GB1462283A - Apparatus for preparing and connecting a stripped wire end to an electric terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

1462283 Making electrical connections J F FIDIAM 24 May 1974 [30 May 1973] 23285/74 Heading B3A [Also in Division H2] Apparatus for preparing and connecting a stripped wire end to an electrical terminal t, Fig. 11, comprises a wire wrapping tool 15 for affixing the end to the terminal and means for feeding wire W of an indeterminate length to the tool including wire holding and loading means 12 which comprises gripper means, e.g. jaws 18, 19, adjacent the tool for positively holding the wire, stripping and cutting means 13 for preparing the wire and a wire feed guide or tube 16 arranged to dispose sequentially the wire W between the gripper means and through the cutting and stripping means, and means 14 for advancing and retracting the tool towards and away from a terminal t and locating means for traversing the tool to a new location. Initial setting of the apparatus.-The wire W is fed from a new supply reel R, Fig. 3, and through a feed tube 16, which is movable between an upper and a lower position by an air cylinder 22. As the tube moves downwardly wire is fed into a slot 93 in a bit element 190 of the tool 15, Fig. 11, and between projections 26a of an insulation stripping blade 29. The jaws 18, 19 are closed to hold the wire at its upper end. The tube passes through the nip of a spring biased clamp 30, which traps the wire, and the tube moves downwardly until it abuts a stop 91, about which it pivots. An air cylinder 38 is then actuated and its rod 37 pivots a cam 36 to close a pivotal door 25 so that stripping blades 26, 29 cut through the wire insulation and a knife 27, Fig. 1, cuts through the wire. Continued movement of the rod 37 moves a slide 28 downwardly against a spring to strip the insulation from the wire. The clamp 30 clears the end of the tube 16 owing to its earlier pivotal movement and a wire loop is formed around a projecting pin 85. When the slide 28 is in its lowermost position, the jaws 18, 19 are opened and the stripped wire is discarded. The slide 28 is then raised and the apparatus is ready to make connections between terminals. Preparing the wire end.-The tube 16 is raised and the wire W, which is still clamped by the clamp 30, is positioned between the projections 26a and in the slot 93. The tube abuts the stop 90 and pivots about it so that its end is above the level of the tool 15. The cylinder 36 is then actuated to cut the wire and notch and strip the insulation as in the initial setting of the apparatus. Connecting the wire to a terminal.-A sleeve 95 of the tool 15 is advanced over the element 90 thereby trapping the wire end in a closed groove 98 defined by a slot in the end of the sleeve and the element. As the sleeve advances so the wire end is pulled through the notch 93, Fig. 11. The sleeve is advanced by an air cylinder 51 which also moves a main frame 11 on which the tool 15 is mounted. Since the tool support 15a has greater resistance to movement than the frame, a blocking latch 110 prevents movement of the frame until the sleeve 95 is fully advanced. As the support 15a advances, trip means 112 raises the latch and the frame is released for forward movement to allow the tool 15 to engage a terminal t. The terminal enters an aperture 91 in the element 90 and the sleeve 95 is rotated to wrap the wire around it. For second and third wrappings the main frame 11 is stopped short of full travel by stop means. In the event of a bent terminal not entering the aperture, the cylinder 51 then causes a mounting frame 108, on which the main frame 11 is mounted to move rearwardly along guide rails 120, 121 against the action of a spring 122. The terminal can be straightened manually while the frame 11 is held back and when it is released the wrapping operation commences. Interconnection of the terminals.-The slide 28 is now raised and at its uppermost position a holder 130, Fig. 14, pivots upwardly to catch the wire. The tool is aligned with a further terminal t by an X, Y locator (40), Fig. 4 (not shown), and when in position the feed tube 16 is moved downward to extend the wire through the gripper jaws 18, 19, the open door 25 and in the clamp 30. The previous end of the wire remaining in the clamp is knocked out by the tube. The operation of insulation stripping, wire cutting and wrapping is then repeated. Alternative features.-In an alternative embodiment, Figs. 15-18 (not shown), the door (225) is closed by a separate actuator operated in sequence with the slide actuator and a further actuator drives the sleeve (250) of the tool, thereby eliminating the need for the latch 110. The spring 122 is replaced by a spring (450), one end of which is connected to an actuator (452) instead of a fixed part of the apparatus. The actuator is needed to reinforce the action of the spring when the sleeve is driven over relatively large wire. It may be withdrawn during wrapping if the friction of support rods (320), (321) in corner supports (307) is sufficient to ensure a properly wrapped joint. In both embodiments the wire may be secured to the terminals by bonding instead of wrapping.