Methods of and apparatus for assembling contact elements with a housing to form a contact module

摘要

In order to facilitate the gang-insertion of a plurality of contact elements successively into a plurality of slots in each of a plurality of rows of slots in a plastic housing portion of a contact module of a connector system, an assembly fixture in the form of a block having a generally V-shaped trough formed therethrough is provided. The surfaces which form the V-shaped trough are generally normal to each other with one surface supporting portions of a surface of the plastic portion to which the slots open and the other surface supporting an edge surface of the plastic portion. A stepped surface is formed with each portion of the stepped surface adapted to support a plurality of contact elements at successively greater distances from the surface which provides edge support for the plastic portion and with overhanging portions to provide a passageway for receiving rows of priorly inserted contact elements. A plurality of the plastic portions are loaded into the trough of the fixture in end-to-end relationship with a leading one in engagement with a stop which causes a row of openings of each portion in each insertion position to be aligned with the portion of the stepped surface associated with that position and with the plurality of contact elements supported thereon.