Dainichi-Nippon Cables, Ltd.

Masateru Hirose

Shogo Tanno

Makoto Hashimoto

Fumio Nagatsuna

Yoshio Tomita

An apparatus for electrically testing a multi-core cable having first and second ends and including a plurality of insulated cores, comprising a rotary disc having a rotative peripheral surface formed of a plurality of notches each slightly larger than the core diameter for picking up a core and an elastic rotary disc having an engageable peripheral surface for transferring said picked up core along a predetermined path of travel, a lid like member provided along the peripheral surfaces of these discs, clamp means for clamping the cores at two positions at the said first end, an electrode vessel containing an electrically conductive fluid for immersing the cores at said first end for collectively rendering the cores conductive, an inlet adjacent these discs for receiving the cores between the clamp positions and urging the cores toward the peripheral surfaces of said rotary disc, a cutter provided adjacent the inlet and above the rotary disc for cutting the cores, whereby the cores are picked up by said notch one by one and transferred along the peripheral surfaces while each of the picked up cores is engaged with the surface of the elastic rotary disc by the lid like member and cut by said cutter, a counter operable in response to a picked up core, a bladed electrode provided along the periphery of the elastic rotary disc for cutting only the insulation of picked up core so as to be in contact with the conductor of the picked up core, a voltage source coupled between the bladed electrode and the electrode vessel, and an electrical circuit for detecting a defective contact state between a picked up core contacting the bladed electrode and the remaining cores contacting the electrode vessel.

Apparatus and method for electrically testing multi-core cable

An apparatus for electrically testing a multi-core cable terminated at both ends and including a plurality of insulated conductor cores, comprises a rotatably mounted disc having a peripheral surface formed of a plurality of notches each slightly larger than the core diameter for picking up a core and annular projections formed at both sides of the peripheral surface with annular grooves therebetween. The disc further includes an inlet for receiving and urging the cores adjacent to the disc toward the peripheral surface of the disc, whereby the cores are picked up by the notches one by one and transferred along the peripheral surface while each of the picked up cores is confined in the notches in a lid-like member. A counter counts the picked up cores. Fingers are coupled to the annular grooves for scooping the cores and removing the cores from the peripheral surface of the disc at an outlet. A bladed electrode is provided along the periphery of the disc for cutting only the insulation so as to be in contact with the conductor of a picked up core. An electrode vessel containing an electrically conductive fluid is arranged for immersing the cores at the opposite end for collectively rendering the cores conductive. A voltage source is coupled between the bladed electrode and the electrode vessel, and an electrical circuit for detecting a conductive state of a picked up core is connected between the bladed electrode and the electrode vessel for determining the continuity of any core.

Apparatus and method for electrically testing multi-core cables and

A method and an apparatus useful for a group of wires, such as a telecommunication cable including a multiplicity of cores, as when the wires are individually tested for continuity or defective contact. The group of wires are pressed against the outer periphery of a rotating disc formed with a suitable number of notches each dimensioned to accommodate one wire and are forced into the notches one by one while the disc or the wires are being rocked longitudinally of the wires. The wires individually received in the notches are transferred by the rotation of the disc while being confined in the notches by a confining member provided around the disc and facing the outer periphery as slightly spaced apart therefrom. Thus the group of wires can be separated and transferred one after another reliably, efficiently and automatically.

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Takarazuka, Japan

Masateru Hirose