Terminal applicators which are used in conjunction with a press for attaching terminals to the ends of wires usually include a frame, a ram slidingly coupled to the frame, crimping tooling attached to the ram and the frame, a terminal feed mechanism, and a terminal guide track. An example of such a terminal applicator is disclosed in United States Patent No. 5,483,739 which issued January 16, 1996 to Smith et. al. The applicator is held in a press which has a ram that is coupled to the applicator ram and drives it through its working stroke to attach the terminal to the end of the wire. These applicators are designed, as much as possible, to be universal in that they will accommodate a wide range of terminals, with the exception of the crimping tooling which is made specifically for each different crimp configuration. Because there are many different types of terminals and a variety of different sizes, the terminal guide track must be custom designed for each terminal or family of terminals. This results in the need for many different sets of guide track components to accommodate literally hundreds of different terminal types and sizes.

What is needed is a universal terminal guide track that can be easily adjusted to receive and guide terminals of many different shapes and sizes.

A terminal applicator is disclosed having a base, a ram coupled to the base and arranged to undergo reciprocating motion along a ram axis in a first direction toward the base and in a second direction away from the base. The ram is adapted for receiving upper tooling and the base is adapted for receiving mating lower tooling. The tooling is arranged for attaching a

terminal to a conductor. A feed track assembly is attached to the carriage for guiding a strip of terminals along a feed path into a desired position, with respect to the upper and lower tooling. A feed mechanism is provided that is operable in timed relation to the reciprocating motion of the ram for feeding the strip of terminals along the feed track. The feed track assembly includes a carriage coupled to the base that is movable in a first direction and in an opposite second direction perpendicular to the ram axis to selectively position the feed path with respect to the upper and lower tooling. A first rail is attached to the carriage and has a first support surface for supporting a first portion of the strip of terminals adjacent an edge thereof, the first portion being on a first side of the strip of terminals facing the base. A second rail is attached to the carriage and has a guide surface that is parallel to the feed path that is arranged to engage a feature on the strip of terminals on a second side thereof that is opposite the first side. The guide surface of the second rail is moveable both laterally with respect to the feed path and vertically with respect to the base to adjust the position thereof for feeding and guiding terminals of different sizes and shapes.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a terminal applicator incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the terminal feed track assembly shown in Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the terminal feed track assembly shown in Figure 2;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded parts view of the terminal feed track assembly shown in Figure 2; and

FIGURES 5, 6, 7, and 8 are schematic representations of the feed track assembly, similar to the view in Figure 3 , showing different terminals being guided along the track. There is shown in Figure 1 a terminal applicator 10 having a frame 12, a ram 14 slidingly coupled to the frame by means of ways 16. The frame includes a base 18 to which lower crimping tooling 20, shown in phantom lines, is secured in the usual manner. Upper crimping tooling 22 is attached to the ram 14 for mating engagement with the lower crimping tooling upon movement of the ram downwardly along a ram axis 24 toward the base 18. A terminal feed track assembly 26 is attached to the base 18, as will be described below, for guiding a strip 28 of terminals 30 into alignment with the crimping tooling 20 and 22. A terminal feed mechanism 32 is attached to the frame 12, in the usual manner, and is actuated by means of a cam 34 that is attached to and carried by the ram 14. The feed track assembly 26, as best seen in Figures 2, 3, and 4, includes a mounting block 40 which is secured to the base 18 by means of two screws 42 that extend through clearance holes 44 in the block 40 and into threaded holes, not shown, in the base. The remaining parts of the feed track assembly are coupled to the mounting block 40 as will be described. A carriage 46, as best seen in Figure 4, includes a mounting plate 48 having two opposite bent down ends 50 and 52 that form opposing spaced apart flanges 54 and 56, respectively. A lead screw 58, as best seen in Figure 4, includes a threaded portion 60, a reduced diameter end 62 and shoulder 66, and a lock ring groove 68 formed in the threaded portion near the end opposite the end 62. The flange 54 has a clearance hole 70 formed therethrough for receiving the threaded portion 60 and the other flange 56 has a hole 72 formed therethrough for receiving the reduced diameter 62. The lead screw 58 is arranged with the shoulder 66 against

the inside of the flange 56 and a lock ring 74 is disposed in the groove 68 on the inside of the flange 54, thereby holding the lead screw captive to the carriage while allowing the lead screw to turn freely. The mounting block 40 is received between the two flanges 54 and 56 and the lead screw 58 extends through and is in threaded engagement with a threaded hole 80 formed through the mounting block. The width of the mounting block 40 is considerably less than the space between the two flanges 54 and 56 so that, as the lead screw 58 is turned in one direction or the other, the carriage moves laterally with respect to the mounting block, that is, the flange 54 moves toward or away from the mounting block, the carriage 46 moving perpendicular to the ram axis 24. The mounting plate 48 includes a bent down center section 82 between the two flanges 54 and 56 that rides in a slot 84 formed in the mounting block 40. As the carriage moves laterally with respect to the mounting block 40, the center section 82 moves within the slot 84. A screw 86 is threaded into a hole 88 in the mounting block 40 that intersects the slot 84.

This screw 86 can be tightened against the center section 82 to hold the carriage 46 stationary with respect to the mounting block 40. An elongated plate 90 is secured to the carriage 46 by two screws 92 that extend through elongated holes 94 formed in the mounting plate 48 of the carriage and into tight engagement with threaded holes 96 formed in the plate 90. A pair of pins 98 are pressed into holes 100 in the plate 90 and extend downwardly into engagement with a rabbet 102 formed in the mounting block 40 for longitudinal alignment of the plate 90 when attaching it to the carriage 46.

A front rail 104, or first rail, is secured to the left edge, as viewed in Figure 3, of the plate 90 by means of two screws 106 that extend through two parallel elongated holes 108 and 110 formed through the plate, as best seen in Figure 4, and into threaded holes 112 in

the front rail. The rail 104 includes a first support surfaces 114 that extends the length of the rail and terminates in a shoulder 116, as best seen in Figure 3. The strip of terminals 28 is fed along this first support surface during operation of the applicator with a portion of the strip resting on the surface 114, as will be described. The first support surface includes a shallow groove 118 that serves as a clearance channel for the point of the feed finger 120. A first angle member 126 is secured to the plate 90 by means of two screws 128 that extend through the elongated holes 108 and 110 and into threaded holes 130 and 132 formed in the angle member, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. The first angle member includes a second support surface 134, as best seen in Figure 3, that is spaced away from the first support surface 114. The spacing is selectively controlled by loosening the screws 128, moving the first angle member to a desired position, and then again tightening the screws. A second angle member 136, similar to the first angle member 126, is secured to the plate 90 by means of two screws 138 that extend through the elongated holes 108 and 110 and into threaded holes 140 and 142 formed in the angle member, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. A back rail 144, or second rail, has a U-shaped cross section, as shown in Figure 3, and includes an elongated member 146 having a downwardly turned flange 148. The flange 148 is secured to the second angle member 136 by means of two screws 150 that extend through open ended slots 152 and 154, as best seen in Figure 4, and into threaded holes 156 and 158 formed in the angle member. The elongated member 146 includes another downwardly turned flange 160 opposite the flange 148. The flange 160 includes a guide surface 162 that is spaced above a plane 164 defined by the first support surface 114 and to the right of the shoulder 116, as viewed in Figure 3. The elongated member 146 includes a turned up flap 166 at one end thereof that serves as a lead-in for the strip

of terminals 28 and prevents stubbing as the terminals are fed during operation of the applicator. The position of the guide surface 162 can be adjusted vertically with respect to the plane 164 and laterally with respect to the shoulder 116. The vertical adjustment is accomplished by loosening the screws 150 and sliding the flange 148 up or down to the position desired and then again tightening the screws 150. The lateral adjustment is accomplished by loosening the screws 138 and sliding the second angle member 136 laterally to the position desired and then again tightening the screws 138. As shown in Figure 3, the guide surface 162, the shoulder 116, and the first and second support surfaces 114 and 164 cooperate to accurately position and guide the strip of terminals 28 along a terminal feed path 170 to the crimping tooling 20 and 22. As seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the terminal feed path 170 extends parallel to the support surfaces 114 and 134 and to the guide surface 162. A feed finger guide 172 is attached to the top of the front rail 104 as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. A washer plate 174 is disposed on top of the feed finger guide and screws 176 extend through holes in the washer plate, through cutouts 182 in the feed finger guide, and into threaded holes 184. The feed finger guide includes a guide slot 192 for guiding the feed finger 120 during feeding in the usual manner.

When initially setting up the applicator 10 for feeding a particular terminal 30, the screw 86 is loosened and the lead screw 58 is rotated to position the feed path 170 in relation to the crimping tooling 20 and 22 so that the terminals will be properly aligned. As shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, the positions of the second support surface 134 and the guide surface 162 can be varied with respect to the first support surface 114 and the shoulder 116 to accommodate terminals having different shapes and sizes. In the example shown in Figure 5, the terminal 30 is very short and therefore,

does not require the second support surface 134. Sufficient vertical support is provided by the first support surface 114. In this case the edge 178 of the strip of terminals, which may be the edge of the carrier strip, is closely adjacent the shoulder 116 while another feature 180 is closely adjacent the guide surface 162. This effectively holds the strip of terminals between the shoulder and the guide surface during feeding. The second angle member 136 is positioned on the plate 90 so that only a small amount of clearance exists between the strip of terminals and the shoulder 116 and guide surface 162 thereby preventing any appreciable left or right movement of the terminal strip while permitting free movement of the strip along the feed path 170. The flange 148 is positioned with respect to the second angle member 136 so that the flange 160 does not interfere with the positioning of a first portion 186 of the terminal strip which rests flat on the first support surface 114, while the guide surface 162 is in guiding relationship with some feature of each of the terminals. When a different type or size of terminal is to be processed by the applicator 10, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the positions of the second support surface 134 and the guide surface 162 must be adjusted. The first portion

186 of the strip of terminals 28 is resting on the first support surface 114, as shown. The first angle member 126 is positioned so that the second support surface 134 is in supporting engagement with a second portion 188 of the strip of terminals that is approximately coplanar with the plane 164. Note that the first and second portions 186 and 188 are on a side 190 of the strip of terminals 28 facing downwardly toward the plate 90 and the guide surface 162 engages the terminal on a side opposite the side 190. Similarly, Figures 7 and 8 show other types of terminals that can be accommodated by the applicator 10 by simply adjusting the lateral positions of the first and second angle members and the vertical

positions of the flanges 160 and 148, as set forth above.

While the feed track assembly 26 is described above as having first and second angle members 126 and 136 and a back rail member 144 of a specific structure, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this is by way of example only, and that other suitable structures my be utilized in the practice of the present invention. The important features of the present invention include the first support surface 114, the positionable second support surface 134, the shoulder 116, and the positionable guide surface 162. The specific structure of the components that contain these important surfaces may vary while staying within the scope of the present invention.

An important advantage of the present invention is that the present terminal feed assembly 26 can be adjusted to receive and accurately guide a variety of strips of terminals of different types and sizes thereby eliminating the need to acquire and maintain many different feed track components for the various different terminals. Additionally, the present feed track assembly can be easily and quickly adjusted when a different terminal is to be used thereby reducing out of service time that is normally required to completely change the feed track components.