Apparatus for aligning and press-fitting connector terminals into a substrate

A tool for aligning the shanks of individual ones of a plurality of connector terminals with individual ones of a like plurality of apertures in a substrate to make the terminals ready for press-fitting to said substrate, said connector terminals being supported in predetermined spaced relation by a support strip, said apertures being aligned in a row in essentially the same predetermined spaced relation, said tool comprising:

• a housing adapted to be positioned on said substrate, said housing having a slot for positioning over said row of apertures and for receiving said terminals supported by said support strip;
• positioning means supported by said housing adjacent one side of said slot, said positioning means being operable between a rest position and an actuated position, said positioning means having a plurality of notches each engaging individual ones of said shanks of said terminals in said slot when said positioning means is in its actuated position;
• load means supported by said housing adjacent the opposite side of said slot, said load means being operable between a rest position and an actuated position, said load means having a surface for engaging said shanks of said terminals in said slot when said load means is in its actuated position, whereby when said load means is in its actuated position said surface of said load means engages said shanks of said terminals to bias said shanks toward said positioning means, said load means and said notches in said positioning means being disposed in relation to said apertures as to align said shanks of said terminals with individual apertures in said substrate when said load means and said positioning means are in their respective actuated positions;
• and
• actuator means for moving said load means and said positioning means between their respective rest and actuated positions.