US3848316A

US3848316A - Lead wire assembly apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3848316A
Application number: US00400909A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Bakermans; W Thoms
Original assignee: EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
Priority date: 1973-09-26
Filing date: 1973-09-26
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip. A press assembly comprising a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path is provided for receiving a carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached to opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp barrels on the terminals. The press includes selectively actuatible tooling for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip and for crimping the ends of the continuous wires in the first and second terminals. A wire feed assembly feeds a plurality of continuous wires to the tooling station. Adjustable fingers grip the first terminals and pull the continuous wires crimped therein an individually predetermined length through the crimp barrels on the second terminals on the carrier strip in the tooling station. Wire cutting and insulation stripping tooling severs and strips the insulation from the continuous wires extending from the second terminals, and the insulation ends of the wires are positioned in the crimp barrels of the second terminals. The insulation ends of the wires are crimped in the crimp barrels on the second terminals and the carrier strip is advanced from the tooling station.

Description

United States Patent [191 Bakermans et al.

[ Nov. 19, 1974 Thoms, East Berlin, both of Pa.

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

Filed: Sept. 26, 1973 Appl. No.: 400,909

[73] Assignee:

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS ll/l964 Laskowski 29/630R X 4/l969 Berg 29/l 93.5 9/1969 Brosseit 29/203 DTS Primary Examiner- -Thomas H. Eager [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided for assembling groups of I lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip. A press assembly comprising a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path is provided for receiving a carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached to opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp barrels on the terminals. The press includes selectively actuatible tooling for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip and for crimping .the ends of the continuous wires in the first and second terminals. A wire feed assembly feeds a plurality of continuous wires to the tooling station. Adjustable fingers grip the first terminals and pull the continuous wires crimped therein an individually predetermined length through the crimp barrels on the second terminals on the carrier strip in the tooling station. Wire cutting and insulation stripping tooling seven; and strips the insulation from the continuous wires extending from the second terminals, and the insulation ends of the wires are positioned in the crimp barrels of the second terminals. The insulation ends of the wires are crimped in the crimp barrels on the second terminals and the carrier strip is advanced from the tooling statron.

10 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures PAIENIEL rmv 1 91914 sum 02 or 1o PATENTEL NEW 1 3. 848.31 6 I saw uuur 10 PATENIE 1m 1 91914 sum us or 1,o

'PATENIE a? 1 91974 SHEE 06 0F 10 PATENIL 143v 1 91974 sum 07 or 10 saw :10 ur10 PAIENTE uav 1 91974 LEAD WIRE ASSEMBLY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to an apparatus for assembling lead wires, and particularly relates to apparatus for assembling lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for assembling lead wires having the same or different lengths, and still more particularly, it relates to apparatus for assembling groups of parallel lead wires having the same or different lengths in a group.

2. Description of the Prior Art Continuous lead wire assemblies having a plurality of parallel insulated lead wires arranged in a number of like wire groups, each of the groups being made up of a number of lead wires having different lengths and arranged in a predetermined sequence on a carrier strip are known in the art and described in US. Pat. No. 3,437,460.

An apparatus for assembling fixed length lead wires in a parallel mode is described in US. Pat. No.

3,465,409, and an apparatus for assembling different length lead wires in a serial mode is described in US. Pat. No. 3,155,136.

The apparatus of the present invention provides for assembling a plurality of parallel insulated lead wires arranged in a number of like wire groups with a carrier strip extending along the length of the assembly with splice-type crimp barrels spaced at regular intervals along the strip on one side thereof and the lead wires extending across the strip with one end of each wire secured in each crimp barrel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention an apparatus is provided for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path, means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires perpendicular to the carrier strip feed path, means for individually pulling each of the wires through the tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from the plurality of continuous wires, and means for attaching the severed ends of each of the lead wires to a terminal attached to the carrier strip.

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, a continuous carrier strip is repetitively advanced through the carrier strip feed path to position a plurality of terminals in the tooling station and provide a continuous lead wire assembly having a plurality of parallel insulated lead wires arranged in a number of wire groups. A carrier strip extends along the length of the assembly with splice-type crimp barrels 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 tothe strip by an insulation crimp barrel, which together with wire crimp barrels form splice barrels. Bare ends of the wire conductors are positioned in open wire crimp barrels permitting subsequent positioning of additional wire components in the barrels prior to closing of the crimp barrels for forming a pennanent electrical connection between the conductors in the leads and the additional components. The continuous carrier strip matic assembly of groups of parallel lead wires having different or the same lengths within a group at high production rates. and obviates the heretofore intensive labor requirements for assembling similar lead wire assemblies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred carrier strip for use with the apparatus of the invention, and steps in assembling the lead wires.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation partially broken away to illustrate the wire feed assembly, and tooling of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side elevation views of the jaws for gripping the first terminals and fingers for pulling the wires partially broken away of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a detailed view taken along line 99 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a detailed view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 is a split view in detail showing the tooling for wire cutting and insulation stripping of the apparatus of the invention.

FIGS. 12-18 are detailed drawings illustrating the operational sequence of the wire feeding, cutting, crimping and wire pulling according to the invention.

FIG. 19 is a detailed drawing illustrating the wire feed to the terminals of the carrier strip according to the invention.

FIG. 20 is a plan view in detail taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 6.

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.

The general operation of the apparatus of the invention can be readily understood with reference to FIG. 1. A press having upper and lower selectively actuatible tooling centrally disposed therein comprising a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path is mounted on a table. A preferred carrier strip, having a plurality of first and second terminals disposed on opposite sides thereoffthe terminals having crimp barrels attaching them to the carrier strip, is illustrated in FIG. 5. Means for guiding and advancing the carrier strip along the feed path through the tooling station are mounted on opposite sides of the press. Means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires to the tooling station in a direction perpendicular to the carrier strip feed path at the tooling station are mounted to the'rear of the press. To the front of the press is mounted a plurality of jaws disposed on a plurality of individual fingers which are brought into alignment with the tooling station and grip the first terminals disposed on one side of the carrier strip positioned therein. The first terminals are severed from the carrier strip by the selectively actuatible tool ing during first action of the press, but held in position at the tooling station by the jaw members on the fingers. Continuous wires are inserted into the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals positioned in the tooling station. First terminal crimp tooling is actuated, and the second action of the press crimps the ends of the wires in the first terminals. The individual fingers are withdrawn from the tooling station. The jaws grip -the first terminals and pull the continuous wires crimped therein an individually determined distance. Lead wires are severed from the continuous wires, the insulation is stripped from the ends of the wires and the ends are positioned in the crimp barrels on the second terminals. Second crimp tooling is actuated and the third action of the press crimps the insulation ends in the crimp barrels of the second terminals attached to the continuous carrier strip. The tooling inthe press is selectively actuated to perform several cutting and crimping functions in sequence when the press is operated as detailed in the following description.

,A table 25 having legs 26 is provided for mounting the component assemblies of the apparatus. Base plate 51 is centrally mounted on table 25. A press comprising upper plate 53 and lower plate 55 connected by posts 57 is reciprocally mounted in sleeve bearings 59, which extend through base plate 51, table 25, and blocks 58.

' 111 connected from pins 113 through plate 53 to pins 114. The bracket 110 is cantilevered from posts 115 which are fixedly mounted in plate 51 and slide in holes provided in plate 53. A tool selector key 116. having different length key elements'117 and 118, is slidably mounted in track 129 of member 13] mounted on the underside of plate 53. Pin 119 connects selector key 116 to piston rod 121 of air cylinder 123 fixedly mounted on slide member 125. Slide 125 is also mounted in track 129. An air cylinder 127 mounted on the upper side of slide member 125 has piston rod 128 connected to member 131 by pin 133. Tool member 105 having crimp elements 106 can be partially cngaged by the action of contact member 145 connected to piston rod 143 of air cylinder 141 mounted on plate t 157 for contacting stop elements 165 of member 166 The press is driven by toggle linkage 60 having link 63 connected to fixed member 65 on the underside of table 25 by pin 64, and link 67 connected to fixed member 69 on plate 55 by pin 68. The knuckle of linkage 60 is connected to a drive shaft 71 by a pin 70.

Drive'shaft 71 is connected to a piston rod 73 of air cylinder 75 by a pin 72. Air cylinder 75 is fixedly mounted on the underside of table 25.

A lower tooling block having tubular recesses 87 therein is resiliently mounted on a sub-plate 77 on plate 51 by posts 79 in recesses 87 and springs 83 in recesses 81 of sub-plate 77 and block 85. A groove 89 in each side of lower tooling block 85 is engaged by retaining clamps 91 which are fixedly mounted on plate 51. A stop lever 92 is pivotally mounted on plate 51 for engagement with the underside of block 85. Lever 92 is connected to rod 93 and in turn to a piston rod of an air cylinder 90. Tool member 95 having a plurality of crimp barrel anvils 96 is fixedly mounted in block 100. Tool member 98 having a plurality of crimp barrel anvils 99 are mounted in tooling block 85. An alignment block 100 having inclined surface 101 is fixedly mounted on plate 77 for alignment with jaws for gripping the first terminals.

A housing 109 for the upper tooling is mounted on the underside of plate 53. Tool member 102 having a plurality of crimping elements 103, carrier strip cutting tool 104, tool member 105 having a plurality of crimp elements 106 and tool member 107 having a plurality of guide elements 108 are mounted in the housing 109. Pins 113 connected through the shanks of the tool members are biased against a bracket by springs mounted on block 181. Member is connected to post 159 connected to link 155 of toggle linkage 151 through

blocks

180, 181 having sleeve bearings 182 therein. A collar 162 having set screw 163 is mounted on post 159(Toggle linkage 151 is connected by pin 152 to piston rod of air cylinder 177 which is pivotally mounted in bracket 179 on the underside of table 25.

A carrier strip guide and advance assembly is mounted on the sides of the press assembly. Carrier strip guide member 241 is mounted on tooling block 85. A cover plate 243 having a recess therein is mounted on member 241 to form a guide channel for a carrier strip. Tension means 247 including a strip drag (not shown) is mounted on rods 249 and biased against the carrier strip by springs 251. A carrier strip advance guide member 253 is mounted on the other side .of block 85. Member 253 has a central channel 254 along most of its length for travel of a carrier strip advance pin 269. A cover plate 255 having one open side 257 is provided on member 253. Member 258 having a trackway 259 is mounted on the underside of guide member 253. Member 261 having trackway 262 is spaced below member 258 for receiving a U-shaped connecting member 263 between respective trackways 259, 262. Advance pin 269 is slidably mounted in pin block 267 and connected to pivot member 265 by connecting pin 270 which is slidably mounted in an oval channel (not shown) in pin block 267. Pivot member 265 is connected to pin block 267 by pin 260 and to U- shaped member 263 by pin 266. Member 263 connects to piston rod 271 of an air cylinder (not'shown).

A wire feed assembly is provided to the rear of the press assembly for feeding a plurality of wires to the terminals on the carrier strip in the tooling station. Upper and

lower guide plates

272, 273 having

bill sections

275, 276 and recesses thereint not shown) for receiving a plurality of wires are mounted on block 286. Clamp member 277 is mounted on piston rod 279 of air cylinder 281. Air cylinder 281 is thread mounted in plate 283 and spaced from the upper guide plate by bushings 285 on the shafts of bolts 284. Block 286 having flanged section 287 is slidably mounted in track 290 formed by opposing members 288, 289 and plate 291. Plate 291 having posts 292 fixedly mounted to the underside thereof rests on plate 296 mounted on member 295, with posts 292 received by sleeve bearings 293 in recesses 294 of block 295. Plate 296 has a slot 297 for receiving cam 298 having cam surface 299. Cam 298 is connected to a piston rod of an air cylinder (not shown). Slide member 287 connects to pin 313 in connecting member 311 which is slidably mounted in track 312 of cantilevered member 305. Member 311 is connected to piston rod 309 of air cylinder 307 which is fixedly mounted on member 305.

A wire pulling assembly is mounted on table 25 to the front of the press assembly. Individual wire pulling fingers 321-328 are slidably mounted on plate 339 of housing 315. The fingers have a plurality of slots 329 spaced along their length for indexing with key elements 340 on blocks 341 adjustably mounted on each finger by screws 342. Lower and upper

terminal gripping jaws

331, 332 are mounted on each finger. The lower jaws 331 are fixedly mounted to the fingers. The upper jaws 332 having

levers

333, 334 are pivotally mounted by pins 330 on the fingers. Springs 347 are mounted between the fingers and levers 334 for engaging the contacting surfaces of upper jaws 332 with the fixed lower jaws 331. Wires 350 are provided from levers 333 to brackets 349 mounted on the opposite ends of the fingers by screws 348. Housing 316 isfixedly mounted on housing 315 above the fingers. Plate 317 of housing 316 constrains the fingers on plate 339. Stop block 370 is mounted on shaft 372 which is slidably mounted between

plates

317, 319. Shaft 372 has an opening 373 having cam follower surface 374 for engaging cam 375. Cam'375 has two

cam surfaces

376 and 377 and is connected to piston rod 380 of air cylinder 382 through connecting member 381.

Openings

378, 379 are provided in housing 316 for the cam 375.

A preferred carrier strip 31 having first spade terminals 33 with insulation crimp barrels 34 and wire crimp barrels 35 and secondsplice crimp terminals 36 with insulation crimp barrels 37 and wire splice crimp bar rels 38 disposed on opposite sides thereof is positioned in the tooling station provided by the lower tooling block 85.

Air cylinder 363 is activated engaging wheels 355 with wires 350 between spaced guide wheels 351 and through levers 333 open upper jaws 332 on lingers 321-328. Air cylinder 393 on the underside of plate 339 is activated and striker face 389 of member 387 on piston rod 391 contacts striker surface 385 of member 383 on the underside of the fingers 321-328. The fingers are pushed towards the tooling station until inclined surface 384 aligns with surface 101 on block 100. Air cylinder 363 is deactivated releasing the ten sion on wires 350 and jaws 332 biased by springs 347 grip the plurality of first spade terminals 33 at the tool- A plurality of pairs of spaced guide wheels 351 are ro- V tatably journaled on shafts 350 in housing 316 for receiving wires 350. A plurality of wheels 355 above wires 350 are rotatably journaled on shaft 357 of bracket 358 mounted on block 359. Block 359 is actuatibly disposed on piston rod 361 of air cylinder 363, which is fixedly mounted on the top of housing 316.

Member 387 is mounted on piston rod 391 of air cylinder 393, which is fixedly mounted in housing 315 on the underside of plate 339 with bracket 394. A guide shaft 395 is connected to member 387 and slides in bracket 394 below cylinder 393. Alignment surfaces 384 are provided on the underside of members 383 for engaging with alignment surface 101 on block 100. Members 383 are mounted on the underside of the fingers and have striker surfaces 385 for receiving striker face 389 of member 387.

A plurality of guide wheels 396 are rotatably journaled on shaft 397 which is mounted between arms 398 of bracket 399 connected to the end of cylinder 393.

. Fingers 321-328 are connected by wires 400 over guide wheels 396 to piston rods 410 of air cylinders 401-408 which are fixedly connected to a base of the apparatus (not illustrated).

The operation of the apparatus of the invention can be readily understood with particular reference to FIGS. 12-18 and the description below.

ing station. Tool selector key 116 is positioned in its intermediate position so that the longer key 117 is aligned with the shank of carrier strip cutting tool 104, and key member 118 is unaligned. Air cylinder on the underside of table 25 is activated and toggle linkage 60 drives plate 55 down and closes the press. Plate 53 engages the longer key element 117 with the shank of tool 104 and the cutting tool 104 severs the first or spade terminals 33 from the carrier strip 31. At the completion of the stroke of piston rod 73 toggle linkage 60 opens the press raising plate 53 and tool 104.

Jaws

331, 332 on the fingers 321-328 hold the plurality of first spade terminals 33 in position at the tooling statron.

Air cylinder 281 is activated and clamp member 277 on piston rod 279 clamps the plurality of wires between upper and

lower guide plates

272, 273 with the ends thereof, having the insulation stripped therefrom. extending from

bill sections

275, 276. Cam 298 is engaged by an air cylinder (not shown) and cam surface 299 lifts the wire feed assembly on plate 296 which is guided by posts 292 in sleeve bearings 293 recessed in block 295. Air cylinder 307 is activated and piston rod 309, connected to slidable member 311 by pin 313, advances the wire feed assembly and the wires extending from the

bill section

275, 276 thereof to the tooling station. The action of raising the wire feed assembly shown in phantom in FIG. 13, enables the wires to clear the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals in the tooling station. Cam 298 is withdrawn lowering the wire feed assembly and positioning the ends of the wires into the crimp barrels 34, 35 of terminals 33 in the tooling station and the wiresin crimp barrels 37, 38 of terminals 36.

Selector key 116 is advanced to the forward position as shown in FIG. 13 by activation of air cylinder 123. The longer key element 117 is aligned with the shank of the first terminal wire and insulation crimp tool 102 and the shorter key element 118 is aligned with the shank of the second terminal crimp tool 105. Air cylinder 75 is deactivated retracting piston rod 73 and through the action of toggle linkage 60 closes the press. Upper plate 53 through key selector 116 engages

key elements

117 and 118 fully and partially with crimp tool members 102 and 105, respectively. The plurality of crimp elements 103 on member 102 cooperate with crimp anvils 96 to crimp the insulation and wire crimp barrels 34, 35 securing the spade terminals 33 to the plurality of wires. Crimp elements 106 on tool member 105 only loosely crimp the wires in the insulation crimp barrels 37 of splice terminal 36 against anvils 99. Guide member 107 having guide elements 108 are activated along with member 105 and confine the continuous wires in crimp barrels 37, 38 on splice terminals 36 in the tooling station.

Air cylinder 141 is activated and piston rod 143 engages contact member 145 with the shank of tool member 105 and holds crimp elements 106 and guides 108 in their partially engaged position with anvils 99. Air cylinder 281 is deactivated and clamp member 277 releases the plurality of continuous wires.

Air cylinder 393 is deactivated and the fingers 321-328 are retracted by air cylinders 401-408. The fingers are retracted until blocks 341 mounted at selected different positions along the individual fingers engage stop block 370 at its forward position as shown in FIG. 7, with cam 375 fully engaged and cam surface 377 engaging the cam follower surface 374 in shaft 372. Block 286 is withdrawn a distance shown in FIG. 16 to remove the

bill sections

275, 276 from between the wire cutting and

insulation stripping blades

171, 173. Air cylinder 281 is reactivated and clamp member 277 reengages the plurality of wires disposed through the

guide plates

272, 273. Air cylinder 177 is activated engaging insulation stripping blades 171 and wire cutter blades 173. The continuous wires are cut by blades 173. The severed lead wires are pulled forward an in-, cremental distance to strip the insulation therefrom by the action of air cylinders 401-408 pulling fingers 321-328, and the withdrawal of cam 375 until cam surface 376 disengages cam follower surface 374. The incremental distance also positions the wire ends having the insulation stripped therefrom in the splice terminals 36 with the insulation ends in the insulation crimp barrels'37 and the wire ends in wire crimp barrels 38.

Air cylinders 123 and 127 are both deactivated to retract key selector 116 and align the longer key selector element 117 with the shank of crimp tool member 105.

Air cylinder 75 through toggle linkage 60 closes the press and plate 53 engages key member 117 with the shank of tool member 105 and crimp elements 106 cooperate with anvils 99 to crimp the insulation crimp barrels 37 of splice terminals 36 on the insulation ends of the lead wires. Air cylinder 90 is activated engaging member 92 under block 85. Block 85, fixedly supported by stop member 92, holds anvils 99 fixed during crimping. The wire feed assembly is withdrawn a second distance to strip theinsulation from the wire ends by the action of air cylinder 307 through piston rod 309, connecting member 311 and pin 313 connecting to slide member 287. Air cylinder 307 is a threeposition cylinder to provide for the two-step withdrawal of the wire feed assembly.

Air cylinder 177 is deactivated opening the wire cutting and

insulation stripping blades

173, 171. Air cylinder 127 is activated positioning tool selector key 116 for the next cycle. Air cylinder 90 is deactivated and withdraws member 92 from block 85.

Air cylinder 363 on the top of housing 316 is activated and guide wheels 355 engage wires 350 between spaced wheels 351 to pull levers 333 and release upper jaw members 332 of the fingers 321-328. Cam 375 is then completely withdrawn by air cylinder 382 so the

jaws

331, 332 clear the terminals 33 crimped on the wire ends.

The lead wire assemblies attached to the carrier strip 31 by the second or splice terminals 36 are removed from the loading station by the advancing of the carrier strip. U-shaped member 263 connected to piston rod 271 of an air cylinder (not illustrated) is reciprocated between

members

258, 261 in tracks 259, 262. When U-shaped member 263 is pushed toward the press assembly by the action of the air cylinder. pin block 267 connected to pivot member 265 is momentarily restrained by friction with groove 260 provided in member 258. Member 265 pivots withdrawing advance pin 269 into the pin block by the action of connecting pin 270 in vertical oval slot (not shown) in the pin block. On the reciprocal stroke of U-shaped member 263 the friction of the advance pin block with groove 260 in member 258 again momentarily holds the pin block while pivot member 265 and connecting pin 270 are pushed up in the vertical slot (not shown) in pin block 267 to engage pin 269 with indexing holes 32 in the carrier strip 31. The retractingof U-shaped member 263 advances the assembled lead wires from the loading station and positions a plurality of new terminals disposed on opposite sides of the carrier strip in the loading station.

The lead assembly cycle is then repeated with the finge rs being advanced to the loading station and the jaws thereon receiving the first terminals on one side of the carrier strip. The first terminals are severed from the carrier strip, and wire feed assembly positions a plurality of the continuous wires in the crimp barrels of the first terminals. The press is closed crimping the wires in the first terminals and confining the wires in the second terminals. The plurality of wires is then drawn an individually determined length through the second terminals. The continuous wires are severed and the insulation stripped from the ends thereof. and the severed lead wires are pulled an incremental distance and positioned in the crimp barrels on the second terminals. The press is again closed crimping the second terminals on the insulation ends of the severed lead wires to complete the assembly of the lead wires. The assembled lead wires are then removed from the loading station by advancing the carrier strip as previously described. and a new segment of carrier strip having a plurality of terminals disposed on opposite sides thereof is positioned in the loading station.

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

The apparatus can be used for assembling the lead wires in various configurations, e.g., a machine having eight positions in the loading station as shown in the preferred embodiment and the attached drawings can be used to assemble two groups of four lead wires each wire in each group having different length as shown in FIG. 4. Additionally, the invention can be modified to assemble any number'of lead wires in any desired configuration having the same or different lengths within a number of groups or a single group undergoing assembly at a loading station at the same time. While the above description and attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the apparatus and method of the invention, it is apparent that other embodiments and modifications are equivalent and will be obvious to one skilled in the art, therefore, the invention is not to be limited except by the appended claims.

We claim: 1. An apparatus for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising, a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path, means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires substantially perpendicular to the direction of said carrier strip feed path in said tooling station, means for pulling each of said continuous wires a predetermined distance through said tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from said continuous wires pulled through said tooling station, and means for attaching the severed ends of the lead wires to terminals on said carrier strip in said tooling station. 2. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for pulling each of said wires comprise individual fingers having members for gripping each of said continuous wires.

3. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for attaching the severed ends of said lead wires to said terminals comprises crimp tooling 4. An apparatus for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising,

a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path,

means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, the carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached on opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp barrels on the terminals,

means for gripping the first terminals on the carrier strip at the tooling station,

means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip,

means for feeding ends of a plurality of continuous wires substantially perpendicular to said carrier strip feed path in said tooling station into the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals attached to the carrier strip,

means for crimping the ends of the continuous wires in the crimp barrels on the first terminals in said tooling station,

means for pulling each of the first terminals and the continuous wires crimped therein a predetermined distance, throughsaid tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from the continuous wires pulled through said tooling station, and

means for crimping the severed ends of the lead wires in the crimp barrels on the second terminals in said tooling station.

5. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for grippingthe first terminals and said means for pulling the first terminals and continuous wires crimped therein comprise a plurality of individual fingers having jaw members disposed thereon.

6. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said continuous wires have electrical insulation thereon. ad-

ditionally comprising means for stripping the insulation from the severed ends of the lead wires and the continuous wires.

7. An apparatus for assembling lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising a press having a tooling station disposed therein, said tooling station having a carrier strip feed path,

means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, the carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached on opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp harrels on the terminals,

means for gripping the first terminals on the carrier strip at the tooling station.

means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip, means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires substantially parallel to said carrier strip feed path in the tooling station into the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals attached to the carrier strip,

first crimping means for crimping the ends of the continuous wires in the crimp barrels on the first terminals in said tooling station,

means for pulling each of the first terminals and the continuous wires crimped therein a predetermined distance through said tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from the continuous wires pulled through the tooling station, and

second crimping means for crimping the severed ends of the lead wires in the crimp barrels on the second terminals in the tooling station.

8. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said press comprises a stationary base plate and a reciprocal press plate and said tooling. station comprises a lower tool housing disposed on said stationary plate having said carrier strip feed path disposed thereon, and upper tool housing disposed on said press plate having disposed therein said means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip, and said first and second means for crimping the wire ends in the terminals.

9. An apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein said continuous wires have electrical insulation thereon, ad ditionally comprising means for stripping the insulation from the severed ends of the lead wires and the continuous wires.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said second means for crimping the severed ends of the lead wires in the crimp barrels on the second terminals is partially actuated to confine the continuous wires during pulling of the continuous wires through the tooling station.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising, a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path, means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires substantially perpendicular to the direction of said carrier strip feed path in said tooling station, means for pulling each of said continuous wires a predetermined distance through said tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from said continuous wires pulled through said tooling station, and means for attaching the severed ends of the lead wires to terminals on said carrier strip in said tooling station.

2. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for pulling each of said wires comprise individual fingers having members for gripping each of said continuous wires.

3. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for attaching the severed ends of said lead wires to said terminals comprises crimp tooling.

4. An apparatus for assembling groups of lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising, a tooling station having a carrier strip feed path, means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, the carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached on opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp barrels on the terminals, means for gripping the first terminals on the carrier strip at the tooling station, means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip, means for feeding ends of a plurality of continuous wires substantially perpendicular to said carrier strip feed path in said tooling station into the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals attached to the carrier strip, means for crimping the ends of the continuous wires in the crimp barrels on the first terminals in said tooling station, means for pulling each of the first terminals and the continuous wires crimped therein a predetermined distance, through said tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from the continuous wires pulled through said tooling station, and means for crimping the severed ends of the lead wires in the crimp barrels on the second terminals in said tooling station.

5. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for gripping the first terminals and said means for pulling the first terminals and continuous wires crimped therein comprise a plurality of individual fingers having jaw members disposed thereon.

6. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, whereIn said continuous wires have electrical insulation thereon, additionally comprising means for stripping the insulation from the severed ends of the lead wires and the continuous wires.

7. An apparatus for assembling lead wires attached to terminals on a carrier strip, comprising a press having a tooling station disposed therein, said tooling station having a carrier strip feed path, means for positioning a carrier strip on said feed path in said tooling station, the carrier strip having a plurality of first and second terminals attached on opposite sides of the carrier strip through crimp barrels on the terminals, means for gripping the first terminals on the carrier strip at the tooling station, means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip, means for feeding a plurality of continuous wires substantially parallel to said carrier strip feed path in the tooling station into the crimp barrels on the first and second terminals attached to the carrier strip, first crimping means for crimping the ends of the continuous wires in the crimp barrels on the first terminals in said tooling station, means for pulling each of the first terminals and the continuous wires crimped therein a predetermined distance through said tooling station, means for severing a plurality of lead wires from the continuous wires pulled through the tooling station, and second crimping means for crimping the severed ends of the lead wires in the crimp barrels on the second terminals in the tooling station.

8. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said press comprises a stationary base plate and a reciprocal press plate and said tooling station comprises a lower tool housing disposed on said stationary plate having said carrier strip feed path disposed thereon, and upper tool housing disposed on said press plate having disposed therein said means for severing the first terminals from the carrier strip, and said first and second means for crimping the wire ends in the terminals.

9. An apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein said continuous wires have electrical insulation thereon, additionally comprising means for stripping the insulation from the severed ends of the lead wires and the continuous wires.