[1]United States Patent Office 3@426,355 3,426,355 CRIMPING TOOL HAVING WIRE SEVERING MEANS William Roderick Over, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor to 5 AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Aug. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 573,078 U.S. Cl. 29-203 8 Claims Int. Cl. HOIR 5108; B21d 31100, 37112 This invention relates to an apparatus for trimming 10 the ends of wires and crimping an electrical connecting device onto the trimmed ends. The co-pending application of Richard Ellwood Reem et al., Ser. No. 539,230, filed Jan. 7, 1966, now U.S. Patent No. 3,328,872, discloses and claims connector crimp- 15 ing devices of a type adapted to crimp a connector onto the ends of wires extending axially towards each other to form a splice connection between the wires. A distinguishing feature of this Reem et al. tool is that the ends of the wires are trimmed prior to crimping so that the 20 slack can be drawn out of the wires when the splice connection is made. A further distin-uishing feature and advantage of this Reem et al. tool is that the manipulative operation of positioning the wires in the tool is greatly simplified as compared with prior art methods and de- 25 vices so that a high production rate can be achieved by a technician using the tool. The present invention relates to an apparatus for accomplishing many of the same objectives as the Reem et al. tool and performing similar, and additional, oper- 30 ations. The present invention is particularly directed to an apparatus which permits the use of relatively short connecting devices to make such splices and to an apparatus having improved means for locating the wires in the connector and holding them in position while the 35 connector is bein@ crimped onto the wires. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved tool for crimping an electrical - connector onto the ends of wires. A further object is to provide a tool for trimming the ends of wires and making a splice 40 connection between the wires. A further object is to provide a tool having improved means for locatin@ the wires and holding them in position while the splice connection is being made. A further object is to provide a tool adapted to crimp relatively short splice connectors 45 onto the ends of wires. A still further object is to provide a relatively fool-proof and easily operated device which can be used by relatively inexperienced personnel with very little prior training. These and other objects of the invention are achieved 50 in a preferred embodiment of the tool adapted to trim the ends of wires extending axially towards each other and crimp an open U-type connecting device onto the overlapped ends of the trimmed wires. One - preferred form of the invention comprises a pair of crimping mem- 55 bers, such as a conventional crimping die and crim . ping anvil, which are normally disposed in parallel spacedapar-t relationship and which are movable relatively towards and away from each other along a predetermined path. One of these members, the crimping die, is adapted 60 to bend the sidewalls of an open U-type connector inwardly towards each other and crimp the connector onto the ends of the wires. The other member, the anvil, is adapted to support the connector during the crimping operation. The ends of the crimping members define wire 65 shearing planes in which a pair of wire shearing members are mounted. These shearing members are normally disposed beside the path of relative movement of the crimping members and between the crimping members when they are in their open positions. The shearing mem- 70 bers are movable, independently of the crimping members, towards and past one of the crimping members and Patented Feb. 4, 1969 2 cooparate with the one crimping member to perform a wire shearing operation. A wire locating means is provided in the form of a pair of plate-like members mounted against the shearing members, each plate-like member having first and second wire holders for holding the wires during the crimping operation. The first wire holders in these plate-like members are located on the sides of the shearing members which are adjacent to the crimping anvil and the second wire holders are located on the side adjacent to the crimping die which cooperates with the shearing members to cut the wires. In use, each wire is positioned with its axis extending through a first and then a second wire holder in the two plate4ike members so that the wires will be positioned with their axes extending between a first shearing member and the crimping anvil thence between the crimping die and the crimping anvil thence between a second shearing member and the crimping die and through a second wire holder with the end portion of the wire extending externally of th'is second wire holder. Upon movement of the shearing members towards the die, these end portions of the wires will be severed in the severing planes and upon subsequent movement of the die relatively towards the anvil, an electrical connector supported on the die will be crimped onto the trimmed ends of the wires. The wires in the crimped connection will be in overlapping parallel relationship so that a minimum length in the finished connection is achieved. In the drawin.-s: FIGURE I is a perspective view of an uncrimped connector intended for use in the disclosed embodiment of the invention; FLGURE 2 is a perspective view of a crimped connection; FIGURE 3 is a side view with parts broken away of one form of hand tool in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 4 is a front view of the upper portion of the tool of FIGURE 3; FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the anvil, the crimping die, and the wire positioning and cutting means of the tool of FIGURE 3,,[ FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the anvil, the anvil block, and the cutters; FIGURES 7, 8, and 9 are fragmentary front views sho-@ving the wire positioning means, the wire cutters, and portions of the crimping die and anvil and illustrating the operation of the tool; FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the two wire positionling plates, these plates being disposed in back-to-back relationship for the purpose of illustrating the depth of the wire locating slots. FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary perspec tive view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE II but showing the manner in which the wires can be positioned to produce a butt splice; FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a butt splice; FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 1 but showin.a the manner in which the wires can be positioned to produce a tap connection; and FIGUR-E 15 is a perspective view of a tap connection. Referring first to FIGURES I and 2, one type of connector 2, which is adapted to be crimped by a tool in accordance with the invention, has a web portion 4 from which sidewalls 6 extend. A pair of spaced-apart tongues 8 are struck up from the web adjacent to the ends of the connector and have side-,by-side notches 10, the notcbes of each tongue being axially aligned with the notches of the other tongue. Advantageously, plastic insulating film 12 Gf a material such as Mylar (polyethylene terephthalate) is bonded to the external surface of the connector and extends beyond the edges of the sidewalls and the ends of
[2]3)426)355 3 the connector so that the completed crimped connection, FIGURE 2, will be entirely encased in the ir)sulatin.- film. In the finished crimped connection, -the wres 14, 16 overlap with each wire being disposed in a set of the notches 10 in the tongues. As explained in the above-identified Reem et al. application the notches are preferably of a width such that they will penetrate the insulation of the wire and establish electrical contact with the conducting core thereof thus avoiding the necessity of stripping this insulation in a separate operation. ,One form of apparatus in accordance with the invention (FIGURES 3-6), comprises a tool 18 having a frame 20 with a flanged head 22 at one end thereof against which the crimping dies are mounted as will be described below. A fixed handle 24 is secured to the opposite or lower end of the frame and has a generally channel-shaped cross section with sides 26 and a web 28. The sides 26 extend along opposite sides of the frame and are secured thereto by suitable fasteners 30. A movable bandle 32 bas an end portion 34 which is received between a pair of spaced apart ears 36 on an anvil block 38 (FLGURE 6) which is pivoted to the anvil block by means of a suitable pin 40 which extends through the end of the handle and through the ears. The ends of this pin extend beyond the cars and have rollers 42 mounted thereon to permit movement of the handle and the anvil upwardly and towards the head portion 22 of the -tool. A separate cover plate 46 is mounted over the side of the frame into which the handle extends and is secured to the frame by suitable fasteners. A link means 50 is pivoted at 52 to the opposite sides of the movable handle 32 and is also pivoted at 54 to the lower end of the frame, a suitable channel or slot 56 being provided in the frame 20 for reception of the ends of the link means. A full stroke compelling mechanism cOmprising a ratchet bar 58 and a pawl mecbanism contained in a housing 60 is provided between the handles 26, 32 to ensure that the operator will fully close the handles when he makes a crimped connection. Devices of this type aTe commonly provided on crimping tools and are described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 2,618,993. The anvil block 38 has a transversely extending anvil 68 on its upper side which is adapted to support the connector 2 during the crimping operation. It will be apparent that upon closure of the handles, that is, upon relative movement of the handle 32 towards the fixed handle 26, this anvil block and the anvil 68 will be moved relatively upwardly towards the crimping die which is described below. The crimpin.- die 76 is composite structure comprising three substantially similar sectioris 79, 80, 82 secured together by means of suitable rivets 84. A fastener 86 extends through the head portion 22 of the frame and into the center die section 80 to hold the die in position. Each section of the die bas a cavity 88 having generally sharply convergent sidewall portions 89 which merge with sidewall portions 90. These sidewall portions, in turn, are reversely curved to form a cusp 92. The external edges of the die sections are bevelled as shown at 94 to assist in smoothly curling the sidewalls of the connector,without cutting or @otherwise damaging the insulating film on the connector. The anvil is somewhat longer than the die and extends beyond the die at each end. It will be apparent that the die and anvil constitute a pair of crimping members which are effective upon relative movement towards each oth6r t6 bend the sidewalls of the connector into crimped engagement with the conductors. The structure for locating the wires in the connector and trimming the ends of the wires immediately prior to the crimping operation will now be described. The cutting or shearing members 98 are mounted in shearing planes defined by the ends of the die. Each cutter 98 has a lower portion 102 which is provided with an elongated notch 104. The lower portions 102 of the cutters are disposed adjacent to sid@@$ (f the anyil block and 4 a pin 106 extends throu.-h this block and bas its ends disposed in the notches 104 to provide a lost motion connection between the cutters and the anvil block. Thus, when the anvil block moves upwardly, as viewed in the drawing, this pin will move against theupper sides 110 of the notches after limited movement and move the cutters upwardly. Upon relative downward movement of the anvil block, this pin will move against the sides 108 of the notches and pull the icutters downwardly. Adjacent to their 10 upper ends, the cutters 98 have forwardly extending arms 112, the upper sides 114 of which function as shearing members in cooperation with the sides of the crimping die as will be described below. The lower sides of these arms 112 have semi-circular surfaces 116 and a cusp 118 1 5 wbich conforms to the radius of the dies themselves. As will also be explained below, these lower sides cooperate with and, in effect, become part of, the crimping die durin.- the final stages of the operating cycle. The outer ends of the cutters are of reduced thickness as sbown at 120 20 and are received,within slots formed by a guide plate 122. This guide plate is secured to the frame and extends over the front portion of the die and has inwardly directed flanges 124. These flanges are spaced from the sides of the die to provide channels or guideways for the ends 120 25 of the cutters. When the cutters move upwardly, as viewed in the drawing, past the sides of the crimping die, their upper surfaces 114 will shear any wires extendin@ between these upper sides of the arms and the crimping die. There will 30 now be described a locating means wbich insures that the wires will always be properly locatcd in the tool to bring about severing of the ends of the wires and positioning of the wires in side-by-side parallel relationship. The wire locating means of the embodiment of FIG35 URE 3 comprises a pair of wire guide members 126, 128 in the form of plates secured to and against the extemal sides of the cutters 98. While these plates may be of any suitable material, it has been found advantageous to make them of a relatively tou.-h and durable plastic 40 such as a relatively firm, non-porous polyurethane for reasons which will be apparent from the description below. Each wire guide plate 126, 128 is provided with a first slot 130, 130' and a second slot 132, 132'. The slots 130, 130' are disposed below the arms 112 of the 45 wire cutters or shearing members. The slots 132, 132' are disposed above the arms 112 and between these arms and the crimping die. The slots 130 and 132' are relatively shallow, that is, they extend inwardly from the front edge of the guide plates 126, 128 only a relatively 50 short distance. The slots 130', 132 on the other hand, are relatively deeper than the slots 130, 132'. It will also be noted that the slots 132, 132' are cylindrical at their inner ends as shown at 134 and these slots extend aenerally obliquely and downwardly towards the center line 5,5 of the tool. The slots 130, 130', on the other hand, are straight and extend normally of the center lire of the tool. The width of the slots is advanta,@cously somewhat less than the diameter of the wires 14, 16 so that the wires, (;o after being forced in the slots, will be resiliently @ripped and held in position. A relatively firm polyurethane material, as described above, is advantageous in that this gripping effect will be achieved. In use, and when the anvil is in its down or sepa65 rated position with respect to the die, the wires are located in a manner such that the wire 16 extending from the right, as viewed in the drawing, is positioned first in the slot 130' of plate 128 and then in the slot 132 of plate 126, these slots constituting the relatively deeper 70 slots described above. The wire 14 extending from the left is positioned in the slot 130 of guide member 126 and in the slot 132' of the guide member 128. N"en the wires are thus positioned, the wire 16 in the slots 130', 132 will be behind the other wire and the two wires 75 will extend in parallel spaced-apart planes, The end por-
[3]3)426,355 5 tions of the wires will extend between the upper surface or cutting sides 114 of the arms 112 while the entering portions of the wires will extend beneath these cutter arms and will not be severed. After thus positioning the wires, the operator merely 5 positions a terminal on the anvil and squeezes the handles until the crimping anvil moves through the limit of its travel towards the die. During initial movement of the crimping anvil, the terminal will be raised and the pin 106 will move against the sides 110, the shearing mem- 10 bers will be moved upwardly until the sides 114 move past the sides of the crimping die thereby to cut the projecting end portions of the wires (FIGURE 8). After this trimming operation, the cut ends of the wires will be positioned in side-by-side relationship in the con- 15 nector and the sidewalls of the connector will be bent inwardly into crimped engagement with the wires (FIGURE 9). An overall advantage of the invention is that it permits a crimped connection having a minimum length 20 since the wires are overlapped in the finished crimped connection. This achievement of a relatively short splice connection has substantial benefits, particularly, in the communications field where telephone cables containing up to Z700 pairs of wires must be spliced. It can - readily 25 be seen that any saving in bulk in the crimped connection will be reflected in a small overall increase in the diameter of the cable at the location of the splicing operation and is highly desirable for that reason. In addition to the advantage of a relatively small and 30 compact splice, the invention achieves accurate location of the wires in the crimped connection with their axes extending side-by-side and parallel to each other as shown in FIGURE 2. The wires are under complete control during all stages of the operation by virtue of the wire hold- 35 ers and the different depths of the slots in these wire holders. The wires will thus never be crossed in the finished splice and consistent electrical results will be achieved. Finally, it should be noted that the scrap ends of the wires which are severed in the shearing planes at 40 the ends of the crimping memibers are outside of the connector after the shearing or cutting operations have been carried out. These scrap ends thus do not interfere with the crimping operation and need not be removed by the technician in a separate operation. FIGURE 11 shows an alternate embodiment of the 4z) invention having a wire guiding and holding arran.-ement which is somewhat different from the,corresponding elements of the embodiments of FIGURE 3. In the embodiment of FIGURE 11, the anvil block 38, the anvil 50 68, and the crimping die 76 are substantially the same as the corresponding parts shown in FIGURE 5. The spacedapart cutting bars 136 in this embodiment bave notches 140 at their lower ends 138, the width of these notches being substantially equal to the diameter of the pin 106 55 r,o that, unlike the embodiment of FIGURE 3, there is no lost motion connection between the cutter 136 and the anvil block 38. In other words, if the anvil block moves upwardly, the cutter bars will also @move upwardly by the same amount as the anvil block. 60 The shearing arms 142, which extend from the bars 136 have lower and upper sides 144, 146 and the edges of these arms perform the wire icutting operations as previously described. The wire guides 148, 150 are sei. -ured by suitable fasteners to the outwardly facing sides of cut- 6,5 ter bars 136 and are advantageously made of a suitable plastic material such as polyurethane as previousl,,y described. Referring particularly to the wire guide 148;, this member is provided with an inwardly directed sloit 152 and a forwardly directed arin 153 immediately below the 70 slot 152. The guiding of wires is facilitated by means of a bent wire guide member 154 having an upper arm 156 which extends into the slot 152 and a lower arm 158 which extends beneath the arm 153 of the guide member 148. 6 extends into a suitable opening on the underside of the arm 153. T@he wire guide 150 is provided with an identicahy bent wire guide 162 having an upper arm 164 and a lower arm 166, the upper arm extending into a slot 168 in the guide 150 and the lower arm extending beneath the arm 170 of the guide 150. In use, the wire 16 which extends from the right in FIGURE 11 is positioned between the end portion 167 and the surface of the guide 150 and is led above the left hand cutter bar 136 and through the slot 152 of the guide 148. The wire 14 which extends from the left in FIGURE 11 is similarly located between the end 160 and the guide 154 and the surface of the wire guide 148 and is led above the upper surface 146 of the arm 142 of the right hand cutter bar and through the slot 168. After the wires have been so positioned, the t@ool handles are closed and the wries 14, 16 are trimmed in the planes of the ends of the die. The connector 2 is crimped onto the tri.mmed wire ends in the manner previously described. A comparative advantage of the embodiment of FIGURE 11 is that the lost motion connertion between the cutter bars 136 and the pin 106 is not required because of the fact that the portions of the wires heid between the ends 160, 167 of the bent wire guides and the surfaces of the guides 148, 150 are permitted to remain stationary while the cutter bars move upwardly after the severing operation has been carried out. The upward movement of the cutter bars and the guides 148, 150 without upward movement of the wires is permitted because of the fact that the slots defined by the ends of the bent wire guides 160, 167 and the surface of the guide plates 148, 150 extend upwardly as viewed in the drawing and the wires can be moved relativley out of the slots during the final portion of the stroke of the tool. FIGURE 12 illustrates the manner in which a @pi-tail splice as shown in FIGURE 13 can be fotmed with the einbodiment of FIGURE 11. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the two wires which are to be spliced are positioned with their axes extending between the end portion 160,of guide member 154 and the surface of the member 148, thence over the upper surface 146 -of arm 142 and above the upper arm 164 of the -Uide 162. When the wires are located in the tool in this manner, the end portions of the wires will be severed in the plane of the right hand side of the crimping die 78 by the arm 142 and the severed ends will be crimped onto the connector as shown in FIGURE 13. FIGURE 14 illusrtates the manner in which a T-tap connection can be made with a tool of the type shown in FIGURE 11. The T-tap, FIGURE 15, comprises a through wire and a tap wire as shown. In making a connection of this type, through wire 170 is located beneath the guide members 154, 162 and the tap wire is positioned beneath one of these guide members and lead above the other guide member, the guide member 162 are this instance. In accordance with this embodiment, when the die and anvil are moved relatively toward each other and the cutters are moved relatively past the die, the tap wire will be severed and the through wire wfll not be severed since it is not located between the cutting arms. The connector will then be crimped onto the trimmed tap wire and the through wire as shown in FIGURE 15. Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different rnodifications and embodiments @may be made without departing from the scope -of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanyin- drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their pri)per perspective against the prior art. What is
