Electronic display system for wire stripping machine

A feedback system for displaying the position of a movable member comprising:

• a movable member and a stationary member adapted to support the movable member thereon;
• adjustment means mounted to the stationary member for translating the movable member along the stationary member, the adjustment means having at least one rotatable component;
• encoder means joined to the adjustment means rotatable component for producing electrical signals corresponding to the rotation of said components and for converting the signals into information representing positional information of the movable member;
• readout means for displaying the information representing the positional information of the movable member;
• and
• means for limiting the torque that can be applied to the adjusting screw.

A feedback system for displaying the position of a movable member comprising:

• a movable member and a stationary member adapted to support the movable member thereon;
• adjustment means having an element fixedly mounted to the stationary member and a rotatable component mounted to said element and operatively coupled to said movable member for translating the movable member along the stationary member in response to rotation of said rotatable component;
• encoder means coupled to the adjustment means rotatable component for producing electrical signals corresponding to the rotation of the components and means for converting the signals into information representing positional information of the movable member;
• readout means for displaying the information representing the positional information of the movable member;
• the adjustment means further comprising:
• a knob releasably coupled to said rotatable component
• releasable detent means interposed between the rotatable component and the knob for causing the knob to slip relative to said rotatable component when a predetermined torque is applied to the knob;
• and
• a positive step fixed to the stationary member in the path of the movable member,
• rotating the knob until the movable member is translated against the positive stop causing the knob to slip relative to said rotatable component to cause said encoder means to discontinue producing said electric signals.

In a wire processing machine, a cutterhead slide comprising:

• a yoke mounted for being driven toward and away from a line along which wire translates for being processed in the machine;
• a tool holder assembly supported on the yoke for adjustable translation thereon;
• at least one wire stripping blade clamped in the tool holder assembly;
• an adjusting screw supported in the yoke and threadedly connected to the tool holder assembly;
• torque limiting means coupled to the adjusting screw for rotating the adjusting screw with a predetermined maximum torque;
• an encoder having at least two members one of which is movable by turning the adjusting screw and the other of which is fixed to the yoke, the encoder responding to turning said adjusting screw by producing electrical pulses;
• readout means for converting the electrical pulses from the encoder into information representing positional information of the tool holder assembly on the yoke and for displaying the information;
• and
• a positive stop fixed to the yoke at a predetermined location thereon for being contacted by the tool holder assembly to limit the travel of said assembly in one direction,
• applying torque to the torque limiting means when the tool holder assembly is in contact with the positive stop causing the torque limiting means to slip relative to the adjusting screw and terminate producing pulses.

In a machine having a pair of blades that cooperate with each other to open and close over an insulated electrical conductor to form a generally round cutting hole of a theoretical optimum size when the blades are closed to a true zero position to cut the conductor insulation when in the closed position;

• left and right cutterhead slides for receiving the respective blades therein and for reciprocating toward and away from the electrical conductor to close and open the blades over the conductor, comprising:
• left and right yokes associated with the respective cutterhead slides;
• left and right tool holder assemblies supported on the respective yokes, each tool holder assembly being translatable along the respective yoke;
• blade adjustment means including an element mounted to each yoke and an adjusting screw threaded in the element and coupled to the respective tool holder assemblies for translating the respective tool holder assembly along the yoke perpendicular to the insulated electrical conductor;
• a feedback system associated with the blade adjustment means for displaying information representing positional information of the respective tool holder assemblies relative to the true zero position;
• a knob retained on the adjusting screw second end;
• detent means interposed between the adjusting screw second end and the knob for engaging the knob to the adjusting screw,
• applying a torque to the knob greater than the predetermined amount causing the detent means to disengage the knob for the knob to slip and thereby limit the torque applied to the adjusting screw.

A wire processing machine having a pair of blades that cooperate with each other to open and close over an insulated electrical conductor to form a generally round cutting hole of a theoretical optimum size when the blades are closed to a true zero position to cut the conductor insulation when in the closed position;

• left and right cutterhead slides for holding the respective blades and for reciprocating toward and away from the electrical conductor to close and open the blades over the conductor;
• left and right yokes mounted for moving toward and away from each other;
• left and right tool holder assemblies supported on the respective yokes, each tool holder assembly being translatable along the respective yoke;
• blade adjustment means mounted to each yoke for translating the respective tool holder assembly along the yoke perpendicular to the insulated electrical conductor;
• a feedback system associated with the blade adjustment means for displaying information representing positional information of the respective tool holder assemblies relative to said zero position;
• the feedback system including:
• a first readout for displaying selected information representing positional information of the left tool holder assembly on the left yoke;
• a second readout for displaying selected information representing positional information of the right tool holder on the right yoke;
• key pad means for manually supplying selected information representing information of the theoretical optimum cutting hole size of the blades;
• and
• a third readout for displaying information representing the theoretical optimum cutting hole size of the blades.

The machine of claim 19 wherein the feedback system third read out displays information representing the actual cutting hole size of the blades according to the formula:

• S=R1+R2+R3, where
• S1 is the information displayed in the third read out;
• R1 is the information displayed in the first read out;
• R2 is the information displayed in the second read out;
• and
• R3 is the selected data keyed into the feedback system.

The machine of claim 19 wherein:

• a. each blade adjustment means comprises an adjusting screw rotatably supported in the respective yoke and threadedly received in the respective tool holder assembly;
• and
• b. the feed back system comprises:
• i. an optical encoder having a rotor pressed to each adjusting screw and a housing fixed to the respective yoke for producing electrical signals corresponding to the translation of the tool holder assembly along the yoke;
• ii. first read out means for converting the electrical signals from the encoder on the left yoke into selected information representing positional information of the left blade as the left tool holder assembly is translated by the blade adjustment means and for displaying the selected information;
• and
• iii. second read out means for converting the electrical pulses of the encoder on the right yoke into selected information representing positional information of the right blade as the tool holder assembly is translated by the blade adjustment means and for displaying the selected information.

In a machine having a pair of blades that cooperate with each other to open and close over an insulated electrical conductor to form a generally round cutting hole of a theoretical optimum size when the blades are closed to a true zero position to cut the conductor insulation in the closed position.

• left and right cutterhead slides for receiving the respective blades therein and for reciprocating toward and away from the electrical conductor to close and open the blades comprising:
• left and right yokes associated with the respective cutterhead slides;
• left and right tool holder assemblies supported on the respective yokes, each tool holder assembly being translatable along the respective yoke;
• blade adjustment means mounted to each yoke for translating the respective tool holder assembly along the yoke perpendicular to the insulated electrical conductor;
• a feedback system associated with the blade adjustment means for displaying information representing positions of the respective tool holder assemblies relative to the true zero position;
• encoders operative to produce variable electric signals in response to translation of the respective tool holder assemblies;
• first readout means for converting the electric signals from the encoder on the left yoke into information representing the position of the left blade as the left tool holder assembly is translated by the blade adjustment means and for displaying the selected information;
• second readout means for converting the electric signals of the encoder of the right yoke into information representing the position of the right blade as the tool holder assembly is translated by the blade adjustment means and for displaying the selected information;
• a positive stop fixed to each yoke at a predetermined distance from the true zero position of the blades, the stops being in the paths of the respective tool holder assemblies to limit the respective travels thereof away from the true zero position;
• torque head means associated with the adjusting screw for limiting the amount of torque that can be applied to the adjusting screw,
• so that translating the respective tool holder assemblies against the respective positive stops and subsequently applying torque to the torque head means produces no rotation of the adjusting screw.

A machine for cutting through the insulation surrounding a conductor preparatory to stripping a section of the insulation from the conductor, comprising:

• a base;
• first and second translatable members mounted to said base for translating jointly toward and away from each other transversely to a line along which a conductor is positionable;
• means for translating said translatable members jointly;
• a blade holder mounted for being moved on each of said translatable members and a blade secured to each holder, the blades each having a cutting edge presented in opposed relation on opposite sides of the line of the conductor, the cutting edges defined as similar generally V-shaped notches with the apexes thereof having a radius to provide for obtaining a substantially circular opening when the notches defining the cutting edges are moved contiguous to opposite sides of the conductor for cutting through the insulation;
• adjustment means respectively for adjusting the positions of said blade holders and the blades thereon individually along said translatable members relative to said line of the conductor;
• stop means on the translatable members positioned such that moving said blade holders on said members away from the line of the conductor using said adjustment means until said blade holders are stopped by said stop means causing said blade holders to be in a reference position relative to said line of conductor
• feedback means for producing electric signals representative of the position to which said blade holders and blades thereon are adjusted relative to said line of the conductor;
• and
• means responding to said signals by producing positional information and individual display means responding to said information by displaying in readable form the positions of the individual blades relative to the line of the conductor.