Amp LLC

Granville S Hart

Joseph E Brandewie

Apparatus and method for fabricating a multi-wire harness assembly are disclosed. The harness consists of wires which are first terminated en masse on one level, then loaded en masse into a connector block on a conveyor at a lower level. Wires are then fed to diverse lengths, cut and stripped, and the trailing ends are transported on a conveyorized clamp which parallels the connector block clamp. The apparatus utilizes a shuttle having telescoping wire guide tubes which are directed by a pivotable track first to an operating zone for termination. The shuttle has a clamping mechanism so that the terminated leads are drawn into the expanding tubes as the shuttle retreats. The track then pivots to the level of the connector, the shuttle moves against the connector block to load the terminated leads, and the clamp is released as the shuttle retreats from the block over the wires. A comb-like deflector with arcuate channels moves onto the wires and a remote axial wire feeder pays out the wire through the shuttle to loops of various lengths between the loaded connector block and the deflector.

Electrical harness fabrication using improved wire measuring method

Apparatus for fabricating a multi-wire harness assembly are disclosed. The harness consists of wires which are first terminated en masse on one level, then loaded en masse into a connector block on a conveyor at a lower level. Wires are then fed to diverse lengths, cut and stripped, and the trailing ends are transported on a conveyorized clamp which parallels the connector block clamp. The apparatus utilizes a shuttle having telescoping wire guide tubes which are directed by a pivotable track first to an operating zone for termination. The shuttle has a clamping mechanism so that the terminated leads are drawn into the expanding tubes as the shuttle retreats. The track then pivots to the level of the connector, the shuttle moves against the connector block to load the terminated leads, and the clamp is released as the shuttle retreats from the block over the wires. A comb-like deflector with arcuate channels moves onto the wires and a remote axial wire feeder pays out the wire through the shuttle to loops of various lengths between the loaded connector block and the deflector.

Electrical harness fabricating apparatus

A method and apparatus for feeding a pair of wires in which the length of the fed wires may be varied relative to each other and also in which accurate positioning of the wires at the receiving station is accomplished. At the start of a cycle of operation the leading end portions of a pair of supply wires are engaged by wire clamp means immediately adjacent a wire support. The wire clamp means is then moved to an extended position to feed the leading end portions away from the wire support, and as the wire clamp means is being moved to its extended position a bight is formed in one of the wires to vary its length relative to the other wire. A trailing portion of the pair of wires is now cut and the insulation is stripped from the trailing end portions of the cut wires as well as the new leading end portions of the pair of supply wires. Subsequently the wire clamp means deposits the leading end of the pair of cut wires at a wire receiving station and then returns to a retracted position adjacent the wire support to engage the new leading end portions of the pair of supply wires. The wire support means is shiftable between extended and retracted positions and when in its extended position maintains the cut and stripped leading ends in an oriented manner. As the wire clamp means moves to its fully retracted position the wire support is shifted to its retracted position to expose the leading ends of the wires an amount sufficient to be properly grasped by the wire clamp means, the wires being exposed a very short interval of time whereby proper orientation of the wires is maintained with respect to the wire clamp means to insure very accurate engagement of the wires by the wire clamp means. The wire clamp means is of novel construction and is so designed that pairs of wires, which may be of differing diameters, can be accurately engaged at differing spacings between the center lines of the wires. In addition, the cutting and stripping mechanism incorporates novel features.

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Clearwater, FL, United States of America

Granville S Hart