Patent ID: 8919174

Claim:
A crimping tool for applying a deformable crimp seal onto overlapping layers of strap material, comprising: a tool head; pairs of jaws disposed in the tool head and operably mounted thereto, each pair including opposingly oriented jaw elements, each pair being spaced from its adjacent pair, each jaw element including an upper pivot opening and a lower pivot opening; a shear positioned between adjacent pairs of jaw elements, the shear extending straight between the jaw elements, the shear including opposing openings, the openings aligning with the jaw element upper openings; a pair of handles, the handles having a terminal end having first openings therein aligned with the jaw element lower openings and operably connected to one another at respective pivot openings; at least one side plate, the side plate having a pair of upper openings, each aligned with the jaw element upper openings and the shear openings, the at least one side plate including a centrally disposed elongated, slotted opening; a pair of handle pins, each handle pin disposed in a respective handle first opening and a respective jaw element lower opening; a pair of link pins, each link pin disposed in a respective side plate upper opening and a respective jaw element upper opening and a shear opening; and a pivot pin disposed in the side plate elongated, slotted opening and in the handle pivot openings, wherein when the tool is in a crimped position an angle of less than or equal to about 90 degrees is defined by the respective center lines of the link pins, the handle pins and the pivot pin, wherein an angle approaching about 180 degrees is defined by the two handle pins and the link pin, and wherein the pivot pin moves in the elongated, slotted opening as the tool is operated between an open position and the crimped position.