GB1347281A - Apparatus for assembling wire harness - Google Patents

Abstract

1347281 Making wire harnesses GERBER SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT CO 12 May 1971 [12 Nov 1970] 14445/71 Heading B3A Apparatus for making a wire harness includes a jig-board 32 carrying a plurality of wire holding devices, a carriage 14 extending across the jigboard, the carriage and jig-board being mounted for relative movement in a first direction, a crosshead 16 mounted on the carriage for relative movement thereto in a second direction and wire laying means, Fig. 5, on the crosshead for interconnecting the devices as relative movement occurs between the crosshead and jigboard. Programmed input data for the harness to be made is stored in a control system 18 and a conventional wire marking system (10), Fig. 1 (not shown), may be provided to supply wire to spools 30 on the crosshead 16. The jig-board is held on a table 12 by vacuum and is fitted with the required wire holding devices, which comprises slotted combs, Fig. 4 (not shown), and post units for guiding the wires. The control system sends the crosshead 16, which has a funnel 42 for guiding the wire, to the starting comb. A motor 50 aligns an elbow orifice 46 on the funnel with the direction of travel and the wire is paid off from the spool 30 by a roller 38 and pinch roll 40, the funnel being re-aligned by the motor 50 at each change of wire laying direction. The wire is inserted in the required slot of the starting and destination combs by a reciprocable portion 56 of a solenoid operated tool 54. A cutter 60 severs the wire after it has been laid in the comb, the cutting blade being located in the depending member shown, which has a guide opening for receiving the wire. When wire marking means is used a sensor is mounted on the funnel and is operable in response to the markings on the wire to operate the cutter.