Apparatus and method for installing electrical connectors on flat conductor cable

A method of installing a hollow, cylindrical connector, having a flanged end and a non-flanged end, onto a flat conductor cable comprising:

• (a) aligning the connector with a ram means of an installation machine by:
• i. loading a connector by moving it axially onto a fixed connector holder located at a loading station, the connector holder being formed with a ramp and a clearance slot;
• ii. transferring the holder and connector by movement radially with respect to the connector from the loading station to the unloading station;
• iii. axially shifting a connector capture means at the unloading station from a first location by the force applied by the ramp on the moving holder;
• iv. axiallly shifting the clearance slot back to its first location whereby the connector is captured and retained by the clearance slot upon the holder and connector arriving at the unloading station;
• v. reorienting the holder as it approaches the unloading station to enable the clearance means to clear the connector as the holder leaves the unloading station;
• and
• vi. transferring the holder, without a connector, back to the loading station;
• (b) pressing the non-flanged end of the rivet connector onto and through the conductor portion of the flat conductor cable and
• (c) rolling the non-flanged end of the conductor after it has passed through the conductor to form an eyelet thereon.

Apparatus for sequentially transferring cylindrical connectors from a loading station having a supply of connectors to an unloading station whereat the connectors may be utilized comprising:

• (a) carry means mounted for movement relative to a frame;
• (b) connector holding means operatively associated with said carry means and mounted for reciprocal movement along a path of movement between the loading station and the unloading station, said holding means having a pocket for the engagement and supporting of a connector moved into engagement therewith;
• (c) loading means at the loading station for axially moving a connector into said pocket of said holding means at the loading station;
• (d) drive means coupled to said holding means for moving said holding means and a supported connector radially from the loading station to the unloading station;
• (e) connector capture means mounted at the unloading station for movement axially with respect to said holding means and a supported connector from a normal position in the path of movement of said holding means and a supported connector to a second position out of such path of movement;
• (f) ramp means formed on said holding means for axially moving said capture means out of the path of movement of said holding means and connector until said holding means and connector arrive at the unloading station whereat said capture means will axially return to its normal position to preclude radial movement of a supported connector;
• (g) clearance means in the form of a slot formed in said holding means for enabling the supported connector to be disengaged from said holding means as said holding means is moved along its path of movement from the unloading station back to the loading station;
• and
• (h) control means operatively associated with and mounted for movement with respect to said holding means for rotating said holding means from a first orientation whereby said ramp means guides said capture means for axial movement to contact and retain the connector while said clearance means precludes radial movement of a supported connector with respect to said holding means as said holding means approaches the unloading station to a second orientation whereby said clearance means is positioned to enable said holding means to clear the connector retained by said capture means as said holding means moves from the unloading station back to the loading station.

Apparatus for installing cylindrical connectors onto flat conductor cables comprising:

• (a) a loading station positioned on the apparatus;
• (b) a supply of connectors positioned at said loading station;
• (c) an unloading station positioned on the apparatus remote from said loading station;
• (d) means mounted adjacent said unloading station for positioning a predetermined portion of a flat conductor cable at said unloading station;
• (e) transfer means for removing a connector from said supply at said loading station and for aligning said connector with the predetermined portion of the flat conductor cable at said unloading station, said transfer means including:
• i. carry means mounted for movement relative to a frame;
• ii. connector holding means operatively associated with said carry means and mounted for reciprocal movement along a path of movement between said loading station and said unloading station, said holding means having a pocket for the engagement and supporting of said connector axially moved into engagement therewith;
• iii. loading means for axially moving said connector into said pocket of said holding means at said loading station;
• iv. drive means coupled to said holding means for moving said holding means and said supported connector radially from said loading station to said unloading station;
• v. connector capture means mounted at said unloading station for movement axially with respect to said holding means and said supported connector from a normal position in the path of movement of said holding means and said supported connector to a second position out of such path of movement;
• vi. a ramp means formed on said holding means for axially moving said capture means out of the path of movement of said holding means and connector until said holding means and connector arrive at said unloading station whereat said capture means will axially return to its normal position to preclude radial movement of said supported connector;
• vii. a clearance means in the form of a slot formed in said holding means for enabling said supported connector to be disengaged from said holding means as said holding means is moved along its path of movement from said unloading station back to said loading station;
• viii. control means mounted in operative association with said holding means for rotating said holding means from a first orientation whereby said ramp means guides said capture means for axial movement to contact and retain said connector while said clearance means precludes radial movement of said supported connector with respect to said holding means as said holding means approaches said unloading station to a second orientation whereby said clearance means is positioned to enable said holding means to clear said connector retained by said capture means as said holding means moves from said unloading station back to said loading station;
• and
• (f) means at said unloading station for pressing said connector into the flat conductor cable whereby electrical current can pass from the flat conductor cable to the conductor.

Apparatus for installing a rivet-like connector onto a flat conductor cable comprising:

• (a) a loading station positioned on the apparatus;
• (b) a supply of connectors positioned at said loading station, each of said connectors being formed as a cylinder having a post and a flange and an axial opening therethrough;
• (c) an unloading station positioned on the apparatus remote from said loading station, said unloading station having an axially shiftable guide pin positioned thereat;
• (d) means for positioning a predetermined portion of the flat conductor cable at said unloading station;
• (e) transfer means for removing a connector from said supply at said loading station and axially aligning said opening of the connector with said guide pin means at an unloading station, said transfer means including;
• i. carry means mounted for movement relative to a frame;
• ii. connector holding means mounted for reciprocal movement along a path of movement between said loading station and said unloading station, said holding means having a pocket for the engagement and supporting of said connector axially moved into engagement therewith;
• iii. loading means at said loading station for axially moving said connector into said pocket of said holding means at said loading station;
• iv. drive means coupled to said holding means for moving said holding means and said supported connector radially from the loading station to the unloading station;
• v. a ramp means formed on said holding means for axially moving said guide pin out of the path of movement of said holding means and connector until said holding means and connector arrive at the unloading station whereat said guide pin will axially return to its normal position to preclude radial movement of a supported connector;
• vi. a clearance means in the form of a slot in said holding means for enabling the supported connector to be disengaged from said holding means as said holding means is moved along its path of movement from said unloading station back to said loading station;
• and
• vii. control means operatively associated with and mounted for reciprocal movement with said holding means for rotating said holding means from a first orientation whereby said ramp means guides said guide pin for axial movement to contact and retain said connector while said clearance means precludes radial movement of said supported connector with respect to said holding means as said holding means approaches said unloading station to a second orientation whereby said clearance means is positioned to enable said holding means to clear said connector retained by said capture means as said holding means moves from said unloading station back to said loading station;
• and
• (f) means positioned at said unloading station for pressing the connector into and through said flat conductor cable at said unloading station, said means for pressing including a ram means and anvil means and means for causing relative movement therebetween.

Apparatus for transferring cylindrical connectors from a first station to a second station comprising:

• (a) carry means mounted for movement relative to a frame;
• (b) connector holding means mounted for reciprocal movement along a path of movement between the first station and the second station, said holding means having a pocket for the engagement and supporting of a connector axially moved into engagement therewith;
• (c) drive means coupled to said holding means for moving said holding means and a supported connector radially from the loading station to the unloading station;
• (d) connector capture means mounted at the unloading station for movement axially with respect to said holder and a supported connector from a normal position in the path of movement of said holding means and a supported connector to a second position out of such path of movement;
• (e) a ramp means formed on said holding means for axially moving the capture means out of the path of movement of said holding means and connector until said holding means and connector arrive at the unloading station whereat said capture means will axially return to its normal position to preclude radial movement of a captured connector;
• (f) a clearance means in the form of a slot in said holding means for enabling the supported connector to be disengaged from said holding means as said holding means is moved along its path of movement to the loading station;
• and
• (g) control means operatively associated with and mounted for reciprocal movement with said holding means for rotating said holding means from a first orientation whereby said ramp means guides said capture means for radial movement to contact and retain the connector while said clearance means precludes radial movement of a supported connector with respect to said holding means as the holding means approaches the unloading station to a second orientation whereby said clearance means is positioned to enable said holding means to clear the connector retained by said capture means as said holding means moves from the unloading station back to the loading station.