Method and apparatus for attaching a terminal to a wire end

Abstract

A system for attaching electrical contacts to the conductive ends of wires preferably provides simultaneous sorting operations, wherein different contacts from separate batches are simultaneously sorted in consecutive order; preselection operations, wherein contacts stuck together are removed; simultaneous holding operations, wherein presorted contacts from each batch are accumulated in separate, automatically resupplied queues, for rapid subsequent retrieval by the operator; pneumatic transporting operations, wherein contacts are rapidly retrieved from any queue selected and prealigned opposite the crimping jaws of a crimping unit; and two-step crimping operations, wherein prealigned contacts are quickly gripped by partially closed crimping jaws, in the first step, in preparation for the second step of wire end insertion and full crimping. A pneumatic cylinder, which closes the crimping jaws via a cable, is forced by a ratcheting mechanism to complete its full stroke, thus keeping the cable taut compatibly with full cycle crimping jaw operation. A physical restraining mechanism prevents off-axis contact bending during crimping. Wires are inserted between the crimping jaws through a guide channel, preferably of funnel-like reverse hyperbolic shape with a prealignment cavity for receiving the base end of the contact. After insertion, the wires enter this cavity through an inner end of the channel smaller than the inner diameter of such base end, thereby funneling the wire strands completely into the base end. After crimping, the guide channel expands for subsequent removal of this base end through the channel.