US2800158A - Machine for crimping the arms of an electrical terminal about an electrical conductor - Google Patents

Description

R. MARTlNEs 2,800,158

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL MACHINE FOR CRIMPING THE ARMS OF' AN ABOUT AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR Flled July l5, 1955 INVENTOR.

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' ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent C) 2,800,158 MACHINE non CRIMPING THE ARMs on AN ELECTRICAL 'rERMlNAL alentar' unterm-i CAL 'CoNuUcraa The invention, relates ta a ateelaine for ernpius the arme ef. an eleetreel tenaiaelaeeut eleetrieal, een daetef- ,An abject et the invention is to previste maehine. of the above ehareeter with an eleetr; eeudueter pe.- etening Ineens whereby the ,eneratar may aeeueately Peeitieti, and advaaee an eleetr-.ieal eenstleter la Proper relation te the arme et the terminal te Whieh the eem @Heter ie te be attaelaesi:

A .more speele ebieef et the invention `is te provisie e. meehine. @It the abete ehareeter with swnsable. 1e.- ver Whielt will QPerate te earry en eleetrieel. eenduetar in Prever register with the eleetriea! terminal. te Which the conductor is to be attached and also to actuate the means for setting the machine in motion to perform a crimping operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of constipation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

la the eeeernpeayiae graviers.:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of a machine embodying my invention for crimping the arms of an electrical terminal about an electrical conductor;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a lesser portion than shown in Figure 1 and showing certain elements thereof in different relation;

Figure 3 is an end view looking towards the machine in the direction of the arrows on line 3-3 of Figure l with the view revolved clockwise 90; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary portion of the rolling tools drawn to an enlarged scale and showing the arms of a terminal crimped about an electrical conductor shown in section.

The invention in general comprises a swingable arm or lever in which a groove is formed for receiving the end portion of an electrical conductor that is carried by the lever to a position between the arms of a terminal. To assure the accurate position of the conductor relative to the arms of the terminal, a gauge is provided against which the extreme end of the conductor engages to properly position the same into said groove whereby the portion of the conductor free of insulation will be correctly positioned with relation to the arms of the terminal.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed descrip tion of the invention, 10 designates generally a machine which is adapted for crimping the arms of an electrical terminal about the end portion of a wire electrical conductor. Only so much of the machine is shown as is believed necessary for an understanding of the present invention. The machine comprises a base or support 11 on which there is mounted a feed trough 12 having sides 13 between which the electrical terminals 14 are slidably advanced in position to be acted upon by forming dies or rolling tools, as they are known in the trade,

Patented July 23;. 1.957

which are designated generally. 15 (see Figure 4). The terminals 14 are advanced by known feed mechanism (not shown) to position the leading terminal in regis.- ter With the lower die or anvil 16 and are made in st rip form wherein each terminal in the present instanceis connected to a marginal edge portion 17 of the parent stock by a narrow neck 18 which is severed during the operation of crimping the pairs of arms 19., 20 ofthe terminal about the electrical conductor.

Heretofore, the operator. manually placed a prepared electric conductor between the arms of the terminal advanced to the position to receive the said conductor, thereafter the machine being set in motion for the crimp# ing operation. The proper manual positioning of `the conductor between the said arms depended entirely on the skill of the operator and thus determined the speed of operation of the machine. In accordance with the present invention, I provide a conductor positioning means or carrier in the form of a rockable arm or le' ver designated generally 21 which is provided at one end portion with an upper inclined side 22 (see Figure 3,) in which there is formed a conductor receiving groove 23. A channel likemember 24 (Figures 1 and 2) is securely fastened to the front side of support 11 in any appropriate manner (not shown) with its opposite walls 25 extending outwardly. The lever 21 extends between the walls v25 and is pivotally attached thereto as at 26 (Figure 1) for rocking movement toward the anvil 16 against the action of a compression spring 28. The inward movement of the lever is controlled by an adjustable stop 29 which is adapted to engage against -the -wall 30 ofthe channel. n adjustable sto'p 29.

carried at the opposite end portion of the lever is adapted to engage the wall 30 to lii'nit the outward swing of the lever under urge of spring 28. It will be apparent that a conductor 31 positioned and held in the groove 22 may be carried to a position in register with the dies 15 as the lever 21 is manually swung inwardly. Upon release of the lever, the same will return to the outward position thereof under urge of spring 28.

In order to properly relate the conductor 31 in the groove 23, a gauge 32 is provided which comprises a generally flat body 33 (see Figure 3) having a sheet metal plate 34 fastened thereto, by means of screws 35, so as to extend upwardly therefrom at generally right angles opposite to the said groove 23 and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. The body 33 is fastened to a vertical shaft 36 which is journaled for rotation in a bearing block 37 (Figure 3) attached to wall 30 and has an inclined side edge which forms a cam surface 38 (see Figures l and 2). A block 39 projects inwardly from the lever 21 into engagement with the said surface 38 and during the inward swing of the lever will swing the gauge 32 in a counter-clockwise direction (see Figure 2) out of its path of movement against the urge of a torsion spring 40.

From the above description it will be apparent that the operator may position and hold the prepared wire conductor 31 inthe groove 23 with the end of the conductor against the plate 34 (see Figure 3), then by swinging the lever 21 inwardly to its limit (see Figure 2) the conductor will be carried in proper position in register between the anvil 16 and the plunger 41 of the dies 15 and between the arms 19, 20 of the terminal ready for the crimping operation of the machine (see Figure 4). Thus, it will be clearly apparent that the skill required of an operator is materially reduced.

In the present disclosure the crimping operation of the machine is initiated by means of a micro-switch 42 which may be positioned in an electric circuit controlling the operation of the plunger 41 and a feed mechanism for the terminals. For example the mechanism may be similar to that shown in my Patent No. 2,494,- 137 wherein the plunger control valve is a solenoid valve 50 that controls'the admission of air to a 4piston 51 and thefeed mechanism is a pivoted dog as shown in .said patent. 'The' switch 42 is mounted on a bracket 43 extending from the rear side of the channel 24 and the roller 44 of its operating arm 45 extends opposite to an opening'46 in the wall 30 to be engaged by an adjustable member 46 carried by the lever 21. At near the inward movement of the said lever, the member will engage the roller 44V (see Figure 2) to movethe arm 45 to close the switch contacts in the usual manner, which will set the machine in motion by opening valve 50 to perform a` crimping operation and a feed action of the terminal (not shown).

In the operation of the machine, the operator positions Vand holds a prepared conductor 3l in proper position in the groove 23, then pushes the lever forward which 'carries the `conductor end in register between the rolling tools. At near the forward swing of the lever the member 46 engagesV roller '44 to close the switch 42 to set the machine lin motion for a crimping operation- The plunger 41 lowers and engages the conductor end to push the same between the arm-s 19, 20 in position to trical terminal about an electrical conductor and hav- 3 ing a pair of dies operable to engage and bend said arms about the said conductor, a feed trough on which the electrical terminal is advanced in register with said dies,

a carrier for said electrical conductor having a groove in which said conductor is received, said carrier being movable to position the conductor held in said groove in register between the arms of said terminal during the crimping operation of the machine, and a gauge against which the end extremity of the conductor is engaged located between the terminals and the carrier and in line with said groove to correctly position the same in said groove, said gauge ,being rockably mounted and having an eccentrical surface thereon, adapted to be engaged by said carrier to move said gauge out of the path of travel of said carrier.

2. In a machine for crimping the arms of an electrical terminal about an electrical conductor and having a pair of reciprocating dies between which said terminal 0 may be positioned and operable to engage and bend the arms of the terminal positioned in register with said dies, Va die actuator, means in circuit with said actuator tocontrol the operation thereof, a pivoted lever having a groove for receiving the said conductor thereinrand manually movably toward said dies` to position said conductor between and in register with the said arms of a terminal positioned between said dies, a gauge against which the end extremity of the conductor is engaged locatedbetween the dies and said lever and in line with said groove, said gauge being rockably mounted and having a surface adapted to be engaged by said lever, said lever engaging said gauge to rock it out ofthe path of travel of a conductor in said groove, said lever near the end of the feed stroke thereofengaging said actuator to operate said dies and performa crimping operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 3, 1955

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