Wire connector presser tool

Claim 2

Tool adapted to press closed about a plurality of wires an open connector having a plurality of spaced apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive one of said wires, whereby to secure said connector to said wires, said tool comprising: a. an anvil portion; b. a presser element; c. a chamber between said anvil portion and said presser element and adapted to receive an open connector with the apertures therein facing toward a first side of said tool; d. operating means to reciprocate said presser element toward or selectively away from said anvil portion, the minimum distance between said anvil portion and said presser element being substantially equal to the height of a closed connector, the maximum distance between said anvil portion and said presser element being greater than the height of an open connector; e. a gauge mounted to said tool along the first side thereof, the distance between said anvil portion and said gauge being substantially equal to the height of a closed connector; f. a plate hingedly mounted along one edge thereof to said first side of said tool adjacent said chamber and being pivotable between a first position adjacent the first side of said tool and a second position remote from the first side of said tool, said plate having along a free edge a plurality of spaced grooves adapted to register with the spaced apertures in an open connector in said chamber, said grooves further being adapted to receive and guide a plurality of wires into their respective apertures in the open connector.

Claim 3

Tool as in claim 1, further comprising: g. spring means resiliently urging said plate to said first position.

Claim 4

Tool as in claim 1, further comprising: g. a magazine having a rear end and a forward end communicating with said chamber; h. said magazine having a slot extending forwardly from the rear end thereof; i. said magazine having an opening at the forward end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot; j. whereby said magazine may be loaded with a plurality of open connectors mounted on pressure-sensitive tape and width greater than the width of said slot and less than the width of said opening.

Claim 5

Tool as in claim 1, wherein: g. said chamber is open at one side to a first side of said tool and is open at the opposite side to a second side of said tool, said tool further comprising: h. a second gauge mounted to said tool along the second side thereof, the distance between said anvil portion and said second gauge being substantially equal to the height of a closed connector; i. a second plate hingedly mounted along one edge thereof to said second side of said tool adjacent said chamber and being pivotable between a first position adjacent the second side of said tool and a second position remote from the second side of said tool, said second plate having along a free edge a plurality of spaced grooves adapted to register with the spaced apertures in an open connector in said chamber, said grooves further being adapted to receive and guide a plurality of wires into their respective apertures in the open connector.

Claim 6

Tool as in claim 4, further comprising: j. spring means resiliently urging said plates to their respective first positions.

Claim 7

A magazine adapted to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said magazine comprising: a. a housing having a rear end and a forward end communicating with said tool; b. said housing having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said housing having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot extending forwardly from the rear end of said housing; e. said housing having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the forward end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot.

Claim 8

A magazine adapted to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said magazine comprising: a. a housing having a rear end and a forward end communicating with said tool; b. said housing having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said housing having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot extending forwardly from the rear end of said housing; e. said housing having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the forward end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot.

Claim 9

Apparatus to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said apparatus comprising: a. a magazing having a rear end and a forward end communicating with said tool; b. said magazine having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said magazine having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot extending forwardly from the rear end of said housing, the width of said slot being less than the width of said elements; e. said magazine having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the forward end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot and less than the width of said elements; f. an elongated flexible strip of material of width less than the width of said chamber and said opening and greater than the width of said slot; g. said strip being adapted to be temporarily secured to a plurality of said elements; h. whereby said magazine may be loaded with a plurality of elements by introducing into the rear end of said chamber said strip temporarily attached to said plurality of elements and by withdrawing said strip from said chamber through said opening thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said chamber.

Claim 10

Apparatus to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said apparatus comprising: a. a magazing having a rear end and a forward end communicating with said tool; b. said magazine having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said magazine having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot extending forwardly from the rear end of said housing, the width of said slot being less than the width of said elements; e. said magazine having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the forward end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot and less than the width of said elements; f. an elongated flexible strip of material of width less than the width of said chamber and said opening and greater than the width of said slot; g. said strip being adapted to be temporarily secured to a plurality of said elements; h. whereby said magazine may be loaded with a plurality of elements by introducing into the rear end of said chamber said strip temporarily attached to said plurality of elements and by withdrawing said strip from said chamber through said opening thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said chamber.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein: i. said strip is coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Claim 12

Apparatus to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said apparatus comprising: a. a magazine having a rear end and a forward end extending communicating with said tool; b. said magazine having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said magazine having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot having a first end and a second end, the width of said slot being less than the width of said elements; e. said magazine having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the second end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot and less than the width of said elements; f. an elongated flexible strip of material of width less than the width of said chamber and said opening and greater than the width of said slot; g. said strip being adapted to be temporarily secured to a plurality of said elements; h. whereby said magazine may be loaded with a plurality of elements by intrOducing into said chamber said strip temporarily attached to said plurality of elements and by advancing said strip and said elements temporarily attached thereto from a station in said chamber adjacent the first end of said slot to a station in said chamber adjacent the second end of said slot and by withdrawing said strip from said chamber through said opening thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said chamber.

Claim 13

Apparatus to feed a tool with a plurality of elements, said apparatus comprising: a. a magazine having a rear end and a forward end extending communicating with said tool; b. said magazine having a chamber extending therethrough from said rear end to said forward end; c. said chamber being adapted to receive a plurality of elements and to deliver said elements one-by-one to said tool; d. said magazine having a slot through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber, said slot having a first end and a second end, the width of said slot being less than the width of said elements; e. said magazine having an opening through one wall thereof communicating with said chamber at the second end of said slot, the width of said opening being greater than the width of said slot and less than the width of said elements; f. an elongated flexible strip of material of width less than the width of said chamber and said opening and greater than the width of said slot; g. said strip being adapted to be temporarily secured to a plurality of said elements; h. whereby said magazine may be loaded with a plurality of elements by intrOducing into said chamber said strip temporarily attached to said plurality of elements and by advancing said strip and said elements temporarily attached thereto from a station in said chamber adjacent the first end of said slot to a station in said chamber adjacent the second end of said slot and by withdrawing said strip from said chamber through said opening thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said chamber.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein: i. said strip is coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Claim 15

Method of loading a magazine having an inlet end adapted to receive a plurality of elements, an outlet end adpated to feed said elements to a tool, and an opening intermediate the inlet and outlet ends, said method comprising: a. temporarily attaching an elongated flexible strip of material to a plurality of elements to be inserted in said magazine; b. introducing said strip and said elements temporarily attached thereto into the inlet end of said magazine; c. pulling said strip from said magazine through said opening, thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said magazine and advancing said elements toward the outlet end of said magazine.

Claim 16

Method of loading a magazine having an inlet end adapted to receive a plurality of elements, an outlet end adpated to feed said elements to a tool, and an opening intermediate the inlet and outlet ends, said method comprising: a. temporarily attaching an elongated flexible strip of material to a plurality of elements to be inserted in said magazine; b. introducing said strip and said elements temporarily attached thereto into the inlet end of said magazine; c. pulling said strip from said magazine through said opening, thereby detaching said elements from said strip in said magazine and advancing said elements toward the outlet end of said magazine.

Claim 17

Method as in claim 11, wherein: d. step (a) is performed by coating said strip with pressure-sensitive adhesive and then by contacting said pressure-sensitive adhesive to said plurality of elements.