Apparatus for connecting conductors to terminals in connectors intermediate the ends of the conductors

Claim 1

Apparatus for connecting an intermediate portion of each of a plurality of wires to each of a plurality of electrical contact terminals, said terminals being arranged in first and second rows which extend parallel to each other and which are on oppositely facing sides of an electrical connector housing, said terminals having wire-receiving portions which are adapted to receive wires upon movement of said wires laterally of their axes and into said wire-receiving portions, said apparatus comprising: a connector jig plate having a supporting surface and having connector locating means for locating said connector housing spaced from said supporting surface with said first row extending parallel to, and proximate to, said surface and with said second row remote from said surface, said locating means having recessed surface portions which provide clearance between said first row of contact terminals and said supporting surface, a wire positioning comb comprising a bar-like member having a plurality of spaced-apart wire-receiving notches therein which is equal to the member of said contact terminals in one of said rows, said notches being spaced apart by distances equal to the spacing between said contact terminal in said rows, comb locating means for removably mounting said comb in alignment said second row of contact terminals in a housing mounted on said jig and in spaced relationship to said surface, and wire inserting means for inserting wires into said terminals, said wire inserting means being movable along a predetermined path towards and away from said surface whereby, wires positioned in said wire positioning comb are inserted into said contact receiving portions of said second row upon movement of said inserting means towards said surface, and said connector can be reversed on said jig plate and wires can be inserted into said one row of terminals.