CA1269515A

CA1269515A - Insertion tool

Info

Publication number: CA1269515A
Application number: CA000529456A
Authority: CA
Inventors: George B. Pfeffer
Original assignee: ADC Telecommunications Inc
Current assignee: Commscope Connectivity LLC
Priority date: 1986-02-19
Filing date: 1987-02-11
Publication date: 1990-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-29
Also published as: JPS62193073A; AU6873287A; KR870008408A; NZ219232A; AU581360B2; EP0234448A3; US4682412A; EP0234448A2

Abstract

INSERTION TOOL
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
A wire insertion tool is disclosed including a manually engageable handle having an impact receiver slidably received on said handle. An impactor is carried on he handle and includes an impactor movable between a rest position and displaced position and also movable between a load position and a fire position. The impastor presents a first surface opposing the impact receiver when in the load position and a second surface opposing the impact receiver when in the fire position. The second surface is spaced away from the first surface. A
compression spring is provided for yieldably urging the impactor toward the impact receiver and toward the load position. A pivot mechanism pivots the impactor against the urging of the compression spring to the fire position as the impactor is moved to the displaced position.

Description

INSERTION TOOL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to insertion tools for inserting insulated wires into terminal connecting blocks and terminating the electrical conductor at the block.
More particularly, this invention pertains to insertion tools which include impactors to assist in termination of ; the electrical conductor.

II. Description of the Prior Art Tools for terminating electrical conductors at a terminal block are well known. Additionally, such tools having hammer mechanisms to assist in termination are also well known. An example of the latter is Eound in U.S.
Patent No~ 3,883,316 to Mason dated May 13, 1975. Mason is typical of prior art termination tools with hammer mecha-nisms in that the hammer mechanism includes a resilientlydisplaced sear (shown at 34 in Mason) which is carried within the hammer mechanism and moves laterally to the direction of travel of the hammer mechanism. The sear engages a cam surfaces which urges the sear against its resilient displacement during sliding motion of the ter-mination tip which is slideably secured t~o the termination ; tool. After the termination tip has urged the hammer against the resilience of a main spring a predetermined stroke, the sear presents an opening which is aligned with a pin on the termination tip such that the hammer is free to impact the termination tip. In Mason, the termination tip carries a blade having a cutting edge 12 which, upon impact from the hammer mechanism, severs an electrical con-ductor. A prohlem associated with such a tool is that due to the need for a laterally moving sear, there are limita-,~
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tions put on the size and mass of the hammer mechanism thereby compromi~ing its effectiveness. Also, the S relatively l~ng longitudinal dimension of the hammer mechanism together with a relatively ~hort spring resul~s ; in the spring generally being cycled repeatedly from near full compression to near full expansion. This repetition can, over time, take its toll on the spring.
U.S. Patent No. 2,960,864 to Watt~ dated November 22, 1960 teaches an insertion tool for making electrical connections. Unlike the Nason patent which uses a hammer mechanism with a laterally movable sear, the Watts patent uses an impactor having a first end with a bore sized to receive an impact pin and a longitudinally displaced second end which acts as a lever point. As the impaator is ~orced against the urgin~ of a spring, the impactor piv~ts about the longitudinally displaced pivot point until the impactor bore is ali~ned with the impactor pin. At this point, the spring forces the impactor agains~ the pin.
The impactor of the Wa$ts patent overcomes one of the disadvantages of the Mason patent in that the need for ~; a ~ear is eliminated. However, the lever movement of the Watts impactor raquires the need for a substantial amollnt of unused space within the tool to accommodate the displacement of the impactor through the le~er action.
Al~o, like the Nason patent, the relatively long longitudinal dimension of the le~er acti~n impactor results in use of a short high tension spring which is almost fully compressed during its repeated use.
It is intended the present invention will be particularly useful with a terminal block as described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,688,872 entitled "Electrical Connector Module With Nultiple Connector Housings." As illustrated in ~.S. Patent No. 4t688,872, ~` each insulation displacement terminal :, .:
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includes a seam or slot including wire piercing edges which cut through the insulation as the wire i.5 slid into the slot and a trimming edqe radially opposite the seam or slot which cu~s the excess length from a wire as it i~
installed.
U.5. Patent No. 4,688,872 also teaches a ~ool tip to be used to insert a wire in the insulation displacement lG terminal. ~ool tips for inserting ~ires into such terminals are al~o shown in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,663,838. This patent teaches a debris ejecting insertion tool tip for engaging a wire to urge the wire into the split cylinder terminal. The insertion tip~ of this patent include an ejector for ejecting debris tsuch as spent insulation) from the tool tip. With such a sy~tem where the wire terminating blade is located on the ~plit cylinder terminal, the problem of Mason which included wear of the terminating blade is not experienced since a wire to be terminated i8 e~posed to a fresh blade in each instance.
In addition to the desirability of the above system where the ter~ination blade is ~ocated on the split cylinder terminal, it is also desireable to provide an improved insertion tool having an enhanced impact mechanism. Such tools must be of a design which permits them to be employed in a rugged environment. Also, it i9 ` desireable that such tools have a minimum number of moving elements and provide maximum impact to assist in terminating a wire. Also, the ability to adjust the tension oi such tools iB a1~o ~ desireeble feature.

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OBJECTS AND SUMMARY
OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of ~he present invention to provide an insertion tool having an improved impactor mechanism for impacting an insertion tip"
A further object of the presen~ invention is to provide an insertion tool having an impactor mechanism of incxeased mass and simplicity of design.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an insertion ~ool having ~eans for selectively ad~usting the tension of the impactor mechanism.
~ ccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided an insertion tool comprisi.ng a manually engageable handle with an impact receiver in the form of an insertion tip having both a force receiving end and a force transmitting end. The impact receiver is carried on the handle and iR slidable in a predetermined direction extending between the force receiving end and the force transmitting end. An impactor is carried on the handle to provide an impact on the ~orce receiving end of the impact receiver. The impactor is slidable in the predetermined direction between a rest position and a tension or displaced positionO ~he impactor is also movable in a second direction between an impactor load position and an impactor fire position. In the impactor load position, the impactor presents a first surface opposing an abutting force receiving end. When in the impactor fire position, the impactor presents a second surface opposing the force receiving end. The second ~urface is spaced away from ~he first surface on a side thereo~ opposite the force rec0iving end. A first spring is provided for urging the impactor toward the force receiving end and toward the load position. Means are provided for moving the impactor against the urging of the first spring means to move the impactor from the load '', : ~
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position to the fire position as the impactor is moved to the tension of displaced position. When moved to the fire position, the impactor's second urface opposes the force receiving end of the impact member in spaced relation. The first spring urges the impactor to move toward the impact receiver with the second surface impacting on the force receiving end and the impact receiver transmitting ~his blow to a target through the force transmitting end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side view of an insertion tool according to,the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a view taken along lines II-II of Fig.
l;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a compression cam for use in the insertion tool of the present invention;
Figs. 4 through 6 are sequential views showing operation of the insertion tool of the present invention;
and Fig, 7 is a view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ~MBODIM~T
Referring now to the Figures in which identical parts are identified with the same numeral throughout the various figures, an insertion tool according t~ the present invention is generally shown at 10. The insertion tool includes a handle member 12 preferably formed of identical plastic halve 12a and 12b joined at a common parting surface 13. Allen-head bolts 15 received within aligned threaded bores 17 join halves 12a and 12b to form handle 12. Opposing surfaces of handle halve~ 12a and 12b define a series of interconnected chambexs extending through the longitudinal dimension of handle 12. The chambers include a cylindrical impact member passage 16, a reload spring chamber 18, a reduced diameter rod passage ~0 and in impac-i ', ' ' ~ :

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tor mechanism pocket 21.
An impact receiver 22 is provicled and is preferably a debris ejecting wire insertion tool such asthose shown in V.S. Patent No. 4~663,838. The impact receiver 22 includes a cylindrical sleeve member 24 with an integral tip portion 26 having a force transmitting end ~8.
A collar 30 is secured to an axial end of sleeve ~4 opposite tip 26. Dispose~ between the collax 30 and sleeve 24 is a radial flange 32. A rod 34 extends axially away from collar 30 and terminates at a force receiving end 36.
As shown in Fig. 2, sleeve 24 is sized to be slidably received within impact tip passage 16 and rod 34 is sized to be 61idably received within rod passage 20.
Reload spring chamber 18 has a forward axial wall 38 and a rear axial wall 40. Flange 32 is sized to have a diameter greater than impact tip passage 16 and abut wall 38. Rod 34 i8 dimensioned such that when flange 32 abuts : 20 wall 38 force receiving end 35 is 6paced away from impactor mechanism pocket 21. A reload compression spring 42 surrounds rod 34 and collar 30 with one end of the spring 42 abutting rear axial wall 40 and the other end of the spring abutting flange 32. The reload compression spring ~: 25 42 urges impact receiver 22 to a position with flange 32 : abutting wall 38.
`: An impactor 44 is provided in the form of a : cylinder of suitable massive material such as steel.
Impactor 44 is di~posed within impactor mechanism poc3cet 21. As shown in the Figures, impactor 44 has a cylindrical : outer ~urface 46 and is provided with a slot 48 extending radially in~ardly from surface 46 to the center of cyIindrical impactor 44 and terminatin~ at a back sur~ace ~: 50. Slot 48 is de~lned by cooperation of back surface 50 ~;~ 35 and spaced apart side walls 51 and 52. Side walls 51 and 52 are spaced apart a distance greater than a diameter of `:~
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A pi~ot pin e~tends through cylindrical impactor 44 in parallel spaced relation to a cylindrical axis X-~ of member 44. The pin present a first pin end 54 extending : from a first axial face 45 of cylindrical impactor 44 and a second pin end 55 extending from a second axial face 47.
As shown in Fig. 1, opposing surfaces 12a' and 12b' which define hammer chamber 21 are flat and parallel and sized to slidably abut the axial surfaces 45 and 47 of cylindrical hammer 44.
Parallel slots 56 and 57 are formed in surface 12a' equally spaced from axis X-X. Likewise, identical slots are formed in surface 12b (with cnly slot 57' shown in ~ig. 1). Opposing slots, such as ~lots 56 and 57' are parallel and aligned. The slots 56 and 57 extend from respective first ends 58, 58a nearest impact rec~iver 22 to : 20 respective second ends 60, 60a furthest from impact receiver 22. The slots 56, 57 extend in a direction parallel to the direction of sliding travel (indicated by ~: the arrow A) of impact receiver 22 and impactor 44. The slots are disposed to receive pin ~nds 54 and 55 within slots 56 and 57', respectively. Slots 56, 57 are dimensioned to have the longitudinal length between ends 58 and 60 approximately equal to a desired stroke of impactor 44 in a direction parallel to the direction of travel A
between a rest position (as shown in Figs. l ~nd 2) and a tensioned or displaced position (as shown in Pig. 4) with end 54 abutting end 60 and pin end 55 abutting end 60a'.
In the rest position, impactor 44 abuts a wall 12c. As shown in Fi~. 2, wall 12c is a portion of a cylinder ~; conforming in shape to the outer surface 46 of impactor 44.
As shown in the Figures, impactor 44 is pivotal a~out pine ends 54 and 55 with its positioning including a , .~?j `
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load position as shown in Fig. 2 with at least a portion of outer cylindrical surface 46 of impactor 44 opposing at ; least a portion of force receiving end 36. The impactor 44 may be pivoted about pins 54 and 55 to a fire position (as shown in Fig. 5) where force receiving end 36 does not oppose cylindrical wall 46 and is only opposing back wall 50.
Urging means in the form of a compression spring 64 is provided to yieldably urge the impactor 44 toward impact receiver 22 and simultaneously urge the impactor 44 toward the load position as shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, impactor 44 is provided with a recess or pocket 66 sized to receive a first end 64a of spring 64.
The pocket 66 is formed on the cylindrical surface of ~5 impactor 44. The positioning of the poclcet 66 ls such it is at an ~ngle to the radial line of slot 48. The amount of the angular displacement determines the amount of sur-face area of surface 46 which opposes force receiving end 36. Minimizing the amount of this exposed surface area is desireable since this area slides against force receiving end 36. In minimizing this area, the amount of friction in ~` rotation of the impactor 44 (as will be described) is ", reduced. Compression spring 64 extends to a second end--64b ; aligned with the direction of travel of impact receiver 22 and is held in place by a pretensioning device 70 as will now be described. Pretensioning device 70 includes a compression cam 72 which includes the cam disc 74. A pair of pivot posts 76 and 78 extend away from cam disc 74 on both sides thereof and are axially aligned. The posts 76 and 78 are provided with a continuous hexagon shaped bore 80 formed therethrough. A handle 82 extends radia]ly away from cam element 74. Shown best in Fig. 1, handle portions 12a and 12b are provided with aligned bores 88 and 90 sized to receive posts 76 and 78, respectively with cam element 74 rotatably received between opposing surfaces 12a'' and :.

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12b'' about an axis Y-Y.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the distance from axis Y-Y to the outer surface of cam element 74 progressively increases from a first end 74a to a second end 74b. Spaced about the outer surface of cam element 74 between ends 74a and 74b are a plurality of notches 84 which are a portion of a cylindrical surface with the cylindrical axis of notches a4 parallel aligned with axis Y-Y. A cam follower is provided having a cylindrical bGdy portion 94 slideably received within a cylindrical portion 96 of impactor chamber 21. The body portion 94 is slideable within chamber portion 96 in a direction parallel and axially aligned with the direction of travel A. A reduced diameter portion 98 is axially secured to body portion 94 on a side thereof facing impactor 44 with body portion 94 exposing an annular stop surface 100 opposing impactor 44. Second end ~ 64b of spring 64 is received surrounding reduced diameter -~ portion 98 and abutting stop surface 100. A side 102 of body portion 94 facing cam 72 is contoured to present a centrally located ridge 104 aligned with an opposing notch 84 and having a radius of curvature generally equal to the cylindrical curvature of notches 84.
The insertion tool of the present invention readily accommodates wire working tools such as a wire removal tool 110 (commonly referred to as a spudger) and a block removal tool 112. The tools are positioned on oppo-site sides of the handle 12 and are pivotally secured to the handle at pivot points 110' and 112'. Inner retaining elements 114 and 114' stop the pivotal inward movement of tools 110 and 112. Each of the tools is provided with handles 116 and 118 which may be grasped by an operator and include openings 116' and 118'. The handles 116 and 118 may be flexed and received over small spherical rises 12a and 122 formed on handle portions 12a and 12b.
Accordingly, tools 110 and 112 may be snapped in place as :

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shown in Fig. 2 or pivoted out of the position shown in Fig. 2 by lifting either of the handles 116, 118 to urge the tool portion over the rises 120, 122.
The operation of the insertion tool of the present invention will now be described by reference to sequential F;gs. 4 through 6 and with further reference to Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the impactor 44 is shown in its rest position with its outer surface 46 abutting surface 12c and with the impactor 44 pivoted to the load position with a portion o~
surface 46 opposing force receiving end 36. To install a wire in a terminal block, tip 26 is placed within the block with force transmitting end 28 abutting the wire to be inserted. An operator grasps handle 12 and urges the handle in a direction opposite that of arrow A. Due to ~ 15 resistance of motion by the wire, impact receiver 22 moves ; in the direction of arrow ~ causing compression of spring ;~ 42. Simultaneously, the force receiving end 36 abuts sur-face 46 and urges impactor 44 in the direction of arrow A
~i thereby compressing spring 64. The impactor 44 moves in the direction of arrow A and remains in the load position until pin 54, 55 abut slot ends 60, 60a' (as shown in Fig.
~; 4 with pin 54 abutting end 60). At this point, due to con-- tinued upward travel of impact receiver 22, force receiving ~ end 36 causes impactor 44 to pivot about a pivot point at a ; 25 point of contact between pivot pins 54 and 55 and slot ends 60 and 6Qa'. As impactor 44 pivots, surface 46 slides along force receiving end 36 resulting in pocket 66 urging the first end 64a of spring 64 out of alignment with second end 64b.
The rotation oE impactor 44 continues until impac-tor 44 rotates to the fire position where force receiving end 36 is no longer opposing cylindrical surface 46 and is oppocing back wall 50. At this point, the compression of ; spring 64 quickly forces impactor 44 downwardly (as shown by Arrow B in Fig. 5) with back surface 50 impacting ~orce '' ..
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, receiving end 36 thereby acting as an impactor blow on impact receiver 22 which is transmitted to the wire through end 28 causing the wire to sever on the blade of a split cylinder terminal connector.
After the impactor blow has occured, the operator removes the tool. At this point, the impactor is in its rest position but is pivoted to the fire position as shown in Fig. 6. ~hile the tool is being removed, spring 42 urges rod 34 out of slot 48. When rod 3~ is completely clear of slot 48, the spring 64 returns to its desired position with end 64a aligned with end 64b thereby causing impactor 44 to pivot back to the load position as shown in Fig. 1.
From the foregoing, it can be seen how the objects of the present invention have been attained in a preferred manner. The insertion of the tool of the present invention present numerous advantages over prior art insertion tools.
Namely, the present invention eliminates the need for a laterally movable sear element thereby reducing the number of parts needed to manufacture the tool which can greatly reduce the cost of manufacture and assembly. Also, the present invention provides for more space within the tool for the impactor 44 providing for a larger more massive impactor acting against a larger more forceful spring 64.
As a result, a greater mass moves at a greater velocity when contacting the impact receiver 22. Accordingly, the present invention more easily severs a large gauge wire with stiff insulation as opposed to prior art insertion tools. Also, the present invention more efficiently ; 30 utilizes the space of the tool to maximize the site of the impactor. Finally, the tool per~its a long compression spring 64. As a result, a long stroke may be used which is easier for an operator. Also, the full compression need not be used thereby increasing the life of spring 64. The amount of impact of the impactor 44 of the present inven-':
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,, tion can be varied by increasing the pretensioning of spring 64. This is easily accomplished by rotating cam 72 to any one of the plurality of positions with notches 84 progressively urging cam follower 92 toward impactor 44.
To the extent that turning cam 72 becomes difficult by -hand, any hexagonal shaped tool can be inserted within bore 80 to complete turning and pretensioning of spring 64.
In addition to the benefits of the preferred embo-diment, an alternative embodiment to the present invention is shown in Fig. 7. In the alternative embodiment, a ridge 120 is disposed within slot 48 on side wall 51. With the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 7, two impacts will be experienced on the force receiving end 36 in rapid suc cession. The rapid succession of impacts will further assist in severing a wire.
From the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, it has been shown how the objects of the invention have been obtained in a pre~erred manner.
However, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts, such as readily occur to those skilled in the art, are intended to be included in the scope of this invention. Thus, the scope oE the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims as are, or may hereafter be, appended hereto.
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Claims

The ?odiments of the inven?n in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A tool comprising:
a manually engageable handle;
an impact receiver having a force receiving end and a force transmitting and, said receiver carried on said handle and slidable in a predetermined direction extending between said ends;
an impactor carried on said handle on a side of said impact receiver opposing said force receiving end and slidable in said predetermined direction between a rest position and a displaced position, said impactor pivotally movable about a pivot axis between a load position and a fire position with said impactor presenting a first surface opposing said force receiving end in force transmitting relation when in said load position and presenting a second surface opposing said force receiving end in force transmitting relation when in said fire position, said second surface spaced away from said first surface on a side of said exist surface away from said force receiving end;
first urging means for yieldably urging said impactor toward said force receiving end and toward said load position;
means for pivoting said impactor about an axis laterally spaced from said second surface against urging of said first urging means to said fire position as said impactor is moved to said displaced position;
second urging means for yieldably urging said impact receiver away from said impactor; and said impactor including a pivot surface cooperating with a fixed opposing surface secured to said handle to define said pivot axis.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said first surface of said impactor is slidably engageable with said force receiving end as said impactor moves from said load position to said fire position;
a pivot pin secured to said impactor and spaced away from said second surface;
a pin receiving channel defined by said handle and extending generally parallel to said predetermined direction between a first end closest to said force receiving end and a second end furthest from said force receiving end, said pin positioned on said impactor to be pivotally received within said channel and engage said second end when said impactor is moved against the urging of said first urging means to said displaced position.

3. A tool according to claim 2 wherein said first urging means comprises a first spring having a first end disposed away from said impactor opposite said force receiving end and a second end connected to said impactor at a point between a point opposite said second surface and said pivot pin.

4. A tool according to claim 3 comprising pretensioning means for selectively adjusting the compression of said first spring including a cam follower connected to said first end of said first spring and a compression cam carried by said handle and engaging said cam follower; means for moving said cam to any one of a plurality of preselected positions with said cam follower urged against said first spring with a different force at each of said positions.

5. A tool comprisings:
a manually engageable handle;
an impact receiver having a force receiving end and a force transmitting end, said receiver carried on said handle and slidable in a predetermined direction extending between said ends;

a cylindrical impactor carried on said handle on a side of said impact receiver opposing said force receiving end and slidable in said predetermined direction between a rest position and a displaced position, said impactor pivotal about a pivot axis displaced from a cylindrical axis of said impactor and pivoted between a load position and a fire position with said impactor presenting a cylindrical surface of said impactor opposing said force receiving end when in said load position, said impactor having a radially inwardly projecting opening formed therein with opening defining surfaces including an impact surface disposed opposing said force receiving end when said impactor is in said fire position;
first urging means for yieldably urging said impactor toward said force receiving end and toward said load position; and means for moving said impactor against urging of said first means to said fire position as said impactor is moved to said displaced position.

6. A tool according to claim 5 including a pivot pin secured to said impactor and depending therefrom;
a surface fixedly secured to said handle and disposed to engage said pin for said impactor to pivot about said pin at said surface when said impactor is moved against urging of said first urging means at said displaced position.

7. A tool according to claim 5 wherein said first urging means includes a compression spring having a first end positioned against said impactor and a second end positioned against a stop with said first end disposed against a surface of said impactor at an angle to a radial line of said radially inwardly projecting opening.

8. A tool according to claim 7 comprising means for selectively adjusting compression of said compression spring.

9. A tool according to claim 5 comprising a third surface disposed within said opening and opposing said force receiving end after said impactor moves from said load position and toward said fire position.