Cable and wire stripper

A cable and wire stripper comprising first and second handle members, the first handle member being an elongate shell defined by a top panel, depending side and end walls, and having an open underside providing access into a cavity within the shell, the second handle member having an elongate bottom portion defining a cable receiving channel, the elongate bottom portion being integral with an upstanding side wall, the first and second handle members being affixed to each other for limited pivotal movement about an axis located at one end of the stripper, a cutting blade fitted to the other end of the first handle member and projecting into the channel for stripping the jacket of a cable positioned in the channel, a spring member affixed to the first handle member for urging the first and second handle members to a normally open position for receiving a cable in the channel, the spring member extending over the blade, an opening in the spring member through which the cutting blade extends into the cable receiving channel, means for adjusting the position of the blade guide to select a length of blade tip projecting beyond the opening into the channel, the spring member being supported by the first handle member for minimum flexion at the blade location so that the spring member engages a cable jacket surface while maintaining a precise depth of cut of the blade into the jacket for slitting the jacket without harm to interior cable components.

A cable and wire stripper for cutting a cable jacket having an undulating surface contour comprising first and second handle members, the first handle member being an elongate shell defined by a top panel, depending front and rear side and left and right end walls, and having an open underside providing access into a cavity within the shell, the second handle member having an elongate bottom portion defining a cable receiving channel, the elongate bottom portion being integral with an upstanding side wall, the first and second handle members being affixed to each other at the rear side wall and the upstanding side wall respectively for pivotal movement about an axis located at one end of the stripper, a motion limiting pin affixed to the upstanding side wall of the second handle member and extending through arcuate slots in the front and rear side walls of the first handle member for restricting pivotal movement of the handle members to a fixed range, a cutting blade fitted into the cavity at the other end of the first handle member opposite the pivot axis and projecting into the channel for stripping the jacket of a cable positioned in the channel, an elongate spring member located in the cavity and affixed to the top panel of the first handle member, the spring member having one end engaging the motion limiting pin for urging the first and second handle members to a normally open position for receiving a cable in the channel, the spring member having a curved section extending over the blade and having another end terminating at the other end of the first handle member, a slot in the spring member through which the cutting blade extends into the cable receiving channel, means for moving the other end of the spring member for selecting the length of blade tip projecting beyond the guide into the channel, the said curved section of the spring member having minimum flexion at the blade location so that the spring member engages and follows the undulating surface contour of a cable jacket while maintaining a precise depth of cut of the blade into the jacket for slitting the jacket without harm to interior cable components.