US3135043A - Extraction tool - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1.3964 J. D. ANDERSON ETAL 3,135,043

EXTRACTION TOOL.

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INVENTORS JVA/5 0. waff-eso# United States Patent O York y Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,362

4 Claims. (Cl.-29270) This invention relates to extraction tools for connectors, and more particularly, to a tool to remove individual contact elements from a mounting panel or connector.

It is common to assemble a electrical connector or a panel board with a plurality of individual contact elements, which elements may be individually inserted into the connector and be individually removed therefrom. These contact elements are generally made with some spring subelement which will interlock with the connector housing and retain the contact element in place. Removal of the Contact element necessitates a prior depression or disengagement of the interlocking spring subelements from the connector housing.

Since most of these contact elements are cylindrical in shape and have their interlocking spring subelements peripherially located, extraction tools therefor have been generally of a tubular nature, adapted to fit over the contact and cam down the springs. Included within the tube is a plunger adapted to push the contact out of its mounting hole. The contacts must have some angular freedom of movement within their mounting holes, and when the tubular sleeve is inserted into the mounting hole it may not align itself with the contact, and as either the sleeve or plunger is pressed forward, the Contact may be damaged.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an extraction tool adapted to extract contact elements from their mounting holes, and which will automatically align itself with the contact prior to the disengagement of the springs, preventing damage to the contact during its extraction.

A feature of this invention is an extraction tool including a spring-loaded sleeve and an included, coaxially disposed, spring-loaded plunger, so adapted and arranged that upon insertion of the tool into the connector assembly the plunger rst engages the contact and aligns the tool with the contact; secondly, the sleeve surrounds the contact and depresses its interlocking springs; and thirdly, the plunger pushes the Contact out of its mounting hole.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a View in elevation and partially in crosssection of a tool embodying this invention, and an exemplary contact; and

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the three stages of the extraction operation.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference character 1 indicates a plunger having a head 1a which is biased by a relatively weak, e.g. 1 ounce, compression spring 2. Coaxial with the plunger 1 is a sleeve 3 having a tubular head 3a which is biased by a relatively strong, e.g. 8 pounds, compression spring 4. A handle 5 having a threaded stub 5a, a reduced stub Sb, and a still further reduced stub 5c; and a housing 6 are provided to complete the assembly. Spring 4 is coaxially disposed on stub 5b and compressed between tubular head 3a of sleeve 3, and shoulder 5a of thread stub 5a. Spring 2 is coaxially disposed on stub 5c and compressed between head 1a of punger 1 and shoulder 5b of stub 5b. Housing 6 surrounds the heads 1a and 3a, springs 2 and 4, and is threaded onto threaded stub 5a.

Patented June 2, 1964 ICC . 2 -The operation of the i001 is illustrated in F1os. 2, As', and 4. Referring to FIG. 2 first, a panel 20 having a hole 2l with shoulders 22 and 23 is illustrated. Disposed within thehole is a female-cup-socket type contact 30 having a ridge 31 which abuts shoulder 23 and a plurality of spring elements or locking ears 32 which abut shoulder 22 to lock the contact 30 in the hole 21. A cup 33 may be provided to limit the opening of the contact. When the tool is rst inserted, the cone shaped tip of plunger 1 enters the cup 33 of the contact 30 and aligns the cup with the tool. The plunger is but lightly biased by its spring 2, and upon meeting resistance from the cup 33, retracts within the sleeve 3, compressing spring 2. As the operator continues to force the tool forward, sleeve 3, which is now aligned with contact 30, slips over the contact and cams down the locking ears 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, sleeve 3 has now depressed locking ears 32 and abuts shoulder 22 of the mounting hole 21. As the operator continues to move the handle forward, spring 4 is partially compressed due to the resistance oiered by shoulder 22, and handle stub 5c eventually abuts plunger head la. Considering now FIG. 4, as the handle is moved further forward, handle stub 5c forces plunger head 1a and plunger i forward, putting pressure on cup 33 and expelling contact 30 from the mounting hole 2i. The tool is then extracted from the hole.

It will be noted that weak spring 2 adapts plunger 1 to align contact 30 with the tool, but does not put heavy pressure on the contact 30 and its locking ears 32, binding the ears against the cavity shoulder 22. Heavy spring 4 adapts sleeve 3 to apply sufficient pressure on locking ears 32 to depress the ears, and yet permit the sleeve 3 to retract relatively into the tool so that handle stub 5c may abut plunger 1 and push the contact out of its mounting hole.

The invention has thus been described but it is desired to be understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or usages shown and described. The same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other Ways without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore, the right is broadly claimed to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appendant claims, and by means of which objects of this invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to obtain these objects and accomplish these results.

We claim:

1. A tool, for removing an electrical Contact having circumferentially disposed interlocking spring elements, from a housing interlocked therewith, comprising: a substantially tubular operating handle having an open end; a tubular sleeve, telescopically disposed within said handle, having an exposed end portion projecting beyond said handle open end for engaging and for applying an axial force to the interlocking elements of a contact within a housing to unlock said elements from said housing; strong spring means, coaxially disposed within said handle for resiliently transmitting force from said handle to said sleeve, and for biasing said sleeve outwardly through said handle open end; a substantially cylindrical plunger telescopically disposed within said sleeve for engaging and applying axial force to a contact; weak spring means, coaxially disposed within said handle, coupled between said handle and said plunger for resiliently transmitting axial force to said plunger to eject a contact from within said housing after said interlocking spring elements have been unlocked from said housing.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein the force-applying end of said plunger extends beyond the exposed end of said sleeve, when said springs are in their undeflected positions, to permit initial engagement of said plunger and said contact outside said sleeve.

3. A tool for removing an electrical contact, in accordance with claim 1, further including means for transmitting force directly from said handle to said plunger, to directly eject a contact, after said plunger has been displaced inwardly an axial distance su'icient to permit said tubular sleeve to engage and unlock the interlocking elements of said contact.

4. A tool for removing an electrical contact, in accordance with claim 3, whereinsaid means for transmitting force directly from said handle to said plunger comprises an internal axial projection on said handle positioned to engage the end of said plunger Within said handle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,472,833 HeroldV Nov. 6, 1923 1,552,087 Smith Sept. 1, 1925 1,851,126 Mikkelsen Mar. 29, 1932 2,736,088 Thygeson Feb 28, 1956 2,742,689 Rocha Apr. 24, 1956 2,853,774 Peterson Sept. 30, 1958

Claims (1)

1. A TOOL, FOR REMOVING AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPOSED INTERLOCKING SPRING ELEMENTS, FROM A HOUSING INTERLOCKED THEREWITH, COMPRISING: A SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR OPERATING HANDLE HAVING AN OPEN END; A TUBULAR SLEEVE, TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HANDLE, HAVING AN EXPOSED END PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND SAID HANDLE OPEN END FOR ENGAGING AND FOR APPLYING AN AXIAL FORCE TO THE INTERLOCKING ELEMENTS OF A CONTACT WITHIN A HOUSING TO UNLOCK SAID ELEMENTS FROM SAID HOUSING; STRONG SPRING MEANS, COAXIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HANDLE FOR RESILIENTLY TRANSMITTING FORCE FROM SAID HANDLE TO SAID SLEEVE, AND FOR BIASING SAID SLEEVE OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID HANDLE OPEN END; A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL PLUNGER TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE FOR ENGAGING AND APPLYING AXIAL FORCE TO A CONTACT; WEAK SPRING MEANS, COAXIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HANDLE, COUPLED BETWEEN SAID HANDLE AND SAID PLUNGER FOR RESILIENTLY TRANSMITTING AXIAL FORCE TO SAID PLUNGER TO EJECT A CONTACT FROM WITHIN SAID HOUSING AFTER SAID INTERLOCKING SPRING ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN UNLOCKED FROM SAID HOUSING.

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