Abstract:
A crimping tool used with a crimping apparatus includes a first member having a die receiving portion, a second member being connectable with the first member, and wherein the crimping tool is removably coupled with the crimping apparatus.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a device for crimping a workpiece, and, more particularly, to a crimping tool for providing a pre-determined crimped diameter of the workpiece.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Crimping machines generally comprise a press, a die, and a die bowl, and are used in applications where an evenly distributed circumferential force is applied to a workpiece to reduce the workpiece&#39;s diameter by plastically deforming the radial circumference, such as, attaching a coupling to a hose.  
         [0003]     The die is made with a plurality of die fingers radially disposed around the workpiece. Each finger having an inside surface adjacent of the workpiece and formed to define the workpiece&#39;s crimped shape. The die&#39;s outer surface is tapered and substantially matches the inside surface of the die bowl. The press comprises a ram to push the die through the die bowl, wherein a camming action of the matching surfaces forces the die inward, thus crimping the workpiece evenly around the circumference.  
         [0004]     The extent to which the workpiece is crimped is relative to the insertion of the die in the die bowl. To control the insertion, prior art controls the stroke of the press either by adjusting the maximum stroke of the press or by the operator stopping the press at the right depth. This does not allow for consistence die insertion since the insertion is a function of the stroke of the press and not a function of the depth of the die relative to the die bowl.  
         [0005]     In order to crimp a variety of workpieces, such as various diameter hoses and different shaped and sized couplings, prior art machines use assortments of dies and die bowls. Having multiple dies and die bowls increases the likelihood that one might be lost or misplaced. For portable machines, it is also important that the crimping machine be adaptive and provides flexibility in the field.  
         [0006]     One known crimping apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,936, issued Feb. 7, 1978, to John Lionel Smith. It discloses a crimping apparatus wherein the variation of the camming surfaces is provided by threadably mounting the crimping ring (die bowl) to the chamber of a hydraulic pump, thus, rigidly mounting the crimping ring to the hydraulic pump.  
         [0007]     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In accordance with an embodiment shown, a crimping tool used with a crimping apparatus includes a first member having a die receiving portion, a second member being connectable with the first member, and wherein the crimping tool is removably coupled with the crimping apparatus.  
         [0009]     In accordance with another embodiment, a crimping apparatus having a die assembly includes a frame member, a pressure applying device coupled to the frame member, and a crimping tool removably coupled to the frame member, where the crimping tool has a first and second member. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of an embodiment of an crimping tool of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional drawing of an embodiment of a crimping tool of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a crimping system of the present invention 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a crimping tool  100  for use with a crimping apparatus  300  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), having a first member  102  and a second member  104 .  
         [0014]     The second member  104  is adjustably connected to the first member  102  and is positionable to adjust the height of the crimping tool  100 . Indicia  106  are provided to show the amount of adjustment through coarse adjustment indicia  108  and fine adjustment indicia  110 , as described hereinafter.  
         [0015]     The second member  104  has a graspable surface  112 , such as knurling, wrench flats, tacky surface, or knobs to index the second member  104  relative to the first member  102 . In the embodiment shown the graspable surface  112  is a knurled surface around the circumference and disposed partially down the outer periphery from the top surface  116  of the second member  104 .  
         [0016]     The fine adjustment indicia  110  are shown in the embodiment as a reference mark  118  and an annular scale  120 . The reference mark  118 , shown in the embodiment as a line, is marked on the outer periphery of the first member  102 . Alternatively, the reference mark could be a carrot mark, arrow, indentation, hole, or any other means of making a reference mark.  
         [0017]     The annular scale  120 , which is disposed around the outer periphery of the second member  104 , includes graduations  124  at predetermined intervals extending from adjacent the bottom surface  122  partially towards the top surface  116  of the second member  104  and in the axial direction of the second member  104 . As the second member  104  is rotated around the first member  102  the graduations  124  align to the reference line  118 . Each graduation  124  is scribed with a corresponding numerical value. For exemplary purpose, the graduations  124  are scribed in 0.05 increments with a range of 0 to 1.00.  
         [0018]     In the embodiment shown, the coarse adjustment indicia  108  are that of a linear scale  126 . The linear scale  126  is marked on the outer periphery of the first member  102 . The linear scale  126 , having graduations  128  at predetermined intervals, extends in the axial direction of the first member  102  and adjacent the reference mark  118 . The first graduation  130 , showing the minimum height of the crimping tool  100 , aligns with the bottom surface  122  of the second member  104  when abutment is made between the top face  132  of the first member  102  and abutment surface  134  of the second member  104 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of the crimping tool  100  and includes a die assembly  212 . For exemplary purposes,  FIG. 2  further shows a die biasing member  214  and a retaining member  216  in a cooperative arrangement to support and position the die assembly  212  in relation to the first member  102 . The die biasing member  214  and retaining member  216  are illustrated in the embodiment as a spring and snap ring, respectively, but could be any known arrangement that would support and eject the die assembly  212  after a crimping operation. The die biasing member  214  includes a support member  219 , having a top surface  221  that abuts with the die assembly&#39;s bottom surface  223  and rests on the spring. The first member  102  includes a stepped counterbore  218  from adjacent the bottom surface  224  of the first member  102  and extending partially in the axial direction towards the top face  132  of the first member  102 . The partially extending stepped counterbore  218  steps radially inwardly forming a counterbore face  225 . A tapered bore  236  outwardly tapers from adjacent the counterbore face  225  to adjacent the top face  132  of the first member  102 . The counterbore face  225  provides an abutment for the die biasing member  214 . Intermediate of the counterbore  218  a groove  222  is formed to accept the retaining member  216 . The die biasing member  214  is held in relation to the first member  102  by the retaining member  216  and the counterbore face  225 .  
         [0020]     The crimping tool  100  includes an adjustment mechanism  202 , such as threads, detents, cylinder, or automatic methods, for variably adjusting the height of the crimping tool  100 . In the embodiment shown, the second member  104  is threadably attached to the first member  102  by the internal threads  204  of the second member  104  rotatably engaging the external threads  206  of the first member  102 . Alternatively, the first and second member  102 , 104  could have a thread pattern opposing the aforementioned.  
         [0021]     The die assembly  212  includes a plurality of die fingers  226  equally spaced in a circumferential manner around the workpiece. The individual die fingers  226  are separated and retained by a unitary retention band  230 . Each die finger  226  has an inner forming surface  232 , defining the workpiece&#39;s crimped form, and an outer camming surface  234 , which is tapered to substantially match the tapered bore  236  of the first member  102  to position the die assembly  212  in the first member  102 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows the crimping apparatus  300 , which includes a frame  302 , a pressure applying device  304  coupled to the frame  302 , the crimping tool  100 , and die assembly  212 . In the embodiment shown the crimping apparatus  300  is that of a portable type. Alternatively, any crimping apparatus  300 , such as benchtop type, or production press that includes the aforementioned elements could be used. The pressure applying device  304  shown is a hydraulic cylinder type, but alternatively a pneumatic press, electric press, screw press, lever press, or any suitable pressure applying device could be used. The crimping apparatus  300  includes a bottom plate  306  structured to accept the crimping tool  100 . The bottom surface  224  of the first member  102  is removably coupled to the bottom plate&#39;s  306  pressing surface  310  and positioned to axially align with the pressure applying device  304 .  
         [0023]     The pressure applying device  304  includes a ram  312  attached to the rod end  314  of a rod  316  of the pressure applying device  304 . A ram bore  318  defines a center cavity of the ram  312  and creates a aperture  320  in the ram face  322 . The ram face  322  is generally parallel to the top surface  116  of the second member  104  and substantially overlaps the second member  104  and die assembly  212  top surfaces  116 , 324 , as not to interfere with workpieces (not shown) protruding out of the die assembly  212 .  
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
       [0024]     The present invention is intended to provide a crimping tool  100  used within a crimping apparatus  300  for crimping a workpiece (not shown), such as, crimping a coupling to a hose.  
         [0025]     The die assembly  212  is positioned in the crimping tool  100  by matching the camming surface  234  of the die assembly  212  and the tapered bore  236  of the first member  102 . The bottom surface  223  of the die assembly  212  rests on the top surface  221  of the support member  219  of the die biasing member  214 . A workpiece is placed in the center of the die assembly  212 , adjacent the inner forming surface  232  of the die fingers  226 .  
         [0026]     The pressure applying device  304  uses a ram  312  to apply pressure to the top surface  324  of the die assembly  212 . As the ram  312  pushes the die assembly  212  into the first member  102 , the camming surface  234  and the tapered bore  236  forces the die fingers  226  inward, in turn, collapsing the space provided by the unitary retention band  230 . The die fingers  226  apply equal compression around the circumferentially outer surface of the workpiece, which reduces the diameter of the workpiece. The positive movement of the die assembly  212  in the crimping tool  100  determines the crimped diameter of the workpiece. Positive movement of the die assembly  212  is stopped when the ram face  322  abuts the top surface  116  of the second member  104 . The height of the crimping tool  100 , which is the relationship between the second member  104  and the first member  102 , pre-determines the crimped diameter of the workpiece. The embodiment shown allows the crimped diameter to be consistent, regardless of the type of pressure applying device  304  and stroke of the ram  312 .  
         [0027]     To vary the height of the crimping tool  100 , the second member  104  is threaded onto the first member  102 . By rotating the second member  104  clockwise or counter-clockwise the height of the crimping tool  100  decreases or increases, depending on the orientation of the threads. By reading the coarse adjustment indicia  108  and the fine adjustment indicia  110 , an operator can set an applicable height of the crimping tool  100 . The embodiment, as described herein, allows the crimping tool  100  to be adaptable to multiple die assemblies  212 , in turn, reducing the number of pieces needed to complete a wide range of jobs.  
         [0028]     Upon the release of the pressure being applied to the die assembly  212 , the die biasing member  214 , which is applying a responsive force, pushes the die assembly  212  out of the crimped position. In turn, freeing the workpiece to be removed.  
         [0029]     Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.