US3402452A

US3402452A - Means for locating and retaining ferrule portions of terminals and connectors in crimping dies

Info

Publication number: US3402452A
Application number: US544768A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank J Mraz
Original assignee: Etc Inc
Current assignee: Etc Inc; ITT Corp
Priority date: 1966-04-25
Filing date: 1966-04-25
Publication date: 1968-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-24

Description

EAOZASE F. J. MRAZ MEANS FOR LOCATING AND RETAINING FERRULE PORTIONS OF TERMINALS AND CONNECTORS IN CRIMPING DIES 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2 INVENTOR. FRANK J. MRAZ ATTORNEY Sept. 24, 1968 F. J. MRAZ 3,402,452

MEANS FOR LOCATING AND RETAINING FERRULE PORTIONS OF TERMINALS AND CONNECTORS IN CRIMPING DIES Filed April 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR. FRANK J.MRAZ

ATTORNEY United States Patent MEANS FOR LOCATING AND RETAINING FER- RULE PORTIUNS OF TERMINALS AND CONNEC- TORS IN CRIMPING DIES Frank J. Mraz, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to ETC Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 544,763 3 Claims. (Cl. 29--2t 3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clamp for locating and positioning the ferrule portion of electrical terminals and connectors within a crimping die prior to a crimping operation. The clamp includes a pair of opposed clamping members, each of which has its own biasing means for urging a clamping surface into engagement with a portion of the terminal and connector which projects axially from the die surfaces. The clamps permit axial and non-axial movement of the connector during the crimping operation.

This invention relates to devices for locating a Workpiece and, more particularly, to a device for positioning the ferrule portion of a connector relative to a set of crimping dies and relative to the end of an electrical conductor prior to the attachment of the connector to the conductor by a crimping operation.

The invention is particularly concerned with applications involving the joining of either insulated or noninsulated, solderless electrical connectors to stranded and solid wire conductors for the purpose of either terminating the conductors or connecting them to other conductors, such joining being carried out by the known general procedure of telescoping a tubular ferrule portion of the connector over the bared conductor and then coldforging the elements into electrical and mechanical union. Such connectors may be, for example, any of the class comprising a tubular metal ferrule having any of a variety of axially projecting tongues or sockets, or the like at one end thereof for terminating a conductor at a panel or terminal block, or the like, or for receiving a mating part on the end of another conductor. They also may be, for example, any of the class comprising a tubular metal ferrule and projecting end portions, such as ring tongue, spade tongue, hooked tongue, rectangular tongue, and flanged spade end portions.

As will be made more apparent, the same novel workpiece locating device to be hereinafter described may be used to advantage with both insulated and non-insulated connectors.

Typical procedures which have been employed in the past to crimp pre-insulated or uninsulated connectors to insulated or uninsulated wire conductors are characterized by either (a) prepositioning the connector on the conductor by first telescoping the tubular ferrule portion of the connector over the bared conductor and then positioning the loosely assembled elements in the female portion of a crimping die, or (b) first inserting the tubular ferrule portion of the connector in the crimping die and then inserting the bared conductor into the pre-positioned tubular ferrule portion of the connector. These procedures involve precise positioning operations and often result in a crimped assembly having a conductor protrud- 3,4a2,45z Patented Sept. 24, 1968 ice ing too far beyond the ferrule portion of the conductor, or in a crimped assembly having a conductor extending only partially into the ferrule. If the conductor projects too far beyond the end of the ferrule in such an assembly, the end or ends of the conductor may cause shorting or arcing, or may prevent the connector from mating properly with another connector. If the conductor extends only partially into the ferrule, a poor electrical and mechanical connection results. Attempts have been made to properly position a connector in a pair of crimping dies by providing stop or positioning mechanisms on one of the dies. Such positioning machanisms often include a spring-biased clamp which engages a portion of the connector and resiliently clamps a portion of the Connector against a rigid surface.

According to the present invention, a work locating device includes clamping surfaces which engage opposite portions of the connector and these clamping surfaces are independently biased into engagement with the connector. This arrangement permits the axial and non-axial movement of the connector as the connector is being coined onto its conductor. Moreover, such an arrangement facilitates the initial positioning of the connector relative to the dies, since both clamping surfaces may be moved to accommodate the insertion of the connector between such clamping surfaces.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for resiliently clamping an electrical connector in a predetermined position relative to a pair of crimping dies prior to a crimping operation, which device includes independently biased clamping surfaces which engage opposite portions of the connector to locate the connector relative to the die surfaces prior to the crimping operation and to permit axial and non-axial movement of the connector during the crimping operation.

t is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which will accomplish the above object while properly locating the conductor relative to the connector prior to the crimping operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a pair of opposed crimping dies provided with a locating device according to the present invention, showing the dies in an open position with a pre-insulated terminal connector correctly positioned in the lower die;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the device, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and showing an insulated conductor which is about to be inserted into the open end of the connector;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device, the plane of the view being indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view, similar to FIG. 2 but showing the device employed to locate a dilferent type connector.

Referring now to the drawings, a set of opposed, upper and lower cirmping dies 10 and 11, respectively, is illustrated. The illustrated set of dies may be mounted in a suitable hand or power-actuated crimping tool or apparatus (not shown). It is to be understood that the dies illustrated herein are shown merely as an example. Other dies,

such as dies attached to hand crimping tools, may be provided with the device according to this invention.

The dies and 11 are illustrated as crimping a conventional terminal connector 20. The illustrated terminal connector is of the usual construction and comprises a cylindrical ferrule portion 21 and an attached tongue 22 adapted to cooperate with a binding post or the like. As is known to those skilled in the art, the connector 20 may be stamped from a fiat sheet of malleable, electrically conductive material, such as, for example, copper or a copper alloy, steel, aluminum, and the like, into a shape having oppositely extending ear portions which are thereafter rolled or bent into edge abutment to form the ferrule 21.

The terminal 20 is shown insulated in a known manner by a sleeve 23 of electrical insulating material which is telescopingly mounted around the ferrule 21. The sleeve 23 may suitably be formed from any of a number of different plastic materials possessing the desired insulating qualities and which resist fracture during cold deformation.

In the formation of crimped electrical connections, the hated end 24 of a conductor is positioned within the connector ferrule 21, which is then crimped to the conductor end to form a uniform, solid mass. The conductor 25 may be stranded as shown, or a solid conductor, or both, i.e., a heavy, solid conductor surrounded by a number of smaller strands.

The upper die 16 includes a first portion 12 for crimping the ferrule 21 of the connector 20 onto the bared conductor end 24 and second portion 13 for crimping the insulating sleeve 23 of the connector 26 onto the insulation of the conductor 25. Similarly, the lower die 11 includes a first portion 14 for opposing the portion 12 and crimping the ferrule 21 of the connector and a second portion 15 for opposing the portion 13 and crimping the insulating sleeve 23 of the connector 20 onto the insulation of the conductor 25.

The portion 12 includes a female die nest or matrix 16 and the portion 14 includes a male die member 17 which is movable into cooperation with the matrix 16 to pcripherally confine the ferrule 21 of the connector 20 during the crimping operation. The matrix 16 and the male die member 17 have concave die surfaces 18 which contact the ferrule 21 of the connector 215 and perform the ferrule crimping operation. It is to be understood, however, that the die surfaces 18 may have any suitable configuration for crimping.

The portion 13, similarly, includes a female die nest or matrix 19, and the portion 15 includes a male die member 26 which is movable into cooperation with the matrix 19 to peripherally confine the insulating sleeve 23 of the pre-insulated connector 20 during the crimping operation. The matrix 19 and the male die member 26 have concave die surfaces 27 which contact the insulating sleeve 23 of the connector and perform the operation of crimping the sleeve 23 onto the insulation of the conductor 25. It is to be understood, however, that the die surfaces 27 may have any suitable configuration for crimping.

A work locating device 30 is fixed to the first portion 14 of the lower die 11 by a screw 31. The device 30 includes an upper clamping member 32 and a lower clamping member 33 which are nested together and are slidably received in a casing 34. The clamping member 32 is C- shaped and has a pressure pad 35, a vertical leg 36, and a horizontal leg 37. Similarly, the member 33 is C-shaped and includes a pressure pad 38, a vertical leg 39, and a horizontal leg 40. The casing 34- is C-shaped and, together with a plate 41, defines a housing for the upper and

lower clamping members

32 and 33. A first coil spring 42 is fixed at one end to a spacing bushing 43 and biases the lower clamping member 33 upwardly. A second coil spring 44 is fixed at one end to the bushing 43 and biases the upper clamping member 32 downwardly. Thus, the upper and lower clamping jaws are independently biased to provide an effective clamp and to provide a clamp which will permit upward or downward movement of a clamped article.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the tongue 22 of the cylindrical ferrule portion is clamped by the

members

32 and 33 of the device 39. The connector 20 is easily inserted into the clamp by lifting a projecting end 3511 of the clamping member 32 and inserting the tongue 22 between the

separated members

32 and 33. When the connector 20 has been properly positioned on the

die members

17 and 26, the upper clamping member 32 is released to securely hold the connector 26 in its proper crimping position. With the connector 26 properly positioned in the foregoing manner, the bared end 24 of a conductor 25 is inserted into the ferrule 21. The pressure pad 35 of the upper clamping member 32 acts as a wire stop to prevent overtravel of the bared end 24 within the ferrule 21.

During the ensuing crimping operation, the connector is coined onto the bared end 24 of the conductor 25. During this crimping operation, the conductor may extrude axially and such axial extrusion is permitted by slippage between the clamping

members

32 and 33 and the tongue 22. The conductor may also tend to move upwardly or downwardly and this movement is permitted by the upper and

lower clamping members

32 and 33, thus preventing any jamming of the connector 29 in the dies.

A particularly advantageous feature of the device 3% is that the device may be employed to locate connectors other than connectors of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 5, a splice connector is illustrated. The connector St is employed in splicing the conductor 25 to another conductor and includes ferrule portions 51, an insulating sleeve 52, and a transverse indentation 53 in the sleeve 52. The upper clamping member 32 and the lower clamping member 33 locate the connector 50 in a proper position on the

die members

17 and 26, with the upper clamping member 32 nesting in the indentation 53.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each and every one of the details described above, which have been set forth merely by way of example with the intent of most clearly setting forth the teachings of the invention. Obviously, devices may be provided which change, eliminate, or add certain specific details without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a plurality of relatively movable dies having die surfaces for crimping ferrule portions of terminals and connectors to electrical conductors, a device for locating the ferrule portions of such terminals and connectors relative to the die surfaces prior to a crimping operation, comprising means axially spaced from said die surfaces and defining clamping surfaces for engaging opposite portions of said terminals and connectors which project from said die surfaces, each of said clamping surfaces haviag its own biasing means, and each biasing means urging a clamping surface into engagement with said opposite portions of said terminals and connectors to locate the ferrule portion of said terminals and connectors relative to the die surfaces prior to a crimping operation and to permit axial and non-axial movement of the terminals and connectors during the crimping operation.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the locating device includes first and second C-shaped clamping members, each of the C-shaped clamping members having a pressure pad, a vertical leg, and a horizontal leg, said C-shaped members being slidably mounted in a casing with the horizontal leg and the pressure pad of the first clamping member being respectively positioned under and over the horizontal leg and the pressure pad of the second clamping member.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the device includes first and second C-shaped clamping members, each of the C-shaped members having a pressure pad, a vertical leg, and a horizontal leg, said C-shaped members being slidably mounted in a casing with the horizontal leg and the pressure pad of the first clamping member being respectively positioned under and over the horizontal leg and the pressure pad of the second clamping member, a first spring urging the pressure pad of the first clamping member toward the pressure pad of the second member and a second spring urging the horizontal leg of the second clamping member toward the horizontal leg of the first clamping member.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,218 1/1914 Mayo 29-2l1 1,084,219 1/1914 Mayo 29-211 2,256,428 9/1941 Green 29417 2,409,147 10/ 1946 Neuhaus et a1 29-203 3,327,375 6/1967 Reijnhard et a1 29-203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.