US 4,071,393 AGranted

Apparatus for use in the manufacture of a wiring harness

AssigneeLucas Industries Limited

InventorRobert Amphlett

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Abstract

Apparatus for use in the manufacture of a wiring harness of the kind including a plurality of conductive leads having their thermoplastic sheaths fused to a thermoplastic backing tape includes first and second rollers between which the leads and the thermoplastic tape pass in use. The rollers press the tape against the leads and at least one of the rollers is driven so that the leads and the tape are driven between the rollers as a result of rotation of the rollers. A hot air blower is movable relative to the rollers between an operative position and a rest position. In the operative position the hot air is blown onto the tape and the sheaths of the leads immediately before they pass between the rollers so that when pressure is applied to them by the rollers the heated surfaces fuse together. The rest position of the heater is spaced from the rollers so that hot air issuing from the heater is not directed onto the rollers.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for use in the manufacture of a wiring harness of the kind including a plurality of conductive leads and a thermoplastic tape, each lead including a thermoplastic sheath containing the conductive core of the lead, the thermoplastic sheaths of the leads being fused to the thermoplastic tape to hold the leads in desired relative positions, the apparatus comprising first and second rollers between which the leads and the thermoplastic tape pass in use, whereby the rollers press the tape against the 1eads, means driving at least one of the rollers so that the leads and tape are driven between the rollers by rotation of the rollers, movable heater means for heating the mutually presented surfaces of the tape and the sheaths of the leads prior to their passage between the rollers whereby the pressure applied by the rollers causes the heated surfaces of the tape and sheaths of the leads to fuse together, means for moving said heater means between an operative position and a rest position wherein said heater means is spaced from said rollers, and a setable control mechanism operable at a predetermined point in the production of the harness, after a predetermined length of harness has been produced, to stop the roller drive and to return said heater means to its rest position, whereby a lead of the harness can be branched out of the harness or an additional lead can be introduced into the harness at said predetermined point in the harness.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.