Patent Publication Number: US-2001000354-A1

Title: Wire marking, cutting and stripping apparatus and method

Description:
1. This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 765,986 filed Sep. 26, 1991.  
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       2. This invention relates generally to wire or cable marking and severing, as well as stripping sheathing from severed wire sections; and more particularly, it concerns unusually advantageous method and apparatus to effect marking of a wire or cable at a stand-alone means or apparatus, and severing and/or stripping of the wire or cable at a second stand-alone means or apparatus, while the wire is fed between the first and second means.  
       3. There is continual need for equipment capable of sequentially marking and then cutting and/or stripping of wire or cable in relation to the marks placed on the wire or cable. It is desirable that these functions be carried out as a wire or cable travels along generally the same axis, i.e., progresses forwardly, and that multiple appropriately marked wire and cable sections of selected length or different selected lengths be produced, each having one end or its opposite ends stripped of sheathing, to expose bare metal wire core.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       4. It is a major object of the invention to provide apparatus and method, including programmed control means, meeting the above needs. The word “wire” will be used to include cable within its scope, and vice versa.  
       5. In accordance with the invention, system or apparatus is provided as follows:  
       6. a) first means operable to mark the wire,  
       7. b) second means operable to cut the marked wire and to strip insulation from the wire,  
       8. c) the wire extending between and movable between the first and second means, the first and second means comprising stand-alone devices spaced apart in the direction of wire elongation and travel,  
       9. d) and control means operatively connected with the first and second means for controlling operation of the first and second means in time sequence relation to wire movement therebetween, and characterized in that changes in timing of markings by operation of the first means can occur while the second means operates to complete cutting and severing of wire associated with prior markings, thereby to reduce or eliminate wire waste.  
       10. e) the control means including a computer located externally of the first and second means.  
       11. As will be seen, the control means may include a programmable computer having memory, processor, and keyboard means, and it may be located apart from or separate from the first and second means, as referred to, the latter being stand-alone devices. The second means may include a microprocessor to control cutting and stripping of the marked wire, the computer connected in controlling relation with the microprocessor. The computer may also be connected with the first (marking) means; or the control of that first means may be controlled by the microprocessor at the second (cutting and stripping) means, in which event the computer controls that microprocessor.  
       12. The microprocessor at the second means may itself be programmed so as not to require external computer control.  
       13. It is another object of the invention to provide endless belt drives at the second (cutting and stripping) apparatus for driving the wire between the first and second means, continuously or interruptedly, and to accommodate marking, cutting and stripping, as referred to.  
       14. Yet another object is to provide control means that includes programmable circuitry or software to store command information to produce successive spaced markings on the wire at times t 1  and t 2  by the first means, and to store command information to produce delayed cutting of the wire by the second means and between the spaced markings, at time t 3 , where t 3  is after t 1  and t 2 , and the control means including circuitry to control driving of the wire at a rate to bring the space between the markings into position for wire cutting at t 3 . The control means also anticipates and controls changes in markings, while the cutting and severing means completes cutting and severing associated with prior markings, to reduce or eliminate wire waste.  
       15. An important feature of this invention is the flexibility that results from the combination of modularity and programmability. The first means (wire marker) and the second means (wire cutter, stripper or terminator) are modular, and the entire system is controlled by one computer that controls various programmable features in both the first means and the second means.  
       16. With this system, the user can have a programmable hot stamp wire marker interfaced to a wire cutter, and the user can substitute a wire stripper for the wire cutter to create a programmable hot stamp wire marker-wire stripper system.  
       17. The user can also substitute an ink-jet wire marker for the hot stamp wire marker to create an ink jet wire marker-wire cutter system. The user could also substitute a laser wire marker for the hot stamp wire marker, and a wire stripper-terminator for the wire cutter.  
       18. These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:  
     
    
    
     DRAWING DESCRIPTION  
     19.FIG. 1 a  is a diagrammatic view of one system for marking elongated wire at one station, and for cutting and/or stripping protective material, such as insulation or other covering, from the wire core, at a second station;  
     20.FIG. 1 b  is a view of the marked wire seen on FIG. 1 a,  but after it has advanced by an increment toward the second station;  
     21.FIG. 1 c  is a view like FIG. 1 b  showing the wire advanced toward the second station and being cut at the second station, and in predetermined relation to marks on the wire;  
     22.FIG. 1 d  is an enlarged schematic view of wire cutting and stripping means in operation, at the second station, and in relation to wire markings;  
     23.FIG. 2 is a view of dual markings on a wire, and in relation to operation of a cutter;  
     24.FIG. 3 is a view of wire markings on one type on a forward portion of a wire, and wire markings of another type on a following rearward portion of the wire;  
     25.FIGS. 4-6 are schematic views of alternate control means for wire marking at the first station, and wire cutting and/or stripping at the second station;  
     26.FIG. 7 is an elevation showing one form of wire marking apparatus, in greater detail, and usable at the first station;  
     27.FIG. 8 is a perspective view;  
     28.FIGS. 9-19 are views showing one form of wire cutting and stripping apparatus, in greater detail, and usable at the second station;  
     29.FIGS. 20-24 are data control flow diagrams; and  
     30.FIG. 25 is a diagram of a wire marker and wire cut and strip apparatus, as related to FIGS. 20-24.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     31. Referring first to FIG. 1 a,  the system shown includes first apparatus or means  120  for marking (printing, etc.) an elongated wire shown at  120 , at a stand-alone position, as on a support surface  111 . Such apparatus may, for example, take the form shown generally in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,735 to Jonca. The wire is indicated as traveling rightwardly, and through the apparatus  110 , which guides the wire and produces successive, spaced markings  112  on the wire, as for example at intervals  113 . The markings and intervals can be controlled or programmed, as by a programmable computer  114 , having an associated keyboard  115 .  
     32. The system also includes second apparatus or means indicated generally at  116 , operable to cut the marked wire in relation to the position of the markings on the wire, thereby to produce wire segments, as for example are seen at  120   a  and  120   b  in FIG. 1 c,  in relation to markings on the segments. See identifying markings  112   a  and  112   b  on the illustrated segments; and it will be understood that the markings on the segments, their positions on the segments, etc., can be automatically controlled by time-related operation of apparatus  110  and  116 . The latter device  116  is also a stand-alone device, so that its distance from device  110  may be varied to suit production requirements in a production facility or plant. A surface to support  116  is indicated at  118 .  
     33. The wire  120  extends between and is movable between  110  and  116 , and is best driven at  116  so as to be pulled through or adjacent to  110 . Belt-type conveyors are desirably used to drive the wire in view of their firm (slip free) gripping of the wire along drive lengths, as between stretches  121   a  and  122   a  of looping belt conveyors  121  and  122 . An additional pair of belt conveyors  123  and  124  is provided for stripping control purposes, as will appear, the wire extending between and engaged by stretches  123   a  and  124   a  of  123  and  124 . Accordingly, accurate automatic marking of the wire, along its length, and at the first stand-alone station, can be controlled in relation to cutting and stripping of the wire in predetermined relation to the markings, at the second stand-alone station.  
     34. Control means is provided to be operatively connected with the means  110  and  116  for controlling their operation, in time sequence relation, to wire movement or travel. In the FIG. 11 example, the control means  114  comprises a programmed computer (see program keyboard  115 ) for storing electronically or magnetically stored program signals externally of the apparatus at  110  and  116 .  
     35. A command bus extends at  132  from  114  to the apparatus  110  to command operation of the up and down driver  133  for wire marker  134 ; and status bus  132   a  extends from  110  back to  114 . Similarly, a command bus extends at  135  from  114  to the apparatus  116  to control:  
     36. drive  136  for the conveyors  121  and  122 ;  
     37. drive  137  (if used) for the conveyors  123  and  124  (if used);  
     38. drive  138  for closing and opening the cutting blades  139   a  and  139   b;    
     39. drive  140  for displacing the stripping blades  141   a  and  141   b  to controlled (programmed) depth into the insulation  320   a  on core  120   c,  associated with the end  120   d  of the cut wire;  
     40. driver  142  for displacing the stripper blades  143   a  and  143   b  to controlled depth into the insulation  120   e  on the core  120   f  associated with the wire end  120   g  of the cut wire (see FIG. 1 d ).  
     41. Return bus  146  extends from  116  back to  114 , to provide status signals. An encoder may be provided at  147  and connected to the drive  136  to transmit wire position signals to the computer  114 . (Two encoders can be provided, one for each drive.) Since drive  136  and conveyors  121  and  122  control pull of the wire through  110 , and since the distance from  110  and  116  is known, the computer can accurately control marking of the wire at known locations thereon. A frictional resistance to wire pull can be provided at  160  to block any return movement of wire back to location of wire at  110 .  
     42.FIGS. 1 b  and  1   c  show the wire at rightward traveling positions at times later than the wire position in FIG. 1 a;  the wire being cut at  150   a  in FIG. 1 c,  with accuracy between two markings  112   a  and  112   b,  which then appear on different wire sections. Subsequent (to be) cut positions on the wire are seen at  150   b,    150   c,  etc., between markings  112 . Upon reprogramming via the computer and its keyboard, the markings  112  can be made closer together or further apart along the wire, and the timing of cutting controlled in relation to the marking intervals, to cut at some selected distance from the markings.  
     43. Accordingly, the first apparatus  110  is positioned at a location from which the wire is driven toward the second apparatus  116 , and the control means includes circuitry or software to store command information to produce successive spaced markings on the wire at times t 1  and t 2  by the first means, and to store command information to produce delayed cutting of the wire by the second means and between the spaced markings, at time t 3 , where t 3  is after t 1  and t 2 . Also, the control means includes circuitry or software to control driving of the wire at a rate to bring the space between successive markings into selected position relative to the cutter and stripper blades, for wire cutting time t 3 , and for stripping at a time t 4  or times t 4  (for operation of stripper blades  141   a  and  141   b ), and at a time t 5  (for operation of stripper blades  143   a  and  143   b ). Times t 4  and t 5  may be coincident.  
     44.FIG. 1 d  shows the two wire sections  120   a  and  120   e  relatively separated by the conveyors  121  and  122 , and by the conveyors  123  and  124 . See arrows  121   a  and  123   a.  The stripper blades are shown pulling insulation slugs  162  and  163  off the wire section cores  120   c  and  120   f.  Note the markers  112  on the wire sections as related to the exposed cores. Subsequently, the pairs of cutter and stripper blades are moved apart, and conveyors  121  and  122 , and  123  and  124 , operated to move the forward and rearward wire sections forwardly, for wire travel, as described for FIGS. 1 b  and  1   c.    
     45.FIG. 2 shows a wire  120  with pairs of markings  112   g  and  112   h  placed on the wire, as a variation.  
     46.FIG. 3 shows a changeover from markings  112   i  at spaced intervals  164 , to markings  112   j  at intervals  165 . The computer is programmed to cause cutting at one rate, related to intervals  164  until wire extent with markings  12   j  arrives at  116 , and thereafter cutting changes to another and faster rate, related to intervals  165 . Note that during the time it takes for the first mark  116   j  to travel from  110  to  116 , the apparatus  116  is cutting wire at the one slower rate associated with intervals  164 . Sections of cut and marked wire are seen at  120   k  and  120   m.    
     47.FIG. 4 is like FIG. 1 a  except that a microprocessor is provided at  170  in association with the apparatus  116  to send “mark” commands to  110 , via bus  171 , status information being returned to  170  via bus  172 . The computer  114  is connected at  173  with the microprocessor  170  to control its operation via data transmission, and status information flows back to  114 , via bus  174 . Also,  114  transmits “set” data via bus  176  to the marker driver at  110  or associated microprocessor, and status data return flows at  177 . Microprocessor  170  also controls, at  178 , an additional microprocessor  179  for cut and strip device or devices  180 .  
     48.FIG. 5 is like FIG. 4 except that the computer  114  only controls microprocessor  170 , the latter controlling the marker device  110  and any additional device cut and strip  190 . See busses  182  and  183 , and  184  and  185 .  
     49.FIG. 6 is like FIG. 5 except that all control is from a microprocessor or computer  186  at  116 , the computer being programmable as at  186   a.    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE MARKER  
     50. As seen in FIG. 7 and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,735, a printing unit  1  of the device  110  comprises a chassis that includes a base plate  2  on which are fixed three supports  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     51. Between the supports  3  and  4  are mounted printing wheels  6 , having on their peripheries characters  6   a.  The wheels rotate independently of one another about a common shaft  7 , supported on  3  and  4 . Wheels  6  correspond to marker  134  in FIG. 1 a.  Opposite the printing wheels  6  is a printing block  8  on actuators  9  which enable it to move toward said printing wheels and to move away therefrom. The jacks  9  are controlled by an actuator  10 , and are supported by the base plate  2 .  
     52. On the block  8  is a wire  120  which advances in direction  11 . A solenoid  12  (or pneumatic cylinder piston), integral with  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 , is adapted to actuate a locking bar  13 , to immobilize the printing wheels  6  during the printing operations.  
     53. Between supports  4  and  5  are provided guide rails  14  on which a carriage  15  may slide in both right and left directions. The rails  14  are parallel to each other and to the shaft  7 . Carriage  15  supports two stepper motors  16  and  17  mounted in line, parallel to the rails  14  and to shaft  7 . The shaft  18  of the motor  16  is extended by a threaded part  19  engaged in the corresponding thread of a threaded bore  20  in support. The shaft  21  of motor  17  passes freely through  4  and is provided at its free end with a control wheel  22  which rotates therewith. The plane of the control wheel  22  is parallel to the plane of rotation of the printing wheels  6 ; and the control wheel  22  may be selectively brought into contact with each of said printing wheels.  
     54. The actuator  10 , for controlling the jacks  9 , the solenoid  12 , for controlling the locking bar  13 , and the motors  16  and  17 , are controlled by a device  23  (corresponds to  133  in FIG. 1 a ) which interfaces with a computer as at  114  (cf. also FIG. 8 in which the printing unit  1  is shown traversed by wire  120 ), unit  1  being linked at  25  to  114 . Link  25  corresponds to  132  and  132   a  in FIG. 1 a.    
     55. When it is desired to compose a marking code with the aid of the printing wheels  6 , the computer  114  addresses the following orders to unit  1  via link  25 :  
     56. deactivation (or activation) of the solenoid  12  by the device  23 , so that the locking bar  13  releases the printing wheels  6  and that they can rotate;  
     57. activation of the stepper motor  16  (open or closed loop, or closed loop servo-motor) by the device  23  so that it rotates its shaft  18  and in consequence of the threaded connection  19 - 20 , the whole of the carriage  15  may slide along the rails  14 , so that the control wheel  22  can be successively brought into contact with each of the printing wheels  6 , for example starting with one of the end wheels. Activation of the stepper motor is discontinuous, stopping only upon travel of the control wheel  22  from one printing wheel  6  to the following, so that the control wheel  22  remains in contact with each of said printing wheels  6  for a sufficient period of stoppage to bring the desired character  6   a  of said wheel into print position, i.e., opposite the printing block  8 ;  
     58. activation of the stepper motor  17  by the device  23  during such periods of stoppage of the motor  16 , so that, due to the connection (friction, engagement) between the control wheel  22  and the corresponding printing wheel  6 , the desired type  6   a  is brought into wire print position;  
     59. activation (or deactivation) of the solenoid  12  by the device  23  in order, after adjustment of all the printing wheels  6 , to lock them in position for printing;  
     60. activation of the stepper motor  16  by the device  23  to return the carriage  15  to its initial position.  
     61. The marking code (for the wire) thus being composed and the wire moving over the printing block  8 , each time that it is desired to mark the wire  120 , a command is sent to the device  23 , either directly, or via the computer  114  and link  25 , to cause device  23  to actuate the jacks  9  through the actuator  10 , so that the printing block  8  presses the wire  120  against one or more of the characters  6   a  of the printing wheels  6 , in print position.  
     62. For example, the computer  114  receives from an encoder  27  information as to the position of advance of the wire  120  and computer control time intervals to cause code markings on the wire spaced apart by any desired length. It will further be noted that, between successive prints or markings on the wire  120 , the printing unit  1  may modify the printed code totally, or partly.  
     63. For the passage from one code to the other to be as short as possible, the computer  114  is preferably programmed so that the adjustment of each printing wheel  6  by the stepper motor  17  and the control wheel  22  is effected in the manner further illustrated and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,735.  
     64. Other type computer or microprocessor-controlled marking or printing devices may be employed.  
     65. As seen in FIGS. 9-17, and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 765,986, FIGS. 9 a - 9   f  show in diagrammatic form the positions of both wire severing and sheathing stripping blades, during various steps in the computer or microprocessor-controlled wire processing procedure or method. In this regard, the “wire”  120  (meant to also refer to cable) has a metal core and a tubular sheathing about the core. The wire is shown extending axially longitudinally in FIGS. 9 a - 9   f,  the axis being located at  212 . Wire  120  is also referred to as wire  210  in the subsequent description.  
     66. First cutter means is provided to include, or may be considered to include, multiple blades. See for example the two wire-cutting blades  213   a  and  213   b  of a first set, located or carried for movement laterally toward and away from the wire axis  212 . A first, computer-controlled drive for controllably simultaneously enabling or advancing the blades toward one another, laterally oppositely (see arrows  214   a  and  214   b  in FIG. 9 b ), is shown at  215 . That drive is also operable to retract the blades  213   a  and  213   b  away from one another.  
     67. Second and third cutter means are also provided, for sheathing stripping, and each may be considered to include multiple blades located for movement toward and away from the axis  212 . See for example the second set of two blades  216   a  and  216   b,  and the third set of two blades  217   a  and  217   b.    
     68. Blades  216   a  and  216   b  are located or considered to be controllably simultaneously displaced, as by computer-controlled drive  218 , laterally oppositely, toward one another (see arrows  219   a  and  219   b  in FIG. 9 d ), the drive also operable to retract the blades  216   a  and  216   b  away from one another. Similarly, the blades  217   a  and  217   b  are located or carried to be controllably displaced, simultaneously, laterally oppositely toward one another (see arrows  220   a  and  220   b  in FIG. 9 d ), and drive  218  may be used for this purpose. Thus, blades  216   a  and  216   b  may be displaced toward one another at the same time and to the same extent as blades  217   a  and  217   b  are displaced toward another, as is clear from FIG. 9 d.  The latter shows that the blades  216   a  and  216   b,  and  217   a  and  217   b,  do not sever the wire but may closely approach the wire while cutting into sheathing  211  for stripping purposes.  
     69. Brief reference to FIGS. 17-19 show the blades  216   a  and  216   b  to have V-shape, as do wire severing blades  213   a  and  213   b,  and blades  217   a  and  217   b.  Note edges  216   a ′ and  216   a ″ and  216   b ′ and  216   b ″ (of blades  216   a  and  216   b ) cutting into the sheathing in FIG. 18 a  to approach the wire core from four sides for efficient stripping, while leaving the core uncut. Similar functioning of blade edges  217   a ′ and  217   a ″, and  217   b ′ and  217   b ″ also takes place, as in FIG. 9 d.    
     70.FIG. 9 a  shows displacement of the wire axially endwise and longitudinally, as by a conveyor means  221   a  to the first position as shown. FIG. 9 b  shows the step of severing the wire thereby to form wire forward and rearward sections  210   a  and  210   b,  the blades  213   a  and  213   b  being advanced laterally to accomplish complete severing at locus  222 , as shown. Note that wire forward section  210   a  has a rearward end portion  210   aa;  and the wire rearward section  210   b  has a forward end portion  210   bb.    
     71.FIG. 9 c  shows the step of controllably separating the two sections  210   a  and  210   b  axially endwise oppositely, as to the positions shown, in which the end portions  210   aa  and  210   bb  are spaced from the closed-together blades  213   a  and  213   b.  Guides  224  and  225 , provided between the blade sets, serve to accurately guide the wire and the sections  210   a  and  210   b  during the cutting and severing operation, as is clear from FIGS. 9 a - 9   f.  Note the tapered entrances  224   a  and  225   a  to the guides to receive and center the forwardly advanced wire.  
     72. Wire drives  221   a  and  221   b  are computer or microprocessor-controlled areas operated to engage and separate the two sections  210   a  and  210   b,  as indicated in FIGS. 9 a  and  9   c.    
     73.FIG. 9 d  shows a sub-step included within the step of stripping sheathing from the forward section rearward portion and from the rearward section forward portion thereby to expose wire ends at the portions. Note that blades  216   a  and  216   b  are simultaneously advanced laterally oppositely, as to blade edge positions described above as respects FIG. 18 a,  and as blades  217   a  and  217   b  are also simultaneously advanced laterally oppositely (as to the same extent if such stripping is to be equal for each wire section). Note that blades  213   a  and  213   b  now extend in laterally overlapping condition due to operation of drives  215  and  218  as one, i.e., equal rightward lateral displacement for blades  213   a,    216   a  and  217   a,  and equal leftward lateral displacement for blades  213   b,    216   b  and  217   b;  however, they may be separately driven so as not to extend in such relation, as shown. Blades  213   a,    216   a  and  217   a  may be connected together to move rightwardly to equal extent; and blades  213   b,    216   b  and  217   b  may also be connected together to move leftwardly as one, for extreme simplicity.  
     74.FIG. 9 e  shows operation of the wire drives to further endwise separate the wire sections  210   a  and  210   b  so as to pull or strip two sheathing end portions  211   b ′ and  211   b ″ from the wire sections  210   a  and  210   b,  thereby to expose the wire core end portions  211   a ′ and  211   a ″. The stripped sheathing end portions  211   b ′ and  211   b ″, or slugs, are allowed to drop out from between the pairs of guides  224  and  225  which may be split, as shown, to provide slug drop-out openings, and may be movable to facilitate such drop out.  
     75.FIG. 9 f  shows all blades laterally retracted and the wire rearward section  210   b  fully advanced into position corresponding to FIG. 9 a  position for controlled length endwise positioning to be processed, as in FIGS. 9 b - 9   e  to provide an exposed core end at its opposite end. Thus, controlled length wires (or cables), with exposed core lengths at each end of each wire, is efficiently and rapidly and controllably provided. See master control  235  to control all the driving, as described, and to be described. Control  235  corresponds to a computer  114  and/or microprocessor  170 , as discussed above.  
     76. Referring now to FIGS. 10-16, one form of apparatus to accomplish the above operations (FIGS. 9 a - 9   f ) is shown in detail. A frame is provided, as at  240 - 244  and  244   a,  to mount two conveyors  245  and  246 , which may be considered as included within the wire drives  230  and  231 , as mentioned. Such conveyors may include two rearwardly positioned endless belts  247  and  248 , and two forwardly positioned endless belts  249  and  250 . The belts provide stretches, as at  247 ′ and  248 ′, which are adapted to sidewise flatly grip the wire  210  (and specifically the wire rearward section  210   b ) for endwise advancement and retraction, as during separation of the sections  210   a  and  210   b  in FIG. 9 c;  and stretches  249 ′ and  250 ′ are adapted to sidewise grip the wire  210  (and specifically the wire forward section  210   a ) for endwise advancement and retraction.  
     77. The belts  247  and  248  are driven to advance or retract the wire section  210   a  as from a drive motor  252  (see FIG. 12). The output shaft  253  of the motor drives belt  254 , as via a pulley  255 , and belt  254  drives shafts  256  and  257 . Shaft  256  drives another shaft  258 , through gearing  259  and  260 , to drive shaft  258  and upper conveyor belt  247  clockwise; whereas, lower shaft  257  and lower belt  248  are driven counterclockwise in FIG. 10. This drives the wire forwardly; whereas when motor  252  is reversed, the wire is driven rearwardly. Additional axles or shafts for the conveyor belts  247  and  248  appear at  258   a  and  257   a.    
     78.FIG. 10 shows conveyor rotors  260  and  261 , and  262  and  263 . These carry the belts  247  and  248 . Axles  258   a  and  257   a  are driven by drive belts  264  and  265  extending between pulleys on the shafts  258  and  258   a,  and  257  and  257   a,  as shown. Accordingly, when the belt stretches  247 ′ and  248 ′ are closed against opposite sides of the wire  210 , and the motor  252  is operating, the wire is displaced endwise.  
     79. Means is provided to move the conveyor belt stretches  247 ′ and  248 ′ toward one another to clutch the wire, and away from one another to de-clutch the wire. See for example in FIGS. 11-13 the computer-controlled motor or drive  266  carried by a frame part  267  to rotate a vertical screw shaft  268 , as via motor output shaft  269 , pulley  270 , belt  271 , and pulley  272  on the screw shaft  268 . The screw shaft has screw thread engagement at  273  and  274  with frame members  275  and  276 . Frame member  276  supports the ends of shafts  258  and  258   a,  via member extension  276   a,  as at  258 ′ and  258   a ′; whereas frame member  275  supports the ends of shafts  257  and  257   a,  via member extension  275   a,  as at  257 ′ and  257   a ′. Screw threading interfit at  274  is oppositely “handed” relative to threading interfit at  273 , so that when shaft  68  is rotated in one direction about its axis, the frame members  275  and  276  are displaced toward one another, whereby conveyor stretches  247 ′ and  248 ′ may clamp the wire; and when the shaft  268  is rotated in the opposite direction about its axis, the members  275  and  276  are displaced away from each other, and the wire is de-clutched.  
     80. The bearing supports at  278  and  279  for shafts  258  and  257  are made loose enough to accommodate such up/down movement of those shafts at the conveyor belt drive locations. Note also couplings at  210  and  211 .  
     81. Tension springs  290  and  291  are provided (see FIG. 13) between fixed frame structure  292  and shoulders  276   a ′ on  276   a  to yieldably urge the structures  276  and  276   a,  and the belt stretch  247 ′ downwardly; and similarly, tension springs  293  and  294  are provided between fixed frame structure  295  and shoulder  275   a ′ on  275  to yieldably urge the structure  275  and  275   a  and the belt stretch  248 ′ upwardly. This provides clearance “take-up” for better control of wire gripping or clamping.  
     82. The forward conveyor unit  246  embodies conveyor belt drive and up/down movement the same as described in connection with unit  245  in FIGS. 11-13. The drive motor  252   a  for driving the belt stretches  249 ′ and  250 ′ forwardly and reversely is seen in FIG. 11, as is the motor  266   a  to control belt clamping of the forward wire section. Mechanism between the motors  252   a  and  266   a,  and the respective forward conveyor belts  249  and  250 , is the same as above described mechanism between motors  252  and  266  and the respective rearward conveyor belts  247  and  248 ; however, the motors  252  and  251   a  are typically operated simultaneously, either to drive the wire or wire sections forwardly, as in FIGS. 9 a  and  9   f,  or to drive the wire sections endwise oppositely, as in FIGS. 9 c  and  9   e.  A master control to control all drives, in a pre-programmed manner, is seen at  225 , and may correspond to computer  114  and/or microprocessor  170 .  
     83. Typically, software at  114  generates command signals to control the various drives and actuators at the wire marking apparatus, and wire cutting and severing apparatus discussed, as in FIGS. 9-19.  
     84. Referring to FIG. 19, the wire severing blades  213   a  and  213   b  are fully laterally retracted, as are the wire sheathing stripping blades  216   a  and  216   b.  Blades  217   a  and  217   b  are in axial alignment with blades  216   a  and  216   b,  and are not shown. Note V-angled blade edges  213   a ′ and  213   a ″, and blade edges  213   b ′ and  213   b ″. The blades  213   a,    216   a  and  217   a  at one side of the wire  210  are interconnected by axially extending carrier rod  280 ; and the blades  213   b,    216   b  and  217   b  at the opposite ends of the wire are interconnected by axially extending carrier rod  281 , laterally spaced from rod  280 . Rods  280  and  281  are relatively movable laterally toward one another to effect wire severing, as by blades  213   a  and  213   b  (see also FIG. 9 b ). Rods  280  and  281  are further laterally movable toward one another to effect penetration of the blade edges  216   a ′ and  216   a ″, and  216   b ′ and  216   b ″ into the sheathing (as in FIGS. 18 and 18 a ), and as also seen in FIG. 9 d.  Thereafter, the wire forward and rearward sections  210   a  and  210   b  are separated as in FIG. 9 e  to endwise strip the slugs  210   aa  and  210   bb,  off the wire cores, as also seen in FIG. 19. Dropping of the slug is also seen in FIG. 19, as is lowering of a wire guide lower sector B of guide  211   b ″, to release the slug. The upper guide sector is shown at A. A drive  230  is operable to lower and raise sector B.  
     85. Means to effect the described lateral movement of the blade carrier rods  80  and  81  in shown in FIGS.  11 , and  14 - 16 . As seen, a laterally extending lead screw  290  is rotatable by a drive motor  291 , carried by frame part  292 . See connecting shaft  293 . As screw  290  rotates in one direction about its axis  290   a,  nuts  294  and  295  on the screw threads travel axially oppositely (see arrows  296  and  297 ) to move rod  280  to the right and rod  281  to the left, as in FIGS. 17 and 18. See connectors  298  and  299  connecting nut  294  with rod  281 , and connectors  300  and  301  connecting nut  295  with rod  280 . A pair of parallel lead screws  290  may be utilized for these purposes, as see in FIG. 16, each driven by the motor  291 , with one lead screw associated with blades  216   a  and  216   b,  and the other associated with blades  217   a  and  217   b.  Balanced force transmission to the two sets of blades is thereby effected. See also frame elements  310 - 316  supporting the structure, as indicated. Bearings appear at  317  and  318 . An additional tubular wire guide is seen at  319 .  
     86. Referring back to FIG. 1 a,  the programmable computer  114  may be seen to include memory M 1  associated with programmed data storage for controlling operation of the marker means  110 ; memory M 2  associated with programmed data storage for controlling operation of the mechanism  116  for cutting wire and for stripping insulation therefrom, including control of stripped insulation length via control of conveyor drives  136  and  137 ; and central processing unit, CPU. Programmed input is via keyboard  115 . Accordingly, programmable means is provided, including memory means to store data associated with at least two programs, for controlling a first (marker) means, and a second means for cutting the wire and for severing insulation at selected strip slug lengths to be removed from the wire. Two or more programs may be stored for accomplishing such functions. Also, means may be provided, as at  510 , for applying or attaching a terminal or terminals onto wire cut ends  511  produced by operation of the second means  116 . Such “terminating” means  510  is also controlled, as shown by the first means  114 , as via data command bus  512  and return bus  513  providing status signals, in a manner similar to control of  110 .  
     87. From what has been said or described above, the control means, as at  114  for example, includes control means controlling the time sequence of operation of the first and second means  110  and  116  so that no wire is wasted in changing from one marking and cutting (and stripping) program to another; also, the control means  114  includes programmable means, including means  
     88. to store data associated with at least two programs for controlling the first and second means  110  and  116 ,  
     89. to control operation of the second means  116  to in turn control insulation strip length,  
     90. to control operation of the first means  110  to in turn control the distance between the marks placed on the wire and to produce at least two different programmed distances between marks on a single wire, and  
     91. to control operation of the first means  110  to control the selection of different characters (marks) to be marked on the wire.  
     92.FIGS. 20-25 describe and show an algorithm usable in the wire cutting and stripping machine for the purpose of controlling a hot stamp wire marking machine. Using this algorithm, marks can be placed on a wire by the marking machine located in the upstream direction relative to the direction of wire motion. The wire cutting and stripping machine then cuts the wire at the appropriate points relative to the previously placed marks. See FIG. 25 showing a typical set up.  
     93. The algorithm involves time and distance displacement of the cut action relative to the mark action. It is not necessary to purge (batch out) the machine of all marked wires after the last mark is placed on the last wire of a batch before starting a new batch of marked wires. This is the principle of the “save wire” feature, which prevents the waste of the length of the wire stretching from the mark point to the cut point between batches.  
     94. The wire marking algorithm will be best understood by first describing the main data structure used, and then describing a series of hierarchical routines starting from the top level production routine and working downwards to lower level routines.  
     95. Data Structure  
     96.FIG. 20 shows a diagram of the circular queue data structure which is used by the algorithm to keep track of future wire cut points. The structure contains fifty (50) cut point data storage locations, a rear element pointer  700 , a front element pointer  701 , and a storage location  702 , for the current number of elements. Elements are added to the queue by placing them in the memory location pointed to by the front element pointer, incrementing the pointer and incrementing the number of elements. Elements are removed by incrementing the rear element pointer and decrementing the number of elements. If a pointer points to the highest memory location allocated to the queue, it is “incremented” by making it point to the lowest address allocated to the queue.  
     97. The Production Routine  
     98. The flow chart shown in FIG. 21 is the main loop controlling the production of a batch of wires. The routine calculates at  703  various parameters based upon user input, initializes a batch counter  704 , then repeatedly calls at  705  a wire production routine until the requisite number of wires has been produced.  
     99. The parameters calculated from user input are Marker Offset (L M ), Wire Length (L W ), Number of Marks Per Wire (N), Mark Distance (D), and Remainder Distance (R). Mark Distance is the spacing between marks for continuous marking. The Remainder Distance is the distance left over after dividing the wire length by the mark distance.  
     100. The Wire Production Routine (WIRE)  
     101. This routine, shown in FIG. 22, produces one wire based on the parameters calculated in the Production Routine. The main branch is a three-way selection depending upon whether continuous marking, end marking or no marking has been selected. The routine marks adds future cut points to the queue, and calls a wire moving routine at the appropriate points in the program. The distance to move is passed to the wire moving routine.  
     102. The Batch Out Routine  
     103. The purpose of this routine, seen in FIG. 24, is to purge the machine of all marked but uncut wires. This is done when a transition from marked wires to unmarked wires occurs or if the machine operator has selected the batch out option.  
     104. The Wire Moving Routine (WMOVE)  
     105. This routine, seen in FIG. 23, is passed a value (M D ), which is the total distance to move the wire. The routine checks to see if an intermediate cut point is stored in the queue. If so, the distance to the cut point is moved, the wire stopped and the cut performed. All queue elements are adjusted appropriately each time the wire is moved. The move, cut sequence is repeated until the wire has been moved the full distance called for by the parameter M D .