Abstract:
A crimp tool and crimp arrangement for connecting a clip onto a snowmobile tread. The snowmobile tread and clip once connected together are positioned in cooperating engagement with the suspension of a snowmobile. The crimp tool implements a pneumatic actuator having a shaft with a transverse axle that is in operable engagement with bearing surfaces of the two press levers. The transverse axle causes the two press levers to pivot about pivot posts between a crimped and uncrimped position. When a clip for connection to the tread of the snowmobile is positioned between the crimp ends of the two press levers, the clip can be bent from an uncrimped position to a crimped position by the crimp ends, thereby connecting the clip to the tread of the snowmobile.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a new and improved crimp tool arrangement for connecting a clip for snowmobile tread onto the track member. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Snowmobile treads are normally provided with a series of sheet metal clips extending at spaced intervals in two separate rows or tracks positioned to engage the slide rails that are part of a snowmobile suspension system. When a snowmobile tread is assembled or replaced the clips have to be installed to the tracks formed in the snowmobile tread. This task is typically carried out by using hand tools to grasp the clip and bend them into crimped engagement with the snowmobile tread. Bending each clip requires a great deal of strength, precise hand tool alignment and a significant amount of time due to the large number of clips that must be connected. There is a need for a power tool designed for connecting the clips to the snowmobile tread which will save time and provide the precise alignment needed to connect the clip to the snowmobile tread. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a crimp tool and clip arrangement for connecting the clip onto a snowmobile tread. The snowmobile tread and clip once connected together are positioned in cooperating engagement with the suspension of a snowmobile. The clip is crimped to the tread using a crimp tool having a tool housing that includes a crimp housing with an actuator connected to the tool housing. The actuator also includes a drive mechanism that extends into the crimp housing. The crimp housing contains two pivot posts each having a press lever pivotably connected to the two posts. The two press levers are positioned in the crimp housing such that the drive mechanism of the actuator is operably connected to the two press levers and moves the two press levers between a release position and a crimp position. The two press levers also each have a crimp end that extends outside of the crimp housing and pivot between the release position and the crimp position. 
         [0004]    The clip has a bearing face and two bendable wings. Each of the two bendable wings is removably engaged to a respective crimp end of the two press levers. When the two press levers are engaged with the two wings the press levers are operable to move the two wings from an uncrimped position to a crimped position as the two levers are driven by the drive mechanism between the release position and the crimp position. Prior to moving the two wings to the crimped position the clip is placed relative to the snowmobile tread so that when the two wings are moved to the crimped position the clip is connected to the snowmobile tread through the crimped engagement. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figure, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a snowmobile with the tread attached; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a partially broken away side perspective view of the snowmobile tread with the clips in position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view of a crimp tool used for attaching the clips to the snowmobile tread; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the crimp housing of the crimp tool with the cover removed and a cross-sectional side plan view of the clip member and attachment surface with the clip member in the uncrimped position; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side plan view of the crimp housing of the crimp tool with the cover removed and a cross-sectional side plan view of the clip member and attachment surface with the clip member in the crimped position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Referring now to  FIG. 3  a crimp tool  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The crimp tool  10  has a tool housing  12  that has an inlet  14  which is used to connect a power source for operating the crimp tool  10 . The housing  12  also has a handle portion  16  that may have a textured surface to provide the user of the tool with a grip surface for holding the crimp tool  10 . 
         [0012]    The inlet  14  in the present embodiment of the invention is a high pressure air inlet port that is used to provide high pressure air to an actuator  18 , which in this particular embodiment is a pneumatic actuator powered by high compressed air from the inlet  14 . The high pressure gas is provided by a compressor or compressed air cylinder or other suitable source. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the actuator  18  is an electric motor and the inlet  14  can be a location where an electric power source can be plugged into. 
         [0013]    The tool housing  12  also includes one or more actuator buttons  20  for controlling the operation of the actuator  18 . The one or more actuator buttons  20  can include a single button that causes the actuator  18  to function in a single direction and then when the button is released the actuator  18  will automatically move in the opposite direction; or a second actuator button can be implemented to cause the actuator to move in a opposite direction than the first actuator button. For example, in the present embodiment of the invention there can be one actuator button to cause the actuator  18  to move to a crimp position and a second actuator button to cause the actuator  18  to move to a release position. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention a single actuator button is used to control the movement of the actuator  18  to the crimped position. When the single button is released the actuator automatically moves back to the release position. 
         [0014]    The tool housing  12  also has a crimp housing  22  that is either separate from or integrally formed with the tool housing  12 . The crimp housing  22  optionally includes a removable cover  24  that provides access to the components contained therein. 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the actuator  18  has a drive mechanism  24  that extends into the crimp housing  22 . Within the crimp housing  22  are two pivot posts  26  that extend from the surface of the crimp housing  22 . While this particular embodiment of the invention describes two pivot posts  26 , it is possible to use additional pivot posts if necessary. Pivotally connected to each of the two pivot posts  26  is a single press lever  28  which is also referred to herein as the two press levers  28 . Each of the two press levers  28  has a crimp end  30  that extends outside of the crimp housing  22 . 
         [0016]    The two press levers  28  also each have bearing ramp portions  32 . The drive mechanism  24  of the actuator  18  includes an actuator shaft  34  that extends into the crimp housing  22  and between the bearing ramp portions  32  of the two press levers  28 . Connected to the actuator shaft  34  is a transverse post  36  of the drive mechanism  24  that has a roller bearing  38  rotatably connected to each end of the transverse post  36 . While this particular embodiment of the invention discloses a single roller bearing  38  positioned on each end of the transverse post  36 , it is possible for multiple roller bearings to be used. The roller bearings  38  are operably configured to contact one of the bearing ramp portions  32  on one of the two press levers  28 . Upon activation of the actuator  18  the actuator shaft  34  moves toward the actuator  18  causing the roller bearings  38  of the transverse post to slide, upward with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , and cause the two press levers  18  to pivot about the pivot post  26  away from each other. Simultaneously the crimp ends  30  of the two press levers  28  pivot toward each other. When the actuator  18  is deactivated or moved to the release position the transverse post  36  will move downward with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , causing the bearing ramp portions  32  of the two press levers  28  to pivot toward each other about the pivot posts  26 . The movement of the two press levers  28  to the release position is further facilitated by the biasing action of a return spring  40  which is connected between the two press levers  28  and is tensioned when the two press levers  28  move to the crimped position. 
         [0017]    Referring now to all of the figures, the crimp tool  10  described above is used to connect a clip  42  for a raised attachment surface  44  found on a track  46  that is part of a tread  48  of a snowmobile  50 . The snowmobile  50  uses the tread  48  in order to move the vehicle along its surface. The tread  48  is operably connected to the snowmobile  50  in part by way of a rail  52  upon which the tread  48  slides on. The inside surface of the tread  48  has a track  46  running along its inside surface. The tread  48  has two tracks  46 , and it is within the scope of this invention to have one or more tracks  46  for a given tread. The number of tracks included on a tread depends upon the type of snowmobile  50 . Along the length of each track  46  are one or more raised attachment surfaces  44 . Each attachment surface  44  also optionally has a steel reinforcement rod  52  extending transversely through the raised attachment surface  44  and imbedded within the material of the tread  48 . Each raised attachment surface  44  has a clip  42  crimped thereon which cooperates with the rail  52  of the snowmobile  50  to facilitate the sliding of the tread  48  relative to the rail  52 . During assembly or repair of the tread  48  to the snowmobile  50 , each clip  42  is crimped onto the attachment surface  44 . 
         [0018]    In accordance with the present embodiment of the present invention the crimp tool  10  is used to provide a power driven arrangement for crimping the clip  42  to its respective attachment surface  44 . Each clip  42  has a bearing surface  54  and at least two wings  56  that are bendable from an uncrimped position to a crimped position. The clips  42  are typically formed out of metal such as steel; however, it is within the scope of this invention for the clips  42  to be formed of other materials such as durable plastic. During operation of the crimp tool  10  a clip  42  is placed relative to the crimp housing  22  such that the two wings  56  of the clip  42  are operatively aligned with the crimp ends  30  of the two press levers  28 . At this point the crimp ends  30  are in an uncrimped position and are far enough apart to allow the clip  42  to be aligned relative to the crimp housing  22 . Additionally it is also possible for the crimp housing  22  to include a guard  58  that is used to rest the bearing surface  54  of the clip  42  against the guard  58  to ensure alignment of the crimp ends  30  relative to the wings  56 . When the actuator button  20  is pressed to cause the actuator  18  to move from the release position to a crimp position, the actuator shaft  34  moves upward to cause the transverse post  36  and roller bearings  38  to slide along the bearing ramp portions  32 . This causes the crimp ends  30  to pivot toward each other and bend the wings  56  toward each other allowing for the wings to crimp around the attachment surface  44  of the track  46 . 
         [0019]    In another aspect of the present invention the crimp ends  30  each have an angle  60  selected between 1° and 89°, where the lower the angle of the inclination of the crimp end  30  the greater the crimp force of the crimp end  30  as the two press levers  28  are moved between the release position and crimp position. Additionally the angle  60  of the crimp ends  30  may be different depending upon the shape of the wings  56  for a given clip  42 . For example, some clips  42  may have longer wings or wings that are at a greater inclination, thus a different type of press lever  28  having a different angle  60  on its crimp ends  30  might be desired. 
         [0020]    In another aspect of the present invention the bearing ramp portions  32  of the two press levers  28  have an angle  62  selected between 1° and 89° where the lower the angle  62  of inclination of the bearing ramp portions  32  the greater the crimp force of the crimp ends  30  as the drive mechanism  24  moves between the release position and the crimp position. Thus if it is desirable to have a greater force through a given crimp operation then different press levers having different bearing surface angles can be selected. 
         [0021]    The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples of the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected thereto, by those of skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.