Apparatus and method for assembling electrical harnesses

An apparatus for making a double-ended electrical cable harness including a flat multi-conductor ribbon cable having two ends, each terminated to an electrical connector having a plurality of insulation displacing terminals, the apparatus including

• a connector loading station whereat a connector is initially positioned,
• a pair of spaced-apart termination stations, remote from said loading station, whereat a connector is terminated to said cable,
• means for moving a connector from said loading station to each of said termination stations, said connector moving means comprises a shuttle table system including a plurality of coplanar tables movable in a common closed rectilinear path between said connector loading and termination stations, at least one table having connector carrying means thereon,
• means for presenting the respective ends of a predetermined length of cable to said termination stations, including means for feeding a predetermined length of cable from a cable supply, means for severing said predetermined length from said cable supply, and means for presenting respective ends of said cable length to each of said termination stations,
• the improvement in said cable presenting means comprising:
• a pair of presenting wire guides movable from initial positions to extended positions between said termination stations,
• a carriage wire guide located at an initial position beside said pair of presenting wire guides, operative to engage a free end of a cable from said cable supply and to travel from said initial position past said first presenting wire guide to a point between said presenting wire guides, to thereby feed said cable free end through said second presenting wire guide for gripping engagement therewith,
• a termination head mounted for reciprocal movement at the termination station for engaging a cable end and mass inserting said conductors in said terminals,
• cable cutting means disposed between said carriage wire guide and said first presenting wire guide, operative to sever said cable from said cable supply to define said predetermined length, and
• actuating means for moving said presenting wire guides to said extended positions to simultaneously present free ends of said cable length to said termination stations, whereby each end of said cable conductors are aligned with terminals of a connector, at a point adjacent said termination head.

An apparatus for making an electrical cable harness including a flat multi-conductor ribbon cable with a plurality of spaced-apart electrical conductors having a common insulating covering forming web portions between adjacent conductors, electrically connected to an electrical connector defined by a housing having a plurality of insulation displacing terminals loaded therein, the apparatus including

• a connector loading station whereat a set of connectors is initially positioned,
• a termination station spaced from said loading station whereat a connector is terminated to said cable,
• means for moving said connector from said loading station to said termination station,
• means for presenting a cable end to said termination station so that the conductors are aligned with said terminals, and
• a termination head at said termination station for engaging the end of the cable and mass inserting said conductors in said terminals,
• the improvement in said connector moving means comprising a shuttle table system including a plurality of coplanar tables movable in a common closed rectilinear path between said connector loading and terminating stations, at least one table having connector carrying means thereon.

An apparatus for making an electrical cable harness including a flat multi-conductor ribbon cable with a plurality of spaced-apart electrical conductors having a common insulating covering forming web portions between adjacent conductors, electrically connected to an electrical connector defined by a housing having a plurality of insulation displacing terminals loaded therein, the apparatus including

• a connector loading station whereat a set of connectors is initially positioned, said set including a plurality of housings spaced predetermined distances from each other and joined together by connecting tabs,
• a termination station spaced from said loading station whereat a connector is terminated to said cable,
• means for moving said connector from said loading station to said termination station,
• means for presenting a cable end to said termination station so that the conductors are aligned with said terminals,
• a termination head at the termination station for engaging the end of the cable and mass inserting said conductors in said terminals, and
• tab removing means operatively associated with said tabs after conductor insertion for removing said connecting tabs so as to separate said set of connectors into a plurality of independent harnesses,
• the improvement in said tab removing means comprising:
• a base member moveable toward said set of connectors;
• a plurality of punches mounted on said base and aligned with said connecting tabs, selectively moveable between an operative position for contacting said tab portions, and a second inoperative retracted position;
• and
• a cover overlying said punches and engaging said base member, having means engaging said punches for maintaining first and second predetermined sets of punches in said operative and said inoperative positions, respectively.