Methods of and apparatus for forming contact elements in a cord coupler

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for forming wire-like contact elements within a plastic housing (32) to form a coupler (35). Each of a plurality of leading end portions of wire supplies (61-61) is moved into a cavity at one end (38) of the plastic housing which is held in a nest (55), through one aligned passageway and into a cavity at the opposite end (37). The cavities are designed to receive modular plugs, the terminals of which are connected by the coupler. The leading end portions of the wires are formed into a retroflexed configuration (41) by tooling (57) which remains in the cavity at the opposite end (37) while the wire lengths in the housing are severed from their supplies adjacent to the cavity at the one end (38). Additional tooling (59) is moved to engage the newly formed trailing end portions of the wires and to bend them to have a retroflexed configuration (43) with free ends being disposed between partitions. The forming of the retroflexed ends is accomplished in a controlled manner so that following withdrawal of the tooling, the end portions move pivotally into predetermined configurations which are effective to engage the terminals of plugs which are inserted into the cavities.