Press for assembling an electrical connector to a printed circuit board

A press for assembling an electrical connector having tines projecting therefrom, to a printed circuit board, the press comprising a press frame, a press ram, a back-up assembly on the frame for supporting the circuit board positioned beneath the press ram, and a driving member for driving the ram carrying a connector thereon through a working stroke towards the circuit board to force the connector theretowards, thereby forcing the tines of the connector into through-holes provided in the circuit board;

• the press ram having thereon a socket for receiving the connector, with the tines thereof projecting from the socket said press ram slidably mounted for sliding movement by the driving member through a working stroke of said press ram along a ram support, said ram support pivotally mounted on the frame, said press ram further comprising a cam follower which follows a cam track provided on said frame during pivoting of said ram support while said ram support moving between a connector loading first position in which the socket projects outwardly of the press, and a second position in which the socket projects towards the circuit board when the circuit board is supported by the back-up assembly, the driving member entraining the ram when the ram is in the second position, to drive the ram through the working stroke.