Slotted crimping die for use in a crimping machine
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorAndrew P. Reynolds
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A die finger and a crimping die comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced die fingers used in a crimping apparatus, wherein the die finger has an inner forming surface and an oppositely facing camming surface, and wherein at least one die finger having the inner forming surface includes at least one slot formed therein oriented along the longitudinal axis. Also included is a crimping apparatus utilizing the inventive die fingers, a method of crimping a ferrule with the inventive die fingers and a ferrule crimped by the inventive method.
Claims19
A die finger for use in a crimping apparatus having a cone in which a plurality of die fingers are arranged radially about a longitudinal axis, said die finger having an inner forming surface and an oppositely facing camming surface sized for engaging a conical shaped cam of the crimping apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said inner forming surface includes a slot oriented along the longitudinal axis.
A crimping die for use in a hose fitting crimping apparatus that includes a cone in which said crimping die is arranged radially about a longitudinal axis, said crimping die comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, adjacent die fingers, each of said die fingers having an inner forming surface and an oppositely facing camming surface for engaging a conical shaped cam of the crimping apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises:
- at least one die finger having an inner forming surface including a slot oriented along the longitudinal axis.
In an apparatus for crimping a fitting onto a hose end, said apparatus having
- (a) a crimping die comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, adjacent die fingers that are equally spaced, each of said die fingers includes an inner forming surface and an oppositely facing camming surface sized for engaging a conical shaped cam of the crimping apparatus against which said crimping die impinges;
- (b) a platform adjacent the crimping die for receiving a ferrule and positioning a crimpable portion thereof between said die fingers;
- (c) a means for moving said crimping die relative to the camming surface to cause the crimping die to be displaced radially inwardly against the ferrule and crimp the same onto the hose end;
- wherein the improvement comprises:
- at least one die finger having an inner forming surface including a slot oriented along the longitudinal axis.
A method of crimping a ferrule onto a hose comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a ferrule circumferentially about a hose end within a crimp zone of a crimping apparatus, said crimping apparatus having a crimping die comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, adjacent die fingers that are equally spaced and arranged radially about a longitudinal axis of the crimping apparatus, each of said die fingers includes an inner forming surface and an oppositely facing camming surface for engaging a cam of the crimping apparatus, wherein each of said die fingers has an inner forming surface including a slot oriented along the longitudinal axis;
- (b) applying a force to cause said plurality of die fingers to move;
- (c) moving the die fingers radially inwardly against the ferrule;
- and
- (d) displacing metal of the ferrule between adjacent die fingers and in the slot of each of said die fingers so as to permanently secure the ferrule about the hose end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.