Machine for crimping connectors to wires and connector supply arrangement

Claim 2

A machine for crimping a connector to a pair of conductor wires and wherein the connector is on a tape that carries a series of such connections, each connector being channel shaped with a base and opposed sides and with the tape being secured to said base and opposed sides, said machine comrpising an anvil for backing the tape and the base of the connector, a reciprocating ram, wire-retaining means carried by the ram for supporting said wires in juxtaposed relationship, a shear block adjacent to said anvil and being movable relative to sand anvil, said shear block having cutting edges cooperating with said ram for cutting said wires and having additional cutting edges cooperating with said anvil for cutting said tape, said ram also having means cooperating with said anvil for crimping said connector by folding the sides of the connector such that portions of the sides are between said wires, and means for driving said ram through a forward stroke to: b. sever said tape with a connector thereon from the remainder of said tape; 2. insert said wires into said connector between said sides with the wires having respective ends protruding from opposite ends of the connector; 3. cut said protruding end portions; and 4. crimp said connector to said wires by folding said sides.

Claim 3

insert said wires into said connector between said sides with the wires having respective ends protruding from opposite ends of the connector;

Claim 4

insert said wires into said connector between said sides with the wires having respective ends protruding from opposite ends of the connector;

Claim 5

A machine according to claim 1 in which said shear block is movable toward said ram following cutting of said protruding end portions.

Claim 6

A machine according to claim 2 in which said shear block is spring biased toward said ram.

Claim 7

cut said protruding end portions; and

Claim 8

cut said protruding end portions; and

Claim 9

crimp said connector to said wires by folding said sides.

Claim 10

crimp said connector to said wires by folding said sides.

Claim 11

A machine according to claim 1 in which said shear block has opposed slots at the tape cutting edges thereof for receiving opposed margins of the tape.

Claim 12

A machine according to claim 1 in which said wire-retaining means comprises for each wire a pin and a spring that provide a structure for gripping the wire.

Claim 13

A machine according to claim 1 in which said ram has a return stroke, and indexing means responsive to said return stroke for advancing the tape to position another conductor at said anvil.

Claim 14

A machine according to claim 6 in which said indexing means includes a feed wheel with peripheral teeth that engage openings in the tape between the conductors, said feed wheel being rotatable about an axis that is parallel to the path of reciprocation of said ram.

Claim 15

A machine fo crimping a tape-carried connector, means comprising a reciprocating ram, conductor retaining means carried by said ram, an anvil, a shear block slidable relative to said anvil and being spring-biased toward said ram, first cooperating means including said ram and cutting edges on said shear block and anvil for cutting said tape and for cutting said conductor means exteriorly of said connector, and second cooperating means on said ram and said anvil for crimping said connector to said conductor means.

Claim 16

A machine fo crimping a tape-carried connector, means comprising a reciprocating ram, conductor retaining means carried by said ram, an anvil, a shear block slidable relative to said anvil and being spring-biased toward said ram, first cooperating means including said ram and cutting edges on said shear block and anvil for cutting said tape and for cutting said conductor means exteriorly of said connector, and second cooperating means on said ram and said anvil for crimping said connector to said conductor means.

Claim 17

A machine according to claim 8 in which said shear block has slots for receiving opposed margins of the tape.

Claim 18

A machine for crimping to conductors connectors that are mounted on a carrier, said machine comprising first means for crimping a connector to a conductor and for severing the connector from the carrier, and second means for advancing the carrier in a step-by-step fashion to position connectors; said first means including a ram and a primary piston for driving said ram through an operating stroke; said second means including feed means for moving said carrier and a secondary piston for actuating said feed means; and means for operating said secondary piston upon completion of said operating stroke, said last-named means comprising a member having a lost-Motion connection with said primary piston.

Claim 19

A machine for crimping to conductors connectors that are mounted on a carrier, said machine comprising first means for crimping a connector to a conductor and for severing the connector from the carrier, and second means for advancing the carrier in a step-by-step fashion to position connectors; said first means including a ram and a primary piston for driving said ram through an operating stroke; said second means including feed means for moving said carrier and a secondary piston for actuating said feed means; and means for operating said secondary piston upon completion of said operating stroke, said last-named means comprising a member having a lost-Motion connection with said primary piston.

Claim 20

A machine according to claim 10 in which said primary piston is movable relative to said member until said primary piston approaches the end of said operating stroke after which said member is moved by said primary piston.

Claim 21

A machine according to claim 11 including valve means triggered by said member upon completion of said operating stroke.

Claim 22

A machine according to claim 10 in which said member is coaxial with said piston, said piston carries a rod, said rod has a longitudinal slot, and said member has a pin in said slot.

Claim 23

In a structure for crimping connectors to wires and which includes a series of connectors, each connector having a U-shaped shell, the shell including opposed sides and a base, a continuous tape of non-conducting material having marginal strip portions and spaced parallel transverse sections joining said marginal strip portions, the tape having openings between said transverse sections, each transverse section being bonded to a base and opposed sides of a shell and with the transverse section extending outwardly beyond those ends of the opposed sides that are remote from said base, a ram and anvil means that form cooperating die members for crimping a connector to conductor wires and folding said transverse sections into the crimped connector, means forming a passage for movement of the connectors one-by-one to the space between the ram and the anvil means when the ram and anvil means are apart, means for gripping wires at regions that are spaced apart a distance that is greater than the distance between said marginal strip portions, means for driving said ram toward said anvil means, means for severing end portions of the wires that protrude from the connector, and means for severing the tape in regions between said marginal strip portions and a transverse section, the wire and tape-severing means being operable upon each stroke of the ram.

Claim 24

In a structure for crimping connectors to wires and which includes a series of connectors, each connector having a U-shaped shell, the shell including opposed sides and a base, a continuous tape of non-conducting material having marginal strip portions and spaced parallel transverse sections joining said marginal strip portions, the tape having openings between said transverse sections, each transverse section being bonded to a base and opposed sides of a shell and with the transverse section extending outwardly beyond those ends of the opposed sides that are remote from said base, a ram and anvil means that form cooperating die members for crimping a connector to conductor wires and folding said transverse sections into the crimped connector, means forming a passage for movement of the connectors one-by-one to the space between the ram and the anvil means when the ram and anvil means are apart, means for gripping wires at regions that are spaced apart a distance that is greater than the distance between said marginal strip portions, means for driving said ram toward said anvil means, means for severing end portions of the wires that protrude from the connector, and means for severing the tape in regions between said marginal strip portions and a transverse section, the wire and tape-severing means being operable upon each stroke of the ram.

Claim 25

In a structure according to claim 14 in which each connector and shell has opposed flanges projecting toward each other and located at said last-mentioned ends of the opposed sides, and wherein the die members force said flanges into juxtaposed relationship and with the transverse sections being clinched by said flanges.

Claim 26

In a structure according to claim 14 including a U-shaped insert telescoped within said shell, the insert having inwardly projecting prongs for piercing insulation on the wires.

Claim 27

A machine according to claim 1 in which said ram has means for engaging said shear block to move the latter and cut the tape should said protruding end portions be cut prior to severance of said tape.

Claim 28

A machine according to claim 8 in which said shear block has means cooperating with said ram for longitudinally moving said conductor means to draw a cut end of said conductor means into said connector.

Claim 29

A machine according to claim 1 including means cooperating with the ram for drawing the cut ends of said wires into said connector.