Molex Corporation

Richard L Patterson

Thomas P Pellegrino

Henry Zielke

Hasmukh Shah

Clarence Kolanowski

Thomas E Schneider

A termination machine for inserting wires into insulation displacement slots of terminals of an electrical connector. During each termination stroke, a connector locating member moves together with the termination blade to precisely position the connector for termination. A wire locator moves together with the termination blade and moves the wire into a guide slot in a template over the connector. When the blade, the wire and the connector are in precise alignment, the termination blade completes the termination stroke. A feed slide and pawl system moves the connector in steps equal to the terminal centerline spacing, and the feed stroke is selectively adjusted to skip voids where terminals are not to be terminated.

Method and apparatus for feeding and indexing a connector

Connector termination apparatus and method

The present invention provides an improved method and assembly for testing the electrical integrity of a multi-circuit cable harness. An intermediate harness product is prepared including a short test tab comprising a portion of insulated multiconductor cable extending from a terminated multi-circuit connector. The test tab is stripped to expose at least a portion of the tab conductors. Adjacent exposed portions of the tab are contacted with a test probe capable of electrically testing the adjacent circuits of the harness. If a positive test result is obtained, the test tab is trimmed to provide the finished cable harness product. If a negative test result is obtained, the test tab is left on the intermediate harness product to provide a ready visual indication of a defective cable harness product.

Electrical cable harness fabrication

Disclosed is an apparatus for fabricating cable harness assemblies of the type wherein a plurality of mating pairs of electrical connector parts are terminated to a continous flat cable segment. Termination includes compressing a predetermined cable portion between a pair of connector parts, one of which has a plurality of insulation displacing terminals positioned therein. The connector parts are transported between loading stations and a termination station, by connector holders mounted on a pair of opposed rotatable indexing turrets. At least one of the connector holders is advanced inwardly toward the termination station, so as to bring the two connector parts together in compression, after a cable segment is located therebetween. Thereafter, the cable is advanced to bring another predetermined portion to the termination station, while the turrets are indexed to present a second pair of opposed mating parts to the termination station. Simultaneously therewith fresh connector parts are loaded into empty connector holder locations. Upon completion of a harness assembly, the turrets are rotated so as to present a pair of opposed cable cutting fixtures at the termination station, and upon a similar compression stroke, the cable harness is cut free for transport to a remote location.

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Riverside, IL, United States of America

Richard L Patterson