IL33234A

IL33234A - Wire insertion tool

Info

Publication number: IL33234A
Application number: IL33234A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Amp Inc
Priority date: 1968-11-18
Filing date: 1969-10-22
Publication date: 1973-05-31
Also published as: SE363932B; IL33234A0; GB1241262A; NL143747B; DE1955240C3; DE1955240A1; CH508997A; NL6917044A; NO127782B; AT300070B; FI49659B; BE741807A; ES373241A1; FI49659C; FR2023538A1; DE1955240B2; DK128087B

Description

Wire Insertion Tool This invention relates to a tool for inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector .

An electrical interconnection system is known comprising a plurality of plate-like electrical connectors each having slots extending inwardly from one side. The connectors are mounted in, or on, a suitable support or housing which may be of a plastics insulating material such as nylon. The slots have a width which is slightly less than the diameter of the conductive cores of insulated wires to be connected to the connectors , so that as the wires are pushed into the slots the edges of the slots penetrate the wire insulation and establish electrical contact with the conductive wire cores.

It is desirable to avoid the imposition of any stresses on the insulating housing or support when the wires aire inserted into the connector slots. Under ordinary circumstances, the housings or supports need not be extremely strong, and need not have the ability to with-stand substantial stressing. However, at the time the wires are inserted into the connectors, relatively high forces may be transmitted to the housing or support from the insertion tool which pushes the wire into the connector slot. If the support or housing is designed to withstand these insertion forces it must be much stronger and heavier than it need be for its ordinary function of merely supporting the connectors and the wires connected to the connectors .

According to the present invention, a tool, for inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector com rises a bod member; a lun er movement relative to the bod member; a wire engaging member carried by the plunger member; and a support member rigidly carried by the body member and a tool, for inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector, Comprising a body member; a plunger member slldably mounted on the body member for reciprocal movement relative to the body member; a wire engaging member carried by the plunger member; and a support member rigidl carried by the body member and having a hooked end to engage behind the connector so as to resist forces applied to the connector in the insertion direction as a wire is inserted transversely of its axis into a slot in the connector by the wire engaging member engaging the wire as the plunger member is moved towards the connector relative to the body member.

. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in whlch:- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tool In accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tool of Figure 1 with a cover plate removed to reveal the details of the plunger and the connector support member; Figure 3 Is a sectional view on the line III-III in Figure 2; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional side elevations Illustrating the manner in which a wire is inserted In a slot in a connector by the tool; Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing one form of support for a plurality of slotted electrical connectors; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of an individual connector.

The insertion tool 2 shown in the drawings is adapted to insert on insulated wire 4 into a slot in an electrical connector 6, the wire 4 having a conductive core 5? the diameter of which core 5 is slightly greater than the width of the slot so that the edges of the slot will penetrate the insulation of the wire 4 and establish electrical contact with the core 5.

An understanding of the structure and function of the tool requires some knowledge of the structure of a connector with which the tool is used, and the structure of the support housing on which the connector is mounted to form part of an inter-connection wiring system. Accordingly, a typical slotted connector and a typical housing therefor will first be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8« The connector 6 shown in Figure 8 comprises parallel plate sections 8, 10 and 12 which are connected by an upper bight 14 and a lower bight 16. The connector 6 is advanta-geously manufactured from sheet metal by merely punching elongated holes in the metal, which holes form slots 18, and then bending the sheet, of metal until the three parallel plate sections 8, 10 and 12 are formed. The slots 18 are relatively wider at their outer ends, where they intersect the upper bight 1 , and have a width at their inner ends which is slightly less than the diameter of the conductive core 5 of the wire 4 as noted above. Lateral extensions 19 and 21 are provided on the bottom of the plate section 12 and on the lower bight 16, these lateral extensions 19 and 21 functioning to support or lock the connector in a housing as shown in Figure 7.

The housing shown in Figure 7 comprises a plastics material base member 20 and clamping plate 22, the base member 20 having a plurality of parallel upstanding ribs 24 which have channels 26 on their upper surfaces. The clamping plate 22 comprises a plurality of ribs 28 which are adapted to fit over the ribs 24 on the base member 20, and which are connected to each other by webs 30. The upper surfaces of the ribs 28 may be provided with H-shaped openings 32 (as illustrated by the centre rib and the ri ht hand rib in Fi ure 7 . Each H-sha ed o enin 36 which are connected by an open neck as indicated.

Alternatively, a single elongated opening 38 may be provided in each of the ribs 28, which opening 38 has, at spaced locations along its sides, laterally extending recesses 40 and 42» Connectors 6 as shown in Figure 8 are mounted in the H-shaped openings 32 in pairs in face-to-face relationship with with their plate sections 8 opposed to each other, the lateral extensions 19 and 21 projecting beyond the sides of the portions 34 or 36 of the openings 32» When a housing with an elongated opening such as the opening 38 is employed, the connectors 6 are merely positioned in the opening 38 with their side portions extending into the recesses 40, and 42 and -again with the lateral extensions 19 and 21 extending beyond the undersides of the openings 38 to lock the connectors 6 in place. When an elongated opening such as the opening 38 is used, all the connectors 6 can be positioned in the same orientation excepting the connector 6 at one end of the opening 38 for reasons which will be explained below.

After connectors 6 have been positioned in the opening 32 or 38 of the clamping plate member 22, the clamping plate member 22 is assembled to the base member 20 by moving it downwardly as viewed in Figure 7, until locking arms 44 extend through openings 46 in the floor of the base member 20. The housing shown in Figure 7 conventionally has a cover plate (not shown) which is latched to the base member 20 by means of upwardly extending fingers 50 on the base member 20. The corners of the housing are provided with cable clamp means 48 for clamping incoming wires.

The tool shown in Figures 1 to 6 is to force an on the base member 20 or the clamping plate member 22 of the housing.

The tool 2 comprises a body member 52 having a passageway 58 extending therethrough, and having a cover plate 54 which is secured against one side of the body member 52 by suitable fasteners, as shown. Laterally extending handles 56 are provided on the upper end (as shown in the drawing) of the body member 52, and cooperate with a handle 74 on a plunger to permit an operator to develop an insertion force with one hand as will be described below.

The passageway 58 has an enlarged upper end 60 which merges with a uniform width section extending to the lower end of the tool, a projection 62 being provided at the lower end of the enlarged upper end 60 of the passageway 58. to support a spring 82 described below. The lower end of the housing is recessed on each side of the passageway 58 as shown at 64, and the cover plate 54 has a pair of right-wardly extending (as viewed in Figure 1) bosses 66, the upper sides of which bosses 66 bear against a shoulder 65 defined by the recesses 64. When the cover plate 54 is assembled to the body member 52, there remains a laterally extending recess at the lower end of the tool which inter-sects the passageway 58. It will be apparent from Figure 1 that the cover plate 54 is normally located against surface 68 of the body member 52 with its upper end in recesses 70 on each side of the enlarged upper end 60 of the passageway 58. Suitable fasteners such as small rivets may be used to secure the cover plate 54 in position.

A wire is inserted into the slots in a connector 6 by means of a plunger 72 which comprises handle 74 and a relatively enlarged upper section 76 of rectangular cross end 60 of the passageway 58. The spring 82 is interposed between a downwardly facing shoulder 78 on the upper section 76 of the plunger 72 and the upper surface of the projection 62, and thereby functions to bias the plunger 72 upwardly to the rest position shown in Figure 2. Downward movement of . the plunger 72 is limited by a downwardly facing shoulder 80 on the right hand side (as shown in Figures 1 and 2) of the plunger 72, and an upwardly facing shoulder 84 formed at the lower end of the enlarged portion 60 of the passageway 58. Upward movement of the plunger 72 beyond the position shown in Figure 2 is limited by an upwardly facing shoulder 86 on the left hand side of the plunger 72, which shoulder 86 bears against the underside of the projection 62 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2.

The lower portion of the plunger 72 is of reduced width as shown at 88, for reasons which will be described below, and the end of the plunger 72 is of arcuate configuration as shown at 90. A metallic insert 92 is mounted against the right hand side of the plunger 72 at its lower end, which insert 92 comprises an arm 93 having a laterally extending flange 94 at its upper end, which flange 94 extends into a transverse groove 96 in the plunger 72. The lower portion of the insert 92 is reversely bent at 98 and again at 100 to form a U-shaped wire inserting and wire cutting member on the lower end of the tool,, The portions 98, 100 and 102 of the insert 92 are dimensioned such that when the plunger 72 is moved downwardly, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 the plate portions 10 and 12 and the bight 14 of the connector 6 will enter the insert 92 between its portions 98 and 102. The portion 98 of the insert 92 functions to push the wire 4 downwardly into the slot 18 in the connector the connector 6 to shear the wire 4, as will be described more fully below.

The connector 6 into which a wire 4 is being inserted is supported during the insertion operation by a support member 104 comprising an elongated shank 106 curved at its lower end 108 to a radius conforming to the radius of the lower bight 16 of the connector 6. A slot 110 extends upwardly in the shank 106 to permit the support member 104 to be moved downwardly past the wire 4. The upper portion of the shank 106 has a pair of spaced enlarged sections 112 and 114 which extend into recesses 116 and 118 in the body member 52 and cover plate 54 respectively on each side of the passageway 58, as shown in Figure 3. All of the parts of the tool are retained in the passageway 58 by the cover plate 54, and no fasteners are used other than the fasteners which secure the cover plate 54 to the body member 52.

In use, a wire 4 which is to be connected to a connector 6 is positioned as shown in Figure 4 with its axis extending transveresly of the slot in the plate sections 12 and 10 of the connector 6 and with its end portion extending across the upper edge of the plate section 8. The tool 2, with the parts in the positions of Figure 2 , is moved downwardly, and the lower end 108 of the support emmber 104 is hooked around the bight 16 of the connector 6. The operator then pushes the plunger 72 down by exerting a downward force on the handle 74 while holding the body member 52 by means of the handles 56. As the plunger 72 moves downwardly from the position of Figure 4 to the position of Figure 5, the lower end portion 98 of the insert 92 moves against the wire 4 adjacent the plate section 12, and pushes the wire 4 downwardly. At the same time, the leg 102 of the insert 92 7681 extends between the plate sections 8 and 10 of the connector 6, and pushes this section of the iwre 4 downwardly„ The wire 4 is sheared by the cooperative action of the edge of the leg 102 and the edge of the plate section 8 so that a connection is formed with no wire extending beyond the connector 6. After the wire 4 has been fully inserted as shown in Figure 5, the operator releases the pressure on the handle 74 and the tool parts return to their rest positions. The tool is then manipulated slightly to disengage the hooked lower end 108 of the support member 104 from the bight portion 16 of the connector 6.

It will be apparent from Figures 4 to 6 that some clearance must be provided beneath the connector 6 for the curved lower end 108 of the support member 104. This clea-ranee is provided by virtue of the channels 26 on the ribs 24 of the housing base member 20. The connectors 6 are supported by virtvje of their lateral projections 19 and 21 which rest on the upper surfaces of the ribs 24 on each side of the channels 26.

Clearance must also be provided in the clamping plate member 22 to permit movement of the support member 104 through the clamping plate member 22 and location of the end of the support member 104 beneath the bight portion 16.

Both the H-shaped openings 32 and the elongated openings 38 with lateral recesses 42 and 40 provide this clearance. As previously noted, where H-shaped openings 32 are used, the connectors 6 must be mounted in face-to-face relationship, that is, two connectors 6 in each H-shaped opening 32 with their plate sections 8 opposed to each other. Where an elongated opening 38 is provided, the connectors 6 (excepting one at the end of the opening 38) can all face in the same Since the connector 6 is fully supported by the support member 104 of the tool during the wire insertion and cutting operation, connectors 6 of the type shown in Figure 8 can be designed as free hanging connectors (unsupported in a housing) .

As shown in Figure 6 , the severed section of scrap wire 4 is carried away from the connectors 6 by the support member 104. In the described embodiment, the slot 110 is of a width such that the wire 4 will be resiliently gripped by the sides of the slot 110, this facilitating removal of the scrap wire 4. Alternatively, the slot 110 can be made relatively wide so that it will easily straddle the wire 4, and the scrap can be removed by other means.

Claims

33234/2 ^

1. A tool, for inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side o an electrical connector, comprising a body member} a plunger member slidably mounted on the body member for reciprocal movement relative to the body member? a wire engaging member carried by the plunger member; and a support member rigidl carried by the body member and having a hooked end to engage behind the conneotor so as to resist forces applied to the connector in the insertion direction as a wire is inserted transversely of its axis into a slot in the connector by the wire engaging member engaging the wire as the plunger member is moved towards the connector relative to the body member.

2. · A tool according to Claim 1, in which the wire engaging member comprises first and second spaced members adapted to engage the wire adjacent to oppositely directed faces of the connector as the wire is inserted into the slot.

3. A tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the support member extends from the body member parallel to the axis of movement of the plunger member relative to the body member, the support member having a slot extending inwardly from its free end and adapted to receive the wire.

4. A tool according to Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the body member carries a handle and the plunger member carries a handle, the handles being such that the . plunger member can be moved relative to the body member for an insertion operation b movement of the handles towards each other by a single hand of an operator.

5. A tool according to Claim 4, including Massing means arranged to bias the handles away om each other to a rest position, 33234/2 -

6. , A tool according to any preceding claim, in which the plunger member is arranged to elide in a passageway in the body member, the passageway being open to one side of the body member9 and including a cover plate secured to the body member to close the open side of the passageway to retain the plunger member in the passageway.

7. A tool according to Claim 6, in whioh the wire engaging member and the support member are held i position on the plunger member and the body member respectively, by the cover plate.

8. A tool according to Claim 6 or Claim 7» &s dependent upon Claim 5, in which the Massing means comprises a spring arranged between opposed shoulders on the body member and the plunger member, the spring being retained in position by the cover plate.

9. · tool for inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector , substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings*

10. A method of inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector by pushing the wire transversely of its axis into the slot with a wire engaging member of a tool, which member is carried b a plunger member slidably mounted on a body member of the tool, and simultaneous ly supporting the other aide of the connector to oppose the insertion force with a hooked end of a support member rigidly mounted on a body member of the tool.

11. , A method according to Claim 10 including the step of gripping the wire during insertion in a longitudinal '

12. A method of inserting a wire into a slot extending from one side of an electrical connector aooording to Claim 10 and substantially as hereinbefore described.' For the Applicants D PARTNERS IS:CB X