US2868050A

US2868050A - Workpiece feed device

Info

Publication number: US2868050A
Application number: US538601A
Authority: US
Inventors: Irving F Weiss
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-10-05
Filing date: 1955-10-05
Publication date: 1959-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 1976-01-13

Description

1959 I. F. WEISS 2,868,050

WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. IRVING F WEISS 13, 1959 I'. F. WZEISS WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Filed Oct. 5. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N/ N. E v t W 1 mm ow INVENTOR. IRVING E WEISS m \m an mm nihwmwwwwmV. mat

I. F. WEISS WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Jan. 13, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1955 INVENTOR. IRVING E WEISS United States Patent WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Irving F. Weiss, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 5, 1955, Serial No. 538,601

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) This invention relates in general to feed devices to feed workpieces one by one to a work device, and relates more particularly to an electrical crimping tool for applying terminals to conductor wires, the crimping tool having a magazine supply of such terminals adapted to feed one at a time to the crimping jaws.

Crimping of electrical connectors and terminals to conductors in an old and well known process, and very satisfactory hand and power tools to carry out such process are now also well known.

However, at least in the case of hand tools, it has been necessary prior to this invention to pick up one terminal and place it on a conductor, and thereafter pick up a crimping tool and crimp the terminal in place. Although feed devices have no doubt been considered and proposed, no satisfactory feed device has been achieved. The electrical industry, particularly the builders of installations made to specifications, has been wasting untold man hours in unnecessary tool handling.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a feed device which will supply electrical terminals one by one in series to a crimping head in timed relationship to the crimping operation of the work jaws.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a feed device which will successively advance workpieces to a tool device having relatively closable work members.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a track for feeding workpieces to a work station and to provide cooperating releasable detention members which will alternately block off portions of a series of workpieces progressing along the said track to thereby present such workpieces to a work station in an individual series.

Yet another object of the present invention is to relate the operation of the release control of such workpieces from the track means to the cooperating work device to which the feed device supplies the workpieces.

And yet another object of the present invention is to make such control device operate responsively to the relative position of the work jaws and be manually operable to permit indexing of the system prior to the normal indexing which would be produced by mechanical operation.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had-by referring to the following specification and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a pivoted hand tool for crimping electrical terminals upon a wire conductor, together with the control mechanism and forward portion of a feed track embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus set forth in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front view of the tool and the associated feeding apparatus of the present invention, this view being on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2 and indicating 'ice the closed position of the tool in crimping action upon a terminal workpiece;

Figure 4 is a side view as shown in Figure 2, on the enlarged scale used in Figure 3, indicating in more detail the physical construction embodied to carry out the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the jaws of the crimping tool partially opened and the end terminal removed as would be the case after having been attached to a conducting wire; and

Figure 7 is a side view of the opening condition of the tool with the control means being released from the detent by the releasing lever.

The primary purpose for which the present invention was developed is to provide a series of electrical terminals in a feed device and place the terminals one at a time between the jaws of the crimping tool. The feed device holds the terminals against moving through the crimp device until the jaws of the crimping device actually close upon the barrel of the terminal. After the crimping device has gripped the barrel of the terminal this invention then releases the crimped terminal and the terminal may be removed with its attached wire from the tool. Thereafter the entire series of terminals is indexed one step forward to present the next terminal in the series into position for crimping. Thus, without attention by the operator, the terminals are placed into position wherein wires may be successively inserted into terminals and crimped upon the terminals.

' The drawings illustrate how the preferred embodiment of the invention has been developed for carrying out the specific object of providing a feed device to serve a crimping tool. In Figures 1 and 2 a pivoted hand tool 10 is set forth as the environment for the invention, although it is to be understood that a power operated device carrying relatively closable work jaws is just as suitably adapted for cooperation with the feed device of this invention. Hand tool 10 has a first handle 11 and a second handle 12 for convenient manual operation. Handles 11 and 12 are pivoted about a pivot point 13.

Work jaws

14 and 15 extend on the side of the pivot 13 opposite the handles 11 and 12. The tool 10 is conventional in principle and such tools are well known and understood in the art. The particular tool illustrated has a saddle recess 16 in the lower jaw into which a barrel of a terminal may seat. The top jaw 15 is provided with a crimp rib 17 to crush the terminal seated in the saddle 16. Such crushing action firmly unites a terminal and a conductor wire in a good mechanical and electrical union.

Such tools as the tool 10 have been used prior to this invention by manually placing the barrel end of a terminal between the jaws and closing the handles to provide a light holding grip. Thereafter a wire conductor was inserted into the barrel and the handles then actuated to crush the terminal upon the wire. Many hand operations are thus required, as will readily be understood. According to this invention a track 20 is associated with the lower jaw 14 and provides a longitudinal guide-way formation shaped to confine a series of the workpieces, in this case electrical terminals, to a longitudinal path of movement along the track. In the embodiment iilustrated in the drawings, the track has a side rail 21 and a side rail 22 which define a longitudinal passageway 23 therealong. A common type of electrical terminal is the type having an eyelet portion and a closed barrel. In Figure 5 the formation of such terminals may be best seen. These terminals are referred to by the reference character 26 having eyelet portion 27 and a closed barrel 28. Other shapes of workpieces and terminals may be accommodated by a properlyjor nedtraekdevice whieh presents surface'meansYo confine a series of the workpieces to a longitudinal pathof travel. The longitudinal Pee e w fi n thei ll st ated rre er eismhed nem to terminals holds the terminals in a ngi dinal slide Pa by Fq flfifllfl tbererele ss aten .2 t2 E Q1 h massa way 23,,and thebar e1 therebetween. V I

Something e de ste.urses ne; .te. sa fia n the track. Noparticular means has been illustrated in (the drawings. Grav ity or a spring are examples of;convenient means. The track 20 may be curved upwardlyin order that the weight of the terminals 26 may cause the series toslide throughthepassageway 23. ln facnithe track may extend to an overhead automatic-orientation device for a continuous snpply. A .spring similar to the spring employedtor forcing staples through a stapling machine is also a means for urging the terminals to move along the track. 2

The track 20 terminates on the lower portion thereof in a downwardly extending holding and support bracket portion 24. "Bolts 25 may then be employed to secure the bracket 24 to the lower jaw 14 of tool 10. Thus the longitudinal path of travel established by the traek device 2.0 may be accurately aligned with the saddle 16 and the track 2 permanently established with the lower jaw 14 anon-0 150 whetherthat jaw 14 be a movable or fixed jaw. In the a case of the hand tool, of course, jaw 14 is as movable as the upperjaw 15. V V

A trac k establishing a longitudinal pathto the saddle with means behind the series of terminals in that track wouldnot be satisfactory withoutsome means of eau sing thelfirst terminal in the series to be presented to the crimping device independently of the balance of the series. Without such a device theentire series wouldflow t ou th iaw e t e .t e a d al tr t e e t w i w Wereep ned- As maybe possiblybest seen in Figure}, a pair. of coe e e ing re a n r o hol v e a e yed to present the 'tertninals successively one by one-to the crimping device. l lachof the terminals 26 in the track may be said-to have a multiple number of positions. Thus, afirst and second position are established at and next to, respectively the terminus of the track. In Figure 3 pin devices 30 are carried by the holding and support bracket 24. The pin devices 30 have pin finger portions 31 which are extendable upwardly across the longitudinal path established by the track 20, as maybe best seen by examination of Figure 5. In'Figure 5 it will be seen that when the finger portions 31 are extended across the longitudi nal path, theeyelet portion 27 of the first position terminal 26 will wedgebetween the pins and come to afixed forward stop position. Proper placement of the pin portions 31 therefore will cause the barrel portion 28 of the terminal to be prpperly positioned in the saddle'lfi. Furthermore, holding of the first position terminal will Step h m eme t 91 the eatirese ieeof t rm nat .A i Spring/32 i P YlQ E 9 .F F 1 Pillfil PQ t 31 to a first position across .thelongitudinal path."

A second holding means in the form ofa pronged retainer device is'provided tohold the series by engaging the eyelet portion of the secondterininalin the seris. The retainer 40 has two spaced prongs or pins 41 which e d do nwa e ree th lon i u ina P t esta lished by traclcZtB to a first or'retaining position. Extension of the prong pins 41 across the path may also be best understood by examination of Figure 5.

Operationof the spring devices 30 is coordinated with operation of the prong retainer 40. In the illustratedembodiment this coordination is accomplished by the pro.- vision of a pressure foot 31; which is hooked to the bottom of track device20 by means of a hook 3.4. Foot 33 rests on a collar portion of each of these pin devices 30. The pron p ns e de e 40 ereef i fi en en te qnme t e e 3. a te th in slh e ex en d ent y across the path of the track 20. Therefore complete .blq h ns .Q th e ie o rm e e y the r ai 4 required before the pin devices 30 can be moved to a second position releasing the series. Of course, release of the series under such circumstances by the pin devices 30 in effect releases only the first position terminal because the balance of the series is engaged and retained by the retainer 40 prior to release by. the pin devices 30.

The operation of both the retainer 40 and the pin devices 30 is associated -with closing of the work jaw members of the crimping tool by supplying the operating power from the top jaw 15.

In the illustrated embodiment 4 of the invention, the prong retainer 40 has an upwardly extending catch member 42. A spring-detent 43 carried-by the track 20 provides a catch which holds the retainer 40 in the first position blocking movement of the terminals in the track. Upward movement is deterred by the detent spring 43 until the device 40 is releasedfrornretention of the detent.

A detent release device 45,.which may be seen in its entirety in Figure 2 of the drawings, is employed to actuate and release thevprong retainer 40. The device 45 is adapted for mechanical or manual control. A bar portion 46 of the detent release device 45 is pivotally mounted 'by-means of pivot 47 on the handle 12. The forward end of bar 46 is provided with laterally extending

fingers

49 and 5 as may best be seen and understood in FigureS of the drawings. A -tab 51 extending from bar 46 is engaged with the handle 11. The engagement with the handle' 11 may be a contact engagement, but preferablyis provided tosupply a self acting release movement of bar 46. To supply such self acting release movement, a pin bolt 52 extendingfrom the handle 11 resides and operates within the cam slot,53 cut out of the tab 51. The operation ofthe pin bolt 52 and the slot 53 will be better understood and more fully explained after the operation of the entire detent release device hasbeen set forth.

However, because the top of theslot153 will engagethe pi 'tbe' t '5 e s n me eme t o t e ha e .11 dwl will cause the' bar 46 to. pivot with the closing of the

jaws

14 and 15. The finger 49 will therefore contact the top of the catch 42 and move the pronged retainer 40 from the release second position to the retainer first position as the work jaws 1'4 and 15 close together. Thus, crimping of the terminal in the first position causes the prongs or pins 41 to move across the longitudinal path and hold the series of-terminals, and at the same time will cause the pin portions 31 of the pin devices 30 to move from the first or retaining position to the second release position. This describedcondition is set forth in *Figure'3. A wire 44 is inserted into the barrel of the first position terminal prior to such crimping action and the terminal is then secured to the wire.

After such attachment of the first position terminal to the wire 44,-the handles 11 and 12 are released and will open under the urge of spring '35.. As the jaw'15 parts from the jaw 14, the pressure of the finger 49 is released from the'catch member 42 The pronged retainer 40 is urged to the upward second release position by any suitable means, but preferably by its own resiliency. The retainer 40 may be attached to the track 20 a distance from the terminus ofthe track20, and by providing the-structure thereof of 'a spring material, the natural urge of the device 40 will be to the-second or released position. Therefore the catch 42 will tend to follow upwardly with the finger49 upon opening of the work 'jaws. Upward movement permits the springs 32 to force the pin finger portions 31 upwardly to the first or retaining position. However, the detent 43 will not permit upward movement until released. Opening movement of the jaws releases the first terminal, "but does not immediately release the detent holding actionbecauseof the. slo ttedinterconnection of the control bar tothe handle. Release of the detent will take Plac mechani a ly. a r t e l s p to t e xte t a the bottom of the' cam slot engages pin 52, causing bar 45 to pivot and raise finger 50 against the catch 42 and forcejthe catch out of the detent.

Slot 53 is insufliciently long to permit complete opening of the handles 11 and 12 upon first contact of the bottom' of slot 53 and pin bolt 52. Note the sloping configuration of the slot 53. Complete opening requires the bar 46 and consequently the tab 51 to pivot about the pivot 47. Thus the slot 53 is provided with a sufiicient width to permit such pivotal movement. The original relative movementof pin 52 and slot 53 is along the forward wall of the slot 53 until the pin 52 contacts the bottom surface of the slot 53, whereupon further opening movement requires relative movement of the pin 52 along the bottom of the slot to the rearward portion of the slot.

Upon removal of the attached terminal, if the operator of the particular hand tool does not wish to open the handles 11 and 12 completely, the operator may press a thumb button 48 on the bar 46 and cause the finger 50 to move upwardly against the bottom of catch 42 and force the release of the pronged retainer 40.

The crushed terminal must be forcibly removed, such as by pulling on the wire, before the detent is released to index the series. Experience will teach an operator the extent of permissible handle opening before such automatic release of the detent will take place.

Therefore, the original opening movement of the

jaws

14 and 15 does not affect the indexing mechanism while the crushed terminal is being removed. Complete removal of the pins 41 is accomplished by the release of the catch 42 as described. Pins 31 return to their holding position along with the release of the pins 41 in a reversal of the movement which resulted as the jaws were closed. Upon such release the prongs or pins 41 move to the second or release position and allow the series of terminals to progress forward in the track. Such forward progression is limited to the length of one terminal, however, because the pin portions 31 are in position to engage the series and bring the series to a halt with the next terminal of the series held in the first position shown in Figure 5 and ready for a repeat of the cycle.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A feed device for successively advancing workpieces to a tool device having relatively closable work members, said feed device comprising, a track means having guide surfaces shaped to confine a series of the workpieces to a longitudinal path of movement along the track means, said track means having a terminus positioned to project said path of movement between said closable work mem bers, a first stop means extendable to a first position into said path of movement in a position to engage a workpiece and hold the workpiece at said terminus with a portion of the workpiece extended beyond the terminus into a work receiving position between said closable work members, said first stop means retractable to a second release position, a second stop means extendable to a first position into said path of movement in a position to engage and hold a workpiece second in series to the workpiece at said terminus engaged by the first stop means, and control means coordinated with the relative movement of the work members in control of said first and second stop means causing said first stop means to move from said first to said second position and said second stop means to move from the second to the first position upon closing of the work members upon the first workpiece in the series, said control means acting in response to parting of said work members to first move the first stop means from the second to the first position and thereafter move the second stop means fromthe first to the second position.

2. A tool for crimping terminals upon electrical conductors, comprising, first and second relatively closable work jaw members, said work jaw members having co operating work surfaces shaped to crush a terminal upon a conducting wire, a track member associated with said second work jaw, said track member having surface means confining a series of terminals to a longitudinal path of travel, means to urge a series of terminals along said longitudinal path, said track member directing said path to a terminus having a first workpiece position wherein a workpiece in said first workpiece position projects between said cooperating work surfaces of the first and second jaw members, a second workpiece position following the first position in series, a first holding means at said first workpiece position in the form of a first pin means extendable across said longitudinal path as an interference means against which a surface of a terminal may abut and be held in said first position, said first pin means having a first position extended across said path and a release second position withdrawn from the path to allow free forward movement of terminals along said path, a second holding means at said second workpiece position in the form of second pin means extendable across said path as an interference means against which a surface of a terminal may abut and be held in said second workpiece position, said second pin means having first and second positions like said first pin means, retaining means urging said first pin means to said first position, releasing means urging said second pin means to said second position, drive means to move said first pin means from said first to said second position, said second pin means positioned to contact and operate said drive means after the second pin means has moved to said first position, one-way drive means from said first work jaw to said second pin means arranged only to move said second pin means from said second to said first position as the jaw members close, said drive means releasing said second pin means upon opening movement of the jaw members said second pin means thereafter being urged to said second position by the force of said releasing means, detent means holding said first and second pin means to said second and first positions respectively after opening of the jaw members, and means to release said detent means for return of the first and second pin means to their original positions.

3. A tool for crimping terminals upon electrical conductors, comprising, first and second relatively closable work jaw members, said work jaw members having cooperating work surfaces shaped to crush a terminal upon a conducting wire, a track member associated with said second work jaw, said track member having surface means confining a series of terminals to a longitudinal path of travel, means to urge a series of terminals along said longitudinal path, said track member directing said path to a terminus having a first workpiece position wherein a workpiece in said first workpiece position projects between said cooperating work surfaces of the first and second jaw members, a second workpiece position following the first position in series, a first holding means at said first workpiece position in the form of a first pin means extendable across said longitudinal path as an interference means against which a surface of a terminal may abut and be held in said first position, said first pin means having a first position extended across said path and a release second position withdrawn from the path to allow free forward movement of terminals along said path, a second holding means at said second workpiece position in the form of second pin means extendable across said path as an interference means against which a surface of a terminal may abut and be held in said second position, said second pin means having first and second positions like said first pin means, retaining means urging said first pin means to said first position, releas- 7 ing means urging said -second-pi-n -means to said second position, drive means to move said firsbpin means from said first to said second-position; said second-pin means positioned to contact and'operate'said'drive means as the second pin means-moves tosaid first -position,-one-way drive means--from--said first work jawto-said second pin means arrangedonly to move said seeond'pin' means from saidsecondto said-first position asthe jaw membersclose, said drive means releasing said second pinmeans -upon opening movement of the jaw members said second pin means thereafter'being urged to said second position by the force of.said releasing means, detent means holding .s i s ond Pin meansan 1hmt t fi p nmean in .vs fir anflsewa res. 9 r spe v y; means .t release said detent rneansjor final retur n of the second P mea to sai se n po ition,v s i mea including a pivoted lever: having a finger end positioned to -eontact' said second pin meansand push thesecondpin means out-ofsaid detent,-said pivoted lever having a manual control and a mechanical interconnection associated with the jawmembers, the mechanical interconnection being operative uponsubstantially full parting of the-jaW-members,- and' the manual control being operative at willwith the jawsonlypartially opened.

-'References-Cited in the file of this patent U ITED STATE PAT NT