Portable cutter/crimper
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to crimping stranded cable and more particularly to a cutter/crimping device for cutting or crimping stranded cable which is portable, efficient and relatively safe and used in bundling logs. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     A number of patents showing prior art cutting devices for cable or the like have been discovered by a preliminary search. These patents are listed below: 
     
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U.S. Pat. No.  Inventor  Issue Date                                       
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3,893,237      Jahnke     7/8/75                                          
3,888,003      Brown      6/10/75                                         
  527,790      Heggen    10/23/94                                         
3,706,245      Ban Schaik                                                 
                         12/19/72                                         
  492,931      Baird      3/7/93                                          
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     In general, these patent devices show various cutting tools, but do not anticipate the present invention. The operation and features of the present invention are new and distinct relative to the above patents. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The apparatus for crimping and cutting stranded cable or wire of the present invention includes a frame to which is connected one end of a rod. The rod has a baseplate on the other end. A pair of crimping arms is provided. The crimping arms having matching arcuate cut out portions or jaws for receiving the cable to be crimped. The crimping arms are rotably connected to the frame. A connecting arm is rotably pinned to each crimping arm and in turn rotably pinned to force transmission means. The force transmission means has a hole therethrough to receive the rod, and since the connecting arms are rotably pinned to it, lateral movement along the axis of the rod rotates the connecting arms and in turn the crimping arms about their point of attachment to the frame. This movement effects opening or closing of the jaws of the crimping arms. 
     In the crimping process a strand connector is used to receive the ends of the cable to be joined. The cable ends are fitted through the strand connector and the strand connector placed between the jaws of the crimping arms of the present invention prior to operation of the apparatus. The force transmission means is moved by an inflatable air bag. The air bag has a hole therethrough to receive the rod and be supported by the rod. The air bag is located between the base plate of the rod and the force transmission means. The air bag is connected to an outside source of pressurized air. Expansion of the air bag causes lateral movement of the force transmission means along the axis of the rod. Trigger means mounted on the frame is provided to activate the apparatus. The trigger means is connected to the air bag and a source of pressurized air. When the trigger means is depressed, the source of pressurized air rapidly inflates the air bag causing lateral movement of the force transmission means along the axis of the rod. This movement thereby causes closing of the crimping arm jaws. Releasing the trigger means causes depressurization and contraction of the air bag. To hold the jaws of the crimping arm open when the trigger is released, springs are provided which are connected to each end of the crimping arms opposite the jaws. The springs also cause the force transmission means to remain adjacent to the air bag when the air bag is contracted. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention cutting edges are provided adjacent to the jaws of the crimping arms for allowing the cutting of cable using the same operation as crimping. The apparatus also includes a housing for partially enclosing its working parts, and handle bars for easier operator manipulation. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stranded cable cutter/crimper which utilizes the action of an inflatable air bag to effect operation. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cutter/crimper for stranded cable which is portable and relatively light in weight. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a crimper for stranded wire cable which also offers a wire cutter on the center line of the device. 
     A still further ojbect of the present invention is to provide a hand-held and operated cutter/crimper with superior operator safety features with respect to both operation and equipment failure. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing field use of the present invention in cable strapping log bundles. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the present invention with a strand cable and cable connector between its crimping jaws. 
     FIG. 3 is a view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 with position of the crimping arms prior to operation shown in dotted lines. The solid lines showing the crimping arms as they are in a crimping or cutting position. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the FIGS., especially FIG. 4, a cutter/crimper tool, generally designated as 10, is shown. The crimping or cutting action occurs between a pair of crimping arms 12a and 12b. Each arm is tapered as shown in FIG. 4, with arcuate cut out sections 14a and 14b at their ends. The arcuate cut out sections 14a and 14b are matching and allow a cable connector with stranded cable to be crimped to be fitted therein prior to crimping. Adjacent to the arcuate cut out sections 14a and 14b are cutting edges 16a and 16b. Cutting edges 16a and 16b are matched to provide cutting of stranded cable placed therein during operation of the device. It should be noted that locating the cutting edges 16a and 16b closer to the user than the crimping cut out portions 14a and 14b provides the possibility of greater torque relative to the crimping cut out section 14a and 14b. 
     Crimping arms 12a and 12b are contained partially within crimping arm mounting plates 18a and 18b. The arms 12a and 12b are sandwiched between these plates 18a and 18b and pinned thereto by pins 15a and 15b, and retainers 17a, 17b, and 17c. The crimping arm mounting plates 18a and 18b also partially contain a rod 20 which is bolted to plates 18a and 18b by bolts 19a and 19b. Rod 20 runs through an interior base plate 22 having a cylindrical flange 24. Rod 20 further continues through an expandable pressurized air bag 26, and an exterior base plate 28. The interior base plate 22 is attached to air bag 26 by pins 13a and 13b. The air bag 26 has a hole therethrough to accommodate rod 20. One end of rod 20 contains a threaded portion to receive a nut 30 and retain the rod 20 in the entire assembly. A bushing 32 is provided where rod 20 fits through the cylindrical flange 24 of interior base plate 22. Also, a rubber seal 34 is located adjacent to bushing 32. Adjacent to the cylindrical flange 24 is located a shockpad 36 to minimize shock to the user. Washers 21 and 23 are provided on either side of shock pad 36, and a washer 25 is provided on the exterior side of bushing 32. Handle bars 38 are mounted to the crimping arm mounting plate 18a by handle assembly mounting plate 40. Mounting plate 40 is connected to the assembly by bolts 19a and 19b and nuts 27a and 27b. Located on the handle bars 38 is a trigger or switch 42 which in turn is connected to a source of air pressure (not shown) of about 200 psi through fitting 33. Switch 42 is mounted to handle bars 38 by bolts 29a and 29b and nuts 31a and 31b. Switch 42 is connected to air bag 26 through line 35 and fitting 37 and 39, and upon depression of switch 42, the source of air pressure can inflate air bag 26. 
     Connected to crimping arms 12a and 12b are connecting arms 44a and 44b by pins 41a and 41b. The connecting arms 44a and 44b are pinned to crimping arms 12a and 12b, but rotation of the connecting arms 44a and 44b relative to the pins 41a and 41b is allowed. These connecting arms are in turn connected to the interior base plate 22 by pins 43a and 43b in such a way as to allow rotation in one dimension about those pins 43a and 43b. Springs 46a and 46b are stretched between bolts 48a and 48b, and bolts 50a and 50b, respectively. Bolts 48a and 48b run through crimping arm 12a, and bolts 50a and 50b run through crimping arm 12b. Nuts 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d retain bolts 48a  58b, 50a, and 50b, respectively. Springs 46a and 46b hold the cut out sections 14a and 14b of crimping arms 12a and 12b open prior to operation of the device. An aluminum housing 54 is provided to partially house assembly 10. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, in operation of the device the operator would grasp the tool assembly 10 by handle bars 38. Depression of trigger 42 would begin activation of the crimping action. Prior to pressing trigger 42, however, a cable connector 56 of a heat treated aluminum alloy would be used to contain the ends of the stranded cable 58 to be spliced. These cable connectors are well known in the cable crimping art and have been in use for some time. The cable connector containing the ends of the cable to be spliced would be placed between the cut out sections 14a and 14b of crimping arms 12a and 12b. Depression of trigger 42 would cause the inflation of air bag 26 by the outside source of air pressure (not shown). Inflation of air bag 26 would cause movement of interior base plate 22 toward the cable to be spliced along the axis of rod 20. This action would cause both a translational and rotational movement of connecting arms 44a and 44b which in turn would cause crimping arms 12a and 12b to rotate about their point of connection to the crimping arm mounting plates 18a and 18b as best shown in FIG. 3. The cut out sections 14a and 14b of crimping arms 12a and 12b would be forced closer together and effect crimping of the stranded cable 58 and connector 56. 
     If cutting of wire is desired instead of crimping, the wire to be cut can be placed between the cutting edges 16a and 16b of crimping arms 12a and 12b. Depression of trigger 42 will then force the cutting edges 16a and 16b together to effect cutting of the wire therebetween. Whether the assembly 10 is used for the cutting or crimping operation, upon release of trigger 42, the source of air pressure will be disconnected from air bag 26 and air bag 26 will deflate. Springs 46a and 46b will hold the cut out sections 16a and 16b of crimping arms 12a and 12b open to receive the stranded cable and connector for crimping of wire for cutting. 
     The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the append claims rather than the foregoing description, and all change which comes within the meaning and range of equivalency of claims are intended to be embraced therein.