Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AXIAL CRIMP CONNECTION DEVICE
The invention disclosed herein is a device in which a compressive
force results from the action of a straight line motion on a body having a
tapered surface.
The prior art includes devices such as disclosed in U . S . Patent Nos.
3,737,840 and ~,252,992. In '840 a deformable, star-shaped connector with
a wire receiving passage there through is compressed inwardly around the
wire by being driven into a body having a tapered opening there through.
The device disclosed in '992 includes a plurality of jaws which are driven
down a tapered passageway and thereby gripping cable ends which were
inserted into the passageway.
The invention disclosed herein includes a jaw assembly composed of
two or more elongated jaw segments, each of which has a curved surface
and also a channel containing surface. The cement is thicker at the
l 5 midpoint and thins towards each end; i.e., one surface relative to the
other surface, is beveled so that when the two or more segments are
assembled together, the surfaces cooperate to forum tapered outer surface
with the taper being towards each end. Further, the channels on the
other surfaces cooperate to form cable receiving passages with openings at
each end. With cables or other cylindrical objects inserted into the
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passages, collars, mounted on the assembly at each end, are driven along the
tapered surface towards the midpoint. The jaw segments are axially compressed
down onto the objects to secure them in the assembly.
The invention may be summarized as a device for connecting two Solon-
Dracula objects together, said device comprising: a. at least two identical,
elongated jaw segments with each segment having a transverse arcuate shape
defining a concave side surface and a convex side surface, the concave side
surface defining, in cooperation with a transverse wall extending across said
concave side surface, two coaxial channels, a cavity extending into an outwardly
facing surface of said transverse wall, and with said convex side surface
converging towards said concave side surface from an intermediate point out-
warmly to each end; b. a spacer of compressible material arranged to fit be-
tweet the jaw segments when joined with said concave side surfaces facing
generally towards each other, the spacer having a plurality of lobes each of
which is received in a respective cavity to hold the segments together in a
jaw assembly having interior passages cooperatively formed by said channels
to receive cylindrical objects from each end and a tapered outer surface
cooperatively formed from said converging convex side surfaces with the die-
meter of said tapered outer surface decreasing from said intermediate point
outwardly towards each end; and c. a pair of collars, each having a tapered
passage there through, said collars being mounted on a respective end of the jaw
assembly with the wider end of each passage being placed on the tapered outer
Sirius of the assembly first so that upon driving the collars along the
tapered outer surface of the assembly towards the intermediate point, the jaw
assembly is compressed inwardly onto cylindrical objects which may be placed
in the interior passages of the assembly.
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The invention Jill now be described in greater detail with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a jaw segment constructed in
accordance with the concepts of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a jaw assembly spacer used in
conjunction with three jaw segments of Figure 1 to form a jaw assembly;
FIGURE 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a jaw assembly and collars
which together form the axial crimp connecting device of the present invention;
FIGURES 4 and 5 are side cross-sectional views of the axial crimp
connecting device of Figure 3 illustrating the utility thereof;
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a hand tool which may be used with
the device of the present invention;
FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the axial crimp connecting device
of Figure 3 and a hydraulic tool which may be used therewith; and
FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken perpendicular -to the long-
tudinal axis of a jaw assembly formed from two jaw segments and a spacer,
both of which are constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present
invention. Figure 8 is on the second page of the drawings.
Figure 1 illustrates, in perspective, an elongated jaw segment 10
which is the basic building block of the axial crimp connection device 12
shown in Figures 3-5 and 7. The segment is preferably cast from A-356-T-6
or 6061-T-6 aluminum. The midpoint 14 of the segment, positioned centrally
from ends 16, serves as the reference point
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throughout the following description The midpoint is the thickest portion
of the segment
The midpoint on the first surface 18 of segment t 0 is defined by a
wall 20 which contains an arcuate shaped cavity 22 in its surface 23.
5 U-shaped channels 24 extend along the first surface from each side so wall
20 outwardly to the ends 16 of the segment Teeth 26 are provided on the
walls defining the channels. Openings 28 to the channel at the ends are
beveled as indicated by reference numeral 30 in Figure 3.
The midpoint on the second surface 32 of segment 10 is defined by a
l 0 rim 34. On either side of the rim the second surface may ye flat as
indicated by reference numeral 36. Outwardly from these flat portions,
the second surface is beveled in towards the first surface so that those
portions 38 of the segment are wedged-shaped; i.e., the portions of the
segment extending outwardly from the flat portions to ends 16. Note that
15 the second surface is beveled relative to the first surface. The
cross-sectional view in Figure 3 illustrates the structure.
Second surface 32 is curved from one side 40 of the segment to the
other side 42. The second surface describes a curvature of 120 degrees. .,
Accordingly, the sides 40 and 42 are not on the same plane relative to
20 each other but are on an angle; i.e., an angle of thirty degrees as
measured from an imaginary line Icing on the same plane as the surface 23
of wall 20.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a spacer 44 which is used in maying
jaw assembly 46 of Figures 3-5 and 7. The assembly consists of three jaw
25 segments 10 positioned around spacer L14 .
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Spacer 44 may be molded using polyethylene as the material. The
spacer has a triangular body 48 (as viewed from an end) from which three
flanges 50 project from the corners of the body. Outwardly projecting,
arcuate-shaped lobes 52 are located on the flat surfaces 54 of the body
between the flanges.
Body 48 of the spacer is substantially hollow by reason of a hole 56
and slots 58 extending there through. The slots 56 extend laterally into
the interior of flanges 50 from the hole. eye reason of being hollow and
being made from polyethylene, spacer 44 is easily compressible.
l 0 Jaw assembly 46 is put together by placing three jaw segments around
spacer 44. Each segment lies between adjacent flanges 50 with arcuate
shaped lobe 52 being received in arcuate shaped cavity 22 in wall 20. The
cross-sectional view in Figure 3 illustrates the arrangement. The flanges
I- and lobes cooperate to hold the jaw segments together in a spaced apart
fashion; i.e., the jaw segments can be moved in towards each other under
a compressive force. The assembly is an elongated, cylindrical shape with
tapered ends hereinafter designated by reference numeral I The
channels cooperate to form passages 62 in the jaw assembly with openings .,
64 at each end. Teeth 26 face into the two passages.
Axial crimp connecting device 12 is formed by adding collars 66 to jaw
assembly 46. These collars are shown in cross section in Figure 3 with
one mounted on each end 60 of assembly 46. The collars are tubular and
have a tapered passage 68 extending longitudinally there through. The
collars are positioned onto ends 60 with the converging walls of passages
68 facing longitudinally away from the assembly. Again, the drawing in
Figure 3 illustrates this arrangement.
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In Figure 4, two cylindrical objects 70 have been inserted into
passages 62 through passages 68 of collars 66 and openings 64 of the
assembly I The objects 70 can be electrical wires, cables, reinforcing
rods, tubing and so forth.
Figure 5 illustrates how objects 70 are secured in device 12. Collars
66 have been driven along the outer surfaces of jaw assembly 46 towards
the collective midpoints of the assembly, hereinafter designated by
reference numeral 72. As the collars are being so driven, cooperation
between the tapered outer surfaces on the assembly and tapered passages
l 0 in the collars axially compress the individual jaw segments 10 and spacer44 inwardly towards the longitudinal center line (not shown). The objects
70 are forcefully gripped between the jaw segments with teeth 26 biting
into the objects.
Figure 6 shows a hand operated tool 74 which may be wised for
driving collars 66 further onto jaw assembly 46. The tool includes
conventional handles 76 which when moved towards each other, move the
two driving heads 78 towards each other in conventional manner. The
driving heads 78 have a U-shaped cavity 80 in which inserts 82 are I,
positioned. These inserts contain U-shaped channels 84 with each channel
having a reduced width portion to provide a shoulder 86. As the
drawings show, the several channels 84 vary in size so as to accept
different size devices 12.
With the driving heads apart as shown in Figure 6, a device 12 is
placed whereinto so that the outwardly-facing ends of collars 66 are
abutting shoulders 86. Objects 70 are then inserted into devises 12
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through notches 88 in heads 78. Collars 66 are forced -Further onto
assembly 46 by moving the heads together via movement of handles 76.
Figure 7 shows a hydraulic tool 90 which may he used for driving
collars 66 further onto jaw assembly 46. This tool is particularly useful
for larger sizes of device 12. Tool 90 includes two stationary members 92
and 94 with the latter used to remove collars 66 from a jaw assembly. The
third member 96 is hydraulically movable relative to the first two. In each
member, a U-shaped notch 98 is provided with each having a shoulder 100.
In driving the collars onto the assembly, the device 12 is placed into the
notches in members 92 and 96 with shoulders 100 bearing on the end faces
of collars 66. After objects 70 have been inserted into passages 62,
member 96 is advanced towards member 92 thereby driving the collars
further onto assembly 46.
In removing collars 66 which have been previously driven onto an
l 5 assembly, the device is placed into the notches on members 94 and 96 with
shoulders 100 bearing against the end faces of the collars facing midpoint
72. Upon advancing member 96 towards member 92, the collars will be
removed from the assembly.
Figure 8 is an end view of a second embodiment of a jaw assembly,
referred to by reference numeral i 02. Assembly 102 includes two jaw
segments 10L~ and a spacer 106. The jaw segments differ from segments 10
in that each second surface describes an arc of 180 degrees. Spacer 106
differs in being generally rectangular with a lobe l not shown) on each
side. A device (not shown) employing assembly 102 uses collars 66 in the
same manner as assembly ~16.
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The present invention may be subject to many modifications and
changes without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The present embodiment it therefore intended in all respects as
being illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention.
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