The Whitaker Corporation

Tyco Electronics Corporation

Amp LLC

Kerry Joseph Stakem

Leo V Schuppert, Jr

Brian Keith Weaver

Stephen P Lawruk

John Michael Wasilko

Robert Allen Dubler

James A Hogan, Jr

Michael S Shank

Edwin Camsell

John David Dodds

John Avenoso

A wire stop assembly is provided for a terminal crimping machine that crimps a terminal to a wire. The terminal crimping machine includes a crimping zone. The wire stop assembly includes a wire stop member having a stop surface configured to engage the wire to limit an amount of travel of the wire in the crimping zone. The wire stop member is movable relative to the crimping zone in a floating direction. A biasing mechanism is configured to exert a biasing force on the wire stop. The biasing force provides a resistance to the movement of the wire stop member in the floating direction.

Wire stop for a terminal crimping machine

An applicator ram includes a ram body configured to hold crimp tooling, and a ram adaptor coupled to the ram body. The ram adaptor is configured to be coupled to a terminator ram. The ram adaptor includes an adaptor hub having a hub chamber configured to receive a ram post of the terminator ram. A latch mechanism is movably received in the hub chamber. The latch mechanism is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch mechanism is configured to engage the ram post in the latched position. The latch mechanism allows the ram post to be released from the hub chamber in the unlatched position. An adaptor stud extends from the adaptor hub and is configured to be coupled to the applicator ram.

Applicator ram having a ram adaptor

A feed mechanism includes a feed slide movable between a retracted position and an advanced position. The feed slide is configured to feed a product strip during a feed stroke as the feed slide is moved from the retracted position to the advanced position and the feed slide is movable with respect to the product strip during a return stroke as the feed slide is moved from the advanced position to the retracted position. The feed mechanism also includes feed fingers pivotally coupled to the feed slide at corresponding attachment points. The feed fingers are movable between an engaged position and a released position, wherein the feed fingers are configured to contact the product strip in the engaged position and the feed fingers are configured to be positioned away from the product strip in the released position. The feed fingers are moved to the released position prior to the feed slide moving along the return stroke.

Feed mechanism for a machine

A machine ( ) for terminating a conductor to an electrical terminal ( ) of a partially assembled connector ( ) includes a frame ( ) and an anvil ( ) supported by the frame arranged to receive the partially assembled connector. The connector has an insulating housing ( ) wherein the terminal is positioned against a constriction within the insulated housing and the terminal tabs ( ) and barrel ( ) are extending outside the housing. A ram ( ) carrying crimping tooling ( ) is in sliding engagement with the frame and arranged to undergo reciprocating motion in a crimping direction ( ) into crimping engagement with the terminal and in an opposite return direction ( ) away from the terminal. A housing feed mechanism ( ) is coupled to the frame and effects the pushing of the insulating housing over the terminal. A first cam ( ) is coupled to the ram and arranged to engage and move a projection ( ) of the housing feed mechanism to effect the pushing of the insulated housing over the terminal to a fully assembled position after the crimping operation is completed. The first cam is operable only during movement of the ram in the return direction.

Terminal applicator having a retractable cam

An applicator (,) for crimping a terminal (,) onto a conductor and inserting the crimped terminal into the housing (,) of a partially assembled connector (,) includes a seating sensor for assuring that the terminal is fully inserted into the housing. A backup member (,) which is arranged to engage side edges (,) of the electrical terminal for preventing axial movement additionally makes electrical contact therewith. The pusher member includes a projection (,) that makes electrical contact with the end of the terminal only when the housing and terminal are fully seated. Electrical leads (,) are electrically connected to the backup member and the pusher member so that continuity can be verified after the connector housing is fully seated. In the event that continuity is not detected, an error signal is generated indicating a malfunction.

Applicator seating sensor

A tool to attach a preassembled connector transversely on a ribbon cable. The tool has an upper portion and a lower portion which may be moved apart and together. The connector is disposed between the upper and lower portions and grasped by fingers extending from the respective upper and lower portions. The portions are moved apart to separate the members of the connector and to receive the ribbon cable between the members. The upper and lower portions are moved toward one another to join the members of the connector and to terminate the connector on the ribbon cable. A method of attaching the connector to the ribbon cable is disclosed.

Separating, terminating, assembling tool for electrical connector

A machine and method for attaching a plurality of preassembled connectors to a length of ribbon cable. The machine has at least one separating module in which the connectors are disposed in a selected orientation. Each connector is separated into a cover member and a connector housing member within the respective module. The modules are indexed and transferred to a press where the connector is terminated on the length of ribbon cable. A preassembled connector is disposed in a lead module and is terminated on the first end of the length of ribbon cable. The ribbon cable, with the attached spaced apart connectors, is cut to a desired length and tested electrically.

Machine for attaching preassembled connectors to ribbon cable

A tool for inserting electrical sockets (4) mounted on a carrier strip (2) into holes in a circuit board (80) has a socket guide (14) which is indexable to accommodate different sockets each having one of several possible known lengths. The tool includes a body (12) and a carrier strip advancing mechanism (42, 44, 46) operable on the carrier strip to feed the sockets to a feed station (52) in a vertical orientation. A ram (20) is movable through the feed station along a path between a first position above the feed station and a second position below the feed station to drive one of the sockets from the carrier strip to an insertion station. A guide tube (24) connected to the body below the feed station defines a tubular bore (26) through which the ram passes for guiding the socket driven by the ram from the carrier strip to the insertion station. The socket guide (14) is disposed between the feed station and the guide tube and guides the socket driven by the ram from the feed station to the guide tube. The socket guide has several portions each having an upwardly facing surface (17) defining a plane and a guide hole (18) extending through the socket guide perpendicular to the plane.

Socket insertion tool having indexable socket guide

Apparatus for feeding electronic components from a tube magazine to a pick up station comprises first and second column assemblies which support the tube magazines in a horizontal attitude. One tube is supported in a feeding position and the components are fed therefrom by a flexible tape. After the one tube has been emptied, it is dropped onto an endless belt conveyer which carries the empty tube axially from the apparatus. Automatic tube supports are disclosed for supporting an inventory of filled tubes and for delivering a filled tube to the feeding position after an empty tube has been ejected. The apparatus is relatively narrow so that a plurality of identical apparatus can be placed side by side against each other on a production line.

Apparatus for feeding articles from tube magazines

Component feeder for feeding comonents (8) from a tube magazine (2) comprises a pusher (44) on the end of a flexible steel tape (48) which extends from a tape housing (52). A filled tube (2) is supported on retractable pins (30, 30') in alignment with the pusher (44) and in alignment with a pickup station. The tape (48) is fed by feed rolls (50) so that the pusher (44) moves through the tube magazine (2) and feeds the components (8) along a guide track (36) to the pickup station. When the tube supported on pins (30, 30') is empty, the pusher (44) is retracted to its housing, the pins (30, 30') are retracted, and the empty tube falls on a conveyor belt (88) which carries it from the machine. A full tube (2) is then dropped onto the pins (30, 30') by a further pair of pins (32, 32') and (34, 34') which are moved between extended and retracted positions to control the movement of the filled tube which is supplied from an inventory of filled tubes supported on the pins (32, 32').

Growing community of inventors

Hummelstown, PA, United States of America

Kerry Joseph Stakem