Ribbon cable connector tool

An apparatus for joining a ribbon cable having a plurality of separately insulated electrically conductive wires joined together in side-by-side arrangement substantially in the shape of a ribbon and a mass termination connector, having a cover and a body, said body having a plurality of electrically conductive elements that pierce the insulation in said ribbon cable and being in electrical communication with said wires therein when said ribbon cable is joined to said mass termination connector, said cover and said body being secured together in such a manner as to hold said ribbon cable therebetween, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a loading die for receiving and holding in spaced relation said cover, said body, and said ribbon cable, said loading die having positioning means associated therewith, said positioning means for restricting the movement of said cover and said body in said loading die;
• a compression die associated with said loading die which moves relative to said loading die and comes into pressure engagement with said body and said cover;
• and
• pressure applying means associated with said loading die and said compression die and acting to cause said movement of said compression die relative to said loading die, whereupon pressure is exerted on said cover and said body.

An apparatus for joining a ribbon cable having a plurality of separately insulated electrically conductive wires joined together in side-by-side arrangement substantially in the shape of a ribbon and a mass termination connector, having a cover and a body, said body having a plurality of electrically conductive elements that pierce the insulation in said ribbon cable and being in electrical communication with said wires therein when said ribbon cable is joined to said mass termination connector, said cover and said body being secured together in such a manner as to hold said ribbon cable therebetween, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a loading die for receiving and holding in spaced relation said cover, said body, and said cable, said loading die being a U-shaped channel having a front wall, a rear wall, and a floor therebetween, said front wall having a notch therein for receiving said ribbon cable, said loading die having oppositely spaced, pivotally mounted jaws mounted within and transverse to a longitudinal axis of said loading die, each of said jaws being spring biased toward the center of said loading die, each of said jaws including a stop on the side surface thereof closest the center of said loading die;
• a compression die associated with said loading die which moves relative to said loading die and comes into pressure engagement with said body and said cover, said compression die being a U-shaped channel having a front wall, a rear wall, and a floor therebetween;
• and
• locking pliers having opposing pincers, said loading and said compression die being removably secured to said pincers transverse to a longitudinal axis of said locking pliers.