Apparatus and method for electrically testing multi-core cable

Abstract

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.