Method and apparatus for inserting terminal-carrying wire ends into a connector housing

Abstract

Described herein is a method and an apparatus which permit terminal-carrying ends of wire units to be automatically inserted into a connector housing in a reliable manner almost irrespective of the type and size of the terminal elements to be inserted. This is attained by providing a transfer plate which is movable to a position confronting a selected one of a plurality of connector housings set on an assembling table. An assembling head is mounted on the transfer plate movably in vertical directions and also in directions toward and away from the transfer plate. A wire-embracing terminal portion and a wire portion of the wire unit are gripped by means of openable and closable paired terminal gripping pawls and wire gripping pawls which are vertically movably supported on the assembling head. The posture of the terminal element is adjusted by lowering a terminal presser plate which is vertically movably provided between the paired terminal gripping pawls. The assembling head is moved toward the connector housing to insert the terminal element into the connector housing. The terminal gripping pawls are opened and lifted up as soon as an electric contact portion of the terminal element is inserted into a terminal compartment of the connector housing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.