Abstract:
A tool that strips and twists or “pigtails” the ends of electrical wires in residential or commercial installations is disclosed. The invention uses the rotation of a drill or driver to strip and twist the wires quickly and perfectly, not overtwisting, ensuring a sound connection and maximum mobility of the connection.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Problem Solved: When installing electrical outlets, light switches, etc. in a building, thick, rigid wires must often be stripped and twisted together to make connections. This requires two pliers to correctly twist wires together by hand and is difficult to do quickly and correctly such that a connection is sound due to space restraints in an electrical box or outlet, and the number and rigidity of wires, which are typically 12 AWG. 
         [0002]    Electricians strip and twist wires by hand and cap them with “wire nuts” or simply insert wires, untwisted, into a wire nut and twist the nut. Connections may be loose and are difficult to perform by hand. It is also time consuming to twist the wires by hand. 
         [0003]    The invention uses the rotation of a drill or driver to strip and twist the wires quickly and perfectly, not overtwisting, ensuring a sound connection and maximum mobility of the connection. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    As stated above, when installing electrical outlets, light switches, etc. in a building, thick, rigid wires must often be stripped and twisted together to make connections. This requires two pliers to correctly twist wires together by hand and is difficult to do quickly and correctly such that a connection is sound due to space restraints in an electrical box or outlet, and the number and rigidity of wires. The invention claimed here solves this problem. 
         [0005]    The invention connects to a drill or driver. It accepts wires into one end of the tool and rotates, automatically gripping, stripping, and twisting the wires. 
         [0006]    The claimed invention differs from what currently exists. Wire twisting is largely done by hand. 
         [0007]    This invention is an improvement on what currently exists. Simple manual tools exist for twisting wires but these are still cumbersome and inefficient. Several patents exist that recognize this problem and attempt to solve this problem. None offer an all in one, effective solution. 
         [0008]    Connections done by hand may be loose, imperfect, twist too much wire so that it is difficult to move when installing the switch or outlet, etc. 
         [0009]    The invention uses the rotation of a drill or driver to strip and twist the wires quickly and perfectly, not overtwisting, ensuring a sound connection and maximum mobility of the connection. 
       THE VERSION OF THE INVENTION DISCUSSED HERE INCLUDES 
       [0000]    
       
           12 : Sleeve 
           14 : Sleeve Cap 
           16 : Sleeve Cap Clover Opening 
           18 : Spindle Slug 
           20 : Spindle Blades 
           22 : Spindle Shaft 
           24 : Wire Guide Holes 
           26 : Return Spring 
           28 : View Slots 
           30 : Insulation Discharge Slots 
           36 : Tool Clamp 
       
     
         [0021]    Relationship Between the Components: 
         [0022]    The  14 . Sleeve Cap is screwed on to the  12 . Sleeve after the  26 . Return Spring and  18 . Spindle Slug,  20 . Spindle Blades,  22 . Spindle Shaft, and  24 . Wire Guide Holes (all one piece called the Spindle) are inserted into the  12 . Sleeve. The  18 . Spindle Slug,  20 . Spindle Blades,  22 . Spindle Shaft, and  24 . Wire Guide Holes all rotate with respect to the driver drill and wires. The  12 . Sleeve,  14 . Sleeve Cap, and  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening are all fixed with respect to the driver drill and wires, held in place by hand or by using the  36 . Tool Clamp, which connects the  12 . Sleeve to the driver drill through a rigid arm and a strap. The special shaped opening, the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening, is an opening on the end of the  14 . Sleeve Cap. The  18 . Spindle Slug is beveled so that the end of it sits in the central hole in the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening. There are six half-holes around the outside of the central hole of the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening. The  28 , View Slots and  30 . Insulation Discharge Slots are openings on the sides and end of the  12 . Sleeve, respectively. 
         [0023]    How The Invention Works: 
         [0024]    The  18 . Spindle Slug,  20 , Spindle Blades,  22 . Spindle Shaft, and  24 , Wire Guide Holes all rotate with respect to the driver drill and wires. The  12 . Sleeve,  14 . Sleeve Cap, and  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening are all fixed with respect to the driver drill and wires, held in place by hand or by using the  36 . Tool Clamp. The  18 . Spindle Slug is a cylinder on the end of the  22 . Spindle Shaft with six holes in it, the  24 . Wire Guide Holes. Wires are inserted through the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening, and so through the  14 , Sleeve Cap, and into the  24 . Wire Guide Holes located in the  18 . Spindle Slug. As the  22 . Spindle Shaft is rotated by the driver drill, the  18 . Spindle Slug also rotates, twisting the wires. As the wires are twisted, due to their rigidity, they push the  12 . Sleeve and the  14 . Sleeve Cap forward, pulling the wires through the  24 . Wire Guide Holes in the  18 . Spindle Slug and across the  20 . Spindle Blades, stripping the ends of the wires. When the  18 . Spindle Slug initially rests in the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening its six half-holes align with the  24 . Wire Guide Holes. As the  18 . Spindle Slug and therefore  24 . Wire Guide Holes rotate, half of the outer circumference of the wires are fixed in place by the six half-holes of the  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening so that only the wire ends inside of the device are twisted and stripped. Any stripped insulation is ejected from the  30 . Insulation Discharge Slots. When the stripped and twisted wire is removed the  26 . Return Spring returns the device to its initial state. 
         [0025]    How To Make The Invention: 
         [0026]    Most components of this invention require machining or casting. The  14 . Sleeve Cap and  12 . Sleeve require thread machining on a lathe, and either casting, lathe, and/or drill press to create the  18 . Spindle Slug,  20 . Spindle Blades,  22 . Spindle Shaft and  24 . Wire Guide Holes. The  26 . Return Spring is available commercially. The  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening,  28 . View Slots, and  30 . Insulation Discharge Slots may be created using an EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) machine. 
         [0027]    All elements are necessary to accomplish the multi-function of stripping and twisting wires. The  18 . Spindle Slug and  16 . Sleeve Cap Clover Opening may be modified to improve performance. Different Spindles may be made available to accommodate different wire sizes. The invention is designed to be dis-assemblable for replacing components. 
         [0028]    How To Use The Invention: 
         [0029]    While working on an electrical, outlet, gather the unstripped wires to be stripped and twisted into a group facing out of the outlet, making sure the wires are sufficient length to be inserted into the invention. Grasp the  12 . Sleeve in one hand or affix the  12 . Sleeve to the driver drill using the  36 . Tool Clamp. Activate the driver drill to begin stripping/twisting of the wires while the  12 . Sleeve is stationary. Operate the driver drill clockwise or forward, until wires are stripped and twisted. 
         [0030]    Additionally: The invention could be used in automated assembly of wire harnesses in computer manufacturing, automobile manufacturing, or other manufacturing where it is desirable to strip and twist wires for assembly. 
     
    
     
       DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
         [0031]      FIG. 1 : is a perspective view of the invention, shown in use 
           [0032]      FIG. 2 : is a perspective view of the invention, showing single handed use with optional tool clamp 
           [0033]      FIG. 3 : is a section view of the invention, taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1   
           [0034]      FIG. 4 : is an exploded view of the invention 
           [0035]      FIG. 5 : is a section view of the invention, illustrating the insertion of wires into the sleeve and a frontal view of the clover cap 
           [0036]      FIG. 6 : is a section view of the invention, illustrating the wires fully inserted 
           [0037]      FIG. 7 : is a section view of the invention, illustrating the stripping and twisting actions 
           [0038]      FIG. 8 : is a section view of the invention, illustrating the removal of twisted wires 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10 : is the wire pigtailer assembly 
           12 : is the sleeve 
           14 : is the sleeve cap 
           16 : is the sleeve cop clover opening 
           18 : is the spindle slug 
           20 : are the spindle blades 
           22 : is the spindle shaft 
           24 : are the wire guide holes 
           26 : is the return spring 
           28 : are the view slots 
           30 : are the insulation discharge slots 
           32 : is the wire insulation 
           34 : is the hare wire 
           36 : is the tool clamp