Direct drive variable crimp on flange tool

A crimping assembly for securing a cover part to a structural member, said crimping assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a first direction;
• a first roller fixedly secured to said drive shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a slide shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a second direction;
• a second roller fixedly secured to said slide shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a slider disposed within said housing and fixedly secured to said slide shaft, said slider movable relative to said drive shaft to set the distance between said first and second rollers;
• a drive mechanism operably coupled to said drive shaft to rotate said drive shaft in the first direction;
• a drive gear operably coupled to said drive mechanism and fixedly secured to said drive shaft for rotation therewith in the first direction;
• a coupling mechanism operably connected between said drive shaft and said slide shaft to rotate said slide shaft in the second direction in response to rotation of said drive shaft in the first direction, said coupling mechanism allowing movement of said second roller towards and away from said first roller during operation of said crimping assembly to accommodate variations in structural member thickness;
• and
• wherein said coupling mechanism includes a driven gear engageable with said drive gear and operably coupled to said slide shaft, an output rotary gear fixedly secured to said slide shaft and operably coupled to said driven gear, an intermediate rotary gear operably coupled between said driven gear and said output rotary gear, and a first set of link members each having one end rotatably coupled to said driven gear and an opposing end rotatably coupled to said intermediate rotary gear to rotate said intermediate rotary gear in response to rotation of said driven gear.

A crimping assembly for securing a cover part to a structural member, said crimping assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a first direction;
• a first roller fixedly secured to said drive shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a slide shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a second direction;
• a second roller fixedly secured to said slide shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a drive mechanism operably coupled to said drive and slide shafts for rotation of said first and second rollers to secure the cover part to the structural member;
• a drive gear operably coupled to said drive mechanism and fixedly secured to said drive shaft for rotation therewith in the first direction;
• a slider disposed within said housing and fixedly secured to said slide shaft, said slider movable relative to said drive shaft to set the distance between said first and second rollers;
• a coupling mechanism between said drive shaft and said slide shaft;
• and
• wherein said coupling mechanism includes a driven gear engageable with said drive gear and operably coupled to said slide shaft, an output rotary gear fixedly secured to said slide shaft and operably coupled to said driven gear, an intermediate rotary operably coupled between said driven gear and said output rotary gear, and a first set of link members each having one end rotatably coupled to said driven gear and an opposing end rotatably coupled to said intermediate rotary gear to rotate said intermediate rotary gear in response to rotation of said driven gear.

A crimping assembly for securing a cover part to a structural member, said crimping assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a first direction;
• a first roller fixedly secured to said drive shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a slide shaft disposed within said housing and rotatable in a second direction;
• a second roller fixedly secured to said slide shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a drive mechanism retained within said handle and operably coupled to said drive and slide shafts for rotation of said first and second rollers to secure the cover part to the structural member;
• a drive gear operably coupled to said drive mechanism and fixedly secured to said drive shaft for rotation therewith in the first direction;
• a swivel coupling disposed between said housing and said drive shaft to allow said housing to rotate 360 degrees relative to said drive shaft;
• a coupling mechanism operably connected between said drive shaft and said slide shaft;
• and
• wherein said coupling mechanism includes a driven gear engageable with said drive gear and operably coupled to said slide shaft, an output rotary gear fixedly secured to said slide shaft and operably coupled to said driven gear, an intermediate rotary gear operably coupled between said driven gear and said output rotary gear, and a first set of link members each having one end rotatably coupled to said driven gear and an opposing end rotatably coupled to said intermediate rotary gear to rotate said intermediate rotary gear in response to rotation of said driven gear.