US3919758A

US3919758A - Crimping means for pressure connecting an at least partially wire shaped part and a terminal part

Info

Publication number: US3919758A
Application number: US460123A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jiri Stepan
Original assignee: K LOEPFE AUTOMATION AG
Current assignee: KRISTEN KABELTECHNIK AG
Priority date: 1973-04-17
Filing date: 1974-04-11
Publication date: 1975-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-18
Also published as: DE2411744C3; FR2226764B1; FR2226764A1; JPS50116986A; CH565463A5; DE2411744B2; DE2411744A1; GB1467671A; JPS556997B2; SE419388B

Abstract

Crimping means for joining a cable wire and a terminal part: means for receiving insulated cable means, for cutting off insulation at the end portion of the cable means, for moving a terminal part to the cable end portion; means for crimping the cable together and for ejecting the crimped assembly.

Description

United States Patent [191 Stepan 1 CRIMPING MEANS FOR PRESSURE CONNECTING AN AT LEAST PARTIALLY WIRE SHAPED PART AND A TERMINAL PART [75] Inventor: Jiri Stepan, Stafa, Switzerland [73] Assignee: K. Loepfe Automation AG,

Hombrechtikon, Switzerland 22 Filed: Apr. 11,1974

211 Appl. No.: 460,123

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 17, 1973 Switzerland 5486/73 [52] US. Cl 29/203 DT; 29/203 DS [51] Int. Cl. I-I0lR 43/04 [58] Field of Search 29/33 M, 203 R, 203 D, 29/203 DT, 203 D8, 628, 629, 630 R, 630 A;

[ Nov. 18, 1975 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,468 10/1956 Cootes et al. 29/203 DT 3,570,100 3/1971 Kindell et al. 29/203 DS 3,837,211 9/1974 Gress et al 29/203 DT 3,839,776 10/1974 Anderson et al. 29/203 DT Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-James R. Duzan Attorney, Agent, or FirmOstrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen [57] ABSTRACT Crimping means for joining a cable wire and a termi* nal part: means for receiving insulated cable means, for cutting off insulation at the end portion of the cable means, for moving a terminal part to the cable end portion; means for crimping the cable together and for ejecting the crimped assembly.

34 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet1of4 3,919,758

US. Pamnt Nov.18,1975 Sheet 3 0f4 FIG. 2

US, Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet40f4 3,919,758

FIG. 3

FIGS

CRIMPING MEANS FOR PRESSURE CONNECTING AN .AT LEAST PARTIALLY WIRE SHAPED PART AND A TERMINAL PART BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a press or crimping 1 the disadvantage that the cams in the operating portion of the press are provided with relatively large flywheels to avoid the requirement for excessively powerful drive means. This produces crimping presses that are large, heavy and very expensive. In these traditional crimping presses, only the ram moves relative to the inserted cable. As a result, the ram moves over a relatively large path, which means greater acceleration with a large number of strokes. Accordingly, such crimping presses are also rather noisy in operation. The large size of the crimping presses is caused by the large eccentric wheels. This makes it impossible for one operator to simultaneously attend to several machines. Furthermore,

the replacement of the crimping tool is usually time consuming. It must frequently be effected by personnel skilled in adjusting the course of movement of the tool and the position of the tool itself. Another disadvantage of these crimping presses is that the cable pieces must be both introduced by hand and thereafter removed by hand after the crimping, which also makes it impossible for the same operator to simultaneously attend to other machines.

It is generally not worthwhile to set up or convert such machinesfor small production runs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the invention to eliminate the above deficiencies.

In the crimping means of the invention, ejection means are provided for the crimped connection. This substantially simplifies operation. Operating personnel are relieved of some work and can attend to several machines.

In accordance with a further development of the invention, the crimping means comprise at least one pair of tools, which are moved in opposite directions. By the simultaneous movement of the operating rams of both tools, with each ram moving over only half the total tool path, the acceleration forces acting on the machine parts and the noise produced are substantially less than in known machines.

The infeed area for the wire to be crimped may be defined as a laterally open slot into the edge of a support. The crimping plane of the wire lies in the plane of feed of the wire. The cable terminal part is raised into this plane for the crimping, so that no kinking of the cable or of the terminal part occurs.

By further developments of the invention, the crimping means can have very small dimensions. Accordingly, several crimping means can be operated in a space that can be easily supervised by one operator who is able to rapidly produce several crimped connections. For this reason, these crimping means can also be arranged in series in production lines within a very small space.

Furthermore, the crimping means can use an entirely pneumatic drive, which has substantial advantages over drives containing electrical components, particularly with respect to susceptibility to breakdown.

The crimping tools or ram members of the crimping means can be replaced by loosening a single screw. Since it is possible to keep different tools available for different crimping processes, conversion from crimping of one type of terminal to crimping of another type is effected rapidly and without any adjustments. Even a small production run of crimped connections can be made with the crimping means of the invention since such means is economical.

It is the primary object of the invention to improve the production of crimped connections between a wire and a terminal part.

It is another object of the invention to automatically eject a crimped connection from the apparatus which does the crimping.

It is another object of the invention to remove insulation from the wire before a crimped connection is made.

It is a further object of the invention to feed the terminal part to be crimped.

It is yet another object of the invention to coordinate and sequence all of the above discussed objectives.

These and other objects are considered in the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is explained with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in cross section, of a cable and terminal part crimping means with an insulation stripping cylinder;

FIG. 2 is a cross section through the crimping means along the line II-Il of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of an end piece feed of the crimping means of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the insulation stripping device of the crimping means of FIG. 1 along the line and in the direction of arrows IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view of the insulation stripping device of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view in the direction of arrows VI of FIG. 1 and shows a system of levers for the ejector and the holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, two horizontal cylinder holders 3 are fastened by screws 4 to vertical support plate 1. Holders 3 carry press operating cylinder 5 whose piston rod 7 is movable between and parallel to cylinder holders 3. An upper toggle lever 11 and a lower toggle lever 12 are swingably supported via two toggle lever bolts 9 on the free widened end 8 of piston rod 7. The other end of upper toggle lever 11 is pivotally connected via toggle lever bolt 13 with press force regulating device 17. Device 17 is firmly connected with two guide rods 21, which extend downwardlyin FIGS. 1 and 2 parallel to plate 1. Crimping cylinder 5 with cylinder holders 3 is displaced laterally with respect to guide rods 21 such that toggle levers 11 and 12 move apart and move along the pair of guide rods 21. Guide rods 21 are guided for sliding in guide bushings 3 by guides 23. Guides 23 are fastened by screws 27 to front plate 1.

Lower toggle lever 12 is pivotally connected via toggle joint bolt 15 with upper tool holder 29, which is guided via guide sleeves for vertical displacement on guide rods 21. Upper tool holder 29 is connected to lower toggle lever 12. Holder 29 supports an upper tool 31, which is held by fastening screw 37 in a correspondingly shaped recess in tool holder 29. On its lower side, upper tool 31 carries upper ram 33, which can be adjusted in length with respect to tool 31, for instance by set screws (not shown).

The lower ends of guide rods 21 are rigidly connected to lower tool holder 41, which supports terminal part end price guide 48. On lower tool holder 41 and aligned with and laterally spaced from upper tool 31, lower tool 42 is fastened by means of holding screw 44 with adjustable ram 46.

Between upper tool holder 29, which slides on guide rods 21, and lower tool holder 41, which is rigidly connected to guide rods 21, piston rod 60 is fastened with holding piece 62 to the guide rod closest to the tools, and rod 60 is oriented parallel to cylinder holders 3. Rod 60 is moved in and out of insulation stripping cylinder 50 by that hydraulically operated cylinder. Cylinder 50 carries external readjustment nut 54 thereon, carries internal piston sealing packages 58 and carries cylinder body 56 on which readjustment nut 54 is screwed.

Connecting piece 70 is firmly connected to cylinder body 56 and extends perpendicularly to the axis of insulation stripping cylinder 50 and guide rods 21. Connecting piece 70 supports severing cylinder 64. Piston rod 68 is moved in and out of cylinder 64 by the hydraulically operated cylinder. Piston 68 extends transversely across and over insulation stripping cylinder 50 and rod 68 protrudes laterally at the height of the upper 31 or lower 42 tool in a bore hole in an outer, movable knife holder 72.

Movable knife holder 72 -is clamped by clamping screw 78 firmly over the end of piston rod 68. Connecting piece 70 supports fixed knife holder 86, which is spaced in the direction of piston rod 68 from holder 72 and is aligned with and parallel to movable knife holder 72. The two

knife holders

72, 86 are accordingly perpendicular to both the axis of severing cylinder 64 and to guide rods 21. Each holder carries a respective knife 74 at its free end, which knives are fastened by knife clamping screws 76 to the respective knife holders 72,

At its free end, each knife 74 has a dovetail shaped cutout 77. The cut outs define a diamond shaped opening.

Knife holders

72, 86 are of such length that knives 74 are displaceable with respect to each other in the manner of scissor blades. Oriented to be between

knife holders

72 and 86 and spaced from cutout 77, stop 80 for infed wire is arranged on connecting piece 70. Stop 80 actuates a pneumatic switch (not shown) which stops feeding of the wire.

In order to guide movable knife holder 72, guide bar 106 (FIG. 4) is fastened to knife holder 72, is oriented parallel to piston rod 68 and is guided for sliding movement in a corresponding bore hole in connecting piece 70.

Driver 82 is fastened to connecting piece 70 and extends, as shown in FIG. 3, through slot 104 in end piece feeder 48. The chamber of end piece feeder 48 includes end piece guide tunnel 91 with inlet opening 90 4 and outlet opening 92 in the end walls of end piece feeder 48. End piece guide tunnel 91 is limited on top by two guide rails 94, which extend inwardly from the side walls of feeder 48. The chamber is divided by guide rails 94 into end piece guide tunnel 91 below and into driver tunnel 95 above.

Plate shaped end piece pusher 96 is arranged for horizontal displacement on guide rails 94. Pusher 96 carries perpendicularly upwardly extending front stop 98 and spaced away rear stop 100. Driver tongue 102 is so fastened to the bottom side of end piece pusher 96 that it extends between guide rails 94 into end piece guide tunnel 91. Tongue 102 is so inclined with respect to the plane of feed that upon movement of end piece pusher 96 in the direction toward entrance opening 90, it moves resiliently over terminal part end pieces 101 of a cable end piece chain, which is inserted into end piece guide tunnel 91. But, upon movement of end piece pusher 96 in the direction toward outlet opening 92, it engages on an end piece 101 and transmits the movement of end piece pusher 96 to the end piece chain. End piece pusher 96 is driven by driver 82, which comes into contact with one of the two stops 98 or 100, depending on the direction of movement of pusher 96.

Two drivers 39 extend through slots in front plate 1 and are firmly fastened on upper tool holder 29, previously described as being supported for sliding on the guide rods 21. One driver pin 39 is firmly connected with displaceable stop driver 126. The other driver pin 39 is connected with displaceable stop driver 132, which is movable vertically in guide groove 134.

Stop 130, fastened to stop driver 132, acts on latch 136. The latch is pivotally fastened to support plate 1 by means of pivot pin 138. Pin 138 is at the end of the latch which is opposite the end that faces cable feed slot 84. The end of the latch that faces that edge of plate 1 that is provided with feed slot 84 has an angular contact surface 137, with which the upper end of ejector 108 is operatively connected and that end pivots vertically around pin 138.

Ejector arm 108 is pivotable horizontally around pivot pin 110 in support plate 1. The ejector 108 is dimensioned such that when it pivots, its lower end, which is provided with cable grasping opening 155, moves horizontally lengthwise along feed slot 84. The upper lever arm of ejector 108 is operatively connected with latch 136. It also has on its side a vertical groove 133 into which tooth 139 of drop pawl 112 can engage.

Drop pawl 112 is elastically connected with ejector 108 via tension spring 120, which is fastened in bore holes 114 in drop pawl 112 and in ejector 108. Tension spring is fastened to ejector 108 below pivot pin 110. The spring tends to pull the lower part of ejector 108 toward the inside of feed slot 84. Drop pawl 112 is pivotally movable horizontally in FIG. 6. Pawl 112 is fastened by pivot pin 116 to drop pawl lever 121.

Drop pawl lever 121 is connected, approximately at its center, with support plate 1 by means of pivot pin 122 and lever 121 pivots vertically in FIG. 6 around pin 122. That end of lever 121, which is not connected with drop pawl '112, is inhibited from moving and thereafter permitted to move by stop 124, which is fastened to stop driver 126.

Stop driver 126 travels in guide groove 128 in a direction parallel to stop driver 132. Driver 126 is connected by one driver pin 39 with upper tool holder 29.

The lever arm of drop pawl lever 121, which is connected with drop pawl 112, is connected by tension spring 152 with wire retention means holder 142, which is rotatable about pivot pin 144 in plate 1. The lever arm of holder 142, which is connected with tension spring 152, has retaining surface 154, which swings transversely to the direction of extension of and in and out of the region of feed opening 84 upon the pivoting of holder 142. Spring 152 draws guide surface 154 of holder 142 upwardly. Another corner of holder 142 has a hole 146 in which tension spring 148 is hooked. The other end of that spring (not shown) is an chored firmly to plate 1.

Tension springs 148 and 152 bias retention means holder 142 upwardly into feed slot 84. A corner of holder 142 that lies approximately above its pivot 144 is generally rounded in shape and is seated rotatably in a ball mount of piston rod 149 that extends from and is hydraulically movable in and out of hydraulically operated retainer cylinder 140. Holder 142 is pivoted by the horizontal movement of piston rod 149.

I The manner of operation of the crimping means is now described.

The end of an insulated wire or cable is introduced through feed slot 84. At this moment, piston rod 68 projecting froom severing cylinder 64 is fully extended, so that

knife holders

72 and 86 are at their maximum distance apart, and the opening formed by the two dovetailed cutting surfaces 77 of knives 74 is open, in FIGS. 2 and 5. Piston 52 projecting from insulation stripping cylinder is entirely retracted. Therefore, knives 74, connected with cylinder body 56 by connecting piece are as near as possible to plate 1, i.e. their position of FIG. 1. Piston rod 7 projecting from and operated by crimping cylinder 5 is entirely retracted. The cable wire is introduced between knives 74 and

knife holders

72 and 86 until the cable presses switch operating stop inward. This actuates severing cylinder 64 to retract its piston and piston rod 68 inwardly. Knives 74 move past each other closing the dovetailed opening 77 in scissor like fashion untilthe insulation on the wire is cut.

Simultaneously with the actuation of severing cylinder 64, retaining cylinder 140 is actuated, and its piston rod 149 is retracted inwardly. Thereupon, retention means holder 142 swings counterclockwise upwardly into the position shown in FIG. 6. This clamps the wire fast between retaining surface 154 of holder 142 pressing from below and the wall defining cable grasping opening 155 of ejector 108 from above. The layer of insulation on the cable is severed by knives 74 sliding over each other. By means of a pneumatic switch (not shown), insulation stripping cylinder 50 is actuated after the completion of the severing movement of knives 74. Piston rod 60 extending from insulation stripping cylinder 50 is firmly connected with one guide rod 21.

Cylinder body 56 with adjusting nut 54, connecting piece 70, driver 82,

knife holders

72 and 86 and their knives 74 all move away from support plate 1. As a resalt, the cut layer of insulation on the wire is pulled off by knives 74. Driver 82, upon its path to the right in FIG. 3 relative to fixed end piece feeder 48, contacts rear stop and moves end piece pusher 96against introduction opening 90. Driver tongue 102 is also pulled in the same direction over an end piece. The positions of

knife holders

72, 86, severing cylinder 64 and 6 adjusting nut 52 after this movement are shown in broken lines in FIG. 1.

When the insulation stripping movement has reached this rear position, press cylinder 5 is actuated by means of another pneumatic switch (not shown). Piston rod 7 moves outward, to the left in FIG. 1. As a result, via upper toggle lever 11, press force regulating device 17 is raised, which raises guide rods 21 to lift lower tool holder 41. At the same time, upper tool holder 29 is moved downwardly by means of lower toggle lever 12, relative to support plate 1 and to upwardly moving guide rods 21. By the stripping movement, to the right in FIG. 1, of knives 74, the knives and their

knife holders

72 and 86 have been moved out of the region of the rams, so that

tools

31, 42 with

respective rams

33, 46 can move without obstruction toward the cable plane. A cable terminal part end piece 101 lies on lower ram 46 and is raised with it to the crimp plane or the cable plane. End piece 101 is finally crimped onto the cable (not shown) by the interengagement of upper ram 33 and lower ram 46 in the plane in which the cable has been introduced. Thereupon the two

rams

33, 46 are loosened and separated and the crimped connection remains.

FIG. 6 shows the system of levers for ejector 108 and retention means holder 142 at the time of crimping. When holder 29 for the upper tool moves upwardly, the two

stops

124 and 130, together with

stop drivers

126 and 132, are pushed upwardly by driver pins 39 which are fastened to upper tool holder 29. The upward movement of stop 130 swings up latch 136, and the latch disengages from ejector 108, permitting the ejector to swing counterclockwise in FIG. 6 toward the open end of feed slot 84. At the same time, drop pawl lever 121 is released for clockwise rotation in FIG. 6 by upward movement of stop 124. The pulling force produced by the pull of tension spring 152 on lever 121 pulls the lever clockwise and this clockwise motion is transmitted by drop pawl 112 to contact surface 133 between drop pawl 112 and ejector 108. Since this contact surface is eccentric with respect to pivot pin 110 of ejector 108, the downward motion of pawl 112 causes counterclockwise rotation of ejector 108.

Simultaneously with the separating of

rams

33, 46, retainer cylinder pushes piston 149 outwardly. As a result, retention means holder 142 and thus retainer surface 154 are pivoted out of feed slot 84. The crimped connection which now lies loosely in cable grasping opening 155 is released. This pivoting of holder 142 tensions spring 152 further. When ejector 108 is pivoting outwardly of slot 84, the crimped connection is thus freed and is pushed out of feed slot 84. When ejector 108 has pivoted through a predetermined angle, the crimped connection drops out of cable grasping opening 155 and feed opening 84. Drop pawl 112 disengages by means of tooth 139 from out of tooth gap 133, whereby no moment of rotation is any longer exerted by drop pawl 112 on ejector 108. The ejector is pulled back into its original position by the pull of tension spring 120, and in this position, drop pawl 112 can again engage it.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing force can be adjusted by means of regulating screw 19. This is effected in the following manner: By turning of regulating screw 19, gear 160, which is arranged coaxially to regulating screw 19, is turned. Gear engages gears 162 which have worm gear interiors and which are fixed axially with respect to guide rods 21 in housing 18. The worm gear interiors of gears 162 engage worms 164 on guide rods 21. By the turning of gear wheels 162, guide rods 21 are adjusted up and down to a greater or lesser extent. This movement is transmitted to lower tool holder 41. By this adjustment of the effective guide rod length, the distance between

rams

33, 46, and thus the crimping force, is adjusted.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, many variations and modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising:

first feed means for receiving the cable wire and positioning it at a first location; second feed means for feeding the terminal part to a position near the wire at said first location;

first and second crimping members both movable relative to one another and both movable relative to other unmoved parts of said crimping means and both movable toward and away from each other and both movable toward and away from said first location to press the wire and terminal part together; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other;

ejector means movable to engage the crimped together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart.

2. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said first feed means comprises a retention means operatively connected with said crimping members and movable to said first location to hold the wire and terminal part there during movement together of said crimping members;

means for moving said retention means toward and away from said first location which said moving means are operatively connected with said crimping member moving means.

3. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said second feed means comprises a movable push member, which is movable along the path of and in the opposite direction of the direction of feed of the wire; said push member being engageable with the terminal part to move same in that opposite direction; and means for moving said push member.

4. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said crimping member moving means comprises a first toggle lever and a second toggle lever and means for causing said toggle levers to move in a toggling manner apart and together; said first crimping member being connected to and movable by said first toggle lever and said second crimping member being connected to and movable by said second toggle lever, such that movement of said toggle levers apart and together causes said crimping members to move apart and together.

5. The crimping means of claim 4, wherein said means for causing said toggle levers to move apart and together comprises a pneumatic drive means.

6. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said wire feed means comprises stripping means for stripping insulation off the wire and means for moving said strip- 8 ping means in an insulation stripping direction in which insulation is stripped.

7. The crimping means of claim 6, wherein said stripping means comprises means for severing insulation on a wire.

8. The crimping means of claim 7, further comprising first means for moving said severing means in the direction of feed of the wire to the crimping means.

9. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said severing means comprises:

a first and a second knife adapted to cooperate to sever insulation on a wire and a respective first and second knife holder for said first and said second knife;

a second cylinder and a second piston movable by said second cylinder into and out of that cylinder, said second piston being oriented to be moved across the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means;

said second cylinder being connected with said severing means first moving means, thereby to cause said second cylinder and said second piston to move in the feed direction of the wire; said first knife holder being connected with said second cylinder and said second knife holder being connected with said second piston, whereby said first and second knives are moved to and from a severing position adjacent to the wire being fed.

10. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said severing means first moving means comprises:

a first cylinder, a first piston movable by means of said first cylinder into and out of said first cylinder; one of said first piston and said first cylinder beingmovable with respect to the other along the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means; said crimping means being attached to the movable one of said first piston and first cylinder, to be shifted by that movable element along the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means;

means for holding the other of said first cylinder and said first piston stationary with respect to said guide rod.

11. The crimping means of claim 10, wherein it is said first cylinder that is movable.

12. The crimping means of claim 10, wherein said severing means comprises:

said second cylinder being connected with said severing means first moving means, thereby to cause said second cylinder and said second piston to move in the feed direction of the wire; said first knife holder being connected with said second cylinder and said second knife holder being connected with said second piston, whereby said first and second knives-are moved to and from a severing position adjacent to the wire being fed.

13. The crimping means of claim 12, wherein said firstand said second knife holders are oriented generally parallel to the feed direction of the wire being fed to the crimping means; said first and said second knives 9 extend toward each other and include respective operating cutting surfaces in opposition'to each other.

14. The crimping means of claim 12, wherein said first and said second cylinders are pneumatically operated. r

15. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said second feed means comprises'a movable push member, which is movable along the path of and in the opposite direction of the direction of feed of the wire; said push member being engageable with the terminal part to move same in that opposite direction; and means for moving said push member;

said push member connected with to be movable with the said first means for moving said severing means.

16. The crimping means of claim 15, wherein individual terminal parts are fed in a connected chain; said push member including a driver tongue extending toward the terminal part chain and being shaped and adapted to slide over the terminal parts in the chain when said push member moves in the feed direction of the wire and being adapted to engage and push the terminal parts in the chain when said push member moves in the feed direction of the terminal parts.

17. The crimping means of claim 16, further comprising a housing including a guide rail oriented parallel to the feed direction of the terminal parts; said push member being movable along one side of said guide rail; said housing having a terminal part chain feed channel along the opposite side of said guide rail and through which channel the terminal part chain is moved and into which channel said push member tongue projects;

said terminal part feed channel being attached to and movable with one of said crimping members.

18, The crimping means of claim 16, further comprising a first driver on said first means for moving said severing means; said push member having a pair of spaced movement projections positioned on said'push member such that said first driver moves between and engages each said push member projection as said first driver moves in opposite directions.

19. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said crimping means includes a support plate on which said first and said second feed means and said crimping members are carried; a slot oriented inwardly of the edge of said plate and leading to said first location; said ejector means comprising an ejector arm positioned near said slot and movable along said slot from said first location to said plate edge, thereby to eject the crimped wire and terminal part from said crimping means.

20. The crimping means of claim 19, wherein said ejector arm is pivotally supported with respect to said plate, thereby to pivotally move along said slot.

21. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising:

first and second crimping members movable relative to one another toward and away from each other and toward and away from said first location to press the wire and terminal part together at said first location; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other; said crimping member moving means comprising a first toggle lever and a second toggle lever and means for causing said toggle levers to move in a toggling manner apart and together; said first crimping member being connected to and movable by said first toggle lever and said second crimping member being connected to and movable by said second toggle lever, such that movement of said toggle levers apart and together causes said crimping members to move apart and together;

ejector means movable to engage the crimped-together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart;

a crimping member guide rod; said first crimping member being movable along and being guided for movement on said guide rod;

said second crimping member being fixed to said guide rod such that movement of said guide rod moves said second crimping member;

said first toggle lever being pivotally connected to said first crimping member for moving same; said second toggle lever being pivotally connected to said guide rod for moving same.

22. The crimping means of claim 21, wherein said pivot connections of both said toggle levers are above oneside of said first crimping member and above the same side of said second crimping member, such that said guide rod passes said first crimping member to ex? tend to said second crimping member.

23. The crimping means of claim 21 further comprising, a crimping force regulating device to which said second toggle lever is pivotally connected and which, in turn, is attached to said guide rod;

means for moving said guide rod past said regulating device, thereby adjusting the position of said second crimping member before commencement of movement of said crimping members together.

24. The crimping means of claim 23, wherein said regulating device comprises a worm coaxially mounted on said guide rod, a rotatable worm gear in engagement with said worm for moving said worm, a rotatable gear in engagement with said worm gear for rotating said worm gear and means for rotating said rotatable gear;

a gear frame carried on said second toggle lever; said worm gear and said rotatable gear being in said gear frame.

25. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising:

first and second crimping members movable relative to one another toward and away from each other and to press the wire and terminal part together; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other;

said crimping means includes a support plate on which said first and said second feed means and said crimping members are carried; a slot oriented inwardly of the edge of said plate and leading to said first location;

ejector means movable to engage the crimped together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart;

said ejector means comprising an ejector arm positioned near said slot and movable along said slot 1 1 from said first location to said plate edge, thereby to eject the crimped wire and terminal part from said crimping means;

said ejector arm being pivotally supported with respect to said plate, thereby to pivotally move along said slot;

said ejector means comprising operating means for operating said ejector arm; said operating means comprising driver means connected with one said crimping member for being moved therewith, thereby to shift said driver means in a first and in an opposite second direction;

a latch normally positioned to block pivoting motion of said ejector arm outwardly along said slot; said latch being positioned to be engaged by motion of said driver means in said first direction and, upon such engagement, to be lifted out of its said ejector arm pivoting motion blocking position;

an ejector arm pivoting drop pawl means in engage ment with said ejector arm; means for moving said drop pawl means in a third direction and which such movement causes said ejector arm to pivot outwardly of said slot; said drop pawl means including an ejector arm engaging connection by which it engages said ejector arm and which said connection causes separation of said ejector arm and said drop pawl means upon predetermined pivoting motion of said ejector arm;

said drop pawl means also engaging said driver means and being blocked from motion in said third direction by said driver means; motion of said river means in said first direction permitting said drop pawl means to move in said third direction.

26. The crimping means of claim 25, further comprising an ejector arm biasing tension spring connected be tween said ejector arm and said drop pawl means and which biases them into engagement and which draws said ejector arm outwardly along said slot after said ejector arm and drop pawl means engaging connection is separated.

27. The crimping means of claim 25, wherein said latch is pivotable with respect to said plate, whereby its motion is pivoting motion.

28. The crimping means of claim 25, wherein said drop pawl means includes a pawl which engages said ejector arm and also includes a drop pawl lever to which said pawl is pivotally connected; said drop pawl lever being the portion of said drop pawl means that is engaged by said driver means, and said driver means blocks movement of said drop pawl lever in said third direction; said drop pawl lever being pivotable with re- 12 spect to said plate, whereby its motion in said third direction is pivoting motion.

29. The crimping means of claim 28, wherein said ejector arm engaging connection comprises a tooth on said pawl which engages in a groove in said ejector arm, and said tooth and said groove having respective angles of inclination which causes them to separate upon predetermined movement of said drop pawl lever in said third direction.

30. The crimping means of claim 28, wherein said latch is pivotable with respect to said plate, whereby its motion is pivoting motion;

said driver means comprising separated first and second drivers with said first driver being positioned to be engaged by said latch and with said second driver being positioned to be engaged by said drop pawl lever. I

31. The crimping means of claim 25, wherein said first feed means comprises a retention means operatively connected with said crimping members and movable to said first location to hold the wire and terminal part there during movement together of said crimping members;

32. The crimping means of claim 31, wherein said re tention means includes a retention surface; said retention means being movable so that said retention surface is moved to said slot to retain the wire and terminal part at said first location; said retention means being pivotable with respect to said plate and said retention surface pivoting toward and away from said slot; said retention means moving means pivots said retention means.

33. The crimping means of claim 32, further comprising a drop pawl means biasing tension spring joining said drop pawl means and said retention means, such that said drop pawl means is urged toward said third direction and said retention means is urged toward said slot, whereby as said retention means pivots away from said slot, said spring draws said drop pawl lever in said third direction.

34. The crimping means of claim 32, wherein said retention means moving means comprises a pneumatic cylinder and a piston operated by that said cylinder, which said piston is connected with said retention means to move same.

Claims

1. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising: first feed means for receiving the cable wire and positioning it at a first location; second feed means for feeding the terminal part to a position near the wire at said first location; first and second crimping members both movable relative to one another and both movable relative to other unmoved parts of said crimping means and both movable toward and away from each other and both movable toward and away from said first location to press the wire and terminal part together; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other; ejector means movable to engage the crimped together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart.

2. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said first feed means comprises a retention means operatively connected with said crimping members and movable to said first location to hold the wire and terminal part there during movement together of said crimping members; means for moving said retention means toward and away from said first location which said moving means are operatively connected with said crimping member moving means.

6. The crimping means of claim 1, wherein said wire feed means comprises stripping means for stripping insulation off the wire and means for moving said stripping means in an insulation stripping direction in which insulation is stripped.

9. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said severing means comprises: a first and a second knife adapted to cooperate to sever insulation on a wire and a respective first and second knife holder for said first and said second knife; a second cylinder and a second piston movable by said second cylinder into and out of that cylinder, said second piston being oriented to be moved across the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means; said second cylinder being connected with said severing means first moving means, thereby to cause said second cylinder and said second piston to move in the feed direction of the wire; said first knife holder being connected with said second cylinder and said second knife holder being connected with said second piston, whereby said first and second knives are moved to and from a severing position adjacent to the wire being fed.

10. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said severing means first moving means comprises: a first cylinder, a first piston movable by means of said first cylinder into and out of said first cylinder; one of said first piston and said first cylinder being movable with respect to the other along the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means; said crimping means being attached to the movable one of said first piston and first cylinder, to be shifted by that movable element along the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means; means for holding the other of said first cylinder and said first piston stationary with respect to said guide rod.

12. The crimping means of claim 10, wherein said severing means comprises: a first and a second knife adapted to cooperate to sever insulation on a wire and a respective first and second knife holder for said first and said second knife; a second cylinder and a second piston movable by said second cylinder into and out of that cylinder, said second piston being oriented to be moved across the feed direction of the wire to the crimping means; said second cylinder being connected with said severing means first moving means, thereby to cause said second cylinder and said second piston to move in the feed direction of the wire; said first knife holder being connected with said second cylinder and said second knife holder being connected with said second piston, whereby said first and second knives are moved to and from a severing position adjacent to the wire being fed.

13. The crimping means of claim 12, wherein said first and said second knife holders are oriented generally parallel to the feed direction of the wire being fed to the crimping means; said first and said second knives extend toward each other and include respective operating cutting surfaces in opposition to each other.

14. The crimping means of claim 12, wherein said first and said second cylinders are pneumatically operated.

15. The crimping means of claim 8, wherein said second feed means comprises a movable push member, which is movable along the path of and in the opposite direction of the direction of feed of the wire; said push member being engageable with the terminal part to move same in that opposite direction; and means for moving said push membEr; said push member connected with to be movable with the said first means for moving said severing means.

17. The crimping means of claim 16, further comprising a housing including a guide rail oriented parallel to the feed direction of the terminal parts; said push member being movable along one side of said guide rail; said housing having a terminal part chain feed channel along the opposite side of said guide rail and through which channel the terminal part chain is moved and into which channel said push member tongue projects; said terminal part feed channel being attached to and movable with one of said crimping members.

18. The crimping means of claim 16, further comprising a first driver on said first means for moving said severing means; said push member having a pair of spaced movement projections positioned on said push member such that said first driver moves between and engages each said push member projection as said first driver moves in opposite directions.

21. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising: first feed means for receiving the cable wire and positioning it at a first location; second feed means for feeding the terminal part to a position near the wire at said first location; first and second crimping members movable relative to one another toward and away from each other and toward and away from said first location to press the wire and terminal part together at said first location; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other; said crimping member moving means comprising a first toggle lever and a second toggle lever and means for causing said toggle levers to move in a toggling manner apart and together; said first crimping member being connected to and movable by said first toggle lever and said second crimping member being connected to and movable by said second toggle lever, such that movement of said toggle levers apart and together causes said crimping members to move apart and together; ejector means movable to engage the crimped together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart; a crimping member guide rod; said first crimping member being movable along and being guided for movement on said guide rod; said second crimping member being fixed to said guide rod such that movement of said guide rod moves said second crimping member; said first toggle lever being pivotally connected to said first crimping member for moving same; said second toggle lever being pivotally connected to said guide rod for moving same.

22. The crimping means of claim 21, wherein said pivot connections of both said toggle levers are above one side of said first crimping member and above the same side of said second crimping member, such That said guide rod passes said first crimping member to extend to said second crimping member.

23. The crimping means of claim 21, further comprising, a crimping force regulating device to which said second toggle lever is pivotally connected and which, in turn, is attached to said guide rod; means for moving said guide rod past said regulating device, thereby adjusting the position of said second crimping member before commencement of movement of said crimping members together.

24. The crimping means of claim 23, wherein said regulating device comprises a worm coaxially mounted on said guide rod, a rotatable worm gear in engagement with said worm for moving said worm, a rotatable gear in engagement with said worm gear for rotating said worm gear and means for rotating said rotatable gear; a gear frame carried on said second toggle lever; said worm gear and said rotatable gear being in said gear frame.

25. Crimping means for crimping of a cable wire to a terminal part, comprising: first feed means for receiving the cable wire and positioning it at a first location; second feed means for feeding the terminal part to a position near the wire at said first location; first and second crimping members movable relative to one another toward and away from each other and to press the wire and terminal part together; moving means for so moving said crimping members relative to each other; said crimping means includes a support plate on which said first and said second feed means and said crimping members are carried; a slot oriented inwardly of the edge of said plate and leading to said first location; ejector means movable to engage the crimped together wire and terminal part and to eject same from said crimping means and said first location; means for so moving said ejector means after said crimping members have moved apart; said ejector means comprising an ejector arm positioned near said slot and movable along said slot from said first location to said plate edge, thereby to eject the crimped wire and terminal part from said crimping means; said ejector arm being pivotally supported with respect to said plate, thereby to pivotally move along said slot; said ejector means comprising operating means for operating said ejector arm; said operating means comprising driver means connected with one said crimping member for being moved therewith, thereby to shift said driver means in a first and in an opposite second direction; a latch normally positioned to block pivoting motion of said ejector arm outwardly along said slot; said latch being positioned to be engaged by motion of said driver means in said first direction and, upon such engagement, to be lifted out of its said ejector arm pivoting motion blocking position; an ejector arm pivoting drop pawl means in engagement with said ejector arm; means for moving said drop pawl means in a third direction and which such movement causes said ejector arm to pivot outwardly of said slot; said drop pawl means including an ejector arm engaging connection by which it engages said ejector arm and which said connection causes separation of said ejector arm and said drop pawl means upon predetermined pivoting motion of said ejector arm; said drop pawl means also engaging said driver means and being blocked from motion in said third direction by said driver means; motion of said river means in said first direction permitting said drop pawl means to move in said third direction.

26. The crimping means of claim 25, further comprising an ejector arm biasing tension spring connected between said ejector arm and said drop pawl means and which biases them into engagement and which draws said ejector arm outwardly along said slot after said ejector arm and drop pawl means engaging connection is separated.

28. The crimping means of claim 25, wheRein said drop pawl means includes a pawl which engages said ejector arm and also includes a drop pawl lever to which said pawl is pivotally connected; said drop pawl lever being the portion of said drop pawl means that is engaged by said driver means, and said driver means blocks movement of said drop pawl lever in said third direction; said drop pawl lever being pivotable with respect to said plate, whereby its motion in said third direction is pivoting motion.

30. The crimping means of claim 28, wherein said latch is pivotable with respect to said plate, whereby its motion is pivoting motion; said driver means comprising separated first and second drivers with said first driver being positioned to be engaged by said latch and with said second driver being positioned to be engaged by said drop pawl lever.

31. The crimping means of claim 25, wherein said first feed means comprises a retention means operatively connected with said crimping members and movable to said first location to hold the wire and terminal part there during movement together of said crimping members; means for moving said retention means toward and away from said first location which said moving means are operatively connected with said crimping member moving means.

32. The crimping means of claim 31, wherein said retention means includes a retention surface; said retention means being movable so that said retention surface is moved to said slot to retain the wire and terminal part at said first location; said retention means being pivotable with respect to said plate and said retention surface pivoting toward and away from said slot; said retention means moving means pivots said retention means.