US3795962A

US3795962A - Terminal sensor

Info

Publication number: US3795962A
Application number: US00271836A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Baldyga
Original assignee: Diamond Die and Mold Co
Current assignee: Diamond Die and Mold Co
Priority date: 1972-07-14
Filing date: 1972-07-14
Publication date: 1974-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-12

Abstract

An automatic system for severing a length of wire from a supply, stripping insulation from one end, applying a metal terminal to the stripped wire end, attaching a terminal to the end of the wire by crimping in a press, advancing the end of the wire with the terminal attached to a sensor, determining whether or not a terminal has been applied to the wire, and terminating automatic operation of the system if the sensor determines that the wire does not have a terminal attached.

Description

[4 1 Mar. 12, 1974 States ae [1 1 l 1; HQ aldyga 2/1969 Keller 29/203 D TERMINAL SENSOR [75] Inventor: Joseph W. Baldyga, Mt. Clemens,

Mich.

Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap M a C M O M we mM 05 mm .mk DC n c t Appl. No.: 271,836

[57] ABSTRACT An automatic system for severing a length of wire 22 Filed:

from a supply, stripping insulation from one end. ap-

u.s. Int Cl 29/203 D H0lr 43/04 Field of Search minal attached to a sensor, determining whether or not a terminal has been applied to the wire, and termi- S A m2 THP o 3 m m, mD3 Noam "0/ mm 9 m2 a. 5 rt References Cited nating automatic operation of the system if the sensor UNITED STATES PATENTS determines that the wire does not have a terminal attached.

Andren 29/203 D 29/203 D 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED HAR I 2 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2 SHEET 2 BF 2 PMENTEDMARI 2mm FIGB TERMINAL SENSOR BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the combination of automatic mechanism for preparing wire sections for the application of terminals and the automatic attachment of terminals to a bared wire end by means of a crimping press, and means for sensing each completed wirre section supplied with a terminal to determine if a terminal has been properly applied. If no terminal has been applied the sensor terminates automatic operation of the mechanism. More particularly, the mechanism draws a length of wire from a reel, cuts it to the proper length, strips insulation from the forward end of the wire, advances the bared end of the wire into an open terminal, and advances the wire and loosely applied terminal to a crimping press which operates to crimp the terminal permanently in place on the bared end of the wire. So long as the operation is being performed satisfactorily, it continues in a fully automatic manner, terminals being supplied to the press by suitable terminal advancing means in which the terminals may be separately applied to a tape or the like.

Immediately adjacent the press, in accordance with the present invention, there is applied a terminal sensor. The operation of the mechanism is intermittent and after a terminal has been applied to a wire in the press, the completed unit is advanced one step in which it may be received in the sensor. Alternatively, the sensor may be spaced somewhat further from the press so that a small number of units may be positioned intermediate the press and the sensor.

In general terms, the sensor comprises an anvil and a head movable through the medium of a relatively light spring actuated by a solenoid. Ifa satisfactorily applied terminal is on the anvil, movement of the head is arrested, the solenoid is de-energized, and the operation continues in a fully automatic manner. If however, a satisfactorily completed terminal is not present in the sensor upon any single operation thereof, the head continues downwardly and actuates a micro-switch which is effective to terminate automatic cycling of the mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a diagrammatic view of the complete apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the terminal sensor.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the terminal sensor.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the terminal sensor.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5, FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 66, FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic showing of the control circuit for the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1 the entire system is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in perspective. A supply of insulated wire W is provided on a reel 10 which is shown as supported on a bracket 12. The system includes a frame 14 made up of an end plate 16 and a top plate 18 carrying at its underside mechanism diagrammatically indicated at 20 which withdraws a measured length of wire from the reel 10, strips insulation from at least its forward end, advances the bared end of the wire into an open terminal T preferably carried by a tape 22 which is intermittently advanced by the machine, and deposits the length of wire in an open topped tray indicated at 24.

The press is diagrammatically indicated at P and includes a vertically movable ram 26 normally spaced from a base 28.

During automatic cycling of the machine the wire carrying an open terminal into which the bared end of the wire W has been inserted, is intermittently advanced to position the open terminal between the base 28 and the ram 26 of the press P. This may conveniently be accomplished by an endless conveyor comprising belts 30 carrying a sequence of supports 32, the supports including upwardly extending arms adapted to engage severed portions of the wire W to lift them from the open tray 24 and convey them into operative relation to the press P. In some cases the severed length of wire may be moved into registration with the open terminal and moved into the terminal while the terminal is in position beneath the ram 26 of the press. At this time the press is actuated, the ram moves downwardly to crimp the terminal permanently onto the bared end of the wire and returns upwardly. Upward movement of the ram 26 may be arranged to time advance of the tape and to initiate operation of the wire withdrawing, severing, and stripping mechanism diagrammatically indicated at 20.

The foregoing apparatus is of known construction and has not been shown in detail.

The present invention comprises the addition of a sensor 40 which is positioned as close as practical to the press P so as to reduce to a minimum wires advanced by the conveyor belts 30 and located intermediate the press P and the sensor 40.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 26, the sensor comprises a stand 42 including a base 44 on which is mounted a housing 46 containing a solenoid, and forwardly extending arm 48. The forward end of the arm 48 is provided with an anvil surface 50 and inclined guide surfaces 52.

Carried by the sensor 40 is a sensing bar or head 54 mounted for vertical movement by means of guide pins 56 movable in guide openings 58 provided in sleeves 60 carried in openings in the arm 48. The sensing bar or head 54 includes a sensing surface 62 and inclined surfaces 64 which cooperate with surfaces 52 to provide tapering entrance and exit paths for the end of the conductor provided with the crimped terminals.

As best seen in FIG. 6, compression springs 66 are provided in

recesses

68 and 70 formed in the confronting surfaces of the head 54 and arm 48 respectively. These springs are selected to provide sufficient force to bias the head 54 upwardly but to permit downward movement thereof as will subsequently be described.

Upward movement of the head 54 is limited by stop nuts 72 carried by a stud 74 projecting upwardly from the arm 48. The head 54 also carries an adjustable switch actuating stud 76 threaded into an opening in the head 54 and locked in place by a lock nut 78. The lower end of the stud 76 is movable in an opening 80 which extends through the arm 48.

The housing 46 contains a solenoid including a plunger connected to an upwardly extending connec- I tion 82 including a pin 84 by means of which a light tension spring 86 is connected to a pin 88 carried by the head 54.

Directly beneath the arm 48,there is provided a mi-. cro-switch 90 having an upwardly extending actuating button 92 adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the actuating stud 76 upon predetermined downward movement of the head.

In general terms a control system for the complete apparatus is provided which is effective to cause continuous repeated cycles of the machine so long as a supply of wire W remains on the reel and so long as terminals T are supplied to the press P. Each time the press head moves downwardly a circuit is completed energizing the solenoid within the housing 46 and urging the movable sensor head 54 downwardly. This is timed to occur at an interval during which the conveyor is at rest and while, if the apparatus is operating satisfactorily, a completed assembly of terminal and wire end is located in the space between the anvil surface and the surface 62 of the sensor head. Downward movement of the head 54 in response to energization of the solenoid is arrested before the lower surface of the stud 76 engages the button 92 of the microswitch 90. If however, a properly finished terminal end of wire is not present in the sensor, the head 54 is permitted to move further downwardly so that the microswitch 90 is actuated by the stud 76. This is effective to shut down operation of the entire apparatus until the supply of wire or terminals is renewed or until whatever difficulty caused the lack of a properly finished terminal in the sensor is corrected.

In FIG. 2 there is shown a switch 94 having an actuating arm 96 adapted to be engaged by a part of the appa-" ratus movable downwardly with the ram 26 of the press. Thus, the switch 94 will be closed for a brief interval coinciding with the lowermost position of the press, at which time the conveyor 30 is of course stationary. The switch actuating stud 76 may be very accurately adjusted so that actuation of the micro-switch 90 will be prevented only ifa complete crimped terminal is provided on a wire end. If no terminal were applied to the stripped end of the wire, as would be the case if the supply of terminals were exhausted, the bared wire end will not prevent actuation of the microswitch 90. On the other hand, if the supply of wire on the reel 10 were exhausted, it will be appreciated that subsequent advance of the conveyor 30 would not advance a wire section to the sensor. Thus, if either the supply of wire or terminals is exhausted, the system will automatically shut down.

The control circuit for carrying out the desired operation is shown in FIG. 7 in which the winding of the solenoid contained in housing 46 is seen at 100, in series with a manually on-off switch 102, controlling opera tion of the solenoid. Also in series with manual switch 102 is the solenoid activation switch 94 which times operation of the solenoid with cycling of the entire system. Thus, whenever the ram 26 descends, solenoid l00 is energized to activate the sensor 40.

Operation of the entire system, including the wire cutter and stripper, the means for inserting the wire end into an open terminal, and timed actuation of the press P and ocnveyor 30, is controlled by a manual start-stop switch 104, the system being diagrammatically represented in its entirety at 106. Switch 104 energizes relay R1, in series with normally open contacts. Rla and normally closed switch 90. Energization of relay R1 closes contacts Rla in the holding by-pass, and closes contacts Rlb, starting operation of the system.

When the sensor is activated by closure of switch 102, and operation of the entire apparatus initiated by momentary closure of start-st p-switch 104, the intermittent press operation energizes solenoid 100 at each cycle, and so long as properly finished terminals are sensed at the sensor 40, the operation continues in a fully automatic manner. When the sensor senses as improperly finished piece, or the absence of a piece, the micro-switch opens momentarily, opening the holding circuit relay R1, and terminating operation of the system.

I claim:

1. Apparatus comprising a system for continuous, automatic production of insulated wire elements having terminals crimped to bared conductors at one end thereof comprising an intermittently operated crimping press, means for intermittently advancing a length of insulated wire having its conductor bared at one end and having a terminal loosely applied thereto into the press, and for advancing a finished piece away from the press between press operations, the combination therewith of a sensor adjacent the press to receive the end portion of a wire element with a terminal crimped thereto, said sensor comprising means to determine whether a preceding press operation has produced a crimped terminal on a wire end, and means responsive to said sensor to shut down operation of the system in the absence at the sensor ofa crimped terminal thereat.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the sensor comprises an anvil, a sensing head movable toward and away form the anvil, and a switch operable to terminate system operation actuated by predetermined approach to the anvil of the head.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 comprising a solenoid, resilient means connecting the solenoid to said head to provide a non-positive force effective to move said head toward said anvil until its movement is arrested by engagement with the terminal wire end on said anvil.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said solenoid is energized through a switch closed intermittently by movement of a part of said system.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said sensor includes switch means including normally closed contacts in a holding circuit including a relay which when energized continues operation of the system.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said anvil and sensing head have inclined surfaces defining a tapered guide-way, and parallel sensing surfaces between which the terminal wire end is positioned after movement through 'said guide-way.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 comprising spring means effective to move said head away from said anvil, and in which the resilient means connecting the head to the solenoid is effective to overcome said spring means to produce a resultant force urging said head toward said anvil.

8. Terminal applying apparatus comprising a press for crimping terminals to wire ends, a sensor, means for advancing a crimped terminal from said press to said sensor, said sensor comprising means engageable with a terminal operable to prevent further operation of said press in absence at said sensor of a properly applied terminal.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which said sensor comprises a pair of relatively movable elements engageable with a terminal, and means operated in timed relation to operation of said press to effect relative movement of said elements to engage opposite sides of a terminal at each operation of said press.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a system for continuous, automatic production of insulated wire elements having terminals crimped to bared conductors at one end thereof comprising an intermittently operated crimping press, means for intermittently advancing a length of insulated wire having its conductor bared at one end and having a terminal loosely applied thereto into the press, and for advancing a finished piece away from the press between press operations, The combination therewith of a sensor adjacent the press to receive the end portion of a wire element with a terminal crimped thereto, said sensor comprising means to determine whether a preceding press operation has produced a crimped terminal on a wire end, and means responsive to said sensor to shut down operation of the system in the absence at the sensor of a crimped terminal thereat.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said anvil and sensing head have inclined surfaces defining a tapered guide-way, and parallel sensing surfaces between which the terminal wire end is positioned after movement through said guide-way.