Arranging randomly positioned articles into preselected positions

A method of arranging portions of electrical conductor wires which are initially in random positions, into preselected positions in at least two subgroups so as to facilitate the respective positioning thereof in preselected positions on a wire-receiving member, which comprises:

• connecting trailing portions of the wires to electrical reference points representative of respective ones of the subgroups in which the wires are to be arranged;
• sequentially completing electrical circuits through the wires to the reference points from adjacent the randomly positioned wire portions, to identify the subgroup in which each randomly positioned wire portion is to be located;
• sequentially arranging the wire portions first into random reference positions within the particular subgroup with which each wire has been previously identifiably associated, and secondly, into their preselected reference positions within their respective subgroups;
• causing relative movement between the wire-receiving member and each identified wire portion while the latter is in its preselected reference position of the associated subgroup, to locate the corresponding preselected position for each wire portion on the wire-receiving member adjacent the associated reference position, and
• feeding each identified wire portion out of the preselected reference position in each subgroup into its preselected position on the wire-receiving member.

A method of arranging leading end portions of electrical conductor wires which are in random positions, into preselected positions, which comprises:

• connecting trailing portions of the wires to an electrical reference;
• feeding the wire leading end portions from a continuous supply;
• sequentially completing electrical circuits through the wires to the electrical reference from adjacent the wire leading end portions, to identify the wire leading end portions;
• cutting the wires to length between their leading end portions and the continuous supply after identifying the wire leading end portions, to produce new leading end portions on the wires;
• arranging the identified randomly positioned wire leading end portions into their preselected positions;
• and
• repeating the feeding, identifying, wire cutting and arranging steps for the new wire leading end portions.

A method of arranging randomly positioned portions of electrical conductor wires which are enclosed in a plastic sheath, into preselected positions, which comprises:

• connecting trailing portions of the wires to an electrical reference;
• softening a portion of the plastic sheath by radiant heat without contacting the sheath;
• applying tension to the plastic sheath to separate the sheath along the softened portion and to expose the randomly positioned portions of the wires;
• sequentially completing electrical circuits through the wires to the electrical reference from adjacent the exposed randomly positioned wire portions, to identify the wire portions;
• and
• arranging the identified randomly positioned wire portions into their preselected positions.

A method of arranging randomly positioned leading end portions of electrical conductor wires which are in a bundle configuration into preselected wiring positions in at least two subgroups, which comprises:

• connecting trailing portions of the wires in each subgroup to respective points in an electrical reference, which points are representative of respective ones of the preselected positions for the wire leading end portions in the subgroup and also are representative of the subgroup;
• progressively exerting opposed pressure forces to opposite successive portions of the wire leading end portions in a direction extending from points spaced from free ends of the wires toward the free ends, to move the wire leading end portions from the bundle configuration into a common plane configuration;
• sequentially completing electrical circuits through the wires to the electrical reference from adjacent the randomly positioned wire-leading end portions after they have been moved into the common plane configuration, to identify the wire leading end portions;
• moving the leading end portions of the wires out of the common plane configuration sequentially and electrically contacting them in the same sequence, thereby completing electrical circuits through the wires to identify each wire leading end portion and the subgroup in which the wire leading end portion is to be located;
• sorting the identified leading end portions of the wires into their respective subgroups in random position;
• and
• arranging the identified randomly positioned leading end portions of the wires in each subgroup into their preselected positions in the subgroup.

A method of connecting leading end portions of a bundle of randomly positioned conductor wires which are intertwisted at least in pairs and enclosed in a plastic sheath, to respective electrical terminals which are arranged in at least two subgroups in a preselected numerical order in each subgroup, which comprises:

• connecting trailing ends of the wires in each subgroup to electrical reference points in the preselected numerical order of the terminals for that subgroup, with the leading end portions in insulated relationship to produce a plurality of normally open electrical circuits which are representative of respective ones of the wire leading end portions and of the subgroups;
• feeding the sheathed leading end portions of the wires from a continuous supply;
• softening a narrow circumferential portion of the plastic sheath adjacent a leading end of the sheath by radiant heat without contacting the sheath;
• applying tension to the plastic sheath to separate the sheath along the softened circumferential portion and to remove the leading end portion of the sheath from the leading end portions of the wires;
• terminating the application of radiant heat to the sheath after separating the leading end portion of the sheath from the remainder of the sheath so as to preclude heat damage to the wires;
• progressively exerting opposed pressure forces to opposite successive portions of the leading end portions of the bundle of intertwisted wires in a direction extending from points spaced from free ends of the wires toward the free ends, to cause the wires to move from the intertwisted bundle configuration into a common plane untwisted configuration;
• moving the untwisted leading end portions of the wires out of the common plane configuration sequentially and electrically contacting the wire leading end portions in the same sequence, thereby sequentially closing the electrical circuits through the wires to the electrical reference points to identify each wire leading end portion and the subgroup in which the wire leading end portion is to be located;
• sequentially sorting the leading end portions of the wires into their respective subgroups in random positions;
• storing data information representative of each sorted wire leading end portion and the sequential position of the wire leading end portion in its respective subgroup as the wire leading end portions and their respective subgroups are being identified;
• arranging the sorted wire leading end portions in each subgroup into the same numerical order as the terminals, utilizing the stored data information;
• connecting the arranged leading end portions of the wires to their respective terminals;
• and
• cutting the sheathed wires to length between their leading end portions and the continuous supply after the data information has been stored, to produce new leading end portions on the wires.

Apparatus for arranging portions of electrical conductor wires which are in random positions, into preselected positions, which comprises:

• means for identifying the randomly positioned portions of the wires, and their relative positions;
• means for connecting trailing portions of the wires to said identifying means;
• means for energizing said identifying means by electrically contacting the wires in sequence adjacent the randomly positioned wire portions to complete electrical circuits through the trailing portions of the wires to said identifying means in sequence;
• means connected to and responsive to said identifying means for arranging the randomly positioned wire portions into their preselected positions;
• means for connecting the arranged wire portions to respective electrical terminals, and
• means for automatically transferring the wire portions between said wire portion electrical contacting means, said wire portion arranging means, and said wire portion connecting means.

Apparatus for arranging articles from random positions into preselected positions, which comprises:

• means for holding the articles in a random but sequential order and in a linear array along a first reference plane;
• means for receiving all of the articles from said holding means in their preselected positions and in a linear array along a second reference plane oriented at a predetermined angle from the first reference plane;
• means for causing relative movement between said article holding means and said article receiving means to locate said article holding means and said article receiving means in different relative positions for the sequential transfer of respective ones of the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means such that the articles are received by said article receiving means in their preselected positions;
• means responsive to said moving means for sequentially transferring the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means in their preselected positions as said article holding means and said article receiving means are moved into their different relative positions by said moving means, and
• means for sequentially transferring said articles from their preselected positions to and positioning them in respectively associated receiving assembly areas of a utilization device.

Apparatus for arranging articles from random positions into preselected positions, which comprises:

• means for holding the articles in a random but sequential order, said article holding means including a magazine having a slot for receiving the articles in the random but sequential order;
• means for receiving the articles from said holding means in their preselected positions, said article receiving means including a movable rack having a series of slots for receiving respective ones of the articles in their preselected positions;
• means for causing relative movement between said article holding means and said article receiving means to locate said article holding means and said article receiving means in different relative positions for the sequential transfer of respective ones of the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means such that the articles are received by said article receiving means in their preselected positions, and
• means responsive to said moving means for sequentially transferring the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means in their preselected positions as said article holding means and said article receiving means are moved into their different relative positions by said moving means, said article transfer means including a rotatable member adjacent the exit end of the slot in said magazine and having at least one peripheral notch for receiving the articles from said magazine one at a time, means for biasing the articles from said magazine into the notch in said rotatable member, and means for moving an article from the peripheral notch of said rotatable member into a respective slot of said rack as said rotatable member rotates with the article in the peripheral notch.

Apparatus for arranging articles in the form of electrical conductors from random positions into preselected positions, which comprises:

• means for holding the articles in a random but sequential order;
• means for receiving the articles from said holding means in their preselected positions;
• means for causing relative movement between said article holding means and said article receiving means to locate said article holding means and said article receiving means in different relative positions for the sequential transfer of respective ones of the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means such that the articles are received by said article receiving means in their preselected positions;
• means responsive to said moving means for sequentially transferring the articles from said article holding means to said article receiving means in their preselected positions as said article holding means and said article receiving means are moved into their different relative positions by said moving means,
• means for connecting the conductors to respective electrical terminals, and
• means for automatically transferring the conductors from said article receiving means to said connecting means.