Abstract:
A cutting device for a tool, in particular also a screwdriver, has a clamping piece attachment for slipping onto a shaft of for example a screwdriver until it locks, and wherein an actuating lever provided with a cutting edge for cutting electrical cables or lines is pivotally supported at the clamping piece attachment, so that the actuating lever and/or the clamping piece attachment is able to cut an electrical cable or line.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a cutting device for a tool, in particular for a screwdriver, with a clamping piece attachment, which can be slipped onto the shank, in particular that of the screwdriver where it can be locked in place. 
     In particular for terminal blocks with an insulation-penetrating cutting connector, it is necessary to first sever the cable and then to insert it by means of a screwdriver into the insulation-penetrating cutting connector. 
     A solution of this type is for example known from the DE 299 18 557. For cutting the conduit, a pair of pliers for example must be used, which means it is necessary to operate with two tools, in order to wire the terminal blocks with a cutting connector. 
     From the DE 299 18 557 it is also known, to provide the screw driver with a clamping piece attachment, which forms a support for the conduit, wherein it is furthermore possible to add to the clamping piece attachment a spacer block, which simplifies insertion of the conduit for the connector device. 
     Although besides the screwdriver, it is still necessary to have a further tool ready for severing the conduit or the cable. 
     With this prior art as background, it is an object of the invention to provide a cutting device, which renders the wiring of insulation-penetrating cutting connectors easier, in particular of terminal blocks with insulation-penetrating cutting connectors. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This object is realized according to the invention by the subject matter of claim  1 . Thus, the actuating lever and/or the clamping piece attachment is provided with a cutting edge for cutting the electrical cables or conduits. 
     The invention provides an advantage, in that the workman is able to cut the electrical conduit into sections with the same tool that is also used for wiring the clamp, prior to the actual insertion into the IDC clamping site. The constant changing of tools of heretofore single tools (screw driver/cutting tool) utilized is thus eliminated, which leads to a time advantage in the field when wiring the cutting connectors. 
     The invention provides a cutting device, which can be retrofitted in a simple manner onto all commercially available screwdrivers. Of course, the invention can be augmented by the spacer pieces known from the prior art. 
     It is also conceivable to configure the clamping piece as a unitary piece and to thus sell the screwdriver with the clamping piece respectively, with the cutting device as a unit. 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention are provided in the dependent claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS 
     The following is a more detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplified embodiments in which it is shown: 
     FIGS. 1 a - 1   d  various perspective views of a screwdriver with a first embodiment of a cutting device according to the invention, 
     FIG. 2 a  the screwdriver of FIG. 1 without a cutting device; 
     FIGS. 2 b - 2   d  views of the clamping piece attachment of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  a variant of a clamping piece attachment; 
     FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  a further variant of a clamping piece attachment; 
     FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  views of an actuating button from FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b  views of a screwdriver with a second cutting device according to the invention; 
     FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  views of an actuating lever from FIG. 6 
     FIGS. 8 through 10 a  and  b  further variants of screwdrivers with cutting devices according to the invention; 
     FIG. 11 a  a view of the actuating lever from FIG. 10 
     FIG. 11 b  views of the clamping piece attachment from FIG.  10  and cutting blade. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a screwdriver  1  with a screwdriver handle  3  and a shaft  5 . Shown here is a commercially available screwdriver. This screwdriver is also depicted in FIG. 2 a  as a separate piece. 
     A cutting device  7  according to the invention is placed upon the screwdriver  1 . 
     The cutting device  7  shows a clamping piece attachment  9 , which is slipped over the shaft  5  of the screwdriver. An actuating lever is swingably supported at the clamping piece attachment  9 . The actuating lever  11  shows two lever arms  11   a  and  11   b,  which extend to the opposite sides of a pivot bearing  13  configured at the clamping piece attachment  9 . At the end of the lever arm  11  facing away from the pivot bearing  13  an actuating button  15  is configured. The lever arm which is opposite the lever arm  11   a  at the other side of the pivot bearing  13  has a curved shape, wherein the edge positioned toward the clamping piece attachment  9  of lever arm  11   b  is provided with a cutting edge  17  which is unitary with the lever arm. 
     With the cutting device  7  according to the invention it is possible in a simple manner to wire a terminal block with IDC connection. 
     Analog to FIG. 10, a cable  19  is inserted into the free space between the clamping piece attachment and the lever arm  11   b  with the cutting edge  17 . Then—as in FIG. 1 for example by means or the thumb—the actuating button  15  is pressed down, so that the cable  19  is first clamped between the clamping piece attachment  9  and the lever arm  11   b,  thereby severing the cable The cable can then be inserted into a clamp, for example a terminal block, by means of a cutting—respectively IDC-connection device (not shown here). 
     The special advantage of the invention is that especially with IDC connections, besides a screwdriver for finalizing the connections, no further tool is actually needed any more. With the actual screwdriver the clamp can be actuated. The cutting device placed onto the screwdriver can be used for severing the cable. 
     From FIG. 2 it is seen, that a first clamping piece attachment  9  shows a central bore  21 , which penetrates the clamping piece attachment centrally. This bore is used for slipping on the clamping piece onto the shaft. A bore  23  perpendicular to bore  21 , which for example can be provided with an inner thread, serves however for the insertion of a clamping screw (not shown here), which when screwed in meets with the shaft  5  of the screwdriver  1  in bore  21 , where it secures the clamping seat of the clamping piece attachment  9  on the screw driver. 
     A further bore  25 , which also is configured in like manner essentially vertical to the bore  21  and which intersects the bore  21  and the bore  23 , serves to receive a shaft  27  to support the actuating lever  11  at clamping piece attachment  9 , that is, the shaft  27  forms the actual pivot bearing  13 . 
     The clamping piece attachment  9  of FIG. 3 distinguishes from the clamping piece attachment  9  from FIG. 2 essentially in that a notch or a groove  29  is configured for the definitive lead of the cable at the clamping member attachment, which facilitates the insertion of the cable into the area between the cutting edge  17  and the clamping piece attachment  9 . 
     According to FIG. 9, the notch  29  is configured in such a way, that at the rim of the clamping piece attachment in the area of the notching, a kind of cutting edge  31  is formed, which either augments the function of the cutting edge  17  at lever arm  11   b  or that replaces this cutting edge function, when the actuating lever is configured with no such a cutting edge (e.g. FIGS.  6  and  10 ). 
     FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  show the configuration of the actuating button  15  as a plastic form part, which is simply slipped onto the actuation lever, otherwise preferably from metal, or respectively the lever arm  11   a.    
     FIG. 6 a  shows a further configuration of the invention, where there is no separately configured actuation button  15  at the actuation lever  11 , respectively at lever arm  11   a.  Rather, the lever arm  11   a  exhibits a slightly curved shape for actuating by means of the forefinger. The embodiment of FIG. 6 varies from the embodiment of FIG. 1 essentially in that the actuation is preferably done by the forefinger instead of the thumb. 
     FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  show separate front-and rear views of the actuation lever  11  from FIG.  6 . The well recognizable elongated form of the lever arm  11   a  ensures a well-developed grip for the for-middle-and/or ring finger. 
     According to FIG. 8 in a further embodiment of the invention, the lever arm for actuating is in its end portion provided with a kind of ring or eyelet  32 , which is likewise actuated with the forefinger. 
     FIG. 9 shows in addition to the already illustrated embodiments, a variation of the invention, where at the lever arm  11   a,  a spring is configured at the cutting device  7 , between the clamping piece attachment  9  and the end of the actuating lever  11  facing away from the actuating button  15  and by which a resetting of actuating lever  11  is realized after the cable has been severed. 
     In the embodiments of FIG. 10 it is particularly well demonstrated (see FIG. 10 a ) how the severing of the cable  19  is carried out in the field. 
     The embodiment in FIG. 10 varies from the embodiment of FIG. 1 essentially in that, in addition to the cutting edge  17  at the actuating lever  11  or in lieu of this cutting edge, the clamping piece attachment  9 , here shown as made from plastic, is provided with a cutting blade  35  which is placed onto the clamping piece attachment  9 . 
     A further difference in this embodiment is that, as shown in FIG. 10 b,  the clamping piece attachment  9  is not only provided with a central bore  21 , but also with a groove  34  which radially extends from the central bore  21 . The tight clamping of the clamping piece attachment  9  is realized by means of a tensioning screw  37 , which penetrates the clamping piece as well as the groove  39 , so that when tightening the tensioning screw, both areas of the clamping piece attachment at each side of the groove is being pressed together, which thereby locks the clamping piece attachment at the shaft  5 . 
     FIGS. 11 a  and  11   b  show the clamping piece  9  with groove  39  and the separate cutting knife  35 , which functions here as cutting edge and which is inserted into a recess  41  at the side of the clamping piece attachment opposite of the groove. Thus, the cutting blade  35  is positioned, so to speak, between the clamping piece attachment  9  and the actuating lever  11 . 
     REFERENCE NUMBER LIST 
       1  screwdriver 
       3  screwdriver handle 
       5  shaft 
       7  attachment 
       9  clamping piece attachment 
       11  actuating lever 
       11   a  lever arm 
       11   b  lever arm 
       13  pivot bearing 
       15  actuating button 
       17  cutting edge 
       19  cable 
       21  bore 
       23  bore 
       25  bore 
       27  shaft 
       29  groove 
       31  cutting edge 
       32  eyelet 
       33  spring 
       34  groove 
       35  cutting blade 
       37  tensioning screw 
       39  groove 
       41  recess