Metal clamp applicator

A low profile apparatus for inserting a multiconductor communication cable between spaced apart arms of a clamp, and for closing said arms against said cable to provide a rugged, secure, clamp connection, the combination comprising:

• a stationary frame,
• a cam mounted slidably by said frame,
• stuffer arms pivotally mounted on a carriage which is joined to said cam, said arms being impinged on said frame and pivoted apart with said carriage in a first position,
• means continuously biasing said arms toward each other enclosing a multiconductor communication cable when said carriage is displaced from said first position to a second position,
• said arms while enclosed on said cable being displaced in the same direction as said carriage from said first position to said second position to insert said cable transversely of its length in between a spaced apart pair of clamp arms,
• means on said arms impinging on said frame to maintain said carriage in said second position and said cable in between said clamp arms,
• an extensible link joining said carriage and said cam and being extensible upon displacement of said cam relative to said carriage when said carriage is maintained in said second position,
• a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said frame and engaging said cam, said jaws being pivoted by said cam, when said cam undergoes said continued displacement, to engage and close said clamp arms toward each other into clamped connection on said cable.

In apparatus having a work station for mounting an electrical connector, tooling for trimming, then inserting, electrical conductors of a multiconductor cable into successively arranged electrical terminals contained in an electrial connector mounted on said work station and a motor drive for transporting said tooling along said connector and for precisely aligning said tooling with each successive contact during said trimming and said inserting of a conductor into said terminals, the improvement comprising:

• a low profile apparatus for inserting a multiconductor communication cable between spaced apart arms of a lamp mounted on said connector, and for closing said arms against said cable to provide a rugged, secure, clamp connection, characterised in that, said low profile apparatus includes:
• a frame slidably mounting a cam,
• a pair of stuffer arms constructed in response to sliding displacement of said cam to grip therebetween a multiconductor communication cable and to displace said cable transversely of its length to insert said cable in between spaced apart arms of a clamp, and
• a pair of spaced apart jaw pivotally mounted on said frame being biased by said cam to pivot toward each other to engage and close forcefully said clamp arms toward each other in secure clamped relationship against said cable.