Portable battery powered crimper

A method of crimping a crimp article employing a hydraulic crimping apparatus including a crimp head assembly having a single acting movable hydraulic ram;

• a hydraulic drive assembly coupled to said crimper head assembly for providing hydraulic forces for moving said hydraulic ram, said hydraulic drive assembly having a hydraulic pump including a drive motor coupled to said crimper head assembly for providing hydraulic forces for moving said hydraulic ram of said crimper head assembly;
• a control circuit including a microcontroller for controllably operating said hydraulic drive assembly;
• and a retract device coupled to said hydraulic pump for controllably retracting said hydraulic ram, said retract device including a controllable release valve coupled to said hydraulic pump and a retract motor coupled to said release valve and to said control circuit for controllably operating said release valve to controllably drain hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic pump to retract said hydraulic ram, and to controllably operate said release valve to prevent flow of hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic pump, said method comprising the steps of:
• positioning said crimper head assembly on a crimp article;
• operating said control circuit to actuate said hydraulic drive assembly for moving said hydraulic ram against said crimp article to impose crimping forces thereon;
• sensing an increased load on said drive motor with said microcontroller;
• sensing a current limit in the drive motor with said microcontroller;
• said control circuit and said microcontroller controllably operating said retract motor to drive said release valve to a predetermined condition for draining hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic pump for a predetermined period of time;
• control circuit and said microcontroller controllably driving said retract motor to operate said release valve to reengage said release valve to prevent further drag of hydraulic fluid, operation of said release device partially retracting said ram a predetermined limited distance to allow the crimper head assembly to be repositioned along said crimp article without fully retracting said hydraulic ram.

A hydraulic crimping apparatus comprising:

• a body portion having a generally elongated configuration extending along an axis of elongation;
• a crimper head assembly extending from one end of said body portion;
• a hydraulic drive assembly retained in said body portion being axially configured along said axis of elongation and coupled to said caper head assembly;
• said hydraulic drive assembly including a hydraulic pump having a plurality of pistons therein and a wobble assembly attached to a drive motor, said hydraulic pump being coupled to said crimper head assembly for providing hydraulic forces to move a single acting hydraulic ram of said crimper head assembly;
• said drive motor controllably operating said wobble assembly relative to an axis of rotation, said wobble assembly having a contact surface disposed at an angle relative said axis of rotation with said plurality of pistons abutting said contact surface and with said contact surface being retained against rotation relative to said axis of rotation, operation of said wobble assembly by said drive motor moving said plurality of pistons generally parallel to said axis of elongation, reciprocal movement of said pistons of said hydraulic pump pressurizing hydraulic fluid to operate said crimper head assembly;
• a retract device coupled to said hydraulic pump for controllably retracting said hydraulic ram, said retract device including a release valve coupled to said hydraulic pump for controllably draining hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic pump to retract said hydraulic ram;
• and
• a control circuit and a retract switch coupled to said retract device, said retract switch having at least two operating modes, a first mode which signals said control circuit to momentarily operate said release valve to incrementally retract said hydraulic ram, and a second mode which signals said control circuit to operate said release valve to selectively retract said hydraulic ram.