Collet crimper

Claim 2

A crimping die assembly for radially compressing a sleeve onto the exterior of a hose comprising a die block and a cooperating collet, said die block having a tapered bore therein, said collet including a plurality of rigid jaws positionable together in said bore in a circular array, said collet being axially movable between first and second positions in said bore, each of said jaws having a radially outer tapered surface complementary to the taper of said bore such that said jaws are cammed radially inward by said bore when said collet is moved from said first position to said second position, each of said jaws having a radially inner surface forming a section of a common collet bore when said collet is in said second position, each of said jaws being resiliently fixed to at least one adjacent jaw in a jaw assembly, at least two adjacent jaws being unattached to and separable from one another along a generally radial plane to permit a hose and a sleeve to be passed radially therebetween into and out of a pocket defined by said inner jaw surfaces, resilient spacer means locating said adjacent separable jaws in a predetermined angular relationship to one another at said first position and while said collet is moved from said first position to said second position.

Claim 3

A crimping die assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient spacer means includes an elastomeric body secured to one of said jaws.

Claim 4

A crimping die assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of said opposed jaws has a generally radial face associated with said radial plane and said elastomeric body is secured to such radial face, said resilient body being compressed between said opposed jaws when said collet is moved from said first position to said second position.

Claim 5

Apparatus for crimping a sleeve onto the exterior of a hose comprising a die block having a frustoconical throughbore with a generally even taper angle, a collet assembly axially movable in said bore between first and second positions, said collet including a plurality of circularly arranged rigid jaws, each of said jaws having a radially outer surface engageable with said bore and having a shape generally complementary to it, each of said jaws having a radially inner surface, said radially inner surfaces cooperating with one another to define a generally cylindrical die cavity when said collet is in said second position, said jaws each providing a pair of angularly spaced generally radial faces extending from its radially inner surface to its radially outer surface, at least a pair of jaws being separable along a radial plane to permit radial passage of a sleeve and hose therebetween to and from a pocket formed by the inner surfaces of said jaws, said collet including elastic spacer means adapted to maintain all of said jaws in a predetermined angular relationship with one another while said collet is seated in said bore, said jaws being cammed radially inward by the surface of said bore as said collet is moved axially from said first position to said second position, said elastic means including elastomeric material disposed between the radial faces of adjacent jaws, said material being resiliently compressed when said collet is moved to said second position, said jaws forming generally semicircular separable subassemblies, each of the jaws of a subassembly being resiliently fixed relative to one another.

Claim 6

Apparatus for crimping a sleeve onto the exterior of a hose comprising a die block having a frustoconical throughbore with a generally even taper angle, a collet assembly axially movable in said bore between first and second positions, said collet including a plurality of circularly arranged rigid jaws, each of said jaws having a radially outer surface engageable with said bore and having a shape generally complementary to it, each of said jaws having a radially inner surface, said radially inner surfaces cooperating with one another to define a generally cylindrical die cavity when said collet is in said second position, said jaws each providing a pair of angularly spaced generally radial faces extending from its radially inner surface to its radially outer surface, at least a pair of jaws being separable along a radial plane to permit radial passage of a sleeve and hose therebetween to and from a pocket formed by the inner surfaces of said jaws, said collet including elastic spacer means adapted to maintain all of said jaws in a predetermined angular relationship with one another while said collet is seated in said bore, said jaws being cammed radially inward by the surface of said bore as said collet is moved axially from said first position to said second position, said elastic means including elastomeric material disposed between the radial faces of adjacent jaws, said material being resiliently compressed when said collet is moved to said second position, said jaws forming generally semicircular separable subassemblies, each of the jaws of a subassembly being resiliently fixed relative to one another.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said elastomeric material is bonded to said radial faces.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said elastomeric material is mechanically fastened to the radial faces of said jaws.

Claim 11

A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said biasing is provided by disposing said collet assembly in said ring along a vertical axis such that gravity operates on the collet assembly to pull it into said gripping position.

Claim 12

A machine for permanently crimping a fitting on a hose comprising a bed, a ram reciprocal towards and away from the bed along a vertical direction, a die block disposed between the bed and ram, the die block including a tapered vertical bore therein, a radially contractible collet in the tapered bore and adapted to be moved axially by said ram between first and second positions in said bore, said collet includinG a plurality of circularly arranged rigid jaws, said jaws each including a radially inner surface collectively forming a central fitting receiving pocket, said inner jaw surfaces circumscribing a circle of a diameter slightly smaller than the nominal outer diameter of the fitting before crimping when said collet is in said first position, said bore camming said jaws radially inward to crimp a fitting therebetween onto a hose as said collet is moved from said first position to said second position, elastic spacer means for maintaining said jaws in a desired angular relationship relative to each other when said collet is in or between said positions, said elastic spacer means permitting gravitational force to move said collet towards said first position from an expanded position outside a zone defined by said first and second positions and points therebetween whereby said fitting is provisionally held in said collet prior to reciprocation of the ram.

Claim 13

A machine for permanently crimping a fitting on a hose comprising a bed, a ram reciprocal towards and away from the bed along a vertical direction, a die block disposed between the bed and ram, the die block including a tapered vertical bore therein, a radially contractible collet in the tapered bore and adapted to be moved axially by said ram between first and second positions in said bore, said collet includinG a plurality of circularly arranged rigid jaws, said jaws each including a radially inner surface collectively forming a central fitting receiving pocket, said inner jaw surfaces circumscribing a circle of a diameter slightly smaller than the nominal outer diameter of the fitting before crimping when said collet is in said first position, said bore camming said jaws radially inward to crimp a fitting therebetween onto a hose as said collet is moved from said first position to said second position, elastic spacer means for maintaining said jaws in a desired angular relationship relative to each other when said collet is in or between said positions, said elastic spacer means permitting gravitational force to move said collet towards said first position from an expanded position outside a zone defined by said first and second positions and points therebetween whereby said fitting is provisionally held in said collet prior to reciprocation of the ram.

Claim 14

A machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein, said elastic spacer means includes means to permit said jaws to be separated along a radial line when said collet is outside of said zone so that the fitting may be radially positioned in and removed from said receiving pocket.