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EP0052486A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for manufacturing electrical leads

Assignee: FCI USA LLC
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Filing: 1981-11-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-11-12
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Abstract

Abstract In known electrical lead making machines, a wire is supported horizontally while having connectors applied to its ends. As a result restrictions are placed on the length of lead which can be produced. This problem is avoided by the use of a movably mounted guide (71) that positions wire (70) from a supply thereof relative to a work location (74); a cutter (77) for cutting a predetermined length of wire as the wire is supported by a gripper device (76). A movable carriage (19) holds the connector and brings the connector into position for attachment to the wire. At the same time the movable guide (71) is displaced away from the path of the movable carriage (19) to permit the carriage to bring the connector into position for attachment to a wire as it is supported by the gripper device (76). A releasing mechanism is provided for separating a cut and predetermined length of wire from the gripping device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ernest Cheh
  • 👤 William Allen

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 12:09
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/28; H01R43/01; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49174; Y10T29/49181; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5136; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/532; Y10T29/53209; Y10T29/53213; Y10T29/53217

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 279 words
An apparatus for withdrawing a predetermined length of electrical wire from a supply, severing said predetermined length from said supply, and installing an electrical connector on at least one end of said length, characterised by: feed means (75) for advancing a predetermined length of wire (70) axially in a given direction; guide means (71) having an inlet for receiving wire from said feed means, and an outlet for positioning wire at a work location; gripper means (76) spaced from the outlet of said guide means in the direction of.motion of the wire, for gripping a portion of wire which has passed through said guide means; cutter means (77) movable along a path transverse to said direction of motion of the wire intermediate said outlet of said guide means (71) and said gripper means (76) for severing a portion of wire which has passed through.said guide means; connector carrying means (19) movable along a path transverse to said given direction of motion of the wire, said path being positioned intermediate said outlet of said guide means (71) and said gripper means (76) for advancing a connector (72) into position for attachment to a portion of wire which has passed through said guide means; said guide means (71) being movably mounted relative to the path of said connector carrying means (19) so that the outlet of said guide means may be selectively displaced away from the path of said connector carrying means to permit a connector (72) to be carried into position for attachment to a wire gripped in said gripper means; and release means for causing a severed, predetermined length of wire to be released from said gripper means (76).
Claim 2
Independent Claim 279 words
An apparatus for withdrawing a predetermined length of electrical wire from a supply, severing said predetermined length from said supply, and installing an electrical connector on at least one end of said length, characterised by: feed means (75) for advancing a predetermined length of wire (70) axially in a given direction; guide means (71) having an inlet for receiving wire from said feed means, and an outlet for positioning wire at a work location; gripper means (76) spaced from the outlet of said guide means in the direction of.motion of the wire, for gripping a portion of wire which has passed through said guide means; cutter means (77) movable along a path transverse to said direction of motion of the wire intermediate said outlet of said guide means (71) and said gripper means (76) for severing a portion of wire which has passed through.said guide means; connector carrying means (19) movable along a path transverse to said given direction of motion of the wire, said path being positioned intermediate said outlet of said guide means (71) and said gripper means (76) for advancing a connector (72) into position for attachment to a portion of wire which has passed through said guide means; said guide means (71) being movably mounted relative to the path of said connector carrying means (19) so that the outlet of said guide means may be selectively displaced away from the path of said connector carrying means to permit a connector (72) to be carried into position for attachment to a wire gripped in said gripper means; and release means for causing a severed, predetermined length of wire to be released from said gripper means (76).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus.according to claim 1, characterised in that said feed means (75) comprises a pair of cooperating feed rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the length of wire fed by said rollers is controlled by a preset control mechanism.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 47 words
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said gripper means (76) comprises a pair of cooperating jaws with a plurality of finger-like elements that provide a series of openings to allow for wire to pass when the jaws are in a partially closed position.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said cutter means (71.) is positioned on said connector carrying means (19).
Claim 7
Independent Claim 60 words
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said connector carrying means (19) has positioned thereon said cutter means (77) a first assembly tool (73) for attaching a connector (72) to the leading end of said portion of wire, and a second assembly tool (73A) for attaching a connector to the trailing end of said portion of wire.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by locking means (60) for securing different regions of said connector carrying means (19) along said path of travel thereof at said work location (74).
Claim 9
Independent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to any.preceding claim, in which the wire extends vertically through said work location (74).

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