Method and apparatus for applying a connector having an injection molded cover to multiconductor cable

A method and apparatus for injection molding a connector cover half of a connector staked to a flat multiconductor cable are disclosed, which injection molding is carried out by reciprocating an injection molding device toward and away from the cable and staking connector half diametrically opposite the injection molding device. Appropriate thermoplastic resin is chosen as the injection molding material, such that its melting temperature is lower than the softening temperature of the plastic of the staking connector half, so that when the front face of the staking connector serves as the front wall sealing off the die cavity of the injection molding device, no deformation of the staking connector half occurs. The forming die of the device may be either air cooled or water cooled, or both, to speed hardening and to prevent deformation of the staking connector half.

In Applicant's copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595, filed Feb. 23, 
1982, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Applying Two Piece Connector 
Blocks To Multiconductor Cable," which is hereby incorporated by 
reference, there are disclosed a plurality of connector feed assembly 
stations which can be used to attach two-piece connectors to flat 
multiconductor cable. Each connector feed assembly station is used to ram 
a half of a two-piece connector to a cable portion such that when the two 
halves are rammed toward each other with the cable portion sandwiched 
between the two connector halves, the half of the connector having contact 
pins for piercing through the insulation of the cable is staked to the 
conductors of the cable, with the other cover half of the connector being 
forced into engagement with the first staking connector half, to thus 
complete the attachment of the two-piece connector to a cable portion. 
The apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid copending Application also has a 
carriage mounted for reciprocal movement above the plurality of connector 
feed assembly stations and in vertical alignment therewith, so as to 
position a cable portion at any of the connector feed assembly stations, 
where a particular type of connector is attached. Such connector may be 
either of the male type or the female type, for subsequent connection with 
a printed circuit board of a computer system, and the like. 
Each connector feed assembly station of the aforesaid copending Application 
has a first ramming device for ramming the first staking connector half to 
a cable portion, and a second ramming device for ramming the connector 
cover half for insertion into the first staking half to cover the staking 
half and the portion of the cable attached thereto. Each ramming device 
has a reciprocal piston which has a piston ram head end surface that rams 
a respective cover half toward the other one mounted diametrically 
opposite. The piston head end surface is formed with a cut-out for 
receiving a die which receives the particular-shaped connector half for 
ramming it toward the other. The connector halves are stored in magazines, 
each of which has a lower opening cooperating with an access opening in 
the cylinder housing of the respective piston, so that as the piston 
reaches its backward-most retracted position, a connector half falls into 
the die at the ram head end surface for subsequent movement toward the 
cable portion and the other connector half. 
The aforesaid apparatus also has a cutting mechanism for cutting the cable 
to form two ends of a precise cable length. Further, a microprocessor also 
controls the operation of the apparatus in a preprogrammable manner, so 
that any desired length of cable may be formed with any number of 
connectors attached thereto along its length, in any desired pattern or 
array. 
In another copending Application of the Applicant, Ser. No. 496,461, filed 
May 20, 1983, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Attaching Single Piece 
Connectors To A Flat Multiconductor Cable," which is hereby incorporated 
by reference, there is disclosed a plurality of connector feed assembly 
stations for attaching single piece connectors to a flat multi-conductor 
cable. There is also disclosed a cutting mechanism for cutting the cable 
to define the ends of cable length, which cutting mechanism is mounted on 
the carriage for movement therewith as the carriage travels from one 
connector feed assembly station to another. 
It is also disclosed in the aforesaid Applicant's copending Applicant, Ser. 
No. 496,461, that a marking station is provided in lateral alignment with 
the plurality of connector feed assembly stations, which marking station 
applies a mark or code on the cable length assemblies formed, which mark 
may be provided by sprayed ink, pressure sensitive tape, or dot matrix 
techniques. 
In still another copending Application of the Applicant, Ser. No. 490,380, 
filed May 2, 1983, entitled "Testing Device For Testing The Connections Of 
A Connector And A Cable Portion Attached To The Connector," which is 
hereby incorporated by reference, there is disclosed a method and a system 
for testing each connection of a conductor of the cable to a respective 
staking pin of a connector attached to the cable, to ascertain defective 
connector attachments to the cable, such as short or open circuits. In the 
aforesaid testing method and system, reciprocable testing fingers are 
mounted in one of the feed devices of a connector feed assembly station 
for movement therewith toward and away from a cable portion positioned 
between the two feed devices of the asembly station. When a connector has 
been attached to a cable portion, the testing fingers, in the case of 
female connectors, are extended through the front face of its respective 
feed device, to contact the connections of the connector with the 
conductors of the cable, which fingers are in turn wired to a conventional 
testing instrument which tests for continuity. In the case of male 
connectors, the projecting testing fingers are replaced by a plate having 
a series of testing receptacles into which the male contact projections of 
the male connector extend for testing when the feed device in which the 
testing plate is mounted is moved toward the cable portion. 
In all of the aforesaid copending Applications, the operation of the 
apparatus is carried out automatically by a microprocessor, which is 
preprogrammable to provide any desired cable lengths with any desired 
number of connectors attached thereto, in any desired array. The 
microprocessor also controls the operation of the cutting mechanism and 
the testing system, so that whenever a defective attachment has been 
detected by the testing system, the cutting mechanism is activated to cut 
away the defective attachment for subsequent disposal. 
In the conventional two-piece connector which is attached to a cable 
portion, one half of the connector includes a plurality of staking pins 
corresponding in number to the conductors in the cable to be connected to 
the connector. A second cover half of the connector is mounted over the 
first connector half after the first half has been staked to the 
conductors of the cable portion. Such mounting of the second cover half to 
the first staking half is accomplished by a pair of projecting end tenons 
in the second cover half, which tenons are received in a pair of end 
mortises in the first staking half. As the second cover half is placed 
over the first staking half, each staking pin of the first staking half 
slides in a respective opening of the second cover half, for fixture 
therein. The second cover half and the first staking half sandwich 
therebetween the portion of the cable attached to the first staking half, 
so that when the tenons are forced into the pair of mortises in the first 
staking half, until each tenon is entirely in a respective mortise, the 
cable portion is held fast between the interior surfaces of the two halves 
of the connector. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus 
for attaching connectors to portions of flat multiconductor cable in which 
a part of each connector is formed by injection molding a cover over that 
part of the connector staked to a cable portion. Such injection molding of 
a cover of a connector provides a better seal for the staking pins and the 
cable portion to which the staking pins are attached, so that foreign 
matter and other harmful elements do not enter into the inside of the 
connector, thereby preventing corrosion of the metal staking pins and 
conductors of the cable, as well as to prevent exposure of the staking 
pins to the ambient surroundings. By injection molding the cover half of 
each connector, so that the injection molded cover half surrounds the 
staking pins of the connector half staked to the cable portion, as well as 
surrounding that portion of the cable staked to the staking half, an 
air-tight cover seal is provided. Further, injection molding the cover of 
the connector prevents accidental separation of the two connector halves 
from each other when in use at the site where the cable length is to be 
employed. 
Since, in the present invention, there is no cover half rammed against the 
other staking half of the connector, which requires a pair of end tenons 
on the cover half which are slidingly received in a pair of end mortises 
of the staking half, the close tolerances required in that case is 
obviated in the present invention, since there are no closely-toleranced 
projecting tenons receivable in mortises of the staking half. Even if the 
ramming device of the staking half is misaligned, to a small degree, with 
respect to the injection molding device of the present invention, no 
defective attachment of the connector to a cable portion will result. 
To the accomplishment of the above-noted advantages, the apparatus for 
applying injection molded connector halves of the present invention has an 
injection molding device at each connector feed assembly station. Each 
injection molding device is of conventional design and is mounted for 
reciprocal movement toward and away from the ramming device attaching the 
staking connector half to a portion of flat multiconductor cable. The 
injection molding device is aligned diametrically opposite to a respective 
ramming device used to attach a staking connector half to a cable portion, 
and is movable toward and away from that staking ramming device. 
The injection molding device has a conventional heating cylinder in which 
is melted a supply of plastic provided from a hopper at one end of the 
heating cylinder. A plunger forces a requisite amount of the melted 
plastic into a forming die when the injection molding device has been 
extended, so that a staking connector half in the staking ramming device 
abuts against the front edge surfaces of the forming die, to thereby 
define a closed, sealed forming chamber into which the melted plastic is 
injected after the staking connector half has been staked to the 
conductors of the cable portion. The injection molding device is kept in 
its extended position for a short while, to allow cooling and hardening of 
the injected plastic, to thus form the connector cover half, which 
completely surrounds and seals the contact staking pins of the connector 
which project through the conductors of the cable portion after staking, 
as well as surrounding the portion of the cable to which the connector is 
staked along the width of the connector staking half. 
The present invention also provides a forced air convection current to 
speed the cooling and, therefore, the hardening of the injected plastic 
within the forming die. Such forced air convection current may be provided 
by a conventional fan mounted to the apparatus of the present invention, 
so that it directs the air flow toward the point of attachment of the 
cable portion to a connector at each connector feed assembly station, 
which stations are in lateral alignment along a channel, which channel 
defines the exit passageway for completely assembled cable lengths. The 
fan may be operated only at such time as a connector is being attached to 
a cable portion. 
The injection molded feed assembly station of the present invention may 
also be combined with single piece connector feed assemblies, as disclosed 
in aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 496,461, or with the 
two-piece connector feed assembly station, as disclosed in the aforesaid 
copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595. Further, a testing system may be 
employed in each injection molded feed station, as disclosed in aforesaid 
copending Application, Ser. No. 490,380, which testing system is provided 
within the ramming device for attaching the staking connector half to the 
cable portion of each feed station. 
Also, the apparatus of the present invention may also be provided with a 
separate marking station for applying a mark, such as a code or stock 
number, to a cable assembly or length, as disclosed in aforesaid copending 
Application, Ser. No. 496,461. 
Since the forming die of the injection molding device of the present 
invention is sealed off by the staking connector half, when both the 
connector staking half and the injection molding device have been moved 
toward each other to abut against each other with the cable portion 
sandwiched therebetween, it is necessary to choose an injection molding 
plastic that has a melting temperature below the softening, deformation 
temperature of the plastic of the staking connector half, so that during 
the injection molding of the connector cover half, the staking half is not 
deformed. The softening or deformation of the insulation of the 
multiconductor cable is not critical since the injected plastic is also an 
excellent electrical insulator. Deformation is further prevented by the 
provision of the forced air convection currents. For example, if the 
staking half be made of polyethylene plastic, then the cover half would be 
made using polypropylene resin. Any type of thermoplastic resin may be 
employed to form the cover half as long as it has a melting temperature 
below the deformation temperature of the staking half, or at least has a 
melting temperature that, when cooled in the forming die by the ambient 
air and by the forced air convection device, the time it takes to cool 
below the deformation temperature of the staking half is negligable, so 
that no deformation of the staking half occurs. 
If the staking connector half be made of a thermoset, then most kinds of 
thermoplastic resins may be employed with the injection molding device of 
the present invention. Further, even in those instances where the 
injection molding plastic used has a melting temperature above the 
deformation temperature of the staking connector half, so that sufficient 
time in cooling is required and which would deform the staking half, the 
forming die may be further cooled by water cooling by providing a water 
jacket around the surfaces of the forming die itself. 
The entire operation of the present invention is automatically controlled 
by a microprocessor, as disclosed in aforesaid copending Application, Ser. 
No. 351,595. In the present invention, the microprocessor also controls 
the air cylinder that reciprocates the injection molding device, at each 
feed station, and also controls the timing of the plunger extension of 
each injection molding device, so that the plunger does not inject the 
melted plastic until such time as the staking connector half has been, or 
is about to be, attached to the cable portion. The microprocessor is 
preprogrammable, so that any desired cable lengths may be formed with any 
desired array of connectors attached to portions of the cable length. 
The apparatus of the present invention is also provided with a cutting 
mechanism mounted on a movable carriage in the direction parallel with the 
width of the cable, as disclosed in aforesaid copending Application, Ser. 
No. 496,461. The cutting mechanism is used to define the two ends of each 
cable assembly, as well as to cut away defective connector attachments 
discovered during the testing procedure for each connector attachment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the apparatus for attaching 
connectors with injection molded covers is indicated generally by 
reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. The apparatus 10 includes a translatable 
carriage 12 upon which is mounted a supply reel 14 of flat multiconductor 
cable 16 for advancement downwardly between a drive roller 18 and an idler 
roller 20. The carriage 12 is slidable on a pair of spaced, parallel guide 
rods 22, 24 mounted between mounting side brackets 26, 28. A threaded rod 
30 is received in a threaded opening in the carriage 12, so that when a 
motor 32 is energized to rotate the threaded rod 30 through appropriate 
gearing, the carriage may be traversed in the direction along guide bars 
22, 24, which is parallel to the width of the cable 16. Mounted on a lower 
mounting plate is a cutting mechanism 34 which has a cutter, which cutter 
is extendable toward and away from a portion of the cable 16, to cut the 
cable to define an end of a cable length. The cutter has an inwardly 
sloping cutting edge surface for shearing the portion of the cable to be 
cut as the cutter is extended. The cutting mechanism 34 moves along with 
the traversal of the carriage 12, so that cable portions may be cut at any 
location at which the carriage 12 is positioned. The above-described 
carriage and carriage moving means are disclosed in greater detail in 
above-noted Applicant's copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595, filed 
Feb. 23, 1982, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Applying Two Piece 
Connector Blocks To Multiconductor Cable." The above-described cutting 
mechanism mounted upon the carriage for movement with the carriage is 
disclosed in greater detail in above-noted Applicant's copending 
Application, Ser. No. 496,461, filed May 20, 1983, entitled "Method And 
Apparatus For Attaching Single Piece Connectors To A Flat Multiconductor 
Cable." 
The rollers 18 and 20 advance a portion of the cable 16 downwardly to 
position it at a connector feed assembly station, where a connector is 
attached to the conductors of the cable. In FIG. 1, there are shown three 
such connector feed assembly stations 40, 42, 44 though one, two, or more 
than three such stations may be provided. Each feed station is in lateral 
alignment with another feed station along a channel 46, which channel 46 
is parallel with the width of the cable 16. Such lateral, width-wise 
alignment allows for the carriage 12 to position portions of the cable at 
any desired feed station, while the rollers 18 and 20 advance that portion 
downwardly toward the station, until such portion is positioned between 
the two feed devices of each station. 
Each connector feed assembly station 40, 42, and 44 has a pair of feed 
devices 50, 52 mounted on opposite sides of the channel 46 in a 
diametrically opposed relationship. The feed device 50 is for attaching a 
staking connector half to the conductors of a cable, which feed device 50 
is disclosed in greater detail in Applicant's aforesaid copending 
Application, Ser. No. 351,595. The feed device 50 has a storage magazine 
54 in which are placed a number of similar type staking connector halves. 
The storage magazine 54 has a lower exit opening cooperating with an 
opening formed in the housing 50' for dropping a staking connector half 
onto a reciprocable piston head 56 which has a cut-out surface formed in 
its front ram head end surface for holding one such staking connector half 
for ramming it against a cable portion positioned at the feed station. 
Pneumatic means 60 drive the piston head for reciprocal movement, which 
piston head also has a sloping top surface for guiding the bottom-most one 
of the connector halves into the cut out of the ram head end surface 56 
when the piston head is moved to its most rearward, retracted position. 
The staking connector half 62 stored in a magazine 54 typically has a 
plurality of projecting staking pins 62', as shown in FIG. 5. As shown, 
there are two such rows of staking pins 62', each staking pin 62' cutting 
through the insulation of the cable portion and contacting a conductor, so 
that each conductor of the cable is in contact with one such staking pin 
62'. A staking pin 62' on one row is slightly laterally offset from a 
corresponding staking pin 62' in the other row a sufficient amount to 
correspond to the spacing of the conductors of the cable. The staking 
connector half 62 also has a pair of edge mortises 64, 64', with each 
mortise having upper and lower projections 66, 66'. The projections 66, 
66' and the mortises 64, 64' are provided so that in the conventional 
assembly of a connector to a cable portion, a second connector cover half 
having projecting tenons is rammed into the first staking half, by forcing 
the tenons into the mortises of the first staking half, while a cable 
portion is sandwiched between the two halves, as disclosed in greater 
detail in Applicant's aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595. 
It is noted that on the other end of the connector 62, remote from the 
face having the staking pins 62' thereon, there are provided output 
contacts for subsequent connection of the connector to a printed circuit 
board, or the like, in the system for which a cable length assembly having 
connectors attached thereon is prepared. Further, it is noted, that each 
staking pin 62' has a U-shaped cross-section with each pin having a pair 
of projecting cutting contact points for piercing through the insulation 
of the cable and into contact with a respective conductor of the cable. 
The U-shaped staking pins are, in turn, extended rearwardly from the front 
face of the connector having the staking pins projecting therefrom, to the 
rear face, where the above-noted output contacts are formed. Thus, the 
output contact and the U-shaped staking pin of each staking element 62' 
are one, integrally formed piece. Further, the portion of the staking 
element extending rearwardly to form the output contact is typically made 
of a hollow construction, so that there is a passageway formed within each 
staking element from the front U-shaped pin to the rearward output 
contact, which passageway extends entirely through the staking element. In 
FIG. 5, such passageway is indicated by reference numeral 62". 
Whereas in Applicant's aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595, 
the connector half 62 is rammed against the cable portion opposite a 
second connector cover half, which second connector half is also rammed 
toward the cable portion by its own piston head to thus provide the 
counter, reactive force for staking the connector half 62 to the 
conductors of the cable, in the present invention the second connector 
cover half is formed during the staking procedure itself by an injection 
molding device. To provide the reaction force for the staking connector 
half, the forming die of the injection device is used. 
As shown in FIG. 1, each feed station 40, 42, 44 has a feed device 52 that 
injection molds a cover half for the staking connector half 62. Each feed 
device 52 has a stationary housing 70 in which is mounted for reciprocal 
motion a conventional injection molding device. The conventional injection 
molding device 72 (FIG. 3) has a heating chamber or cylinder 74 with a 
plurality of circumferentially spaced and parallel heating elements 76 
which heat the interior of the cylinder 74 to melt plastic supplied 
therein. A plunger 78 is forced inwardly against a previously supply of 
plastic fed into the interior of the cylinder by a hopper 80 by means of a 
main ram 82. As the plunger 78 forces a measured amount of the plastic 
into the heating chamber of the cylinder, the plastic already melted in 
that heating chamber is forced out of the cylinder through a nozzle 84. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the injection molding device 72 is reciprocated within 
its housing 70 by an air cylinder 86 having a piston 88 fixedly connected 
to a plate 90. The plate 90 has four corner connecting rods 92 which 
project through appropriate openings in the rear face of the housing 70 
for fixed attachment to ring flange 74' (FIG. 3) of the cylinder of the 
injection molding device, so that with reciprocation of the piston 88 and 
plate 90, the injection molding device 72 will slide within the housing 
70. The housing 70 also is provided with a slot 70' (FIG. 1) through which 
a chute 80' of the hopper 80 projects, so as to allow for the movement of 
the injection molding device relative to its housing 70. The slot 70' need 
only be a few inches in length, since the stroke of the piston 88 is 
short, depending only upon the length of the necessary extension of the 
injection molding device's forming die 100 against the cable portion and 
against the extended first staking connector half. 
In order to operate the main ram 82 of the injection molding device to 
extend the plunger 78, a separate air cylinder 102 is provided with a 
piston 104, which forms the main ram 82 in the interior of the injection 
molding device. The air cylinder 102 is also fixedly connected to the 
reciprocating plate 90 via four corner rods 102', so that when the plate 
90 moves to move the injection molding device within the housing 70, the 
main ram 82 and plunger 78 are also moved the same amount, to provide the 
necessary fixed relationship between the parts of the injection molding 
device. Though not shown, the injection molding device 72 is slidingly 
mounted within its housing 70 by conventional structure. 
As mentioned above, the nozzle 84 directs the melted plastic into the 
forming die of the device, in the conventional fashion. In the present 
invention, the forming die 100 has a cavity 100' which is defined by rear, 
upper, lower, and side interior surfaces. The forming die 100 is open at 
its front, so that it may be sealed off upon extension of the injection 
molding device against the cable portion and against the staking connector 
half supported in the piston ram head end surface of the first feed device 
50. Thus, when the staking connector half 62 and the forming die 100 are 
abutting against each other with the cable portion sandwiched 
therebetween, the melted plastic is forced out through the nozzle 84 into 
the thus-sealed forming die, to thus form the cover half of the connector 
directly on the staking connector half already staked to the conductors of 
the cable portion. As the melted plastic is injected into the cavity 100', 
with the front face of the connector half 62 sealing off the cavity, the 
injected plastic surrounds all of the U-shaped staking pins 62', and will 
also coat the portion of the cable staked to the staking connector half 
and positioned between the corner posts 66 of the connector half 62, so 
that additional insulation is provided for the cable portion. It is noted 
that the passageways 62" of each staking element is also sealed off, since 
the cable portion is positioned between the flow of the injected plastic 
and the opening of each passageway 62", so that no melted plastic flows 
through the passageways, which could cause impairment of the connector's 
connections with the printed circuit board, or the like, when such 
connector is later employed in a system. 
Viewing FIG. 4, the outer width of the forming die 100 is such that it is 
slightly less than the width of the staking connector half 62, as taken 
from one upper corner post 66 to the other upper corner post 66 in FIG. 5, 
so that when the forming die abuts against the connector half 62, it lies 
within the corner posts 62, so that no melted plastic will flow through 
the mortises 64, 64'. The height of the cavity 100' is such that it 
completely encompasses the two rows of staking pins 62', for the 
projection into the interior of the cavity of the staking pins 62'. 
Further, the cavity 100' has a height such that the front edge surfaces of 
the forming die 100 abut against the front face of the staking connector 
half 62 above and below the rows of staking pins 62'. Preferably, the 
cavity 100' is of such size that the completed cover half of the connector 
which is injected molded lies as close as possible to the inner edge 
surfaces of the corner posts 66 and as close as possible to the upper and 
lower edges of the front face of the staking connector half, so that as 
large a cover half as possible is provided. Further, the depth of the 
cavity 100' also is such that the entire length of each staking pin is 
positioned therein, so that the molded cover half will extend beyond the 
projection of each staking pin, as, for example, extending to the tip of 
the projection of each corner post 66, so that the rear surface of the 
completed cover half lies flush with the projecting end edge surface of 
the posts 66. 
It is, of course, to be understood, that were a differently designed 
staking cover half used instead of the staking half 62 illustrated in FIG. 
5, the shape and dimensions of the forming die 100 and its cavity 100' 
would be modified to accommodate such different staking connector half. 
For example, if a staking connector half be used that does not have the 
corner posts 66, then the forming die may be lengthened at the corners 
thereof. Other suitable configurations may be provided for any staking 
connector half employed, as long as the staking pins thereof are 
surrounded by the forming die and project into the interior of the cavity 
100', so that the molded cover half completely surrounds each staking pin 
along the length of its projection from the front fact of the staking 
connector half. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 is also provided with a fan 110, which 
fan is mounted along the mid-line of the channel 46, so as to direct 
forced air convection currents along the mid-line of the channel directly 
toward the locations where connectors are attached to cable portions at 
the feed stations 40, 42 and 44. The forced air convection currents will 
cool off the forming die 100 immediately after the injected melted plastic 
has been injected into the cavity 100', so as to hasten hardening of the 
cover half of the connector. The fan 110 is preferably controlled by 
microprocessor 112, which microprocessor also controls the operations of 
the drive roller motor 18', motor 32, air cylinders 60, 86 and 102 through 
appropriate conventional valves, and cutting mechanism 34, as disclosed in 
Applicant's aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595. Fan 110 is 
preferably energized just prior to the injection of the melted plastic 
into the cavity 100'. 
In operation, the carriage 12 is moved along guide rods 22, 24 until it is 
positioned above one of the feed stations 40, 42 and 44, at which point a 
portion of the cable advanced by the rollers 18, 20 is positioned for 
attachment of a connector thereto. Then, the feed devices 50 and 52 are 
activated to extend their respective elements, so that the piston head 56 
is forced against the cable portion simultaneously with the movement of 
the forming die, as the injection molding device is extended by its 
control mechanism. As the forming die and front face of staking connector 
half supported in the piston head 56 abut against each other, the cable 
portion sandwiched between the two will be staked to the projecting 
staking pins of the staking connector half, with the pins extending 
completely through the insulation of the cable portion, and with a 
respective conductor being seated between the legs of a respective 
U-shaped staking pin, so that the staking pins project outwardly from the 
side of the cable portion facing the injection molding device 72. With the 
staking connector half thus staked to the cable portion, and with the 
front face of the staking connector half abutting against the forming die 
and sealing off the cavity 100', along with the cable portion extending 
across the opening of the cavity, the melted plastic is injected into the 
cavity 100', where it is formed into the desired cover, and where it is 
speedily cooled by the air convention currents from the fan 110, which was 
activated upon the staking of the staking connector half to the cable 
portion. It is preferable that the fan 110 not be activated until the 
cable has been staked to the staking connector half, so that no lateral 
movement of the cable be caused, which could cause misalignment between 
the conductors of the cable and the staking pins of the connector half. 
After the cover half has been molded, the respective air cylinders are 
de-activated to return the feed devices 50 and 52 to their retracted rest 
positions until the next connector is to be attached to another cable 
portion. Upon retraction of the feed devices, the fan 110 is de-energized 
by microprocessor 112. 
Since the staking connector half 62 is made of plastic, the kind of plastic 
used in the injection molding of the cover half must be chosen so as not 
to cause any deformation in the staking connector half, since the front 
fact of the staking connector half serves as the front surface sealing 
wall of the cavity 100' during the injection molding of the cover half. 
Thus, the plastic for the injection molded cover half must have a melting 
temperature less than the deformation of the plastic of the staking 
connector half. The particular injection molded plastic resin chosen will 
entirely depend upon the plastic from which the staking connector half is 
made. 
If the staking connector half be made of the polyolefin resin 
polypropylene, then the injected plastic resin may be the polyolefin resin 
low density polyethylene, since the polypropylene has a softening or 
deformation temperature of about 160.degree. Centigrade, while the low 
density polyethylene has a melting temperature of about 115.degree. 
Centigrade. Even high density polyethylene may be used in such a case. If 
the staking connector half be made of a thermoset resin, all of which have 
high softening temperatures, then just about all thermoplastic resins may 
be used for injection molding the cover half. Such thermoplastic resins 
that may be used for the cover half are: methylpentene polymer, which is 
the lightest thermoplastic, which as a melting point of about 240.degree. 
Centigrade and deforms at about 200.degree. Centigrade; 
polytetrafluoroethylene resin which has deformation temperature of about 
260.degree. Centigrade; chlorinated polyether, which has a deformation 
temperature of about 120.degree. Centigrade; polyvinyl carbazole resin, 
which deforms at about 150.degree. Centigrade. Even condensation polymers 
may be used, such as polycarbonates, which have softening temperatures of 
about 150.degree. Centigrade. Clearly, the staking connector half can be 
manufactured itself using a plastic having a high deformation temperature 
such as a thermoset resin, so that all of the thermoplastic resins may be 
used to injection mold the cover half. 
In those cases when the deformation temperature of the plastic of the 
staking connector half is below the melting temperature of the injection 
molding plastic resin, deformation of the staking half still need not 
occur if the forced air convection, produced by the fan 110, for all 
practical purposes, cools the die 100 sufficiently fast so as to prevent 
any such deformation from occuring. Further, to insure that no such 
deformation takes place, the die 100 can be cooled further by a water 
jacket, as shown in FIG. 7. In this instance, a supply of water, such as a 
miniature water tank 114, mounted on the housing 70, may be used to feed 
water to a water jacket 116 surrounding the upper, lower and side surfaces 
of the die 100. A hose inlet line 118 feeds fresh water to the jacket upon 
each extension of the injection molding device toward the cable portion, 
while an outlet hose line 122 removes the heated water from the previous 
molding operation. A conventional flow valve operated in response to the 
movement of the injection molding device is employed to open the flow of 
water to the jacket when extension of the injection molding device is 
carried out, which water is fed by gravity. Upon the return of the device, 
the flow valve is closed to shut off the flow of water. 
The time needed to inject the melted plastic into the cavity and allow the 
plastic to harden to form the connector cover is extremely short, 
especially when the forced air convection currents and the water jacket 
are employed. The time required need not be any longer than now required 
to attach two-piece connectors using the apparatus disclosed in 
Applicant's aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 351,595. 
The apparatus of the present invention may also include separate feed 
stations employing the two-piece connector feed assembly station disclosed 
in the aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 351, 595, and may also 
employ single piece connector feed assembly stations disclosed in the 
aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 496,461, so that a cable length 
assembly having a hybrid of two-piece connectors, single piece connectors, 
and/or connectors with injection molded covers is provided. Further, 
testing means may also be provided for each feed station, 40, 42, 44 as 
disclosed in Applicant's aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 
490,380, filed May 2, 1983. The testing means are mounted in each of the 
feed devices 50 where projection fingers or receptacles are brought into 
contact with the contacts of a female or male connector, respectively, via 
openings in the piston head. Each finger or receptacle is wired to a 
testing instrument. Also, a marking station 120 (FIG. 1) as disclosed in 
the aforesaid copending Application, Ser. No. 496,461, may also be 
provided for applying a code or other information on cable length 
assemblies. 
It is also noted that the arrangement of the feed devices 50 and 52 at each 
station may be reversed, so that the same type connectors may be attached 
to different cable portions 180.degree. out of phase, as occurs at the 
feed station 40 when compared with the feed station 42. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, 
it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the scope nd spirit of the invention as set 
out in the appended claims. For example, the injection molding device 72 
may be mounted stationarily with the forming die 100 overhanging into the 
center of the channel 46.