Patent GB-938676-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in tools for crimping electrical connectors
IPC: H01R43/042
Filed: 1962-08-22
Abstract: 938,676. Jointing by stamping. AMP Inc. Aug. 22, 1962 [Aug. 29, 1961], No. 32214/62. Class 83 (4). A tool for crimping electrical connectors to conductors by indentation in which the connectors are mounted in spaced side-byside relationship comprises a pair of connector clamping blocks having recesses in their abutting faces to define an opening for a connector, an indentor radially movable through a block and into the opening, a reciprocable shuttle adjacent said blocks having feeding means to advance the connectors one by one into position in the opening during a feeding operation and to disengage said connectors in a non-feeding return operation and a mechanism for driving the indentor into and out of the opening which also moves the shuttle first in the non- feeding direction and thereafter moves the clamping blocks apart and moves the shuttle in the feeding direction. The tool comprises a cylindrical housing 2, an end wall 4 through which extends a rod 6 to which is attached a fitting 8 having a passageway 12 which extends axially into the rod 6 and is connected via a lateral bore 14 to the interior of the cylinder 2. A pneumatically or hydraulically operated piston 16 slidably mounted on the rod 6 bears against the walls of the cylinder 2 and a cam 20 slidable on the rod 6 is spring, 24, biased on to a boss 22 of the piston. The spring is also located within a recess of a plate 28 screwed to the upper end of the rod. The plate 28 has four equi-spaced radially extending slots 32 into which are pivotally mounted four levers 36 the upper ends 44 of which engage the open ends of cylindrical indentors 45 whilst the lower ends are bifurcated and are fitted with rollers 39 spring 37 biased to co-operate with the conical surface of the cam 20. The indentors 45 each comprise of an indenting protrusion 52, a slotted back portion 54 and a pin 56 and are slidably mounted within a pair of semi-cylindrical housings 58 secured in the upper end of the cylinder 2. The housing comprises two indentor bores 62, a V-shaped recess 60 and a radial groove 74 into which is slidably fitted a clamping block 68 retained by a pair of plates 84. The Y-shaped blocks 68 have semi-circular recesses 82, 83 in their surfaces 86 which, when the faces of the blocks are together define openings for the terminal to be crimped and transverse slots 78 which permit the inward movement of the reduced portion of the indentors. A coil spring 77 fitted in a groove 76 in the housing urges the block 68 radially inwardly against its opposite number. A cam 88 is pivotally mounted on a pin 90 (Fig. 4, not shown) of the block 68 and provides a rearwardly-extending arm to which one end of a spring 92 is attached, the other end of which is connected to a stop 91 to bias the cam in a anti-clockwise direction. The cam is prevented from moving in a clockwise direction by a stoppin 86. An oscillatable plate 96 attached to a jack-shaft 98 engages a shoulder 94 of the cam to drive it in an anti-clockwise direction and during a subsequent portion of the operating cycle a bevelled edge 100 of the plate engages the rounded surface of the cam which, since it cannot rotate in a clockwise direction because of pin 86 causes the cam and block to move outwardly into an unclamped position. A pin 95 abutting the stop 91 limits the movement of the clamping block 68. The jack-shaft 98 extends transversely across the plate 28 and is rotatably supported in brackets 102, 102<SP>1</SP>. A dog 104 having an arcuate arm 106 extending downwardly towards the plate 28 is fitted to each end of the shaft, one of the dogs is engaged by the end of a rod 108 slidably mounted in a guide 118 in the plate 28. The rod is normally biased downwardly by a spring 114 into contact with the lip of the flange 18 of the piston 16. During the upward movement of the piston 16 the rod 108 causes the dog 104, the shaft 98 and plates 96 to rotate and the dog 104<SP>1</SP> attached to the other end of the shaft to depress a spring 109 loaded plunger 111 contained in a housing 107 in the plate 28. Downward movement of the piston releases the rod 108 and the spring 109 drives the plunger 111 in an upward direction to rotate the shaft via the dog 104<SP>1</SP> in the reverse direction. The feeding means comprises a shouldered block 116, secured to the plate 28, to which are clamped side-plates 120, 122 which support a reciprocable shuttle feed frame 123. The frame of a channel section has inwardly bent ends 124, 125 and a side pin 140. A pair of plates 130, 134 biased together by a leaf-spring 138 are contained within the frame, the plate 130 having spaced feed teeth 132 and an extension 131 which extends through a cut portion of the frame, the plate 134 has a groove 136 which locates the teeth 132. Perforations P of a feed belt B are engaged by the teeth 132 for forward feeding of the loaded belt. The belt is wedged against movement in a non-feeding direction by a waisted roller 144 disposed within a recess 146 of the plate 120 and spring 148 loaded via a rod 150. The rod is manually pulled away from the housing to permit threading of the belt. The shuttle is reciprocated by the pin 140 which passes through a slot in the side plate 122 into a slot in the oscillatable plate 96. The shuttle is moved in the feeding direetion during the end portion of the piston returned stroke 4 in the non-feed direction during the end portion of the upward stroke, the delay allowing the clamping blocks to move apart before the belt is advanced. Operation.-The belt " B " which carries a number of connectors T is threaded through the shuttle assembly and the slot formed by the spaced-apart housings 58 and disposed between the clamping blocks 68 which grip the belt and an uncrimped connector T in the recesses 82. A crimped terminal with a wire thereon from the previous crimping cycle is disposed in the recesses 83 and is removed by an operator prior to the initiation of a new cycle and a wire inserted into the connector held in the recesses 82. The piston 16 controlled by a valve, moves the cam 20 upwardly causing the levers 36 to rock and actuate the indentors 45, the shaft 98 is rotated to cause the plates 96 to rotate the cams 88 and also to drive the shuttle via a pin 140 in its non-feeding direction. The return downward movement of the piston allows the indentors to be withdrawn, the shaft 98 to rotate in the reverse direction under the influence of the spring 109 and cause the plates 96 to drive the cams and hence the clamping blocks apart and the shuttle assembly in the feed direction. The connectors may be in the form of an integral strip in which case the tool may comprise severing means (not shown). Specification 938,677 is referred to.