Cable stripping apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING THE METALLIC BRAID COVERING OF INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS, A FIXED SUPPORT HAVING INNER WALLS DEFINING A CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER HAVING AN OPEN END, CUTTING MEANS COMPRISING A DIE SLEEVE AXIALLY SLIDABLE IN SAID CHAMBER, HAVING AT ONE END A CIRCULAR SHEARING EDGE, AND A FIXED ANNULAR RING PUNCH AT THE OPEN END OF SAID SUPPORT THROUGH WHICH A LENGTH OF SAID CONDUCTOR MAY BE INSERTED, THE INWARD END OF SAID RING PUNCH HAVING A CIRCULAR SHEARING EDGE COOPERATING WITH THE SHEARING EDGE OF SAID SLEEVE; A FOLDING SLEEVE SLIDABLE IN SAID DIE SLEEVE HAVING AN INNER DIAMETER SO DIMENSIONED AS TO ACCOMMODATE THE INSULATED PORTION OF SAID CONDUCTOR AND A WALL THICKNESS SUFFICIENT TO ABUT AGAINST THE METALLIC BRAID COVERING SAID CONDUCTOR, WHEREBY UPON SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID FOLDING SLEEVE, SAID BRAID IS FORCED TO FOLD BACK UPON SAID INSULATED PORTION AND TO EXPAND INTO A LOOP, SAID EXPANDED LOOP EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SHEARING EDGES OF SAID CUTTING MEANS, AND POWER MEANS FOR EFFECTING SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID FOLDING SLEEVE TO THE EXTENT OF FORMING SAID LOOP AND FOR EFFECTING SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID DIE SLEEVE FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID SHEARING SURFACES, AND THEREBY THE SEVERANCE OF SAID LOOPED BRAID, SAID RING PUNCH AND SAID DIE SLEEVE TERMINATING IN A CUP INTO WHICH SAID RING PUNCH FITS, SAID RING PUNCH BEING OF REDUCED DIAMETER FORMING AT THE INNER WALL OF SAID SUPPORT A CAVITY WHICH ACCOMMODATES SAID SEVERED LOOP BRAID.