US3451118A

US3451118A - Apparatus for fabricating connectors

Info

Publication number: US3451118A
Application number: US624260A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Badini; Walter R Scherb Jr
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1967-03-20
Filing date: 1967-03-20
Publication date: 1969-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 1986-06-24

Description

J. A. BADINI ET L APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CONNECTORS June 24, 1969 Sheet Filed March 20, 1967 m gm 55$ \QQ lllllilsrlillll Iv VENTURE 4.1. HEHD/N/ gas/ E Jq.

ll Qw June 24, 1969 J.A. BADINI ETAL 3,451,118 APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CONNECTORS Filed March 20, 1967 Sheet 4 of 5 +3 I I I I I I I 204 I 42 I I I I II I I vII I Am I II I a III III I I I I I I II a II I #1 I I I I I I I II III III I /64 II I III /7 I a II I I 0 5/ I1 I I III I I 0 III I O I II M II I P "s24 I I II I 55 3d I g I I I I 5a M I! O III 43 m v. I m i3 I. I

O e I III- June 24, BAD N ET AL 3,451,118

APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CONNECTORS Filed March 20, 1967 Sheet 5 of 5 June 24, 1969 .1. A. BADINI ET APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CONNECTORS Filed March 20, 1967 WHE June 24, 1969 J. D N ET AL 3,451,118

APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CONNECTORS Filed March 20, 1967 Sheet 5 of 5 United States Patent 3 451,118 APPARATUS FOR FAliRICATING CONNECTORS John A. Badini, Bronx, N.Y., and Walter R. Scherb, Jr.,

Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, N.J., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New

York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 624,260

Int. Cl. H01r 43/ 00 US. Cl. 29--203 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabricating apparatus includes a first station which both produces a segment of a wire conductor having a predetermined length and bends such segment into a U-shape, the connecting portion of the U having a length substantially equal to the distance between a pair of holes in an article. A second station of the apparatus next inserts the U-shaped segment into the holes with the ends "of the segment protruding beyond the article, and finally forms sequentially the protruding segment ends to clinch the segment to the article and to extend one of the protruding ends beyond the periphery of the article. The apparatus includes a shuttle selectively movable between the first and second stations, which shuttle comprises facilities for aiding in the bending, inserting and forming of the segment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to apparatus for fabricating connectors and particularly to apparatus for fabricating and attaching a connector made of wire to a first electrical device, the connector being usable to effect both a mechanical and electrical union between the first device and a second device.

Description of the prior art In the manufacture of electrical equipment it is often necessary to join together electrical devices. Certain types of electrical devices, such as printed circuit boards associated with each other in constructing modular-like systems, are utilized for reasons of economy, of space, and of mechanical rigidity.

To assure manufacturing economy both in time and cost, a new type of connector has been designed. The new connector is fully described in application Ser. No. 601,079, filed Dec. 12, 1966. Briefly, such application describes a connector particularly useful in effecting electrical and mechanical union between electrical devices. The connector comprises an originally straight segment of relatively heavy gauge conductor. The straight segment, after first being produced from a supply of stock, is bent into a U-shape, the base or connecting portion of the U having a length substantially equal to the distance between a pair of holes formed in a first electrical device. The ends of the U-shaped segment are inserted respectively into the holes until they protrude beyond the first device. The protruding ends are then formed both to clinch the segment to, and to extend one of the ends beyond, the periphery of such device. The one extending end may then be affixed to a second device to serve both as a mounting post for the first device and as an electrical connector between the devices.

It is usually advantageous to attach a plurality of the above-described connectors to the first device to effect electrical and mechanical union between the devices at a plurality of points. While the attachment of the plural connectors to the first device may be effected one-at-a-time Patented June 24, 1969 by hand, it is obviously advantageous to accomplish such attachment simultaneously in an automatic fabricating apparatus. Such an automatic apparatus both assures the continued economy of the already economical connector and assures uniformity of the end product. No prior art machines are known which are suitable for forming and attaching connectors of the type being considered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of this invention is toprovide a new and improved apparatus for fabricating connectors.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of new and improved apparatus for fabricating and attaching a connector made of wire to a first electrical device, which connector is usable to effect both a mechanical and electrical union between the first device and a second device.

Further, another object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic apparatus for fabricating a connector wherein a conductor segment is clinched to an article so that one end of the segment protrudes beyond the periphery of the article, the protruding end serving as the connector.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic apparatus which fabricates a connector by bending a conductor segment into a U-shape, inserting the ends of the bent segment respectively into holes in an article, and then forming sequentially the ends of the bent segment both to clinch the segment to the article and to extend one of the ends beyond the periphery of the article, the protruding end serving as the connector.

Yet, another object of this invention resides in the provision of an automatic apparatus for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of electrical connectors from wire stock and for attaching simultaneously such connectors to an article.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates a new and improved apparatus for fabricating wire connectors. The apparatus includes a first station whereat a feeding and a cutting instrumentality produce, from wire stock, one or more wire segments having predetermined lengths. A shaping or bending facility at the first station bends the wire segments into U-shapes, the connecting portions of the Us having lengths equal to the distance between respective pairs of holes in a first article. At a second station an insertion facility then inserts the respective ends of the bent segments into the holes of respective hole pairs so that the ends protrude beyond the article and so that the connecting portions of the Us are adjacent to the article. Lastly, a forming facility at the second station sequen-, tially forms the protruding segment ends both to clinch the bent segments to the article and to extend one of the protruding ends of each of the segments beyond the periphery of the article. Such extending ends are usable to effect both electrical and mechanical union between the first article and a second article at a plurality of points.

The fabricating apparatus includes a shuttle which is reciprocable selectively between the first station and the second station. The shuttle includes facilities which aid in both the bending of the segments into the U-shape and the retaining of such U-shaped segments as the shuttle moves to the second station. The shuttle also includes facilities for inserting the ends of the retained, U-shaped segments into the holes of the article at the second station and for aiding the forming facility in clinching the segments to the article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a generalized flow chart depicting the stepby-step fabrication of a connector from wire stock and the attachment of such connector to an electrical device as performed by the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side, elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention showing a second wire inserting and sequential forming station and also a feeding device which feeds wire into a first bending station;

FIG. 3 is a front, elevational view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2 depicting apparatus of the present invention and showing the first wire bending station and the second wire inserting and sequential forming station;

FIG. 4 is a side, elevational, enlarged view of the feeding device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side, elevational, enlarged view of the first bending station taken along line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, elevational, side view of the second 'wire inserting and sequential forming station taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of that portion of FIG. 6 whereat the connector is attached to the article as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a printed circuit board having a plurality of connectors attached thereto by the apparatus of FIGS. 2-7; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line 9--9' of FIG. 8 showing in greater detail one of the connectors produced by the apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Structure Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 where there is shown a flow chart depicting the fabrication, from wire stock 10, of a connector 11 and the attachment of such connector to an electrical article 12.

For convenience, a plurality of connectors 11 may be fabricated and attached simultaneously to the article 12 (as shown in FIG. 8), and to this end a plurality of rotatably mounted supply reels 13 are shown corresponding to the number of connectors to be fabricated. The wire stock is pulled from the supply reels 13 by a wire stock feeder 14 (to be described below) over a series of

guide reels

15, 16, 17, and 18 and is fed into a first station 19.

At the first station 19 wire segments 20a (a leading edge of one of which is shown) are separated from the stock 10. The segments 20a are then each bent into a segment or staple having a U-shape 20b and having ends 21 and a connecting portion 22. The lengths of the connecting portions 22 are equal to the respective distances between pairs of holes. 23 and 24 which have been previously formed through the article 12 by apparatus not constituting a part of the present invention.

The Ushaped segments 20b are next moved to a second inserting and sequential forming station 27. At the second station 27, the ends 21 of each U-shaped segment 20b are inserted respectively into the

holes

23 and 24 of the respective hole pairs until the connecting portions I 22 are adjacent to, but preferably spaced from, the surface of the article 12. During such insertion, the ends 21 are partially formed away from the central axis of the

holes

23 and 24 by a segment end forming shoe 28. Preferably, the ends 21 are formed in diametrically opposite directions.

A final former 29 then clinches the U-shaped and partially formed segments 20b to the article 12 by completely forming the segment ends 21 against the surface of the article 12. The partial forming of the segment ends 21 by the shoe 28 followed by the complete forming of such ends 21 by the final former 29 is referred to hereinafter as sequential forming because the ends are formed in a sequence and not all at once. Such clinching also extends one of the protruding ends 21 of each of the segments 20b beyond the periphery of the article 12. Such extending ends 21 may ultimately serve as connectors for effecting electrical and mechanical union between the article 12 and another electrical article 30 at a plurality of points.

Exemplary of the type of electrical article 12 to which one or more of the connectors 11 may be attached, is a printed circuit board 31, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The

holes

23 and 24 are preferably formed through such board 31 in pairs, each pair being located on a line which is perpendicular to a selected edge 32 of the board 31. Additionally, the

holes

23 and 24 may be formed within and through circuit paths 33 on the board 31.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, the extending ends 21 of the segments 20b of the connectors 11 may all extend beyond the board edge 32 by the same amount. For convenience, however, the extending ends 21 of the extreme right and left-hand connectors 11 extend beyond the edge 32 more than the other ends 21, as shown in FIG. 8. In any event, the extending ends 21 are sufficiently long to be inserted into apertures 34 formed through selected portions of both a master printed circuit board 35 and circuit paths 36 thereon.

Underlying the connecting portions 22 of the clinched, U-shaped segments 20b may be terminations 37 of the circuit paths 33 on the board 31 (FIG. 9). Also attached in the usual manner to both

boards

31 and 35 are leads 38 of electrical components 39.

After the U-shaped segments 20b have been clinched to the board 31 and the leads 38 have been attached, the entire board 31 may be soldered. Such soldering produces strong and reliable electrical connections between the segment connecting portions 22 and the underlying terminations 37 due to molten solder 40 being pulled into a space 41 therebetween by capillary action (FIG. 9).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, apparatus 42 for fabricating the connector 11, as described above, is shown to include a horizontal table 43 and a vertical base 44 mounted to the table 43. Below the table 43 is a cage 45 within which are contained the supply reel 13 and the guide reels 15 and 16.

Such reels

13, 15 and 16 may be rotatably supported in any desired manner, a grid of struts 46 and a bracket 47 being shown for convenience.

At the front of the cage 45 is an outlet 48 through which the wire stock 10 issues and then travels over the guide reels 17 and 18 to the feeder 14. The guide reels are rotatably mounted to pairs of

brackets

49 and 50 which are fastened respectively to the table 43 and to an erect, L-shaped prop 51 which is also fastened to the table 43.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, at the feeder 14, the wire stock 10 enters a slotted guide plate 52. The guide plate 52 is mounted to the upright portion of the prop 51. A movable feed block 53 is reciprocable between the crook of the L-shaped prop 51 and a vertical column 54 along a guide rod 55. The feed block 53 is reciprocated parallel to the major axis of the Wire stock 10 by a piston rod 57 of a selectively pressurized piston-cylinder 58 (FIG. 3). The piston rod 56 may be connected to the feed block 53 by any desirable means, a rigid doubletongue 59 being shown for convenience.

The feed block 53 contains a plurality of feed pawls 60 swingably mounted within a cutout 61 of the feed block 53 on a common pintle 62 which both runs the entire width of the feed block 53 and is fastened to the outer walls thereof. The number of the pawls 60 corresponds to the number of lengths of wire stock 10 to be used.

The wire stock 10 enters and passes through the feed block 53 at the bottom of the cutout 61 therein from a similar cutout 63 in the prop 51.

As viewed in FIG. 4, the feed pawls 60 are rotatively biased in a clockwise direction by a spring 64 attached to the block 53 by a spring mount 65. During rightward movement of the feed block 53 a gripping edge 67 on the lower end of each pawl 60 engages and digs into the wire stock 10 thereunder due to the biasing action of the spring 64. Such rightward motion of the feed block 53, therefore, feeds the wire stock rightwardly through guide passages 68 in the column 54 and into the first station 19 which is to the right of such column 54, as viewed in FIG. 4. The rightward motion of the feed block 53 may ultimately be stopped either by appropriate depressurization of the piston-cylinder 58 or by the abutment of a collar 69, which is concentric with piston rod 58, against the column 54.

Leftward motion of the feed block 53 slides the gripping edge 67 of the feed pawls 60 over the wire stock 10 in a non-engaging manner. During such leftward motion of the feed block 53, the wire stock 10 is prevented from being pushed leftwardly by engagement with gripping edges 70 of stop pawls 71 swingably mounted on a common pintle 72 within the cutout 63 in the prop 51. The stop pawls 70 are biased in a clockwise direction by springs 73 inserted through the front of the prop 51 and maintained against the pawls 70 by set screws 74 threaded through the top of such prop 51. The gripping edges 70 of the stop pawls 71 permit the wire stock 10 to slide freely thereunder during the rightward movement of the feed block 53.

In the extreme rightward position of the feed block 63 a lobe 79 thereon contacts the operating arm 80 of a microswitch 81 mounted to the column 54. Such switch 81 operates certain facilities at the first station 19 and may also depressurize the piston-cylinder 58 to return the feed block 53 to its extreme leftward position.

Leftward movement of the feed block 53 is limited by an extension 82 of the double tongue 59, which extension 82 is positioned between the feed block 53 and the prop 51. In the extreme leftward position, feed pawl reset cams 83, mounted to the prop 51, enter the cutout 63 of the feed block 53 and contact the feed pawls 60. Such contact rotates slightly in a counterclockwise direction the feed pawls 60 against the action of the spring 64 to raise the gripping edges 67 of the pawls 60 out of engagement with the wire stock 10. Thus, some slight rightward movement of the feed block 53 may be necessary before the spring 64 can urge the gripping edges 67 into feeding engagement with the wire stock 10. The respective lengths of the reset cams 83 are adjustable to selectively vary the amount of rightward movement of the feed block 53 required to engage the wire stock 10 with the gripping edges 67. Thus, the amount of wire stock 10 fed by each of the pawls 60 is selectively variable. In the present instance wherein the extending end 21 of the left and right-hand connectors 11 on the board 31 are longer than the remainder of the extending edges 21, the two feed pawls 60 at the right and left-hand of the feed block 53 (as viewed in FIG. 3, unlike the remainder of the feed pawls 60, are conveniently already in feeding engagement with the wire stock 10 at the extreme leftward position of the feed block 53.

Thus, appropriate adjustment of the reset cams 83 and pressurization of the piston-cylinder 58 permits the feeder 14 to feed a predetermined length of the wire stock 10 into the first station 19.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the first station 19 is seen to include an entrance 84, a cutter 87, and a bender or staple shaper 88. Also positioned within the first station 19 during the portion of the cycle of operation of the apparatus 42 to be described with respect to FIG. 5, is a reciprocable shuttle 90.

The entrance 84 of the first station 19 includes a wire stock guide pedestal 91, the top of which is a first rectangular body 92 having a plurality of apertures 93 to accommodate the movement therethrough of the wire stock 10 from the feeder 14. The bottom of the pedestal 91 is a second rectangular body 94 having a slanted surface or discharge chute 95 formed at the top thereof. The chute 95 slants downwardly toward the feeder 14.

The cuttter 87 comprises a blade 96 positioned directly over the path of the wire stock 10 as the stock is fed to the entrance 84 by the feeder 14. The blade depends from a driver 97 connected to an extension 98 of a piston rod 99. The piston rod 99 is movable vertically by a selectively pressurized piston-cylinder 100. The driver 97 is journalled in a pair of ways 101 mounted to the vertical base 44. Vertical movement of such driver 97 is limited by a pin 102 firmly attached to the vertical base 44 and positioned within a slot 103 formed in the driver 97.

In vertical alignment with the blade 96 is a groove 104 directly over which is the path taken by the wire stock 10 fed by the feeder 14. The groove 104 is formed in the guide pedestal 91 at the back of the first body 92 and communicates with the initial portion of the discharge chute 95. Cutting edges 105 and 106 are provided at the back and front respectively of the groove 104. Selective pressurization of the piston-cylinder i moves the blade into and out of the groove 104' past the cutting edges and 106.

As the feeder 14 feeds predetermined lengths of the wire stock 10 into the first station 19, the microswitch 81 is operated by the lobe 79 on the feed block 53. Such operation pressurizes the piston-cylinder 100 to move downwardly the blade 96 into the groove 104. Downward movement of the blade 96 contacts the wire stock 10 therewith to cut such wire stock 10 against the cutting edges 105 and 106. This cutting removes a small slug 108 from the wire stock 10. The slug falls by gravity through the groove 104 onto the slanted surface or discharge chute 95. From the chute 95 the slug 108 exits into a scrap metal container (not shown). The cutting of the wire stock 10, as described, produces a plurality of straight wire segments 20a which now rest within the first station 19.

As mentioned previously, the first station 19* at this time includes the reciprocable shuttle 90. The shuttle 90 is substantially vertical and terminates at the bottom thereof in a pair of flanges 111. The flanges 111 are slidably held by a bearing surface 112 which facilitates reciprocation of the shuttle 90 between the first station 19 and the second station 27. The bearing surface 112 is fastened to the table 43.

Formed completely through the shuttle 90 is a vertical passageway 113. Positioned within the passageway :113 is a slide 114 vertically movable therein. Mounted to the top of the slide 114 are a plurality of staple forming and driving fingers 117. One finger 117 is provided for each of the straight wire segments 20a and, therefore, for each of the connectors 11 to be fabricated. The top surface of each finger 117 normally is inserted slightly into and at the bottom of one of a plurality of staple shaping and retaining recesses or female dies 118 within the shuttle 90, all of which recesses communicate with the first passageway 113.

At the first station 19 the fingers 117 are prevented from moving vertically due to the engagement of the slide 114 with the top of the bearing surface 112 on the table 43, as shown in FIG. 5. Moreover, after the operation of the feeder 14 and the cutter 87 one wire segment 20a overlies each of the recesses 118 in the shuttle 90 The staple shaper 88 includes a horizontal serrated plate 119 having a plurality of gaps 121 formed in the periphery thereof. Each gap 121 overlies one of the staple shaping recesses 118. Each wire segment 20a is positioned within one of the gaps 121, the side walls thereof preventing lateral movement of the segment 20a and the back wall thereof preventing longitudinal movement of such segments 20a. The plate 119 is fastened to a vertical support block 122 which is in turn mounted to the table 43.

The staple shaper 88 also includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers or male die members 123 which are mounted to the extension 82 of the piston rod 99 behind the blade 96. The fingers 123 are in vertical alignment with respective ones of the recesses 118. Also mounted to the extension 82 is a positioning pin 124. Such pin has a truncated conical end 127 in vertical alignment with positioning bore 128- formed continuously in the shuttle 90 and the plate 119.

The stapler shaper 88 further includes a plate-like staple retainer 129. The retainer 129 is horizontally disposed and has at one end thereof a plurality of downwardly extending shoulders 130. Each of the shoulders 130 is aligned with and respectively insertable into one of the gaps 1'21 between the serrations of the plate 119 and also overhangs one of the recesses 118 by an amount equal to the thickness of the wire segments 20a.

The retainer 129 is vertically movable by the selective pressurization of a piston-cylinder 131. Such piston-cylinder 131 drives a piston rod 132 which is connected to a central portion of the retainer 129", the piston rod 132 being vertically movable within a bore 133 in the support block 122. Downward movement of the retainer 129' is limited by abutment of the bottom surface thereof with the top surface of the plate 119. The retainer 129' also ex tends rearwardly through a cutaway 134 formed in the vertical base 44.

Full downward movement of the extension 98 and of the retainer 129 operates

microswitches

137 and 138, respectively. The microswitch 137 is operated by the rear portion of the driver 97 which contacts an operating member 140 of the switch 137. The microswitch 138 is operated by the rear portion of the retainer 129 which contacts an operating member 142 of the switch 138.

Operation of the microswitch 137 by downward movement of the driver 97 permits pressurization of the pistoncylinder 131 to move the retainer 129 downwardly and then permits depressurization of the piston-cylinder 100 to move the driver 97 upwardly.

After one or more pieces of the wire stock have been inserted by the feeder 14 into the first station 19 through the gaps 121 of the plate 119 and over the staple shaping and retaining recesses 11-8, the piston-cylinder 100 is pressurized by operation of the microswitch 81 both to sever the wire stock 10, thus producing the wire segments a, as described above and to move the fingers 123 against such segments 20a. The fingers 123 push the wire segments 20a into the staple shaping recesses 118 to produce the U-shaped segments 20!).

Concurrent with the forming of the U-shaped segments 20b, the positioning pin 124 enters the positioning bore 128 in the shuttle 90 to insure proper alignment of the staple shaping recesses 118 with the fingers 123.

The retainer 129 is then moved downwardly as described above. Simultaneously with the removal of the fingers 123 from the staple shaping recesses 118 due to operation of the microswitch 138 by the retainer 129, the shoulders 130 of the retainer 129 enter the gaps 121 in the plate 119. The overhanging portions of such shoulders 130 contact one of the ends 21 of each of the U- shaped wire segments 20b to retain such segments 20b within the stable shaping recesses 118.

The retainer 129 is then moved upwardly in response to the operation of the microswitch 138. Such upward movement of the retainer 129 releases the microswitch 138 to actuate apparatus 147 for moving the shuttle 90 to the second station 27.

The shuttle moving apparatus 147 includes a selectively pressurized piston-cylinder 148 connected to the shuttle 90 by a piston rod 149. The piston-cylinder 148 is mounted to the table 43 by a bracket 150 (see FIG. 3).

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, the second station 27 is seen to include a slide driving device 151, a printed circuit board clamp 152, and a sequential former 153.

When the shuttle 90 is located at the second station 27, the bottom surface of the slide 114 rests on an upward projection 154 of a pusher 157, both of which comprise elements of the slide driving device 151.

The slide driving device 151 includes a hollow mounting member and guide 158 affixed to the table 43- within a groove 159 formed within such table. Both the slide 114 and the upward projection 154 of the pusher 157 are vertically aligned with the groove 159.

A cam 160 mounted to the end of a piston rod 161 of a selectively pressurizable piston-cylinder 162 is movable from left to right (as viewed in FIG. 3) within the hollowed-out portion of the mounting member 158. The cam 160 includes a cam surface 164 which continually engages a cam follower 167 rotatably mounted to the bottom of the pusher 157. Such continual engagement is effected by the tension force of a pair of springs 168 mounted to either end of a pair of

pins

169 and 170. The pin 169 is slidable within grooves 171 formed in the front and back of the mounting member 158 and is also afiixed to the pusher 157. The pin is affixed to the bottom of the mounting member 158.

Pressurization of the piston-cylinder 162 moves the piston rod 161 rightwardly to engage the cam follower 167 with an upwardly sloping portion 172 of the cam surface 164. Such engagement moves the cam follower 167, the pusher 157, the upward projection 154, the slide 114, and finally the fingers 117 upwardly. Upward movement of the fingers 117 moves the U-shaped segments 20b upwardly out of the staple shaping recesses 118 in the shuttle 90.

The printed circuit board clamp 152 includes a slotted plate 173 vertically movable on a pin 174 inserted into and apperture 177 in the plate 173. The pin 174 is mounted to an anvil support 178 which is mounted in turn to the table 43.

The plate 173 is biased to a normal upward position by a spring 179 which is attached to the plate 173 and to a projecting support portion 180 of the vertical base 44.

A bar 181 is rotatably mounted to the support portion 180 by a shaft 182. At the lower end of the bar 181 is an elongated, rotatably mounted roller 183. Such roller 183 is movable against the force of the spring 179 to contact the plate 173 upon counterclockwise rotation (FIG. 6) of the shaft 182. Such rotation of the shaft 182 may be effected either automatically by a source (not shown) of motive power in response to the insertion, either manually or automatically, of a board 31 into the second station 27 or by the manual rotation of a crank 184 attached to the shaft 182.

Ineither case, contact of the plate 173 by the roller 183 moves such plate 173 downwardly against the board 31 and against an anvil 187 which is fixed to the anvil support 178. Such anvil 187 has a thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the board 31 to prevent crushing of the board 31 by the plate 173. Moreover, the anvil 187 overhangs and partially closes a passageway 188 defined by the anvil support 178 and a board support 189. The passageway 188 accommodates the shuttle 90 when the shuttle is moved to the second station 27. The bearings 112 along which the flanges 111 of the shuttle 90 move extend into the bottom of the passageway 188. Moreover, the groove 159 in the table 43 and the projection 154 of the pusher 157 are aligned with the passageway 188 for elfecting upward movement of the fingers 117, as described above.

The plate 173 has a plurality of slots 190 therein similar to the gaps 121 in the plate 119 at the first station 19. Each slot 190 is vertically aligned with one of the staple shaping recesses 118 when the shuttle 90 is moved to the second station 27.

Downward movement of the plate 173 clamps the board 31 against the board support 189. Such clamping is limited, however, by the contact of the plate 173 with the anvil 187.

To properly locate the board 31 at the second station 27 so that each pair of

holes

23 and 24 is respectively aligned with the ends 21 of one of the U-shaped wire segments 20b in the staple shaping recesses 118, a plurality of locating pins 191 are mounted to the board support 189. Such pins 191 fit within locating holes 192 formed in the board 31 (see FIGS. 6 and 8).

The sequential former 153 comprises a plurality of the pre-forming shoes 28 and the final former 29.

The shoes 28 are each located within one of the slots 9 190 in the plate 173. Such shoes 28 include a surface 197 generally parallel with the surface of the board 31 clamped at the second station 27 and a pair of upwardly slanted surfaces 198 at the ends of the surface 197 in the general configuration of a truncated triangle (FIG. 7).

When the plate 173 has been moved downwardly to the clamping position, the surfaces 197 of the members 193 contact the surface of the board 31, the ends of such surfaces 197 being immediately adjacent and between respective ones of pairs of

holes

23 and 24. Moreover, the slanted surfaces 198 are positioned directly over

such holes

23 and 24.

The final former 29 includes a plurality of downwardly extending clinchers 199 equal in number to the number of slots 190 in the plate 173. The clinchers 199 are movable into the slots 190 upon downward movement thereof. The clinchers 199 are all contiguous with a driver 200 which is vertically slidable in ways 201 fastened to the vertical base 44 and is connected to an extension 202 of a piston rod 203 of a piston-cylinder 204 (see FIG. 2). Movement of the driver 200 is limited by the contact of the end of a groove 205 therein by a pin 206 mounted to the vertical base 44. Selective pressurization of the pistoncylinder 204 is controlled by a microswitch 207 (FIG. 3) operated by the rightward movement of the cam 160.

Each of the clinchers 199 includes at the lower end thereof a pair of hammers 208. The hammers 208 are downward projections of the clinchers 194 separated by a space 209 therebetween. The space 209 is equal to the width of and is aligned with the preforming shoes 28. Each hammer 208 has a horizontal clinching surface 210 slightly offset fro-m the

holes

23 and 24 of the clamped board 31, as shown in FIG. 7.

Downward movement of the piston rod 203 by pressurization of the piston-cylinder 204 moves each pair of hammers 208 into its underlying slot 190 down past the shoes 28 which enter the space 209. This downward movement continues until the clinching surfaces 210 of the hammers 208 are adjacent to but spaced from the board 31. I

After the shuttle 90 has been moved to the second station 27 by the piston-cylinder 148, which is pressurized by the release of the microswitch 138, a board 31 is clamped by the board clamp 152. Such clamping positions each

hole

23 and 24 of the hole pairs over one of the ends 21 of respective ones of the U-shaped segments 20b held in the recesses 118 in the shuttle 90. Either the clamping of the board, or the actuation of a start button 211 after such clamping, pressurizes the piston-cylinder 162. Pressurization of the piston-cylinder 162 moves the top surface of the fingers 117 against the connecting portions 22 of the U-shaped segments 20b. Such movement of the fin-. gers 117 drives the U-shaped segments 20b out of the recesses 118, and pushes the ends 21 thereof respectively into

holes

23 and 24. The movement of the fingers 117 continues until the connecting portions 22 of the U-shaped segments 20b abut the surface of the board 31 between the holes 24 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 7. Alternatively, movement of the fingers 117 may be stopped When the connecting portion 22 is slightly away from the board 31 to define the space 41 (see FIG. 9).

Such continued movement of the fingers 117 also extends the segment ends 21 beyond the upper side of the board 31. This extension forces the ends 21 against the slanted surfaces 198 of the shoes 193 to pre-form the segments 20b into an expanded U, as seen in FIG. 7. At this time, the ends 21 are maintained in a proper vertical attitude by the slots 190 in the plate 173. Moreover, such continued movement of the fingers 117 brings the end of the cam 160 into contact with an operating member 212 of the microswitch 207.

Operation of the microswitch 207 maintains the pistoncylinder 162 pressurized to keep the upper surface of the fingers 117 in abutment with the connecting portion 22 of the now expanded U-shaped segments 2012. Operation 10 of the microswitch 207 also pressurizes the piston-cylinder 204 to move the hammers 208 down.

Such downward movement of the hammers 208 contacts the ends 21 of the segments 20b with the surfaces 210 thereof and then bends these ends 21 against the board 31. The still stationary fingers 117 prevent the segments 20b from being pushed downwardly by the hammers 208.

Full downward movement of the hammers 208 causes the contact by a pin 213 fixed to the driver 200 of the operating member 214 of a microswitch 217. Such operation of the microswitch 217 depressurizes the piston-

cylinders

162 and 204.

Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 162 lowers fully the fingers 117. Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 204 fully raises the hammers 208.

Operation of the microswitch 217 may also operate a motive source (not shown) to unclamp the board 31 and feed the board 31 out of the second station 27. Alternatively, the shaft 182 may be rotated by hand operation of the crank 184 and the board 31 may be similarly removed.

A reset button 218 may be operated to pressurize the piston-cylinder 148 which moves the shuttle back to the first station 19 after manual removal of the board 31. Alternatively, operation of the microswitch 217 may effect such shuttle movement after the unclamping and removal of the board 31.

Movement of the shuttle 90 to the first station 19 operates a microswitch 219. Operation of the microswitch 219 initiates pressurization of the piston-cylinder 58.

Operation A single exemplary cycle of operation will now be described.

The reset button 218 is pushed to pressurize the pistoncylinder 148. Such pressurization ensures placement of the shuttle 90 at the first station 19.

A number of supply reels 13 have been previously loaded into the cage 45 to yield the same number of lengths of the wire stock 10 as the number of the connectors 11 to be fabricated. The reset cams 83 are adjusted to feed the proper predetermined lengths of the stock into the first station 19.

Movement of the shuttle 90 operates the micro-switch 219 which pressurizes the piston-cylinder 58 to move the feed block 53 of the feeder 14. Such movement of the feed block 53 feeds the predetermined lengths of the wire stock into the first station 19 over the shuttle 90.

Movement of the feed block 53 ultimately operates the microswitch 81. Operation of the microswitch '81 depressurizes the piston-cylinder 58 to return the feed block 53 to the left '(FIG. 4). Moreover, such operation of the microswitch 81 pressurizes the piston-cylinder 100.

Pressurization of the piston-cylinder moves the driver 97 down to first operate the cutter 87 and then the staple shaper 88, ultimately resulting in the formation of a plurality of U-shaped segments 20b in the recesses 118. Also, full downward movement of the driver 97 operates .the microswitch 137.

Operation of the microswitch 137 first pressurizes the piston-cyinder 131 and then depressurizes the piston-cylinder 100. Pressurization of the piston-cylinder 131 moves the retainer 129 fully down to ensure retention of the U- shaped segments 20b in the recesses 118 during withdrawal of the bender 88. Depressurization of the pistoncylinder 100 withdraws the bender 88.

Full downward movement of the retainer 129 operates the microswitch 138 to first depressurize the piston-cylinder 131 and then depressurize the piston-cylinder 148.

Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 131 raises the retainer 129 out of interference with the shuttle 90. Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 148 moves the staple-laden shuttle 90 to the second station 27.

After the board 31 is clamped by the clamp 152, the

start button 211 is pushed to pressurize the piston-cylinder 162. Pressurization of the piston-cylinder 162 moves the driving member operating device 151 to insert the staples 20b into the

holes

23 and 24 and to form the ends 21 thereof outwardly by the shoes 28.

At the desired insertion of the staples 20b, that is, with or without formation of the space 41, the microswitch 207 is operated. Operation of the microswitch 207 both holds the piston-cylinder 1-62 pressurized and pressurizes the piston-cylinder 204.

Holding the piston-cylinder 162 pressurized ensures that the fingers 117 remain solidly in place. Pressurization of the piston-cylinder 204 operates the final former 29 to clinch the segments 20b to the board 31 and to extend one of the ends 21 thereof beyond the board 31.

Clinching of the segments 20]] operates the microswitch 217. Operation of the microswitch 217 depressurizes the piston-

cylinders

162 and 204.

Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 162 allows full retraction of the fingers 117 into the shuttle 90 by the springs 168. Depressurization of the piston-cylinder 204 moves the former 153 up.

After the board 31 with the connectors 11 thereon is removed from the clamp 152, the reset button 218 may again be pushed.

It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the above-described embodiments of the invention are merely illustrative and that many modifications may be made within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, one or more of the connectors 11 may be simultaneously fabricated having extending ends 21 of any length. Moreover sources of motive power other than the piston-cylinder and microswitch arrangement may be utilized; or some of the motive power may be supplied manually.

What is claimed is:

1. Fabricating apparatus for attaching a wire connector to an article having at least one pair of holes therethrough, which apparatus comprises:

a first station including, cutting means for producing at least one straight wire segment of a predetermined length from a supply of wire stock, and

means for bending said straight wire segment into a 'U-shape, and

a second station including, means for inserting respectively the ends of said bent segment into said holes so that said ends protrude beyond said article, and

means for sequentially forming said protruding ends to simultaneously clinch said bent segment to said article and extend one of said protruding ends beyond the periphery of said article.

2. Fabricating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forming means forms said protruding ends oppositely away from each other parallel to an imaginary line drawn perpendicularly to an edge of said article.

3. Fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bending, inserting and forming means include:

a shuttle selectively reciprocable between said bending means at a first station and both said inserting and forming means at a second station, said shuttle including:

a recess having side walls and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being defined by a selectively movable finger, said finger being stationary at said first station to act as a support for a connecting portion of said U-shaped, bent wire segment, and

means for moving said finger at said second station to insert said ends of said bent segment into said holes and to support said inserted segment during operation of said sequential forming means.

4. Fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sequential forming means includes:

a stationary preforming shoe for expanding the U-shape 12 of said bent segment during the insertion thereof by said inserting means, and

a pair of movable hammers for clinching the ends of said expanded U-shaped bent segment to said article.

5. Fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bending means includes:

a shuttle selectively movable between said first and second stations and having a recess therein,

a retainer having a shoulder selectively movable to overlie said recess by an amount equal to the diameter of said wire segment,

a finger for pushing said straight wire segment into said recess to bend said segment into said U-shape,

means for pushing said finger into said recess and then for removing said finger from said recess, and

means responsive to said pushing for moving said retainer to engage one end of said U-shaped bent segment with said shoulder during said finger removal thus retaining said bent segment in said recess.

6. Fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sequential forming means includes:

a shuttle selectively movable between said first and second stations and having a recess therein, said recess retaining said U-shaped bent segment after operation of said bending means,

a plate having therein a slot which overlies said recess,

and

a preforming shoe overlying said holes in said article,

said shoe being mounted within said slot and expanding the ends of said bent segment during operation of said inserting means.

7. Apparatus for attaching a wire connector to an article having a pair of holes therethrough, which apparatus comprises:

a first bending station,

a second inserting and forming station,

a shuttle selectively reciprocable between said stations,

first means responsive to reciprocation of said shuttle to said first station for sequentially placing a straight wire segment of a predetermined length on said shuttle,

pushing said segment into a recess in said shuttle and simultaneously bending said segment into a U-shape, and then reciprocating said shuttle to said second station,

second means responsive to reciprocation of said shuttle to said second station for sequentially clamping said article,

inserting respectively the ends of said U-shaped bent segment into said holes from said recess, and then forming sequentially said inserted ends both to clinch said segment to said article and to extend one of said protruding ends beyond the periphery of said article, and

third means for reciprocating said shuttle to said first station.

8. Apparatus for attaching a wire connector to an article having a pair of holes therethrough, which apparatus comprises:

a first bending station,

a second inserting and forming station,

a shuttle selectively reciprocable between said stations,

first means responsive to reciprocation of said shuttle to said first station for sequentially feeding wire stock onto said shuttle,

severing said wire stock to produce a straight wire segment of a predetermined length on said shuttle,

normally unoperated second means within said shuttle fourth means for reciprocating said shuttle to said first station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cardani 2279l Gagnon.

Rogers 14071 X Stuhre 2934 Lenders.

Durr et al.

Pedersen et a1.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.