US3263475A - Twin crimp applicator - Google Patents

Description

1966 L. 1.. J. VAN DE KERKHOF 3,

TWIN CRIMP APPLICATOR Filed July 23, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 2, 1966 I... L. J. VAN DE KERKHOF 3,263,475

TWIN CRIMP APPLICATOR Filed July 23, 1965 Sheets-Sheet 2 1966 L. J. VAN DE KERKHOF 3,253,475

TWIN CRIMP APPLI CATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 25, 1963 g 1965 1.. L. J. VAN ESE KERKHOF 3,263,475

TWIN CRIMP APPLICATOR Filed July 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet i mum-m m 1 H WM 1 u IH MII 1| 'Hliifiilliiiin. 81 82 8A- so I as L 'l L l' l {M MM 1 United States Patent "ice 3,263,475 TWIN CRIMP APPLICATOR Lodevicus Lambertus Johannes van de Kerkhof, s-Hertogeubosch, Netherlands, assignor to AMP, Incorporated,

Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed July 23, 1963, Ser. No. 297,031 Claims priority, application Netherlands, July 25, 1962, 281,370 8 Claims. (Cl. 72-381) The present invention relates to and has for an object the provision of an applicator for crimping simultaneously both conductors of a twin wire.

Electrical twin wire consists of a pair of insulated electrically conductive cores, the insulation of the two cores being joined along the entire length of the wire in order that the cores are retained in parallel juxtaposed relationship. The insulation is usually made of synthetic plastic material, with the insulation of one wire being integrally formed with that of the other. 7

It is advantageous to crimp simultaneously electrical connectors to the bared conductor core ends of both wires of a length of twin wire, preferably by a crimping press or applicator having two juxtaposed spaced ferrule crimping die sets. Ordinarily, the distance between the before-mentioned crimping die sets is greater than the space between the two wire ends. In particular, where the twin wire is of high flexibility, it is rather difiicult and time consuming manually to position the wire ends between the crimping die sets.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for crimping twin wire comprising a pair of juxtaposed spaced connector ferrule crimping die sets. A still further object of the invention is to provide a wire separating mechanism actuable to separate the wires by relative movement betwen the wires and a wire separating blade. A still further object of this invention is the provision for locating each wire core end in an electrical.

connector ferrule disposed between the dies of the crimp ing die sets.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings; it is to be understood however, that the embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The preferred embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in elevation of part of a press for crimping electrical connectors;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the part shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the lower portion of the assembly as shown in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the wire separating mechanism of the press of FIGURE 1 in one position of operation;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the detail shown in FIGURE 4 in a subsequent position of operation;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a strip of electrical connectors for use with an assembly according to the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a length of twin wire prepared for use with an assembly according to the invention; and

3 ,Z63,475 Patented August 2, 1966 FIGURE 8 is a view of another embodiment of the press.

Reference will now be made to the apparatus, referring first to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

A press ram 2, for the sake of clarity only a portion of the ram is shown, has mounted thereon a wire separating blade 4 which is of a generally rectangular crosssectional shape having on its frontal face a longitudinally extending knife-like rib 5 and blade side walls 100 and 102 which smoothly converge at the bottom of the said blade at a common point.

A first connector crimping die 6 having two crimping recesses 8 and 10, a second connector crimping die 12 having a further similar pair of crimping recesses (not shown) and a connector strip shear blade 14 are also mounted on the ram.

Also aflixed on the ram are two bolts 16, which are located on either side of the ram and are axially slidable upwardly in vertical guidepaths as best seen in FIGURES 1 or 2. Bolts 16 are retained in a holder 18 against the action of springs 20. A microswitch assembly 22 is provided and has an actuating blade 24 extending between the shear blade 14 and second crimping die 12, the microswitch being suitably connected to means for initiating a cycle of press upon actuation. The first and second connector strip shear plates 26 and 28 are separated from one another by a spacer plate 30 and the first and second shear plates are arranged beneath the connector strip shear blade 14. A crimping anvil 32 for cooperation with the first connector crimping die 6 and the second connector crimping die 12 is located beneath the dies. A wire support 34 which supports the wire during the separation period consists of a longitudinal bar with the end of the bar being supported and depressible against the action of springs 36 which are mounted on a pair of bolts 38 which, in turn, are axially slidable in a frame 40, the wire support 34 being depressible to an extent limited by stop nuts 42. The wire support 34 contains a pair of slides 44 which are displaceable away from one another against the action of springs 46 in the outwardly direction of the wire support. Each slide has an extension 48 which normally protrudes through a slot 50 in a wall 52 which extends perpendicularly to the slides. A lubricating station 54 containing oil felt or the like is suitably disposed under the slide extension 48 for the purpose of applying lubricant to the blade 4.

A base plate 56 on the press frame has feed channels 58 along which a strip of electrical connectors is arranged to be fed to the crimping assembly by a feed finger, the strips of connectors being held in the channels 58 by a retaining plate 60.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a section of a strip of electrical connectors arranged in an end-to-end fashion to be fed along the channels 58. Each electrical connector has a first ferrule forming portion 62 arranged to be crimped to the insulation of an insulated wire; a second ferrule forming portion 64 is so disposed to be crimped to the bared end of conductor core wire and on receptacle segment 66. The connectors while in strip form are joined to one another by a metal slug 68.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a length of electrical twin wire prepared for use with the assembly as shown in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3. The twin wire comprises two wires each having insulation and a conductor core 72, the end of each core being bared. To prepare the twin wire for use with the assembly, the insulation is cut along the line 74 at area 76 in order that the ends of the two wires be readily separated.

At the beginning of the press cycle, the ram 2 is in its topmost center position and the slides 44 are in their non-displaced position with the free ends of the extensions 48 in abutment as can be noted in FIGURE 2. The

end of the prepared twin wire is initially laid upon the extensions 48 with each extension accommodating a wire. The twin wire is advanced until its end abuts the microswitch actuating plate 24; this in turn actuates the microswitch and thus initiates a cycle of the press. When the ram 2 begins to descend to carry out its working stroke, the leading connectors of the strips are simultaneously being fed along the feed guide channels 58 so that the first ferrule forming portions 62 of the connectors lie on the anvil 32 beneath the crimping recesses 8 and 10 respectively and the second ferrule forming portions 64 of the connectors lie on the anvil 32 beneath the crimping recesses of the die 12. The slug 68 at this time is lying beneath the strip shear blade 14 and between the shear plates 26 and 28. The descent of the ram 2 causes the wire separating blade 4 to be driven between the two wires (as shown in FIGURE 4) thus forcing the slides 44 apart and trapping each wire between one side of the wire separating blade 4 and one of the walls 52 so that the respective longitudinal axes of the wires are moved away from each other in parallel relationship until their centers are equidistant to the centers of the ferrule forming portions 62 and 64. As the ram 2 continues its descent, the free ends of the bolts 16 abut the wire support 34 causing it to be depressed against the action of the springs 36 so that the end of each wire is lowered into the ferrule forming portions 62 and 64 of one of the leading connectors. The bared end of the core 72 of each Wire is now located in the ferrule forming portion 64 and a part of the insulation of each wire is now located in the ferrule forming portion 62.

During the remainder of the working stroke of the ram, the bolts 16 are relatively driven upwardly against the action of the springs 20 and the electrical connectors are crimped to the insulation and conductor core ends of the wires by dies 6 and 12 in cooperation with the crimping anvil 32, and the slugs 68 are sheared by the strip shear blade 14 and strip shear plates 26 and 28'. At the latter part of the working stroke of the ram 2, the end of the wire separating blade 4 enters the lubricating device 54 and absorbs a thin coating of lubricant from the oil reservoir located therein. The ram then continues upwardly to allow the wire ends with the electrical connectors crimped thereto to be removed from the assembly, the wire support 34 returns to its initial position due to the action of springs 36, and the bolts 16 are returned to the initial position by the springs 20,

According to another embodiment of the invention, which is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 8, a wire separating blade 4 is rigidly mounted on a base 78 which carries a fixed crimping anvil (not shown) for cooperation with a movable crimping die (also not shown) having two crimping recesses and being carried by a tool holder 18' movable with a suitable press ram. A carriage 80 is carried by the tool holder and is slidably mounted on bolts 82, the tool holder 18 and carriage 80 being movable relative towards one another against the action of compression springs 84. The wire engaging members 86 are mounted on the carriage for rotation about screws 88, and are normally urged into abutment with one another by springs 90. Each member 86 is suitably provided with wire engaging surfaces 92 and 94. Shoulders 96 are provided adjacent the blade 4'.

When the ram is in its topmost center position, the end of a length of twin wire (as prepared according to FIGURE 7) is placed with the edge of the blade 4' between the Wires of the twin wire, the wire being advanced so that its free end surfaces engage a microswitch blade in order to cause the ram to perform a working stroke. As the ram descends, the surfaces 92 of the members 86 engage the twin wire causing the blade to be driven between the two wires to separate them the members 86 being moved apart from one another against the action of the springs 90 by the blade 4'. Both wires are resiliently urged against the blade by one of the surfaces 94 as the ram descends, the wires descending with the ram until the bared portion of each wire is located in a suitable electrical connector on the anvil, each wire being simultaneously trapped between one of the surfaces 92 and one of the shoulders 96 in order that it is securely retained in position for crimping. As the ram continues its working stroke to effect the crimping procedure, the tool holder is advanced towards the carrier as the bolts slide axially relative to the carrier against the action of the springs 84 until the ram has finished its working stroke. During the return stroke of the ram, the tool holder 18, carrier 80 and the members 86 are returned to their respective original positions by action of springs 84 and '90.

I claim:

1. An assembly for crimping electrical connectors simultaneously to the ends of two juxtaposed electrical wires arranged in parallel relationship, the assembly comprising a pair of juxtaposed spaced connector crimping die sets and a wire separating mechanism actuatable to separate the wire ends and to retain the wire ends in their separated position, and means for locating each wire end in an electrical connector disposed between the dies of one of the die sets.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separating mechanism is movable relative to the die sets to position the wire ends in the connectors.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separating mechanism comprises a wire support carrying a pair of slides displaceable away from one another against the action of springs and a wire separating blade which moves the slides away from one another to trap each wire end between the blade and wall extending axially of the wire.

4. An assembly for crimping electrical connectors simultaneously to the ends of two juxtaposed electrical wires arranged in parallel relationship comprising a crimping station and a wire separating mechanism which comprises a wire separating blade, a pair of spring loaded members being arranged to urge the wires against the wire separating blade during relative movement between the blade and wires, the spring loaded members being moved away from one another due to relative movement to locate each wire end in an electrical connector disposed between the dies of one of the crimping stations.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the spring loaded members comprise a pair of slides each movable perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the blade which is carried by a press ram, the blade urging the slides away from one another against spring action to trap each wire end between the blade and a Wall extending axially of the wire.

6. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein each spring loaded member is rotatable by the blade against the action of a spring and has a surface which cooperates with a shoulder fixed relative to the blade to retain one of the wires in position for crimping.

7. An assembly for crimping electrical connectors simultaneously to the ends of two juxtaposed electrical wires arranged in parallel relationship, the assembly comprising a pair of juxtaposed spaced connector crimping stations and a wire separating mechanism comprising a wire support carrying a pair of slides displaceable away from one another against the action of springs, a wire separating blade which is arranged to enter a lubricating station towards the end of its working stroke.

8. An assembly for crimping electrical connectors to the ends of two juxtaposed electrical wires arranged in parallel relationship, the assembly comprising a pair of juxtaposed spaced connector crimping stations and a wire separating mechanism comprising a wire support which is depressible against the action of a spring to an extent limited by a stop, a press ram for closing the dies of the crimping stations-having a bolt which abuts the support during the working stroke of the ram to depress the sup- 5 6 port, the bolt being axially displaceable against the action 2,835,959 5/ 1958 Martines 29155.55 of a spring when the support has reached its fully de- 3 115 922 12 19 3 s 72 4 pressed position.

References the Examiner 5 W. Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS R. D. GREFE, Examiner.

821,667 5/1906 Norton 72-396

Claims (1)

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR CRIMPING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THE ENDS OF TWO JUXTAPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES ARRANGED IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, THE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF JUXTAPOSED SPACED CONNECTOR CRIMPING DIE SETS AND A WIRE SEPARATING MECHANISM ACTUATABLE TO SEPARATE THE WIRE ENDS AND TO RETAIN THE WIRE ENDS IN THEIR SEPARATED POSITION, AND MEANS FOR LOCATING EACH WIRE END IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DISPOSED BETWEEN THE DIES OF ONE OF THE DIE SETS.

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