US3135146A

US3135146A - Crimping devices

Info

Publication number: US3135146A
Application number: US201932A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alton L Loucks
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1962-06-12
Filing date: 1962-06-12
Publication date: 1964-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1981-06-02

Description

June 2, 1964 A. L. LOUCKS CRIMPING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1962 INVENTOR. A. L. LOU C K5 (EM 543% ATTORNEY June 2, 1964 A. L. LoucKs 3,

CRIMPING DEVICES Filed June 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A. L. LOUCKS Amfi ATTORNEY 3,135,146 CRIMPING nnvrcns 'Alton'L. Louclrs, Baltimore,:Md., assignor to Western Electric ompany, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed June 12, 1962, Ser. No. 201,932

4 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) ture and permit pressurizingjthe cables during shipment and installation,

It has been customary in the past to roll or force annular grooves in such cap-type seals with rollers or steel strands, respectively. However, the caps are normally placed on the ends of such cables when the cables have already been coiled on shipping reels, with the inside ends of the cables in relatively inaccessible positions. Accordingly, the size of thecrimping tool must be limited, particularly when used on the inside ends of the cables. Further, when steel strands are used to force crimps in the caps, the crimps are not uniform around the entire circumference of the cable resulting in the annular portion, projecting inwardly from the cap, being nonuniform, so that sometimes grooves or passages are formed between theinner surfaces of the caps and the outer contiguous surfaces on the ends of the cables, which permit leakage of gases from pressurized cables or permit moisture to enter the cables. Also, if the crimps are not sufiiciently deep, the cap will not stay on the cable during the handling thereof. On the other hand, if the crimps are made too deeply, the cable core may be squeezed so operation and added expense.

Accordingly, itis desirable to provide a crimping device with which uniform crimps of a predetermined depth may be formed, and a mechanically strong and impervious joint may be assured between each of the caps and sheaths of the. associated cables. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for placing annular, circumferential crimps in cylindrical articles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved crimping devices of the type which may be utilized for forming annular crimps in caps of cap-type end seals for sheathed cables, particularly plasticsheathed cables. j

i It is another object of the present invention to provide crimping devices which are capable of forming uniform annular crimps in caps of cap-type end seals of a predetermined depth, and to form mechanically strong and United States Patent impervious joints between the inner surfaces of the caps 3,135,146. Patented June 2, i964 invention may include a housing; an article-forming member formed at least in part by a projecting, notched plate and being-mounted in the housing; and a second' article-forming member formed at least in part by a notched, projecting plate positioned in mutually parallel, contiguous, cooperative relationship with the notched plate of the first-mentioned article-forming member. The second-mentioned article-forming member is slidable in i the housing for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from the first-mentioned articleforming member. The first and second-mentioned article-forming members are separated normally a distance sufiiciently great so that the notches in the plates thereof'form an aperture therebetween sufiiciently large to permit the insertion of a cylindrical article to be crimped. Means are provided for moving the second-mentioned article-forming member toward the first-mentioned article-forming member a predetermined distance so that the plates thereof cooperate to apply radial pressures circumferentially of the cylindrical articles to be crimped and to form an annular, peripheral groove in the cylindrical article which extends around the entire circumference of the cylindrical article. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crimping device embodying certain features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side-elevational view of the crimping device ofFIG. 1 with portions broken away and a hinged portion thereof open for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded view of two cooperating working parts of the crimping device of FIG. 1, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views of the crimping device of FIG. 1 shown in two different operating positions.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a crimping device, designated generally by the numeral 10, which includes an apertured housing, designated, generally by the numeral 11. A relatively stationary article-forming member, designated generally by the numeral 12, is

mounted in a cavity 13 (FIG. 2) on the inside of the. housing 11. The article-forming member 12 is formed of two spaced, notched, metal plates 16-.-16 which are mounted in spaced relationship with each other by two spacer elements 17-17.

A second article-forming member, designated gener: ally by the numeral 18, is mounted slidably in the housing 11 and is formed of a pair of notched plates 2121 separated by a spacer element 22. The plates 1616 of the stationary article-forming member 12 are interleaved with and cooperate with plates 2121 of themovable article-forming member 18 to apply pressure radially of a metal cap 23, positioned therebetween, in two sections of the cap 23 to form peripheral grooves orconstrictions 2526 which extend around the entire circumference of the cap 23 in both sections. The pressure applied to the outer surface of the cap 23 displaces the metal of the cap 23 radially inwardly to form the constrictions 26-26, thus forming substantially uniform, inwardly projecting, annular ribs 2727 in the cap23.

The ribs 2'7Z7 compress a sheath 28 and a core 2? of a communications cable 31 to afiix the cap 23 to the end of the cable 31 and form an impervious bond between the cap 23 and the contiguous portion of the sheath 28.

The movable article-forming member 18 is reciprocated in the housing 11 toward the stationary article-forming member 12 by a screw 32; mounted threadedly in a removable, internally and externally threaded bushing 39 in one end of the housing 11. The screw 32 is interconnected with the article-forming member 18 by a coupling 33 and is turned by an electrically driven torque wrench, designated generally by the numeral 36, to slide the plates 212l of the article-forming member 18 toward the plates 16-16 of the article-forming member 12 to form the constrictions 2.626 in the two portions of the cap 23 positioned therebetween. A U-shaped member 46 is attached to or formed integrally with the movable article- 'forming member 18 to strip the constricted cap 23 from the notches in the plates 16-16 of the member 12. An apertured hinged portion 37 is provided on the housing 11 of the crimping device 16 to permit removal and insertion of the article-forming

members

12 and 18 of various sizes, only one size of which is illustrated, to "be utilized on various sizes of cables 31. A handle 38 en a hinged portion 37 of the housing 11 is locked magnetically against a handle portion 41 on themain body of the housing 11 through the cooperation of a magnet 42 and a piece of magnetic material 43.

A stop member 47 is provided on the hinged portion 37 of the housing 11 to position the end of the cap 23 to facilitate placing the constrictions 26 in the cap 23 a predetermined distance from the end thereof. Adjustably positioned

limit switches

48 and 49 are mounted in spaced relationship in the housing 11 and are depressed by an actuator 51 secured to and projecting from the coupling 33 to limit the ,travel of the member 18 for controlling the depth of the crimps or constrictions 2626 and preventing damage to the cap 23, the cable 31 and various elements of the device 10. A safety switch 50 is provitied'in the handle portion 41 of the housing 11, which is closed only when the hinged portion 37 of the housing is closed. The switch 59 prevents energization of the torque wrench 36 by depressing a trigger switch 52 unless the hinged portion 37 is closed-against the main body portion of the housing 11.

Operation In'operation, the operator grasps the

handle portions

38 and 41 of the housing 11 and a handle 55 of the torque wrench 36 and places'the crimping device over the uncriinp'ed cap 23 encompassing an end of the cable 31. In this manner, the cap 23 and encompassed end bfthe cable 31 are inserted into an aperture 56 in the housing 11, between the notches in the plates lie-16 and ,2121, through an aperture 57 in the hinged portion 37 of'the housing 11 and'against the stop 47. The operatorlinsures that a switch 59, extending through the han- 55 of the torque wrench 36 which dictates the direction of rotation the motor of the wrench rotates, is in the proper position and then depresses the trigger switch 52 to energize the torque wrench. The torque wrench 36, int'urn, rotates the screw 32 to move the article-forming member IS toward the article-forming member 12. The bladeslfifldand 21-21 of the article-forming members '12 and 18 cooperate with each other to crimp the cap 23am form the constriction 2626 therein.

Whenthe forming member 18 has reached a position illustrated in FIG. 4, so that the crimps 26-26 in the cap 23 areisufilciently deep, the switch actuator 51 actuates theswitc'h 48 to deenergize the torque wrench 36 and prevents further movement of theiorming members 18 toward the forming member 12 and damage to the tool "or tothe cable 31 being sealed. The operator then depresses'the switch 59and actuates the trigger switch 52 torevefse the torque wrench 36 so that the forming member 18 and U-shaped member 46 are moved away from the forming member 12 until the'forming member 18 reaches a position illustrated in FIG. 5. In this position,

the actuator 51 depresses the switch 49 to deenergize the torque wrench 36 and prevent damage to the crimping device. During the reverse motion of the forming member 18, the U-shaped member 46 engages the cap 23 and withdraws the cap from the notches in the blades 16--16 to permit removal of the sealed end of the cable 31 from the crimping device 10 in preparation for a subsequent crimping operation.

The caps may be made of steel, brass or any other suitable material. If steel caps are utilized, it is desirable that a fluid cylinder be used to cause relative movement between the forming

members

12 and 18, instead of the torque wrench 36.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the invention. Other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A crimping device,- which comprises:

a housing;

an article-forming member formed at least in part by a plurality of spaced, notched plates and being mounted relatively stationarily in said housing;

a second article-forming member formed at least in part 'by a plurality of spaced, notched plates positioned in interleaving cooperation with the notched plates of the first-mentioned article-forming member, said second-mentioned article-forming member being slidable in the housing for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from said first-mentioned article-forming member, said first and secondmentioned article-forming members being separated normally a distance sufliciently greatso that the notches in the plates thereof form an aperture therebetween sufficiently large to permit the insertion of acylindrical article to 'be crimped;

means for moving said second-mentioned article-form ing member toward said first-mentioned articleforming member a predetermined distance so that the interleaved plates thereof cooperateto apply radial pressure 'circumferentially of the cylindrical article to be crimped and to form a plurality of axially spaced, annular, peripheral grooves in the cylindrical article which extend around the entire circumference of the cylindrical article;

meansrconnected to said moving means for operating the moving means, and

means responsive to a predetermined distance of travel of said second-mentioned article-forming member toward said first-mentioned article-forming member for disconnecting the operating means from the moving means whereby the second-mentioned articleforming member ceases to move toward the firstmentioned article-forming member.

2. A crimping device, which comprises:

a housing, a portion of said housing being secured hingedly to the remaining portion of the housing;

magnetic means for locking the hinged portion of the housing magnetically against the remaining portion of the housing;

an article-forming member formed at least in part by a plurality of'spaced, notched plates and being mounted relatively stationarily in said housing;

a second article-forming member'formed at least in part by a plurality of spaced, notched plates positioned in interleaving cooperation with the notched plates of the first-mentioned article-forming member, the first and second-mentioned article-forming members being readily removable from the housing through an opening formed therein by the hinged portion thereof, said second-mentioned article-forming member being sli'dable in the housing for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from said first-mentioned article-forming member, said first and second-mentioned article-forming members being separated normally a distance sufliciently great so that the notches in the plates thereof form an aperelectrical means for moving said second-mentioned arfirst-mentioned article-forming member.

ing means can be actuated only when said hinged portion is locked to the remaining portion of the housing; I electrical means for limiting the movement of the second-mentioned article-forming member toward the first-mentioned article-forming member; and

' a substantially U-shaped member, encompassing the cap and the enclosed portion of the cable, secured to said second-mentioned article-forming member and movticle-forrning member" toward said first-mentioned able therewith by the means for moving the secondarticle-forming member a predetermined distance so mentioned article-forming member to withdraw the that the interleaved plates thereof cooperate to apply crimped cap from the notches 1'11 the plates of the radial pressure circumferentially of the cap and to first-mentioned article-forming member when the secform a plurality of axially spaced, annular, peripheral cud-mentioned article-forming member is moved grooves in the sealing cap which extend around the away from the first-mentioned article-forming mementire circumference of the cap and result ininwardly ber subsequent to a crimping operation of the cap projecting annularly ribbed portions of the cap being by the cooperation of the first and second-mentioned forced against the sheath of the cable to compress afticle-fofmillg membersi the conductors of the cable for hermetically sealing 4. A crimping devi Which mpri es:

the end of the cable; a a housing, a portion of said housing being secured switch means controlled by the hinged portion of the hingedly to the remaining portion of the housing;

housing, to complete the circuit for said electric movmagnetic means for locking the hinged portion of the ing means when said hinged portion is locked by said housing magnetically against the remaining portion magnetic means and to break said circuit when said 0 t h s g;

, hinged portion is unlocked, so that said electric movn i rm g member formed at least in p by ing means can be actuated only when S id hinged a plurality of spaced, notched plates and being mountportion is locked to the remaining portio of th ed'relatively stationarily in said housing;

housing; and a second article-forming member formed at least in part electrical means for limiting the movement of the secy plurality of Spaced, notched Plates Positioned in end-mentionedarticle-forming me ber t a d th interleaving cooperation with the notched plates of the first-mentioned article-forming member, the first and second-mentioned article-forming members be- 3. A crimping device, which comprises:

magnetic means for locking the hinged portion of the ing readily removable from the housing through an said second-mentioned article-forming member being opening formed therein by the hinged portion thereof,

housing magnetically against the remaining portion of the housing;

a second article-forming member formed at least in part by a plurality of spaced, notched plates positioned in interleaving cooperation with the notched plates of the first-mentioned article-forming member, the first and second-mentioned article-forming members being readily removable from the housing through an opening formed therein by the hinged portion thereof, said second-mentioned article-forming member being slidable in the housing for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from said first-mentioned article-forming member, saidfirst and second-mentioned article-forming members being separated normally a distance sufiiciently great so that the notches in the plates thereof form an aperture therebetween sufficiently large to permit the insertion of a cylindrical sealing cap and enclosed end portion of a communications cable to be sealed between the artiole-forming members;

electrical means for moving said second-mentioned article-forming member toward said first-mentioned arslidable in the housing for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from said first-mentioned article-forming member, said first and second-mentioned article-forming members being separated normally a distance sufficiently great so that the notches in the plates thereof form an aperture therebetween sufiiciently large to permitthe insertion of a cylindrical sealing cap and enclosed end portion of a communications cable to be sealed between the articleforming members;

an electrically operated torque wrench operable when the hinged portion is locked against the remaining portion of the housing for moving said second-mew tioned article-forming member toward said first-mentioned article-forming member a predetermined distance so that the interleaved plates thereof cooperate to apply radial pressure curcumferentially of the cap and to form a plurality of axially spaced, annular, peripheral grooves in the sealing cap which extend around the entire circumference of the cap and result in inwardly projecting annularly ribbed portions of the cap being forced against the sheath of the cable to compress the conductors of the cable for hermetically sealing the end of the cable;

switch means, controlled by the hinged portion of the ticle-fonning member a predetermined distance so homing, for mple ng t e Circuit for said electricalthat the interleaved plates thereof cooperate to apply i Operated torque wrench when Saidfiinged porfifm radial pressure circumferentially of the cap and to i by said m i means form a plurality of axially spaced, annular, peripheral 11.1% Roman ihousmggnd. for breakmg smd grooves in the Sealing cap which extend around r circuitwhen said hinged portion 1s unlockcd, so that entire circumference of the cap and result in inwardthe Said elelcmcauy Zl torque.wre.nch can be ly projecting annularly' ribbed portions of the cap beig y Whe-n Sal mged P 011mm 18 locked to forced a ainst the sheath of the cable to com- I e-remammg F the housmg m g electrical means for limiting the movement of the secpress the conductors of the cable for hermetically ondmlentioned articlepfonm-ng member toward the sealing the end of the cable; first-mentioned article-forming member; and

switch means, controlled by the hinged portion of the a Substantially. d b gencompassing h 11011811124, to Complete the 01'! Quit for Said electric IHOV- cap and the enclosed portion of the cable, secured to ing means when Said hinged Portion is locked y Said said second-mentioned article-forming member and magnetic means and to break said circuit when said movable therewith by the means for moving the sec hinged portion is unlocked, so that said electric movcud-mentioned article-forming member to withdraw Z the crimped cap from the notches in the plates of the first-mentioned article-forming member when the second-mentioned article-forming member is moved away from the first-mentioned article-forming member subsequent to a crimping operation of the cap by the cooperation of the first and second-mentioned article-forming members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Temple -June 1, 1943 Carlson 1. Sept. 26, 1944 Stone Oct. 28, 1952 Johnson Oct. 28, 1952 Landis .Q July 5, 1955 Lazar et a1. -1 Sept. 4, 1956 Klingler Mar. 12, 1957 Eubanks May 5, 1959 Martin July 28, 1959 Dibner Sept. 25, 1962

Claims

1. A CRIMPING DEVICE, WHICH COMPRISES: A HOUSING; AN ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER FORMED AT LEAST IN PART BY A PLURALITY OF SPACED, NOTCHED PLATES AND BEING MOUNTED RELATIVELY STATIONARILY IN SAID HOUSING; A SECOND ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER FORMED AT LEAST IN PART BY A PLURALITY OF SPACED, NOTCHED PLATES POSITIONED IN INTERLEAVING COOPERATION WITH THE NOTCHED PLATES OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER, SAID SECOND-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER BEING SLIDABLE IN THE HOUSING FOR RELATIVE RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER, SAID FIRST AND SECONDMENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBERS BEING SEPARATED NORMALLY A DISTANCE SUFFICIENTLY GREAT SO THAT THE NOTCHES IN THE PLATES THEREOF FORM AN APERTURE THEREBETWEEN SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO PERMIT THE INSERTION OF A CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE TO BE CRIMPED; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SECOND-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER TOWARD SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ARTICLEFORMING MEMBER A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE SO THAT THE INTERLEAVED PLATES THEREOF COOPERATE TO APPLY RADIAL PRESSURE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE TO BE CRIMPED AND TO FORM A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED, ANNULAR, PERIPHERAL GROOVES IN THE CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE WHICH EXTEND AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOVING MEANS FOR OPERATING THE MOVING MEANS, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE OF TRAVEL OF SAID SECOND-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER TOWARD SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER FOR DISCONNECTING THE OPERATING MEANS FROM THE MOVING MEANS WHEREBY THE SECOND-MENTIONED ARTICLEFORMING MEMBER CEASES TO MOVE TOWARD THE FIRSTMENTIONED ARTICLE-FORMING MEMBER.