Wire stripper

Abstract

A wire stripper capable of being made of stamped parts and of reduced size with a device to prevent fraying or nicking wires. The wire stripper may be manually operated, in the form of a hand-held unit, and uses a phantom center actuating arrangement with a single spring arrangement for blade opening and handle return.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles on the levers constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the levers effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a friction retard mechanism effective to releasably hold the levers apart in pivoted position while the paired members separate allowing a wire to be removed prior to closing of the levers. 
     
     
       2. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles mounted on the levers and constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the levers operated by manipulation of the handles effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a connection between the handles and levers effective, upon manipulation of the handles, to move the handles through a generally arcuate path described generally about a center laterally outside of the levers. 
     
     
       3. The structure of claim 2 further characterized in that the connection is in the form of pins and generally arcuate slots between the handles and levers. 
     
     
       4. The structure of claim 2 further characterized in that the connection between the handles and levers is in the form of an arcuate formation on one and a guiding follower on the other conforming thereto. 
     
     
       5. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the levers operated by manipulation of the handles effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a return spring effective on the handles at a point adjacent the ends thereof tending to bias the handles apart such that the application of manual force to the handles will be generally between the lever pivot and the effective point of the return spring on the handles.Iadd., and a resistance device on the levers providing a greater resistance to pivoting motion of the levers than the resistance of the return spring so that the clamping and stripping members close before the levers open.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       6. The structure of claim 5 further characterized in that the return spring is coiled around the lever pivot with each end thereof extending along one of the handles in contact therewith at a point adjacent the end. 
     
     
       7. The structure of claim 6 further characterized in that each end of the return spring contacts the inner surface of its handle in a free sliding contact. 
     
     
       8. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles slidably mounted on the levers and constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the levers operated by manipulation of the lever handles effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, the upper such members being fixed and the lower being slidably mounted on the levers, and a connection between the lower end of the sliding lower members and inside of the handles effective to raise the lower members when the handles are closed. 
     
     
       9. The structure of claim 8 further characterized in that the connection takes the form of two inwardly extending projections fitting in slots in the sides of the lower members. 
     
     
       10. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of frames, operable means effective to open and close the frames, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the frames operated by the operable means effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, at least one such member of each pair being slidably mounted on its frame, and three spaced projections extending from the surface of the frame engaging the slidable member and serving as the sliding support therefor. 
     
     
       11. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of frames, operable means effective to open and close the frames, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the frames operated by the operable means effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, one member of each pair being slidably mounted on its frame and the other being fixed, and a plurality of projections extending from the surface of the frame engaging the members, the projections engaging the fixed member extending slightly farther from the frame surface than those engaging the slidable member to prevent binding thereof. 
     
     
       12. In a stripper mechanism, a frame supporting pairs of clamping and stripping members effective to grasp and strip insulation from wires positioned between them, means for causing them to perform a clamping and stripping action, a plurality of cutting openings in the stripping members to cut insulation around the wire, the openings being graduated in size from largest to smallest, and gripping faces on the gripping members diverging somewhat in the direction of the largest cutting opening. 
     
     
       13. In a stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles mounted on the levers and constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping members on the levers operated by manipulation of the lever handles effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, the upper such members being fixed and the lower being slidably mounted on the levers with a connection between the lower end of the sliding lower members and the inside of the handles taking the form of two inwardly extending projections fitting into slots in the side of the lower members, a connection between the handles and levers in the form of pins and generally arcuate slots between the handles and the levers, and generally inward extensions of the arcuate slots permitting said projections to disengage the slots in the sides of the lower members, thereby enabling removal of said sliding lower members. 
     
     
       14. In a hand stripper, a pair of pivoted levers, handles mounted on the levers and constructed to perform a closing and opening action effective to open and close the levers, pairs of clamping and stripping jaws on the levers effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a resistance formation effective between the levers including a friction disk and Belleville spring arrangement on the lever pivot effective to hold the levers apart, by friction, until the clamping and stripping jaws have been separated allowing the wires to be removed after stripping prior to the closing of the levers. 
     
     
       15. The structure of claim 14 further characterized by and including a spring arrangement biasing the handles apart at all times. 
     
     
       16. The structure of claim 8 further characterized in that the slidable mounting between the handles and levers is constructed to move the handles through a generally arcuate path described generally about a center laterally outside of the levers. 
     
     
       17. In a hand stripper, a pair of pivoted levers, pairs of clamping and stripping jaws on the levers, the upper jaw of each pair being fixed on a lever and the lower jaw being movable to perform a generally linear opening and closing action with the fixed jaw, handles on the levers, a sliding generally arcuate mounting between the handles and levers constructed such that manual closing of the handles causes them to move inwardly and upwardly relative to the levers, and connections between the movable lower jaws and the handles such that manual closing of the handles is effective to raise the lower jaws to thereby grasp and strip insulation from wires positioned between the jaws. 
     
     
       18. The structure of claim 17 further characterized in that the mounting between the handles and levers is constructed to move the handles through a generally arcuate path described generally about a center laterally outside of the levers. 
     
     
       19. In a hand stripper, a pair of pivoted levers, pairs of clamping and stripping jaws on the levers, the upper jaw of each pair being fixed on a lever and the lower jaw being movable, the jaws being constructed to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, handles on the levers constructed to perform a closing and opening action, a connnection between the slidable lower jaws and the inside of the handles including at least one inwardly extending projection on each handle fitting in the lower jaw, a sliding connection between the handles and levers constructed such that manual closing of the handles causes them to move inwardly and upwardly relative to the levers to thereby raise the lower jaws, and an offset in the sliding connection permitting the projections to be disengaged from the lower jaws thereby enabling removal and replacement of the lower jaws. 
     
     
       20. The structure of claim 19 further characterized in that the sliding connection between the handles and levers includes a plurality of pin and slot connections constructed, upon manipulation of the handles, to move the handles through a generally arcuate path described generally about a center laterally outside of the levers. 
     
     
       21. In a hand stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles on the levers constructed to be manually closed and opened effective to pivot the levers open and closed, pairs of clamping and stripping jaws on the levers effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a friction retard mechanism on the levers effective to initially resist separation of the levers during closing of the handles and jaws and to automatically release allowing the levers to separate. 
     
     
       22. In a hand stripper mechanism, a pair of pivoted levers, handles on the levers constructed to be manually closed and opened effective to pivot the levers open and closed, a spring for biasing the handles open and the levers closing at all times, pairs of clamping and stripping jaws on the levers effective to grasp and strip insulation from wire positioned between them, and a retard mechanism on the levers effective to automatically resist pivoting closure of the levers when the handles are released thereby allowing a wire to be removed from between the jaws prior to closing of the levers but constructed to be overcome by the spring prior to full handle separation to allow the levers to close. 
     
     
       23. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that one of each pair of members is fixed on the levers and the other of each pair is slidably mounted thereon, and a connection between the slideable members and the handles such that manipulation of the handles in an opening and closing action will cause the clamping and stripping members to open and close. 
     
     
       24. The structure of claim 23 further characterized in that the handles are slideably mounted on the levers.