US3004565A - Device for indexing, guiding and severing a plurality of wires - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 17, 1961 E. D. HANSON DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUIDING AND SEVERING A PLURALITY OF WIRES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1958 I NV ENT OR ATTORNEY BY GAG.

Oct. 17, 1961 E. D. HANSON 3,004,565

DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUID ING AND SEVERING A PLURALITY OF WIRES Filed Aug. 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I 1 7 2: 1 3 INVENTOR BY (It/.6. M 7, EY

ATTOR Unimd States Patmt e ws-17 3,004,565 DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUIDING AND 'SEVERING A PLURALITY F WIRES Estyle D. Hanson, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed Aug. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 753,683 2 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) This invention relates to devices for indexing, guiding and severing a plurality of wires simultaneously, and more particularly, although not exclusively, to devices for indexing and guiding a group of wires of indefinite lengths being fed intermittently along their longitudinal axes and for severing all of the wires of the group simultaneously and the group at successively, predetermined points along their longitudinal axes.

The device may be utilized in apparatus, similar to that described and claimed in application Serial No. 753,724, filed on August 7, 1958, in the name of L. I. Moeller, which may be utilized in the formation of cagelike subassemblies for east resin terminal assemblies.

The cast resin terminal assemblies are utilized in the communications industry to facilitate wiring of relay racks or other telephone apparatus requiring a mutiplicity of communications circuits. The cast resin terminal assemblies are formed by casting plastic in all of the space between the end plates of a cage-like subassembly.

A completed cage-like subassembly includes a pair of generally rectangular substantially identical end or retaining plates or piece parts formed from a stiff plastic material. Each of the. end plates, in one type of subassembly, are provided with five rows of eight axially spaced apertures. The apertures are square or noncircular in cross section and are designed to receive a plurality of elongated, rod-like terminals made up of square harddrawn, brass wire or the like which is capable of being twisted axially and retaining a twisted set. The terminals, like the apertures in which they are received, are square or noncircular in cross section and fit snugly in the apertures.

An object of the present invention is to provide .improved wire indexing, guiding and severing devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for guiding successive leading ends of a group of wires axially into a plurality of correspondingly arranged apertures, severing the wires to form successive predetermined lengths thereof and indexing the new leading ends laterally to successive groups of apertures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatically operated, indexing, guiding and severing device, wherein the wires. are indexed laterally-with respect to the elements into which they are-to be insented longitudinally, and the wires are moved subsequently into engagement with the severing means.

In attaining these and other objects, an indexing, guiding and severing device embodying certain aspects of the present invention may comprise an apertured wire guiding means, wire supplying means, means for feeding the Wires longitudinally of the axes thereof and for feeding the leading ends of the wires predetermined distances through the guiding means and aligned aperatures in piece parts, means for indexing the guiding means, means for severing the wires, and means for moving the wires laterally against the severing means to sever the wires and to form predetermined lengths thereof in the piece parts.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be more readilyunderstood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in h FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a device embodying certain aspects of the present invention with portions broken away for the purpose of clarity;

:FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4 thereof, and

FIG. 5 is a reduced, sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1 taken along line 5-5 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a partially completed cast resin terminal strip subassembly, designated generally by the numeral 11, which includes two spaced, parallel, apertured end or retaining plates 12 and 13. The apertures 15-15 in the end plates are designed to receive a plurality of square rod-like, parallelly disposed, elongated supply wires, designed generally by the numerals 14-14,, of indefinitelengths which are cut to form rows of elongated terminals 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 of predetermined lengths after they have been inserted into the square, aligned apertures 15-15 in the plates 12 and 13. All of the terminals 16-16, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19 and 21-21 in each row are normally of equal lengths but the lengths of the terminals in different rows are of different lengths.

Prior to the assembly of the end plates 12 and 13 and the terminals 16-16, 17-17, 1s 1s, 19 19 and to form. the subassernbly 11, the supply wires 14-14 are provided individually with a predetermined axial pretwist set so that in the finished subassembly adjacent terminals in each row have opposite hand twists.

In the assembly of the end plates 12 and 13 [and terminals 15-16, 17-17, 18-18,, 13-19 and 21-21 to form the subassembly 11, the end plates 12 and 13 are held corresponding apertures 15-15 therein in precise mating relationship. The leading ends 26-26 of the row of eight supply wires 14-14 are fed simultaneously through the corresponding aligned apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a predetermined distance. The supply wires 14-14 are then severed to form the terminals 15-16 having predetermined lengths and to form new leadings ends 27-27 on the supply wires 14-1-14. The new leading ends 27-27 are then indexed to the adjacent row of apertures 15-15, and fed into and through the Second row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a e te m ed di nce n the upp ir l. are cut to form a second row of terminals 17-17 and new leading ends 28-28 on the supply wires 14-14. The abqverdescribed operation is then repeated to form the third, fourth and fifth rows of terminals 18-18, 19-19 d z sp t sly a n lead n en 23 3 and 26.

Referring now to t e rem n fi es of the d a in as well as FIG. 1, there is showna wire indexing, guiding and severing device for performing the above-described indexing, guiding and severing steps in thernanufacture of the subassembly 11. As disclosed in the aboveidentified application, indefinite lengths of supply wire 14-14 are fed from eight supply reels by means of a multiple feed wire mechanism.

, The multiple feed wire mechanism includes two portions, a stationary clamping unit (not shown) and a movable clamping unit 32. The stationary clamping unit is designed to grip the supply wires 14-14 and prevent movement thereof to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. In this manner, the stationary clamping portion of the multiple feed wire mechanism permits unidirectional movement of the wires 14-14 along the longitudinal thereof. The movable clamping unit 32 of the multiple feed wire mechanism is designed to grip the wires 14-14 extending therethrough in a generally parallel relationship when it is. moved in one direction, to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, and to release the Wires 14-14 when moved in the other direction, to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. t

In this manner, the two clamping units of the multiple feed wire mechanism cooperate so that the movable clamping unit 32 of the feed mechanism, as illustrated in FIG. -1, grips the eight wires 14-14 intermittently and feeds them simultaneously through eight telescoping guide tubes 33-33. The guide tubes 33-3-3 are attached flexibly to a vertical movable guide member 34 having a horizontal row of eight apertures 36-36 communicating with the guide tubes 33-33. The guide member 34 forms a part of the combined Wire indexing and severing device, designated generally by the numeral 37.

The guide member 34 is mounted slidably in a vertically movable mounting member 38 which in turn is mounted slidably between a pair of spaced vertical guide members 39-39 which cooperate with a portion of the frame 41 of the device to form a dovetailed slot 42. The vertical position of the mounting member 38 may be controlled selectively by any one of a series of five multilobe earns 46, 47, 48, 49 and 51 mounted on a cam shaft 52, rotated by appropriate means (not shown). The cam shaft 52 may be utilized to control the sequence of operation of the machine in which the device is utilized and may be shifted manually by suitable means (not shown) to move any one of the cams 46, 47, 48, 49 and 51 into engagement with a cam follower 53 depending from the lower end of the mounting member 38.

When a subassembly 11 having five rows of terminals is to be assembled, the cam shaft 52 is positioned such thatthe cam 51 engages the cam follower 53. The contour of the cam 51 is such that it will index the mounting member 38 and thus the guide member 34 five times during each revolution of the cam shaft 52, whereby successive leading ends 26, 27, 28, 29 and 31 of the supply wires 14-14, positioned in the apertures 36 in the guide member 34, are aligned successively with the five separate rows of apertures 15-15 in'the plastic end plates 12 and 13.

The end plates 12 and 13 are held adjacent to the guide member 34 by suitable end plate holding and separating means, designated generally by the numeral 54, disclosed in greater detail in my copending application Serial No. 753,795, filed on August 7, 1958.

The guide member 34 is designed to be moved vertically upwardly a short distance relative to the mounting member 38 by movement of a lever arm 56 (FIG. 3) mounted pivotably on a fulcrum pin 57 secured to the mounting member 38. The lever arm 56 is connected to the guide member 34 by means of a pin 58. An enlarged aperture 59 formed in the mounting member 38 permits limited vertical movement of the pin 58 and the attached guide member 34 relative to the mounting member 38. The-lever arm 56 is operated by means of a fluid piston-cylinder assembly, designated generally by the numeral 61, secured to the mounting member 38. When the piston-cylinder assembly 61 is actuated, the lever arm 56 is pivoted clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, to move the guide member 34 upwardly a short distance. The assembly' 61 is actuated by an appropriate electrical circuit (not shown). The timing of the actuation of the assembly 61 is controlled by the cam shaft 52, which actuates a switch (not shown) in the electrical-circuit. The movement of the guide member 34 upwardly carries the supply wires 14-14 against a sharp cutting edge on a shear plate 62 secured to the mounting member 38 near the top thereof, whereby the wires 14-14are severed to form terminals '16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 of predetermined lengths and new "leading ends 26, 27, 28, 29 and 3-1 on the supply wires 14-14.

Operation At the start of the operating cycle, the cam shaft 52 which controls the sequence of operation is rotating, and the guide member 34 is at a position wherein the apertures 36therein are aligned with the lowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the plastic end plates 12 and 13 which are held by the end plate holding and separating mechanism 54. Subsequently, when the movable clamping unit 3-2 of the wire feed mechanisrm'co-ntrolled by the cam shaft 52, is actuated the leadends 26 of the eight supply wires 14-14 are fed a predetermined distance into and through the lowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 until they come adjacent to a stepfaced, abutting stop member 63.

Immediately after the completion of the operation of the movable clamping unit 32 of the feeding mechanism, the fluid piston-cylinder assembly 61 is actuated to operate the lever arm 56 to cause the eight supply wires 14-14 to be severed by the cutting edge of the shear plate 62 to form terminals 16-16 and new leading ends 27-27 on the wires 14-14. Thus, the lowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the plastic end plates 12 and 13 now contain a row of terminals 16-16 of a predetermined length.

Meanwhile, the cam shaft 52 has continued to rotate and has reached a position wherein the cam 51 causes the mounting member 38 to be indexed upwardly so that the apertures 36 in the guide member 34 and the leading ends 27-27 of the wires 14-14 therein are in alignment with the adjacent row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 preparatory to feeding the leading ends 27-27 of the supply wires 14-44 into and through the second row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 adjacent to the same step of the abutting stop member 63.

The movable clamping unit 32 of the Wire feeding mechanism is then operated for a second time, in the present cycle, to advance the leading ends 27-27 of the eight supply wires 14-14 into and through the second row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a predetermined distance;

The distance which the movable clamping unit 32 of the wire feeding mechanism moves 'the leading ends of the eight supply wires 14-14 through the apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 is controlled by a limit switch in the electrical circuit and also by a vertically reciprocable stop member which abuts a stepped stop-engaging member (all of which are not shown). The stop is moved vertically by a cam (not shown), secured to and rotated by the cam shaft 52, and is adapted to control the variable limited movement of the clamping unit 32 during the feeding of the supply wires 14-14 by engaging successive steps of the stop-engaging member which is secured to the movable clamping unit 32.

At the completion of the operation of the movable clamping unit 32 of the feeding mechanism, the assembly 61 is operated to sever'thesupply wires 14-14 to form a second row of termin'als'17-17 of predetermined lengths. The above-described operation is then repeated to form thethird, fourth and fifth rows of terminals 18-18, 19-19 and 21-21, respectively, and leading ends 29-29, 31-31 and 26-26 of the supply wires 17-17 in a similar manner.

Subsequently, when the end plates are separated by the end plate holding and separating means 54, the leading ends 26-26, 27-27, 28-28, 29-29 and 31-31 abut the corresponding steps of the stop member 63 to prevent relative movement between the end plate 13 and the terminals 16-16, 17-17, 18-18,.19-19 and 21-21 during the separation of the end plates 12 and 13.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the principles of the inventionp Other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which embody the principles of the invention and fall within the, spirit and-scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for indexing a row of elongated, pretwisted noncircular wires adjacent to successive rows of complementary shaped apertures in stationary end plates, feeding and guiding the row of wires into successive rows of the apertures of the end plates while preventing untwisting of the wires, and severing the row of wires to form each of successive rows of terminals of a cage-like terminal strip subassembly, which comprises means for simultaneously feeding a row of supply wires of an indefinite length intermittently longitudinally, the supply wires having noncircular cross sections, a carriage mounted for reciprocable indexing movement transversely of the axes of the supply wires, wire-guiding means mounted slidably on the carriage for rectilinear movement relative to the carriage and transversely of the axes of the wires, a plurality of telescoping guide tubes secured pivotably at one end to the wire feeding means and secured at the other end to the wire-guiding means, said guiding means having a row of noncircular wireguiding apertures for guiding the noncircular supply wires into successive rows of the apertures in the end plates and for aligning and angularly orienting the ends of the twisted supply wires with the apertures of the end plates, a shear plate secured fixedly to the carriage and designed for cooperation with the guiding means for severing all wires of the row of supply wires simultaneously, fluid-actuated means secured to the carriage for movement therewith and connected operably to the guiding means for moving the guiding means transversely of the longitudinal axes of the supply wires to move the supply Wires against the shear plate for severing all of the supply wires simultaneously, and cam means for periodically indexing the carriage to move the guiding means with the free ends of the supply wires therein to successive positions wherein the row of apertures in the guiding means and the free ends of the row of supply wires are aligned with successive rows of apertures in the end plates.

2. A device for indexing a row of elongated, pretwisted noncircular wires adjacent to successive rows of complementary shaped apertures in stationary end plates, feeding and guiding the row of wires into successive rows of the apertures of the end plates while preventing untwisting of the wires, and severing the row of wires to form each of successive rows of terminals of a cagelike terminal strip subassembly, which comprises means for simultaneously feeding a row of supply Wires of an indefinite length intermittently longitudinally, the supply wires having noncircular cross sections, a carriage mounted for reoiprocable indexing movement transversely of the axes of the supply wires, wire-guiding means mounted slidably on the carriage for rectilinear movement relative to the carriage and transversely of the axes of the Wires, a plurality of telescoping guide tubes secured pivotably at one end to the wire feeding means and secured at the other end to the wireguiding means, said guiding means having a row of noncircular wire-guiding apertures, some of said apertures being oriented angularly with respect to others for guiding the noncircular supply wires having oppositehand twists into successive rows of the apertures in the end plates all having the same angular orientation and for aligning and angularly orienting the ends of the twisted supply wires with the apertures of the end plates, a shear plate secured fixedly to the carriage adjacent to and on a side of the guiding means toward which the carriage is indexed between the insertion of successive rows of terminals into the rows of apertures in the end plates and designed for cooperation with the guiding means for severing all wires of the row of supply wires simultaneously, fluid-actuated means secured to the carriage for movement therewith and connected operably to the guiding means for moving the guiding means transversely of the longitudinal axes of the supply wires to move the supply wires against the shear plate for severing all of the supply wires simultaneously, and cam means for periodically indexing the carriage to move the guiding means with the free ends of the supply wires therein to successive positions wherein the row of apertures in the guiding means and the free ends of the row of supply wires are aligned with successive rows of apertures in the end plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,957 Marogg July 1, 1941 2,486,450 Wahl Nov. 1, 1949 2,698,033 Amman et al. Dec. 28, 1954 2,836,287 Cady May 27, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,004,565 October 17 196! Estyle D. Hanson ent requiring correction and that the eel corrected below.

Column 2, line 30, after "and" insert 2l2 l 37, after "held" insert adjacent to each other as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the line 54,, for "28" read 29 line Signed and sealed this 10th day of April 1962,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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