Wire transfer and cutting assembly suitable for use with multiple wire termination apparatus

A wire harness assembly apparatus which produces wire harnesses of the type having a plurality of wires extending longitudinally between a first connector element and a second connector element and in which the wires are driven from a wire supply source to a first work location for insertion of first ends of said wires into the first connector element to form a partial wire harness assembly which is subsequently transferred to a second work location whereat second ends of the wires are inserted into the second connector element, comprising, in combination:

• first maintaining means disposed at said first work location for maintaining the first ends of said wires in a first preselected orientation adjacent said first connector element;
• means for urging said first ends of said wires into engagement with conductive portions of said first connector element to establish electrical connection therebetween;
• means for moving said engaged first connector element away from said first maintaining means in a direction generally parallel to axes of portions of said wires located at said first work station and for establishing preselected lengths of said wires extending from said first connector element;
• means at said first work location for cutting said wires at a position spaced from said first connector element to define said second ends of said wires;
• means for transferring said second ends of said wires from the first work location to the second work location without altering a second preselected orientation of said second ends, said transferring means including second maintaining means for maintaining said second ends of said wires in said second preselected orientation, said second maintaining means including two opposing wire clamping members, one of said two clamping members including wire guiding means mounted thereon for guiding said second ends of said wires in said second preselected orientation during transfer of said second ends of said wires to said second work location, said wire guiding means including a grooved bar, the wire guiding means extending longitudinally outwardly from said one clamping member and in alignment with longitudinal axes of said second ends of said wires, such that said second ends of said wires are received within corresponding grooves of said grooved bar, said wire guiding means further being movable towards said one clamping member upon application of an external force to said wire guiding means, whereby as said wire guiding means moves towards said one clamping member, said second ends of said wires are exposed for further processing;
• and,
• means for urging said second ends of said wires into engagement with conductive portions of said second connector element to establish electrical connection therebetween.

A wire harness assembly apparatus which produces wire harnesses of the type having a plurality of wires extending longitudinally between a first connector element and a second connector element and in which the wires are driven from a wire supply source to a first work location for insertion of first ends of said wires into the first connector element to form a partial wire harness assembly which is subsequently transferred to a second work location whereat second ends of the wires are inserted into the second connector element, comprising, in combination:

• first maintaining means disposed at said first work location for maintaining the first ends of said wires in a first preselected orientation adjacent said first connector element;
• means for urging said first ends of said wires into engagement with conductive portions of said first connector element to establish electrical connection therebetween;
• means for moving said engaged first connector element away from said first maintaining means in a direction generally parallel to axes of portions of said wires located at said first work station and for establishing preselected lengths of said wires extending from said first connector element;
• means at said first work location for cutting said wires at a position spaced from said first connector element to define said second ends of said wires;
• means for transferring said second ends of said wires from the first work location to the second work location without altering a second preselected orientation of said second ends, said transferring means including second maintaining means for maintaining said second ends of said wires in said second preselected orientation, said second maintaining means including a clamping head assembly having upper and lower opposing clamping members supported on vertical guide posts and being vertically moveable upon said guide posts, said upper clamping member including a wire locator bar movably mounted thereon having a plurality of wire-receiving channels disposed therein, the wire locator bar being selectively actuatable between first and second positions upon application of an external force thereto, each of said channels being aligned with and receiving a second end of one of said wires therein when said wire locator bar is in said first position, and each of said second ends of said wires being exposed from said channels when said wire locator bar is in said second position, said wire locator bar moving longitudinally along a length of said wires between said first and second positions;
• and,
• means for urging said second ends of said wires into engagement with conductive portions of said second connector element to establish electrical connection therebetween.