US3075198A

US3075198A - Crimping tool

Info

Publication number: US3075198A
Application number: US156614A
Authority: US
Inventors: William R Over
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1961-12-04
Filing date: 1961-12-04
Publication date: 1963-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1980-01-29
Also published as: GB946393A; SE305474B; NL286161A; DE1515401A1; CH388411A; NL124457C; BE625631A; DE1515401B2

Description

W. R. OVER CRIMPING TOOL Jan. 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4, 1961 m \Mwmn w PM m n Ji W. R. OVER CRIMPING TOOL Jan. 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1961 United States Patent G1 sprsnss CRIMPENG TGOL Wrlham R. Gver, Union Deposit, Pa, assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Dec. 4, 1961,Ser.No. 156,614 Qlaims. (Cl. I-ll8'7) This invention relates to hand tools for crimping electrical connectors and particularly to a tool having means for feeding terminals or connectors in the form of a strip or belt to a position between the crimping dies.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved manually actuated hand tool having means for feeding connectors in strip or belt form to the crimping zone of the tool. A more specific object is to provide a hand tool having a C-shaped head and having a strip or belt feeding means which permits feeding of terminals or connectors mounted on a relatively wide belt. A further object is to provide a hand tool with belt feeding means in which the dies can not be moved relatively towards each other unless a connector is properly positioned between the dies. A still further object is to provide a hand tool with belt feeding means having an improved method and means for guiding the belt away from the crimping zone after terminals or connectors have been removed therefrom.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a preferred embodiment comprising a hand tool with a G-shaped head and having a fixed die and a movable die mounted in the head. An indexable dial mechanism is mounted on the tool in a plane extending parallel to the plane of the C-shaped head for feeding belt or strip containing terminals to position terminalson the belt between the dies. The belting commonly used is relatively wide and the terminals are mounted in parallel side-byside relationship on the edge of the belt so that the belt normally extends into the plane of the tool. In order to remove the belting from the crimping zone after the terminals have been crimped on the wires and removed from the belt itself, there is provided a deflector surface which reverses the direction of travel of the belt after it leaves the dial mechanism and directs it away from the tool head. The dial is indexed by means of a manually actuated lever disposed in close proximity to the tool handles in a manner such that both the actuating linkage for the dies and the actuating linkage for the indexing mechanism of the dial can be controlled with one hand. This arrangement renders the tool convenient in use since it leaves one hand of the operator free for manipulation of the wire onto which a terminal is to be crimped.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view or" a tool in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the indexing mechanism exploded from the body of the tool.

FIGURE 3 is an end view looking from the right in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a section of belting having electrical connectors secured thereto.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 3, showing the actuating linkage for the crimping dies of the tool in the closed position.

FIGURE 6 is a view taken along the lines 6-5 of FIG- URE 3 and;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along FIGURE 3.

Referring first to FIGURE 4, it is now known to the art to mount electrical connectors or terminals T on a belt in side-by-side parallel relationship by means of a strip S. The belt has evenly spaced perforations P on the opposite side thereof from the connectors so that it the lines 7--7 of estates Patented ran. as, was

can be fed by means of an indexing wheel or similar device to a position between a pair of crimping dies as disclosed in application Serial No. 805,433 filed April 10, 1959, by Martin L. Klingler et al. for Belted Terminal Crimping Tool, now Patent No. 3,037,545, issued June 5, 1962. The present invention relates to an improved manually actuated hand tool for crimping connectors and having a means for feeding the belt to position the leading connector thereon between the crimping dies.

A preferred embodiment as shown in FIGURES 1-3 comprises a tool having a generally C-shaped head 2 and a lower handle it the head portion 2 being formed of a pair of parallel plates and having an upper arm 4 and a lower arm 6. The extensions 8 of the two plates on the lower arm constitute one handle of the tool and are advantageously covered with a hand grip. A block 12 (FIGURE 5) is slida-bly mounted between the plates 2 by means of a pair of guide plates 14 secured to the block on each side by a pin 16 and a pin 44-. These guide plates each have upper extensions 18 which are slotted at 22 to permit their movement past a pin 24 which extends between the plates 2. Lower extensions 20 of the guide plates are similarly slotted at 23 to permit their move ment past a pin 23 which also extends between the frame plates 2. This arrangement is such that the block 12 is, in fact, guided along its path of motion by the slots 22, 23 and the

pins

24, 23.

A hand lever 31 for actuating the tool comprises a pair of plates 3i? secured in spaced apart side-by-side relationship by a block 26 and a fastener 32 which extends through each of the plates 3% and the block 26. Additionally, it will be seen from FIGURE 5 that the pin 24 extends through both of the plates 3% and the block to secure this block between the handle lever plates. The handle lever thus extends between the frame plates 2 and is pivoted to the frame plates for movement towards and away from the handle 1%. Block 26- has a contoured cam surface 29 which engages a roller 3% mounted between ears 36 which extend from one link 33 of a toggle mechanism. This link 38 is pivotally mounted to the frame by means of pin 23 and is pivoted at it; to the other link of the toggle linkage. Link 42 is in turn pivotally connected at 44 to block 12. A spring 46 engages at one end a hook on the end or" link 38 and is anchored to a pin in the handle Ill at its opposite end so that the toggle mechanism is normally broken. It should be mentioned that in FIGURE 5 the dies are shown in the closed position although normally the handles will be spaced apart as in FIGURE 1 and the toggle will be broken. In use, upon movement of the handle 31 towards the handle 36', the contoured cam surface engages roller 34 and straightens the toggle linkage to drive block 12 upwardly. Advantageously, a ratchet device 48 in accordance with US. Patent 2,618,993 is provided to ensure complete closure of the handles and therefore complete crimping of an electrical terminal as explained in the cited patent.

A movable crimping die 54 is mounted on an L-shaped bracket 52 which is in turn secured to a plate 5i). This plate extends downwardly beside the block 12 and is secured or clamped thereto by means of a fastener as shown. The movable die 54 does not rest directly on the upper surface of block 12 but rather upon the head 5d of a set screw so that the shut height of the tool can be adjusted merely by rotation of this set screw. Plate 5d extends upwardly and into a slot or groove in a block 58 mounted between the upper arms 4 of the tool. A tie plate 5'1 is secured to the front of block 58 and extends downwardly between the frame members 2. Beneath the lower surface of block 58 this tie plate Ell has an L-shaped bracket secured thereto which mounts the upper or fixed die es.

It will be apparent from FIGURES 1 and 2 that the terminal or connector must be disposed with its axis extending transversely of the planes of the plates 2. The mechanism for feeding connectors in belt form to position the leading connector on the belt between these dies will now be described.

The feeding mechanism is mounted in a bracket having a web 68 which extends parallel to the plates 2, a top flange 70 which extends inwardly towards the tool and over the block 58 and is clamped thereto by a fastener, and a lower inwardly directed flange 72. The fiange 72 has a foot portion which bears against a plate 73 which, in turn, bears against the outside surface of the adjacent frame plate 2. 'The lower end of the bracket is held in position by fastener 23 which was previously identified as the lower pivotal axis as for the link 38. The sprocket wheel 78 is rotatably mounted on a stationary stub shaft 76 secured in the web 68 of the bracket and has evenly spaced teeth 80 on its periphery for engagement with the perforations P of the belt. wheel has evenly spaced notches 82. A traveler plate 84 is nested within the sprocket wheel and rotatably mounted on stub shaft 76. This sprocket wheel has a chordal section 86 cut away on its face which is against Between the teeth the sprocket the sprocket and a pawl 88 is mounted in this cut-out section on a pivot pin 90. The end 92 of the pawl is urged into the notches in the sprocket wheel by means of'a torsion spring 914 on a pin 96 which extends through the traveler plate. The end 92 of the pawl isso shaped that when the traveler plate is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 7, the sprocket wheel is also rotated in a counterclockwise direction but the traveler plate can rotate clockwise independently of the sprocket wheel. A locking pawl 98 is mounted in the lower portion of the bracket on a pin 100 which extends from the upper end of plate 73. This locking pawl is urged into the notches in the sprocket wheel byrmeans of a torsion spring 102 and its end is so shaped that it permits counterclockwise motion of the sprocket wheel but prevents clockwise motion.

The traveler wheel 'is oscillated by means of a lever 1&4 pivotally mounted on the pin 109 and having at its upper end, as viewed in FIGURE 6, a notch 106 into which extends the projecting end of the pin 90. This lever is normally biased in a clockwise direction to the position of FIGURE 6 by means of a torsion spring 105 on pin 10% which reacts against a pin 107 on the surface of the lever. The upperend of the lever has a circular recess 108 and a generally triangular projection 110 ad jacent thereto. This recess and projection cooperate with a pin 111 on L-shaped die holder 52 which pin extends rearwardly towards the traveler wheel and into the recess 168. This pin prevents movement of the lower die towards the fixed die if the indexing mechanism is not in the position of FIGURE 6 as is described below.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 6, it is necessary to direct the belting B away from the tool body after it has passed the crimping dies for the reason that'this belting is'normally relatively wide and extends into the plane of the main frame members 2. Since the belting can not be disposed of by directing it leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 1, there is provided in the preferred embodiment a

deflector surface

114, 116 on an inwardly directed flange 112 of the web :68. The section 11 4 of this deflector surface is generally tangent to the periphery of the sprocket wheel at a location immediately past the crimping dies. The surface reverses in direction and guides the belting along a generally U-shaped path which extends along the edge of the gap in the adjacent frame member as is shown in FTGURE 6 so that it leaves the indexing mechanism above sprocket wheel and generally parallel to the incoming belting.

It is desirable to loosely clamp the belting against the surface of the sprocket wheel and to' this end there is provided a clamping member 118 mounted on a pin which extends through a sleeve 12% to a lever 122 pivoted at v1241p the web 68. This, lever is normally biased in a manner such that the clamping member is urged against the surface of the sprocket wheel by means of a spring 126.

In use, when it is desired to position an uncrimped terminal between the crimping dies, the operator need only swing the lever 104 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 6. This operation can be performed with one finger while the operator holds the tool in one hand. Ordinarily, when the lever 104 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, the traveller plate and the sprocket wheel will be rotated through an arc sufficient to advance the next adjacent terminal in the belt to a position between the crimping dies. The lever will then return to its initial starting position under the influence of a spring 105. When the indexing lever 104 is in its normal position, the block 12 and the movable die 54 can move upwardly but if, for any reason, the traveller wheel does not return to its initial. position, the pin 111 will engage the edge of the recess 108 and return the traveller wheel to its normal position. This pin also serves to prevent accidental rotation of the lever 104 and the sprocket wheel after the dies have started to move towards each other. The terminal between the dies can not, therefore, be moved-out of its proper position by accidental movement of the lever 104.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently difierent modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

-I claim:

1. A hand tool for crimping electrical connectors onto the ends of wires comprising, a. C-shaped frame member having a fixed crimping die secured to one arm thereof and having a movable crimping die reciprocable towards and away from said fixed crimping die, means for feeding connectors in belt form to a position between said dies comprising a sprocket wheel mounted in a plane extending parallel to said frame member, means for indexing said sprocket thereby to feed said belt towards said frame member and position the leading connector thereon between said dies, and means for reversing the direction of travel of said belt after it passes said dies thereby to remove said belt from the crimping zone of said tool.

2. A hand tool for crimping electrical connectors onto the ends of wires comprising, a, C-shaped frame member having a fixed crimping die secured to one arm thereof and having a movable crimping die reciprocable towards and away from said fixed die, said dies being oriented to crimp an electrical connector having its axis extending normally of the plane of said frame member, means for feeding connectors in belt form to a position between said dies comprising, a sprocket wheel for engagement with said belt, said sprocket wheel being secured to said O- shaped frame member for rotation about an axis extending normally of the plane of said frame whereby, upon indexing of said sprocket said belt is fed between the arms of said C-shaped frame, member and the leading connector thereon is positioned between said dies, and a curved deflecting surface between said arms, said' deflecting surface being tangent tosaid sprocket wheel at one end and curving from its point of tangency in the direction opposite to the direction of belt feed by said sprocket Wheelthereby to guide the end portion of said belt away from said frame member.

3. A hand tool for crimping electrical connectors onto the ends of wires comprising, a C-shaped frame member having a fixed crimping die secured to one arm. thereof and having a. movable crimping die reciprocable towards and away from said fixed die, said dies being oriented to crimp an electrical connector having its axis' extending normally of the. plane ofvsaid frame member,; means for feeding connectors .in belt form to .a position:

between said dies comprising, a sprocket wheel for engagement with said belt, said sprocket wheel being secured to said C-shaped frame member for rotation about an axis extending normally to the plane of said frame whereby, upon indexing of said sprocket said belt is fed between the arms of said C-shaped frame and the leading connector thereon is positioned between said dies, a curved deflecting surface between said arms, said surface being substantially tangent to said sprocket wheel at a location between said dies and said frame, and said surface extending arcuately in the direction opposite to the direction of belt feed by said sprocket wheel whereby, upon indexing of said sprocket, the portion of said belt which has been fed past said dies is guided away from said frame member.

4. A hand tool for crimping electrical connectors onto the ends of wires comprising, a C-shaped frame member having a fixed crimping die secured to one arm thereof and having a movable crimping die reciprocable towards and away from said fixed crimping die, a pair of handles movable relatively towards each other to actuate said movable die, means for feeding connectors in belt form to a position between said dies comprising a sprocket wheel mounted in a plane extending parallel to said frame member, an indexing lever for said sprocket wheel extending parallel to and offset from said handles, said indexing lever being movable substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said handles whereby, said lever is digitally movable while said tool is held in one hand thereby to feed said belt towards said frame member and position the leading connector thereon between said dies, and means for reversing the direction of travel of said belt after it passes said dies thereby to remove said belt from the crimping zone of said tool.

5. A tool as set forth in claim 4 including means on said movable die engageable with said lever when said lever is not in its normal position thereby to prevent movement of said movable die when a connector is not properly positioned.

No references cited.

Claims

1. A HAND TOOL FOR CRIMPING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ONTO THE ENDS OF WIRES COMPRISING, A C-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER HAVING A FIXED CRIMPING DIE SECURED TO ONE ARM THEREOF AND HAVING A MOVABLE CRIMPING DIE RECIPROCABLE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID FIXED CRIMPING DIE, MEANS FOR FEEDING CONNECTORS IN BELT FORM TO A POSITION BETWEEN SAID DIES COMPRISING A SPROCKET WHEEL MOUNTED IN A PLANE EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID FRAME MEMBER, MEANS FOR INDEXING SAID SPROCKET THEREBY TO FEED SAID BELT TOWARDS SAID FRAME MEMBER AND POSITION THE LEADING CONNECTOR THEREON BE-