US3750453A

US3750453A - Crimping tool for forming peripheral grooves in cylindrical articles

Info

Publication number: US3750453A
Application number: US00178922A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Dryden; R Ebrey
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: AT&T Corp; CBS Corp
Priority date: 1971-09-09
Filing date: 1971-09-09
Publication date: 1973-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-07

Abstract

A crimping tool includes a plurality of curved article forming members or blades pivotally supported at one end in two adjoining layers in an apertured housing to define a circular opening for axially receiving a cylindrical article, for example, a cap-type seal for sealing a communications cable. A rotatable member overlying the blades is provided with a plurality of cam follower rollers, each of which engages one side of the free end of each blade. An arm on the rotatable member is coupled to a movable piston rod disposed in a hydraulic cylinder supported on the housing and driven by an electrically activated hydraulic control system which may be selectively actuated through a pushbutton switch on a handle attached to the housing. The closure of the switch activates the cylinder, moving the arm, partially to rotate the rotatable member urging the rollers against the free ends of the blades inwardly to contract the circular opening to form a pair of adjoining internally-projecting ribs in the cap to form a hermetic seal between the inner surface of the cap and the contiguous outer surface of the cable sheath. The hydraulic pressure may be adjusted to provide grooves of a sufficient depth to seal caps on cables of various sizes.

Description

United States Patent 1 Dryden et al.

[ Aug. 7, 1973 CRIMPING TOOL FOR FORMING PERIPHERAL GROOVES IN CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES [75] Inventors: Kerin Lee Dryden, Lawrenceville;

Roger George Anthony Ebrey, Snellville, both of Ga.

[73] Assignee: Western Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York, N.Y.

22 Filed: Sept. 9, 1971 211 App]. No.: 178,922

[52] US. Cl. 72/402, 29/517 [51] Int. Cl B2ld 41/00 [58] Field of Search 72/402, 407, 415;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,203,078 8/1965 'Ustin...-. 29/517 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan Attorney- W. M. Kain et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A crimping tool includes a plurality of curved article forming members or blades pivotally supported at one end in two adjoining layers in an apertured housing to define a circular opening for axially receiving a cylindrical article, for example, a cap-type seal for sealing a communications cable. A rotatable member overlying the blades is provided with a plurality of cam follower rollers, each of which engages one side of the free end of each blade. An arm on the rotatable member is coupled to a movable piston rod disposed in a hydraulic cylinder supported on the housing and driven by an electrically activated hydraulic control system which may be selectively actuated through a pushbutton switch on a handle attached to the housing. The closure of the switch activates the cylinder, moving the arm, partially to rotate the rotatable member urging the rollers against the free ends of the blades inwardly to contract the circular opening to form a pair of adjoining internally-projecting ribs in the cap to form a hermetic seal between the inner surface of the cap and the contiguous outer surface of the cable sheath. The hy draulic pressure may be adjusted to provide grooves of a sufficient depth to seal caps on cables of various sizes.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTELAUE 1W 7 3,750,453

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' saw u (if 4 RESERVOIR FIG /0 CRIMPING TOOL FOR FORMING PERIPHERAL GROOVES IN CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to crimping tools for forming annular grooves in cylindrical articles and, more particularly, to crimping tools for forming internally projecting annular ribs on the inner surfaces of deformable metal caps to bind the caps onto the ends of communications cables.

2. Description of the Prior Art When communications cable is packaged on supply reels for subsequent shipment and installation, the ends of a cable on a reel may be provided with cylindrical metal caps which are hermetically crimped or sealed onto the cable ends by forming an impervious joint between the inner surfaces of the caps and the contiguous outer surface of the sheath of the cable to keep moisture from entering the cable. Additionally, a needle valve or the like may be formed on the cap to permit pressurizing gas to be introduced into the cable. The gas pressure in the packaged cable may be measured periodically to determine whether or not any pressure loss has occurred, thus indicating the presence of leaks in the cable sheath, through which moisture may enter the cable core.

Since the caps normally are sealed onto the cable ends while the cable is packaged for shipment on a reel, operator access to the inside end of the cable with a crimping device or tool is subject to certain physical limitations which govern, among other things, the size of the crimping device and its ability to be handled easily. Furthermore, the device must be provided with the capability of supplying sufficient crimping force to allow the cap to be crimped on the cable to a sufficient depth into the cable sheath to insure the retention of the cap thereon during the handling of the cable, without constructing the cable core so tightly that the cable would be prevented from being pressurized.

In the past, the caps have been sealed onto the cables by placing the caps over the cable ends and forcing annular grooves in the caps with rollers, hydraulically tightened steel strands looped around the caps, or torque-wrenched driven devices such as the crimping device described in US. Pat. No. 3,135,146 to A. L. Loucks. While any one of the foregoing devices may be used advantageously to seal end caps on cables, the use of the first two of these devices may be relatively time consuming, depending upon the skill and experience of an operator to implement the sealing of a cap, while the latter requires the operator to change parts to seal different size caps.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an easily handled crimping tool for sealing cylindrical articles, such as metal end caps, onto the ends of cables or the like by forming uniform grooves of a predetermined depth in the caps to assure mechanically strong and impervious joints between the caps and the cables, which may be relatively simple to operate and which is capable of sealing caps of various sizes onto correspondingly various sizes of cables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved crimping tool for forming annular, circumferential grooves in cylindrical articles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved crimping tool for sealing cylindrical parts onto articles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved crimping tool for forming annular grooves in the caps of cap-type end seals for sheathed cables.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a crimping tool for forming uniform annular grooves of a predetermined depth in various sizes of caps of cap-type end seals for correspondingly various sizes of sheathed cables to form mechanically strong and impervious joints between" the inner surfaces of the caps and the adjacent outer surfaces of the sheaths.

With these and other objects in view, a crimping tool for forming a peripheral groove in a cylindrical article, embodying certain principles of the present invention, may include a housing for axially receiving the article, a plurality of article forming members disposed in the housing, means pivotally supporting each of the article forming members at one end at circumferentially spaced points to define a cross-sectionally continuous opening aligned with the article receiving opening for axially receiving the cylindrical article therebetween, and means for imparting angular movement to said article forming members to contract said opening to form a preipheral groove in an article received in the openmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and various features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a metal end cap for a sheathed cable;

FIG. 2 illustrates the end cap of FIG. 1 after it has been crimped;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIGS. 1 and 2 after it has been sealed ontothe end of a sheathed cable;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a crimping tool embodying the principles of the present invention for effecting the seal between the endcap and cable of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the crimping tool of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the operating mechanism for the crimping tool of FIGS. 4 and 5 taken along the line 6-6 of FIGS;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the operating mechanism shown in FIG. 6, particularly illustrating an arrangement of novel cooperable article forming elements for forming an annular crimp or groove in a cylindrical article;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the forming elements of FIG. ,7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the forming elements shown in FIG. 7 illustrating the manner in which the forming elements cooperate to forma circumferential groove in a cylindrical article; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of an electricallyactivated hydraulic control system for the crimping tool of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a generally cylindrical, metallic end sealing cap 20 (FIG. 1) which may be crimped by forming first and second closely spaced circumferential grooves 21 and 22 (FIG. 2) therein, to seal the cap 20 hermetically onto the end of a sheathed cable 23 (FIG. 3). The

grooves

21 and 22 appear on the inside of the cap 20 as a pair of inwardly projecting annular ribs 21' and 22' which form impervious joints between the outer sheath of the cable 23 and the cap 20.

A cap 20 is normally sealed on both ends of the cable 23 while it is packaged on a supply reel (not shown) in order to keep moisture from entering the cable core. Optionally, pressurized gas, for example, compressed air, from a suitable source thereof, may be forced into the cable core through an externally threaded needle valve 26 disposed in a flattened end 27 of the cap 20. The cable 23 may be pressurized to a predetermined value, for example p.s.i., which can be measured periodically to determine whether or not any loss in cable pressure has occurred, the latter being an indication that faults in the cable sheath are permitting the cable to leak. These faults, if present, subvert the hermetic sealing of the cable and may result in moisture entering the cable core.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a crimping tool, generally indicated at 28, for crimping the cap 20 onto the cable 23. The tool 28 includes a housing comprising a top plate 31, a bottom plate 32, aligned with the top plate 31, and a cylindrical connecting plate 33, which enclose the groove forming mechanism of the tool 28. A carrying handle 36 extends between a pair of

supports

37 and 38 having bifurcated legs 41-41 and 42-42 fastened to the top plate 31 and top and

bottom plates

31 and 32, respectively. An auxiliary handle 43 (FIG. 4 only), supported in a U-shaped bracket 44 may be fastened to the forward end of the top plate 31 further to facilitate handling of the tool 28 by an operator in the performance of the end sealing or crimping operation. An electrical supply cord 47, having a conventional three-pronged plug 48 thereon, extends from the support 38.

The tool 28 is further provided with an annular article-receiving opening designated generally at 49 (FIG. 5) into which the cap 20 may be positioned axially after having been placed over a cable 23, for subsequent sealing onto the end of the cable 23. The connecting plate 33 is formed with a stepped slot 51, protruding from which is an arm 52 formed on a rotatable member 53 (FIG. 6), having a hub portion 56 disposed in the opening 49 and rotatably supported in suitable bearings 57-57 mounted on a support member 58 secured to the top plate 31 by suitable fasteners, for example, by a plurality of bolts 61-61. A yoke 62 is pivotally coupled to the arm 52 by a pivot pin 63. The yoke 62 is fastened to a reciprocating piston rod 66 disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 67 secured to the housing of the tool 28 between the top and

bottom plates

31 and 32. The rod 66 may be actuated to move the arm 52, partially to rotate the rotatable member 53.

A snap ring 68, disposed in a groove 71 formed in the hub 56, prevents axial movement of the rotatable mem' ber 53 relative to the support member 58 and the tool housing. A plurality of camming rollers 72-72 are rotatably disposed in a plurality of apertures 73-73 formed in the rotatable member 53, alternative ones of which are formed in a plurality of radially extending,

circumferentially spaced recesses or slots 74-74 formed in the rotatable member 53 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, two adjacent layers of curved article-forming members or blades 76-76, are arranged in upper and lower adjoining sets or groups of three blades 76a-76a and 76b-76b, respectively, to define two cross-sectionally continuous aligned

circular openings

77 and 78, respectively, therebetween. As seen from FIG. 8, each blade 76 includes a curved section 81 and a recurved section 82. The curved section 81 of each blade 76 has an aperture 83 formed at an end thereof and includes a raised or stepped portion 86 extending therefrom and over the recurved section 82 over a cut-out portion or slot 87 on the underside of each blade 76, spanning portions of both

sections

81 and 82. A concave side 88 on each curved section 81 of a blade 76 comprises an article forming surface or edge of each blade 76, the widest portion thereof occurring between the step 86 and the end of the slot 87 in the curved section 81.

Each of the blades 76b-76b of the lower set thereof shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is pivotally supported at one end on the bottom plate 32 with each corresponding aperture 83b disposed over individual ones of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced pins 91-91, each formed with a shoulder 92 and press-fitted into apertures 93-93 formed in the bottom plate 32 around aperture 94 formed therein, with the shoulders 92-92 flush with the top of plate 32. Similarly, each of the blades 76a-76a of the upper set thereof shpwn in FIGS. 6 and 7 is pivotally supported at one end slightly above the bottom plate 32 with each corresponding aperture 83a disposed over individual ones of a second plurality of circumferentially-spaced pins 96-96, each formed with a boss or projection and press-fitted into an aperture 98 formed in the plate 32 with the projections 97-97 spaced from the top of plate 32. Thus, the blades 76-76 are pivotally supported in two adjacent layers defining a pair of aligned, axially-spaced crosssectionally continuous

circular openings

77 and 78, both of which are coaxial and aligned with the article receiving opening 49.

Referring to FIG. 9, the arrangement of a set of blades 76-76 and the manner in which they operate to form a groove in a cap 20 to seal it hermetically onto a cable 23 is clearly illustrated. Each blade 76 is associated with one of the camming rollers 72-72 of the rotatable member 53,'with a camming roller 72 lying behind the recurved section 82 of a blade 76 at the free end thereof. The rollers 72-72 disposed in the slots 74-74 formed in the rotatable member 53 are in alignment with the upper set of blades 76a-76a, while the remaining rollers 72-72, not disposed in the slots 74-74, are aligned with the lower set of blades 76b-76b. A plurality of circumferentially-spaced dowels 102-102 (FIGS. 7 and 9), depending from the press-fitted into the underside of the rotatable member 53 are each disposed adjacent to the recurved section 82 of each blade 76 on the opposite side thereof from each camming roller 72.

The piston rod 66 (FIGS. 4 and 5) may be moved out of the cylinder 67 in response to hydraulic pressure therein to move the arm 52, partially rotating the rotatable member 53 counterclockwise in FIGS. 4 to 9, with respect to the tool housing defined by the

plates

31, 32 and 33. The partial rotation of rotatable member 53 causes each cam roller 72 to be urged against the refree end of each blade 76 (FIG. 9), pivoting each blade inwardly such that the opening defined between each set of blades is contracted in a manner similar to the contraction of the iris of a camera. As an example, if FIG. 9 represents the top set of blades 76a-76a, each blade 76 will be urged by a cam roller 72 to pivot counterclockwise about its associated projection 97 toward the central part of the opening 77, as shown by the phantom representation of the blades 76a-76a to contract the size of the opening 77. It can be seen from FIG. 9 that the purpose of the step 86 and the slot 87 formed in each blade 76 is to prevent interference between the overlying adjacent blades 76-76 in each set when they are pivoted by the cam rollers 72-72. If a deformable cylindrical article such as the metal end cap 20, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 9, is received axially within the opening 77, a circumferential groove 21 (FIG. 2) will be formed therein by the three cooperating blades 76a-76a in the upper layer thereof.

It can be seen that the groove 21 thus formed, while continuous around the outer surface of the cap 20, will not be of a uniform depth since the contracted opening 77 will not be perfectly circular, as it is when it is uncontracted. Rather, the opening 77, when contracted, assumes a spherical triangular shape, with the apexes of the angles thereof, indicated at the intersecting points 103-103 of adjacent blades 76-76, representing three points of minimum groove depth around the surface of the cap 20. 4

To insure that the outer surface of the cap is crimped uniformly, the adjoining lower set of blades 76b-76b, defining the circular opening 78, is angularly offset from the upper set of blades 76a-76a by approximately 60 about an axis through the center of the aligned openings 77 and 78 (FIG. 7). Since the points of intersection 103-103 of the blades 76-76 occur at l20 intervals about an axis through the center of the

openings

77 and 78, an angular offset of 60 between the adjoining blade layers will insure a uniform groove depth around the cap 20, the contracted

openings

77 and 78, when superimposed upon one another, forming a circle, with the adjacently formed groove 21 and 22 (FIG. 2) having maximum and minimum depths occurring in staggered relationship therearound. To insure a,

hermetic seal between the cap 20 and the cable 23, the tool 28 may be displaced 60 in its principal plane relative to the cap 20 to insure

grooves

21 and 22 of uniform depth around the cap 20.

After the crimping operation is completed the piston rod 66 may be retracted into the cylinder 67, returning the arm 52 to its original position, partially rotating the rotatable member 53 clockwise, urging the dowels 102-102 against the blades 76-76 to return the blades 76-76 to their initial positions.

Referring now to FIG. 10, an electrically activated hydraulic control system generally indicated at 106, includes a reservoir 107, containing hydraulic fluid at atmosphei'ic pressure, connected to one side of a motordriven pump 108 through a supply line 111. The other sideof pump 108 is connected to one side of a manually-adjustable, pressure-regulating valve 112 through a pressure-indicating gauge 113 by two fluid lines 116 and 117. The valve 112 is connected to the reservoir 107 by a return line 118. A pressure line 121 is connected between the line 117 and the cylinder 67 on the tool 28 through a quick-disconnect fluid coupler 122.

The coupler 122 is of the type which may be disconnected easily and quickly by an operator simultaneously to seal off the line 121 and disconnect it from the cylinder 67. The pump 108 may be driven by a suitable electric motor 126 coupled thereto through a suitable coupling indicated by the dashed line 127. One side of motor 128 is connected to a receptacle 131, which may be mounted on a housing 132, through a line 133. The other side of motor 126 may be connected by a line 135 to one of a pair of terminals 136-136 which may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, for example, a V. 60 hz supply. The other terminal 136 may be connected to the receptacle 131 through a line 138.

The cord 47 includes a pair of lines 141-141 which are serially connectable through a normally-open pushbutton switch 142, positioned in and accessable from without the support 37 (FIG. 4) at the forward end of the handle 36 on the tool 28. The lines 141-141 may be connected to the

lines

133 and 138 by inserting the plug 48 into the receptacle 131. A pair of

ground lines

146 and 147 may be provided for connecting the tool housing to earth ground, through the plug 48 and the receptacle 131, to-protect an operator from the hazard of shock during operation of the tool 28.

The piston rod 66 is normally retracted into the-cylinder 67 by the action of a compression spring 151 disposed over the rod 66 within the cylinder 67 and acting against a piston 152 connected to the rod 66.

The fluid pressure in the system 106 may be adjustably selected by disconnecting the coupler 122 to seal off the system and then closing the switch 142. Closure of the switch 142 energizes the motor 126 through the

lines

135, 133, 141-141, and 138 to drive the pump 108 to pump fluid from the reservoir 107 through the serial arrangement of the pump 108, gauge 113, valve 112 and return line 118 to the reservoir 107. The valve 112 may be adjusted until the desired fluid pressure is read on the pressure gauge 113. This will insure that, regardless of the diameter of the cap 20 and the cable 23, grooves of a sufficient depth to form a hermetic seal will be formed therebetween. For example, if the cap 20 of FIG. 1 is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, a fluid-pressure of 3500 p.s.i. may form grooves 21 and 22 (FIG. 2) to a maximum depth of one-eighth of an inch therein. As a further example, if the cap 20 has a diameter of approximately 2.25 inches, a fluid pressure of 5000 p.s.i. may be utilized to form grooves threesixteenths of an inch deep therein. These groove depths have been experimentally found to provide a heremtic seal between a. cap 20 and a cable 23 of the sizes set forth.

In operation, the tool 20 may be held by an operator grasping the handle 36 in one hand with the thumb of the hand proximate to the pushbutton switch 142. The cap 20 may be placed over the end of the cable 23 and inserted axially in the opening 49 (FIG. 5) or the opening 49 may be placed over the cap 20 on the cable end. Upon closure of the pushbutton switch 142 by the operator, the motor 126 is energized to drive the pump 108 supplying hydraulic fluid, which has been adjusted to a predetermined pressure, through the line 121 and the coupler 122 into the cylinder67 forcing thepiston 152 against the action of spring l51to move the rod 66 out of the cylinder 67, moving the arm 52 counterclockwise (FIGS. 4, 5 and 7') to rotate the rotatable member 53 urging the camming rollers 72-72 against the recurved sections 82-82 on the free ends of the blades 76-76 (FIG. 7) to pivot the latter and contract the

openings

77 and 78 to force the article forming surfaces 88-88 of the blades 76-76 into the cap to form inwardly projecting annular ribs 21' and 22' on the inside surface thereof, opposite the

grooves

21 and 22, to compress the outer sheath of the cable 23 and form a hermetic seal between the cap 20 and the cable 23.

While the crimping tool has been specifically described for sealing metal end caps on cables, it is obvious that the tool may be used to secure terminals, sleeves, bushings, ferrules, or the like, onto insulated wires, or for securing any deformable cylindrical article onto another article without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A crimping tool for forming a peripheral groove in a cylindrical article, which comprises:

a housing having an article-receiving opening for receiving a cylindrical article axially therein;

a plurality of article-forming members disposed in said housing, each of said article-forming members having a curved aritcle-forming surface;

means pivotally supporting each of said articleforming members at one end at circumferentiallyspaced points with said forming surfaces defining a closed circular opening therebetween aligned with said article-receiving opening for axially receiving the article therein; and

means for imparting pivotal movement to said article-forming members to contract said circular opening to form a peripheral groove in an article received closed in said openings.

2. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal movement imparting means includes:

an annular member mounted for rotational movement with respect to said housing in coaxial relationship to said article-receiving opening;

a plurality of circumferentially-spaced camming members supported on said rotatable member, each of which is adjacent to and aligned with the unsupported end of each of said article-forming members behind the article-forming surface thereof; and

means for selectively imparting rotational movement to said rotatable member to urge said camming members against the unsupported ends of said article-forming members to impart pivotal movement thereto.

3. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said article-forming members comprises:

a sicklelike blade including a curved section, having a concave article-forming surface, and a recurved section, both said sections having a common principal plane;

a step formed on said curved section and extending over said recurved section on one side of said principal plane; and

a slot formed in said blade on the opposite of said principal plane from said step between the end of said step on said curved section and the end of said recurved section.

4. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said article-forming members are pivotally supported in overlying relationship with the slot formed in each member superimposed over the unstepped portion of the curved section of an adjacent member, the principal planes of each member being coplananto permit said members to pivot in a common principal plane.

5. A crimping tool, asset forth in claim 1, and includin z 1 second plurality of article forming members, numerically equal to and identical with said first plurality thereof disposed in said housing;

means pivotally supporting each of said second plurality of article-forming members at one end at circumferentially spaced points in positions axially rotated through an angle substantially equal to half the angular distance between the circumferentially-spaced supported ends thereof with respect to said first plurality of article forming members, with the forming surfaces thereof defining a second circular opening aligned with said article receiving opening and adjoining said first circular opening; and

second pivotal movement imparting means operable for imparting pivotal movement to said second plurality of article-forming members to contract said second circular opening to form a second peripheral groove in an article received in said openings, whereby the contracted first and second openings defined by the article forming surfaces of the article forming members, when superimposed, define a circle.

6. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said article-forming members comprises:

a sicklelike blade including a curved section, having a concave article-forming surface, and a r curved section, both said sections having a comm n principal plane;

a slot formed in said blade on the opposite side of said principal plane from said step, between the end of said step on said curved section and theend of said recurved section.

7. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 6, wherein both said first and second plurality of article-forming members are each supported with said individual members thereof in overlying relationship,- with the slot formed in each member superimposed over the unstepped portion fo the curved section of an adjacent member, the principal planes of the members in each plurality thereof being coplanar to permit the members of each plurality thereof to pivot in a common principal plane.

8. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for selectively imparting rotational movement to said rotatable member includes:

an arm formed on said rotatable member;

a cylinder supported on said housing;

a piston rod partially disposed in said cylinder for rectilinear movement;

means pivotally coupling said piston rod to said arm;

means for selectively forcing pressurized fluid into said cylinder to impart movement to said piston rod partially to rotate said rotatable member; and

means for selectively adjusting the pressure of the pressurized fluid for selectively controlling the movement of said piston rod whereby a groove of a predetermined depth any be formed in various sizes of articles received in said openings.

9. A crimping tool for forming a pair of adjoining peripheral grooves in a cylindrical article, which comprises:

a housing having a cylindrical opening therethrough for axially receiving the article;

a first plurality of arcuate forming elements, each having a concave article-forming surface;

means for pivotally supporting first ends of each of said first plurality of forming elements in a common principal plane at circumferentially-spaced points around said opening to define a first circular opening between the forming surfaces of said first plurality of forming elements;

a second plurality of arcuate forming elements identical to the first plurality thereof;

means for pivotally supporting first ends of each of said second plurality of forming elements in a com mon principal plane at circumferentially-spaced points around said opening to define a second circular opening between the forming surfaces of said second plurality of forming elements, said principal plane of said second plurality of forming elements being parallel with the adjacent to said principal plane of said first plurality of forming elements and axially displaced, with respect thereto, through an angle substantially equivalent to half the angular distance between said circumferentially-spaced first ends;

a member rotatably supported within said articlereceiving opening andhaving an aperture coaxially aligned therewith;

a plurality of circumferentially-spaced camming members supported on said rotatable member, each of which is associated with an unsupported end of each of said first and second pluralities of article-forming elements; and

means for imparting rotational movement to said rodepth in an annular path around the article.

t 4' 5' I t

Claims

1. A crimping tool for forming a peripheral groove in a cylindrical article, which comprises: a housing having an article-receiving opening for receiving a cylindrical article axially therein; a plurality of article-forming members disposed in said housing, each of said article-forming members having a curved aritcleforming surface; means pivotally supporting each of said article-forming members at one end at circumferentially-spaced points with said forming surfaces defining a closed circular opening tHerebetween aligned with said article-receiving opening for axially receiving the article therein; and means for imparting pivotal movement to said article-forming members to contract said circular opening to form a peripheral groove in an article received closed in said openings.

2. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal movement imparting means includes: an annular member mounted for rotational movement with respect to said housing in coaxial relationship to said article-receiving opening; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced camming members supported on said rotatable member, each of which is adjacent to and aligned with the unsupported end of each of said article-forming members behind the article-forming surface thereof; and means for selectively imparting rotational movement to said rotatable member to urge said camming members against the unsupported ends of said article-forming members to impart pivotal movement thereto.

3. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said article-forming members comprises: a sicklelike blade including a curved section, having a concave article-forming surface, and a recurved section, both said sections having a common principal plane; a step formed on said curved section and extending over said recurved section on one side of said principal plane; and a slot formed in said blade on the opposite of said principal plane from said step between the end of said step on said curved section and the end of said recurved section.

4. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said article-forming members are pivotally supported in overlying relationship with the slot formed in each member superimposed over the unstepped portion of the curved section of an adjacent member, the principal planes of each member being coplanar to permit said members to pivot in a common principal plane.

5. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, and including: a second plurality of article forming members, numerically equal to and identical with said first plurality thereof disposed in said housing; means pivotally supporting each of said second plurality of article-forming members at one end at circumferentially spaced points in positions axially rotated through an angle substantially equal to half the angular distance between the circumferentially-spaced supported ends thereof with respect to said first plurality of article forming members, with the forming surfaces thereof defining a second circular opening aligned with said article receiving opening and adjoining said first circular opening; and second pivotal movement imparting means operable for imparting pivotal movement to said second plurality of article-forming members to contract said second circular opening to form a second peripheral groove in an article received in said openings, whereby the contracted first and second openings defined by the article forming surfaces of the article forming members, when superimposed, define a circle.

6. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said article-forming members comprises: a sicklelike blade including a curved section, having a concave article-forming surface, and a recurved section, both said sections having a common principal plane; a step formed on said curved section and extending over said recurved section on one side of said principal plane; and a slot formed in said blade on the opposite side of said principal plane from said step, between the end of said step on said curved section and the end of said recurved section.

7. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 6, wherein both said first and second plurality of article-forming members are each supported with said individual members thereof in overlying relationship, with the slot formed in each member superimposed over the unstepped portion fo the curved section of an adjacent member, the principal planes of the members in each plurality thereof being coPlanar to permit the members of each plurality thereof to pivot in a common principal plane.

8. A crimping tool, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for selectively imparting rotational movement to said rotatable member includes: an arm formed on said rotatable member; a cylinder supported on said housing; a piston rod partially disposed in said cylinder for rectilinear movement; means pivotally coupling said piston rod to said arm; means for selectively forcing pressurized fluid into said cylinder to impart movement to said piston rod partially to rotate said rotatable member; and means for selectively adjusting the pressure of the pressurized fluid for selectively controlling the movement of said piston rod whereby a groove of a predetermined depth may be formed in various sizes of articles received in said openings.

9. A crimping tool for forming a pair of adjoining peripheral grooves in a cylindrical article, which comprises: a housing having a cylindrical opening therethrough for axially receiving the article; a first plurality of arcuate forming elements, each having a concave article-forming surface; means for pivotally supporting first ends of each of said first plurality of forming elements in a common principal plane at circumferentially-spaced points around said opening to define a first circular opening between the forming surfaces of said first plurality of forming elements; a second plurality of arcuate forming elements identical to the first plurality thereof; means for pivotally supporting first ends of each of said second plurality of forming elements in a common principal plane at circumferentially-spaced points around said opening to define a second circular opening between the forming surfaces of said second plurality of forming elements, said principal plane of said second plurality of forming elements being parallel with the adjacent to said principal plane of said first plurality of forming elements and axially displaced, with respect thereto, through an angle substantially equivalent to half the angular distance between said circumferentially spaced first ends; a member rotatably supported within said article-receiving opening and having an aperture coaxially aligned therewith; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced camming members supported on said rotatable member, each of which is associated with an unsupported end of each of said first and second pluralities of article-forming elements; and means for imparting rotational movement to said rotatable member to cause said camming members to impart pivotal movement to said forming elements, simultaneously to deform said first and second circular openings into substantially reduced spherical-triangular openings to form a pair of adjacent peripheral grooves in an article received in said article-receiving opening, said grooves having staggered arcuate overlapping segments of uniform depth in an annular path around the article.