| 摘要 |
<p>This invention relates to a method and apparatus for terminating insulating conductors in respective insulation-piercing contacts of an electrical connector. Prior art terminating machines are rather complex and expensive, and manual insertion becomes an extremely slow and expensive process when it is necessary to terminate a large number of conductors, particularly as a continuously repetitive operation. The present invention overcomes these defects of the prior art by providing the technique of supporting the connector on a base with the conductor channels exposed to receive the respective conductors, and moving an insertion tool generally parallel to the connector sequentially insert the conductors within the respective channels and insulation-piercing contacts. The connector may comprise a notched ridge, with each notch in communication with a respective channel for alignment before insertion. The entire terminating apparatus resembles a credit card impression mechanism with a wheeled carriage supported to traverse a base in opposite directions. In one embodiment, a wire cutter, supported by the carriage, advances in front of the insertion tool to cut the ends of the wires before insertion, thereby performing the insertion operation upon return of the carriage. In a second embodiment, the insertion tool includes the wire cutter and operates to cut the wires contemporaneously with insertion. In another embodiment, a wire cutter is carried between a wire pulling and seating member and the insertion tool, whereby the individual wires are snugged in each channel, and then cut to a predetermined length before insertion.</p> |
