Interlocking blade pair for stripping insulated electrical conductors

Apparatus for cutting and stripping insulation from insulated electrical conductors comprising:

• a. a first stripping blade having a generally T-shaped transverse cross section defined by a leg portion having opposed leg side surfaces and a leg face, and further defined by a base/cross portion having an outer face, said blade having opposed longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end having an opening extending between the outer face and the leg face, inclusive, said opening being defined by a V-shaped cutting edge lying in the plane of the leg face and having first and second edges that converge toward a longitudinal center line of the blade to terminate in a curved cutting edge at said center line, and further defined by a beveled surface extending from said V-shaped cutting edge to said outer face;
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• b. a second stripping blade having a top face and an outside face parallel thereto, said blade having a groove defined by a groove bottom surface and opposed groove side surfaces, said groove bottom surface being substantially parallel to said outside face, the blade having first and second longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end having an opening extending between the groove bottom surface and the outside face, inclusive, said opening being defined by a V-shaped cutting edge lying in the plane of the groove bottom surface and having first and second edges that converge toward a longitudinal center line of the blade to terminate in a curved cutting edge at said center line, and further defined by a beveled surface extending from said V-shaped cutting edge to said outside face, the second stripping blade curved cutting edge being substantially identical to the curved cutting edge of the first stripping blade, the second stripping blade groove being dimensioned to receive the first stripping blade leg with minimum transverse play therebetween to transversely interlock the first and second stripping blades and to permit relative longitudinal reciprocation therebetween, the curved cutting edges of the first and second stripping blades cooperating to form complementary halves of a cutting circle for cutting the insulation of the insulated electrical conductor.

In a machine for processing insulated electrical conductors and having first and second tool holders and means for relatively reciprocating the tool holders in continuous cycles, apparatus for cutting and stripping the insulation from the insulated electrical conductors comprising:

• a. a first stripping blade clamped to the machine first tool holder, the first stripping blade having a generally T-shaped transverse cross section defined by a leg portion having opposed leg surfaces and a leg face, and further defined by a base/cross portion having an outer face, said blade having opposed longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end being clamped in the first tool holder, the second longitudinal end having an opening extending between the outer face and the leg face, inclusive, said opening being defined by a V-shaped cutting edge lying in the plane of the leg face and having first and second edges that converge toward a longitudinal center line of the blade to terminate in a curved cutting edge at said center line and further defined by a beveled surface extending from said V-shaped cutting edge to said outer face;
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• b. a second stripping blade clamped to the second tool holder, the second stripping blade having a top face and an outside face parallel thereto, said blade having a groove defined by a groove bottom surface and opposed groove side surfaces, said groove bottom surface being substantially parallel to said outside face, the second stripping blade having first and second longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end being clamped to the second tool holder, the second longitudinal end having an opening extending between the groove bottom surface and the outside face, inclusive, said opening being defined by a V-shaped cutting edge lying in the plane of the groove bottom surface and having first and second edges that converge toward a longitudinal center line of the second stripping blade to terminate in a curved cutting edge at said center line, and further defined by a beveled surface extending from said V-shaped cutting edge to said outside face, the curved cutting edge of the second stripping blade being substantially identical to the cutting edge of the first stripping blade, the second stripping blade groove being dimensioned to receive the first stripping blade leg with minimum transverse play therebetween to transversely interlock the first and second stripping blades and to permit relative reciprocation therebetween as the first and second tool holders reciprocate, the curved cutting edges of the first and second stripping blades cooperating to form complementary halves of a cutting circle for cutting the insulation from the insulated electrical conductor.