At&t Bell Laboratories

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Clyde A Lawrence

Ivan Pawlenko

Lyndon D Ensz

Brian Dale Potteiger

James Stephen Chapman

Alan Howard Kirchner

Frank Joseph Krainaker

Larry P Samson

Geri Estelle Smith

A machine (46) for attaching an Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) (10) to a cable (20) includes a fixture (76, 240) for engaging and arranging individual wires (18-18) in the cable in parallel, spaced-apart relationship. The machine also includes a press mechanism (51, 54, 101, 102)) for engaging a mandrel (12) of the IDC (10) and for pressing it against the wires (18-18) engaged by the fixture (76, 240) to seat each wire in a corresponding mandrel channel (14). The press mechanism (51, 54, 101 and 102) further functions to press the mandrel (12), with the wires (18-18) seated in the mandrel channels (14-14), against a IDC contact block (22) to engage each wire with an end (30) of a corresponding IDC contact (24) to accomplish attachment. As the wires (18-18) are pressed into the mandrel channels (14-14), a blade (106) severs the excess portion of each wire to facilitate attachment of the wires to the contacts.

Method and apparatus for attaching connectors

A clamping fixture (10) for releasably clamping a workpiece (12) to avoid damage to the workpiece comprises a support (40) having a pair of arms (60,62) mounted thereto for rotation to and from each other. Each arm has a jaw assembly (68,70) spring-biased thereto opposite the jaw assembly on the other arm so that each jaw assembly can 'float' along each of the x, y and z axes. When the arms are rotated together, the jaw assemblies conformally grip the workpiece therebetween with a reduced incidence of damage.

Clamping fixture

A wire straightener (10) for accommodating different size wires (12) includes first and second wire-bending stations (15a) and (15b) located on opposite sides of a central member (14). Each of the wire-bending stations (15a,15b) includes a pair of opposed, complementary contours (56,60), the individual length of which, and the spacing relative to the other contour, may be adjusted. Extending between the contours (56,60) along their respective lengths is a wire-receiving passage (62) which communicates with the wire-receiving passage in the other station. The opposed, complementary contours (56,60) of each wire-bending station are orthogonal to those of the other station so that as the wire is forced through the wire-receiving passage (62), the wire is bent in each of two orthogonal planes, causing it to be straightened upon exiting the second station.

Wire straightener for accomodating different size wires

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Flemington, NJ, United States of America

Clyde A Lawrence