Patent Number: 047042460
Section: abstract

A method of crimping a locking cap secured to the nut of a new split-pin assembly to the new split-pin to preclude turning of the nut and pin relative to each other. The method is practiced with apparatus including a crimping mechanism including crimping jaws having crimping pins face-to-face near one end. The jaws have external cam surfaces. The crimping pins are retracted and brought into crimping engagement with the cap to be crimped by cam followers which traverse the cam surfaces when actuated hydraulically through a C-frame connected to the cam followers. The crimping mechanism is mounted on a support which is moveable by a hydraulic cylinder between a retracted setting, where it is latched generally vertically, and an operating setting where it is positioned generally horizontally. The support is pivoted vertically from the retracted position to an intermediate horizontal position during a first part of the stroke of the piston rod of the cylinder and is pivoted horizontally in position to perform a crimping operation during the last part of the stroke of the piston rod.