Electrical connector delivery system

A connector delivery system for delivering an electrical connector component from a storage container to a processing station spaced from said storage container by a given distance, the storage container containing a plurality of connector components each having a large dimensioned end and a small dimensioned end, the connector delivery system comprising:

• a substantially entirely enclosed delivery conduit extending substantially the entire given distance from the storage container to the processing station, and being transversely dimensioned to generally correspond to said large dimensioned end of each of the connector components to allow one of the plurality of connector components to pass therethrough at a given time;
• delivery means for effecting a pressure differential within the delivery conduit which creates a high pressure air current on one side of the delivery means to deliver the connector components to the processing station, and a vacuum on the other side of the delivery means to draw the connector components from the storage container into the conduit, wherein the delivery means moves the connector components from the storage container through the delivery conduit in a downstream direction to the processing station independent of gravitational forces;
• feed means for allowing one of the plurality of connector components through the conduit at a given time while blocking a successive one of the plurality of connector components;
• orientation means extending along a portion of the conduit for effecting delivery of the connector components to the processing station in a predetermined orientation, the orientation means being defined by an orientation track having a slot which is larger than the small dimensioned end of the connector components and smaller than the large dimensioned end of the connector components, so that when the small dimensioned end of one of the connector components enters the track ahead of said large dimensioned end, said small dimensioned end enters the slot exposing the large dimensioned end of the connector component within the conduit, and the vacuum is effective to draw the large dimensioned end of the connector component downstream through the conduit ahead of the small dimensioned end;
• and
• actuating means for actuating said feed means, said actuating means being operatively associated with a tool at said processing station for cyclically actuating the feed means in response to operation of the tool.