Patent ID: 8061027

Claim:
A system for crimping electrical terminal connectors onto wires, the connectors being secured to a terminal strip in side-by-side relationship with their axes extending laterally from the strip, the system comprising: (a) a crimp press; (b) a universal crimp applicator adapted to be installed in the crimp press and comprising interchangeable guide plates adapted for guiding an electrical terminal connector into the applicator for crimping of the connector to a wire; (c) a separate drive mechanism adapted to be located on and controlled by the crimp press, in a separate operation from the crimp applicator, to contact the strip through pressure engagement and to feed the strip along a side-to-side path extending through the applicator, the separate operation of the drive mechanism causing advancement of the terminal strip is independent from operation of the applicator; and (d) a separating mechanism adapted to separate the connector from the strip during connector crimping, wherein the drive mechanism is positioned downstream of the separating mechanism.