Separable funnel guide and crimping die assembly

A separable funnel guide and crimping die assembly for use with an automatic terminal applicator wherein funnel entry terminals on a continuous belt are crimped onto the stripped end of an insulated wire and wherein the wire is automatically inserted into the ferrule and conductor barrel of the terminal, said assembly comprising, in combination:

• a stationary die holder and a movable die holder;
• said stationary die holder having a stationary conductor crimping die, a stationary insulation die and a first funnel guide segment mounted thereon wherein said insulation die is intermediate said stationary insulation die and said funnel guide segment;
• said movable die holder having a movable conductor die and a movable insulation die mounted thereon and respectively cooperating with said stationary conductor and insulation dies, said movable holder further including a second funnel guide segment complementary to said first segment wherein said segments form a substantially closed funnel tapering towards said insulation dies when said segments are moved into engagement;
• and,
• said funnel terminating in an aperture at the apex thereof abutting against said ferrule and wherein the cross-sectional area of said aperture is greater than the area of the opening of the conductor barrel of said terminal but no greater than the opening of said ferrule.

A method for automatically crimping terminal devices onto wire, said terminal devices being secured to a belt in side-by-side relationship with their axes extending laterally of the belt, said method comprising the steps of:

• moving a pair of cooperating crimping dies relatively towards and away from each other to crimp a terminal device located therebetween onto one end of a wire;
• guiding said belt along a path extending past said dies and on one side thereof;
• indexing said belt toward said dies and between successive crimping operations thereby to locate the next leading terminal on said belt between said dies;
• positioning a wire transversely of said belt and substantially coaxial with said leading terminal;
• closing a split funnel guide to form a closed funnel guide between said wire and said leading terminal having its smaller opening immediately adjacent and abutting against said leading terminal;
• inserting said wire through said funnel and into said leading terminal;
• closing said dies to crimp said leading terminal;
• separating said split funnel guide while said dies are moving away from each other;
• and,
• ejecting the crimped terminal and attached wire from between said dies.