Power crimping tool for tape feed products
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsCraig W. Hornung, William H. Bair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powered hand tool (10) is disclosed for crimping terminals (30) to a conductor. The tool includes a linear actuator (18) for driving a cam (70) along a linear path (272). The cam (70) interacts with a pair of followers (192, 194) to first cause the crimping mechanism (16) to crimp the terminal and then, during the last part of the power stroke, to open the crimping mechanism (16) so that the crimped terminal (30) can be removed during the return stroke. Additionally, during the last part of the power stroke the feed mechanism (22) is actuated to store energy so that during the return stroke the main mechanism can utilize the stored energy to effect the feeding of the next terminal into position for crimping.
Claims13
A powered hand tool for crimping a terminal onto an electrical conductor, said tool having a frame, a linear actuator having a piston rod arranged to move in a first direction and a second opposite direction along the longitudinal axis,
- a terminal crimping mechanism comprising:
- (a) a fixed crimping jaw attached to said frame:
- (b) a cam attached to and carried by said piston rod, said cam having a cam track including first, second, and third portions;
- (c) an indent member pivotally attached to said frame and having a cam follower at one end thereof for following engagement with said cam track;
- and
- (d) a movable crimping jaw attached to another end of said indent member and arranged so that when said indent member is pivoted in one direction said movable crimping jaw matingly engages said fixed crimping jaw,
- wherein said cam track is arranged so that as said piston rod is moved in said first direction, said follower engages said cam and follows along said first portion of said cam track causing said indent member to pivot in said one direction thereby effecting the mating engagement of said movable and fixed jaws and then, while said piston rod continues to move in said first direction, said follower follows along said second portion of said cam track causing said indent member to pivot in an opposite direction thereby moving said jaws apart.
A powered hand tool for crimping a terminal onto an electrical conductor, said tool having a frame, an actuator having a piston rod arranged to move in a first direction and a second opposite direction along a longitudinal axis, and a terminal crimping mechanism including a fixed crimping jaw attached to said frame;
- a cam attached to and carried by said piston rod, said cam having a cam track;
- an indent member pivotally attached to said frame having a cam follower at one end thereof for following engagement with said cam track;
- and a movable crimping jaw attached to another end of said indent member,
- a feed mechanism for feeding a strip of tape having terminals attached thereto so that each terminal in seriatim is positioned between said fixed and movable jaws comprising:
- (a) a feed drum rotationally coupled to said frame adjacent said fixed jaw;
- (b) a feed lever pivotally attached at one end to said frame and having a feed dog pivotally attached to another end thereof, said feed dog being biased into driving engagement with said feed drum when said feed lever is pivoted in one direction;
- (c) a spring coupled to said feed lever and arranged to cause said feed lever to pivot in said one direction;
- and
- (d) an actuating projection extending from and carried by said cam and arranged so that when said piston rod moves said cam in said first direction, said actuating projection engages said feed lever and pivots it in a direction opposite said one direction thereby deflecting said spring and storing energy therein, and when said piston rod moves said cam in said second direction said actuating projection moves away from said engagement with said feed lever so that said stored energy in said spring will cause said feed lever to pivot in said one direction.
A powered hand tool for crimping a terminal onto an electrical conductor, said tool having a frame, an actuator having a piston rod arranged to move in a first direction and a second opposite direction along its longitudinal axis, a terminal crimping mechanism including a fixed crimping jaw attached to said frame;
- a cam attached to and carried by said piston rod, said cam having a cam track including first and second portions;
- an indent member pivotally attached to said frame and having a cam follower at one end thereof for following engagement with said cam track;
- and a movable crimping jaw attached to another end of said indent member arranged so that when said indent member is pivoted in one direction said movable crimping jaw matingly engages said fixed crimping jaw, wherein said cam track is arranged so that as said piston rod is moved in said first direction, said follower engages said cam and follows along said first portion of said cam track causing said indent member to pivot in said one direction thereby effecting the mating engagement of said movable and fixed jaws,
- a manually operable trigger movable to a closed position for effecting operation of said actuator and to an open position discontinuing said operation, and a trigger latch mechanism for holding said trigger in said closed position until said followers traverse at least one of said first and second portions of said cam track.
A powered hand tool for crimping a terminal onto an electrical conductor, said tool having a frame, a linear actuator having a piston rod arranged to move in a first direction and a second opposite direction along the longitudinal axis,
- a terminal crimping mechanism comprising:
- (a) a fixed crimping jaw attached to said frame:
- (b) a cam attached to and carried by said piston rod, said cam having a first cam track on one side thereof including first, second, and third portions, and a second track on an opposite side thereof including first, second, and third portions;
- (c) an indent member pivotally attached to said frame and having a first cam follower and a second cam follower at one end thereof for following engagement with said first and second cam tracks, respectively;
- and
- (d) a movable crimping jaw attached to another end of said indent member and arranged so that when said indent member is pivoted in one direction said movable crimping jaw matingly engages said fixed crimping jaw,
- wherein said first and second cam tracks are arranged so that as said piston rod is moved in said first direction, said first and second followers engage said cam and follow along said first portions of their respective said first and second cam tracks causing said indent member to pivot in said one direction thereby effecting the mating engagement of said movable and fixed jaws and then, while said piston rod continues to move in said first direction, said first and second followers follow along said second portions of their respective said first and second cam tracks causing said indent member to pivot in an opposite direction thereby moving said jaws apart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.