Patent ID: 6135164
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: B65H,H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for preparing wires, comprising a wire selector, a wire cutter arranged at a level, and a convey having conveyor grippers therealong, the conveyor grippers for holding and transporting wire ends to further processing stations of a harness making machine, the wire selector comprising a wire support configured to support a plurality of the wires above one another, the wire support being vertically movable so that different wires are respectively positionable at the level of the wire cutter, a drive for feeding a certain length of wire from a wire source, a sensor for measuring the length of wire being fed, and a movable reorientation gripper for holding an end of selected wire, the reorientation gripper being movable about a vertical axis through 180.degree. for reorienting the wire end such that a U-shaped loop of wire is formed when the wire is driven and subsequently cut at another end by the wire cutter, wherein the apparatus further comprises a wire end transfer device comprising a pair of grippers for seizing and transferring first and second wire ends from the selector and reorientation gripper to the convey grippers, the transfer grippers being movable in a vertical direction between the selector and the conveyor for transporting the selected wire loop from the selector directly into jaws of the conveyor grippers.