# US 4,397,084 A · Conductor escapement apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,397,084 A - Document ID: US4397084A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/266,272 - Filed: 1981-05-22 - Granted: 1983-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 1981-05-22 - Assignees: Western Electric Company, Inc. - Inventors: Roger G. A. Ebrey; Herbert A. Sckerl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397084A ## CPC - H01R 43/01: for connecting unstripped conductors to contact members having insulation cutting edges - Y10T 29/53217: Means to simultaneously assemble multiple, independent conductors to terminal - Y10T 29/53235: Means to fasten by deformation - Y10T 29/53261: Means to align and advance work part - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An escapement apparatus of this invention accepts a contiguously arrayed plurality of conductors and dispenses them into a carrier spaced apart on centers to facilitate their assembly to a ribbon connector. The escapement apparatus includes a guideway having a first portion which receives the conductor array and which is inclined at an angle to the horizontal. The array is received in the first portion of the guideway and a second, more steeply inclined portion and is biased toward an exit. The exit communicates with a passageway along which is moved a toothed carrier. The carrier includes a plurality of nests having a spacing which corresponds to that of the connector. As the carrier is moved at a velocity which is controlled relative to forces applied to the conductor array in the guideway, the nests are aligned seriatim with the exit to facilitate the movement of a conductor into each nest. The angle of incline of the second portion of the guideway is such that only one conductor is presented to the exit at any one time. Further, the geometry of each tooth and of the second portion of the guideway cooperate to prevent any jamming of a conductor between the carrier and the guideway. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for rearranging a contiguous array of end portions of elongated insulated conductors in an array in which the conductors are on predetermined centers, said apparatus comprising: a guideway for receiving end portions of a plurality of insulated conductors which extend from a cable and which are disposed contiguously in a substantially planar array, said guideway including a first portion which is inclined at a first angle to a horizontal axis and which receives the array, and a second portion including an exit from which conductors of the array are discharged seriatim, said second portion being inclined at a second angle to the horizontal axis, said second angle being greater than said first angle; feed means for urging the array along said guideway toward said exit; a carrier including a plurality of conductor-receiving nests which are spaced apart on the predetermined centers and gate means associated with each of said nests, said carrier including a plurality of spaced, upstanding teeth with said nest being formed between adjacent teeth and with each of said teeth having an outwardly facing crown surface, which is formed at an angle transverse of sidewalls that define said teeth, said gate means including a wedge-shaped portion of each tooth which is formed between said crown surface and one of said sidewalls of each said tooth; p1 mounting means for supporting said carrier for movement in a direction past said exit to allow each said nest and each said crown surface to be aligned seriatim with said exit and to cause said gate means to be oriented in a direction in which the carrier is moved, the direction of movement of said carrier being inclined to at least said second portion of said guideway; and means for moving said carrier to align each of said nests with said exit, whereupon said feed means is effective to cause each successive leading conductor in said guideway to be disposed fully within the aligned nest, and to align each said crown surface with said exit, said angle of said crown surface being such that subsequent to the descent of each leading conductor into an aligned nest said gate means of the succeeding tooth protrudes into said exit of said guideway to prevent the inadvertent descent of the following conductor, and wherein said second portion of said guideway cooperates with each successive crown surface that is aligned with said exit to prevent entrapment of the leading conductor in the guideway between said each successive crown surface and surfaces which define said second portion of said guideway. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said carrier includes means for adjusting the velocity of said carrier relative to the movement of the conductor array along said guideway to insure that each one of said nests receives a conductor as said carrier is moved past said exit of said guideway. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein subsequent to a leading one of the conductors being escaped into said aligned nest, the moving of said carrier causes said wedge-shaped portion of the next successive tooth to be moved between the leading and the following conductor and causes an outwardly facing crown surface of said adjacent tooth to be moved past the following conductor until the succeeding nest is aligned with it to allow it to descend thereinto. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second portion of said guideway is inclined to said first portion at an angle such that it communicates with said carrier along a distance which is substantially less than twice the outer diameter of one of the conductors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each portion of said guideway is formed by two parallel surfaces which are spaced apart a distance that is slightly greater than the outer diameter of one of the insulated conductors, and the portions of the conductors are end portions extending from at least one side of said guideway to the cable.