US3866846A

US3866846A - Wire wrap tool

Info

Publication number: US3866846A
Application number: US292055A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ted C Dorsey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-09-25
Filing date: 1972-09-25
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18

Abstract

A hand tool for loosening and removing coiled wire wrap electrical connections by engaging the end of a wire and rotating the tool until the wire loosens and can be lifted off. The tool has a hollow central tubular member with a helical thread on one end. A second tubular member having flexible collet jaws fits over the center tube for replacing coil wire wraps. An outer tubular member fits over the second tubular member and when pushed down forces the collet jaws against the wire wrap to tighten the coil.

Description

United States Patent Dorsey Feb. 18, 1975 [5 WIRE WRAP TOOL 3,378,906 4/1968 Dorsey 242/703 11 [76] inventor: Ted C. Dorsey, 4479 Westmont St.,

ventura, C lif 93003 Primary Examiner-B1lly S. Taylor Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard S. Sciascia; Joseph [221 Wed: Sept- 25, 1972 M. St. Amand; David OReilly [21] Appl. No.: 292,055 7 [57] ABSTRACT [22] CC11. 242/7.06, 5294215011 A hand tool for loosening and removing Coiled .wire l7 7 wrap electrical connections by engaging the end of a 3 ig /bgflif H d f wire and rotating the tooluntil the wire loosens and 6 can be lifted off. The tool has a hollow central tubular member with a helical thread on one end. A second tubular member having flexible collet jaws fits over [56] References cued the center tube for replacing coil wire wraps. An outer UNITED STATES PATENTS tubular member fits over the second tubular member 2,884,210 4/1959 Strauss 242/7.06 and when pushed down forces the collet jaws against 2,898,952 9/1959 Lovecky 242/706 the wire wrap to tighten the coil, 3,019,517 2/1962 Lovecky 242/717 3,210,836 10/1965 Johanson et al. 29/203 H 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures WIRE WRAP TOOL STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tool for removing and replacing coiled wire wrap electrical connections.

In the field of computers and communications, coiled wire wrap connections are being used with increasing frequency. This type or connection consists of a terminal, typically square, which has several turns of a wire wrapped tightly around it. The corners of the terminal cut into the wire for maximum electrical connection.

Often these connections have to be changed and there is a great need for a tool which can perform this function without damaging the wire. A tool which does not permit careful loosening of the coil will tend to break the wire where the terminal has cut into it. This necessitates complete replacement of the wire at greater expense and loss of time than it would ordinarily entail to remove and replace the same connection on a different terminal.-

Present tools for this purpose concentrate mainly on the removal of coil wire wrap with little emphasis placed on the ability to rewrap the coil on a different terminal and still achieve a good connection.

One such tool was disclosed by the same inventor as this invention in US. Pat. No. 3,378,906, Apr. 23, 1968. While this tool was an improvement over existing devices, it was not entirely satisfactory. The tool is somewhat bulky and presents a danger to adjacent existing terminals. Also, the vise grip action of the tool could easily become too severe and on occasion cause the twisting off of the complete terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tool which can be used to gently lift off and hold a coil wire wrap while it is moved to another terminal and carefully rewrapped with little damage to the coil. The tool is comprised of three concentric tubular members with the central tubular member having a helical threaded portion at one end. The second or intermediate tubular member has collet jaws' which, when pressed against the helical thread, retain the coil wire wrap without excessive force.

The central tubular member also has a semi-helical notch in the opposite end from the helical groove for careful removal of coil wire wraps which are not going to be rewrapped without damage to the terminal. This permits quick release of the coil from the tool which cannot be done as readily with the helically threaded end.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for removing and replacing coil wire wraps without damage to the coil or terminal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool to retain the coil during the entire removal and rewrapping process. I

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for rewrapping coil wire wrap connections without excessive force being applied to the wire and terminal.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for quickly removing coil wire wraps without damaging the terminal.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view of one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of a second embodiment of the invention. I

FIG. 4 is a partial section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the operation of the tool to remove a coil wire wrap connection.

FIG. 6 is a partial elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the operation of the tool for rewrapping a coil wire wrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a tool for removing and rewrapping coil wire wrap connections. This embodiment is comprised of three concentric

tubular members

10, 12 and 14, respectively.

The central tubular member 10 has a raised external helical groove 16 at one end and a helical notch 18 at the other end. Helical groove 16 has at least one complete turn and the depth of the groove is determined by the wire size for which the tool is intended to be used. In'most cases, extremely small gage wire (on the order of No. 30 AWG) is used for these types of connections. In any case, the depth of helical groove 16 should be slightly larger than the diameter of the wire. This prevents excessive pressure from collet jaws 20 when rewrapping a coil.

The semi-helical notch 18 in the other end of central 4 tubular member 12 is used to quickly remove coil wire wraps which are not going to be immediately replaced or reused. The semi-helical notch hooks the end of a coil and a slight rotation loosens it. The coil can then be quickly lifted off and dropped from the tool since it is not retained as in the case of the helical groove.

The second or intermediate concentric tubular member 12 fits over central tubular member 10 to guide and retain it. In addition, flexible collet jaws 20 are provided in the end adjacent to helical groove 16 for retaining and applying a light pressure during the rewrapping process. In order to assure that the coil wire is not damaged, pads '22 of a suitable resilient and nonabrasive material, such as asbestos, are provided.

The outer concentric retaining tube 14 is provided for closing and locking flexible collet jaws 20 of intermediate concentric tube 12 in a closed position, if desired. A downward force on outer concentric tube 14 forces the flexible collet jaws 20 inward until they contact the outer rim of helical groove 16. This permits movement of the coil wire wrap to another terminal without damage to the wire.

Intermediate concentric tube 12 has parallel elongated slots 24 on either side. A retaining pin 26, press fitted in central concentric tube 10, rides in these slots 24 to limit the motion of the central tube. The retaining pin 26 may be extended further, if desired, to provide finger manipulating grips. The pin extensions also function to prevent outer concentric locking tube 14 from slipping off the tool.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The central wire wrap loosening tube is the same configuration as in FIG. 1. The intermediate tube is, however, different in that only one collet jaw 28 is provided. The collet jaw 28 is formed as a flexible semi-circular strip of metal having a rounded post 30 at the bottom end. A semi-circular notch 32 in intermediate tube 12 permits post 30 of flexible collet jaw 28 to press against a coil wire wrap, thus retaining it in helical groove 16. Outer concentric tube 14 has sufficient inside diameter to force collet jaw 28 gently against a coil wire wrap in the helical groove and lock it in place,

v if desired. Intermediate tube 12 may be slightly tapered as shown at 34, or formed. in any suitable manner to permit helical groove 16 to be withdrawn into the tube.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 for removing and replacing coil wire wraps. For removing a coil, the central tube 10 is slipped over a terminal 36 and gently rotated so that the helical groove passes under the wire and loosens coil 38. Intermediate retaining tube 12 is then slipped over the coil 38, central tube 10 and terminal 36. The outer tube 14 may then be forced down, locking coil 38 in place with collet jaws of intermediate tube 12. The coil may now be lifted off the terminal.

For rewrapping coil 38 on another terminal, the procedure is reversed, as shown in FIG. 6, except that collet jaws 20 remain locked against the coil. That is, the entire tool is rotated and as the coil comes out of helical groove 16, the friction between it and the collet jaws tightens coil 38 around terminal 36. The same procedure applies to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

When a coil wire wrap is to be removed and not replaced or immediately reused, the opposite end of the tool can be employed. To do this, central concentric tube 10 is slid upward until semi-helical notch 18 extends from the end of intermediate concentric tube 12. When retaining pin 26 reaches the end of slot 24, the notch 18 will be in proper position. Outer concentric tube 14 can then be slid down over collet jaws 20, locking the central tube 10 in this set position. The tool can now be turned over with outer tube effectively functioning as a handle. The tool is slipped over a terminal and rotated until notch 18 catches and loosens the coil 'wire wrap. The coil can then be quickly lifted off the terminal and dropped from the tool.

Thus, there has been disclosed a new wire wrapping tool for quick removal and replacement of coil wire wraps without damage to the wire with the option of retaining the coil in the tool for moving connections from one terminal to another.

Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A tool for removing and replacing coil wire wraps comprising:

a first tubular member having a raised external helical groove having a predetermined depth at one end;

a second tubular member concentric with the first tubular member and having at least one flexible collet jaw at one end adjacent to the helical groove of the first tubular member;

a third tubular member slidable over and concentric with the second tubular member to force the collet jaw of the second tubular member against the helical groove of the first tubular member whereby a coil wire wrap may be retained in the tool.

2. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the first concentric tubular member has a semi-helical slot in the opposite end from the helical groove.

3. The tool as described in claim 2 including longitudinal slots in said second tubular member; and

a retaining pin passing through the first tubular mem her and riding in the longitudinal slots.

4. The tool as recited in claim 3 wherein the collet jaw is formed of a plurality of flexible strips at the end of the second tubular member with resilient pads attached to the strips.

5. The tool as recited in claim 3 wherein the collet jaw is comprised of a flexible semi-circular strip attached to the outside of said second tubular member I with a rounded post attached to the concave surface of the flexible strip adjacent to the helical groove of the first tubular member.

6. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the helical groove has a depth slightly larger than the diameter of the wire for which the tool is intended to be used to prevent excessive pressure when rewrapping a coil.

Claims

1. A tool for removing and replacing coil wire wraps comprising: a first tubular member having a raised external helical groove having a predetermined depth at one end; a second tubular member concentric with the first tubular member and having at least one flexible collet jaw at one end adjacent to the helical groove of the first tubular member; a third tubular member slidable over and concentric with the second tubular member to force the collet jaw of the second tubular member against the helical groove of the first tubular member whereby a coil wire wrap may be retained in the tool.

3. The tool as described in claim 2 including longitudinal slots in said second tubular member; and a retaining pin passing through the first tubular member and riding in the longitudinal slots.

5. The tool as recited in claim 3 wherein the collet jaw is comprised of a flexible semi-circular strip attached to the outside of said second tubular member with a rounded post attached to the concave surface of the flexible strip adjacent to the helical groove of the first tubular member.