US3846896A

US3846896A - Terminal block assembly apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3846896A
Application number: US00406304A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Bakermans; W Thoms
Original assignee: EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
Priority date: 1973-10-15
Filing date: 1973-10-15
Publication date: 1974-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-12

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in an insulated terminal block. The apparatus comprises a terminal block assembly station, a reciprocal spring wire feed assembly for inserting a plurality of spring wires through a terminal block positioned at a terminal block assembly station, a first positioning member for aligning the spring wires with holes in the terminal blocks at the assembly station, a second positioning member for receiving the spring wires inserted through the terminal blocks and aligning the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires attached to a carrier strip, and a spring wire-lead wire splice assembly having a carrier strip feed path for receiving a carrier strip having a plurality of lead wire attached to the carrier strip. The spring wires are spliced to the lead wires, the lead wires are severed from the carrier strip, and the spring wire feed assembly is retracted drawing the spliced interconnection into the insulated terminal block in the assembly station.

Description

United States Patent [191 Bakermans et al;

[ TERMINAL BLOCK ASSEMBLY APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Fransiscus Cornelius Bakermans, Shiremanstown; William Charles Thoms, East Berlin, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: E. L du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

22 Filed: Oct. 15,1973

21 App1.No.:406;304

[52] U.S. Cl. 29/203 DT [5 1] Int. Cl. H0lt 43/04 [58] Field of Search 29/203 'DT, 203 D, 203 S,

29/203 MW, 625, 630 D [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,191,271 6/1965 Johnson 29/630 D 3,289,284 12/1966 Zent 29/203 DT 3,377,698 4/1968 Eick et a1 29/625 3,444,707 5/1969 Peterson et a] 29/203 DT Primary Examiner-Thomas l-l. Eager 1 Nov. 12, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in an insulated terminal block. The apparatus comprises a terminal block assembly station, a reciprocal spring wire feed assembly for inserting a plurality of spring wires through a terminal block positioned at a terminal block assembly station, a first positioning member for aligning the spring wires with holes in the terminal blocks at the assembly station, a second positioning member for receiving the spring wires inserted through the terminal blocks and aligning the spring wires with a plurality of leadfwires attached to a carrier strip, and a spring wire-lead wire splice assembly having a carrier strip feed path for receiving a carrier strip having a plurality of lead wire attached to the carrier strip. The, spring wires are spliced to the lead wires, the lead wires are severed from the carrier strip, and the spring wire feed assembly is retracted drawing the spliced interconnection into the insulated terminal block in the assembly station.

21 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PAIENTEnnuv 12 new sum 1m 5 3,846,896

PATENIEUunv 12 1974 SE" F 5 3,846,896

IH L

SHEU MI 5 PAIENTEBNHY 121914 1 TERMINAL BLOCK ASSEMBLY APPARATU BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an apparatus for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in an insulated terminal block, and particularly relates to an apparatus for assembling terminal blocks wherein 1 attaching terminals to the free ends of the wires and re tracting the wires and terminals into the blocks, are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,289,284 and 3,444,607. A method and apparatus for forming and pulling contact terminals into an electrical receptacle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,271. A method of making an electrical circuit assembly by inserting flexible wires through guide tubes in an insulated block into passageways is described in US. Pat. No. 3,377,698. On reaching the ends of the passageways, slip clutches on each of the wire feed rolls stall out stopping thefeed of the wires.

The apparatus of the present invention provides for assembling a terminal block having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires within the terminal block. The spring contact wires are positivelyfed differential lengths through a plurality of supporting fingers and postioned for insertion through a plurality of spacedholes in a terminal block. The wires inserted through the terminal blocks are positioned in alignment with a plurality of lead wires, spliced to the lead wires and the spliced interconnection is retracted into the terminal block.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention an apparatus is provided for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires within a terminal block, comprising a terminal block assembly station for postioning a terminal block for receiving a plurality of spring wires and interconnecting the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires,

means for feeding a plurality of continuous spring wires different lengths through spaced holes in a terminal block positioned at a terminal block assembly station,

first means for positioning the plurality of spring wires in alignment with the plurality of spaced holes in the terminal block at the terminal block assembly station,

second means for positioning the plurality of spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in the terminal block at the terminal block assembly station in alignment with a plurality of lead wires,

means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires at the terminal block assembly station to form a permanent electrical interconnection,

means for retracting the spring wire lead wire interconnection into the terminal block at the terminal block assembly station, and

means for severing the continuous spring wires a spaced distance from the terminal block in the terminal block assembly station to provide a plurality of spring 0 wire contacts on the terminal block interconnected with a plurality of lead wires.

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention the terminal blocks have a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced holes requiring different lengths of spring wire extending therefrom to provide uniform length spring wire contacts for the terminal blocks. Because of the close proximity of the horizon tally and vertically spaced holes in the terminal block, it is preferred to feed the plurality of wires on the same horizontal spacing and position them in vertical alignment with the spaced holes previous to insertion in the holes in the terminal blocks. The different length spring wires are inserted through vertically and horizontally spaced holes in the terminal block and are positioned in a horizontal plane and fanned out to increase the horizontal spacing to align with a plurality of lead wires attached to a continuous carrier strip having a different horizontal spacing from the holes in the terminal block. In a preferred embodiment the carrier strip extends along the length of a lead wire assembly with a splicetype crimp barrel spaced at regular intervals along the strip on one side thereof, and the lead wires extend across the strip with one end of each wire secured in each crimp barrel. The ends of the lead wires extend across the strip and are secured to the strip by an insulation crimp barrel, which together with wire crimp barrels form splice barrels for receiving the continuous spring wires inserted through the terminal blocks. The spring wires are spliced to the lead wires by crimping to form a permanent electrical interconnection between the spring wires and lead wires.

The apparatus of the invention provides a significant technical advance for automatic assembly of terminal blocks, having a plurality of uniform length spring wire contactsinterconnected to a plurality of lead wires, by reducing the heretofore intensive labor requirements and by yielding higher production rates than previously obtainable for assembling similar terminal blocks. The terminal blocks are particularly useful in communication terminals, e.g., telephone and data terminal equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in partial section of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view in partial section of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed drawing broken away showing the stepped upper feed bars of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed drawing in section and broken away taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5(a), (b) and (c) are elevation and plan views in detail of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a split view in detail taken along line 66 of FIG. 2

. wire crimp interconnection and a terminal block for use with the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. illustrates a plurality of lead wires attached to a carrier strip for use in the apparatus of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of an apparatus of the invention is described with reference to the attached drawings wherein the same numerals are used throughout to identify the same elements.

With reference to FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a wire feed carriage assembly 32, a wire insertion support guide assembly 90, a terminal block assembly station 130, a spring wire positioning assembly 180, and a press assembly 210.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, table is provided for mounting the various component assemblies of the apparatus. Plate 24 supported by cross members 22 is mounted on table 20. Mounting blocks 26 and stationary block 132 are fixedly mounted on opposite ends of the plate 24. A pair of carriage rods 30 are mounted between

blocks

26 and 132. A wire feed carriage assembly 32 is mounted on plate 34 having mounting blocks 36 with holes 38 for slidably mounting the carriage assembly 32 on carriage rods 30. Side plates 40 are fixedly mounted on plate 24 and have stepped spaced recesses 41-44 for receiving lower and upper feed bars 46-49 and 51-54. Lower feed bars 46-49 have a plurality of guide grooves and a clamp groove machined therein. The guide grooves 45 allow the wire disposed therein to move freely, and the clamp grooves 50 cooperate with the upper bars to provide a three point clamp for the individual wires disposed therein. Posts 55 are thread-mounted in lower bars 46-49 through holes 56 in upper bars 51-54. Springs are mounted over posts 55 and retained thereon by adjustable spring retainers 62. The adjustable spring retainers provide for individual adjustment of the upper bars 51-54 with the clamp grooves and the lower bars 46-49. A pair of rods 57 are mounted in holes provided in the lower feed bars 46-49. The rods 57 are fixedly connected to lower feed bar 46. Springs 58 are mounted on the other ends of the rods 57 with spring retainers 59. The springs 58 close up the spaced feed bars when they are advanced with the carriage feed assembly 32 from the stepped spaced recesses 41-44 in side plates 40. The spacing of the stepped recesses 41-44 determines the different length of feed for the spring wires W W W and W and may be varied to obtain the different lengths desired. Insertion guide members 64, having guide grooves (not illustrated) therein are fixedly mounted on lower feed bar 46. A wire guide member 66 is also provided on carriage feed assembly 32. Brackets 68 mounted on opposite sides of plate 34 slidably receive a pair of guide rods 72 in guide holes 69. Air cylinder 74 is fixedly mounted on the feed carriage assembly in bracket 76. Piston rod of air cylinder 74 connects to an extension shaft 120. Air cylinder is fixedly mounted in a bracket 82 on plate 24.

Piston rod 84 of air cylinder 80 connects to block 36 on the underside of the carriage assembly 32.

A wire insertion guide assembly isv slidably mounted .on carriage rods 30 through mounting block 98 having guide holes 100 therein. Brackets 102 are mounted on opposite sides of lower plate 96 and are connected by cross member 104. Wire insertion guide assembly 90 is spring biased toward stationary block assembly 130 by springs 108 connected between standoffs 106 on cross member 104 and guide members 146 on stationary block 132. A plurality of opposing guide fingers 110 for supporting the spring wires are pivotally mounted on stub shafts 112 connected to mounting block 92. Springs 114 are connected between the upper and lower guide fingers 110. Rods 72 are fixedly connected in brackets 102 on the wire insertion assembly 90 and are slidably received in holes 69 provided in brackets 68. Retaining nuts 71 are adjustably positioned on rods 72. Piston rod 70 of air cylinder 74 is attached to the wire insertion support assembly 90 by collar 116 on extension shaft 120 connected to piston rod 70.

Block 132 is mounted on plate 24 and has channel 136. A knife guide block 138 attached to wire positioning

members

139 and 140 is slidably mounted in channel 136. Extension shaft 120 is fixedly connected to knife guide block 138. Wire positioning member 140 has a plurality of guide tubes 141-144 for positioning the continuous spring wires in the vertically and horizontally spaced configuration in alignment with the holes in the terminal blocks as shown in FIG. 5 (0). Members 146, having slots 147 for receiving upright member 178 of car carrier 176, are mounted on block 132. Holes 134 are provided in block 132 for positioning rods 122. Additional guide grooves 148 are provided in block 138 for guiding the spring wire cutting knife 150. a

The spring wire cutting knife 150 having cutting edge 152 and curved edge 154 is slidably mounted in member 156 having grooves 158 which mate with grooves provided in the shank of the knife 150. Member 156 is mounted on piston rod 160 of air cylinder 162 which is mounted on fixed member 164. Guide posts 166 are mounted on member 156 and slidable in guide holes 168 provided in fixed member 164.

The terminal block carrier car assembly comprises a monorail 174 supported by stanchion 172 mounted on table 20. A plurality of carrier cars 176 having upright members 178 are mounted on a conventional monorail conveyor. Upright carrier member 178 is mounted on car 176. In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus illustrated, car 176 carries two terminal blocks.

A spring wire positioning assembly 180 comprises upper and lower guide plates 190, having cooperating fanout grooves 191-194 machined therein. The guide plates are actuatably mounted on piston rods 188 of air cylinders 186 mounted on cross members 184 between stanchions 182. Spring wire receiving guide members 196 are mounted on guide plates 190 and are cam operated by cams 198 connected to-connecting block 202 by pin 200. Connecting block 202 is mounted on piston rod 204 of an air cylinder 206 fixedly mounted on stanchion 182. Guide bushings 208 for receiving guide rods 209 on plates'190 are mounted on cross members 184.

A press assembly 210 comprising press plate 214 and stationary plate 212 is mounted on support members (not shown). Press plate 214 is mounted on post 216 in sleeve bearings 218 mounted on plate 212. Lower tooling blocks 220 are mounted on sub-plate 219 on plate 212. Tool member 221, having a plurality of crimp anvils 222, is mounted between tooling blocks 220. Upper tooling blocks 226 are mounted on subplate 224 on plate 214. Tool member 228, having a plurality of crimp elements 230, is mounted between tooling blocks 226. Block 234, having a slot 232 machined therein, is mounted on shafts 238. Shafts 238 having flanged sections 240 are slidably mounted in holes 242 provided in plate 212. Holes 242 have recesses 243 for receiving flanged section 240 on shafts 238. The block 234 is spring loaded away from plate 212 by springs 244 on shafts 238 in recesses 242 in plate 212. A knife 236 for severing the terminals from the carrier strip is mounted on block 234 providing a carrier strip feed path for receiving a plurality of lead wires attached to a carrier strip. An anvil 246 is mounted between tooling blocks 220 below slot 232. Members 252 mounted on tooling blocks 226 drive the knife 236 past the anvil during closing of the press to sever the terminals, attached to the lead wires, from the carrier strip. The carrier strip is advanced from the assembly station along block 260 by pawl 262.

The operation of the apparatus can readily be understood with reference to the attached drawings and the detailed description of the operation below.

A preferred terminal block for use in the apparatus of the invention is shown in FIGS. 9 (b) and (c). A group of four spring contact wires is inserted through vertically and horizontally spaced holes in the block in communication with the four vertical slots. The spaced vertical slots of different height terminate along one edge of the block with the recess extending into the intersecting surface.- The continuous spring wires are inserted in the vertical slots and through the communicating vertical and horizontal spaced holes in the block. On emerging from the vertical and horizontal spaced holes in the block the wires are positioned in a horizontal plane and then fanned out to align with a lead wire assembly having splice crimp terminals attached to the individual lead wires and connected to a-continuous carrier strip. A suitable carrier strip is described in applicants commonly assigned co-pending application S. N. 386,410 filed Aug. 7, 1973, which is incorporated by reference herein. The spring wires are splice crimped with the lead wires, and the continuous carrier strip severed from the lead wire terminals. The continuous spring wires interconnected with the lead wires in the splice crimp terminals are withdrawn into the vertical and horizontal spaced holes in the terminal block. The continuous wires are severed at a spaced distance from the surface of the block having the vertical slots therein. The curved back of the knife bends the severed spring wires into the vertical slots to form spring wire contacts. Preferably the spring wire contacts are then bent around the edge of the block wherein the vertical slots terminate, and the wire contacts form an acute angle with the surface of the block adjacent the surface having the vertical slots.

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention described above and shown in the attached drawings two groups of four continuous spring wires are initially threaded through wire guide 66, wire feed carriage assembly 32, wire insertion guide assembly 90 and wire positioning guide member 140 in the terminal block assembly station 130. The wires are initially trimmed by activating air cylinder 162 and cycling the knife 150 to sever the wire ends at the differential faces of positioning guide member 140. A plurality of lead wires having splice crimp terminals attached to the ends thereof and the terminals connected by the crimp terminals to a continuous carrier strip are positioned in the wire splice crimping assembly 210 by pawl 262.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus shown in the attached drawings two groups of four wires are shown, the detailed description of the operation of the apparatus which follows refers only to a single group.

Air cylinders 186 are activated and through piston rods 188 close cooperating guide plates 190. Air cylinder 206 is activated and piston rod 204, through connecting block 202 and pin 200, emerges cams 198 with cam follower surfaces 199 to engage spring wire positioning members 196 with the terminal block in the terminal block assembly station 130.

Air cylinder is activated and piston rod 84 starts the wire feed carriage assembly 32 toward the terminal block assembly station 130. Retaining nuts 71 on guide rods 72 release the wire insertion support guide assembly 90. Air cylinder 74 and springs 108 urge the wire insertion support guide assembly along carriage rods 30 and into engagement with stationary block 132. Knife guide block 138 attached to wire positioning

members

139 and 140, and connected by extension shaft to piston rod 70, slide in channel 136 to engage member 140 with the terminal block in the terminal block assembly station 130. The face of member 140 and the knife blade 152, are alternatively spaced to provide for cutting the spring wires at different lengths corresponding to the different length required to provide uniform length contacts when the spring contacts are bent along a surface of the terminal block. This length corresponds to the vertical spacing of the holes in the terminal block. The spaced vertical and horizontal holes 141-144 in the member 140 correspond to the holes in the terminal block. The four spring wires W W W and W, are respectively clamped by

upper bars

51, 52, 53 and 54 and

lower bars

46, 47, 48 and 49. The upper and lower bars cooperate to clamps wires W W W and W respectively disposed in spaced stepped

recesses

41, 42, 43 and 44 of side plates 40 on plate 24. Springs 60 on posts 55 are adjusted for three point clamping of the wires between the upper bars and the clamp groove 50 in the lower bars. Guide members 64 and 65 having grooves (not illustrated) advance the wires W W W and W, to the spring biased support fingers 110 as the carriage feed assembly 32 is advanced in the direction of stationary block 132 and inserts wires W W W and W through the terminal block. The spaced bars in the stepped recesses are brought together on rods 57 by springs 58, and the wires, respectively clamped by the bars as described above, are fed different lengths corresponding to the spacing of the stepped recesses.

Members 196 receive the vertically and horizontally spaced spring wires from the terminal block and position them in a horizontal plane. As the carriage feed assembly 32 is advanced on carriage rods 30 air cylinder 206 is deactivated and the guide members 196 are retracted toward guide plates in unison with the feed of the spring wires. The horizontal spaced wires are received in plates 190 and fanned out by cooperating

grooves

191, 192, 193 and 194 to position the ends of the continuous spring wires into splice crimp terminals on the lead wires positioned on the crimping anvils 222 and attached to the carrier strip by the crimp terminals. Crimp tools 230 on tool member 228 engage the crimp barrels of the splice terminals on anvils 222 to form a permanent electrical interconnection between the spring wires and lead wires. Press plate 214 is conventionally driven to perform the crimping function. Members 252 drive the knife 236 and block 234 down against springs 244 to sever the terminals and lead wires therein from the carrier strip in slot 232 by the action of knife 236 past anvil 246. Air cylinders 186 are deactivated opening guide plates 190. Air cylinder 80 is deactivated and the reciprocal carriage feed assembly 32 is withdrawn by piston rod 84. The four spring wires W W W and W clamped between upper and lower bars 51-54 and 46-49 are withdrawn pulling the splice crimp barrels interconnecting the spring wires and lead wires into the insulated terminal block. When the crimp barrels are seated in the insulated terminal blocks, springs 60 allow the lower and upper feed bars 46-49 and 5l-54 to slide along the continuous spring wiresv the remaining reicprocal travel of the carriage feed assembly 32. Air cylinder 162 is activated, and the knife 150 is driven downward. Knife edges 152 sever the continuous spring wires at different lengths spaced from the terminal block and the curved edge of the knife bends the severed ends of the wires along the surface of the terminal block to provide a plurality of spring wire contacts. The car carrier 176 is advanced from the terminal block assembly station. Additional stations may be provided along the monorail for subsequent operations on the terminal blocks, e.g., additional bending means can be provided for bending the spring wire contacts along the intersecting surface of the terminal block to providespring wire contacts forming an acute angle with the intersecting surface of the terminal block surface from which the spring wires extend. Additionally, inspection stations can be provided for both visual and electrical inspection of the terminal block, and the electrical interconnection of the spring wire contacts and the lead wires.

Suitable control means for sequencing and timing of the operation of the apparatus is provided, e.g., air cylinders can be used as shown in the preferred embodiment and controlled by solenoid valves and sequenced by limit switches and/or programmed by a conventional sequencer. Alternatively, the apparatus can be driven mechanically, e.g., through toggle linkages, clutches and cams and sequenced by limit switches and relay and/or programmed by a conventional sequencer.

The apparatus can be used for assembling various types of terminal blocks and is not limited by the terminal block illustrated with the preferred embodiment of the apparatus. Additionally the apparatus can be modified to assemble terminal blocks having greater or fewer spring wire contacts and lead wires. While the above description and attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it being apparent that other embodiments and modifications are equivalent and will be obvious to one skilled in the art, the invention is not to be limited except by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in a terminal block, comprising a terminal block assembly station for positioning a terminal block for receiving a plurality of spring wires and interconnecting the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires,

first means for positioning the plurality of spring wires in alignment with a plurality of spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station for insertion through the spaced holes in the terminal block,

means for feeding a plurality of spring wires through the spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station,

second means for positioning the spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in the terminal block in alignment with the lead wires at the terminal block assembly station,

means for positioning the plurality of lead wires at said terminal block assembly station,

means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires at said terminal block assembly station to form a permanent electrical interconnection,

means for retracting the spliced interconnection between the spring wires and the lead wires into the terminal block, and

means for severing the plurality of continuous spring wires a spaced distance from the terminal block in said terminal block assembly station to provide a plurality of spring wire contacts on the terminal block interconnected to a plurality of lead wires withinthe terminal block.

2. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, additionally including means for supporting said plurality of continuous spring wires fed to said terminal block assembly station.

3. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for feeding the plurality of continuous spring wires feeds each wire a different length to provide uniform length spring wire contacts.

4. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for feeding the continuous spring wires and said means for retracting the spliced interconnection comprises a reciprocal carriage.

5. An apparatus for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in a terminal block, comprising a terminal block assembly station for positioning a terminal block for receiving a plurality of spring wires and interconnecting the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires,

first means for positioning the plurality of spring wires in spaced vertical and horizontal alignment with a plurality of spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station for insertion through the spaced holes in the terminal block,

means for feeding a plurality of continuous spring wires different lengths through the spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station,

second means for positioning the spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in horizontal alignment with the lead wires at the terminal block assembly station,

means for positioning a plurality of lead wires at said terminal block assembly station means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires at said terminal block assembly stationto form a permanent electrical interconnection, means for retracting the spliced interconnection between the spring wires and the lead wires into the terminal block, and

means for severing the plurality of continuous spring wires different lengths from the terminal block in said terminal block assembly station to provide a plurality of uniform length spring wire contacts on the terminal block interconnected to a plurality of lead wires within the terminal blocks.

6. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires comprises crimp means.

7. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein wherein said second means for positioning the spring wires comprises opposing members actuatably engagable with the terminal block for receiving the plurality of spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in the terminal block.

8. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for feeding the plurality of spring wires and said means for retracting the spliced interconnection comprises a reciprocal carriage assembly.

9. An apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein said reciprocal carriage assembly includes means for supporting the plurality of spring wires.

10. An apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of lead wires includes crimp terminals attached to a continuous carrier strip, and said means for positioning the plurality of lead wires comprises a carrier strip feed path.

11. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising means for bending the spring wires to provide spring wire contacts at an acute angle with a surface of the terminal block.

12. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for severing the plurality of spring wires serves said wires at alternatively spaced different lengths from the terminal block to provide uniform length spring wire contacts when the spring wires are bent to form an acute angle with a surface of the terminal block.

13. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for feeding the plurality of spring wires different lengths comprises a plurality of cooperating bars for clamping each wire successively spaced distances from the terminal block assembly station, said feed bars being operably connected to close up the successively spaced distances and feed each wire a different length corresponding to the successively spaced distances to said terminal block assembly station.

14. An apparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein said means for supporting the plurality of wires comprises a plurality of opposing fingers.

15. An apparatus, as recited in claim 5, wherein said first means for positioning the spring wires comprises a member having a plurality of alternatively spaced surfaces with holes in alignment with the spaced holes in the terminal block.

16. An apparatus, as recited in claim 11, wherein said means for severing the plurality of spring wires comprises a knife having a plurality of cutting edges alternatively spaced from the terminal block in the terminal block assembly station.

17. An apparatus, as recited in claim 16, wherein said knife has a back surface adjacent the terminal block for bending the spring wires to provide a plurality of spring wire contacts at an acute angle with a surface of the terminal block.

18. An apparatus, as recited in claim 17, additionally comprising second means for bending the spring wire contacts to form an acute angle with an intersecting surface of the terminal block from which the spring wires extend.

19. An apparatus for feeding a plurality of wires different lengths to an assembly station, comprising a wire feed assembly, having a plurality of cooperating bars for clamping each wire a successively spaced distance from the assembly station, said feed bars being operably connected to close up the successively spaced distances and feed the respective wires different lengths corresponding to the successively spaced distances to said assembly station.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, additionally comprising a pair of stationary side plates on opposite sides of said feed assembly, said sideplates having a plurality of successively spaced recesses for receiving said plurality of cooperating bars.

21. An apparatus, as recited in claim 15, wherein said feed assembly includes a carriage and additionally comprises a member slidable on said carriage having a plurality of opposing fingers for supporting the wire during feeding to the assembly station.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in a terminal block, comprising a terminal block assembly station for positioning a terminal block for receiving a plurality of spring wires and interconnecting the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires, first means for positioning the plurality of spring wires in alignment with a plurality of spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station for insertion through the spaced holes in the terminal block, means for feeding a plurality of spring wires through the spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station, second means for positioning the spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in the terminal block in alignment with the lead wires at the terminal block assembly station, means for positioning the plurality of lead wires at said terminal block assembly station, means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires at said terminal block assembly station to form a permanent electrical interconnection, means for retracting the spliced interconnection between the spring wires and the lead wires into the terminal block, and means for severing the plurality of continuous spring wires a spaced distance from the terminal block in said terminal block assembly station to provide a plurality of spring wire contacts on the terminal block interconnected to a plurality of lead wires within the terminal block.

5. An apparatus for assembling terminal blocks having a plurality of spring wire contacts interconnected with a plurality of lead wires in a terminal block, comprising a terminal block assembly station for positioning a terminal block for receiving a plurality of spring wires and interconnecting the spring wires with a plurality of lead wires, first means for positioning the plurality of sprinG wires in spaced vertical and horizontal alignment with a plurality of spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station for insertion through the spaced holes in the terminal block, means for feeding a plurality of continuous spring wires different lengths through the spaced holes in the terminal block at said terminal block assembly station, second means for positioning the spring wires inserted through the spaced holes in horizontal alignment with the lead wires at the terminal block assembly station, means for positioning a plurality of lead wires at said terminal block assembly station, means for splicing the spring wires and lead wires at said terminal block assembly station to form a permanent electrical interconnection, means for retracting the spliced interconnection between the spring wires and the lead wires into the terminal block, and means for severing the plurality of continuous spring wires different lengths from the terminal block in said terminal block assembly station to provide a plurality of uniform length spring wire contacts on the terminal block interconnected to a plurality of lead wires within the terminal blocks.