slot 41b of terminal group 40a passes under hook 42 continues uninterrupted through slot 41c proceeds around ridge 43 and is finally inserted in slot 41d of terminal group 40b lead wire 34 is shown as simply engaged in slot 41e of a terminal 40c while lead wire 33 is inserted into slot 41f passes under hook 44 and is inserted and cut in slot 41g of terminal group 40d these lead wire insertion patterns are obtainable using he method and apparatus hereinafter described referring to fig3 three wire handling components of the apparatus of the present invention are shown positioned adjacent to terminal 40 located on terminal stator board 22 and in engagement with lead wire strand 31 as viewed along line 3 3 of fig2 the uppermost of these components is wire manipulating device 60 lowermost is wire insertion rod 80 wire cutting device 70 is positioned intermediate wire manipulating device 60 and wire insertion rod 80 all three components are mounted on a common assembly hereafter described referring now to fig3 and 4a the method of the present invention calls for a first step of grasping lead wire 31 with hook portion 61 of wire manipulating device 60 and removing lead wire 31 from temporary gripper 51 associated with the stator support hook portion 61 has groove 62 for grasping lead wire 31 and rod 63 which moves along axis x 39 of hook 61 to maintain lead 31 inside groove 62 axis x 39 passes substantially through the center of wire 31 and lies in a plane parallel to slot 41 of terminal 40 i e substantially perpendicular to stator terminal board 22 rod 63 urges.