AU777465B2 - A dispensing and crimping tool for wiring accessories to be crimped on, such as terminals, and an advance system therefor - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 32(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: A DISPENSING AND CRIMPING TOOL FOR WIRING ACCESSORIES TO BE CRIMPED ON, SUCH AS TERMINALS, AND AN ADVANCED SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us .000 0 0 A dispensing and crimping tool for wiring accessories to be crimped on, such as terminals, and an advance system therefor The present invention relates to a dispensing and crimping tool for wiring accessories to be crimped on, such as terminals, and an advance system therefor.

Electrical assemblies are often constructed using wiring accessories which are designed to be fitted to electrical conductors with a conductive core in the form of a plurality of strands and are attached to the previously stripped end of the conductive core to simplify the connection to a terminal and make it more secure. They can either be tags incorporating a lug or a finger for the connection to be made, or a simple terminal, possibly provided with an insulative sleeve, making the connection to the end of the conductive core, which it grips directly of its own accord.

In all cases the wiring accessory in question includes a metal shank which can be plastically deformed to crimp it onto the end of the conductive core.

To fit the wiring accessory to the end of the conductive core the wiring accessory to be crimped to the conductive core must first be attached to its end. It 25 must then be crimped.

It is known in the art to perform these operations using a tool for dispensing and crimping wiring accessories to be crimped to a cable, including two branches articulated to each other about an axis to form on the one hand crimping jaws and on the other hand holding handles, one branch forming a magazine and having means for receiving a loader containing a plurality of wiring accessories arranged side-by-side in a cartridge to slide perpendicularly to themselves along said branch in order to reload the tool, so that the wiring accessory at the end of the cartridge is located between the crimping jaws.

One example of a tool of this type is described in detail in French patent number 2 626 803 published on 6 December 1991 (application number 88 013 A tool of the above kind has two functions, namely dispensing and crimping. This has many advantages. First of all, the dispensing function of the tool facilitates fitting the wiring accessories to be crimped, saving time in the corresponding operation. It is no longer necessary to manipulate the wiring accessory itself, but only the tool, which is easier to manipulate, in particular because of its dimensions.

Also, wiring accessories are stored in a magazine 15 formed by one of the handles of the tool, which avoids having to manipulate the accessories and the consequential risk of losing them. In particular, it is possible to prepare in advance a plurality of wiring accessory loaders and therefore to have available on site a stock of wiring accessories ready for use larger than is provided by the magazine of the dispensing tool alone.

On each crimping operation the wiring accessory at the end of the cartridge is crimped to the conductive core of the associated conductor and is then disengaged 25 from its connection to the loader and/or the next wiring accessory so that it can be withdrawn from the tool with the conductor to which it is fitted. It is then necessary, before carrying out the next crimping operation, to advance the cartridge to bring the next wiring accessory into position between the crimping jaws of the tool. This sliding of the cartridge can be automatic or manual.

Sophisticated automatic advance systems driven by actuation of the handles have therefore been developed, for example in the tools respectively described in international patent application number 91/14300 published on 19 September 1991 and in US patent 5,400,941. However, these automatic drive mechanisms, which operate virtually synchronously with the crimping jaws, are relatively complex and consequently costly and unreliable. These tools also have a relatively large number of components and their cost of manufacture is therefore increased.

The cartridge of wiring accessories can also be driven manually, as in the tool described in the aforementioned French patent number 88 01355, in which the branch forming the magazine features an embrasure offering direct access to the cartridge of wiring accessories so that it can be driven by direct manual contact, for example by driving the cartridge with the thumb. This manual driving mainly offers the advantage of simplicity, so that the cost of manufacture of the tool can be kept relatively low. However, driving the cartridge with the thumb is relatively inconvenient in that the cartridge offers only a relatively weak grip and there is therefore usually the risk of it slipping under the 20 thumb. For this reason it is often necessary to use the nail to get a better grip on the cartridge, which can be difficult for some persons who have their nails cut short or who have relatively fragile nails.

Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge S 25 in this specification is included to explain the context of o• the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that a go any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia on or before the priority date of the claims herein.

It has therefore appeared useful to design a dispensing and crimping tool of the aforementioned type in which manual driving of the cartridge of wiring accessories is facilitated without unduly increasing the complexity and therefore the cost of manufacture of the tool.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a tool for dispensing and crimping wiring accessories to be crimped to a cable, said tool including two branches articulated to each other about an axis to form on the one hand crimping jaws and on the other hand holding handles, one branch forming a magazine and having means for receiving a loader containing a plurality of wiring accessories arranged side-by-side in a cartridge to slide perpendicularly to themselves along said branch in order to reload the tool, so that the wiring accessory at the end of the cartridge is located between the crimping jaws, with an advance device for direct manual actuation which drives the cartridge of wiring accessories for reloading, said advance device including a drive sprocket which is pivotally mounted on the branch forming the magazine to pivot about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the cartridge of wiring accessories slides and which meshes with the cartridge of wiring accessories so that manual actuation of said sprocket drives the cartridge.

20 The drive sprocket therefore facilitates manipulation of the wiring accessory cartridge without the structure of the tool being made much more complex. Also, the teeth of the sprocket engage positively with the wiring accessories constituting the cartridge, in the manner of a rack and S 25 pinion, so that the cartridge is driven in a particularly secure manner.

According to a first advantageous feature of the invention, the drive sprocket is preferably mounted with clearance relative to the branch forming the magazine so that the distance between its rotation axis and the cartridge of wiring accessories can vary freely between two extreme values. This prevents the flexibility of the loader allowing a wiring accessory to escape from its interengagement with the sprocket. The drive sprocket automatically adapts to different sizes of wiring accessory, a pressure which presses the sprocket against the wiring accessory cartridge being automatically applied by the user when they actuate the sprocket.

According to a second advantageous feature of the invention, the drive sprocket is preferably carried by a removable support attached to the branch forming the magazine. This provides a self-contained advance device that can be fitted to the tool or removed from it at will.

The removable support is preferably an insert which is received in an embrasure of the branch forming the magazine opening onto the cartridge of wiring accessories, for example. Accordingly, when it is installed, the advance device occupies the volume of the embrasure, and is generally continuous with the remainder of the branch forming the magazine, and when it is removed the advance device leaves free and direct access to the wiring accessory cartridge via the embrasure for direct manual driving of the accessories.

20 The insert is advantageously fixed in the embrasure of e*% the branch forming the magazine by removable fixing means of the elastic clip type.

The insert therefore forms with its drive sprocket a o removable drive system which can be installed on the tool, o 25 or not, as required, and possibly according to the design of 000.

tool available. Moreover, removing the insert provides direct access to the wiring accessory cartridge via the embrasure.

In a first preferred embodiment that is particularly simple and therefore reliable and economical, the drive sprocket is at least partly accessibly externally for direct manual actuation.

In this case, a cover advantageously masks a portion of the sprocket, including its area interengaged with the cartridge of wiring accessories, and has an opening through which a portion of the drive sprocket projects for manual actuation. The cover can advantageously consist of the removable support carrying the drive sprocket.

When the sprocket is mounted with clearance to tolerate different sizes of accessories, the axis of the drive sprocket is advantageously defined by two lateral journals which are received in oblong bearings formed on the removable support and having a back and an insertion opening, the play of the journals in the bearings being limited on the one hand by the back of said bearings and on the other hand by a hard spot near the insertion opening of the bearings. This hard point to be passed over can be provided by a constriction, for example.

Furthermore, the insert being hollow and in the general form of an angle-iron made up of at least two corner walls with a top wall substantially parallel to the 0 cartridge of wiring accessories, said top wall can have on .0 its inside at least one ramification for laterally retaining 6 20 the drive sprocket.

The drive sprocket advantageously has a blunted connecting fillet between its edge and at least one of its two flanks. The surface area of contact between the sprocket and the finger of the user is thereby increased. Also, the •0 25 sprocket is more comfortable to the sense of touch.

00go *00 In a more sophisticated second preferred embodiment, 4000 the drive sprocket is driven in rotation, directly or indirectly, by an actuator thumbwheel which is mounted on the branch forming the magazine to turn about an axis substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the drive sprocket.

According to a first advantageous feature of the second embodiment, the drive sprocket preferred is entirely 6a masked by a cover and the actuator thumbwheel is at least partly accessible from the outside for manipulation by a user. The cover can advantageously be the removable support carrying the drive sprocket.

Two variants are then feasible. In a first variant, 9 boo.

o *o *o *oo* 0 boo.

*o the cover masks a portion of the actuator thumbwheel and has an opening in it through which a portion of the actuator thumbwheel projects for manual actuation. This produces a compact advance device with no fragile or unsightly projections.

In a second variant, the actuator thumbwheel is entirely external to the cover. For example, the actuator thumbwheel can be offset laterally relative to the plane approximately formed by the two branches of the tool, which produces an advance device that is simple and ergonomic, and therefore comfortable to use. It can then be advantageous for the axis of the actuator thumbwheel to coincide with the axis of the drive sprocket.

According to a second advantageous feature of the 15 second embodiment, the actuator thumbwheel is constrained to rotate with the drive sprocket. This simplifies the drive system as much as possible.

To reduce overall size and to simplify fabrication *as much as possible, the actuator thumbwheel can adjoin the drive sprocket.

According to a third advantageous feature of the second embodiment, the actuator thumbwheel drives rotation of the drive sprocket via a transmission mechanism.

25 Various advantageous features can then be provided, for example whereby: 0 the transmission mechanism reverses the direction of rotation of the drive sprocket relative to that of the actuator thumbwheel; 0 the transmission mechanism is a reducer.

In one convenient and reliable embodiment, the transmission mechanism is a gear mechanism.

For example, the actuator thumbwheel is constrained to rotate with a toothed plate which meshes directly with the drive sprocket.

It is then advantageous if the intermediate tooth plate adjoins the actuator thumbwheel and the diameter of the tips of its teeth is less than the diameter of the actuator thumbwheel. This prevents the finger of the user coming into contact with the toothed plate when actuating the actuator thumbwheel.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided an advance device actuated in any of the above ways, independently of the remainder of the dispensing and crimping tool into which it is intended to be incorporated.

"Comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

e Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, which description S: 20 is given by way of non-limiting example. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing and crimping tool equipped with an advance device in accordance cool with a first embodiment of the invention; 25 figure 2 is a view analogous to figure 1 in which eeoc the advance device incorporating an insert equipped with a eve• sprocket is separated from the remainder of the tool, so uncovering an embrasure of the branch forming a magazine of the tool; figure 3 is a perspective view of the branch forming the magazine shown in isolation; figure 4 is a view to a larger scale and in cross section taken along the line IV-IV in figure 3; 8a figure 5 is a perspective view of the branch forming a tool shown in isolation; figure 6 is a perspective detail view showing a crimping plate fitted to a jaw of the branch forming the tool; figure 7 is a partial view in section of the branch forming the magazine of the tool shown in figures S* a

S

1 and 2, with only the insert fitted into the embrasure, without its drive sprocket; figure 8 is a perspective view of the insert alone, without its drive sprocket; figure 9 is a partial side view of the branch forming the magazine equipped with the advance device with the insert and its drive sprocket in place in the embrasure and with the side wall of the insert partly cut away around the drive sprocket to show the cooperation of the drive sprocket with the wiring accessory cartridge; figure 10 is a perspective view of the advance device only, including the insert equipped with a different embodiment of the drive sprocket; figure 11 is a perspective view of a loader 15 associated with the tool, seen from above; figure 12 is a perspective view of the loader, seen from below; figure 13 is a partial view of the loader to a larger scale and in longitudinal section taken along the line XIII-XIII in figure 11; figure 14 is a view of the loader in cross section taken along the line XIV-XIV in figure 11; figure 15 is a view in elevation of the tool showing the fitting of the loader; S: 25 figure 16 is a view in elevation showing the tool in accordance with the invention fitted with a loader in a storage position; figure 17 is a perspective view of an electrical conductor and a wiring accessory to be fitted and crimped to the electrical conductor; figures 18, 19 and 20 are perspective views illustrating the use of the tool in accordance with the invention to fit and crimp the wiring accessory to the electrical conductor; figure 21 is a perspective view analogous to figure 17 and showing the crimp obtained with the tool according to the invention; figure 22 is a perspective view of a dispensing and crimping tool equipped with an advance device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; figure 23 is a view analogous to figure 22 showing an advance device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; and figure 24 is a side view of the branch forming a magazine equipped with an advance device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.

As shown in figure 17, the overall objective is to attach and crimp to an end 10 of a conductive core 11 of an electrical conductor 12 with an insulative sheath 13 a 15 wiring accessory 14 which has a metal shank 15 for this purpose.

In the embodiment shown, the wiring accessory 14 is a wiring terminal and therefore includes, in addition to the metal shank 15 designed to be fitted over the end of the conductive core 10 of the electrical conductor 12, an insulative material sleeve 16 designed to fit over the sheath 13 of the conductor and incorporating a frustoconical chamfered part 16.1.

Referring to the figures, and in particular figures 25 1 and 2, a dispensing and crimping tool for wiring accessories to be crimped to a cable has two branches 22 articulated to each other in an X-shape around a pin 19 to form crimping jaws 27, 28 on one side of the pin and handles 33, 48 on the other side of the pin.

The branch 20 forms a magazine and to this end has means for receiving a loader 21 containing a plurality of wiring accessories 14 to be dispensed, disposed parallel to each other and side-by-side in a strip or cartridge 14' and adapted to slide perpendicularly to themselves along the branch 20 so that the wiring accessory at the end of the cartridge 14' is located between the crimping jaws 27, 28 to reload the tool. The loader 21 will be described in more detail later.

The other branch 22 forms a tool whose jaw 28 is equipped with a crimping plate 25 in line with a crosspiece 23 of the jaw 27 of the branch 20 forming the magazine, the crimping plate being adapted to apply a crimping deformation to the wiring accessory 14 between the jaws 27, 28, as described further later.

The crosspiece 23 of the jaw 27 is flanked by a rim on three sides, namely a rim 30 on each of its longitudinal sides and a rim 31 on the transverse side that forms its end. There is a notch 32 in at least one of the longitudinal rims 30, near the transverse rim 31.

15 In the embodiment shown the notch 32 is semicylindrical.

It could instead equally well be globally frustoconical and flared towards the outside.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, a notch 32' S.is provided on the other longitudinal rim 30 in line with the previously mentioned notch 32, to absorb any variations in the length of the conductive core end 10 to *be equipped. This will become clear later.

The handle 33 of the branch 20 forming the magazine has a U-shaped profile in cross section with the concave 25 side facing towards the handle 48 of the branch 22 forming the tool, with a back 34 and two longitudinal rims The crosspiece 23 of the jaw 27 is offset in the direction of its height relative to the back 34 of the handle 33, towards which it faces.

Similarly, the longitudinal rims 30 of the crosspiece 23 are offset in the direction of its height relative to the longitudinal rims 35 of the handle 33, with which they are longitudinally aligned. The pairs of longitudinal rims 30, 35 conjointly form flanges 36 where they join together.

With its crosspiece 23 and its longitudinal rims the jaw 27 also has a U-shaped profile in cross section, like the handle 33; however, its concave side faces the opposite way to that of the handle 33 and therefore forms a kind of pocket for the loader 21 which is adapted to brace its end when, as will subsequently become apparent, the loader 21 is engaged between the longitudinal rims 35 of the handle 33.

The handle 33 includes nesting means adapted to enable the loader 21 to be clipped into it, the loader being provided with complementary nesting means for this purpose. In the embodiment shown, the nesting means of the handle 33 are housings. To be more precise, they are 15 recesses 38 at the base of the longitudinal rims encroaching slightly on the bottom 34, as can be seen in figures 3 and 4 in particular.

The handle 33 has at its free end, between its longitudinal rims 35, a transverse rim 39 which at least partly closes its profile.

In the embodiment shown, the recesses 38 are at the level of the transverse rim 39.

Moreover, the branch 20 forming a magazine has a longitudinally elongate opening or embrasure 40 in its S 25 handle 33, in the vicinity of its jaw 27, and which extends transversely across its back 34 and one of its longitudinal rims The embrasure 40 receives a removable advance device 99 which is operated by direct manual actuation to drive the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories to reload the crimping jaws.

This direct manual actuation, which is described hereinafter, is distinguished from automatic actuation as provided in some prior art tools, whereby the movement of the branches indirectly advances the cartridge.

In a first embodiment shown in figures 1 to 21 the advance device 99 includes a support insert 100 which is removably received in the embrasure 40 to cover it in the manner of a cap and which carries a drive sprocket 101.

The sprocket 101 is pivotally mounted on the insert 100 so that it can turn about an axis 102 which, when the insert is installed in the embrasure 40, is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the branch which coincides with the direction of sliding of the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14, as explained in more detail later. To be more precise, and as can be seen more clearly in figure 9, the drive sprocket 101 has a portion which is engaged at all times with the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 in the manner of a rack and 15 pinion gear and a portion which is externally accessible, S. projecting from the insert 100 through an opening 103 in the insert. The sprocket 101 therefore meshes with the cartridge 14' enabling manual driving of the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 in the manner of a rack and pinion drive system, the sprocket 101 forming the pinion and the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 forming ::the rack.

Clearly manual actuation of the sprocket 101 causes it to pivot around its axis 102 and, because it meshes 25 with the cartridge 14', this drives the cartridge, i.e.

advances it.

In the embodiment shown, the insert 100 is hollow and is molded in one piece from a plastics material. Its general shape is that of an angle-iron with two corner walls, a top wall 104 parallel to the bottom 34 of the handle 33, forming a small step thereon, and a side wall 105 extending and flush with the corresponding longitudinal rim 35 of the handle 33.

The insert 100 therefore forms a cover concealing the greater part of the sprocket 101, including the area where it meshes with the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14, exposing through its opening 103 only the part needed to operate it manually, for example by means of the user's thumb.

To receive the sprocket 101 the insert 100 includes two bearings 106 which are molded into the top wall 104 and project on the inside of that wall. As can be seen more clearly in figures 7 and 8, each of the bearings 106 is oblong and elongate in the direction perpendicular to the top wall 104, in other words, in situ, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the branch 20 and the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14.

For mounting it on the bearings 106, the drive sprocket 101 has two journals 112 projecting from its flanks, as can be seen in figures 2 and 9, which are received in the bearings 106 of the insert 100 with some play in the direction perpendicular to the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14, because of the oblong shape of the bearings 106. The distance between the rotation axis 102 defined by the journals 112 and the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 can therefore vary freely between two extreme values. In this example the bearings are made in the form of U-shaped cradles so that the clearance in the "heightwise" direction of the axis 102 of the sprocket 101 is limited at the bottom by the back 107 of the U-shaped bearings 106. The clearance is limited at the top by a constriction 109 adjacent the opening 108 for inserting each of the bearings 106 and which forms a hard spot which has to be passed when the journals 112 of the sprocket 101 are inserted into the bearings 106 and subsequently opposes their extraction. In this example the constriction 109 takes the form of two facing lugs projecting laterally inwards from the U-shaped bearing 106 concerned. To facilitate inserting the journals 112 of the drive sprocket 101 into the bearings 106, the opening 108 for inserting the U-shaped bearings 106 is beveled and flanked by two inclined planes 113 which also cover the lugs 109 so that they facilitate passing the hard spot formed by the lugs 109.

Moreover, in the example shown in figures 7 and 8, the top wall 104 of the insert 100 has four ramifications 110, 111 on the inside, molded in one piece with this wall and retaining the sprocket 101 laterally.

As previously mentioned, the insert 100 is removably fixed in the embrasure 40. To be more precise, in this example, the means for removably fixing the insert 100 in the embrasure 40 are elastic clips. The top wall 104 of the insert 100 is therefore provided at one end with an articulation tooth 114 which interengages 15 with a notch 115 in the corresponding edge of the base 14 of the branch 20 and at the other end with an elastic locking tongue 116 incorporating lateral notches 117 adapted to cooperate with corresponding notches 118 in T.the corresponding edge of the embrasure 14 of the branch 20. Fitting and removing the insert 100 are therefore particularly fast and convenient.

The drive sprocket 101 is a plastics material component molded in one piece with its journals 112.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1, 2 and 9 the 25 sprocket 101 has sharp edges where its two flanks and its edge intersect. To increase the surface are of contact between the sprocket and the user's finger, to make the tactile contact with the sprocket more comfortable, as in the embodiment shown in figure 10, an advance device 119 can be provided that includes, in addition to the insert 100, a drive sprocket 120 having a blunted connecting fillet 121 between its edge and one of its flanks, which is of rounded section in this embodiment.

A blunted connecting fillet can instead be provided on both flanks to further reduce the discomfort caused by the user being able to feel the sprocket 101 against their thumb.

The handle 33 has, bordering the embrasure 40, at the end farthest from the jaw 27, an outwardly projecting guard 42 adjoining a rib 43 running the remaining length of the embrasure A leaf spring 44 adapted to bear on the handle 48 of the branch 22 forming the tool is attached to the back of the crosspiece 23 on the handle 33. However, it goes without saying that the leaf spring 44 can be replaced by any other kind of spring means for forcing the handles 33, 48 apart.

Finally, in the embodiment shown, and for reasons that will become apparent subsequently, the branch 22 is 15 equipped with a loop 45 which extends transversely and is articulated to the middle of its handle 33.

To support the crimping plate 25 the branch 22 forming the tool has its own crosspiece 47 which is part of its jaw 28 and is also offset in the direction of its height relative to its handle 48. The crosspiece 47 is connected laterally to the handle by two flanges 49.

*In the embodiment shown, like that of the handle forming the magazine, the handle 48 has a U-shaped Sprofile in cross section with a back 50 and longitudinal S: 25 rims 51 and its concave side faces towards that of the handle 20 forming the magazine.

The leaf spring 44 carried by the handle 20 forming the magazine bears against the back 50 of the handle 48.

In the embodiment shown, the branch 22 forming the tool has at the end of the back 50 opposite the jaw 28 a transverse rim 52 which extends in the heightwise direction beyond the longitudinal rims 51 flanking the back 50 to provide an abutment for the branch 20 forming the magazine.

The branch 22 forming the tool has transverse detents 53 on the rear of the back 50 of its handle 48 in the embodiment shown.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, although his is not mandatory, the handle 48 of the branch 22 forming the tool is the same transverse width as the handle 33 of the branch 20 forming the magazine.

Conjointly, the flanges 36 of the branch 20 forming the magazine lie between the flanges 49 projecting from the outside surface of the longitudinal rims 51 of its handle 48.

The branch 20 forming the magazine therefore passes through the branch 22 forming the tool, as it were, by virtue of the bridge that the latter forms with its crosspiece 47 and its flanks 49. In this example the axis 15 19 is defined by two pins or rivets in the flanges 36 and 49.

The resulting branches 20, 22 are preferably made from a synthetic material reinforced with glass fibers, *which makes them very light and somewhat elastic.

The metal crimping plate 25 has one edge inserted -into a groove (not visible in the figures) in the jaw 28 of the branch 22 forming the tool, and is appropriately immobilized therein, for example by a clamping screw as shown here, although any other means of assembly can 25 of course be considered. In practice, the groove (not visible) is in the bottom surface of the crosspiece 47 of the jaw 28 and the crosspiece 47 has a threaded hole 56 for the clamping screw 55 in its thickness and intersecting the groove.

To obtain a crimping deformation 26 affecting the wiring accessory 14 to be crimped only locally, the crimping plate 25 includes at least one tooth 57, as seen better in figure 6. In the embodiment shown, the crimping plate 25 in fact has three side-by-side teeth 57 on its edge opposite that inserted into the groove (not visible) 18 in the jaw 28, to form three spaced and localized crimping deformations 26 on the wiring accessory 14.

The wiring accessories 14 to be crimped being wiring terminals that can be formed into a necklace or cartridge 14' by joining their insulative material sleeves 16 in pairs, the crimping plate 25 is extended by an integral cutting blade 58 which is slightly offset transversely to it by the combination of two bends in opposite directions and whose cutting edge 59 is globally at a level slightly lower than that of its teeth 57. As shown, the edge 59 can be inclined to reduce the corresponding cutting forces.

In the embodiment shown, and as can be seen better in figures 11ii to 14, the loader 21 is in the general form 15 of an elongate plate whose globally parallelepipedal exterior volume is substantially complementary to the interior volume of the branch 20, that interior volume extending between, on the one hand, the longitudinal rims and the transverse rim 31 of the jaw 27 of the branch 20 and, on the other hand, the longitudinal rims 35 and the transverse rim 39 of its handle 33.

The loader 21 includes, projecting from a baseplate 62, on the one hand, a bar 63 which extends transversely :only over a width L1 less than that L2 of the baseplate 25 62 and which has a longitudinal groove 64 parallel to said baseplate 62 and extending its entire length and, on the other hand, facing the longitudinal edge of said bar 63 onto which its groove 64 opens, a rule 65 parallel to said longitudinal edge and at a distance therefrom.

In the embodiment shown, the rule 65 extends alongside one of the longitudinal sides of the baseplate 62 and has a height H2 relative to the bottom surface thereof less than that HI of the bar 63 which borders the longitudinal side of the baseplate 62 opposite the preceding side.

The resulting loader 21 has a transverse cradle 67 adapted to receive a wiring accessory 14 at one end of the bar 63, on an extension 66 of the baseplate 62. A finger 68 adapted to retain a wiring accessory 14 in the cradle 67 extends longitudinally and cantilever-fashion over the cradle 67 from the bar 63, and at a distance from the cradle. The finger 68 extends from the lip 70 of the bar 63 which is at the greatest distance from the baseplate 62. In practice, it extends only slightly beyond the axis of the cradle 67.

The wiring accessories 14 to be dispensed being terminals, the cradle 67 is stepped, with a portion 67' of smaller cross section, with the same dimensions as the shank 15 of a terminal, in line with the bar 63, and a 15 portion 67" of larger cross section, with the same dimensions as the insulative material sleeve 16, in line with the free portion 72 of the baseplate 62, i.e. in line with the portion of the baseplate 62 between the bar 63 and the rule 65. As shown here, the cradle 67 is preferably preceded by an inclined surface or ramp 73.

The rule 65 extends over the entire length of the baseplate 62 and has a notch 74 in line with the cradle 67. In the embodiment shown, the notch 74 is globally 25": semicylindrical.

25 The extension 66 of the baseplate 62 has a hook 69 at its free end which interengages with the rim 31 of the jaw 27 to contribute to anchoring the loader 21 to the branch The finger 68 which extends the lip 70 above the cradle 67 has its free edge beveled by a chamfer 76 adapted to cooperate with the chamfered part 16.1 of the insulative sleeve 16.

The free portion 72 of the baseplate 62 has a longitudinal elastically deformable tongue 80 projecting from the same surface as the strip 63 and the rule 65. In the embodiment shown, there are therefore two elastically deformable tongues 80 appropriately spaced from each other.

As will become apparent hereinafter, to facilitate manipulating the loader 21 its baseplate 62 also includes an extension 81 which in practice forms a simple tongue at the end opposite the cradle 67. Unlike the extension 66, the rule 65 does not extend over the extension 81.

In the embodiment shown, finally, at the end opposite the cradle 67, the bar 63 and the baseplate 62 have respective nesting means, such as projections or housings, adapted to cooperate clipping-fashion with complementary nesting means, such as housings or projections.

15 In this instance the nesting means of the embodiment shown are in the form of projections 82 on the bar 63 and on the rule 65 adapted to cooperate clippingfashion with the recesses 38 in the branch forming the magazine of the dispenser 18.

For the bar 63, the projection 82 is in one piece with its longitudinal edge opposite the rule 65, that edge 82 being in the immediate vicinity of the edge defined between that longitudinal branch and the baseplate opposite the baseplate 62.

25 For the rule 65, the projection 82 is at the end of a finger 83 so that it is level with the previous projection 82.

In the embodiment shown, the back of the baseplate 62 carries two elastically deformable blades 84 at a distance from the elastically deformable tongues projecting from the surface of the baseplate 62 opposite that from which the elastically deformable tongues project. The elastically deformable blades 84 conjointly define a housing 85 between them which extends transversely and is adapted to receive the middle part of the loop 45 carried by the branch 20 forming the magazine.

To facilitate molding, the bar 63 and the baseplate 62 are parts of respective separate flaps 87, 88 which are appropriately fastened together.

In addition to the baseplate 62, the flap 88 incorporates the rule In practice the flap 87 bears on a portion 89 of the baseplate 62 whose surface is in this example slightly set back relative to that of its free portion 72, from which it is separated by a shoulder In practice the flaps 87 and 88 are hinged together along a hinge line 92 which in this example consists of six hinge areas distributed along the edge of the 15 baseplate 62 opposite that along which the rule extends.

The loader 21 can therefore be molded in a mold with no mould slide, in a configuration in which its *upstanding flap 87 is substantially perpendicular to its flap 88. After molding, it is sufficient to fold the flap 87 against the flap 88 and fasten it thereto. In the *embodiment shown, the corresponding fastening is achieved by gluing. It can instead be achieved by welding, for example high-frequency welding, ultrasound welding, hot S: 25 spot welding or any other method.

It can instead be obtained by a clipping action, the flap 87 having spaced hooks, for example, by means of which it can be clipped over detents provided for this purpose in openings in the baseplate 62 within the thickness of the baseplate 62 of the flap 88.

Be this as it may, when the flaps 87, 88 of the loader 21 are pressed together, to use the loader it suffices to insert the wiring accessories 14 to be dispensed into one end into the groove 64 of the bar 63 constituting its flap 87, as shown diagrammatically in dashed line in figure 11, the groove 64 being open longitudinally at both ends.

Of course, the width of the groove 64 corresponds to the diameter of the metal shank 15 of the wiring accessories 14 and the distance between the bar 63 and the rule 65 corresponds to the height of its insulative material sleeve 16.

In this regard, the loader 21 can advantageously serve as an adapter between the wiring accessories 14 and the branch 20 forming the magazine. Whilst having the same outside dimensions, which match the inside dimensions of the branch 20 forming the magazine, as indicated above, its inside dimensions can correspond to various sizes of the wiring accessories 14 to be 15 dispensed, at least over a particular range.

Accordingly, the same tool 18 can advantageously be used with wiring accessories 14 of several different sizes, merely by choosing accordingly the loader 21 to be inserted into its branch 20 forming the magazine. To distinguish the various loaders 21 which can be .'".associated with the same tool from each other, the *loaders 21 can be different colors, for example.

Of course, the wiring accessories 14 can be placed one by one into the loader 21.

S 25 However, and as previously indicated, they are preferably supplied in the form of necklaces or cartridges 14', which facilitates and speeds up fitting them and feeding them by means of the sprocket 101.

Be this as it may, for fitting a loader 21 loaded with wiring accessories 14 in this way into the branch forming the magazine, the loop 45 of the branch forming the magazine is advantageously used, as shown in figure 15. To this end the loop 45 is deployed at substantially 900 to the main handle 33 of the branch forming the magazine and the end of the loader 21 is engaged therein with the cradle 67 on the same side as the branch 20 forming the magazine, which facilitates guiding it towards the jaw 27 of the branch 20 forming the magazine.

When the corresponding transverse edge of the loader 21 abuts against the transverse rim 31 of the jaw 27, the loader is exactly located inside the branch forming the magazine and can then be nested and clipped therein by simple elastic deformation of its projections 82 into the complementary recesses 38 provided for this purpose in the branch 20 forming the magazine. Anchoring the loader 21 into the branch 20 is completed by interengaging the hook 69 and the rim 31 of the jaw 27.

*.*.Then only the tongue constituting the extension 81 15 of the baseplate 62 projects from the jaw. The tongue facilitates removing the loader after all of the wiring accessories 14 that it contains have been used or to change the size of the accessories.

When the tool is not in use, figure 16, the branch *060 22 forming the tool is moved against the action of the leaf spring 44 towards the branch 20 forming the magazine. By engaging the loop 45 carried by the branch over it until the loop 45 interengages with one of the detents 53 that it has on its back, it is held close to 25 the latter so that the overall storage configuration is advantageously of minimum size.

To use the tool, as shown in figures 18 to 20, the loop 45 carried by its branch 20 forming the magazine is pivoted to disengage it from the branch 22 forming the tool until its middle part engages in the housing defined by the elastically deformable blades 84 of the loader 21 in the branch 20 forming the magazine, which firms up the position of the loader 21 therein.

With the jaws 27, 28 separated, the operator can advance the wiring accessories 14 in the loader 21 in the 24 handle 33 by means of the drive sprocket 101 associated therewith by one step, using their thumb.

After passing over the inclined surface 73, the first wiring accessory 14 locates in the cradle 67, in line with the crimping plate 25 carried by the handle 22 forming the tool. The elastically deformable tongues in the loader 21 prevent retrograde movement of the cartridge 14' that the remaining wiring accessories 14 constitute in the event of inadvertent retrograde actuation of the drive sprocket 101.

The operator then has only to insert the electrical .conductor 12 to be equipped into the wiring accessory 14 in the cradle 67, through the notch 32 in the jaw 27 and the notch 74 in the loader 21 preceding the cradle 67, as 15 shown in figure 18.

When the handles 33 and 48 are moved towards each other, as shown in figure 19, the crimping plate 25 of the jaw 28, the force on which is then braced by the crosspiece 23 of the jaw 27, is anchored by its teeth 57 to the metal shank 15 of the wiring accessory 14 concerned, forming therein the localized crimping *deformations 26 required to crimp it to the end 10 of the conductive core 11 of the electrical conductor 12.

SConjointly, the cutting blade 58 cuts the cartridge link 25 14' between that wiring accessory 14 and the next one.

Note that the cutting advantageously takes place in masked time, at the same time as crimping.

In practice, at the end of relative movement towards each other of the handles 33, 48, and although the required crimping is obtained beforehand, the handle 33 comes to bear against the transverse rim 52 forming an abutment provided for this purpose on the handle 48, possibly by virtue of slight elastic flexing on its part, which guarantees correct crimping regardless of the gauge of the wiring accessory 14 concerned.

When the handles 33, 48 are released, as shown in figure 20, it finally suffices to remove the electrical conductor 12 from them, the cable taking with the wiring accessory 14 which has been properly crimped to it.

As mentioned above, and as can be seen better in figure 21, the corresponding localized crimping deformations 26 advantageously affect the shank concerned of the wiring accessory 14 only locally, so that taken overall the cross section of the shank 15 is not significantly modified.

To equip a new electrical conductor 12, the preceding operations are repeated, the wiring accessories 14 advancing each time by one step through the manual driving of the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 15 effected by means of the sprocket 101.

Clearly, the finger 68 on the loader 21 over its cradle 67 advantageously retains the wiring accessories 14 therein.

Figures 22 and 23 show dispensing and crimping tools similar to that previously described but including advance devices in accordance with second and third embodiments of the invention. Thus two branches 20 and 22 as previously described are shown, articulated to each other in an X-shape about an axis 19 to form crimping jaws 27, 28 on one side of that axis and handles 33, 48 on the other side of that axis, with a return spring 44 between the two handles.

The advance devices 122 and 150 differ from the advance devices 99 and 119 previously described essentially in that manual actuation by rotation of the drive sprocket is no longer obtained by direct action on the drive sprocket, but involves a separate actuator thumbwheel.

In the second embodiment, shown in figure 22, the advance device 122 includes, as previously, an insert 123 t in the general shape of an angle-iron, similar to its previously described counterpart 100, removably received in the embrasure 40 in the branch 20 forming the magazine to cover that embrasure entirely, in the manner of a cover, and generally continuous with the handle 33 of the branch 20. The means for removably mounting the insert 123 in the embrasure 40 are of the clip type, for example, as previously, similar to those previously described.

A drive sprocket 124 similar to the sprocket 101 previously described is rotatably mounted on the insert 123 and projects partly out of the insert through a I' corresponding opening 125 therein. Unlike the embodiment *previously described, the sprocket 124 is not operated S: 15 directly by the user, but is associated with an actuator thumbwheel 126 which is coaxial with it and constrained to rotate with it. The contact of the user's finger with the thumbwheel 126 is more comfortable and more precise than contact with the sprocket 124 itself. In this instance the thumbwheel 126 adjoins the sprocket 124 and is molded in one piece with it from plastics material.

As before, the sprocket 124 meshes directly with the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14.

In the third embodiment, shown in figure 23, the 25 advance device 150 includes, as previously, an insert 151 in the general form of an angle-iron, removably received in the embrasure 40 of the branch 20 forming the magazine to cover that embrasure completely, in the manner of a cover, and generally continuous with the handle 33 of the branch 20. The means for removably mounting the insert 151 in the embrasure 40 are of the clip type, for example, as previously, similar to those previously described.

A drive sprocket 152 similar to the sprocket 101 previously described is mounted inside the insert 151 to 27 turn about an axis 153 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the branch 20 forming the magazine, i.e.

perpendicularly to the direction in which the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 slides. The drive sprocket 152 is entirely masked by the insert 151, which thus forms a closed cover. For actuating it, the drive sprocket 152 is constrained to rotate with a manual actuation thumbwheel 154 which has the same axis 153 and is offset laterally relative to the plane approximately formed by the two branches 20 and 22 of the tool, being constrained to rotate with the drive sprocket 152 by a cylindrical connecting section 155 passing through a corresponding opening 156 in the insert 151 forming a bearing.

S 15 Clearly this embodiment with an offset actuator thumbwheel is still simple to manufacture but has the advantage that it is more ergonomic. Moreover, the contact of the user's thumb with the thumbwheel 154 with a striated surface, as in the example shown, or alternatively covered with a layer of rough or smooth non-skid material, is more comfortable for the user than direct contact with the sharp edges of the sprocket 152.

Figure 24 shows a fourth embodiment of the manually actuated device for advancing the cartridge 14' of wiring 25 accessories 14. The general structure of the tool is the same as before, with two branches articulated in an Xshape, only the branch 20 forming the magazine, and to be more precise the part thereof forming the handle 33, being visible in figure 23, in the area of its notch The advance device 200 includes, as in the embodiments previously described, an insert 201 in the general form of an angle-iron which is removably received in the notch 40 in the manner of a cover. Also as previously, the removable mounting of the insert 201 in the notch 40 involves clipping means similar to those previously described for the insert 100.

A drive sprocket 202 is mounted on the inside of the insert 201 to turn about an axis 203 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the branch 20 forming the magazine, which coincides with the direction in which the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 slides. The sprocket 202 is entirely housed within the cover formed by the insert 200 and therefore entirely masked by the latter, and is not accessible from the outside.

The drive sprocket 202 is actuated by means of a manual actuation thumbwheel 204 which is mounted on the insert 201 to turn about an axis 205 substantially -parallel to the axis 203 of the drive sprocket 202.

S: 15 However, in this embodiment, the axis 205 of the thumbwheel 204 is offset relative to the axis 203 of the drive sprocket 202 and driving of rotation of the drive sprocket 202 by the actuator thumbwheel 204 involves an intermediate toothed plate 206 with the same axis 205 as the thumbwheel 204. The intermediate toothed plate 206 is V constrained to rotate with the thumbwheel 204 and meshes with the drive sprocket 202 to form a gear transmission mechanism.

The root diameter of the sprocket 202 is 25 substantially less that that of the toothed plate 206 so that the gear transmission mechanism constitutes a reducing gear. Note further that the gear transmission mechanism reverses the direction of rotation of the drive sprocket 202 relative to that of the actuator thumbwheel 204, which is more convenient for the user.

In the example shown, the intermediate toothed plate 206 adjoins the actuator thumbwheel 204 and can advantageously be made in one piece with it, for example molded in one piece with it from a plastics material. So that it can be actuated manually, for example by the user's thumb, the thumbwheel 204 projects from the cover formed by the insert 201 by means of an opening 207 formed in the top wall of the insert 201 which extends the back of the handle 33 of the branch 20 forming the magazine. To prevent uncomfortable contact of the user's thumb with the intermediate toothed plate 206 the diameter of the tips of its teeth is less than the diameter of the thumbwheel 204.

With this embodiment, which is more sophisticated than the previous ones, the manual advance device is more comfortable and more convenient to use, on the one hand *.because the rotation direction of the actuator thumbwheel 204 is reversed to move the cartridge 14' of wiring S. accessories 14 forwards for reloading the crimping jaws, 15 and on the other hand because the torque to be applied manually to the thumbwheel 204 to drive the cartridge 14' of wiring accessories 14 with the same force is reduced.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but encompasses any variant execution thereof.

particular, the branches of the tool according .to the invention can form levers of a different kind than the levers that they form in the embodiment particularly described and shown; for example, instead of being S: 25 articulated together in an X-shape, they could be articulated together in a V-shape, like nutcrackers.

Claims (24)

1. 2. A tool according to claim i, wherein the drive sprocket .0* 0000 is mounted with clearance relative to the branch forming the e S: magazine so that the distance between its rotation axis and the cartridge of wiring accessories can vary freely between 00*0 25 two extreme values. C f
2. 3. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive sprocket is carried by a removable support attached to the branch forming the magazine.
3. 4. A tool according to claim 3, wherein the removable support is an insert which is received in an embrasure of the branch forming the magazine opening onto the cartridge of wiring accessories.
4. 5. A tool according to claim 4, wherein the insert is fixed in the embrasure of the branch forming the oo *oo *o magazine by removable fixing means of the elastic clip type.
5. 6. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive sprocket is at least partly accessibly externally for direct manual actuation.
6. 7. A tool according to claim 6, wherein a cover masks a portion of the sprocket, including its area interengaged with the cartridge of wiring accessories, and has an opening through which a portion of the drive sprocket projects for manual actuation.
7. 8. A tool according to claim 7 when dependent on any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the cover is the removable support.
8. 9. A tool according to claim 8 when dependent on 15 claim 2, wherein the axis of the drive sprocket is defined by two lateral journals which are received in oblong bearings formed on the removable support and having a back and an insertion opening, the play of the journals in the bearings being limited on the one hand by the back of said bearings and on the other hand by a hard spot near the insertion opening of the bearings. A tool according to any of claims 6 to 9 when dependent on claim 4, wherein, the insert being hollow and in the general form of an angle-iron made up of at 25 least two corner walls with a top wall substantially parallel to the cartridge of wiring accessories, said top wall has on its inside at least one ramification for laterally retaining the drive sprocket.
9. 11. A tool according to any of claims 6 to wherein the drive sprocket has a blunted connecting fillet between its edge and at least one of its two flanks.
10. 12. A tool according to any of claims 1 to wherein the drive sprocket is driven in rotation, directly or indirectly, by an actuator thumbwheel which 0 32 is mounted on the branch forming the magazine to turn about an axis substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the drive sprocket.
11. 13. A tool according to claim 12, wherein the drive sprocket is entirely masked by a cover and the actuator thumbwheel is at least partly accessible from the outside for manipulation by a user.
12. 14. A tool according to claim 13 when dependent on any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the cover is the removable support. A tool according to either claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the cover masks a portion of the actuator thumbwheel and has an opening in it through which a portion of the actuator thumbwheel projects for manual 15 actuation.
13. 16. A tool according to either claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the actuator thumbwheel is entirely external to the cover.
14. 17. A tool according to claim 16, wherein the actuator thumbwheel is offset laterally relative to the plane approximately formed by the two branches of the tool.
15. 18. A tool according to any of claims 12 to 17, wherein the axis of the actuator thumbwheel coincides S. 25 with the axis of the drive sprocket.
16. 19. A tool according to claim 18, wherein the actuator thumbwheel is constrained to rotate with the drive sprocket. A tool according to claim 19, wherein the actuator thumbwheel adjoins the drive sprocket.
17. 21. A tool according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein the actuator thumbwheel drives rotation of the drive sprocket via a transmission mechanism.
18. 22. A tool according to claim 21, wherein the transmission mechanism reverses the direction of rotation I- 33 of the drive sprocket relative to that of the actuator thumbwheel.
19. 23. A tool according to either claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the transmission mechanism is a reducer.
20. 24. A tool according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the transmission mechanism is a gear mechanism. A tool according to claim 24, wherein the actuator thumbwheel is constrained to rotate with a toothed plate which meshes directly with the drive sprocket.
21. 26. A tool according to claim 25 when dependent on claim 13, wherein the intermediate tooth plate adjoins the actuator thumbwheel and the diameter of the tips of its teeth is less than the diameter of the actuator 15 thumbwheel.
22. 27. A manually-actuated advance device for a dispensing and crimping tool according to any preceding claim.
23. 28. A tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
24. 29. An advance device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S" DATED this 23rd day of March 2001. LEGRAND and LEGRAND SNC WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN. VIC. 3122.