Apparatus for changing intervals at which selected wires are arranged in a lateral arrangement of wires

Claim 1

An apparatus for changing the positioning of selective wires within a plurality of wires, comprising: a base; a plurality of elongated wire-receiving carriers movably supported on the base, one of said plurality of wires passing through each carrier; biasing means for biasing the wire-receiving carriers into a first arrangement upon said base, wherein all of said wire-receiving carriers are generally parallel with respect to each other; and, a wire-receiving carrier shifting assembly for moving said wire-receiving carriers into and out of their first, parallel arrangement, the carrier shifting assembly including at least one shifter member which is selectively moveable actuatable between two operative positions, said shifter member being spaced from said wire-receiving carriers at said first position, and said shifter member contacting at least one of said wire-receiving carriers at said second position, said shifter member being aligned with said wire-receiving carriers such that when said shifter member occupies said second position, it moves between at least two adjacent wire-receiving carriers, thereby causing said adjacent wire-receiving carriers to spread transversely apart with respect to each other against said biasing means to thereby shift said wire-receiving carriers out of said first, parallel, arrangement into a second arrangement wherein said wire-receiving carriers are no longer parallel.

Claim 2

An apparatus for changing the positioning of selective wires within a plurality of wires, comprising: a base; a plurality of elongated wire-receiving carriers movably supported on the base, one of said plurality of wires passing through each carrier; biasing means for biasing the wire-receiving carriers into a first arrangement upon said base, wherein all of said wire-receiving carriers are generally parallel with respect to each other; and, a wire-receiving carrier shifting assembly for moving said wire-receiving carriers into and out of their first, parallel arrangement, the carrier shifting assembly including at least one shifter member which is selectively moveable actuatable between two operative positions, said shifter member being spaced from said wire-receiving carriers at said first position, and said shifter member contacting at least one of said wire-receiving carriers at said second position, said shifter member being aligned with said wire-receiving carriers such that when said shifter member occupies said second position, it moves between at least two adjacent wire-receiving carriers, thereby causing said adjacent wire-receiving carriers to spread transversely apart with respect to each other against said biasing means to thereby shift said wire-receiving carriers out of said first, parallel, arrangement into a second arrangement wherein said wire-receiving carriers are no longer parallel.

Claim 13

An apparatus for changing the interval of selected wires within an arrangement of a plurality of wires wherein the wires are generally parallel, the apparatus comprising: a base member, the base member having opposing first and second ends, said base member further having two opposing side blocks disposed between said first and second ends, said first end, second end and two side blocks cooperating to define a wire-receiving area of said apparatus; a plurality of elongated wire carriers disposed within said wire-receiving area and extending between said base member first and second ends, each wire carrier having a passageway extending axially therethrough, each wire carrier further including opposing first and second openings respectively disposed opposite said base first and second ends, said base first end fixedly receiving said wire carriers at said first opening thereof in a manner so as to restrict said wire carrier first ends from any substantial lateral movement, said base member second end slidably receiving said wire carriers at said second openings thereof so as to permit said wire carrier second ends to move laterally near their second openings when a force is applied to said wire carriers; means for biasing said wire carriers into a first predetermined spacing wherein said wire carriers are substantially parallel to each other along their respective lengths; and, means for changing the spacing interval of said wire carriers including means for applying a sufficient force to said wire carriers proximate to said base member second end to overcome said wire carrier biasing means to thereby cause selected wire carriers to spread laterally apart from each other proximate to said base member second end, thereby changing the interval of said wires in said arrangement.

Claim 14

An apparatus for changing the interval of selected wires within an arrangement of a plurality of wires wherein the wires are generally parallel, the apparatus comprising: a base member, the base member having opposing first and second ends, said base member further having two opposing side blocks disposed between said first and second ends, said first end, second end and two side blocks cooperating to define a wire-receiving area of said apparatus; a plurality of elongated wire carriers disposed within said wire-receiving area and extending between said base member first and second ends, each wire carrier having a passageway extending axially therethrough, each wire carrier further including opposing first and second openings respectively disposed opposite said base first and second ends, said base first end fixedly receiving said wire carriers at said first opening thereof in a manner so as to restrict said wire carrier first ends from any substantial lateral movement, said base member second end slidably receiving said wire carriers at said second openings thereof so as to permit said wire carrier second ends to move laterally near their second openings when a force is applied to said wire carriers; means for biasing said wire carriers into a first predetermined spacing wherein said wire carriers are substantially parallel to each other along their respective lengths; and, means for changing the spacing interval of said wire carriers including means for applying a sufficient force to said wire carriers proximate to said base member second end to overcome said wire carrier biasing means to thereby cause selected wire carriers to spread laterally apart from each other proximate to said base member second end, thereby changing the interval of said wires in said arrangement.