US3292236A

US3292236A - Crimping apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3292236A
Application number: US451601A
Authority: US
Inventors: Busler Willard Le Roy; Folk Kenneth Foster; Ross Milton Dean
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1965-04-28
Filing date: 1965-04-28
Publication date: 1966-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-20
Also published as: NL6605192A; GB1086606A; DE1565988B2; DE1565988A1; DE1565988C3; ES325975A1; NL134665C

Description

Dec. 20, 1966 w. LE ROY BUSLER ET AL 3,292,236

CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 20, 1966 w LE ROY U LER ET AL 3,292,236

CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 :3 9 Sheets-Sheet E.-

1966 w. LE ROY BUSLER ET AL 3,292,23fi

CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 8C. 29, 1966 w LE oy BUSLER ETAL 3,292,123fi CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 20, 1966 LE ROY BUSLER ET AL 3,292,238

CRIMPING APPARATUS Dec. 20, 1966 w LE ROY BUSLER ET AL 3,292,236

' CPQMPING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Shae 6 Filed April 28, 1965 Dec. 2% 19%5 LE ROY BUSLER ETAL ,392,236

CRIMPING APPARATUS 9 Sheets$heet '7 Filed April 28, 1965 DEC. 2Q, fi fifi W. LE ROY gug R ET AL SZQZEFS-i CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet men. 2113, 11966 LE

RQY BUSLER ETAL

3,2$2,236

CHIMPING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 1x United States Patent 3,292,236 CRIMPING APPARATUS Willard Le Roy Busl'er, Kenneth Foster Folk, and Milton Dean Ross, all of Harrisburg, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Apr. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 451,601 Claims. (Cl. 29--33.5)

This invention relates to devices for crimping electrical connecting devices and terminals onto wires.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved applicator for crimping connecting devices onto wires. A further object is to provide an applicator having means for trimming the wire or wires onto which a connecting device is to be crimped. A further object is to provide an improved applicator for making either pig-tail or through splices. A still further object is to provide an applicator for applying pre-insulated open U-type connecting devices onto wires.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a preferred embodiment thereof comprising a crimping die and a crimping anvil which are movable relatively towards and away from each other. Strip feeding means are provided for feeding a strip of connecting devices in side-by-side relationship towards the die and anvil to position the leading connecting device on the anvil. A pair of conductor severing blades are slidably mounted on the apparatus and are movable from a first position, in which they are disposed between the die and anvil, to a second position remote from the die and anvil. Means are provided for closing these severing blades at the beginning of the operating cycle to trim a wire positioned for crimping. The blades are then moved from their first position (between the die and anvil) to their second position so that the trimmed wire can then be positioned in the connecting device on the anvil and the connecting device is crimped onto the wire. The severing means cuts the wire in a plane which extends intermediate between the ends of the connector so that upon crimping, the end of the wire is disposed between the ends of the crimped connecting device. The connecting device is of the open U-type and advantageously is provided with a film of insulating material on its external surface and extending beyond its ends and its longitudinal edges. The arrangement is such that after crimping, this insulating film extends beyond the ends of the metallic connecting device so that the connecting device is effectively insulated.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of applicator in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 1A is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but with the cover plates removed and with certain parts removed in the interest of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional front view of the applicator, certain of the parts being removed from this view in the interest of clarity, showing the positions of the parts in the beginning of the operating cycle;

FIGURE 2A is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the positions of the parts after severing of a wire and retraction of the severing means from between the crimping die and anvil;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary'exploded perspective view of the crimping anvil and a pair of connector supporting blocks which are mounted on each side of the anvil;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a wire gripping mechanism and the mounting means therefor which functions to hold the wire during the crimping operation;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional front view of the gripping mechanism of FIGURE 5;

"ice

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a latch arm forming part of the gripping device of FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of a wire severing means and the slide member on which it is mounted;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing only the crimping die and anvil, the severing means, and the wire gripping means, this view showing the positions of these parts at the beginning of the operating cycle and prior to severing of the wires;

FIGURES 10, 11, and 12 are views similar to FIGURE 9 but showing the positions of the parts at various successive stages of the operating cycle;

FIGURE 13 is a view taken along the lines 1313 of FIGURE 9; 1

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 but illustrating the manner in which wires are positioned between the die and anvil to make a through splice rather than a pig-tail splice;

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of a short section of pre-insulated connector strip;

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of a pig-tail splice in accordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of a through splice.

Referring first to FIGURES 15-17, the particular form of applicator disclosed herein is adapted to crimp connecting devices 2 onto the ends of

wires

16, 18 to form either a pig-tail splice or a through splice. Each connector comprises a generally U-shaped metallic ferrule 4 which is crimped onto a wire or wires by bending its sidewalls inwardly towards each other and into surrounding embracing relationship with the wire. A film 6 of suitable insulating material such as Mylar (polyethylene terephthalate) is bonded to the external surface of the ferrule 4, the size of this film being such that it extends beyond the ends of the ferrule and beyond the axial of longitudinal edges thereof as shown at 8 and 10. The connecting devices 2 are manufactured in strip form with the insulating films 6 of each connecting device being integral by means of connecting strips 14 with carrier strips 12.

When an individual connecting device is crimped, the sidewalls of the ferrule are curled inwardly and towards each other and the portions 10 of the insulating film are tucked between the curled sidewalls so that the finished crimped connection is completely covered with the insulating film. The pig-tail splice of FIGURE 16 comprises a wire 16 having a varnish-type or thin filmtype insulation thereon (i.e. polyvinyl formal resin or the like) and a wire 18 having a conventional relatively thick film of insulating material, such as a vinyl, thereon which has been stripped from the end of the wire. It should be added that the ferrule 4 may be provided with suitable ribs on its internal surface to penetrate the varnish-type insulation of the wire 16 thus avoiding the necessity of stripping this insulation. The through splice 17 comprises a pair of

wires

16, 16a having varnishtype insulation. It will be understood that splices can be made with any desired combination of wire types.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, and 2A, the disclosed embodiment of the invention comprises a crimping die 20 which is mounted on the lower end of the ram 22 of a conventional bench press '(not specifically shown). The die 22 has a die cavity comprising sidewalls 24 which are curved inwardly towards each other to form a cusp 26. Die 20 cooperates with an anvil 30 having an upper surface 28, on which the leading connecting device of the strip is supported, and having an enlarged lower end or base portion 31 which is mounted on a support plate 32. Support plate 32, in turn, is mounted on a base plate 34 which is supported on the press platen 36. The strip ,of connecting devices is fed from the left in FIGURES 1 and 2 over the upper surface of a block 38 which is supported above base plate 34 :by

.a; bloc-k 40, a back plate 42 and a plate 126 described more fully below. A front cover plate 43 (FIGURE 1) is mounted against the block 38 and the block 40 by means-of suitable fasteners as shown.

A spacer block 44 is mounted between, and secured to, a .pair of parallel arms 46 by fasteners 50 and the arms 46 are pivotally mounted on a pin 52 in the block 7 38. The arms 46 extend on each side of, and past, the

crimping anvil 30 and have slots 48 on their opposed sides for reception of the carrier strips 12.. The carrier 3 bly to the position of FIGURE 13, however, at the beginstrips are guided over the upper surface] of the block 38 by means of spring guides 54 and are guided through the slots 48 to position the leading connecting device on the supporting surface28 of the crimping anvil.

At the time, of crimping, the arms 46 and the block 44 are pivoted downwardly about the axis of pin 52 by the die 20 which moves against a shoulder 56 on the right-hand side of the block 44. Suchdownward pivoting ofthe arms affects a shearing of the connecting sections 14 which connect the individual connectors to the I carrierstrips.

7 biased to the position of FlGUR-El by means of a spring The block 44 and arms 46 are normally 58 which acts between the lower side of block 44 and a block 60 mounted on plate 32, a stop 53 being provided in block 44 to prevent upward movement of the block and arms 46 beyond the position shown in FIG- URE 2.

The strip of connecting devices (FIGURE is fed a through the applicator by means of a pair of spacedapart sprocket wheels 62 which have teeth '64 on their peripheries for engagement with the pilot holes 13 of the a strip. Sprocket wheels 62 are keyed orotherwise secured to an oscillatable shaft 66 which is joumaled in a pair of spaced-apart plates 68. A collar 70 is mounted for -free rotation on shaft 66 andv a pair of parallel arms '72 extend from this collar towards base plate 34. V A

74' extends between the lower ends of these arms and between a pair of upstanding spaced-apart pins 76 and a reciprocable slide 78. A pawl 80 ismounted on one of the arms 72 and is biasedv by means of a spring 82 towards the surface of the adjacent sprocket wheel'so 7 that the ends of this pawl will engage the teeth 64 of the wheel the arrangement being such that upon rightward movement of the slide from the position of FIG- URE 2 to the position of FIGURE 2A the sprocket. wheels will remain stationary and the pawls will move relative thereto. Upon leftward movement of the slide from the position of FIGURE 2A to the position of.

FIGURE 2 the sprocket wheels will be rotated by the pawl 80 through an arc equal to the distancebetween adjacent connecting devices on'the strip.

Reciprocation of the slide 78 is brought about by means of a piston-cylinder 90. having a piston rod 88 on the end of which a block 86 is mounted. A pin 85 extends through a cavity in this block and between a pair of spaced-apart pins 84 in-the left-hand end of the slide" member 78.

The portions of carrier. strip 12 from which the connecting-devices have been removed at the crimping station are held against the surfaces of the sprockets 62 by retaining levers 92 pivotally mounted on a pin 93 extending between the plates 68. These levers 92 are resilientlybiased by a spring 91 against the surface ;of the sprockets. This carrier strip is fed from the right-hand side of the applicator as shown in FIGURE 1.

Since the carrier strips 12 and connecting strips 14 of the strip are relatively limp and, therefore, incapable of holding the connecting devices in an upright orientation on the anvil, it is desirable to support the leading connector of the strip by an auxiliary supporting means during the initial portion of the operating cycle. To this end, a supporting means for the leading connector from FIGURE 1A that upon rightward movement ofj piston rod114, the latch arm will move away from, and out of engagement with, the car 100 so that the sup-1 nector. Thewires are held during this downward movement between lower and upper gripping jaws 120, .122

is provided in the form of a pair of blocks 94 96 '(FIG-

i URES

1A, 2, 2A, 4, and 13). The supporting block 96 has laterally extending projections 95 on its lower end which straddle, and which extend on each end of, the anvil 30. Block 94 has similar projections 97 and screws 99 extend through thesevprojections to secure the two

blocks

94, 96 to each other to form 'a single support block assembly. This assembly normally biased upwardly by means of springs 98.which extend into recesses in the anvil base 30 on each side of the anvil and which extend into recesses in the underside of the support blocks. These springs 98 normally bias the support block assemning of the cycle the assembly is maintained in a partially depressed condition by means of a latch arm104 (FIG- URE 1A) having a notch 106 into which an ear'100 of. 1

the projection 95 extends. Latch arm 104 is pivotally mounted at its lower end on a pin 108 and is resiliently biased by a spring 110 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1A so that it remains in engagei ment with ear 100.

At the beginning of the operating cycle, the-latch arm 104 is disengaged from the ear 100 by a piston rod 114 of a small piston-cylinder 116 mounted on a bracket 118 secured to the side of the plate 32. It will be

apparent port assembly

94, 96 will be moved upwardly under the influence of the springs 98. During crimping, and while the sidewalls of the connecting devices are being formed into surrounding relationship with the wire, this Isupr port assembly is depressed by the lower ends 112 of the crimping die.

During the operating cycle, the wire or wires onto which the leading connector is being crimped iscarried downwardly from the position of FIGURE 9 to the posir tion of FIGURE 11 and positioned in the leadingconrespectively (FIGURES 5-7). The lower jaw 120 has 'a central trough 121 and comprises a plurality of spaced apart plates which enter between spaced-apart complementary plates that comprise the upper jaw 122. f The lower jaw. 120 'is secured to a'vertically extending slide member 124' which is contained in a slot 130 of a mounting plate 126 secured by fasteners 127 to the front plate 43 (see FIGURE 1). Slide 124 extends beyond the up-.

- per side of housing plate 126 and has a leftw ardly extending flange 129 as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6 which projects over a recess 133 adjoining the slot 130. A

spring 132 in this recess acts between the 'flange 129.1

and the lower end of recess 130 normally to bias this slide and the lower jaw toaraised or upper position (FIGURE 10). At'the beginning of the operating cycle;

however, the slide 124 and the jaw are held in a lowered position, shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, by means of a latch arm 142 pivotally mounted on a pin 144 inthe housing plate 126. The latch arm 142 has pocket 143 that is adapted to receive a pin 140 extending from i the slide member 124. The latch arm is normally held. in engagement with the pin by means of a spring 146- which acts between a. block 148 on the housing plate of latch arm 142 is pushed rightwardly to swing the latch armthrough a slight counterclockwise arc..

The slide 128 to which the upper jaw 122 is secured,

is contained in the slot beside the-slide 1:24 and has a L134 extending rearwardly from its upper end and through a slot in housing plate 126. A spring .136 is connected to one end of pin .134 and at its opposite end to a pin extending from the press ram 22 (FIGURE 3) it will be understood that the entire wire gripping assembly including the housing plate .126 is mounted on the stationary housing plate 43, as best shown in FIGURE 1, and does not reciprocate with the press ram 22. As will be explained, more iiully below, the wire is held by the

jaws

120, 122 when the jaws move downwardly within the slot 1'30. The jaws are moved downwardly by a screw 138 depending from the press ram 22 which moves against the upper surface of the slide 128.

The wire or wires which are positioned between the die and anvil are severed during the initial portion of the operating cycle so that the out ends of the wires are disposed between the ends of the metallic connector 4. The severing mechanism (FIGURES 1A, 2, 8, and 9) comprises a pivoted mm 156 and a fixed arm '158, the arm 156 being mounted in a slot 160 of the slide member 164 and the fixed arm 158 being mounted in a recess 162 adjacent to the slot 160 by means of fasteners '174. The front side 168 of the slide member 164 is received in a guide slot 172 in the housing plate 126 while the opposite side i166 is received in a slot 171 in an integral extension 170 of the back plate 42. The ends of the severing

arms

156, 158 extend rightwardly beyond the slide 164, as best shown in FIGURE 1A, and have cooperable shearing edges 1'76, 178 which move past each other to sever an inserted wire as illustrated in FIGURE 10. The fixed severing arm 158 is provided with a stop plate 177 at its right-hand end whidh projects above and below the relatively thin extension 175 on its end. This stop plate assists the operator in positioning the wires being connected as explained below. 7

The pivoted severing arm 156 is mounted at its lefthand end on a pin 1180 which extends through the slide block 164. severing am 156 can thus be moved downwardly in a clockwise direction about this pivotal axis past the portion 175 of the fixed severing arm but is normally biased upwardly to the position of FIGURE 1A by means of the spring 182 which acts between the underside of this severing member and a bottom of the slot 160.

The pivoted severing arm 156 is swung downwardly relative to the fixed arm by means of a cam roller 186 which bears against the upper side 184 of the pivoted arm. Roller 186 is mounted on a collar 1 88 which is secured to a shaft 190 extending through the projection [170 of the back plate. Shaft 1.90 is connected to a link 192 which, in turn, is pivotally connected at its upper end to a clevis 194 on the end of a piston rod 196. The piston rod '196 extends from a piston-cylinder 198 mounted above the plate '38 and having an ear 202 extending from its lefthand end. This ear is secured to a shaft 200 (for rotation therewith, the shaft 200 extending through a recess in an upstanding column 204. It will be apparent that as the piston rod 196 moves leftwardly from the position of FIGURES 1A and '2, the shaft 190 will rotate through a slight counterclockwise are causing the roller 186 to move over the upper surface of the shearing member 156 and thereby cause the cutting edge 178 .to move past the cutting edge 176. The piston-cylinder 198 oscillates during reciprocation of the piston rod 196, which, in turn, imparts oscillation to the shaft 200. An arm 206 is mounted on this shaft and extends downwardly towards the base plate 34. This arm has means on its lower end for engagement with switch arm of a micro-switch 208 to control other operations during the operating cycle.

The slide 164 is retracted from the position of FIGURE 2 to the position of FIGURE 2A by means of a lever 212 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pin 2'14 extending through block 38. The upper end 210 of lever 212 is slotted and the pin 180 extends through this slot while the lower end of this lever has a pin slot connection 216 with an additional block 218 which is secured to the previously identified block 86 on the end of piston rod 88.

When the wires to which the leading connector is crimped are being trimmed, as in FIGURE 10, the severed ends 219 are removed from the crimping zone by means of an inclined chute 220 which extends behind and alongside the shearing

arms

156, 158. This chute is provided with an ear 222 by means of which it is secured tothe slide member 164. The chute is thus moved from between the die assembly explained below and does not interfere with the crimping operation.

After the leading terminal has been crimped onto the wire or wires, it sometimes has a tendency to remain in the cavity or recess of the crimping die. In order to remove the crimped connector, there are provided

ejector plates

224, 242 on the front and rear sides of the die. The rear ejector plate 224 is slidably contained in a housing 226 mounted on, and beside, the crimping die block. This ejector plate is normally biased on the position of FIGURE '3 by means of a spring 228 which acts between the lower end of the press ram 22 and the upper end of the ejector plate. Ejector plate 224 can move relatively upwardly relative to the press ram against the force of the spring 228 as illustrated in FIGURE ll. The front ejector plate 242 has a laterally extending integral flange which is disposed beside the crimping die and on the lefthand side thereof and which is secured to the back plate as shown in 246.

The action of the ejectors will be apparent from FIG- URES 10-12. As the die 20 moves downwardly towards the anvil, the rear ejector plate 224 moves relatively upwardly against the force of the spring 228 while the front ejector 242 remains stationary since it is not secured to the ram or die. Upon upward movement of the crimping die from the position of FIGURE 11 to the position of FIGURE 12, the rear ejector 224 moves relatively downwardly under the influence of the spring 228 and its engagement with the end of the crimped connection tends to push the crimped connector from between the surfaces 24 of the die. As the ram moves upwardly, the fixed or front ejector 242 engages the wire to further assist in knocking the crimped connector out of the die cavity.

While a variety of control systems for controlling the several pneumatic piston-cylinders of the disclosed embodiment might be employed, a pair of

small switches

230, 232 are used in the present embodiment along with the previously identified switch 208. The switch 232 has a switch arm 234 which is engaged by a plate 238 on a lefthand extension 240 of the piston rod 88. This switch is held in closed condition when the piston rod 88 is in its retracted position. When the piston rod 88 moves to its extended position (FIGURE 2), plate 238 engages an arm 236 of the switch 230 and closes this switch. The manner in which these switches control the supply of air to the piston-cylinders is described below.

At the beginning of the operating cycle, the parts will be in the positions shown in FIGURES 1A and 2 with the crimping die in its raised position relative to the anvil, with the severing

arms

156, 158 being disposed between the die and anvil and with the connector supporting

block assembly

94, 96 held in a lowered position by the latch arm 104. The gripping

jaws

120, 122 will be in substantial horizontal alignment with the cutting edges 176, 178 and will be in their opened position. An uncrimped connector will be positioned on the surface 28 of the crimping anvil from the piston-cylinders is described below.

The operator first positions the wires which are to be spliced between the die and anvil and between the cutting

edges

176, 178 of the severing members. He then closes a suitable foot switch (not specifically shown) which supplies air to the right-hand side of the piston-cylinder 1-98 and which also supplies air to the

control cylinders

116, 152. When the compressed air is supplied to the righthand side of the piston-cylinder 198, the piston rod 196 moves leftwardly causing the roller 186 to move over the upper side of the pivoted severing arm thereby pivoting uncrimped connector.

7 7 this memberabout its axis 180. The

edges

178, 176 move past each other and the ends of the wires are trimmed -as shown in FIGURE 10. The trimmed ends are conveyed by gravity down the chute 220 and away from the crimping area. The leftward movement of the piston rod 196 causes a slight oscillation of the piston-cylinder 198 which, in turn, causes the shaft 200 to oscillate. As a result, the arm 206 is moved through a slight clockwise arc to bring about the closing of the switch 208. When the switch 208 is closed, compressed air is supplied to the left-hand end of the piston-cylinder 90 driving the

piston rods

240 and 88 and the slide 78 rightwa-rdly from the position of FIGURE 2 to the position of FIGURE 2A thereby retracting the severing means slide'member 164 and moving the shearing mechanism out of the path of movement ofthe die 20. The rightward movement of piston rod 240 has the effect of opening the switch 232 which, in turn, supplies air (through a suitable solenoid valve) to the left-hand side of the cylinder 198. At the same time the

small cylinders

116, 152 are exhausted so that their piston rods return to their extended positions. It'will be apparent that after initial leftward movement of the piston rod 196, it is immediately returned to its starting position and prior to leftward movement of the slide member 164, in order to avoid any possibility that the wires will be dragged leftwardly when the slide on which the shearing mechanism is mounted is retracted. In other words, the severing arms are in their opened position during the retraction of the slide member 164.v

When piston rod 240 moves rightwardly', the plate 238 closes the switch 230 which initiates the press cycle. The press cycle may be initiated in the case of a flywheel press, for example, by a solenoid operated, single revolution clutch which is engaged when switch arm 236 is contacted by plate 230. a b

Upon downward movement of the crimping die 20, the wire gripping assembly (FIGURES 5 and 6) is moved downwardly by the screw 138 and the wire is carried into, and positioned between, the sidewalls of the connector on the anvil surface 28. During this interval, the leading connector is supported by the support block assembly (FIG- URE 4) until thisassembly is depressed by the die portions 112 during crimping. The connector is also sheared from the carrier strips 12 by the downward pivoting of the arms 46 when the shoulder 56 of the block 44 is engaged by the crimping die. After completion of the crimping operation, the die 20 returns to its raised position and a suitable switch (not specifically shown) on the press eccentric is closed. When this press controlled switch is closed, air is supplied to the right-hand side of the cylinder 90 causing retraction of the feed slide 78, indexing of the sprocket wheels, and feeding of the next adjacent connecting device of the strip to the supporting surface 28 of the anvil. The crimped connector is ejected from the die cavity if it should become stuck therein by the ejector plates as described above.

A salient advantage of the invention as described thus far is that the wires are trimmed prior to crimping in a plane which extends normally of the axis of the uncrimped connector on the anvil and intermediate the ends of the The trimmed ends of the wire are then carried down and positioned in the connector during crimping so that in the finished crimp, the insulation extends axially beyond each end of the connector as shown in FIGURES 16 and 17 the crimped connection is thus completely insulated and the ends of the conductors carrying power are recessed from the ends of the insulation.

As previously mentioned, the metallic ferrule 4 can be provided with means on its internal surfaces to penetrate varnish-type insulations so that pre-stripping of such varnish-type insulations (i.e. Formvar or similar materials) need not be carried out as a separate step if it is desired to make a splice between a wire having a varnish-type insulation and a wire having a conventional insulating sheet the latter wire 18 is stripped at its end portion and 8 t the cut end ofthe insulation is positioned against the. stop 177 on the fixed shearing member 158.

If it is desired to make a through splice (FIGURE 17), one of the wires 16a is positioned on the underside of the chute 220, on the underside of fixed shearing member 158 i and against the projecting lowerend of the step 177. as shown in FIGURE 14. positioned with its axis extending between the

edges

176 and 178 as previously described. Aside from the mani ner in which the wire 16a is positioned with respect to the shearing member, thecrimping cycle is the same for a through splice as previously described as for a pig-tail type splice.

While the invention is herein disclosed in a specific.

embodiment comprising a connector applicator adapted to.

be used with a conventional bench press, it willlbe apparent that the principles of the invention might be used in. other environments.

tors.

art.

We claim: a

1. Apparatus for crimping an open-sided connecting'device onto a conductor comprising,'a crimping die and a crimping anvil, said die and anvil being movable relatively towards each other along a predetermined path from.

an open position to a closed position, conductor cutting means movable from a firstposition in which said cutting means is between said die and anvil whenin theiropen positions to a second'position remote from between said die and anvil, and means for sequentially actuating said cutting means to trim a wire positioned betweensaid die.

and anvil, for thereafter moving said cuttingmeans from. 7 said first position to said second position, and for moving said die and anvil from said openposition to said closed position whereby, said wire is trimmed and said connector is crimped onto said wire.

2. Apparatus for crimping an open-sided connecting device onto a wire comprising, a crimping die and a crimp-' ing anvil, said die and anvil being normally in an open position and being movable relatively towardseach other to a closed position, a pair of cutting blades normally disposed between said die and anvil when said die and anvil are in said open position, said cutting blades (having cutting edges etfective to cut in a plane extending transversely of the axis of a connecting device on said anvil and i intermediate the ends of said connecting device, means for sequentially actuating said cutting blades to move said cutting blades relatively past each other, moving said cutting blades laterally from between said die and anvil,

and moving said die relatively towards said anvil where. t by, a wire extending between said blades is trimmed in said plane, and said connecting device is thereafter crirnped onto the end of said wire.

3. Apparatus for trimming the end of a wire, positioning the trimmed end between the sidewalls of an open-: sided connecting device, and crimping said connecting device onto a wire, said apparatus comprising, a crimping die and a crirnping'anvil, said die and anvil beingmovable relatively towards each other along a predetermined path from an open position to a closed position, slide means beslde said path, wire severing means on said slide means, slide moving means for moving said slide from a first position, in which said severing means is on said path and between said die and anvil, to a second position, in which saidsevering means is beside, said path, and ac- The other wire 16 is merelyv For example, the combination of a 1 wire shearing means and a crimping die. set as disclosed 3 herein can be used tomake splices in telephone conductuating'means for actuating said severing means to trim a wire extending between said die and anvil, for actuating said slide moving means, and for thereafter moving said die and anvil relatively towards each other whereby, a connecting device positioned between said die and anvil is crimped onto said wire after trimming.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said severing means comprises a fixedblade and a movable blade, said blades being mounted on said slide means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a pair of closable wire gripping jaws adjacent to, and in alignment with, said die and anvil, said actuating means being effective to close said jaws into gripping engagement with said wire concomitantly with actuation of said severing means.

' No references cited.

RICHARD H. EANES, JR., Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING AN OPEN-SIDES CONNECTING DEVICE ONTO A CONDUCTOR COMPRISING, A CRIMPING DIE AND A CRIMPING ANVIL, SAID DIE AND AVIL BEING MOVABLE RELATIVELY TOWARDS EACH OTHER ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH FORM AN OPEN POSITION TO A CLOSED POSTION, CONDUCTOR CUTTING MEANS MOVABLE FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID CUTTING MEANS IS BETWEEN SAID DIE AND ANVIL WHEN IN THEIR OPEN POSITIONS TO A SECOND POSITION REMOTE FROM BETWEEN SAID DIE AND ANVIL, AND MEANS OF SEQUENTIALLY ACTUATING SAID CUTTING MEANS TO TRIM A WIRE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID DIE AND ANVIL, FOR THEREAFTER MOVING SAID CUTTING MEANS FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION, AND FOR MOVING SAID DIE AND ANVIL FROM SAID OPEN POSITION TO SAID CLOSED POSITION WHEREBY, SAID WIRE IS TRIMMED AN SAID CONNECTOR IS CRIMPED ONTO SAID WIRE.