Abstract:
In a hydraulic tool such as a crimping or cutting tool used by electric utility workers, interchangeability of heads and interchangeability of power units is afforded by connecting a cylinder on the power unit to a receiver on the head. Interlocking lugs allow the head to be secured to the power unit at any selected one of a plurality of rotational positions. A piston and a movable die in the head also have interlocking lugs. To enable the lugs on the piston and movable die to engage simultaneously with the engagement of the lugs on the cylinder and receiver, the piston is secured against rotation by a slotted guide the slots of which receive inwardly protruding pins fixed to the piston. For increased versatility, plural pressure relief valves can be selected by means of a manual selection valve to set the maximum force exerted by the tool.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to hydraulic tools of the kind used by electric utility workers to cut, crimp, or spear cables. It relates more particularly to a hydraulic tool, comprising a power unit and a working head, in which the working head can be interchanged with other working heads, so that the power unit can be used with any of various heads, or so that a given working head can be used with any of several different power units. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the installation and maintenance of electric power cables it is common practice to connect lengths of conductor by inserting ends of the conductors into a tubular metal connector, which is then crimped onto the conductors to connect them together permanently. Because spans of cable are typically quite heavy, the connectors must be strong enough to sustain the high tensile forces, and are therefore necessarily resistant to deformation. It follows that large crimping forces, typically 6 tons or more, are required. The most practical way to produce such large forces is to use hydraulic pressure. 
     The necessary hydraulic pressure can be generated by a battery powered pump housed along with a battery in the tool itself, by a hand operated pump, or by hydraulic fluid supplied under pressure from a pump separate from the tool. 
     Similarly large forces are required to operate cutting tools, of which there are various different kinds, some designed for cutting hard wire, and others designed for cutting soft wire. 
     Cable spearing tools are also operable by hydraulic pressure. In an electric power distribution system, when a particular cable is deenergized for replacement or for maintenance of the cable or electrical equipment fed by the cable, it is important for worker safety to ensure that the cable is not accidentally reenergized. To this end, the cable is grounded by inserting a metal device known as a “spear”, through the sheath of the cable and into contact with the conductor or conductors within the sheath. The spear either connects the internal conductor or conductors to the sheath itself or to another ground point. Spearing tools are similar to crimping and cutting tools. 
     An electrical utility worker or work crew typically requires several separate hydraulic tools, at least one for crimping, several for cutting, and at least one for spearing. If the workers want to be able to choose from among battery power, hand power and external hydraulic power, a still larger number of separate tools is required. 
     Although the cutting, crimping and spearing head portions of the tools are different from one another, the hydraulic pumps, pistons and related components can be identical. Nevertheless, tools utilizing a common power unit and interchangeable heads have not been made available. It has also been desirable to make the cutting, crimping, and spearing heads rotatable relative to the hand-held part that contains the pump, the operating piston and related components, so that the tools can be more easily used in manholes and other restricted environments. The desirability of rotation has presented an obstacle to the use of interchangeable heads. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention addresses the problem of interchanging heads on a hydraulic tool and at the same time making the heads rotatable. Another aspect of the invention affords further improvements on the versatility of the hydraulic tool. 
     A hydraulic tool in accordance with the invention comprised, as its principal components, a head and a power unit. The head includes a movable operating member. In most cases, the head will include an anvil, which can also be described as a fixed die, and a movable operating member in opposed, spaced relationship to the anvil, and a guide rigidly connected to the anvil. In those cases, the movable operating member is slidable in the guide toward and away from the anvil. The movable operating member can also be described as a movable die. The head also includes a receiver, which is also rigidly connected to the anvil, for removable connection of the head to a power unit. The movable member is accessible through a passage in the receiver. 
     The power unit comprises a hollow cylinder, a hydraulic fluid inlet port, and a piston slidable in the cylinder along the axis of the cylinder. The piston and the cylinder form a hydraulic fluid chamber in which, when hydraulic fluid is introduced into the chamber under pressure through the inlet port, it exerts a force urging the piston toward the anvil. 
     The cylinder is fitted to the receiver for connection of the head to the power unit, and the receiver and the cylinder are relatively rotatable about the axis of the cylinder through a range of angles when the cylinder is fitted to the receiver. The receiver and cylinder have interlocking lugs that prevent the head from being disconnected from the power unit when the receiver and the cylinder are relatively disposed at each of a plurality of angles in said range of angles but allow the head to be removed from the cylinder at least at one angle within the range. The receiver and cylinder include a releasable lock for maintaining the head and the power unit in a fixed relationship to each other at each angle of the plurality of angles at which the receiver and the cylinder are relatively disposed. 
     The power unit includes a second guide for preventing rotation of the piston about the axis of the cylinder while allowing reciprocating sliding movement of the piston relative to the cylinder. The piston extends through the passage in the receiver, and is connected to the movable member of the head. The movable member and the piston also have interlocking lugs preventing the movable member from being disconnected from the piston when the receiver and cylinder are relatively disposed at each of the above-mentioned plurality of angles and allowing the movable member to be disconnected from the piston when the receiver and cylinder are relatively disposed at least at one angle. The movable member can be a cutting blade, a crimping die, a cable spear, or any other die capable of being pressed by a piston in order to exert a force on an object. The movable member can also be any of various other devices, such as a toggle linked to a pair of opposed blades in such a way that movement of the toggle causes the blades to move toward or away from each other. In this case, the movable member exerts force on an object indirectly, the direct force being exerted by the blades. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the piston is a hollow piston having a closed end adjacent and connected to the movable member of the head, and an open opposite end. In this embodiment, the second guide includes a hollow tubular member extending into the interior of the piston through the open opposite end of the piston. The hollow tubular member has a first end fixed to an end of the hollow cylinder, and having an open opposite end. At least one of the piston and hollow tubular member has a longitudinal slot extending from its open end at least to an intermediate location along its length, and a guide pin, fixed to the other of the piston and hollow tubular member extends radially into the longitudinal slot and fits the slot, thereby preventing rotation of the piston relative to the cylinder. In a preferred embodiment, the guide pin is fixed to the piston and the slot is formed in the second guide. Two such guide pins and two such slots can be provided, the two guide pins extending into different slots. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, first and second relief valves are connected by fluid paths to the hydraulic fluid chamber and responsive to fluid pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber, the first relief valve is set to open when said fluid pressure exceeds a first level and the second relief valve is set to open when said fluid pressure exceeds a second level higher than said first level. A valve is arranged to close off the fluid path that connects the first relief valve to the hydraulic fluid chamber. The valve is switchable from an open condition to a closed condition to control the maximum force exerted by the movable member. 
     The tool according to the invention affords a number of advantages, especially rapid and easy interchangeability of heads, rapid and easy interchangeability of power units, and other advantages depending on the particular embodiment or embodiments adopted. These other advantages may include ease of use, simplicity, reduced manufacturing cost, improved reliability, and versatility, as well as still other advantages. 
     Further details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of a hydraulic tool according to the invention, in which a crimping head is combined with a hand-held battery-operated power unit; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a hydraulic tool according to the invention, in which a soft wire cutting head is combined with a power unit designed for use with an external source of high pressure hydraulic fluid; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a third embodiment of a hydraulic tool according to the invention, in which a hard wire cutting head is combined with a hand-pumped power unit; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a tool comprising a soft wire cutting head and a hand-held, battery operated power unit, showing the piston and piston guide; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a tool comprising a crimping head, and an externally supplied hydraulic cylinder, and showing components of the power unit; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded sectional view of a crimping tool and power unit, showing the connecting lugs on the receiver and cylinder, and on the movable member in the head and the piston; 
         FIG. 7  is a longitudinal cross-section of a crimping tool showing details of the connecting lugs, the guide for preventing rotation of the piston, a piston return spring, a locking device for locking the head against rotation, and other components of the power unit; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational view of the power unit, showing relief valves and a relief valve-operating switch for selecting the maximum force exerted by the movable member; 
         FIG. 9  is a longitudinal cross section of the power unit of  FIG. 8 , taken on a vertical plane in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a longitudinal cross-section, taken on plane  10 - 10  in  FIG. 8 , showing the power unit set to exert a lower level of force; and 
         FIG. 11  is a longitudinal cross-section, similar to  FIG. 10 , but showing the power unit set to exert a higher level of force. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The tool according to the invention comprises two basic components, a head and a power unit. The head and the power unit can be disconnected from each other so that the head can be interchanged with other heads for different purposes, all usable with the same power unit, and so that particular head can be used with any of several different power units, e.g., a battery-operated power unit, a power unit operated from a remote hydraulic fluid supply, or a hand-operated power unit. 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show three of many possible combinations of a head and a power unit. In  FIG. 1 , a crimping head  12  is combined with a hand-held battery-operated power unit  14 . The crimping head includes a concave anvil  16  rigidly connected by a reinforced bridge  18  to a hollow receiver  20  in which a movable member  22  is guided for sliding movement toward and away from the anvil  16 . An opening is provided opposite the bridge for entry of a tubular connector for crimping. The movable member  22  has a concave working face opposed to the concave anvil. When the member  22  is forced toward the anvil, it can crimp the tubular connector (not shown) against one or more metal conductors inserted into the connector, ensuring a firm and reliable mechanical and electrical connection. 
     A cylinder  24  fits into the receiver  20  and is held in the receiver by the cooperation of sets of lugs, which will be described. A piston  26 , slidable in the cylinder  24  is provided with a protrusion  28 , which has lugs for connection to the movable member  22 . Although, in the preferred embodiment shown, the cylinder  24  fits into the receiver  20 , various alternative configurations are possible, such as a configuration in which the cylinder has a tubular part with internal connecting lugs that cooperate with external lugs on the receiver portion of the head. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a soft wire cutting head  30  having an anvil  32  in the form of a fixed blade, is pivotable about a pin  34  on a receiver  36  so that a wire to be cut can be inserted into the head. After the wire is inserted, the anvil is pivoted to a position in which locking holes  38  and  40  are aligned and a locking pin (not shown) is inserted through the locking holes. A movable cutting member  42  is slidable in the receiver, and cooperates with anvil  32  to cut the wire. The power unit  44  is designed to receive hydraulic fluid from an external source through a connector  46 . The receiver, the cylinder, the piston, and the connecting lugs are the same as those in the tool of  FIG. 1 , and the heads and power units of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are interchangeable. That is, the head of  FIG. 1  can be used with the power unit of  FIG. 2 , and the head of  FIG. 2  can be used with the power unit of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows another combination of a head and a power unit. In this case, the head  48  is a hard wire cutting head having a pivoted anvil similar to the anvil in  FIG. 2 , except that it is provided with a latch  50  to hold it in the closed position. The power unit  54  is a manually operable unit, having a pair of handles  56  and  58  for operating an internal pump to pressurize hydraulic fluid in order to cause a piston  60  to operate a movable member  62  with a cutting blade. The receiver, the cylinder, the piston, and the connecting lugs are the same as those in the tools of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and the heads of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  are therefore interchangeable with one another, as are the power units of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . The tools in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  are illustrative of a large number of possible cutting, crimping or spearing tools that can have interchangeable heads and interchangeable power units. 
       FIG. 4  shows in exploded view a soft wire cutting head  30  operable by a battery-operated power unit  14 . The piston  26  is shown removed from the power unit. It can be seen that the piston is hollow, having a rear opening  60  for receiving a cylinder-shaped, longitudinally slotted, guide  62 , which, when in place in the cylinder  24  of the power unit, is fixed to the rear end of the cylinder  24 . 
       FIG. 5  shows in exploded view a crimping head  12  operable by a power unit  44  designed to receive hydraulic fluid under pressure from an external source. In this figure, the movable crimping member  22  is attachable to the piston  64  of the power unit. A slotted guide  66  is shown behind the piston. In  FIG. 5  it can be seen that the receiver has two axially spaces sets of internally protruding lugs  68  and  70  for cooperation with axially spaced sets of externally protruding lugs  72  and  74  on the cylinder  76  of the power unit. In the preferred embodiment, each set of lugs consists of six lugs, disposed circumferentially at uniform 60° intervals, with circumferential spacings between the adjacent lugs of each set of lugs in the receiver being of a size such that the cylinder and receiver can be engaged by insertion of the cylinder into the receiver followed by relative rotation through an angle of 30°. That is, the circumferential spacings between lugs  70  are such that lugs  72  and  74  can pass between them, and the circumferential spacings between lugs  68  are such that lugs  72  can pass between them. Likewise, the circumferential spacings between lugs  72  are such that lugs  70  and  68  can pass between them, and the circumferential spacings between lugs  74  are such that lugs  70  can pass between them. Preferably, the lugs of adjacent sets are axially aligned in order to maximize the area of mutual contact between the lugs of the head and the lugs of the cylinder on the power unit. Other numbers and arrangements of lugs are possible. However, in any case, the interlocking of the lugs should prevent the movable member from being disconnected from the power unit when the receiver and cylinder are relatively disposed at each of a plurality of angles within a range of angles, and allowing the head to be removed from the cylinder at least at one angle within that range of angles. 
     The lugs on the outside of the cylinder are preferably formed so that their outer surfaces are convex and in the form of portions of a cylinder having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of the receiver. Similarly, the lugs on the inside of the receiver are preferably formed so that their innermost surfaces are concave and in the form of portions of a cylinder having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the outer wall of the cylinder of the power unit on which the power unit lugs are formed. 
       FIG. 6 , which shows the crimping head  12  in cross-section, reveals the guide for the movable member  22 . The guide comprises a spline  78  secured to the bridge  18  of the crimping head, and a slot on the bottom of member  22  in which the spline is received. The cooperation of the slot and the spline allows the movable member  22  to slide longitudinally toward and away from the anvil  16  while preventing the movable member from rotating. Preventing the movable member from rotating ensures that lugs  80  formed in a recess  82  in the back of the movable member  22  remain in a fixed angular relationship with the lugs  84  in receiver  20 . 
     Lugs  80  cooperate with lugs  86  on protrusion  28  of piston to connect the piston to the movable member. When the power unit is to be engaged with the head, the movable member  22  and the piston can both be in their fully withdrawn positions. To engage the head  12  with the power unit  14 , the cylinder  24  of the power unit is inserted into the receiver  20  of the head while the head and power unit are in one of the six rotational relationships such that the lugs  88  on the cylinder can pass through the spaces between lugs  84  in the receiver. When the cylinder is inserted into the receiver, the lugs  86  on the protrusion of the piston also pass through the spaces between the lugs  80  in the recess of the movable member  22 . Then, by rotating the head relative to the power unit by 30°, the lugs are brought into interlocking relationship. The interlocking relationship can be maintained by using a releasable lock, comprising a locking pin, to secure the head against rotation relative to the power unit. 
     The lugs on the protrusion of the piston and the lugs in the recess of the movable member can have cylindrical surfaces similar to those of the lugs on the power unit cylinder and in the receiver. 
     The locking pin  90  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The pin is urged by a compression spring  92  into a hole in one of the lugs  72  on cylinder  76  of power unit  44 , and can be withdrawn by the action of a wedge  94  on a manually operable push-button  96 . If each of lugs  72  on cylinder  76  is formed with a hole for receiving the locking pin  90 , the head can be mounted on the power unit in any of six angular relationships, 60° apart from one another. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a coil spring  98 , which is in tension, is disposed inside the cylinder  76  and connected to retainer  100  inside the piston and to retainer  102  secured to the end of the cylinder opposite from the cylinder opening. The spring causes the piston to withdraw into the cylinder when hydraulic pressure is released. 
     The guide  66  is secured to the end of the cylinder by fastener  104 , which also secures retainer  102  in place. The guide has two slots  106  and  108 , which extend axially from open end  110  of the guide to a location adjacent the opposite end  112  of the guide. Pins  114  and  116 , which are fixed to the piston, extend radially inward into the respective slots  106  and  108 , and prevent the piston from rotating in the cylinder while allowing the piston to move axially. Hydraulic fluid introduced through connector  46  flows through passage  118  in the cylinder and through an opening  120  in the end of guide  66  into the cylinder. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 6 , except for the above-described piston and guide structure, and the lugs on the cylinder, the power unit can be similar to a conventional power unit. The battery-operated power unit in  FIG. 6  has a handle  122 , a battery receiver  124 , a two way rocker switch  126  for applying hydraulic pressure causing the movable member  22  to move forward or releasing pressure allowing the return spring to withdraw the movable member. A pump  128 , operated by a motor  130  receives hydraulic fluid from a supply bladder  132  for operation of the piston. 
       FIGS. 8-11  illustrate another aspect of the invention by which the maximum force applied by the movable member can be selected. The selection feature can be incorporated into the tool described above. 
       FIG. 8  shows a piston  134  and cylinder  136  of a power unit. The piston and cylinder have connecting lugs, corresponding to those previously described, for removable connection to cutting, crimping or spearing head. Hydraulic fluid is supplied under pressure to the interior  138  of the cylinder through a port  140  seen in  FIG. 9 . A first relief valve  142  is connected to the interior of the cylinder through a passage  144 . A second relief valve  146  is connected to the interior of the cylinder through a passage  148 , a valve  150  and a passage  152  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ). 
     A manually operable selector toggle  154  can be rotated 180° to move a spindle  156  of valve  150  against a biasing compression spring  158  from a first position, shown in  FIG. 10 , in which it allows flow of hydraulic fluid from passage  152  to passage  148 , to a second position, shown in 
       FIG. 11 , in which it shuts off the flow of hydraulic fluid to passage  148 . 
     If relief valve  146  is set to open at a pressure lower than the pressure at which relief valve  142  opens, the selector toggle  154  can be used to set the maximum force exerted by the movable member of the tool. For example, the tool can be set to exert a force of 12 tons when the valve  150  is closed, and a force of 6 tons when the valve is open. 
     The combination of the interchangeability of the heads and interchangeability of the power units with the force selection capability provides the user with an extremely versatile tool, making it unnecessary for the user to have on hand a large number of self-contained hydraulic tools, e.g., a battery-operated 6 ton crimper, a battery-operated 12 ton crimper, a battery operated soft wire cutter, etc. 
     There are many possible variations of the tool in accordance with the invention. For example, whereas the guide inside the piston that prevents the piston from rotating has longitudinal slots receiving pins fixed to the piston, as an alternative the slots can be provided in the piston and the pins can be fixed to the guide. Various alternative lug configurations are also possible. For example instead of having two sets of six lugs on the cylinder and in the receiver, a single set of four lugs on the cylinder and a single set of four lugs in the receiver will allow the head to be set at any of four rotational positions relative to the power unit.