US3895434A

US3895434A - Assembling electrical connecting device to cordage

Info

Publication number: US3895434A
Application number: US501007A
Authority: US
Inventors: George Phillip Adams; Jr Frederick David Gavin; Anthony Pete Natale
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1974-08-27
Filing date: 1974-08-27
Publication date: 1975-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-22

Abstract

In order to assemble modular plugs, comprised of two mating dielectric parts and plural blade-like terminals, to each end of a jacketed telephone cord, an operator positions each unfinished end of a length of cordage in a transfer device and then initiates the operation of an assembly apparatus. The transfer device transfers each end of the cord to a workholder while mating dielectric parts are fed separately to each of two assembly positions and in vertical alignment with a horn and anvil of ultrasonic bonding facilities. One of the parts in each assembly position is supported on the anvil while the other part is held in the horn. Each of the workholders is turned rotatably to move the cordage end held therein into the assembly position and into vertical alignment with the spaced apart portions of the modular plug. The jacket is removed from the end portions of the cord to expose the individually insulated conductors whereafter the anvil is moved upwardly to position the conductors in conductor-receiving troughs in the one part. Simultaneously, the horn is lowered to engage the other part with the one part and bond the parts together. The blake-like terminals are moved upwardly through the anvil and into terminal-receiving grooves in the one part and into electrical engagement with the conductors. Excess lengths of the conductors are severed and together with the stripped jacket are removed. The workholders are returned to initial positions and cammed open to release the plugged cord ends and permit the finished cord to drop into a receptacle.

Description

"United States Patent [191 Adams et al.

[ July 22, 1975 ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE TO CORDAGE [75] Inventors: George Phillip Adams; Frederick David Gavin, Jr.; Anthony Pete Natale, all of Baltimore, Md.

[73] Assignee: Western Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 501,007

[52] US. Cl. 29/628; 29/203 R; 29/203 S; 29/630 R; 29/630 A; 228/1 [51] Int. Cl. H01R 43/00 [58] Field of Search 29/628, 629, 630 R, 630 A, 29/203 R, 203 P, 203 S, 206, 208 R, 208 E,

208 F, 33 R, 33 M, 203 D, 203 DT, 203 DS; 81/9.5l, 9.5 R;228/1, 13, 44, 47

[57] ABSTRACT In order to assemble modular plugs, comprised of two mating dielectric parts and plural blade-like terminals, to each end of a jacketed telephone cord, an operator positions each unfinished end of a length of cordage in a transfer device and then initiates the operation of an assembly apparatus. The transfer device transfers each end of the cord to a workholder while mating dielectric parts are fed separately to each of two assembly positions and in vertical alignment with a horn and anvil of ultrasonic bonding facilities. One of the parts in each assembly position is supported on the anvil while the other part is held in the horn. Each of the workholders is turned rotatably to move the cordage end held therein into the assembly position and into vertical alignment with the spaced apart portions of the modular plug. The jacket is removed from the end portions of the cord to expose the individually insulated conductors whereafter the anvil is moved upwardly to position the conductors in conductorreceiving troughs in the one part. Simultaneously, the horn is lowered to engage the other part with the one part and bond the parts together. The blake-like terminals are moved upwardly through the anvil and into terminal-receiving grooves in the one part and into electrical engagement with the conductors. Excess lengths of the conductors are severed and together with the stripped jacket are removed. The workholders are returned to initial positions and cammed open to release the plugged cord ends and permit the finished cord to drop into a receptacle.

15 Claims, 38 Drawing Figures CORD TRANSFER POSITION PATENTEDJUL 22 ms 3 8 95 434 SHEET 56 CORD TRANSFER POSITION F/G. 2B

PLUG ASSEMBLY 5 POSITIONII w 56 PLUG A EMBLY POSI N I' PATENTEDJUL 22 ms SHEET KEHHW/ F/G. ZJ

PATENTEDJUL 22 ms SHEET ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY POSITION II POSITION I PATENTEnJuLzz I975 V 3,895,434

CORD TRANSFER POSITION CORD INPUT POSITION /04- Liam SHEET PATENTEDJUL 22 1975 SHEET ZOFEWOR fimpzmmmxx 03 5 PATENTED JUL 2 2 ms SHEET ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE TO CORDAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to assembling electrical connecting devices to cordage, and more particularly, to methods of and apparatus for providing telephone cords with modular plugs which may be inserted by a subscriber into a jack in a telephone handset.

2. Technical Considerations and the Prior Art In the field of individual subscriber telephone station equipment, there have been some recent advances which increases subscriber flexibility for product replacement. Specifically, telephone cords, both line and retractile, are now being equipped with miniature plugs which are capable of being inserted by a customer into telephone handsets specially provided with mating jacks. In like manner, a customer may readily disconnected the line or spring cord or both from the telephone handset. The innovations are part of a broad improvement in telephone cords referred to as modularity.

Modularity permits replacement of cords by the customer for reasons of style change or to simply replace worn cords. The savings in time and costs should be readily apparent. Modular plugs and jacks are disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,699,498 and 3,761,869 issued in the names of E. C. Hardesty, C. L. Krumreich, A. E. Mulbarger, Jr. and S. W. Walden.

Because of the miniature dimensions of the elements of the plug, for example, it is beneficial to provide apparatus which may be used to expeditiously assemble the plugs. This is especially true with respect to the assembly of miniature terminal blades with a dielectric housing. Apparatus for accomplishing this assembly is disclosed and claimed in a copending application Ser. No. 346,556, filed Mar. 30, 1973, now Pat. No. 3,839,787 in the names of W. B. Brown, deceased, and F. D. Gavin and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The success of the modularity program also depends in part on the capability of providing apparatus for assembling the modular miniature plugs to each end of a retractile cord. Such an apparatus may include the apparatus of the hereinbefore referred to Brown-Gavin application for inserting terminal blades into the dielectric housing and into electrical engagement with the conductors comprising the cord.

Priorly, with the advent of the modularity program, the assembly of the plugs to the cords was accomplished manually. An operator would strip the cord jacket from an end portion of the cord to expose the nylon covered tinsel conductors. At another station, another operator positions two dielectric parts, which comprise the housing, in ultrasonic bonding facilities and positions the end portion of the cord in engagement with one of the parts so that the conductors are received in conductor-receiving troughs formed therein. Next, the other one of the plastic parts is bonded ultrasonically to the one part to complete the housing and enclose the parts after which the excess lengths of the conductors are severed at a third work station. Subsequently, at a fourth work station an operator inserts each plug into a cavity and causes apparatus, such as that disclosed and claimed in the Brown- Gavin application Ser. No. 346,556, filed Mar. 30,

1973, now Pat. No. 3,839,787, operated to insert terminal blades thereinto.

Clearly, this highly manual method of assembly involves undesirably several unnecessary steps. A method of assembling cords to plugs which could be implemented by automatic machinery would be most beneficial.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With these and other objects in mind, this invention contemplates inserting each end portion of an unfinished cord into a transfer device which is caused to transfer each end portion into securing engagement with a workholder. The workholder is moved to position the free cord end in an assembly position in alignment with two spaced parts which when assembled comprise a dielectric housing. Then a portion of the jacket of each end portion of the cord is removed partially therefrom and a lower one of the parts moved into engagement with the cord end while the portion of the jacket maintains the exposed portions of the conductors in a spaced relationship to facilitate the bonding of the other one of the parts to the one part after which blade-like terminals are inserted into the one part into electrical engagement with the cord conductors. Ecxess ends of the conductors are removed and the cord end with the dielectric housing and the terminals, which comprise a plug, attached to the cord are returned to an initial position and ejected from the workholder.

More particularly, methods and apparatus are provided for assembling miniature electrical connectors in the form of plugs to each end of a retractile or line telephone cord. An operator causes each end of the cord to be clamped in a transfer device and then causes each of the cord ends to be moved into engagement with a workholder at a cord-transfer position. Then the workholder is caused to be moved pivotally to position each cord end in an assembly position in alignment with a horn and an anvil of ultrasonic bonding facilities. Priorly, mating plastic parts which are to comprise the plug housing have been fed to the assembly position with one of the parts vacuumly held by the horn and the other part supported on the anvil. Facilities are operated to remove a jacket from an end portion of the cord and expose individually insulated conductors. The anvil is raised to cause the exposed conductors to be positioned in associated ones of conductor-receiving troughs formed in the other part supported on the anvil and the horn moved downwardly to engage and bond the one part with the other part. Then insertion rams are actuated to move a plurality of blade-like terminals along individual passageways in the anvil and to insert the terminals in terminal-receiving grooves in each of the other parts and to engage electrically the conductors received therein. Excess lengths of conductors extending beyond the plug are severed and ejected after which the workholder is returned pivotally to the cordtransfer position whereat the cord end is released from the workholder. A die is moved in one direction transversely of the anvil to align slots in the die with the passageways in the anvil. A plurality of strips of terminals are advanced to position a leading, partially formed, terminal in each strip in an associated partially enclosed passageway in the anvil. Then the die is moved in a direction opposite to the one direction to sever the leading portion of each strip to form a terminal and to complete the enclosure of the passageways in the anvil in preparation for another cycle of operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retractile telephone cord having a moldular plug assembled to each end thereof;

FIGS. 2, A to J, are a sequence of perspective views of the steps of a method embodying the principles of this invention for assembling the plugs to the cord;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an apparatus for assembling a plug to each end of a cord;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a transfer device into which an operator positions one end of a cord and a workholder to which the cord end is transferred;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the transfer device;

FIGS. 8 and 8A are enlarged plan views of the workholder shown in a cord-transfer and in an assembly position;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a portion of the apparatus for feeding a base and a top portion of each plug into an assembly position;

FIG. 10 is a detail view of a portion of the workholder;

FIG. 11 is a detail view of the relative positions of the base, top and stripped cord end prior to assembly;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the workholder and facilities for removing scrap material therefrom;

FIGS. 13A 13E are a sequence of views of the workholder shown in the assembly position and showing the stripping of a portion of the cord jacket to expose individually insulated conductors;

FIG. 13F is side elevational view showing the workholder and an alternate embodiment for removing the stripped jacket and excess lengths of conductors which have been severed;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus for completing the forming of terminal blades and inserting same into a plug top and into electrical engagement with the conductors positioned therein;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of the terminal insertion facilities;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are enlarged views of a die used to form the terminal blades;

FIGS. 18 and 19 are enlarged views showing the insertion of the terminal blades;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are enlarged views of a device for severing the excess ends of conductors extending beyond a front end of the assembled plug;

FIG. 22 is an electrical control circuit for the assembly apparatus; and

FIG. 23 is a schematic view showing a pneumatic control system for the assembly apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Product Description Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a retractile telephone cord, designated generally by a numeral 50, which includes coiled cordage 51 having a plug 52 assembled to each end thereof in accordance with the principles of this invention. The coiled Cordage 51 includes a plurality of individually insulated conductors 53-53 (see FIG. 2E) enclosed by ajacket 54. The plug 5 52 is comprised of two

mating parts

56 and 57 which are bonded together ultrasonically and which are referred to as the base and the top, respectively. The part 57 has a plurality of conductor-receiving troughs 5858 (see FIG. 18) for receiving associated ones of the conductors 53-53 and with which electrical contact is made by associated ones of a plurality of terminal blades 59-59 which are inserted in terminalreceiving grooves 61-61 (see FIG. 18) formed in the part 57 and which communicate with the troughs 5858. The plug 52 also includes a ledge 62 (see FIG. 11) protruding beyond the troughs 58-58 as well as other features disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,699,498 and 3,761,869.

20 Overall Apparatus An apparatus for assembling one of the plugs 52-52 to each end of a retractile cordage 51 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 and is designated generally by the numeral 70. The apparatus 70 includes dual assembly positions and assoicated facilities for assembling simultaneously one of the plugs 52-52 to each cord end. As is seen in FIG. 3, these are designated Assembly Position Nos. I and II. Only one of each of the duplicate facilities, specifically those associated with Assembly Position No. I, will be described.

The apparatus 70 includes a transfer device, designated generally by the numeral 71 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) for receiving an unfinished cord end at a cord-input position and for transferring the cord end at a transfer position to a workholder, designated generally by the numeral 72. The workholder 72 is moveable between the cord-transfer position and a plug-assembly position whereat the cord end is aligned with two spaced aligned

mating parts

56 and 57 which have been moved thereto by feeding facilities, designated generally by the numeral 73.

Also, as can best be seen in FIG. 3, the apparatus 70 includes bonding facilities, designated generally by the numeral 74, for bonding together ultrasonically repetitively associated aligned

mating parts

56 and 57 in the assembly position. The apparatus 70 is also provided with insertion facilities, designated generally by the numeral 76 (see FIG. 4), for completing the forming of partially formed terminals 59-59 and for inserting the terminals in associated ones of the terminal-receiving grooves 61-61 into the part 57.

All of the facilities described are supported by associated elements of framework, designated generally by the numeral 77 which is supported in a base 78.

In order to best described the apparatus 70 and the operation thereof, reference will be made to FIGS. 2A2.I as each portion of the apparatus and its function is described. This will correlate the function of each portion of the apparatus to the product at various phases in the assembly thereof. Following the completion of the description of the apparatus, a cycle of operation will be described with reference to facilities for controlling that operation.

Transfer Device In order to initiate the operation of finishing a cord 51 by assembling a plug 52 to each end thereof, the apparatus includes the transfer device 71 (see FIG. 6) which has provisions for accepting unfinished ends of the cordage from the operator at the cord-input position and for transferring the cordage to the workholder 72 at the cord-transfer position (see FIG. 2A). Viewing FIG. 2A, it should be noted that the cordage 51 shown in the phantom position is in the cord-input position, and the cordage in solid is in the cord-transfer position. Further, the right-hand side of the cordage 51 is associated with Assembly Position No. I, and the left-hand side with Position No. II.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, it can be seen that the transfer device 71 includes a crank 101 connected to a hub 102 mounted on a shaft 103 of an air motor 104 supported from a frame 106. The crank 101 is moveable by the air motor 104 cyclically between the associated cord-input position and the associated cordtransfer position.

Still referring to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the crank 101 has a loading bar 107 cantilevered therefrom for holding a cord end. In order to accomplish this, the loading bar 107 is formed with a plurality of spaced U- shaped

fingers

111, 112, 113 and 114 into which an operator positions an end portion of the unfinished cordage 51. At the time the transfer device 71 receives an end of the cordage 51 from the operator, the transfer device is in the cord-input position shown in solid lines in FIG. 7.

The transfer device 71 includes provisions for conditioning portions of the workholder 72 for each cycle of operation. Referring to FIG. 7, it may be seen that a bracket 116 is attached to and extends from the frame 106. The bracket 116 has a stud 117 extending therefrom. When the workholder 72 is returned to the cordtransfer position from the plug-assembly position, the stud 1 17 engages portions of the workholder and as will be described hereinafter in detail, and causes the workholder to be conditioned for the next cycle of operation.

workholder The workholder 72 may best be seen by referring to FIGS. 6-9 and is designed to accept the unfinished cord end from the transfer device 71 at the cord-transfer position (see FIG. 2A), turn the cord end through an angle of approximately 90 (see FIGS. 2D and 8) into the plug assembly position, and to hold the cord end while a portion of the jacket is separated (FIG. 2E), the plug 52 assembled thereto (see FIG. 2G), the terminals 59-59 inserted (see FIG. 2H), and excess lengths of the conductors 53-53 severed and ejected (see FIG. 21) together with the portion of the jacket.

As can best been seen in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the workholder 72 is supported from a column 131 mounted in the framework 77. In order to turn the workholder 72, a link 132 is connected at one end thereof to the column 131 and has the other end thereof pinned to a linkage bar 133 which is pinned at the other end thereof to a toggle 134. The toggle 134 is attached to a forward end (nearest the operator position) of a piston rod 136 extending from a cylinder 137.

In the position shown in FIG. 6 with the piston rod 136 withdrawn into the cylinder 137, the workholder 72 is in the cord-transfer position (see FIGS. 2B and 2C and also broken line position in FIG. 8). In the solid line position shown in FIG. 8, the piston rod 136 is extended to turn the linkage bar 132 in a counterclockwise direction to move the workholder to the plugassembly position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 8 and also seen in FIG. 2D).

The workholder 72 includes a bifurcated member 141 (seen best in FIGS. 8 and 9) with pivotally mounted stud 142 supporting a cam follower 143 between the armsthereof. The stud 142 is biased to the left as shown in FIG. 9 by a spring 144. Also received between the arms of the bifurcated member 141 is a bar 146 which supports a cam follower 147. The cam follower 1467 is biased in a downward or clockwise direction about a pin 148 by a spring 149.

When the workholder 72 is in the cord-transfer position, the

cams

143 and 147 are not in engagement with fixed camming surfaces 151 and 152, respectively (see FIG. 8A). Hence, when the transfer device 71 is turned in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 7, the cord 51 is caused to be urged into engagement with undersides l53153 (see FIG. 9) of the arms of the bifurcated member 141. The bar 146 is urged upward against the action of the spring 149. Similarly, the spring 144 is overcome and the stud 142 is urged rearwardly slightly to permit entry of the cordage 51 (see FIG. 9).

Then, when the workholder 72 is rotated through the quarter angle, the

cams

143 and 147 are caused to engage the fixed cam surfaces 151 and 152, respectively (see FIG. 8A), to cause the member 146 and stud 142 to secure the cordage 51. This prevents slippage of the cordage 51 during the subsequent assembly and stripping operations. The partial locking of the cordageSl by the follower 147 is as shown in FIG. 13A.

AT this time attention should be directed to still another cam. Referring now to FIG. 8A, it can be seen that a cam is biased to the left by a spring 150 and in engagement with the cam follower 143. The cam 145 and spring 150 are mounted on the general framework 77.

Following the transfer of the cordage end into the workholder 72 and transfer of the

plug parts

56 and 57, the rotational movement of the workholder into the phantom line position shown in FIG. 8A causes the cam follower 143 (in position 143a in FIG. 8A) to urge the cam 145 to the right. When the workholder 72 is in the phantom line plug-assembly position shown in FIG. 8A, the cam follower 143 assumes the position 143b in engagement with the cam 151 to secure the cord as hereinbefore described. It should be observed that once the cam follower 143 moves out of engagement with the cam 145, that cam is biased to the left as viewed in FIG. 8A into the position 145a.

The cam 145 has the primary function of causing the cordage 51 to be released from the workholder 72 which the workholder is returned to the cord-transfer position. As the workholder 72 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 8A, the cam follower 143 rides along an opposite face of the cam 145 (see position 1430). This causes the spring 144 to be overcome and the stud 142 (see FIG. 9) to be turned in a clockwise direction to remove the clamping forces applied to the cordage. The finished cord end is permitted to descend by gravity from the workholder 72 into a collection bin (not shown).

With the cordage 51 now securely held within the workholder 72 and after the workholder has been rotated into the solid line position shown in FIG. 8 by the operation of the cylinder 137, the apparatus 70 functions to remove a predetermined length of the jacket 54 to expose the individually insulated conductors 53-53. This will permit the subsequent engagement of the conductors 5353 with the conductor-receiving troughs 5858 of the part 57 prior to the bonding step. Although the stripping facilities will now be described, it should be realized that this step does not occur until the workholder 72 has been rotated and this does not occur until

parts

56 and 57 have been transferred into the plug-assembly position.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9 and 12-13A, it can be that the workholder 72 includes a U-shaped stripping head 153 which includes opposed cutting blades 154-154 (best seen in FIG. 13A) held within a notch formed in a leg 155 thereof. The other leg 156 of the stripping head 153 is V-shaped and is designed to hold securely the cordage 51. The head 153 is mounted slidably on a rod 157 which is connected to the column 131 and extends rearwardly of the operator to a cross head 158.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the crosshead 158 has a latch 159 mounted pivotally thereto and spring-biased in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 8. The latch 159 includes a toothed end 161 and a release end 162. Whebn the workholder 72 is returned to the cordtransfer position from the plug-assembly position, the release end 162 of the latch 159 engages the stud 117 (see FIG. 7). This overcomes the spring-bias and causes the latch to be moved pivotally in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 8.

The stripping head 153 is spaced from the bifurcated member 141 by a stop 163 and a gauging button 164. The stop 163 is attached to the bifurcated member 141 while the button 164 is attached to the stripping head 153. The crosshead 158 is attached to the stripping member 153 through a dowel 169 connected to a hub 165 having a flanged end 166. As can best be seen in FIG. 8, a compression spring 167 is disposed concentrically about the dowel 169 to bias the interconnected hub 165, stripping head 153 and button 164 into engagement with the stop 163.

Feeding and Positioning Plug Parts Although reference has been made to ones of the drawings which depict the workholder 72 in the plugassembly position, it should be noted that this was done because of the introduction of the workholder at that point in the description of the apparatus 70. Again it should be emphasized that the workholder 72 is not moved into the plug assembly position shown in solid lines in FIG. 8 until leading ones of the

parts

56 and 57 have been moved into the plug-assembly position.

This can be observed from a study of FIGS. 2A-2D. In FIG. 2A, the

parts

56 and 57 have not yet been fed into the plug-assembly position. This is accomplished in FIGS. 2B-2C while the cordage ends are being transferred from the transfer device 71 to the workholder 72.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the feeding facilities 73 associated with each assembly position includes vibratory supply hoppers 171 and 172. The hoppers 171 and 172 have feed

tracks

174 and 176, respectively, extending therefrom to plugtransfer positions (see FIG. which are aligned in one direction (see FIG. 4) with the bonding facilities 74.

The track 174 feeds one of the parts 56-56 in seriatim into a nest 177 (see FIG. 10) formed in a block 178 of a transfer device, designated generally by the numeral 179. The block 178 is moveable reciprocally by an air operated cylinder 181 which is best seen in FIG. 4. The block 178 is supported on a slide 182 supported within a housing 183. As can be seen in FIG. 10 one end of the slide 182 is attached to a crossbar 184. The crossbar 184 is attached to a piston rod (not shown) extending from the cylinder 181 attached to the housing 183.

The transfer device 179 also has provisions for moving the block 178 and part 56 supported therein upwardly. The housing 183 is supported from a beam 186 which may be moved upwardly by a pneumatically operated cylinder 187 supported on a column 188. In an unoperated condition, the housing 183 is supported on shoes 189189 resting in engagement with pads 191-191 of a transfer device, designated generally by the numeral 192.

Similarly, the track 176 performs a gravity feed function of successive leading ones of the parts 57-57 into engagement with the transfer device 192. Simultaneously with the feeding of the parts 56-56, each successive leading one of the parts 57--57 is fed along the track 176 to move a leading one thereof into a nest formed in one end of a block 193 of the transfer device 192. As is seen in FIG. 10, the part 57 is held within the nest formed in part by a top surface 194 of a springbiased plate 195 and a clamping member 196 connected to one end of a toggle bar 197. Another end 198 of the toggle bar 197, mounted pivotally about a pin 199, is drawn to the left by a piston rod 200 withdrawn into a pneumatically operated cylinder 201. This causes the bar 191 to be turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 10 to cause the clamping member 196 to clamp and hold the part 57.

The transfer device 192 includes a housing 202 having a slide 203 supported therein. One end of the slide 203 is attached to the block 193 and the other end to a crossbar 204. The crossbar 204 also is connected to a piston rod 206 (see FIG. 4) extending from a pneumatically operated cylinder 207 supported laterally of the housing 202.

After the leading ones of the

parts

56 and 57 in the

tracks

174 and 176, respectively, are in the

transfer devices

179 and 192, respectively, the

cylinders

181 and 207 are operated to move the

parts

56 and 57 to the left as viewed in FIG. 10 and into vertical alignment with the bonding facilities 74. Then the air cylinder 187 is operated to move the block 178 upwardly to engage the part 56 with the contoured mating end of a horn 209 of the bonding facilities 74. The horn 209 includes provision (not shown) for holding vacuumly each successive one of the parts 56-56.

The movement of the block 193 to the left is accomplished to position the part 57 in vertical alignment with an anvil 210 of the bonding facilities 74. It should be noted that when the block 193 is moved from its plug-transfer positions shown in FIG. 10, that the plate 195 engages a side surface of the anvil 210. Further movement of the block 193 causes the spring-bias of the plate 195 to be overcome thereby uncovering the bottom of the part 57 held by the clamping member 196. Hence, the part 57 is unsupported along a bottom face as it is moved over the anvil 210 but is held securely by the clamping member 196. Moreover, the clamping member 196 is longitudinal of the plane of the drawings so that the toggle bar 197 and associated

Claims

1. A method of assembling one dielectric part with another dielectric part about an end portion of a jacketed cord such that blade-like terminals receivable in a plurality of terminalreceiving grooves in the one part establish electrical contact with conductors in the cord, which includes the steps of: inserting an end portion of the cord into a workholder; moving leading ones of pluralities of the dielectric parts along separate paths into vertical alignment with each other in an assembly position; moving the workholder to position the cord conductors thereof in essentially vertical alignment with the grooves in the one part; exposing the portions of the conductors in alignment with the grooves while maintaining the alignment; moving the dielectric parts into engagement with each other and with the cord such that the conductors are received within the grooves; bonding together the dielectric parts at a bonding position to form a dielectric housing; and moving terminals into the grooves while the housing is in the bonding position to seat the terminals in the housing to complete the assembly and establish electrical contact with the aligned conductors.

2. A method of assembling a plug comprised of a base and a top, the top having a plurality of conductor-receiving troughs and a plurality of associated terminal-receiving grooves aligned and communicating with the troughs with an end portion of a multi-conductor cord such that blade-like terminals receivable in the grooves establish electrical contact with conductors in the cord, which includes the steps of: advancing strips of partially formed terminals connected end to end to move a leading one thereof into insertion positions aligned with the grooves in the top; confining a leading edge and two side surfaces of each leading one of the terminals; shearing the leading one of the partially formed terminals from each of the strips to define and produce individual terminals each having a trailing edge; while confining the leading ones of the terminals along the trailing edges thereof to support completely laterally the terminals and provide a laterally closed path of movement for the terminals; inserting an end portion of the cord into a transfer device; moving the transfer device to a cord transfer position whereat the end portion of the cord is transferred to a workholder; applying clamping forces to the cord end to retain the cord end in the workholder; moving leading ones of a supply of bases and tops along separate paths into vertical alignment with each other into a plug assembly position; moving the workholder rotatably into the plug assembly position to align vertically the cord and conductors with the troughs in the top; moving the base and the top into engagement with each other and with the cord such that the conductors are received in the troughs; bonding the top to the base; engaging a free edge of each leading one of the terminals and then moving the terminals along the paths into the aligned grooves and into electrical engagement with the associated conductors therein; and returning the workholder to an initial position and removing the clamping forces to release the assembled cord and plug from the workholder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cord includes a plurality of individually insulated conductors enclosed by a jacket, which also includes: separating, the jacket of an end portion of the cord from the adjacent portion of the jacket to expose the individually insulated conductors; and severing, subsequent to the insertion of the terminals, excess lengths of the conductors protruding beyond the plug.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the separating of the jacket of an end portion of the cord from the remainder includes: cutting circumferentially the jacket when the end portion of the cord is transferred to the workholder; and moving subsequent to positioning the cord and conductors in vertical alignment with the base and top axially the jacket between the circumferential cut and the adjacent free end of the cord a distance less than the distance from the adjacent free end of the conductors to the circumferential cut; the movement designed to retain the severed jacket in engagement with the ends of the conductors to maintain the conductors spaced apart to facilitate receipt thereof into the troughs.

5. An apparatus for assembling one dielectric part with another dielectric part about an end portion of a cord such that blade-like terminals receivable in a plurality of terminal-receiving grooves in the one part establish electrical contact with conductors in the cord, which includes; a workholder for holding an end portion of a cord; means for inserting an end portion of the cord into the workholder; means for moving leading ones of pluralities of the dielectric parts along separate paths into vertical alignment with each other in an assembly position; means for moving the workholder to position the conductor thereof in essentially vertical alignment with the grooves in the one part and for exposing portions of the conductors aligned with the grooves While maintaining the conductors aligned with the associated grooves; means for moving the dielectric parts into engagement with each other and with the cord such that the conductors are maintained in alignment within the grooves; means for bonding together the dielectric parts at a bonding position to form a dielectric housing; and means operated while the bonding means engages the parts for moving terminals into the associated grooves to seat the terminals in the housing to complete the assembly and establish electrical contact with the aligned conductors.

6. An apparatus for assembling a plug comprised of a base and a top, the top having a plurality of terminal-receiving grooves aligned and communicating with a plurality of conductor-receiving troughs with an end portion of a multi-conductor cord such that blade-like terminals receivable in the grooves establish electrical contact with conductors in the cord, which includes: means for advancing a plurality of strips of partially formed terminals connected end to end to move leading ones thereof into insertion positions aligned with grooves in the top; means for confining a leading edge and two side surfaces of each leading one of the terminals; means for shearing the leading ones of each of the partially formed terminals from the strips to define and produce individual terminals each having a trailing edge and to confine the leading ones of the terminals along the trailing edges thereof to support completely laterally the terminals and provide a laterally closed path of movement for the terminals; a workholder including a shearing blade for holding an end portion of the cord; a transfer device receiving and end portion of the cord for inserting an end portion of the cord into the workholder, the transfer of the end portion of the end portion of the cord from the transfer device to the workholder causing the shearing blade to sever the jacket at a first distance from the free end of the cord to facilitate the subsequent removal of a portion of the jacket from the end portion of the cord; means for moving leading ones of a supply of bases and tops along separate paths into vertical alignment into a plug-assembly position; means for moving the workholder into the plug-assembly position to position the conductors thereof in essentially vertical alignment with the troughs in the top; means for moving the base and the top into engagement with each other and with the cord such that the conductors are received in the troughs; means for bonding the top to the base to form a dielectric housing; and means operated while the housing is in the plug-assembly position for engaging a free edge of each leading one of the terminals and then moving the terminals along the paths into the aligned grooves and into electrical engagement with the associated conductors therein to complete the assembly of the plug.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the subsequent moving of the workholder into the plug-assembly position is rotational and further the workholder includes: means for applying clamping forces to the cord end to retain the cord therein; means operated subsequent to the insertion of the terminal blades for returning the workholder to an initial position; and means rendered effective as the workholder is returned to the initial position for removing the cord clamping forces to release the cord from the workholder.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cord includes a plurality of individually insulated conductors enclosed by a jacket and, which also includes: means for separating, subsequent to the positioning of the cord in vertical alignment with the base and cover, the severed jacket of the end portion of the cord from the adjacent portion of the jacket to expose the conductors; means operated prior to inserting the terminals for locking the bonding means in engagement with the dielectric housing; and means operated subsequent tO the insertion of the terminals for severing excess lengths of conductors protruding beyond the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for separating the jacket includes: means for moving axially the severed portion of the jacket a second distance less than the first distance whereby the severed jacket maintains the conductors spaced apart to facilitate receipt thereof in the troughs.

10. An apparatus for assembling mating dielectric parts to an end of a jacketed multi-conductor cord and for providing electrical access to each of the conductors, which comprises: a transfer device for receiving an unfinished cord end; ultrasonic means including an aligned horn and anvil for bonding together mating dielectric parts; means for advancing in seriatim parts of mating dielectric parts into engagement with the horn and the anvil which in an unoperated condition are spaced apart; a workholder mounted rotatably for receiving the cord end from the transfer device at a transfer position; means for causing the transfer device to transfer the cord end to the workholder at a transfer position and for operating the advancing means to transfer each leading one of one of the mating parts to the anvil and the leading one of the other mating parts to the horn; means operated subsequent to the advancing of the mating parts for turning the workholder into an assembly position to position the cord end in vertical alignment with the mating spaced aligned parts and for separating the jacket of an end portion of the cord from the adjacent portion of the jacket to expose the individually insulated conductors of the end portion of the cord; means for moving the horn and the anvil to mate the parts in engagement with the end portion of the cord and to bond together the parts; means for inserting terminals in grooves in the one part and into electrical engagement with the conductors therein; means for severing excess lengths of the exposed conductors extending beyond the mated bonded parts; means for returning the workholder to the transfer position; and means operated upon the return of the workholder to the transfer position for releasing the cord end.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the workholder also includes cord clamping means which upon rotation of the workholder into the assembly position is caused to clamp the cord end to facilitate removal of the jacket therefrom and which upon return of the workholder to the transfer position is caused to release the cord end.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, which also includes means operated subsequent to the conductor exposure and the conductor severance for removing a portion of the jacket and excess conductor lengths from the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the anvil has a plurality of passageways aligned with the grooves in the one part to permit passage therethrough of the terminals into the one part, which also includes: means operated subsequent to the return of the workholder to the cord-transfer position for advancing incrementally each of a plurality of strips of terminals to position leading ones thereof in the passageways in the anvil and for severing leading ones of each strip in preparation for insertion thereof during the next cycle of operation.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one part also includes a plurality of conductor-receiving troughs aligned with associated ones of the grooves and the means for separating the jacket includes: means for cutting circumferentially the jacket at a first distance from the free end of the cord; and means for moving axially the severed portion of the jacket a second distance less than the first distance to expose the conductors and to maintain the conductors aligned with the troughs.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, which also includes means effective upon the return of the workholder to the transfer position for conditioning the jacket removiNg means for another cycle of operation.