CA1167626A - Apparatus for, and a method of, serially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In apparatus for, and a method of, manufacturing electrical harness assemblies wires are advanced in coplanar relationship through a wire insertion zone, slotted plate electrical connectors are fed by a slide into the zone so that each wire is aligned with a slotted plate terminal of each of the connectors, a wire insertion ram is lowered to insert the wires into the terminals and to cut out scrap parts of the wires between the connectors, the ram is raised, and a complete harness comprising a connector applied during the previous cycle of the apparatus, and the connector is removed removed the apparatus and the wires are advanced again. For the reduction of manual operations, the wires are advanced from wire spools by a wire advancing mechanism, through wire positioning means from which the wires are driven by the ram into the terminals of the connectors.

Description

~7 Thi.s i~vent.:ion relates to appaxat.us ~or, alld a metho~ of, manufacturing electrical harness assemblies.
A known apparatus ~Ol- serially manufacturing electrical. harness assemblies each comprises first and second electrical connectors each havi.ng at least one row of electr.ical terminals therein, each terminal having a wire-receiving portion, an end of a wixe being received in the wire-receiving portion of each termi.nal;
the apparatus comprising, a wire insertion zone having ~.irst and se~ond wire insertion stations; first and SeCond connector locating means for locating a first and a second connector at the respective stations ~ 31 parallel align~d relationship, with the wire-recf~iving portion3 of the terminals of the connectors in endwis~
alignment; first and second wire insertion tooling assemblies each comprising wire inserters which are r~ormally spaced from the first and second connector l.ocatin~ means, and which are movable relatively there towards to move th~ wires towards the connec~or locating means and into the wire receiving portions of th~ terminals; and wire severing means ~etween the fi.rs~ and second insertion tooling asserabl~es for sever~ng ~he wires at positions between the fir~
and seGona connector locat~ng means. .-The ~nown apparatu.s, into which the wires andthe connectois are lo~ldef1 manually, produces harness ~ Sj 937 assemblies each comprising t~o connectors which can be mated wi.th one another, each connector having a single xow of termina's and bei.ng terminated to an individual array of wires.
The use of the known apparatus for produc~ng harness assemblies each compxising a plurality of connectors terminated to a con~on array of wires would involve the performance of further manual operations. The present invention is di.rected to the achievement of a reduction in the number of manual operations required in the manufacture of such harness assemblies, as well as to the provision of harness manufacturing apparatus which can readily be adapted ~or use with connectors haviny two superposed rows of terminals; and to a method of producing most economically, harness assemblies comprising such connectors.
According to one aspect of the invention, in apparatus as defined in the second paragraph of this specificat.ion, ~or producing harness assemblies in which one er.d of each wixe i.s received in a wire receiving portion o~ a term.inal of the irst connector and the other end of the wiré is received in a wire ~ receiving poxti.on of a termi.nal of the second connector;
; 25 the apparatus comprises wire positioning and retaining means i.n the insext.ion zone fox locating a plural.ity of wires substantially in a co~ on plane with the WiîeS in late7al alignment with the wire recei.ving portions of the terminals of the first and second connectors when these are positioned in the respective first and second connector locating-means, the wi.re posi.tioning and retaining means being effective re.le.asably to retain the wixes until they are moved by th2 wire inserters towards the connector locating means; means being provided for feeding the wixes along a wire feed path from wire sources into the wire insertion zone, with the wires located in lateral alignment with the wire receiving portions, by the wire positioning and xetaining means.
Conveniently, for producing electrical harnesses in which each connector has two parallel, superposed rows of t.erminals, the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the rows opening in opposite directions;
the wire positioning and retaining means are arranged to locate the wires in two substantially parallel planes, one on either side of the connector locatin~
means, the wire insertion toolirg assem~lies comprising similar ~ooling positioned on either side of the connector locating means, for inserting the wires in the two planes, simultarleously into the wire receiving portions of all the terminals, and the wire severing ~5 means compxisilly ~ooling for severing the wires in .
each plane~
P~c~ording to another aspec~ th~reof, the ;

.' ~1~'76Z~ 937~

invelltion provides a me~hod of s~rially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies ~ach comprising first and second electrical connectors each having at least one row o electrical terminals therein, each termi.nai having a wire receiving portion, an end of a wire being received in the wire receiving portion of each termi.na3;
in which method, the first and second connectors are positioned in a wire insertion zone with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in endwise alignment with one another; the wires are placed in the insertion zone so that each wire is in lateral alignment with a wire receiving portion of each connector; the wires are moved laterally of their longitudinal axes towards the connectors to insert each wire into the wixe receiving portions with which it is in lateral alignment; and the connectors are subsequently removed from the wire insertion zone;
wherein for producing harness assemblies, in which each connector has two parallel superposed rows of terminals, the wire receivi.ng portions of the terminals of the two rows opening in opposite directions, and in which one end of each wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the first connector and the other end of the wire is received in a wire receiving ~5 por~.ion of a terminal of the second connector; the wires are fed from wire sources along a wire feed path in two s~bstant.ially paral.lel, spaced planes, the feed path _ 5 ~

i ~ 76~ 9376 -extending through and beyond the wire in~ertion zone, and the connectGrs are then posi.tioned in the insertion zone so as to lie between the planes with each wire receiving portion opening towards one of the wires and wi.th the second co2~nector positionea downstream, along the w.ire feed path, with respeet to the first connector, the second co~nector bei.ng removed from the insertion zone, subsec~uently to the `insertion of the wires into the wire receiving portions and the severing of the wires, and the first connector being then moved lengthwi.se of the wire in~ertion path through, and a predetermined position beyond, the insertion zone, whilst maintaining the wires in ~heir two planes, whereaft~r a further i~t and second connector are positioned in the .5 insertion ~one and th~ wires axe inserted into the wire receiving poxtions of the terminals of the connectors in the manner aforesaid.
As described belo~, the apparatus and the method of the invention can be employed to manufacture harness assemblies each comprising more than two connectors.
For a better understandirlg of the invention, re~er:ence will now be made by way o axample to the accQmpanying dxawi.ngs in which:-25Fic~ure 1 is a perspective view showing parts of a bench press provided with h~rness ma~ing apparatus mount:ed on a r~ of the pres~, and also showing mean~

~ J6Z~- 9~76 for feediny connectors into an inser~ion zone of the harness ma]~ing apparatus;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an electrical harness assembly pxoduced by the apparatus;
Figures 3 to 6 are fragmentary, diagrammatic, perspective views showing the insertion zone of the appa_atus and some associated parts o the apparatus, and illustrating successive steps in the production of harness assemblies;
Figure 7 is a side view, shown partly in section, and as seen from the right hand side of the apparatus as shown in Figure l;
Figure 8 is a view taken on the lines VIII -VIII of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view, shown partly in section, of the insertion zone of the apparatus with the parts thereof positioned preparatory to the insertion of wires into electrical connectoxs o a harness assembly in the course of production;
Figure lO is a view similar to that of Figure 9 but showing the positions of the parts after insertion `of the wires into the connectors and after a first connector has been fed through the insertion zone;
Figure ll is a partially exploded, perspect.ive view, of upper wire insextion tooling of the apparatus, and a]so showing a tool support ~lock fox the toolin~;
Fi.gure 12 is a fxagmentar~ view taken on the : - 7 -~, . ..

ti';'6~>
93`76 lines XII - XII of Figure 9 and sho~ing details o wire retaining means of the upper and lower wire insertion tooling of the apparatus;
Figure 13 is a view taken on the lines XIII -XIII of Figure 12;
Figure 1~ is a plan view ta~en on the linesXIV - XIV of Figure 7 and showing a slide for loading connectors into the insertion zone, with the slide in an outer, retracted position;
Figure 15 is a view similar to that of Figure 14 but showing the slide in an inner, advanced.position;
Figure 16 is a view taken on the lines XVI -XVI of Figure 14; and Figure 17 is a diagrammatic perspective view of another electrical harness assembly.
Electrical harness assemblies 2 are produced in a manner illustrated in Figures 3 to 6 which show only some parts of harness making apparatus.
A harness assembly 2 (best seen in Figure 2) comprises first and second identical electrical connectors :~ 4 and 6 each having an insulating housing 8 with a forward mating end 10, a rearward end 12, top and - bottom (as seen in Figure 2)-side walls 14 and 16, and laterally facing end walls 18. Each housing 8 contains a plurality o~ electrical terminals 20 each having an elon-~ate, wire receiving, rearward end portion 21 connected to a wire 22. Th; portion~ 21 are arranged . ' .

~t~

to receive the wires 22 upon movement thereof into the portions 21, laterally of the longitudinal axes of the wires 22, to estab-lish electrical contact with the electrically conductive cores of the wires 22. The connectors 4 and 6, which are shown by way of example, are as described in United States Patent No. 4,243,280 which issued on January 6, 1981, to Lucius et al. The terminals 20 are arranged in two parallel superposed rows 24 and 26 in stalls 19 opening into the side walls 14 and 16, the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20 of the two rows open-ing in opposite directions. Two rows of wires 22 can be connec-ted to the terminals 20 by locating each wire in alignment with the portion 21 of a terminal 20 with the housings 8 positioned between the two rows of wires 22 and moving the wires 22 towards the portions 21.
The operation of the apparatus, will now be described in outline in relation to Figures 3 to 6.
At the beginning of an operating cycle of the apparatus, the wires 22 extend from wire spools (not shown) through a wire insertion zone generally referenced 222, with the wires 22 arran-ged in two rows in substantially parallel, spaced planes as shownin Figure 3. A connector 4' (identical with the connectors 4 and 6) was applied to the leading ends of the wires 22 during the next preceding operating cycle of the apparatus.
At the insertion zone 222 are first and second .~ .

..

~ Z~ 9376 wire inser1:ion stat.ions 224 and 224' disposed between a ram of a press (described helow) and a lower arm of the press, An unwired first connector 4 is now positioned in the fi.rst station 224, an unwired second connector 6 bei.ng positioned in the second station 224'. The connectors 4 and 6 are located between the two substantially parallel planes in which the wires 22 lie, with the wire re.ceiving portions 21 of the termi~-als 20 in the two connectors 4 and 6 in endwise alignment with each other and in lateral alignment with the wires 22. Insertion tooling, described below, is then brought into engagement with the wires 22 as shown in Figure 4, to in~ert each wire into a respective portion 21 of a terminal 20 of each connector 4 and 6 and each wire 22 is severed at two positions between the connectors 4 and 6, so as to remove scrap sections of wire which extend therebetween. The insertion tooling is then disengaged from the connectors 4 and 6 (Figure 5) and a completed harness assembly 2, comp.rising the connectors 4' and 6, is removed from the appparatus (Figure 6). The connector 4 is then advanc~d through the insertion zone 222 until the desired amount o~ wire has been drawn from the wire spools. During movement : 25 of the connector 4 through the insertion zone 222, the wires 22 are mz.intained in the said two spaced planes so that c1uring the next cycle of operation o~

~ 62~ 93-~6 the apparatlls, a further connector 4 and 6 can he located between these planes. It wi.ll be apparent from the above description that two operating cycles of the apparatus are required to manufacture an individual harness assembly, although one harness assembly is produced during each cycle.
The apparatus will now be described in detail.
The press mentioned above comprises a C-shaped press frame 30 having upper and lo~er arms 32 and 34 ~Figures 7 and 8) extending from a neck portion 35 thereof. The frame 30 is mounted on a base plate 36 supported on a bench (not shown).
A ram assembly generally referenced 38 (Figures 7 and 8), mounted on the upper arm 32, is movable in reciprocating mo~ion towards and away from the lower arm 34. The assembly 38 comprises side plates 40 and 40' which are disposed, as shown in Figure 8, against the sides of the arm 32, and braces 42 which extend across the upper surface of the arm 32 and are secured to the side plates 40 and 40' by means of bolts 43.
A tooling support p].ate 44 is bolted to the lower edges of the side plates 40 and 40' beneath the arm 32, return springs 48 being interposed between the upper surface of the arm 32 and the braces 42 to b.ias the ram assembly 38 towards a raised position.
the assembly 38 3.S depressed through a work1ng stroke by means of an hydraulic piston-and-cylinder device ~ i'7~ 9376 compris.in~ a piston 50 in a cylinder 52 drilled in the arm 32 and closed by a cylinder head 54. The piston 50 is secured to the tooling support plate 44 and is depressed from its position of Fi~uxe 7 when hydraulic fluid is introduced into the cylinder 50 th-ou~h a port 56 at the end of a passageway 58.
The ~assa~eway 58 extends, as shown in Figure 7, th~ough the press frame 30 to an hydraulic liqllid reservo7x 60 that extends to the upper surface of the frame 30. A pneumatic cylinder 62 mounted on the frame 30 has therein a piston 66 from which extends a pis~on rod 64 which is dimensioned to enter the reservoir 60. When compressed air is admitted through an inlet 68 to the cylinder 62, the piston 66 is depressed so that the piston rod 64 moves into the reservoir 60 so that hydraulic liquid is forced into the cylinder 52 depressing the piston 50 and thus the tooling support plate 44. The springs ~8 return the ram assembly 38 to its normal raised pisition when the pressure in the cylinder 52 is rel.ieved.
Identi.cal upper insertion tooling assemblies 70 and 70' for the first and second ins~rtion stations -~ 224 and 224', respectively, serve simultaneously to insert the wires 22 into the portions 21 of the upper rows 24 of terminals 2Q in each of the connectors 4 and 6 and i.dentical lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142', serve simultaneously to insert the wires ~ '7~26 . 9376 22 beneath tlle connectoxs 4 and 6 into the portions 21 of the terminals 20 in the lower row 26 of each connector 4 and 6.
As best seen in Figure 11, the upper tooling assembly 70 comprises stacked, tooling members comprising a wire shearing plate 82, a comb~like wire s~parator plate 84, wire inserter plates 86 and 88, wire xetainer plat.es 90 and 92 and a comb-like wire positioning plate 94. The parts of the tooling assembly 70' bear the same referen~e numerals as those of the tooling assembly 70 but with the addition of a 'prime' symbol, and are similarly stacked. These stacks of tooling members are mounted against respective.side surfaces 80 and 80' of a tooling mounting bloc~ 74 having lateral flanges 76 and 76' overhanging the stacks of tooling members, the stacks being secured to the block 74 by fasteners 72 and 72' (best seen in Figure 7) which extend through ali.gned openings 96 and 96' in some, but not all, of the tooling members. Since the tooling assembly 70' is identical with the tooling assembly 70 the tooling assembly 70' will not be further described.
The wire shearing plate 82 has spaGed teeth 98 extending from its lower edge, the right hand (as seen in Figure 11) edyes 97 of these teeth acting ; 25 as movable shearing edges in co-operation with fixed shearing edges describ~d below. The wire separator plate 84 is in the form of narrow bar having notches ~ '7~ ~ 6 9376 extending- up\~aLdly rom its lower edge to define spaced teeth lOQ ~or locating the wires 22 between them.
The inserter plates 86 and 88 have teeth 102 and 104, re5pectively, for i.nserting the wires 22 into the portions 21 of the terminals 20.
The shearing plate 82 is-immovably mounted against the sur~ace 80, whi].e the separator plate 84 is slidably disposed in a groove 110 extending across the adjacent face of inserter plate 86. Vertically extending, lateral recesses 108 in the plate 86 receive vertical guides 106 on the plate 84 which is urged downwardly to ~he limit of its movement in the groove 110 by means of helical springs 112 which bear against the upper edge o the plate 84 and against the underside of the flange 86 of the block 74. Clearance for the springs 112 is provided by channels 116 and 114, in the plates 82 and 86, respectively.
The wire retainer plates 90 and 92 co-operate with one another to provide releasable retaining means ~or the wires 22 prior to the wires being inserted into the terminals 20. The plates 90 and 92 are position~d against each other, being held in a recess 11~ in a ; side face 120 of the wire positioning plate 94. The plates 90 and 92 have notches 122 and 124, respectively, in their upper edges, receiving a helical spring 126 (as shown in Figure 13), the notches 122 and 124 being ;-~ offsei from one another so that th~ spring 126 biasses ~.a.~ z~ 9376 the plate 92 rightwardly and the plate 90 leftwardly;
as seen in Figure 13. The spring 126 is provided wiLh c]earance in the face 120 of the plate 94 by virtue of a recess 128 therein.
As best seen in Figure 12, wire receiving notches 127 and 129 zre formed in the lower edges of the wire retainer plates 90 and 92, respectively. The plate 90 has wire retaining ears 131 which extend laterally rightwardly ~as seen in Figure 12) at the entrance to each notch 127 while the plate 92 has laterally leftwardly (as seen in Figure 12) extending wire retaining ears 131' at the entrance to each notch 129.
The ears 131 and 131' thus form constricted entrances 133 ~o the no~-ches 127 and 129, the width of each entrance 133 being substantially less than the diameter o~ a w're 22. However, the wires 22 can be pushed out o the notches 127 and 129 when the entrances 133 to these notches are enlarged by relatively moving the wire retainer plates 90 and 92 lengthwise and in opposite directions so that the ears 131 and 131' are moved away from one another. The plates 90 and 92 are caused to be so moved by cam surfaces on fixed, plate aligning bloc~s 138 and 1~0 (Figure 1) described below. ~5 the upper tooling assemblies 70 and 70' are depressed~ the side edges of the plates 90 and 92 engag~ the c~l surfaces of the blocks 138 and 140, which surfaces cause the plates gO and 92 to move ~ '7~26 937~

relatively in opposite directions, as mentioned above.
The notches 127 and 129 are opened up to allow the wires 22 to be moved into the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20. The plates gO' and 92' are similarly controlled by fixed, plate aligning blocks 138' and 140' (Figure 7) and the corresponding plates of the lower tooling assemblies are similarly controlled by fixed, plate aligning blocks 148 and 150, and 148' and 150' (Figures,14 and lS).
The wire locating plate g4 has notches 130 extending upwardly from its lower edge 132 (as best seen in Figures 11 and 12), for locating the wires 22 on the wire entry side of the tooling assem~ly 70. The plate 94 is spring loaded by means of springs 135 extending into openings in the flange 76 of the tooling mounting block 74 as shown in Figure 10.
The upper~tooling assemblies 70 and 70l and the block 74 are retained against the support plate 44 by virtue of inwardly directed lower ends 78 and 78' (Figure 9) of the side plates 40 and 40', which ends extend under the downwardly facing surfaces of the flanges 76 and 76' OL the block 74. Retaining plates 134 are fastened by scre~s 136 against the front and rear surfaces of the f].anges 76 and 76' and overlap the side edges o the side plates 40 and 40' as bestseen in Figure 7.
In c~rder to maint,ain proper a].i~nment of t;he ; - 16 -~ 6 Z6 9~76 insertion tooling, the aligning bloc~s 138 and 138', and laO and 140' are fastened to the lateral edges of the side plates 40 and 40', and also act as guides for a slide which is described below and which is arranged to move into the insertion zone 222 beneath the upper insertion tooling assemblies 70 and 70'.
Since the lower first and second insert.ion tooling assemblies 142 and 142' are substantially the same as the tooling assemblies 70 and 70', the former tool assemblies will not be described in detail.
The tooling assemblies 142 and 142' are mounted on a lower tooling mounting block 144 (as best seen in Figure 9) which is similar to the mounting block 74 and which is in turn supported on the lower arm 34 of the press frame 30. As shown in Figure 9, fixed lower side plates 146 and 146' are provided for the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142', respectively, and serve the same purpose as the side plates 40 and 40'.
The first and second connectors 4 and 6 are positioned in the wire insertion zone 222 and are located between the upper and lower tooling assemblies by means of a connector feed slide (an overall view of which is shown in Figure 1), generally re~erenced 152, which is movable from a connector loading position (Figure 1~) to a connector locating position (Figure 15) in which latter position it locates the connectors ~ 25 9376 4 and 6 in the insertion zone 222.
The slide 152 has connector receiving slots 154 and 15~' in its sides, which receive the connectors 4 and 6 (as best seen in E'igures 9 and 16). The mating ends 10 o~ the connectors 4 and 6 are positioned in the slots 154 and 154', respectively, so that a portion of each connector housing 8 adjacent to its mating end 10 is received in the slot, and the rearward portion of the connector 4 or 6 extends from the slot 15~
or 154' so that wires 22 can be inserted into the wire recei.ving portions 21 of the terminals 20 in each of the rows 24 and 26. The connectors 4 and 6 must be preci.sely located in the slots 154 and 154' that the wire receiving portions 21 are in alignment with the wires 22 in the insertion zone 222 when the slide 152 is advanced to its .inner (Figure 15) position.
In the prese..t embodiment, precise location of the connectors 4 and 6 is achieved by means of stops 155 ~Figure 3) secured by fasteners in the slots 154 and 154', respectively. When the slide 152 is moved ~rom its outer retracted position (Figure 1~) to its inner, advanced position (Figure 15), the leading end 190 of ~he slide 152 moves beyond the aligning blocks 140 and 140' and the lower ends of these aligning .5 blocks act as additional stops for the connectors 4 and 6. Thus, the connectors 4 and 6 are located, when the slide 152 .is in its inner positi.on, between the . - ~8 -7~i2~

lower ends of the al1gning bloc]cs 140 and 140' and the stops ].55 which are secured i.n the slots 154 and 154'.
The slide 152 is slidably supported (as best seen in Figure 1) in a recess 153 in the upper surface 158 of a slide support 156 which extends laterally from the insertion zone 222. As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the sl.de support 156 has a depending flange 160 at its inner end adjacent to the insertion zone 222, which flange is contained between ears 162 and 162' (Figures 8 and 10) which extend ~rom the side p],ates 145 and 146'. The flange 160 is slidably contained between the ears 162 and 162' by a front cover plate 164 (Figure 7), springs 16G acting between the lowex end of the flange 160 and the base pla~e 36.
l'he slide support 156 can thus be resilientiy depressed while the wires 22 are being inserted into the portions ~' 21 of the terminals 20, the connectors 4 and 6 on the slide 152 being thereby moved downwardly towards the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142'. A guide 168 (hest seen in Figure 1) is mounted on the upper surface 158 of the slide support 156, to guide the .slide 152 into the insertion ~one 222. When the ram assembly 38 is depressed, the guide 168 is engaged by the tooling support plate 44 thereby depressing the slide support 156.
The connectors 4 and 6 are lightly held in the slots 154 by means of retain~ng fingers 170'and 170' , .

~ 7~Z~ 9376 which are mounted on pivot pins 172 and 182' (as best seen in Figures 14 and 15) in a cover 178 movable with the slide 152. The finge.rs 170 and 170' which extend along each side of the slide 152, terminate in handles 174 and 174' beyond the outer end of the ~;
slide support 156. The f.ingers 170 and 170' are biased by means of springs 176, towards the sides of the slide 152, i.e. towards their position of Figure 14, so that they bear against the connectors 4 and 6.
For reasons Pxplained below, the connectors 4 and 6should not be so firmly clamp~d by the fingers 170 and 170', that the slide 152 cannot move away from the insertion zone 222 li.e. from the position of ~'igure 15 to that of Fi.gure 14) after the wires 22 have been inserted into the portions ~1 of the terminals 20, without dragging the connectors laterally from the insertion zone 222.
The springs 176, as well as the pivot pins 172 and 172', are contained in the cover l78, which is slidably mounted on the slide support 156. The cover 178 has side portions which depend beyond the sides of the slide support 156 and which have inwardly turned ears 180 (Figure 1) on kheir ends, to retain the slide 152 and the cover 178 on the upper surface o the slide support 156.
A switch 182 (best se~n in Figure 7) mounted aga~nst the underside of the slide support 156, has ; - 20 -~ 6Z~ 937G

a switch arm 1~4 on the end OL which is a roller 186 which is engaged by an actuator block 188 in the slide 1.52 when it is in the position of Figures 7 and 14. As explained below the switch 182 controls a piston-and-cylinder unit 204 for advancing the first connector 4 from the insertion zone 222.
The leading end 190 of the slide 152 is of reduced width as shown in Figure 14, and moves between the aligning bars 150 and 150', when the slide 152 is in its position of Figure 15. The bars 150 and 150' serve, in co-operation with the leading end 190, .to align the slide 152 and ~he connectors 4 and 6 therein, with the wires 22 prior to the movement of the tooling assemblies 70 and`70' towards the connectors 4 and 6. As will be apparent from Figure 7, during the advance of the slide 52, its leading end 190 moves over a support member 194 and finally engages a switch button 192 of a switch (not shown) mounted in : the neck portion 35 of the press frame 30. The member 194 is suppoxted on a spring 195 so as to be depressable against the action thereof as the slide lS2 mov~s : downwardly as described below. The switch must be actuated in order to initiate an operating cycle ~ of the apparatus.
: 25 The wires 22 extend rom the spools, mentioned above, to a wire guide assembly 196 (Figure 1) which serves to l.ocate the wires 22 in the spaced substantially 7t~ 2~; 9376 parallel planes mentioned above. The wires 22 are precisely located in thei.r spaced planes by the comb-like wire positioni.ng plates 94 and 94' and by the wire retainer plates 90 and 92, and 90 and 90', in the insertion zone 222.
As shown in Figure 1, the wire guide assembly 196 comprises a rectangular frarn2 198 having vertical side members which are slidably supported in spaced supports 200 on the base plate 36. The frarne 198 is biased upwardly by springs 208 and is attached to the slide support 156 by a connecting arm 206 so that the frame 198 is moved downward7y from the position shown in Figure 1 when the slide support 156 moves downwardly.
The frame 198 has a central plate 202 extending thereacross, and upon which is mounted a pneumatic piston-and-cylinder unit 204. The piston rod (not shown) of the unit 204 is connected to a horizontal wire guide plate 212 (as shown in Fig~lre 9), which is moved towards the insertion zone 222 when the piston of the unit 204 is advanced. The wires 22 are guided between vertically extending rods 2].0 (Figure 1) in the frarne 198, a light pressure being imposed on the wires 22 by pressure bars 211 loaded by springs ~; 25 on the rods 210.
Th~ wires 22 extend across the upper and lower surfaces, (as seen in Figure 9) of the gu.ide plate 212 ~ t,~j~7~ Z ~ 9376 and into spaced grooves (~igure 1) in the sur~ace of upper and lower wire locating plates 214 and 216.
The plates 214 and 216 extend beyond the outer end of the guide plate 212 so that a pocket 220 is provided which is dimensioned to receive the rearward end 12 of a conne~tor 4 and carxy that connector through the nsertion zone 222 rightwardly (as seen in Figure 10).
The operation of the apparatus in carrying out the harness making method described abo~e with reference to Figures 3 to 6, will now be descxibed.
At the beginning of an operating cycle of the apparatus, the wires 22 extend, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, across the upper and lower surfaces of the guide plate 212 through the grooves in the upper and lS lower wire locating plates 214 and 216 and through the insertion zone 222 of the apparatus. The wires ~2 in the upper plane of wires are precisely located in the insertion zone 222 by means of the wire positioning plates 94 and 94', by the wire retainer plates 90 and 92 and 90' and 92' and by ~he wire separator plates 84 and 84'. The wires 22 in the lower plane of wires are similarly located by the corresponding plates of the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142'. Also, at the beginn:ing of the operating cycle, the slide 152 is in its innel, advanced, position, connectors 4 and 6 being releasably held in the recesses 154 and 154' in the s].ide 152. T~e wires 22 extend beyond the 6~ ~3?G

i.nsertior. zor.e 222, their en~s being connected to a connector 4' which was applied thereto during the prevj.ous operating cycle of the apparatus.
When com~ressed air is supplied to the cylinder of the unit 62 by engaging a pedal switch (not shown), hydraulic li~uid is supplied to the cylinder 52 so that the ram assembly 38 is driven through a wor~iny stroke towards the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142'. As the upper tooling assemblies 70 and 70' engage the connectors 4 and 6, the wires 22 are cut by edges 153' (Figures 1 and 5) of the slide 152, in co-operat.ion with the cutting edges 97 of the wire shearing plates 82 and 82'. Also, ~he upper tooling assemblies 70 and 70' depress the sllde 152 to bring the lo~?er sides of the connectors 4 and 6 into engagement with the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142' of the first and second stations 224 and 224'.
The wires 22 extending ~eneath the connectors 4 ar.d 6 are similarly severed and the wires 22 are then inserted ~0 into the wire receiviny portions 21 of the termil-als 20 when the ram assembly 38 rea~hes the end of its working stroke.
The ram assembly 38 is then moved ~hrough a return stroke to its raised posi.tion, by relieving the hydraulic liquid pressure in the cylinder of the unit 52, and the slide 152 is manually withdrawn from - the insertion zone 222; i.e. the slide 152 is returned 24 ~

~ Z~; 9376 from the position of Figure 15 to tha~ of Figure 1~.
However, since the wires 22 are now connected to the terminals 20 in the connectors 4 and 6, the connectors ~ and 6 do not travel with the slide 152, and the fingers 170 and 170' slide over the ~earward ends 12 of the connectors ~ and 6. A finished harness sub-assemb].y comprising a connector 6 applied to the wires 22 during the operating cycle under discussion, and a connector 4' applied to the wires 22 during the next previous operating cycle is removed from the apparatus, leav.ing the connector 4 in the insertion zone 222. The unit 204 is now enexgised to advance the wire guide plate 212 from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 10. During such advance movement, the connector 4 is received into the pocket 220 and is carried rightwardly to the position of Figure 10, thereby withdrawing further supplies of the wires 22 from their spools. The operator then grasps the connector 4 and pulls it further xightwardly, until, as shown in broken lines in Figure 10, the desired supply of wir~ has been withdrawn from the spools.
The wires 22 are meanwhile guided by the guide assembly 196 and by the inserting tooling assemblies 170 and 170', the wires 22 being maintained in the notches 127 and 129 by virtue of the restricted entrances 133 of these notches in the wire reta:iner plates 90 and 92. The operator next loads the slide 152 ~ith a ~ ;'7G~, 9376-fu.rther cor.nector 4 and 6 ~y positionin~ them in the recesses 154 and iS4' of the slide 152, after pressing the handles 174 and 174 ' towards one another. The slide 152 is then moved to the position of Figure 15 5 and the entire cycle of operation is repeated.
As mentioned above, a pedal switch is provided, in the present embodiment, to actuate the control circuit of the apparatus to initiate an operating cycle thereof. The control circuit should be such that the switch button 192 is held in a depressed condition by the leading end 190 of the slide 152 before the unit 62 is placed under pressure. The switch provided with th~ swi,tch button 192 t,hus serves to ensure that the ram assembly 38 is not moved through its working stroke until the slide 152 has moved fully to its inner pvsition (Figurf~ 15) and the connectors 4 and 6 carried by the slide 152 are properly positioned relative to the wires 22. The switch button 192 thus ensures that the tooling of the insertion toolin~
assenblies is nGt damaged as a result of its being lower~d when the slide 152 has nGt been fully advanced into the insertivn zone 222. Also, the switch arm 184 must be depressed be~ore the -mit 20~ is placed under pressui^e, and the switch arm 184 is depressed by the actuator block ~88 when the slide 152 has been moved to its fu~]y retracted, outer, posi'cion.
The switch 182 thus serves to cnsure t,hat the ~pparatus , - 26 -~ i 7~> 9376 is not jam~led or damaged by premature movement of the wire retainer plates 90, 92 and 90' and 92' into the insertion zone 222.
As described above, by way of example, the harness assembly shown in Figura 2 consists ~f two eight-way connectors, one at each end of the wires 222. It will be under~tood, however, that many types of harnesses or harness assemblies can be produced by the practice of the invention. A plurality of connectors can be positioned in each of the insertion stations during each operating cycle of the apparatus to produce a wide variety of harness assemblies. For exarnple, ~ig~re 17 shows a harness assembly 250 comprising a longer conn~ctor 228 to which is connected a plurality of shorter connectors 230 by means of wires 22. The connector 228 rnay, for example, comprise forty terminals arranged in two row.s of twenty terminals each, each of the connectors 230 having eight terminals therein.
As shown in Figure 17 the wires extending between the connectors 2~0 and the connectors 228 are of ` varying lengths. A harness of this type is frequently used, when for example, it is desired to provide ; connections between a junction box and a plurality of components or other devices which are a~ varying distances rom the ~unction box. The harness shown in Figure 17 can be produced in the following manner.

~ 27 -. .

.
' `'6Z~ 9376 A plurality of the eight-way connectors 230 are positioned in the first insertion station 224 and a single connector 228 is positioned in a second insertion station 224', at the beginning of the operating cycle. The individual connectors 230 are advanced after wiring, by different distances from the first insertion station, through the apparatus and beyond the insertion zone. The cycle of operation is then repeated by placing a single connector 228 in the first insertion station and a plurality of connectors 230 in the second insertion station.
The apparatus may, however, be adapted for use with connectors (not shown) comprising only one row of terminals in which case the lower tooling desc~ibed lS above is not required.

,

Claims (10)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. Apparatus for serially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies each comprising first and second electrical connectors each having at least one row of electrical terminals therein, each terminal having a wire-receiving portion, an end of a wire being received in the wire-receiving portion of each terminal; the apparatus comprising; a wire insertion zone having first and second wire insertion stations;
first and second connector locating means for locating a first and a second connector at the respective stations in parallel aligned relationship, with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in endwise alignment; first and second wire insertion tooling assemblies each comprising wire inserters which are normally spaced from the first and second connector locating means, and which are movable relatively theretowards to move the wires towards the connector locating means and into the wire receiving portions of the terminals; and wire severing means between the first and second insertion tooling assemblies for severing the wires at positions between the first and second connector locating means; wherein for producing harness assemblies in which one end of each wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the first connector and the other end of the wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the second connector; the apparatus comprises wire positioning and retaining means in the insertion zone for locating a plurality of wires substantially in a common plane with the wires in lateral alignment with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the first and second connectors when these are positioned in the respective first and second connector locating means, the wire positioning and retaining means being effective releasably to retain the wires until they are moved by the wire inserters towards the connector locating means; means being provided for feeding the wires along a wire feed path from wire sources into the wire insertion zone, with the wires located in lateral alignment with the wire receiving portions, by the wire positioning and retaining means.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, comprising means for pushing the first connector from the position in which it is located by the first connector locating means out of the insertion zone in the direction in which the wires are fed by the wire feeding means, when the wires have been inserted into the terminals of the first connector .

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the pushing means, which is movable parallel to the wire feed path, into the insertion zone, is provided with wire guides for guiding the wires from the wire sources to the wire positioning and retaining means during the movement of the first connector outwardly of the insertion zone.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein for producing electrical harnesses in which each connector has two parallel, superposed rows of terminals, the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the rows opening in opposite directions;
the wire positioning and retaining means are arranged to locate the wires in two substantially parallel planes, one on either side of the connector locating means, the wire insertion tooling assemblies comprising similar tooling positioned on either side of the connector locating means, for inserting the wires in the two planes, simultaneously into the wire receiving portions of all the terminals, and the wire severing means comprising tooling for severing the wires in each plane.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1, comprising a connector feed slide movable along a connector loading path extending transversely of the wire feed path, the first and second connector locating means being provided in the slide n spaced relationship transversely of the path of movement thereof, the slide being movable along the connector loading path, between a connector loading position in which the connector locating means are withdrawn from the wire insertion zone and a wire insertion position in which the connector locating means are aligned with the wire insertion tooling for the insertion of the wires into the connectors when these are positioned in the connector locating means.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the connector locating means comprises connector receiving openings in opposite sides of the slide, the connectors being releasably retainable in the openings by fingers mounted on pivots which are movable with the slide.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the wire severing means comprises a wire shearing plate proximate to each of the first and second wire insertion tooling assemblies, a spring loaded comb-like wire separator plate being received between each shearing plate and an adjacent wire inserter plate.

8. A method of serially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies each comprising first and second electrical connectors each having at least one row of electrical terminals therein, each terminal having a wire receiving portion, an end of a wire, being received in the wire receiving portion of each terminal;
in which method; the first and second connectors are positioned in a wire insertion zone with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in endwise alignment with one another; the wires are placed in the insertion zone so that each wire is in lateral alignment with a wire receiving portion of each connector; the wires are moved laterally of their longitudinal axis, towards the connectors, to insert each wire into the wire receiving portions with which it is in lateral alignment; and the connectors are subsequently removed from the wire insertion zone; wherein for producing harness assemblies, in which each connector has two parallel, superposed rows of terminals, the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the two rows opening in opposite directions, and in which one end of each wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the first connector and the other end of the wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the second connector; the wires are fed from wire sources along a wire feed path in two substantially parallel, spaced planes, the feed path extending through and beyond the wire insertion zone, and the connectors are then positioned in the insertion zone so as to lie between the planes with each wire receiving portion opening towards one of the wires and with the second connector positioned downstream, along the wire feed path, with respect to the first connector, the second connector being removed from the insertion zone, subsequently to the insertion of the wires into the wire receiving portions and the severing of the wires, and the first connector being then moved lengthwise of the wire insertion path through, and a predetermined position beyond, the wire insertion zone, whilst maintaining the wires in their two planes, whereafter a further first and second connector are positioned in the insertion zone and the wires are inserted into the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in the manner aforesaid.

9. A method according to Claim 8, wherein each wire is severed adjacent to each of the wire receiving portions into which it has been inserted.

10. A method according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the first connector is moved along the feed path through, and beyond, the insertion zone by pushing the first connector.