Abstract:
A method and apparatus are provided for servicing a telecommunication junction box. The method enables a reduced number of tools to be utilized to service a telecommunication junction box.

Description:
This application claims priority based on provisional patent application 60/548,068, filed Feb. 26, 2004. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to methods and apparatus for servicing a telecommunication junction box having a plurality of fasteners, wires and electrical connections. 
   More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for accessing and crimping a wire in a telecommunications junction box. 
   2. Description of Related Art including disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. 
   Telephone systems in the United States and other countries entail the use of relatively complex wiring. Telecommunication housings or junction boxes which contain many strands of telephone wires are placed in cities, towns and suburbs throughout the United States. Telephone company technicians open these junction boxes and connect, disconnect, crimp, cut, punch down, and otherwise manipulate the wire housed in the boxes. Each wire typically includes an electrically insulative coating except at points along the wire which are stripped to expose the bare metal wire. 
   Telecommunication junction boxes have a variety of names, including cross box, ready access point, pedestal, wall terminal, SNI (standard network interface box on the sides of homes), and demarcation point (typically in large buildings). Wires in the junction boxes typically are attached to binding posts, punch down blocks, screw terminals, or other electric terminals. 
   A large incoming feeder line with fifty pairs of wires connects to the pedestal. A plurality of smaller outgoing buried service lines extend from the pedestal to a plurality of homes or other building structures. Each buried service wire includes in its center two to six pairs of wires. Each pair of wires serves as one telephone line. A buried service wire extends from a pedestal to the SNI in a telecommunication box. The SNI (standard network interface) is the demarcation point at which telephone company service lines end and connect to telephone lines or wiring in a home or other building structure. 
   The two to six pairs of wire in each buried service wire are surrounded by a rubber insulator. The rubber insulator is surround by a layer or jacket of wound copper. The jacket further protects the two to six pairs of wire and serves as an electrical ground. Another layer of insulation is formed over the copper jacket to protect the copper. At times, it is necessary for a telephone repairman to cut through the layer of insulation formed over the copper jacket. 
   When a telephone company technician is accessing through a junction box door  17  a wire  15  in the junction box  16 , he can use the tool  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Tool  10  includes handle  13  and neck  11  pivotally attached to handle  13  by pin  12 . The distal end of handle  11  includes hook  14 . The technician uses hook  14  to engage wire  15  and pull wire  15  free from a bundle or group of other wires in box  16 . Hook  14  may be utilized to pull a second wire (third wire, etc.) out from a bundle or group of wires. A wire cutter can be utilized to cut the wire  15  in half, if desired. 
   A “button”  100  can be utilized to crimp or “splice” together two or more wires. A variety of crimping or splicing buttons are known in the art. By way of example, 3M Company produces various SKOTCHLOK(™) connectors which are used to splice together wires without having to strip off and remove the insulation from the wires at the points at which the wires are being spliced. 
   The tool  20  shown in  FIG. 2  is typically used to squeeze, or crimp, a button  100  inserted between gripping members  26  and  29 . Handles  22  and  24  are manually displaced about pivot point  25  in the direction of arrows J and K to displace members  26  and  29  in the direction of arrows L and M to crimp button  100 . 
   The foregoing procedure for manipulating wire in a telecommunication junction box has, along with other procedures, been used many times by telephone technicians. One disadvantage of such procedures is that they each require separate tools. This requires a telephone technician to pick up, manipulate, and put down several tools while attempting to manually hold on to and manipulate one or more wires. It would be highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for crimping, splicing, or otherwise manipulating wires. One approach for minimizing the number of tools required by a telephone technician is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,831 to Crawley. The approach set forth in the Crawley patent still, however, requires the use of at least two tools. It would be desirable to provide a single tool that would enable a telephone technician to perform many tasks. 
   In addition to a crimping tool  20 , other tools typically carried by a telephone technician include needle nose pliers, can wrench, a screwdriver with a small flat head, a screwdriver with a large flathead, a sni tool, a Phillips screwdriver with a “star” head, a pair of scissors, a sheath or cable knife, a flashlight, a punch down, bits utilized in the punch down, a wire pick, and a can of dog spray (not shown). 
   One kind of bolt that is incorporated in and that is operated to open and close access doors in a telecommunication junction box has a head including an aperture with an internal hex surface and a dimple formed in the bottom of the aperture. A sni tool is used to engage and turn this kind of bolt. The sni tool includes an external hex surface shaped to conform to and be slidably inserted in the hex surface of the bolt. The distal tip of sni tool includes a detent shaped and dimensioned to conform to and fit over the dimple. 
   A conventional can wrench is operated by a telecommunication technician by utilizing internal hex surfaces at either end of the can wrench to loosen and tighten hex nuts. 
   Therefore, it is a principal object of the instant invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for servicing a telecommunication junction box. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a single tool that can be utilized by a technician to accomplish servicing of a telecommunication junction box. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These, and other and further and more specific objects of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating a prior art tool for engaging and moving a wire in a telecommunication junction box; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view illustrating a prior art tool for compressing a button used to splice or crimp wires; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view illustrating a multipurpose telecommunication tool constructed in accordance with the invention and in a closed orientation; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view further illustrating the tool of  FIG. 3  being manipulated from the closed orientation of  FIG. 3  to spread the handles and open the needle nosed pliers incorporated in the tool; 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevation view illustrating the tool of  FIG. 3  after it is manipulated to open the needle nosed pliers; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating one of the handles of the tool of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating another of the handles of the tool of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view illustrating the mode of operation of a tool incorporated in one handle of the tool of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a side view illustrating a tool bit utilized in the tool of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a side view illustrating another tool bit utilized in the tool of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a side view illustrating still another tool bit utilized in the tool of  FIG. 8 ; and, 
       FIG. 12  is a top view of the tool bit of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly, in accordance with the invention, I provide an improved method of servicing a telecommunication box. The box includes at least one door; a bolt with an internal hex surface and a dimple and mounted in the door to open and close the door; a plurality of electrical connectors; and, a plurality of wires each connected to at least one electrical connector. The improved method comprises the steps of providing a crimping button; and, providing a first manually operated telecommunication box tool. The tool includes a pair of handles pivotally connected and each including a distal end and a proximate end; a wire manipulating member at the proximate end operatively opposed to the wire manipulating member at the proximate end of the other one of said pair of handles; a sni tool mounted on one of the handles and movable between at least two operative positions, a first stored operative position, and a second deployed operative position. The method also comprises the steps of moving the sni tool to the deployed position; utilizing the sni tool to open the door to the telecommunication box; and, manually manipulating at least one wire in the telecommunication box with the wire manipulating members. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, I provide an improved manually operated telecommunication box tool. The tool includes a pair of handles pivotally connected and each including a distal end and a proximate end; a first wire manipulating member at the proximate end of one of the handles; a second wire manipulating member at the proximate end of the other of the handles and operatively opposed to the first wire manipulating member; and, a hex surface formed in the distal end of at least one of the handles and shaped and dimensioned to engage a hex shaped nut used to open and close a door in a telecommunication box. 
   In a further embodiment of the invention, I provide an improved manually operated telecommunication box tool. The tool includes a pair of handles pivotally connected and each including a distal end and a proximate end; a first wire manipulating member at the proximate end of one of the handles; a second wire manipulating member at the proximate end of the other of the handles and operatively opposed to the first wire manipulating member; and, a tool slidably mounted on one of the handles and movable between at least two operative positions, a first stored operative position, and a second deployed operative position. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
   Turning now to the drawings, which describe the presently preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of describing the operation and use thereof and not by way of limitation of the scope of the invention, and in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 3 to 5  illustrate a tool  40  constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and including gripping needle-nose members  52  and  53  and hollow handles  42  and  43 . In order to use members  52  and  53 , handles  42  and  43  are manually pivoted about the pins  46  and  45 , respectively, in the direction of arrows C and D to displace handles  42  and  43  to the position shown in  FIG. 5 . When handles  42  and  43  are in the storage position of  FIG. 3 , needle-nose wire manipulating members  52  and  53  are housed in handles  42  and  43 , respectively, against stops  50  and  50 A, respectively. 
   When tool  40  is in the storage orientation of  FIG. 3 , hook  48  and/or cutting blade  47  can be pivotally moved from their storage position in handle  42  to a deployed position in which hook  48  and/or blade releaseably lock (like the blades of many pocket knives) and that enables hook  48  and/or blade  47  to be utilized. If desired, hook  48  and blade  47  can be pivoted in the direction of arrow E until each is located on top of handle  42  in  FIG. 3  and is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of handle  42 . Handles  42  and  43  are then grasped with one hand of a user and are manipulated to move hook  48  and/or blade  47  in a desired manner. 
   If desired, tool  40  can be fabricated with crimping jaws  26 ,  29  substituted for needle nose members  52 ,  53 . Or, wire manipulating members  52  and  53  can be shaped and dimensioned to pull, cut, crimp, or perform any other desired function or functions with respect to manipulating wires in a telecommunications box. Member  52  includes cutting edge  62 . Member  53  includes cutting edge  63 . When tool  40  is in the storage orientation of  FIG. 3 , edges  62  and  63  currently overlap, but need not do so. 
   In  FIG. 5 , grasping handles  42  and  43  and displacing them toward one another in the direction of arrows E and F causes members  53  and  52  to pivot about pin  49  in the direction of arrows of arrows H and G, respectively. Spring  51  generates expansion forces that function to maintain members  52  and  53  open or spaced apart in the position illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
   A cutting edge  62 ,  63  is formed in each of members  46 ,  49 . When members  46 , 49  are closed as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , edges  62 ,  63  overlap one another. Edges  62  and  63  are used to cut a piece of wire by placing the wire between edges  62  and  63  when members  52  and  53  are opened to the position shown in  FIG. 5  and by then manually pressing handles  42  and  43  in the direction of arrows E and F to squeeze edges  62 ,  63  through the wire to cut the wire into two pieces. 
   The lower end  44  of hollow handle  42  includes, as shown in  FIG. 4 , an inner surface shaped and dimensioned to slidably fit over a standard ⅜ inch wide nut such that handle  42  can be rotated to turn the nut and open a telecommunication box door on which the nut is mounted. Similarly, the lower end  43 A of handle  43  includes an inner surface shaped and dimensioned to slidably fit over a standard 7/16 inch wide nut such that handle  43  can be rotated to turn the nut and open a telecommunication box door on which the 7/16 inch nut is mounted. Lower ends  43 A,  44  can be shaped and dimensioned in any desired manner as long as they perform the function of engaging a nut or other component on a telecommunication box door such that the nut can be operated by manipulating tool  40  to open (or close) the door. 
   Hollow tool  54  is slidably mounted in handle  43 . Tool  54  includes aperture  232 A. The upper or outer end  233  of aperture  232 A includes an internal approximately 5/16 wide hex surface. This hex surface is slightly wider than the remaining portion of aperture  232 A, producing neck or ledge  232 D. 
   Bit  201  includes Phillips tip  202 , small flat head screwdriver tip  209 , external hex surface  207  having a width indicated by arrows Y and shaped to slidably insert into the hex surface formed in end  233 , and spring loaded ball bearing  208  that bears against the hex surface in end  233  when bit  201  is inserted in tool  54  in the same manner that tool  212  is inserted in tool  53  in  FIG. 8 . 
   Bit  212  includes sni tool  215  with tip  216 , large flat head screwdrivertip  214 , external hex surface  213  having a width indicated by arrows  211  and shaped to slidably insert into the hex surface formed in end  233 , and spring loaded ball bearing  215  that bears against the hex surface formed in end  233  when bit  212  is inserted in barrel  204  to the position illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
   Bit  201  can be inserted in aperture  233  such that tip  209  extends outwardly from aperture  233  and is visible, or, bit  201  can be inverted and inserted in aperture  233  such that tip  202  is visible and tip  209  is inside aperture  233  and is not visible. When bit  212  is inserted in aperture  233  in the direction of arrow  234 , hex surface  213  contacts ledge  232 D to halt the travel of bit  212  in the direction of arrow  234  such that bit  212  is seated in aperture  233  with tip  214  in the position shown in  FIG. 8  (or with sni tool  215  in a comparable position in the event bit  212  is inverted from the position shown in  FIG. 10  and is inserted in aperture  233 ). 
   The tools or tips provided on a bit  201 ,  212  can be varied as desired, or additional bits can be provided. For example, in bit  201 , end  202  can be a flathead screwdriver tip instead of a Phillips screwdriver tip, end  209  can be a sni tool instead of a flathead screwdriver tip, etc. 
   Hex surface  207 ,  213  is slidably received by the hex surface formed in the end  233  such that bit  201 ,  212  is prevented from rotating in aperture  233  of tool  54  in the directions indicated by arrows  350 . 
   Leg  43  includes a pair of equivalent, parallel, spaced apart, opposed slots  55  ( FIG. 4) and 58  ( FIG. 5 ). Slot  55  includes at either end an opening  56  having a diameter greater than the width of slot  55 . Slot  58  includes at either end an opening  57  having a diameter greater than the width of slot  58 . A pair of spring loaded pins  76 ,  77  are mounted on the upper end of tool  54 . Pin  76  includes head  61 , neck  64 , and body  65 . Pin  77  includes head  60 , neck  62 , and body  63 . Spring  75  ( FIG. 8 ) acts outwardly against and maintains pin  76  in the position illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . Spring  74  acts outwardly against and maintains pin  77  in the position illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . When tool  54  is in the stored position illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the body  63 ,  65  of each pin is seated in the opening  57  at the top of each slot  58 ,  55 , respectively. Tool  54  is moved from the stored position of  FIGS. 6 and 8  to the deployed position of  FIG. 5  by using the fingers of a hand to squeeze or depress heads  61  and  60  of pins  76  and  77  inwardly in the direction of arrows P and Q to compress springs  75  and  74 , respectively, and by simultaneously using the fingers to slide pins  76  and  77  through slots  58  and  55  toward end  43 A. Tool  54  moves simultaneously with pins  76 ,  77 . When tool  54  is in the storage position of  FIG. 6  and pins  76  and  77  are inwardly depressed in this manner, necks  64  and  62  are positioned in the opening  57  at the top of each slot  58 ,  55 . The diameter of each neck  64 ,  62  is slightly less than the width of slots  58  and  55 , which permits each neck  64 ,  62  to slide downwardly along its associated slot  58  or  55  to the opening  56  at the bottom or lower end of the slot  58 ,  55 . Once necks  64 ,  62  are each at the lower end of their respective slot  58  and  55 , the user releases the fingers depressing heads  61  and  60  of pins  76  and  77 , permitting springs  75  and  74  to expand resiliently and return pins  76  and  77  to the positions illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . When pins  76  and  77  are in the positions shown in  FIG. 5 , the body  65 ,  63  of each pin is in the opening  56  at the bottom end of the slot. The diameter of the body  65 ,  63  of each pin  76 ,  77  is slightly less than that of opening  56  and is greater than the width of slot  58 ,  55 . Consequently, when a pin body  65 ,  63  is in an opening  56 ,  57 , the tool is secured in place and can not be slid from the stored to the deployed position, or vice versa, until pins  76  and  77  are inwardly depressed P, Q to position necks  64  and  62  in an opening  56 ,  57 . When tool  54  is in the deployed position illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a bit  201 ,  212  can be inserted in or removed from tool  54  in the manner earlier described. An alternate bit  70  that can be utilized in tool  54  is illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12  and is called a punch down bit. The bit  70  includes a central hex section  71  comparable to the hex sections  207  and  213  found in bits  201 ,  212 . Bit  70  includes at least one hollow punch down end  72 . End  72  includes a cutting edge  73 . The alternate end  72 A also comprises a hollow punch down, but the punch down in end  72 A does not include a cutting edge. A variety of punch down tool configurations are known and can be utilized in a bit  70 .  FIG. 6  is a side view of handle  43  taken from the side indicated by arrow A in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 7  is a side view of handle  42  taken from the side indicated by arrow B in  FIG. 4 . 
   In use, a telephone technician travels to a selected telecommunication junction box. The technician depresses pins  76  and  77  and moves tool  54  from the stored position of  FIG. 4  to the deployed position of  FIG. 5 . Bit  212  is inserted in tool  54  with the sni tool  215  extending outwardly from tool  54  and end  43 A. The technician utilizes handle  43  and sni tool  215  to unthread the bolt or bolts securing one or more doors in a telecommunication junction box. Or, if appropriate, the technician opens one or more doors in a telecommunication box by utilizing one of the hex openings at the end of a handle  42 ,  43  to turn a nut that secures the door in a closed configuration. After the telecommunication box door is open, the technician can, if appropriate, place one of the internal hex openings at the end of a handle  42 ,  43  over a hex nut or hex head screw in or on the telecommunication junction box and turn the handle  42 ,  43  to loosen (or tighten) the nut or screw. The technician can also utilize any of the tips  202 ,  209 ,  214  on a bit  201  or  212  (by appropriately installing a bit in deployed tool  54  so the desired tip can be utilized) to install or remove screws or other components from a telecommunication junction box. 
   The technician grasps tool  40  in the configuration of  FIG. 5  (with or without tool  54  deployed from handle  43 ); reaches inside the junction box with tool  40 ; maneuvers tool  40  to position a desired wire  15  between members  52  and  53  (this typically requires tapered members  52  and  53  to be pushed into a grouping or bundle of telephone wires, after which handles  42  and  43  are displaced in directions opposite those indicated by arrows E and F to slightly open jaws or members  52  and  53 ); displaces handles  42  and  43  in the directions of arrows E and F to squeeze and grasp the desired wire  15  between members  52  and  53 ; pulls the tool  40  to pull the desired wire  15  to a desired location inside or outside of the junction box  16 ; grasps the wire  15  with one hand (hook  48  can also be deployed in the direction of arrow E and utilized to engage and pull a desired wire in the telecommunications box); deploys blade  47  in the direction of arrow E; uses the other hand to cut one or more wires  15  with tool blade  47  (or cuts wire  15  by placing the wire between open cutting edges  62  and  63  and by displacing handles  42  and  43  in the direction of arrows E and F); grasps one end of the cut wire  15  and slips the end of the cut wire into an opening in a crimping button (or in a punch down or other crimping or splicing device); opens with one hand handles  42  and  43  in directions opposite those indicated by arrows E and F; places with another hand the crimping button intermediate members  52  and  53 ; and, displaces handles  42  and  43  in the directions indicated by arrows E and F to generate compressive forces against the crimping button to force teeth in the button through the insulation in the end of the wire(s) positioned in the crimping button. If wire  15  is placed in a punch down, bit  70  is inserted in deployed tool  54  and hollow end  72  or  72 A, as the case may be, is used in conventional fashion to secure wire  15  in the punch down. In use, hollow end  72  or  72 A slides over the punch down and functions to press wire  15  into the groove at the bottom of the punch down. The method of the invention permits a telecommunications technician to find, position, cut, crimp, and/or punch down using a single tool  40 . 
   The tapered configuration of members  52  and  53  is preferred because the distal ends of members  52 ,  53  must be able to slide into or pierce groups or bundles of wire to grasp a single wire in the bundle. 
   Sni tools come in different sizes, but each such tool includes a detent to receive a dimple that extends upwardly from the bottom of an internal hex aperture formed in a bolt. As used herein, a pairgain tool is considered to be a sni tool.