation prevents the severing ~ 24 entering the path o~
movement of the .tnsertion connector.
It wtll be understood that the pneumatic means may ~ ' ..

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be replaced by sultable mechanical means and suitable control devices may be provided automatically to control the cycle of operations.
In the second example of appara~us accorc1ing to the invention, as shown in Figure 1, and as more particul rly seri~l~ hbr ~ 7/4 described in our copending patent application ~ t~e-~
~h~ to which reference is hexeby directed, the ~rire measuring and feed apparatus is generally similar to that associated with the first example. The apparatus comprises two first series of pulleys 103 and three second series of pulleys 104, the individual pulleys of each series being mounted for independent free rotation on a common a~is and the first and second series being carxied by blocks 105, 106 respectively, movable relatively apart along vertical rods 107, 108 respectively, by drive means aomprising a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder assembly 109, to draw simultaneously predetermined lengths of wires 10 from storage reels (not sho~n). The piston and cylinder assembly 109 also effects movement o the blocks 105, 106 together directly driving an output or wire eed nip 112 through chain links 113/114 to eed the lengths of wire simultaneous1y to a wire holding head 120.
Durin~ the wire eed a locking nip mechanism 110 is operated to prevent any further wire being drawn from the ~5 skora~e reels. As mentioned in the above specification the wlre feed nip comprises a series of roller pairs, the , rollers o each pair cooperating to grip respective ~rires . , . - . . :. . .
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between them. One series o~ adjac~nt rollers o the roller paixs are'mounted for differential slip on a common shaft driven by the chain links 113/114 and the rollers of the-other series of xoller pairs are individually biased b~ pneumatically operated piston and cylinder devices towards their respective cooperating rollers enfibliny wires of different di~neters to be accor,lmodated by the nip.
As in the first example, (see particularly Figures 1 and 4), the wires are fed by the wire holding head 120 to first and second terminating sta~ions 122 and 123, respectively, ~7here they are termina ed between upper and lower connectors 125 and 126. The ~irst and second stations perform similar functions to those of the first example and the ~irst station only is described in more detail belo~, wire severing and wire engaging means being omitted from the second sta~.ion.
More particularly, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, upper connectors 125 adhesively mounted on tape 129 are ~ed rom storage reels 130 into a vertical connector feed chute 128 secured to a housing 131 at each terminating station. The individual connectors 125 are removed from the tape by leading the tape 129 out of the chu-te 128 in reversely bent fasllion around an abutment 133 and then to a scxap reel 134. ~ connector locating device or ja~ 132 is mounted ~or horizontal sliding movement on the chute in synchronism with a~connector feed device 141 described . :

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, ~ 36~31 below to ensure individual connectors are fed in correct al.ignment with -the feed devices.
The connector locating device comprises a cross member 138 carrying a series of parallel finyers 137, a selected pair of the fingers 137 can be advanced to engage opposite ends of a connector 125 thereby to locate connectors of diferent size in correct alignment with the feed device. Connector feed devices 141 having connector holding jaws 143 are operably connected to pis~on and cyl:Lnder devices 142 to fsed successive individual connectors 125 from the bottom of the chute 128, ~ JI ~of~n~ctsr 9~i~?/e d~7 through an aperture 147 in an upper wire holder ~ at the first station, Figure 6, into alig~nent ~ith an upper insertion ram 15~. At each station, each connector holding jaw 143 comprises a series of spaced parallel fingers 144 adapted to engage behind the connector and interd~gitate with perpendicular fingers ~, Fi~ure 6, provided on the upper wire holder at the first station, to define a connector guide surface engaging a side of the connector during operation of the wire holder. Clc~mping sprin.gs 1~6 are selectively located in slots in the jaws to grip opposite ends of the connectox, aiding retention in e jaws.
Wix~. termination steps are powered at first and second stations by irst and second, triple step 149 and doublo step ~not shown) piston and cyl..inder ass~mblies, respectivel~.

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As shown in Figures 6 and 8, lower connector holders 150 for connectors 126 are slidably mounted in a carriage 151 at each terminating stat.ion. The connector holders include a connector seat 155 movably located in the head by a pin 156 received in slot 157. The carriage lSl is pivotally mounted at 152 and connected to one end of an arm 158, ~le other end of which carries a peg 159 engaged in a cam slot 160 ~ormed in a plate 161 carried by an arm 162 mounted for verti~al movement on a rail 163 actuated by the piston and cylinder assembly 1~9. Each carriage 151 is pivotally connected to an overcentre device comprising a link 165 pivoted on one limb 166 of a bell crank lever 167 mounted on the same pivotal axis as the carriage 151, the other limb 168 being located in the path lS of movement of a finger 169 carried by plate 161 and vertically movable by the piston and cylinder assembly 149.
A second plate 170 is carried by arm 162 and is formed with a cam slot 171 receiving cam follower peg 172 connected to one arm of lever 173 pivoted intermediate its ands at 175 on a fixed ærame part 174. The othex arm 177 o the lever is pivotally connected to a slider 178 received in a channel 179 formed in the upper end of insartion head ram 154. A guide plate 180 (Figure 6) is mounted ~or lost motion on a ram 154 carrying the insertion head. The guide plate is biased downwards l~elativ~ to the ram 15~ by engagement with a pin 181 mounted against a compression spring 183 confined in a ,, '-- ,, ~
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sleeve 182 carried by the ram 154.
A firs~ step of operation of ~he firs~ piston and cylinder assembly 149 raises the c~n plate 161 to rock the carriacJe 151 with the connector holder 150 into alignment with the insertion ram 153 and rotate the bell-crank anticlockwise. A second operation of the first piston and cylinder assembly 149 causes the finger 169 to encJac~e the limb 168 of the bell-crank 167 causing it to rotate clock~Jise to raise the connector holder 150 with the link 165 in overcentre condition. Movement of ~he caxriage is arxes~ed by a huffer 183 comprising a piston 18~ mounted in a housing 188 fixed to frame 174 The piston has a slot 186 rQceiving a pin 187 fixed in housin~ 188 and the piston is biased to the right by compression spring 185. In Figure 8, the lS piston is shown in retracted position for clarity. The second step also raises cam plate 170 and cam slot 171 linked to a lever arm 173 lowering the insertion head, thereby forcing upper and lower connectors into engagement and termlnating the wires thereinO
Do~nward, return movement of the plates 170,161 raises ~he insertion head and pivots the carriage in a cloc]cwise direction to ~ngage an adjustable stop 189.
An ejector cam 190 is pivotally mounted on the carriacJe and has an arm 191 tied ~o ~he frame 174 by a spring 192.
2S rrhe cam engages the pin 156 during ~he pivotal movement, to drive ~he pin up~ards, as seen in Figure 8, ~o eject ~he conneator assembled to the wires.

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As shown in Figures 6 and 9, an upper wire holder and connector guide 207 at the first station has a leading wire engaging member 200 mounted for lost motion relative to the connector guiding finger 145 on guide 207. The wire engaging member 200 includes a generally U-shaped frame por-tion with vertical arms 201 located against compression springs 208 in cavities in guide 207 and a cross piece 203 from which dep~nd a series of wire engaging -fingers 202 linked for lost motion against springs 204 a~ a leading end, and a series of spaced connector guiding ribs 205 extending vertically away from that end. The upper wire holder.and connector guide 207 includes a series of spaced vertical fingers 145 at a leading end aligned with respective ribs 205 of the wire engaging member 200 and which interdigitate with the fingers 144 on the connector holding jaw during downward movement as men-tioned above. The two members are assembled to ~rovide, be-tween the vertical fingers 145 and ribs 205, a connector admitting aperture which is closed during operation of the holders as a result of the lost motion which brings the Z0 fingers 145 and ribs 205 into contact to provide a.continuous guide surface for one side of the upper connector during downward terminating movement.
It should be noted that the other side of the connector will engage the surface of guide 180 during down-ward terminating movement. The connector is therefore prccisely aligned between two opposed guide suraces during the whole of the terminating movement ensuring accurate .- 14 -. ' ' . ' . . ' '~ :',. - -, .. : . .. , : : .

31~ 51603~

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matin~ engagement of the respective contacts o~ the upper and lower connectors.
The upper end of the ~x~ gui~e 207 is fonmed with a channel receiving a slide 211 pivoted on an upper arm 212 of rocker 213 pivoted to the frame at 214. A tension spring 216 connected between the arm 212 and the frame biases the guide 207 in an upper position. ?
The lower wire holder or guide assembl~ comprises a toothed plate 220 providing a wire locating comb mounted for vertical sllding movement in a frame 221~ The plate 220 is provided with a ramp surface 222 engageable with a complimentary ramp surface 223 on a horizontal arm 227.
The ramps have horizontal, engageable surfaces 224,225 respectively. Arm 227 is connected to a cam following lS peg 221 engaged in a closed loop cam track 232 in plate 233 mounted for vertical movement on rail 163. The arm is mounted in sleeve 230 for horizontal movement and one end is pivotally connected at 228 to a lowe.r arm 229 of rocker 213. The cam track 232 is pxofiled to provide two stages of operation. A irst sta~e of travel o peg 231 withdraws the arm 227 to raise the toothed guide plate through engage~nent o~ the ramps 222 and 223 and to lower the upper guide 207 to txap the wixes between the teeth of plate 220, and a second stage iowers the upper guide 207 further to cause lost motion between -~he wire engagi.ng membex 200 and connector guiding .inger 145 to clamp the wixes and to interdigitate the connector guidin~ fingers .

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145 and 1~4~ No upward movement of the toothed plate occurs during the second stage as hor.izontal support surfaces 22~,225 of the ramps are in engasemen~.
As described in relation to the first example, ~he wire holding head 120 (Figures 6 and 7) includes a fo~ard part 241 having wixe receiving bores and slidably mounted for lost motion by pin 243 against a spring (not shown) on a rear part 242 provided with releasable wire gripping means. The wire gripping means comprises a series of fingers 244 pivotally mounted for rocking movement to bring a lower profile 245 into engayement with the wixes wedging the wires against friction plate 248. A spring

2~6 located at the rear of the head 2~2 engages one end o each finger to bias it away from its associa-ted wire and a spring loaded slidin~ catch 249 is releasable on depression of the other end of the finger 244 against the bias of spring 246 by a pin 251 carried by a severing ram mechanism at the first station, to lock the finger 244, as seen in Figure 7, in gripping engagement with the wire 10. The sliding catch 249 can be withdrawn to release the finger 2~4 for xeturn of the head 120 by engagement with a inger (not shown) carried by the connector eed rc~m at the second station and which protrudes into the path of the wire holdin~ head to engage the catch rear during a return stro~e o the xam after connector ~eed. ~s w~th the irst e~ample the wire holdin~ head i9 mounted ~or movement along rails 252. Fo~rard movement is limited by , ~

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engagement o~ thQ forward part 241 with an ahu~ment 260 at the second station.
A severing head 253 is mounted on the leading end of the forward part 241 and is depressable against a return spring 255 to sever the wires by a severing r~n mechanism at the first station, In this example, the severing rc~m mechanism 261 (Figures 6 and 10) also depresses pins 251 caxried in slee~e 265 on block 264 into engagement with the wire gripping fingers to grip the wires firmly ir~media~ely priox to severing.
Stop means (Figure 10) are provided to s~op the wire holding head in alignment with the severing ram 263 during return travel o the wire holding head 120. The stop means includes a slide bar 266 mounted for vertical movement on a pivot plate 267 received in a recess 273 in the bar 266 which can engage behind an abutment 269 on the wire holding head ~Jhen the slide bar 266 is in depxessed condition. A catch 270 is carried by a block 26~ of the severing ram mechanism and is biased by spring 271 against one end 272 o~ the pivot plate 267 such that downward movement o~ the severing ram 263 effected by a piston and cylinder assembly 262 depresses the catch 270 against the spring 271 permitting it to r~de under the one end of the plate 267 with release o~ the spring. Return movement o~
the ram 265 and block 264 ater wire severing causes the catch 270 ~o lift the one end 272 of the pivot plate 267 thereb~ to raise the bar 266 and release the wixe holding .. . .. .. ,, . .. ~, .. . ,.: : ~ ~ - .

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head 120 permitt.ing further rear~ard moveJment of the wire holding head 120.
The sequence of operations of the second example of apparatus may be summarised as follows, commencing wlth the wire holdiny head 12~ at the second station 123 with the wires lO protruding ~rom the forward part 2~1 in ~lignment with the connector insertion head 153 as a result o~ the lost motion and with the second connector holding jaw 154 advanced aligning the upper connector with the insertion head. A lower connector 126 is loaded into the lower connector holder 150 (Figure ~0) and the ~,~
second piston and cylinder assembly operated to pivot the carriage 151 into aliynment with the insertio~ head A second step of operation of the second piston and cylinder assemhly efects raising of the connector holder 150 by the overcentre link 165 and lowering of the insertion head to force the connectors togethe.r to terminate the wires 10. The connector feed jaw at the second station is ~hen withdrawn to receive a further connector fxom the chute 128 and during ~Jithdrawal movement the finger (not shown) carried by the ja~r mechanism release~ the catch 249 of the wire holding fingers 244 to permit return of the wire holding head 120 along the wires lO to the first station 122 (Figure 6) where the head movement is arrested by the stop 260.
A triple step double acting piston and cylinder assembly 1~9 operates ~rire holding and termination at the .. . ~ , ~ ... . .. .
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36~93~L

first station. ~n a first step the lo~rer connector carria~e 151 is roc]ced into alig~nen~ with the insertion head as described above for the second station. The lower toothed wire guide plate 220 (Figure 9) is raised by the travel of the peg 231 in the cam track 232 ~rhlch also lowers the upper wire guide fingers 202 into engagemen~
ith the guide plate ~20 to define wire guide apertures through which the wires 10 can be fed by the ou~put nipL
After compleke wire ~eed through ~he wire holding head 120, the second operational step causes further depxession of the upper wire guide to take up the lost motion with ~he cross piece to clamp the wires 10. Durin~
depression of the upper wire guide the vertical fingers 1~5 mesh with the horizon~al fingers 144 on the connector lS holding jaw 143 and close the connector admitting aperture 147 to define with the cross piece 203 a continuous gu~de path ~or the upper connector.
The piston and c~linder assembly 262 is then operated to depress the severing ram 263 so that pins 251 lock the wire gripping fin~ers 244 (Figure 7) on the wires 10 and sevex the wires at a location immediately behind the connec~ors and the wire holding means. Return of tha severing ram 263 releases the wire holding head stop 266 and residual pressuxe in a piston and cylinder assembly ~S opera~ing head traverse, moves the head 120 rea~ardly a small distance to provide clearance for the connector , insertion head travel.

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A thlrd operational step of the first plston and cylinder assembly 149 depresses the upper connector insertion head 153 and raises the lower connector holder - 150 through the overcentre mechanism, as described in relation to the second station, ~o force the connectors 125,126 together about the ~ires 10.
The first and second piston and cylinder assemblies are then operated to release the wire holders at the first station and to effect return of the upper connector insertion heads and re~urn pivotal movement of the connector carriage 151 wi~h ejection of the connector as described above.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are as follows:-

1. Harness making apparatus comprising a wire holding head traversable between first and second wire terminating stations to convey one end of each wire of a series of wires simultaneously from the first station to the second station, means to terminate the one end of each wire simultaneously at the second station, means to feed a predetermined length of each wire simultaneously past or through the head when at the first station after termination at the second station and means to sever and terminate the other end of each wire simultaneously at the first station.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the feed means comprises a nip comprising a roller pair in which the individual rollers are biased together to grip and feed the wires to the wire holding head.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the nip comprises a series of roller pairs, the individual rollers of each pair being independently biased together to grip and feed respective individual wires.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which first rollers of the roller pairs are mounted adjacent each other for differential slip on a common driven shaft.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which each wire terminating means comprises means to locate upper and lower, matable connectors in alignment above and below the wires, respectively, at a station and connector engaging rams operable to urge the connectors relatively together into mating engagement about the wires to terminate the wires in contacts in the connectors.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the wire holding head comprises a forward part and a rear part each having a series of mutually aligned wire-receiving bores, the forward part being mounted on the rear part for lost motion relative to the direction of forward travel of the wire holding head from the first to the second station and being engageable, during forward travel, with stop means protruding into the path of the wire holding head at the second station to produce the lost motion thereby to project wires received in the respective bores relatively fowards from the forward part into alignment with connectors at the second station, the severing means comprising a severing blade mounted on the forward part of the wire holding head and a severing ram being provided at the first station to engage the severing blade to sever the wires.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which each connector locating means comprises a connector carriage mounted for reciprocal pivotal movement transversely of the path of the wire holding head to carry a lower connector into and out from alignment with an upper connector and the wires when aligned with the rams.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7 in which means are provided to eject the connectors from the carriage subsequent to termination.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which wire holding means are provided at the first station and comprise upper and lower members located for movement into engagement above and below the wires to grip the wires between them at a location adjacent and forward of the connector locating means at the first station, during severing and termination.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 6 in which means are provided to move the forward part of the head rearwardly subsequent to the operation of the severing means and prior to operation of the connector rams to terminate the wires.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which opposed, parallel, connector guide members are located on each side of the connector rams for vertical movement towards the lower connector locating means prior to termination to define continuous guide paths extending from the upper locating means to the respective lower connectors down which the upper connectors are moved by the rams during termination.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 5 comprising moans to feed a series of connectors mounted on a carrier strip to a feed chute at each station; means to remove the connectors individually from the strip in the feed chute; and connector holding jaws arranged to feed individual connectors from the chutes in a horizontal direction into alignment with the connector rams each connector holding the jaw comprising a coplanar series of spaced, parallel, horizontal fingers free ends of which are engageable with one side of the connector, a connector guide member comprising a coplanar series of parallel, vertical fingers mounted for vertical movement to interdigitate with the jaw fingers during operation of the guide member to define a continuous surface of a connector guide path.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which the connector locating means comprises a lower connector carriage mounted for pivotal movement into and out from alignment with an upper connector engaging ram.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which each connector locating means comprises a connector carriage mounted for reciprocal pivotal movement transversely of the path of the wire holding head to carry a lower connector into and out from alignment with an upper connector and the wires, a connector holder being mounted for vertical movement in each carriage on a toggle-linkage comprising a first link pivotally connected at one end to the connector holder and at the other end to one arm of a bell crank lever mounted on the pivotal axis of the carriage, means being provided to pivot the carrige into alignment with the upper connector engaging ram and to engage the other arm of the bell crank lever to move the toggle-linkage to an overcentre condition to raise the connector holder relative to the carriage in synchronism with downward movement of a connector ram thereby to mate upper and lower connectors about the wires.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which wire holding means are provided at the first station and comprise upper and lower members located for movement into engagement above and below the wires to grip the wires between them at a location adjacent and forward of the connector locating means at the first station, during severing and termination, the lower wire holding member defining a wire guiding comb, means being provided to move the lower wire holding member upwards to a first stage of wire engagement prior to engagement with the upper wire holding member, so that the wires are located for sliding movement between respective teeth of the member during wire feed through the wire holding head.

16. Apparatus according to Claim 6 in which at least one wire holding finger is provided in the bores in the rear part of the wire holding head, means being provided in the rear part of the wire holding head to bias the or each finger away from a wire holding position, a spring loaded catch provided in the wire holding head being releasable to engage each finger to overcome the biasing means to move the finger into the wire holding position, means being provided at the first station to release the catch prior to severing and means being provided at the second station to withdraw the catch against the action of the spring to permit the finger to be moved out of a wire holding position, the release means comprising a projection mounted for movement with the severing ram and the withdrawal means comprising a projection mounted for movement with the connector feed ram at the second station.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 6 in which an abutment is engageable with the wire holding head to arrest the rearward movement of the wire holding head with the severing blade in precise alignment with the lower connector locating means, the abutment being linked to the severing ram for movement out of engagement with the wire holding head subequent to severing to permit further rearward movement of the wire holding head during return movement of the severing ram.