US3422521A

US3422521A - Device to disassemble connector assemblies

Info

Publication number: US3422521A
Application number: US550296A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest L Beinhaur
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1964-01-28
Filing date: 1966-05-16
Publication date: 1969-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1986-01-21

Description

Jan. 21, 1969 E. BEINHAUR DEVICE TO DISASSEMBLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1964 Sheet I of 2 INVENTOR. ERNEST L'LQYD Bum-mun y 4-W 1969 E. BEINHAUR 3, 2

DEVICE TO DISASSEMBLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES Original Filed Jan. 28, 1964 Sheet 2 0f.2

' la f 12 NIH Y, INVENTOR. ERNGSf-LLQYP BEIMHMIR United States Patent 3,422,521 DEVICE T0 DISASSEMBLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES Ernest L. Beinhaur, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Original application Jan. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 340,737, now Patent No. 3,268,991, dated Aug. 30, 1966. Divided and this application May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 550,296

U.S. Cl. 29203 6 Claims Int. Cl. B21d 9/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device to disassemble connector assemblies comprises jaw members having engaging surface areas in opposed relationship for engagement with respective parts of an assembled connection assembly and handle means pivotally connected to the jaw members to move the jaw members relative to each other in a substantially parallel manner.

Cross-reference to related application This application is a division of application, Ser. No. 340,737, filed Jan. 28, 1964, now US. Patent No. 3,268,991.

This invention relates to a device to break the connection between two members, such as, a wedge member in a body member.

In US. patent application, Ser. No. 215,562, filed Aug. 8, 1962, now US. Patent No. 3,212,534, there is disclosed an explosively-operated tool to drive a wedge member into a C-shaped connector body to effect an excellent mechanical and electrical connection between conductor members. Of course, other methods may be used to effect such a connection. After the connection has been effected, it sometimes becomes necessary to break the connection. Since the connection members are so tightly wedged together, it is extremely difficult to disconnect them especially if they have been connected in the manner disclosed in -U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 341,223 filed Jan. 30, 1964, now abandoned.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a device for disconnecting members that have been frictionally connected.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a tool to disconnect frictionally connected members.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to be mounted on an existing tool to disconnect frictionally connected members.

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

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a manually operated tool with parts in phantom;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the tool in an operating position;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side view of an alternative embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an attachment with parts in phantom; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 4.

3,422,521 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 Turning now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a tool T comprising an upper jaw member 1, a lower jaw member 2 and handles 3 which are pivotally connected together by a pivot pin 4.

Upper jaw member 1 is L-shaped and has one leg 5 pivotally connected to the upper end of one handle by pin 6. The other leg 7 has a extension 8 extending toward jaw member 2.

Lower jaw member 2 is pivotally connected to the other handle by pin 9 and the surface thereof facing upper jaw member 1 includes stepped sections 10 which permit the tool to be used with a number of different size connectors.

In operation, one side of wedge W of connector assembly C is placed against one of stepped sections 10 and handles 3 are brought toward each other so that extension 8 engages one side of connector body CB. Pressure is then exerted on handles 3 thereby causing wedge W and connector body CB to become disengaged. It should be pointed out that the connector assembly can be reversed within the jaw members to effect the same result.

Jaw

members

1 and 2 are pivoted on handles 3 so that parallelism is maintained therebetween during operation thereof. Also, pivot pins 6 and '9 are placed as close to pivot pin 4 as possible in order to provide the most practicable working advantage. It is desirable to provide a spring means (not shown) between handles 3 to maintain the tool in a normally inoperative position. While the above described tool is preferably used to disconnect engaged connector elements, such tool may also be used to connect the connector elements together.

FIGURE 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the tool in FIGURES 1 and 2. In this embodiment, upper jaw member 11 has a leg 12 whose surface 13 facing lower jaw member 14 has a series of serrated teeth 15.

A slotted member 16 is movably mounted on leg 12 and includes an engaging section 17. A pin 18 is disposed toward the end of leg 12 and prevents slotted member 16 from leaving upper jaw member 12.

Surface 19 of lower jaw member 14 facing surface 13 of the upper jaw member has a projection 20 against which a connector body engages. Slotted member 16 is moved along leg 12 until it is in the correct position for engaging section 17 to engage a wedge which causes the bottom edge 21 of the slot to engage one of teeth 15 while the opposite end of the other end of the slot engages the top edge of leg 12 thereby maintaining slotted member 16 in this position while the wedge is disconnected from the connector body. The remainder of FIGURE 3 is similar to that of FIGURES 1 and 2 and need not be described. Thus, teeth 15 and slotted member 16 provide an adjustable feature so that different size connectors can be inserted within the working area of the tool.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate an attachment A which is easily inserted on the flat surface of an explosively-operated tool member TM disclosed in US. Patents 3,212,- 534 and 3,292,363 wherein a detailed explanation of the operation thereof can be found.

Attachment A comprises a flat section 21, legs 22 (only one of which is shown) extending outwardly from the edges of one surface of section 21 and engaging section 23 extending outwardly from the mid section of fiat section 21 opposite to that of legs 22.

Flat section 21 has a groove 24 therein to allow ram R of tool member TM to pass freely across section 21. Legs 22 provide retaining means to retain the attachment on flat surface P8 of the tool member.

Engaging section 23 includes a stepped portion 25 which mates with a corresponding stepped portion SP of tool member TM against which stepped portion 25 abuts to limit the movement of attachment A on the tool member and to provide an engaging area thereon when force is applied thereto. Engaging section 23 also includes another stepped portion 26 which comprises a surface 27 and a projection 28. Wedge W engages surface 27 when the connector assembly is placed within the attachment in order to disconnect the wedge from C-shaped connector body CB and projection 28 keeps wedge W from leaving surface 27 during the disconnection operation. Between engaging section 23 and fiat section 21 there is a space 29 in which the connector body moves while wedge W remains in engagement with surface 27 The operation of FIGURES 4 and 5 is according to the following. Attachment A is placed on flat surface P5 of the tool member until stepped portion SP and engaging section 23 are in engagement. A connector assembly C having wedge W frictionally engaging connector body CB to maintain conductor members CM interconnected is placed on attachment A with connector body CB on flat section 21 and wedge W engages surface 27. Firing mechanism FM is actuated and ram R thereof forcefully engages connector body CB to drive it within space 29 thereby breaking the connection between the wedge and and connector body.

The embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5 is preferably used on connections effected in US. patent application Ser. No. 341,223, filed Jan. 30, 1964, now abandoned; however, it can be used on connections not using the swaged wedge. The tools of FIGURES 1-3 can be effectively used on connections not using the swaged wedge but certainly these tools can be used thereon although with more difliculty than that of the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5.

As can be discerned, there has been disclosed novel means to disconnect connected assemblies which have been connected in such a manner to provide excellent retentive forces therebetween.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown and described herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tool for operating on a connection assembly comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, one of said jaw members having an engaging surface against which one element of said connection assembly is adapted to engage, the other of said jaw members having a series of stepped portions defining selective engaging surfaces, a member movably mounted on the jaw member having the series of stepped portions for engagement therewith, to provide engagement for another element of said connection assembly, stop means contiguous said series of stepped portions to prevent said member from leaving said jaw member and handle means connected to jaw members to provide relative movement therebetween and said elements of said connection assembly.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said jaw members are pivotally connected to said handle means to provide parallelism therebetween during operation thereof.

3. A tool member for operating on elements of connection assemblies comprising a first jaw member having a surface for engaging one of the elements of a connection assembly, a second jaw member having engaging means for engaging another of the elements of said connection assembly, said engaging means including a series of stepped portions each of which defines a size to accommodate different sizes of said connection assemblies, handle means pivotally connected together, and means for pivotally connecting said jaw members to said handle means to provide parallelism between said jaw members when same operate on the elements of the connection assembly to move same relative to each other.

4. A tool member for operating on elements of connection assemblies comprising a first jaw member having a surface for engaging one of the elements of a connection assembly, a second jaw member having engaging means for engaging another of the elements of said connection assembly, said engaging means including a series of stepped portions and a slotted member slidably mounted on said second jaw member for engaging said stepped portions each of which defines a size to accommodate different sizes of said connection assemblies, handle means pivotally connected together, and means for pivotally connecting said jaw members to said handle means to provide parallelism between said jaw members when same operate on the elements of the connection assembly to move same relative to each other.

5. A tool member according to claim 4 wherein stop means are on said second jaw member to maintain said slotted member thereon.

6. A tool for operating on a connection assembly comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, said first jaw member being disposed substantially parallel to the second jaw member, handle means connected to both jaw members, said jaw members being connected to the handle means such that lateral movement of the handle means causes the jaw members to move relative to each other in a substantially parallel manner, one of said jaw members having an engaging surface against which one element of said connection assembly is adapted to engage, another of said jaw members having engaging surface means providing selective positions along said another of said jaw members for engagement with different sizes of another element of the connection assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,635,496 4/1953 Marasco 81352 X 2,953,185 9/1960 Lazar 72-412 3,205,568 9/1965 Stull 72-410 X 3,268,991 8/1966 Beinhaur 29203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.