Patent Publication Number: US-5154210-A

Title: Rollover tool for ends of metal bands

Description:
The present invention relates to banding apparatus for attaching metal bands about an object and, more particularly, to an apparatus for crimping an end of such bands to prevent loosening. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Application Ser. No. 07/681,557 filed Apr. 5, 1991 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a banding tool for tightening and restraining a metal band, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,769, about a termination sleeve, i.e., about a woven metal braid portion of an electrical cable about a tubular sleeve portion of an electrical connector. The tool provides band tension sufficient to assure good electrical connection between the braid portion and the termination sleeve. Once the band has been tightened about the sleeve, the end passing through the tool is bent and then cut off. Thereafter, it is necessary to further crimp or flatten the bent end to prevent the band from loosening. 
     Metal bands of the type shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,769 are formed with a buckle on one end. The buckle is a closed loop through Which the other end of the band is inserted. The band is formed of generally rigid stainless steel so that bending the other end at an acute angle over the buckle is sufficient to prevent a tightened band from loosening. Various methods have been employed to bend the band end over the buckle, including general purpose pliers and specially adapted devices for gripping the buckle. However, these devices have not been fully successful in always providing a satisfactorily crimp position of the band end. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in a band crimping tool which smoothly bends a band end over a buckle in a manner to generally inhibit any release of tension in the band and provide a successful crimp. In one form, the crimping tool comprises a generally plier-like apparatus having a pair of handles and a pair of opposed jaws. One of the jaws includes a movable guide attached to the jaw in a manner to move only in a direction parallel to the direction of closing of the jaws. The guide includes a slot for receiving a buckle of a band. A pivotable crimping member is coupled to the guide and positioned to pivot over the slot when the jaws are closed. The crimping member is shaped to contact an end of a band extending from the buckle and to bend the band end downwardly and reversely over the buckle. Springs are provided to return the guide and crimping member to a rest position when the jaws are opened. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates one form of a crimping tool in accordance with the present invention preparatory to effecting a crimping step; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the tool of FIG. upon completion of crimping; and 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the crimping mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2 in their respective positions. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4 generally and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown a pair of pliers 10 of the type sometimes referred to as channel-lock pliers having a pair of handles 12 and 14 for effecting opening and closing of a pair of jaws 16 and 18. The pliers 10 have a pivot pin 20 movable in a slot 22 which allows the jaw spacing to be selectably adjustable. Alternate channels 24 and ridges 26 in opposing faces of each of the handles 12 and 14 are interlocked at different selected positions to effect the selective spacing of the jaws. A guide member 28 is coupled in sliding engagement with jaw 16 by means of a pair of pins 30, 32 positioned at opposite ends of jaw 16. A pivotable crimping member 34 is coupled to guide member 28 and positioned to be urged into counterclockwise (CCW) rotation as jaw 16 approaches guide member 28. Guide member 28 includes a generally centrally located slot 36 adapted to fit over a buckle 38 of a band 40 placed around an electrical connector 42. When the handles 12 and 14 are squeezed to move the jaws 16 and 18 from their generally open position in FIG. 1 to their closed position in FIG. 2, the desired degree of crimping occurs when guide member 28 is in an abutting position with jaw 16 as shown in FIG. 2. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of the guide member 28, crimping member 34, and their respective connections to jaw 16. Guide member 28 is formed with a lengthwise slot 44 for receiving the crimping member 34 and a pair of compression springs 46, 48. The springs 46, 48 are positioned about respective ones of the pins 30, 32 and function to force guide member 28 away from jaw 16 and to generally hold guide member 28 steady with respect to jaw 16 to facilitate positioning of the member 28 on a band buckle. A tension spring 50 is coupled between crimping member 34 and a spring retainer 52 at an outer surface of jaw 16. An aperture 54 is formed in jaw 16 for receiving the spring 50. Snap rings 56, 58 on each of the pins 30, 32, respectively, retain the pins in the assembly against the compression springs 46, 48. 
     The crimping member 34 is shaped and positioned so as to urge the end 60 of band 40 to bend arcuately about the buckle 38. The member 34 pivots about pin 62 immediately forward of the buckle 38 when the tool is in an operative position. As shown in FIG. 4, a distal end of member 34 is directed downwardly when the jaws 16, 18 are in their closed position. During closing of the jaws, the crimping member 34 continuously urges the band end 60 to rotate counterclockwise so as to crimp the band end without tending to urge the band end backwards through the buckle 38 and loosening the band. The top surface of the crimping member 34 is arcuately shaped to slide on inner surface 64 of jaw 16 as the tool 10 is operated. 
     Although the tool 10 has been shown as having a jaw 16 with apertures drilled or otherwise formed therethrough for receiving the pins 30, 32 and spring 50, it will be apparent that a separate member could be attached to a side of jaw 16 for supporting guide member 28. 
     While the invention has been described in what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment, various modifications and arrangements will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that the invention not be limited to the illustrative embodiment but be interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims.