Cable crimper and cutter method and apparatus

Abstract

A combination crimper and cutter tool for crimping ferrules and cutting cable protruding from the ferrule comprises a pair of jaws which have a crimping and cutting area such that the crimping and cutting operation is performed by the same set of jaws. The jaws are pivotal about axes which are symmetrical about a vertical plane between the jaws. The force applied on the jaws by the crimping and cutting operations creates a moment about the axes which varies in magnitude but is symmetrical about the axes allowing for enhanced operator performance with the tool.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A combination crimper and cutter tool for crimping a ferrule and cutting a cable extending therefrom comprising a first set of crimper jaws for encircling and crimping said ferrule and a first set of cutter jaws for severing said cable extending from said ferrule, each of said crimper and cutter jaws rotating about coincident axes.  
     
     
         2 . A tool as in  claim 1  wherein said crimper and cutter jaws are included in a single set of jaws.  
     
     
         3 . A tool as in  claim 2  and further comprising a power source for applying power and moving said crimper and cutter jaws, said power source being pneumatic.  
     
     
         4 . A tool as in  claim 3  wherein said crimper and cutter jaws include a crimping area and a cutting area.  
     
     
         5 . A tool as in  claim 4  wherein said crimping area is defined by a concave area of said jaws and said cutting area is defined by a pair of cutters.  
     
     
         6 . A tool as in  claim 5  wherein said crimping area is inside said cutting area.  
     
     
         7 . A tool as in  claim 6  wherein said crimper and cutter jaws are generally symmetrical about a vertical plane in said tool extending, during operation, from the forward to the rearward portion of said tool.  
     
     
         8 . A tool as in  claim 7  wherein said pneumatic power source displaces a diaphragm and a piston operably connected to said diaphragm, said piston displacing a pair of links connected to said crimper and cutter jaws.  
     
     
         9 . A tool as in  claim 8  wherein each of said crimper and cutter jaws rotate about an axis symmetrically located on opposed sides of said vertical plane.  
     
     
         10 . A method of severing cable and crimping a ferrule positioned on said cable with a single tool comprising the steps of encircling said ferrule with a first pair of jaws rotating about a first axis, crimping said ferule with said first pair of jaws in at least one location on said ferrule, moving said tool to encircle said cable extending from said ferrule with a second pair of jaws of said tool and closing said second pair of jaws to sever said cable, each of said first and said second pair of jaws being movable about coincident axes.  
     
     
         11 . Method as in  claim 10  wherein said first and second pairs of jaws are identical.  
     
     
         12 . Method as in  claim 11  wherein said coincident axes are generally symmetrically located on opposite sides of a vertical plane extending centrally between said first and second pairs of jaws.  
     
     
         13 . Method as in  claim 12  and further comprising a power source to move said first pair of jaws.  
     
     
         14 . Method as in  claim 13  wherein said power source is pneumatic.  
     
     
         15 . Method as in  claim 14  wherein said power source is hydraulic.