Electrical harness fabrication

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said testing step comprises the step of testing successive pairs of adjacent harness conductors by measuring the electrical resistance therebetween, whereby the presence of an undesired shorting condition and a desired absence of a shorting condition is detected.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of advancing said intermediate harness product comprises engaging an external surface of said second electrical connector with an endless drive belt disposed in said track so that said test tab projects beyond said track, being rendered accessible to said test probe.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of preventing actuation of said trimming station, in response to an undesired test condition output signal at said testing station.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 wherein said terminated connectors are advanced downwardly past the termination station at least partially under the force of gravity, and said product is advanced in a direction along the delivery track generally transverse to the length of said intermediate harness product, so that substantial portions of said product are maintained beneath said delivery track so as not to interfere with said stripping, testing and trimming steps.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of: passing the harness downwardly through a selectively closable gap; and closing said gap immediately prior to said cutting step so as to block passage of said second connector therethrough, whereby said product is allowed to fall upon completion of said cutting step, thereby trapping said product in said gap.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein the step of closing said gap comprises the step of drawing opposed track portions toward each other to form a track extension matable with said delivery track, thereby providing a continuous path for said intermediate harness product.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of pushing said second connector from said track extension to said delivery track so as to engage said second connector with said drive belt.

Claim 10

A double-ended electrical harness fabrication machine that terminates a plurality of insulated electrical conductors to first and second electrical connectors, characterised by a termination station, means for terminating a first portion of the conductors to the first electrical connector at the termination station, means for advancing the terminated first connector past the termination station to present a second portion of the conductors to the termination station, means for terminating the second portion of the conductors to the second connector at the termination station, means for cutting the conductors a predetermined distance beyond the second connector to form an intermediate harness product having a test tab consisting of a portion of the insulated electrical conductors projecting beyond the second connector; a conductor stripping station for at least partially stripping the insulated conductors of the test tab; a testing station including a test probe for testing the harness product by wiping the stripped electrical conductors thereof as said product is advanced therepast, and generating an output signal in said test probe indicative of desired and undesired conditions of the test results; a selectively actuable trimming station for trimming the conductors adjacent the second connector to form a double-ended electrical harness, in response to said output signal from said testing station; a delivery track extending to said stripping, testing, and trimming stations; and means for advancing said product from said termination station along said delivery track to said stripping, testing and trimming stations.

Claim 11

A double-ended electrical harness fabrication machine that terminates a plurality of insulated electrical conductors to first and second electrical connectors, characterised by a termination station, means for terminating a first portion of the conductors to the first electrical connector at the termination station, means for advancing the terminated first connector past the termination station to present a second portion of the conductors to the termination station, means for terminating the second portion of the conductors to the second connector at the termination station, means for cutting the conductors a predetermined distance beyond the second connector to form an intermediate harness product having a test tab consisting of a portion of the insulated electrical conductors projecting beyond the second connector; a conductor stripping station for at least partially stripping the insulated conductors of the test tab; a testing station including a test probe for testing the harness product by wiping the stripped electrical conductors thereof as said product is advanced therepast, and generating an output signal in said test probe indicative of desired and undesired conditions of the test results; a selectively actuable trimming station for trimming the conductors adjacent the second connector to form a double-ended electrical harness, in response to said output signal from said testing station; a delivery track extending to said stripping, testing, and trimming stations; and means for advancing said product from said termination station along said delivery track to said stripping, testing and trimming stations.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 9 wherein said test probe establishes electrical contact with pairs of adjacent harness conductors and measures the electrical resistance therebetween, generating a first output signal indicating the undesired test condition of electrical shorting between adjacent conductors, and a second output signal indicating a desired test condition of the absence of such shorting the machine further including means responsive to an undesired output signal at said testing station for preventing actuation of said trimming station.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 9 or 10 wherein said delivery track includes a central slot for receiving and guiding a portion of said product, and at least one driven endless belt disposed adjacent said slot for drivingly engaging an outside surface of said product between said stripping, testing and trimming stations.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 11 wherein said terminated connectors are advanced downwardly past the termination station at least partially under the force of gravity, and said product is advanced along the delivery track in a direction generally transverse to the product length, so that substantial portions of said product are maintained beneath said delivery track so as not to interfere with said stripping, testing and trimming steps, said machine further comprising: selectively closeable gap means positioned below said termination station and closeable in response to cutting of said conductors so as to block the passage of said second connector therethrough, thereby allowing said product to fall upon cutting of said conductors, and to thereby be trapped in said gap.

Claim 15

The machine of claim 12 wherein said selectively closeable gap means comprises opposed track sections movable toward each other to form a track extension mateable with said delivery track to thereby form a continuous path for said product.

Claim 16

The machine of claim 13 further comprising means for pushing said second connector from said track extension to said delivery track so as to engage said second connector with said drive belt.