Wire processing apparatus

Claim 2

A lead making apparatus adapted to draw wire from a source of supply comprising first and second Head mechanisms each adapted to cut the wire, strip insulation from one end thereof and secure a terminal thereto and including a clamp for holding the wire, means supporting said head mechanisms for accurate adjustment of the distance therebetween for accurately adjusting the length of the lead to be made, and means for feeding wire from said source of supply to said head mechanisms to extend therebetween and be held by said clamps thereof.

Claim 3

A lead making apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first named means supports said second head mechanism in fixed relation thereto and supports said first head mechanism for movement toward and away from said second head mechanism and includes means for securing said first head mechanism against movement along said support menas.

Claim 4

A lead making apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for feeding wire is mounted on said first named means.

Claim 5

An insulated wire processing apparatus adapted to draw wire from a source of supply, comprising spaced first and second head mechanisms each operable to cut the wire, strip insulation from one end thereof and secure a terminal thereto and including a clamp for holding the wire, a wire feed nozzle, means operable to move said nozzle through said second head mechanism and toward said first head mechanism to position a length of wire between and in said head mechanisms and to return said nozzle through said second head mechanism to grip the wire between said length of wire and the source of supply of the wire prior to operation of said second head mechanism to cut the wire, and means for operating said head mechanisms and said means.

Claim 6

An insulated wire processing apparatus adapted to draw wire from a source of supply, comprising spaced first and second head mechanisms each operable to cut the wire, strip insulation from one end thereof and secure a terminal thereto and including a clamp for holding the wire, a wire feed nozzle, means operable to move said nozzle through said second head mechanism and toward said first head mechanism to position a length of wire between and in said head mechanisms and to return said nozzle through said second head mechanism to grip the wire between said length of wire and the source of supply of the wire prior to operation of said second head mechanism to cut the wire, and means for operating said head mechanisms and said means.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said nozzle includes chuck means for gripping said wire to prevent movement of said wire relative to said nozzle in a direction from said first head mechanism toward said second head mechanism while permitting relative movement in the opposite direction.

Claim 8

An insulated wire processing apparatus adapted to draw wire from a source of supply comprising spaced first and second head mechanisms each adapted to cut the wire, strip insulation from one end thereof and secure a terminal thereto and including a clamp for holding the wire, a wire feed nozzle adapted to receive the wire therethrough and ahving chuck means for gripping said wire during movement of said nozzle toward said first head, means for moving said nozzle toward said first head to position one end of said wire in said first head and for moving said nozzle toward and through said second head to position said wire in said second head and to position said nozzle chuck to grip said wire between the location of the cut made by said second head and the source of supply of the wire.

Claim 9

An insulated wire processing apparatus adapted to draw wire from a source of supply comprising spaced first and second head mechanisms each adapted to cut the wire, strip insulation from one end thereof and secure a terminal thereto and including a clamp for holding the wire, a wire feed nozzle adapted to receive the wire therethrough and ahving chuck means for gripping said wire during movement of said nozzle toward said first head, means for moving said nozzle toward said first head to position one end of said wire in said first head and for moving said nozzle toward and through said second head to position said wire in said second head and to position said nozzle chuck to grip said wire between the location of the cut made by said second head and the source of supply of the wire.

Claim 10

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 including means supporting said head mechanisms for movement relative to each other for varying the length of the wires produced by the apparatus.

Claim 11

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 including means for supporting said heads in spaced relation and wherein said means for moving said nozzle is mounted on said means for supporting said head mechanisms.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said supporting means includes an elongated cylinder extending between and to which said heads are secured and wherein said means for moving said nozzle includes a piston movable in said cylinder and means connecting said piston to said nozzle.

Claim 13

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said heads includes a cut and strip die assembly for cutting the wire and cutting and stripping the insulation from an end portion of the wire, means for closing the clamp on the wire to hold it during the cutting and stripping operation and means for actuating the die assembly to perform the cutting and stripping operation.

Claim 14

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein each head includes means for positioning a termiNal therein for attachment to the wire and means for attaching the terminal after the actuation of the cut and strip die assembly and wherein the clamp holds the wire throughout operation of the terminal attaching means.

Claim 15

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for positioning the terminal positions it in spaced relation from the position of the wire during the operation of the cut and strip die assembly and wherein each head includes means for moving the clamp to position the wire in the terminal.

Claim 16

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 12 including means supporting said nozzle assembly for pivotal movement to facilitate positioning the wire in the terminal.

Claim 17

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said feed nozzle includes a main body carrying said chuck means and a wire support nozzle mounted in said body and yieldably urged to an extended position in which it extends toward said first head for supporting the end portion of the wire, and cooperating means on said first head and on said wire support nozzle for moving said wire support nozzle into said body to expose an end portion of said wire for positioning in said first head.

Claim 18

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for moving said nozzle includes a shuttle movable between said heads, means mounting said nozzle on said shuttle, and cooperating guide means on said shuttle and oneach of said heads for accurately positioning said nozzle as said shuttle approaches each of said heads.

Claim 19

An insulated wire processing apparatus as defined in claim 8 including cooperating aligning means on said cylinder and on each of said heads maintaining said heads aligned with each other, and wherein said means for moving said nozzle includes a shuttle having a shuttle guide mounted on said cylinder, including aligning means on said shuttle guide cooperating with the aligning means on said cylinder, and means mounting said nozzle on said shuttle.

Claim 20

A nozzle assembly for use in feeding wire in a wire processing apparatus and comprising a body, a tubular nozzle mounted in said body and extending outwardly beyond one end of said body, means in said body urging said nozzle to a fully extended position, said body and said nozzle having aligned therethrough for receiving a wire extending through said nozzle assembly, chuck means in said body for gripping the wire, said nozzle being movable into said body to expose a length of the wire.

Claim 21

A nozzle assembly for use in feeding wire in a wire processing apparatus and comprising a body, a tubular nozzle mounted in said body and extending outwardly beyond one end of said body, means in said body urging said nozzle to a fully extended position, said body and said nozzle having aligned therethrough for receiving a wire extending through said nozzle assembly, chuck means in said body for gripping the wire, said nozzle being movable into said body to expose a length of the wire.

Claim 22

A nozzle assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said chuck means includes means for holding said body against movement along the wire in the direction in which said nozzle extends from said body while permitting movement of said body along the wire in the opposite direction.

Claim 23

A nozzle assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said nozzle includes an abutment extending laterally adapted to be engaged to move said nozzle into said body, and cooperating means on said nozzle and said body for preventing rotation of said nozzle relative to said body.

Claim 24

A nozzle assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said chuck means comprises means defining a jaw cavity in said body opening into the wire receiving passage in said body and having a cam surface inclined relative to said passage, a jaw element disposed in said cavity and movable in one direction along said cam surface for locking the wire against movement in said one direction relative to said body, and means yieldably urging said jaw in said one direction.

Claim 25

A head mechanism for use in an insulated wire processing apparatus comprising a base, a head reciprocably mounted on said base, a cut and strip assembly mounted on said head and comprising spaced blade holders, wire cutter blades mounted in said holders, insulation cut and strip blades mounted in said holders in spaced relation to said wire cutter blades, cooperating means on said base and head effective on a predetermined movement of Said head relative to said base to move said holders between an open position and a closed position in which the insulation cut and strip blade is positioned to have cut substantially through the insulation but not through the wire.

Claim 26

A head mechanism for use in an insulated wire processing apparatus comprising a base, a head reciprocably mounted on said base, a cut and strip assembly mounted on said head and comprising spaced blade holders, wire cutter blades mounted in said holders, insulation cut and strip blades mounted in said holders in spaced relation to said wire cutter blades, cooperating means on said base and head effective on a predetermined movement of Said head relative to said base to move said holders between an open position and a closed position in which the insulation cut and strip blade is positioned to have cut substantially through the insulation but not through the wire.

Claim 27

A head mechanism as defined in claim 21 in which said cooperating means is effective upon a further predetermined movement of said head relative to said base to bodily move said cut and strip assembly in a direction causing said insulation cut and strip blades to strip the cut insulation off the end of the wire.

Claim 28

A head mechanism as defined in claim 25 in which said cooperating means includes means on said head for supporting said cut and strip assembly in a raised inoperative position and for lowering said cut and strip assembly to an operative position in response to movement of said head relative to said base.

Claim 29

In an insulated wire processing apparatus a head mechanism including a clamp having jaws movable between an open position and a closed position in which the clamp is adapted to support an insulated wire on a predetermined line in said head mechanism, said head also including a cut and strip assembly adapted to cut the wire and to cut and strip insulation and movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, a wire feed nozzle, means for moving said nozzle along said predetermined line through said head mechanism past said cut and strip assembly when in its inoperative position and between the jaws of said clamp when in their open position to position a length of wire beyond said clamp in a direction away from said cut and strip assembly and returning said nozzle along said length of wire and past said open jaws of said clamp and through said head mechanism to a position in which it supports said wire on said predetermined line, means for operating said head mechanism to move said clamp jaws to said closed position and move said cut and strip assembly to its operative position.

Claim 30

In an insulated wire processing apparatus a head mechanism including a clamp having jaws movable between an open position and a closed position in which the clamp is adapted to support an insulated wire on a predetermined line in said head mechanism, said head also including a cut and strip assembly adapted to cut the wire and to cut and strip insulation and movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, a wire feed nozzle, means for moving said nozzle along said predetermined line through said head mechanism past said cut and strip assembly when in its inoperative position and between the jaws of said clamp when in their open position to position a length of wire beyond said clamp in a direction away from said cut and strip assembly and returning said nozzle along said length of wire and past said open jaws of said clamp and through said head mechanism to a position in which it supports said wire on said predetermined line, means for operating said head mechanism to move said clamp jaws to said closed position and move said cut and strip assembly to its operative position.

Claim 31

The combination defined in claim 24 wherein said inoperative position of said assembly is spaced from said predetermined line to prevent interference with movement of said nozzle through said head mechanism.

Claim 32

The combination defined in claim 24 including means for stopping said return movement of said nozzle when said nozzle is in said position in which it supports said wire, means for actuating said cut and strip assembly to cut the wire, and means effective when the wire has been cut to effect further return movement of said nozzle through said head.

Claim 33

The combination defined in claim 26 including means for actuating said cut and strip assembly to cut the insulation and strip it from the wire after the wire has been cut and after operation of the means for effecting further return movement of the nozzle.

Claim 34

A wire feed mechanism for use in a wire processing apparatus and comprising a nozzle assembly for feeding wire to position it in the apparatus including a chuck having means for automatically gripping a wire to prevent movement along the wire in one direction and for automatically releasing its grip on the wire upon movement along the wire in the opposite direction.

Claim 35

A wire feed mechanism for use in a wire processing apparatus and comprising a nozzle assembly for feeding wire to position it in the apparatus including a chuck having means for automatically gripping a wire to prevent movement along the wire in one direction and for automatically releasing its grip on the wire upon movement along the wire in the opposite direction.

Claim 36

A wire feed mechanism as defined in claim 28 wherein said nozzle assembly includes a nozzle mounted for movement toward and away from said chuck, the movement toward said chuck being in said opposite direction so that a length of wire is projected beyond the end of said nozzle.

Claim 37

A wire feed mechanism as defined in claim 29 wherein said nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having said chuck mounted adjacent one end thereof and said nozzle mounted in the other end thereof for telescoping movement relative thereto, and means yieldably urging said nozzle outwardly relative to said body.

Claim 38

A cut and strip assembly for apparatus for processing insulated wire to attach the ends of two wires to a single terminal and in which apparatus the two wires are supported in parallel side by side relation, said cut and strip assembLy comprising a pair of blade holders movable between an open position and a closed position, a pair of insulation cut and strip blades mounted in said holders, said blades having cooperating cutting edges which when said holders are in their closed position define an opening having a width substantially equal to the diameter of the conductor of the wire and having a length substantially equal to the combined diameters of the conductors of the two wires, the cutting edges having opposed semi-circular portions adapted to closely fit the side of each conductor remote from the other conductor when the holders are in the closed position.

Claim 39

A cut and strip assembly for apparatus for processing insulated wire to attach the ends of two wires to a single terminal and in which apparatus the two wires are supported in parallel side by side relation, said cut and strip assembLy comprising a pair of blade holders movable between an open position and a closed position, a pair of insulation cut and strip blades mounted in said holders, said blades having cooperating cutting edges which when said holders are in their closed position define an opening having a width substantially equal to the diameter of the conductor of the wire and having a length substantially equal to the combined diameters of the conductors of the two wires, the cutting edges having opposed semi-circular portions adapted to closely fit the side of each conductor remote from the other conductor when the holders are in the closed position.