US2601186A - Wire heading tool - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1952 w v so 2,601,186

WIRE HEADING TooL Filed Aug. 50, 1946 Fqlcf WILLIAM A. l//Ms0/v.,

5r H/5 A rrokwsrs wee/s, A4507; fbsrzmwme/ Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE HEADING TOOL William A. Vinson, Madera, Calif. Application August 30, 1946, Serial No. 693,871

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a device for deforming the end of a cylindrical element to form a head or enlargement thereon and will be exemplified as a hand tool for forming an enlarged head on the end of a wire by upsetting the end.

In electrically connecting the end of a wire to another wire, terminal connector, etc., my copending application Serial No. 714,508, filed December 6, 1946, and now abandoned, shows the desirability of employing an end-headed wire with the head fitting into a suitable space of a connector or terminal. It is desirable that the head be formed on the wire by a simple, portable and easily actuated device and it is an important object of the invention to provide a device usable in this connection or in deforming the end of other cylindrical elements.

Another object is to clamp the wire or other cylindrical element by use of a self-locking clamping means facilitating insertion, clamping and removal of the wire or other element. In its preferred embodiment, the invention employs a toggle means in this connection, preferably a pair of toggle jaws, and another object of the invention is to employ novelly related toggle jaws and a novel support therefor capable of withstanding strong spreading forces to which the jaws are subjected.

Another object is to employ two toggle jaws which are moved simultaneously and through equal angles and to urge these resiliently toward clamping positions.

Still a further object is to provide a device capable of deforming or heading wires or other cylindrical elements of various size without complicated adjustment of the device or replacing of parts thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hand tool embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the upper portion thereof, taken in the directions of arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view, partially broken away, of the hand tool.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the tool with a cover plate removed, being taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 shows the type of head formed on a wire by the tool.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the tool is indicated generally by the numeral I0 and is shown as including a body integral with or secured to a fixedhandle l2. The body provides an upwardly facing space l5, best shown in Fig. 4, having an open upper end and, in the illustrated e1nbodiment, two open sides one opening toward the front and one opening toward the rear. The front side is closed by a front side plate l6 held in place by a countersunk screw l l and by a projecting screw [8 threaded into the body The rear side is closed by a rear side plate l9 similarly held in place by screws similar to 11 or, if desired, formed integral with the body H.

The invention includes a self-locking clamping means 20 for clamping a wire or other cylindrical element with its end extending in the space I5. This means is illustrated as a toggle means, preferably a toggle-acting vise means including toggle jaws 2| and 22 pivoted to swing from a closed or clamping position, shown by full lines in Fig. 4, to an open or retracted position, the maximum open position being indicated by dotted lines 23 of Fig. 4.

The jaws 2| and 22 respectively provide forward ends 24 and 25 adjacent each other and rear ends 26 and 21.

A strong pivot means or hinge means is required to withstand the toggle forces involved in the clamping operation and subsequent deforming operation. In this connection, I prefer to form each jaw with front and rear trunnions 28 and 29 respectively pivoting in one of two openings St in the front plate i8 and in one of two openings 3| in the rear plate it. In addition, the rear ends 26 and 27 of the jaws provide convex surfaces turning in surface contact with correspondingly shaped walls of arcuate channels 33 and EM formed in the body II and facing each other to open on, and in part determine the boundaries of, the space i5. The upper portion of the body provides relatively massive hook- like lips 35 and 36 forming these arcuate channels 33 and 34, the channels extending transversely of the space i5 from one side of the body to the other. Outward forces, arising from the toggle action of the jaws 2| and 22, can thus be transmitted directly to the body H through extensive-area bearing surfaces.

The jaws 2| and 22 thus form a trap-door-lilze structure for the upper end of the space l5. The formed ends 24 and 25 of these jaws are downwardly displaceable and provide for the clamping of ends of wires or other elements of various sizes. In this connection, each forward end provides an end surface 48 disposed angularly with respect to the midplane of the jaw, the

two end surfaces being substantially parallel or actually in contact, if no wire is inserted, when the jaws are in closed. position.

Gripping surfaces are formed on the forward ends of the jaws 2| and 22. Preferably, each end surface 48 carries a plurality of substantially semicircular cavities 49 of progressively different size, the cavities of one jaw being opposite correspondingly sized cavities of the other jaw and cooperating therewith in defining a plurality of element-clamping spaces 50 of different size. If desired, the inner walls of the cavities 49 may be roughened to give a firmer grip on the wire or other element but smooth walls are entirely satisfactory with .the large toggle-applied clamping forces involved.

If the end of the wire or other element is to be flared, the lower end of each element-clamping space 50 may be enlarged to form acorrespondingly shaped cavity 53. This cavity is formed half by one jaw and half by the other.

A suitable gear means is preferablyprovided so that the jaws 2! and 22 will swing together and so as to insure simultaneous and earn-angular movement thereof. The preferred gear means includes two gear segments 55 and 58 respectively connected to the forward'faces of the jaws 2i and 2 2 as by dowels 51 extending from these jaws into correspondingly sized openingsof the gear segments. These gear segments extend and move in indented spaces '58 in the forward face of the body II and eachspace provides a shoulder 59 which may be designed to be engaged by a corner 69 of the adjacent gear segment to limit the movement of it and its jaw toward closed position. The gear segments carry teeth 6! meshing with each other and formed on pitch circles concentric with the axis of the trunnions 28, 29. Movement of one jaw thus insures equal movement of the other.

In addition, the jaws are preferably urged toward their closed or clamping position. This may be accomplished by forming a tab 63 on the gear segment 55 and extending outward through an opening 64 of the front plate i6. One end of a spring 65 extends beneath the tab 63, this spring extending around a shouldered portion of the projecting screw 18 and having its other end tensioned by a pin 66 of the front plate Hi. In view of the geared connection between the jaws, spring tension need be applied to only one of the jaws to be effective on both.

While clamped between the jaws 2i and 22, the end of the wire or other element is deformed or headed by upward movement of a corresponding deforming member l0. A plurality of these members H! of progressively increasing size slide in corresponding holes H of the body H. Each deforming member includes a pressure-exerting end, here shown as a tapered punch 12, extending into the space l and axially aligned with its corresponding element-clamping space 50. Each deforming member has a head 73 which may engage the bottom of the body H to limit its upward movement.

The heads 13 are simultaneously moved upward by engagement with a shoulder 14 of a pressure member 75. This pressure member is moved upward by suitable connection to an operating handle 16, being shown as being integral therewith. The operating handle 16 is bifurcated to provide arms 11 on opposite sides of the body ll and pivoted thereto by a pin 18. A looped spring 80 resiliently urges the handles l2 and 16 apart.

The tool is very easily assembled and disassembled. With one or both plates [6, [9 removed, the jaws 2! and 22 can be slid into place transversely of the body H with the convex surfaces of the jaws in the arcuate channels 33 and 34. The gear segments and 56 can be in place at this time or later inserted. The side plate or plates are then secured in place and the spring hooked behind the pin 66.

The operation of the device, when used for heading a wire, is as follows. The end of the wire is inserted in the correspondingly-sized element-clamping space 50 until its end face engages the tip of the tapered punch 12. This movement will spread the jaws 2| and 22 slightly, displacing each of them slightly toward open position against the action of the spring 65. Any pressure tending to withdraw the wire will be resisted by an increased clamping of the jaws against the wire, due to the toggle action. As the handles 12 and F6 are squeezed, all of the deforming members H? are moved upward. That one of the deforming members below the end of the clamped wire will be forced against the wire to deform or upset it andform 'a head or enlargement thereon. The shape of this head will be determined by the shape of the cavity -53 and the punch 12. A typical shape is shown in Fig.6 which shows a wire-82 providing a head 83 having an annular tapered surface 84, conforming to the taper of the cavity 53, and an indented conical surface 85, corresponding to the shape of the tapered punch 72.

During the deformation, the upward pressure exerted by the deforming members will be resisted by the toggle action of the jaws, the clamping action increasing with the upward pressure, thus permitting large deforming forces without slippage of the wire. When the wire is to be removed, itis necessary merely to apply downward pressure to one of the jaws to swing it and the other jaw into open position whereupon the headed wire canberemoved.

While the invention has been exemplified as upsetting the end of a wire it should be clear that it can deform the ends of other cylindrical elements and that the shape of the cavity 53 and punch '12 can be modified to produce the desired enlargement. It will be clear also that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the-invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for deforming the end of a cylindrical element, the combination of: a body providing a pair of hinge means; a toggle-acting vise means for receiving and retaining the end of said cylindrical element and comprising a pair of toggle jaws respectively pivoting about said hinge means and providing forward ends adjacent each other and movable from an open position in which said ends are spaced from each other and disposed beyond a line joining said-hinge means to a clamping position in which said ends are beyond said line but closer to each other and to said line than when in said openposition, said forward ends providing gripping surfaces -to engage and grip the end of said cylindrical'element when disposed therebetween; a deforming member including a pressure-exerting end; means for mounting said deforming member to move relative to said bodyand axially toward said end of said cylindrical element when gripped by said toggle jaws; and means for moving said deforming member perpendicular to said line and in a direction extending from said open to said clamping position of said toggle jaws to press said pressure-exerting end against the end of said cylindrical element to tighten the grip of the jaws on said element, and to deform same.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said body provides a space and in which said hinge means comprise arcuate channels facing said space, said toggle jaws providing rear ends comprising convex bearing surfaces respectively disposed in said arcuate channels.

3. In a device for deforming the end of a cylindrical element, the combination of: a body providing a space open at one end and open on at least one side, said body providing two arcuate channels facing said space and extending from side to side thereof; a side plate for closing said side of said space; two toggle jaws normally extending across the open end of said space and providing forward ends adjacent each other and rear ends comprising convex bearing surfaces respectively in said arcuate channels; means for pivoting said toggle jaws to said side plate to move with said convex bearing surfaces within said arcuate channels, said movement being from an open position in which said forward ends are spaced from each other within said space to a clamping position in which said forward ends are closer to each other and closer to a line joining said arcuate channels, said forward ends providing gripping surfaces to engage and grip the end of said cylindrical element when disposed therebetween; a deforming member including a pressure-exerting end; and means for moving said deforming member perpendicular to said line and in a direction extending from said open to said clamping position of said toggle jaws to force said pressure-exerting end against the end of said cylindrical element to tighten the grip of the jaws on said element, and to deform same.

4. In a device for deforming an end of an elongated element, the combination of a tool body providing an operating axis; clamping means comprising a pair of toggle jaws pivoted on said tool body for holding the elongated element with its axis substantially coinciding with said operating axis, said jaws being movable in the direction of said operating axis from an open position on one side of a line connecting the points of pivotal connection of said jaws to said body to a clamping position on the same side of, but closer to said line; a deforming member carried by said tool body and movable relative thereto along said operating axis into engagement with the elongated element when the latter is held by said clamping means; and means for moving said deforming member perpendicular to said line and in a direction extending from said open to said clamping position of said toggle jaws into engagement with said end of the elongated element to tighten the grip of the jaws on said element, and to deform said end.

WILLIAM A. VINSON.

REFERENCES CITED ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 116,012 Beecher June 20, 1871 126,549 Howard May 7, 1872. 240,174 Pearce Apr. 12, 1881 968,874 Morgan Aug. 30, 1910 1,433,775 Bowman Oct. 31, 1922 1,977,164 Wilcox Oct. 16, 1934 2,005,487 Zemanek June 18, 1985 2,221,228 Maupin Nov. 12, 1940 2,302,794 Neukirch Nov. 24, 1942 2,415,896 Marsh Feb. 18, 1947

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