GB1577947A

GB1577947A - Appliance for removing sheathing from substantially rod-shaped articles

Info

Publication number: GB1577947A
Application number: GB2381976A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Pressmaster AB
Current assignee: Pressmaster AB
Priority date: 1976-06-09
Filing date: 1976-06-09
Publication date: 1980-10-29

Description

(54) APPLIANCE FOR REMOVING SHEATHING FROM SUBSTANTIALLY ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES (71) We, PRESSMASTER AB of Sergels Torg 12, Stockholm, Sweden, a Swedish company do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that å patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an appliance for removing the sheathing from a substantially rod-shaped article, and particularly for stripping the insulation from an electrical cable (such article being hereinafter referred to as "the treated object"). More specifically, the present invention aims at the improvement of appliances where the treated object is held fast in a support means and a cutting edge locally penetrates the sheathing, whereupon by relative rotation of the appliance and the treated object around the longitudinal axis of the latter, an incision is made which extends along the whole circumference of the sheathing. It is also intended to provide a compact such appliance with minimal demands on space, which at the same time is economic and fool-proof in operation, thus reducing rejects and/or the necessity to repeat the sheathing operation, and which furthermore is easily adaptable for different treated objects such as, for example, either singlecore or coaxial cables.

The invention provides an appliance for removing sheathing from a substantially rod-shaped article, such as for stripping the insulation from an electrical cable, the appliance comprising first and second jaw means having substantially planar contact faces extending essentially along the whole Length of-the jaw means and with no handles extending therefrom. hinge means pivotally interconnecting said first and second jaw means, the first jaw means including cutting means and adjacent thereto support means for retaining the treated object. the cutting means extending substantially at right angles to the treated object inserted into the appliance and being adapted to protrude to a predetermined extent beyond the support means so as to penetrate, in operation, the sheathing along at least one locally limited portion of its circumference to a predetermined depth in such a manner that by relative rotation between the article and the appliance at least one incision is made which extends to a closed circle over the entire circumference of the sheathing, the second jaw means including counter-support means situated opposite the said support means and adapted to press the treated article on to the support means when the jaw means are closed one upon the other, jaw locking means for temporarily locking both jaw means in their said closed position, and operation means attached to one of the jaw means and shaped so as to accommodate one finger therein, the appliance, in use, being relatively rotated around the finger and the treated object being at the same time gripped independently of said appliance so as to effect relative rotation of the appliance around the treated object.

It will be appreciated that known stripping appliances often have substantially the shape of a pair of pliers with two pivotally connected jaws which continue in elongate handles, in the same manner as the case is with conventional pliers or tongues. The length of these handles, or in some known stripping appliances a single handle, is often a multiple of the length of the jaws or equivalent functional parts, whereas any such part. significantly augmenting the total length of the appliance. is eliminated according to the present invention.

Either of the support and or countersupport means may be defined as a Vshaped or arcuate bed. The position of the counter-support means can preferably be adjustable in the direction to and from the support means, e.g. with the help of a slide adapted for movement to and from on the second jaw means and simultaneously for engagehlent by at least one inclined guiding face with a corresponding inclined guiding face on the counter-support means.

The two jaw means and/or their locking means are advantageously biassed into their respective open position, so that upon opening of the locking means, latter remain in the open position, and the jaw means spring into such a position. As described, the operation means comprises a member having an eye which can be threaded on a finger of the user and which enables the appliance to be turned around said finger to accomplish said relative rotation. The operation means may be integral with the locking means, in which case they are preferably pivotally connected to one of the jaw means and provided with a protrusion for engagement with a contact element on the other jaw means.

The cutting means can in principle be constituted by one or more blades which have at least one cutting edge and are disposed adjacent the support means. Preferably, the blade is inserted in the first jaw means in an easily removable manner - e.g.

Fetained by its terminal parts in slots and/or provided with a hole and slipped-on on a rod-shaped member - so that it can easily be replaced or turned around. It will be readily understood that by turning a blade which has an upper and lower edge around the horizontal axis, a fresh cutting edge can be brought into position adjacent the support means. It will be equally easily understood that when the length of the blade is at least twice as long as the operative zone adjacent the support means. also turning of the blade around the vertical axis will bring an unused portion of the edge into the operative position.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the blade or blades are however not mounted directly into the first jaw means, but are placed in a removable insert for which a corresponding recess is provided in the said first jáw means.

Thus not only can the blade or blades be positioned in the insert in a number of ways.

but also the insert itself in the jaw means, as will be explained in more detail later on. or the insert and blade(s) as whole can easily be replaced e.g. by a new insert with fresh blades or with blades adapted for a different cutting task.

The insert is advantageously retained in the jaw means by insert locking means which is operative at least in the open position of the appliance (in the closed position, the second jaw means. clapped on the first one, automatically prevents the insert from falling out).

The insert can preferably have the shape of the four walls of a box without bottom and top; in the edges of the insert, adjacent the operative zone of the blade or its cutting edge, at least one recess is arranged for unimpeded action of the cutting edge.

Alternatively, these recesses can be formed as a continuation of the support means in the first jaw means or as these support means themselves, with larger recesses being then instead arranged in the first jaw means. With the help of an opening therein, intermediate its two terminal parts, the cutting blade or blades can be slipped on on a rod-shaped member mounted either directly in the first jaw means or in the insert. Thus by rotation around said mem- ber the lower and upper edges of a blade with two edges can readily change places, e.g. when the insert is removed from the jaw means.

In the side walls of the insert which ,are perpendicular to the blade or blades (i.e.

parallel with a said rod-shaped members, if provided) slots for receiving the terminal parts of each blade can be provided. The slots can be used as well instead, as complementary to the said rod-shaped member.

Further at least one central beam may be arranged in the insert to fill-out the space between the blades.

In the first jaw means are expediently arranged means for adjustment of the height position of an operative cutting edge or edges relative the support means, i,e. the amount of the protrusion. Such adjusting means can be embodied e.g. by a cam means, but preferably they are constituted by at least one screw which from the outside is screwed into the first jaw means and adapted to engage at its other end, inside said first jaw means, the blade carrying the respective cutting edge. The part of the adjusting screw which is accessible from the outside is adapted for adjusting e.g. by means of a screwdriver. Preferably, an intermediate support such as a small plate is arranged between the screw or screws and the respective blades, allowing for different axial positions of the blades in the insert. By "axial" is mean in the present specification the direction of the axis of the treated object.

Conveniently, in an appliance according to the present invention, at least one blade has at least two cutting edges at different "height levels", i.e. protrusion levels. By such a level is meant the level to which a cutting edge protrudes beyond the adjacent support means when in operative position.

In a simple embodiment of such a blade, e.g. with fixation on the said rod-shaped member, the opening for the latter is positioned nearer the one cutting edge than the other. In an advantageous embodiment according to the present invention such a blade has a more complex shape, substantially defined by two adjacent congruous rectangular parallelograms, slightly displaced one relative the other. Expediently, the terminal parts of such a blade are adapted for engagement by the said adjusting means, such as the adjusting screws, at constant levels despite the different protruding levels of the cutting edges.

When stripping single-core cables, a blade with cutting edges at different protrusion levels makes it possible to choose one of two values for the depth of the incision, by bringing either the more or the less protruding cutting edge in to the operative position adjacent the support means.

The appliance according to the present invention is however particularly suitable for being adapted for stripping coaxial cables. As is well known, coaxial cables are electric conductor elements which have an inner conductor with an inner insulating cover and an outer conductor surrounding the latter (mostly having the function of a screen) with an outer insulating cover. By contrast with other multi-pole cables, a coaxial cale has to have its insulation stripped-off in at least two different places, in order that the inner conductor as well as the outer conductor may be bared sufficiently for the purpose of making connections. The incision uncovering the inner conductor must be deeper than the incision uncovering the outer conductor, the former penetrating the inner and the outer insulating covers and the outer conductor, whereas the latter penetrates only the outer insulating cover.

An appliance according to the present invention is easily adapted to said purpose by including in its cutting means a first blade adapted for cutting by its cutting edge through the outer insulating cover, and, in axially spaced relationship thereto. a second blade with its cutting edge adapted to cut through all layers with the exception of the inner conductor. Principally, different blades can be used for the said first and second blade. However, by using blades of the above-mentioned kind with at least two edges at different protruding levels, only one kind of blade needs to be provided for and the difference in incision depth is achieved by mounting each blade in a different position.

The above-described special embodiment of a blade in the shape of the displaced parallelograms is particularly suitable for use in connection with stripping coaxial cables, because ample possibilities of replacement of a worn edge are offered, as will be explained in more detail later on.

With coaxial cables. sometimes a different stripping length is desired for the inner conductor than for the inner insulating cover, the latter protruding beyond the stripped outer conductor, but not so much as the stripped inner conductor does.

Then a third blade is added to the cutting means, intermediately the first and second one, and adapted to make the incision to the desired intermediate depth.

Whereas it is immaterial from which direction a single-core cable is inserted into an appliance according to the present invention having a single blade, it is vital that a coaxial cable always be inserted only from one, the "correct" side. A suitable indicator means, such as colour mark or protrusion etc., is therefore expedient to indicate the correct orientation.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement with a removable insert is not essential for the use of any of the above described particular blades or any particular number of blades. Any cutting means including one or more blades can be accommodated directly in the body of the first jaw means.

The use of the insert however makes blade changes faster, simpler and safer and can in its effects be compared with the known cassette arrangement with films or recording tapes. It will be realized that by simple exchange of inserts, a given appliance can easily be converted from one for stripping single-core cables into one for stripping coaxial cables and vice versa. Moreover, inserts according to the present invention can easily be loaded with fresh blades, so that, in contradistinction to the abovementioned cassettes, only the parts which de facto get used, i.e. the blades, need to be rejected after some time.

Preferably said hinge means comprise a reusable rivet assembly, said assembly comprising a longitudinal hollow sleeve and at least one rivet having a head and a shaft, the rivet being arranged to be introduced into the sleeve and to be retained therein by friction, an adhesive or deformation of its shape, and to be axially displaceable by the action of a force applied to one end of the shaft or to a surface substantially parallel to said end formed as a result of removal of the rivet head.

Thus the shank and the sleeve are held together only be friction, an adhesive or by relative engagement arising from deformation of the shank in such a way that it is disengageable from the sleeve. The shank and/or the sleeve may also be made of plastics material. In previously proposed rivet assemblies, the shank of a first rivet having a head is introduced into a somewhat larger hollow shank of a second rivet, which also has a head. and there secured by the front part of the shank of the first rivet being deformed by external pressure in such a way that it engages the interior of the shank and/or head portion of the second rivet by irreversible deformation of its shape. Such a rivet connection cannot be undone other than by complete destruction of the connection and, moreover, the rivets must be of metal.

The sleeve may be provided at one end with a flange acting as the securing means.

The flange may in its outer parts resemble a rivet head, but it does not cover the central opening in the sleeve. The shank or shaft of the rivet can in this embodiment have the same length as the sleeve (or even be longer) and be pushed out by pressure on the natural front surface of the shaft which is accessible through the flange. In a second embodiment, the sleeve may be provided at one end with a head quite analogous to the rivet head, i.e. covering also the central opening in the sleeve. The sleeve thus has a blind hole. In this embodiment the shaft of the rivet must be less than or equal to half the total length of the sleeve. To open the connection, the head of the rivet is cut-off or ground-off, in which way a surface parallel to the front surface of the shaft comes about at the opposite end. By pressure on this surface, the cut-off shaft is pressed deeper into the sleeve. until it reaches the bottom of the blind hole. The sleeve can now be removed in the direction in which its head lies, and at re-assembly, a new rivet is pushed from the open side into the sleeve. It will be appreciated that the length of the sleeve may be a multiple of the length of the rivet shaft, so that the opening and reriveting operations can be repeated several times, as long as there is room in the sleeve where cut-off rivet shafts can be pushed.

In a third embodiment, the sleeve is constituted by a tube open at both ends. but without flanges at either any of them. Rivets are pushed into it from both sides. whereas the length of the shaft of at least one of the two rivets (obviously they don't need to have equally long shafts being less than or equal to the length of free space left in the sleeve when both rivets are fully pushed in place.

It will be appreciated that even in this case, if the general constructional circumstances allow it, this free space may preferably be several times longer than the shaft length, thus enabling repeated re-opening and re-riveting.

'While the inner wall of the sleeve and the surface of the rivet shaft in general will be smooth and e.g. cylindrical, it is also possible that retaining means. and in particular co-operating retaining means such as corresponding protrusions and recesses can be arranged on the rivet shaft and/or the sleeve making one of the parts partly resilient and establishing thus a disengageable shape en gagement between the rivet and the sleeve.

The sleeve and/or the rivet or rivets, can be made of any suitable material allowing partial compression to get a fast fit, or if the fit is to be secured by cementing or a disengageable shape engagement, of any material at all suitable for the purpose. It will be appreciated that while the relation between the outer diameter of the rivet or rivets and the inner diameter of the sleeve is of importance for the mutual fit of these parts, the fit between the rivet connection as a whole and the parts held together by it is determined by the outer diameter of the sleeve, regardless of the conditions inside the sleeve.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, specific embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an appliance according to the present invention, Figure 2a is a plan view of the first jaw means of Figure 1, and Figure 2b of a blade with arcuate profile Figure 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the first jaw means of Figure 1 adapted for receiving a removable insert, Figure 4 and Figure 5 are a plan view and a front view respectively, to a somewhat larger scale, of this removable insert, Figure 6a is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a cutting blade, suitable also for use in the insert according to Figures 4 and 5.and Figure 6b shows a support plate, Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of an insert, Figures 8a and 8b are a plan view and a side view respectively of yet another embodiment of an insert, Figure 9 is a plan view of another embodiment of a cutting blade, Figures 10a and lOb are a side view and a front view respectively of an alternative embodiment of a locking means for an insert, Figure 11 is a cross-section through a first embodiment of a preferred hinge means.

Figures 12a and 12b are cross-sections through a second embodiment of a preferred hinge means, Figure 13 is a cross-section through a third embodiment of a preferred hinge means, and Figure 14 is a view of an alternative embodiment using a rivet assembly comprising hinge means applicable in connection with all embodiments of said appliance.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2a and b, the appliance l has a first jaw means 11 and a second jaw means 21, both of substantially planar and flat shape. The two jaw means 11, 21 are hinged together by hinge means constituted by ears lia, 11b, an axle lic and an ear 21a and biassed by a spring 21c into their open position shown in Figure 1. No conventional handle means are attached to the jaw means e.g. beyond the hinge means, so that the design is very space saving. A V-shaped indentation 12 traverses the upper face of the first jaw means 11 and forms a bed or support means for the treated object (not shown) Three longitudinal slots 13a, 13b, 13c are further arranged in the first jaw means 11 for reception in one or several of them of a cutting blade 30 with cutting edges 30a, 30b at both sides. The blade 30 protrudes by a predetermined amount p, governed in the example shown by the relation between the breadth of the blade and the depth of the slots 13a, 13b, 13c, into the support means 12. The blade 30 is retained by any desired means in the slots 13a, 13b, 13c, e.g. by having a slightly arcuate profile before insertion, shown at 30 in Figure 2b. Insertion and removal of the blade can be executed e.g. with the help of a pair of pliers gripping the blade where it protrudes into the V-shaped indentation 12.

By "charging" only one of the slots with a blade, an appliance for stripping single-core cables is provided. By charging two or three of the slots with blades which in the manner explained earlier protrude by different amounts beyond the bottom of the Vshaped indentation 12, an appliance for stripping coaxial cables is provided.

In the first jaw means 11, under each of the slots 13a, 13b, 13c, an adjusting screw 14a, 14b, 14c is screwed in. By turning these screws the fine adjustment of the blades 30 is executed. It will be appreciated that it is immaterial whether the cutting edge 30a is exactly parallel with the upper face 11g of the first jaw means 11 or not. A gripping means embodied in an eye 40 is by means of a'pin 41 hinged to the first jaw means 11 and by a spring 42 biassed in to its open position shown in Figure 1.

In the second jaw means 21, a countersupport means defined by a block 35 with a semicircular recess 35a and an inclined guiding face 35b is arranged for adjusting in the sense of the double headed arrow P1.

To achieve this adjustment, a slide 36, with a corresponding inclined guiding face 36b, is displaceably, in the sense of the double headed arrow P2, arranged on the second jaw means 21. Expediently, the slide 36 is provided with some conventional mechanism for locking in a chosen position, such as a spring-loaded detent co-operating with a series of recesses, (so that the slide cannot inadvertently be moved by the pressure executed on it by the block 35), and/or by a scale device such as a window or pointer cooperating with a scale enabling the actual setting being read off, preferably in terms of diameters of treated objects.

A locking means is integrated with the member 40 having an eye 40 and embodied in a protruding finger 43 with a shallow recess 43a for engagement with a contact element in the second jaw means 21, embodied in a roller 43b. It will be appreciated that the finger 43 also is able, before it performs its locking function, to fulfil the function of a lever which helps to close the two jaw means 11, 21 upon one another.

When the treated object is laid on the support means 12 and the second jaw means 21 is closed upon it, the tip 43c of the finger 43 will already reach the roller 43b. When the eye member or locking means is pushed in the sense of the arrow P, the finger 43 acts as a lever on the roller 43b and presses the second jaw means 21 upon the first jaw means 11, overcoming the resistance of the treated object and pressing this object onto the blade or blades 30. When the recess 43a reaches the roller 43b, the appliance is closed thanks to a snap effect.

According to Figure 3, a rectangular recess 15 is arranged in the first jaw means 11 for receiving an insert 50 according to Figures 4 and 5. The insert 50 has two long sides or walls 50a, 50b and two 'short sides or walls 50c, 50d. In the midst of the long sides 50a, 50b a rod-shaped (cylindrical) member 34 is arranged on which two blades 31 are slipped-on by their circular holes 34a (Figure 6a), as well as a distance sleeve 34b (Figure 4). In shelves 51c, 51d adjacent the short walls 50c, 50d slots such as 52 for the reception of the terminal parts of the blades 31 are arranged.

The blades 31 can have the conventional shape substantially of a single elongate parallelogram, one blade being somewhat broader than the other, or preferably the particular shape which is shown in more detail in Figure 6a.

This shape can be described as substantially including two adjacent congruous rectangular parallelograms E and F displaced one in relation to the other by an amount d.

The four horizontal edges of the blade shown in the drawing embody four cutting edges a, aa, b, bb. The cutting edges a and b are more remote from the common axis of symmetry x-x and one from the other (Y) than the other two cutting edges aa, bb, are (Z). At its two ends, the blade 31 is provided with engagement parts 52a for insertion into the slots 52. The engagement parts 52a have arcuate edges for better guiding in said slots (the vertical edges) and better engagement with the adjustment screws 14a, 14b (Figures 2a and 3). These screws are placed in the jaw means 11 in such a manner that they clear the walls of the insert SO and engage only the blades 31.

To allow for greater freedom in the axial positioning of the blades in the insert, a support plate 14d (Figure 6b) can be arranged in the recess 15 and in the insert 50 respectively. This support plate then takes up the movements of the adjusting screws such as 14a at its underside and communicates them at its upper side to the blades in arbitrary axial position.

In the walls of the insert 50 recesses A, AA, B and BB are disposed (Figure 5), behind which the cutting edges designated by corresponding small letters of the blade 31 will lie when the said blade is set in the insert in the position shown in Figure 6a.

It will however be realized that the blade 31 can also be set into the insert 50 in a reverse position, where its part F is at the left hand side and part E at the right hand side. Then behind the recess A the "lower" cutting edge bb will lie etc.

It will be appreciated that thus with the help of a single type of a blade, an insert adapted for cutting a coaxial cable in two different depths can be provided, simply by arranging the two blades 31 of Figure 4 in the said relatively reversed manner.

Referring again to Figure 3, it will be further realized that only the cutting edge which lies behind the recess BB and that cutting edge (not shown), which lies behind a corresponding recess in the other long wall 50a, are operative.

Supposing, the lower blade 31 in Figure 4 is in the position shown in Figure 6a, and the upper one in the reversed position. Of the two incisions made in a treated object resting in the support 12, the incision closer to the screw 14a will be more shallow than the one nearer the screw 14c. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a protrusion 12a of the support means 12 indicates the side of the shallower incision and serves simultaneously as a guide. A coaxial cable will be put into the appliance with its free end at the other side than where the protrusion 12a is.

It will be realized that fresh cutting edges may be brought into operative position adjacent the support means 12 either by turning the blades 31 around the member 34 in the insert 50, or by turning the whole insert upside down or from left to right.

Unless however the member 34 is removed and the left and right hand sides of the blades 31 in the insert interchanged. a shallow cutting edge will, at all the above named reversions, always come to lie adjacent the protrusion 12n, and a deeper cutting edge at the opposite end of the support means 12. This also holds true if e.g. only one of the blades 31 were rotated around the member 34, and the other remained without change.

It will be readily understood that either another insert with a single central pair of slots such as 52 for only one blade, or an identical insert "charged" only in one of its two pairs of slots 52 with a blade can be provided for swift conversion of the appliance to one for stripping single-core cables. Alternatively, it may often suffice to put in a single-core cable in reversed sense, i.e. with the free end towards the protrusion 12a, to obtain satisfactory stripping, as it is of no importance that on the rejected part of the insulation another shallower incision will be made.

A locking means 16, whose function is to keep the insert 50 in its place, can preferably be defined by a pivotally arranged hook which expediently can be biassed into the locking position by the same spring 42 (Figure 1) which biasses the locking means.

The spring 42 is a compression spring which is anchored at one end in the eye member 40 and at its other end at a stop lid in the first jaw means 11.

It will be readily understood that the use of a blade 31 according to Figure 6a is not limited to the simultaneous use of an insert according to Figures 4 and 5, and vice versa.

In the alternative embodiment of an insert 50 arranged for which corresponding grooves (not shown) are disposed in the inner faces of the rectangular recess 15 (Figure 3). The overall length L of the insert 50" is for easier manipulation expediently somewhat shorter than the corresponding length of the recess 15. The straight recesses A, AA, B, and BB of the insert 50 according to Figure 5 are replaced by V-shaped recesses 12', 12" on all edges of the long walls 5Ga, 50b.

The rod-shaped member 34' has a noncircular cross-section, but a cross-section with two planar faces, evident from Figure 8b. The purpose of this measure is to-safely accomodate a modified blade 31' according to Figure 9. Substantially, this blade 31' corresponds to the right hand half of the blade 31 shown in Figure 6a. It will be appreciated that by combining the blade 31' with another identical blade 31', turned around through 1800 about axis x-x as well as axis v-v, and brinding the opening 34'a of both blades 31' into alignment, these two blades 31' will constitute an equivalent to blade 31 according to Figure 6a, and it is easier to manufacture blades 31' than blades 31. The blade 31' would however be liable to rotate about a cylindrical rod such as 34 in Figure 5, e.g. when the treated object is withdrawn from the appliance. To prevent this, the said planar surfaces are arranged on the rod 34'. To allow however a limited rotation in response to the adjustment by the adjustment screws 14a etc. (Figure 2a), the "horizontal" edges of the opening 34'a in the blade 31' have the shape of a biconcave lens, whereas the "vertical" edges correspond to the circular "vertical" edges of the rod-member 34'. It will be appreciated that the arrangement described is also applicable to a blade according to Figure 6a, but is unnecessary there, because the blade anyhow cannot rotate about the rod 34. In Figures 10a and 10b, a modified arrangement of the pivotally arranged hook 16' serving as locking means for the insert 50, 50' is shown. Hook 16' is provided with a protrusion 16'a extending beyond the pin 41 and co-operating with a stop 46 on the operation means. A first biassing spring 42a is, in the manner shown in Figure 1, wound on the pin 41 and at its one end anchored to the gripping means 40. At the other end, however, spring 42a is anchored to the hook 16', on the rear face thereof. On the pin 41 is a second biassing spring 42b, which is an expansion spring, wound adjacent to spring 42a, and anchored to the rear face of the hook 16', also adjacent to the spring 42a, and to a stop lid in the first jaw means 11.

The arrangement works as follows: When opening the appliance, the eye member 40' is pushed downwards in the sense of arrow P', overcoming the engagement of the roller 43b in the recess 43a (Figure 1). Spring 42a then urges the. eye member 40 into the position shown in Figure 10a where members 46 and 16'a abut, and with closing, the same process takes place as described in connection with Figure 1.

If it is however desired to remove the insert 50 or 50", th eye 40 is pushed from the position according to Figure 10a further downward in the sense of arrow P', overcoming now the effect of the expansion spring 42b, and through the continued engagement of the members 46 and 16'a, the hook 16' is swung backwards in the sense of the arrow P", and releases the insert. For convenience, an opening ile may be arranged in the lower portion of the first jaw means 11, through which opening a screw driver or the like may be introduced to push out the released insert.

Preferably, the biassing spring 21c working between the two jaw members 11, 21 (Figure 1) may be at its one anchored in suitable grooves in the counter-support means 35, instead of directly in the second jaw means 21, as shown in Figure 1. Said counter-support means 35 may then be retained in its place in the second jaw means 21 only by this biassing spring (or two identical such biassing springs adjacently arranged on the axle lic) which presses the block 35, defining the counter-support means, against the slide 36. Said block 35 can thus readily be exchanged for another one with a different recess 35a for receiving different objects.

The pins or axles lic and 41 are conveniently defined by rivets according to the following description.

Referring to Figure 11, a longitudinal hollow sleeve 11üa is open at both ends and at one end (right the hand end in the drawing) is provided with an integral flange 112a. At assembly, the sleeve 110a is inserted into the aligned openings of the parts to be connected, in the same way as shown in detail in Figure 13, whereupon from the end opposite the flange 112a a rivet with a head llia and a shaft 113a is pushed into the sleeve. The sort of fit between the shaft 113a and the sleeve 110a is chosen according to the materials involved in a way such that a firm connection is established which however may be overridden by application of a certain force in the direction of the arrow P'.

It is obvious that the shaft 113a in this embodiment may be of any length and even protrude from the flange 112a.

According to Figure 12a. the flange 112a of Figure 11 has been replaced by a head 112b which covers also the opening in the sleeve 110b at one end thereof. A rivet with a head 111b has a shaft 113b, the length e of which is less than (or equal to) the remain ing part f of the total length h of the sleeve 110b, when the rivet is fully pushed in place (Figure 12b).

When such a connection has to be opened, the head 111b must be cut-off or ground-off, whereupon a pushing force is applied at the shaft 113b in the same direction in which the rivet originally was driven in. This pressure on the newly exposed surface 113m brings the cut-off shaft 113b in to the position shown in Figure 12b. The connection can now be disassembled. Upon re-assembly, a new rivet all', l 13b' is pushed into the place of the old one.

According to Figure 13, the sleeve 110c is open at both ends as in Figure 11, but has no flange. Similar or even identical rivets 111c, 113c and ill', 113c' are pushed into it from both ends. The lengths e, g of their shafts 113c, 113c' respectively must be such that the remaining part (free space) f of the total length 11 of the whole sleeve ilOc is more than or equal to one of the shaft lengths.

The parts 114, 115, 116 held together by a rivet connection according to the present invention are in contact only with the outer wall of the sleeve 110a, 110b, 110c and each part may have a different fit, e.g. part 114 being mounted rotatably.

In Figure 14 a preferred form of a rivet with a resilient shaft 113d is shown, which can be used in any of the embodiments shown. In the inner wall of the sleeve 110d a depression 117 corresponding to a bulge 118 on the shaft 113d may be arranged (as shown in the lower part of Figure 14) or not (as shown in the upper part of Figure 14); a stronger engagement will be achieved in either case.

Although in the case with a depression or recess 117 in the sleeve there is a shape engagement between the sleeve and the shaft, it is disengageable and re-assemblable engagement as opposed to the deformed shaft according to previously proposed methods.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An appliance for removing sheathing from a substantially rod-shaped article, such as for stripping the insulation from an electrical cable, the appliance comprising first and second jaw means having substantially planar contact faces extending essentially along the whole length of the jaw means and with no handles extending therefrom, hinge means pivotally interconnecting said first and second jaw means, the first jaw means including cutting means and adjacent thereto support means for retaining the treated object, the cutting means extending substantially at right angles to the treated object inserted into the appliance and being adapted to protrude to a predetermined extend beyond the support means so as to penetrate, in operation, the sheathing along at least one locally limited portion 9f its circumference to a predetermined depth in such a manner that by relative rotation between the article and the appliance at least one incision is made which extends to a closed circle over the entire circumference of the sheathing, the second jaw means including counter-support means situated opposite the said support means and adapted to press the treated article on to the support means when the jaw means are closed one upon the other, jaw locking means for temporarily locking both jaw means in their said closed position, and operation means attached to one of the jaw means and shaped so as to accommodate one finger therein, the appliance, in use, being relatively rotated around the finger, and the treated object being at the same time gripped independently of said ap pliance so as to effect relative rotation ofthe appliance around the treated object.

2. An appliance according to Claim 1 in which the said support means and countersupport means are defined, respectively, by a V-shaped or arcuate bed.

3. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the position of the counter-support means is adjustable in the direction to and from the support means.

4. An appliance according to Claim 3 in which the counter-support means is provided with at least one inclined guiding face adapted for engagement with at least one corresponding inclined engagement face on a slide mounted for movement to and fro on the second jaw means.

5. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the two jaw means are biassed in their open position.

6. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the jaw locking means are biassed in their open position.

7. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the locking means and the operation means are integrated into one piece.

8. An appliance according to Claim 7, in which the operation means comprises a member having an eye which can be threaded on a finger and which is pivotally connected to one of the jaw means and provided with a protrusion adapted for snap engagement with a contact element at the other jaw means.

9. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cutting means are constituted by at least one cutting blade with at least one cutting edge, said cutting blade being mounted in the said first jaw means for easy insertion thereinto in a plurality of relative positions and for easy removal therefrom.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ing part f of the total length h of the sleeve 110b, when the rivet is fully pushed in place (Figure 12b). When such a connection has to be opened, the head 111b must be cut-off or ground-off, whereupon a pushing force is applied at the shaft 113b in the same direction in which the rivet originally was driven in. This pressure on the newly exposed surface 113m brings the cut-off shaft 113b in to the position shown in Figure 12b. The connection can now be disassembled. Upon re-assembly, a new rivet all', l 13b' is pushed into the place of the old one. According to Figure 13, the sleeve 110c is open at both ends as in Figure 11, but has no flange. Similar or even identical rivets 111c, 113c and ill', 113c' are pushed into it from both ends. The lengths e, g of their shafts 113c, 113c' respectively must be such that the remaining part (free space) f of the total length 11 of the whole sleeve ilOc is more than or equal to one of the shaft lengths. The parts 114, 115, 116 held together by a rivet connection according to the present invention are in contact only with the outer wall of the sleeve 110a, 110b, 110c and each part may have a different fit, e.g. part 114 being mounted rotatably. In Figure 14 a preferred form of a rivet with a resilient shaft 113d is shown, which can be used in any of the embodiments shown. In the inner wall of the sleeve 110d a depression 117 corresponding to a bulge 118 on the shaft 113d may be arranged (as shown in the lower part of Figure 14) or not (as shown in the upper part of Figure 14); a stronger engagement will be achieved in either case. Although in the case with a depression or recess 117 in the sleeve there is a shape engagement between the sleeve and the shaft, it is disengageable and re-assemblable engagement as opposed to the deformed shaft according to previously proposed methods. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An appliance for removing sheathing from a substantially rod-shaped article, such as for stripping the insulation from an electrical cable, the appliance comprising first and second jaw means having substantially planar contact faces extending essentially along the whole length of the jaw means and with no handles extending therefrom, hinge means pivotally interconnecting said first and second jaw means, the first jaw means including cutting means and adjacent thereto support means for retaining the treated object, the cutting means extending substantially at right angles to the treated object inserted into the appliance and being adapted to protrude to a predetermined extend beyond the support means so as to penetrate, in operation, the sheathing along at least one locally limited portion 9f its circumference to a predetermined depth in such a manner that by relative rotation between the article and the appliance at least one incision is made which extends to a closed circle over the entire circumference of the sheathing, the second jaw means including counter-support means situated opposite the said support means and adapted to press the treated article on to the support means when the jaw means are closed one upon the other, jaw locking means for temporarily locking both jaw means in their said closed position, and operation means attached to one of the jaw means and shaped so as to accommodate one finger therein, the appliance, in use, being relatively rotated around the finger, and the treated object being at the same time gripped independently of said ap pliance so as to effect relative rotation ofthe appliance around the treated object.

10. An appliance according to any one

of the preceding claims, in which the cutting means are mounted in a removable insert, and the said first jaw means are provided with a recess for receiving said insert adjacently said support means.

11. An appliance according to Claim 10 in which insert locking means are provided, which are adapted to retain said insert in said recess at least in the open position of the jaw means.

12. An appliance according to Claim 11, in which the said insert is adapted for insertion into the said recess in a plurality of relative positions in such a manner that at least in some of the said relative positions a different cutting edge part is adjacent the said support means.

13. An appliance according to any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the said insert has substantially the shape of the four side walls of a box.

14. An appliance according to any one of claims 10 to 13 in which in the edge of the insert, adjacent an operative zone of a cutting edge on a blade, at least one recess is arranged for unimpeded action of the cutting edge.

15. An appliance according to claim 9 and or claim appended thereto in which each blade is mounted on a rod-shaped member with the help of an opening.

16. An appliance according to claim 10 or any claim appended thereto, in which adjacent the side walls of the insert, which are perpendicular to the blade or blades, slots for engagement with the peripheral parts of each blade are disposed.

17. An appliance according to any one of claim 10 to 16, in which in the first jaw means are disposed means for adjusting the height position of the operative cutting edge on a blade relative the support means.

18. An appliance according to Claim 17, in which the adjusting means are constituted by at least one screw which from the outside is screwed into the bottom of the first jaw means and which is adapted to engage the blade inside the said first jaw means or an intermediate blade support.

19. An appliance according to claim 9 and any claim appended thereto, in which at least one cutting blade has at least two cutting edges at different protrusion levels.

20. An appliance according to Claim 19, in which each blade substantially has the shape of two adjacent congruous rectangular parallelograms which are parallely displaced one relative the other with a predetermined amount, the four mutually parallel edges of the said parallelograms embodying the cutting edges.

21. An appliance according to Claim 19, in which the blade has at least one terminal part for engagement with adjustment means at unvariable level irrespective of the,diffe- rent levels of the cutting edges.

22. An appliance according to any one of Claims 10 to 14 or 16 in which the support means for the treated object are arranged in the insert.

23. An appliance according to any one of Claims 11 to 14 or 16 or 22, in which the inner space of the insert is by at least one central beam divided into at least two portions.

24. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the jaw locking means are adapted to act with a lever force on one of the jaw means before the final locked position is reached.

25. An appliance according to Claim 11 or-any claim appended thereto, in which the said insert locking means is constituted by a pivotable hook provided with a protrusion adapted for engagement with the jaw lock- ing means in their normally open position, whereat a first biassing spring is provided which is effective between the said jaw locking means and the said pivotable hook, and a second biassing spring is provided which is effective between the pivotable hook and the first jaw means, the arrangement being such that when the jaw locking means are further opened beyond their normally open position, the pivotable hook under overriding of the said second biassing spring is moved into a position for releasing the insert.

26. An appliance according to Claim 15, in which the rod-shaped member has noncircular cross-section and the opening in the blade has a shape adapted to prevent greater rotation of the blade about the rod-shaped member, but to allow limited rotational adjustment movements.

27. An appliance according to Claim 10 or any claim appended thereto in which a series of adjacent bulges is arranged on inner walls in the insert, between which bulges free spaces dimensioned so as to retain therein the desired number of cutting blades are arranged, the cutting blades being mounted on a rod shaped member which is adapted to pass through said bulges.

28. An appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said operating means comprises a member having an eye into which a finger of a user of the appliance can be inserted.

29. An appliance for removing the sheathing from substantially rod-shaped articles, the appliance being constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 1 and 3 to 5 (with or without the modification of Figure 6a or of Figure 7) of the accompanying drawings.

30. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said hinge means comprise a reusable rivet assembly, said assembly comprising a longitudinal hollow sleeve and at least one rivet having a head and a shaft, the rivet being arranged to be introduced into the sleeve and to be retained therein by friction, an adhesive or deformation of its shape, and to be axially displaceable by the action of a force applied to one end of the shaft or to a surface substantially parallel to said end formed as a result of removal of the rivet head.

31. An appliance according to Claim 3(), in which the sleeve is provided with an integral retaining flange at the opposite end to that at which the rivet is to be introduced.

32. An appliance according to Claim 30, in which the sleeve is provided with an integral head at the opposite end to that at which the rivet is to be introduced and the length of the shaft of the rivet is at most equal to the remaining free space in the sleeve when the rivet is fully inserted in the sleeve.

33. An appliance according to Claim 30, in which the sleeve is adapted for having rivets introduced from both sides and the length of the shaft of at least one of the two rivets is at most equal to the free space left in the sleeve when both rivets are fully inserted in the sleeve.

34. An appliance according to any one of Claims 30 to 33 in which the rivet shaft and/or the inner wall of the sleeve is/are provided with retaining means.

35. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims in which said hinge means comprise a reusable rivet assembly constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 11 or Figures 12a and 12b or Figure 13 or Figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.