Wire insertion and splicing system including reaction tool

Claim 2

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and reaction surfaces adjacent to the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body, a connector gripping member mounted on said tool body and including bearing surfaces contacting the reaction surfaces oN the connector block, a wire insertion member mounted on said body for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position with respect to a contact in an associated slot, an alignment tooth on said connector gripping member engageable in one of the slots in the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, and drive mechanism for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, thus to cause the contact to strip the insulation from the wire and to grip the wire to make good electrical and mechanical connection therewith.

Claim 3

The reaction tool set forth in claim 1, wherein two alignment teeth are provided on said connector gripping member engageable respectively in the slots disposed on both sides of the slot with which said wire insertion member is to be aligned.

Claim 4

The reaction tool set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of teeth is provided on said connector gripping member and engageable in slots disposed on both sides of and adjacent to the slot with which said wire insertion member is to be aligned.

Claim 5

The reaction tool set forth in claim 1, for use with a slotted block in which the reaction surfaces adjacent to the slots are the walls of a channel on the surface of the block, wherein said connector gripping member is provided with a channel engaging projection extending into the associated channel for engagement with the reaction surfaces, and said alignment tooth is on said channel engaging projection and extends therefrom and into the associated slot.

Claim 6

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body, first and second connector gripping members mounted on said tool body for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position with respect to a contact in an associated slot, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, and a drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, thus to cause the contact to strip the insulation from the wire and to grip the wire to make good electrical and mechanical connection therewith.

Claim 7

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body, first and second connector gripping members mounted on said tool body for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position with respect to a contact in an associated slot, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, and a drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, thus to cause the contact to strip the insulation from the wire and to grip the wire to make good electrical and mechanical connection therewith.

Claim 8

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and reaction surfaces adjacent to the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body having a pistol grip portion and a forwardly extending body portion, a connector gripping member mounted on said tool body and including guide surfaces contacting the reaction surfaces on the connector block, a wire insertion member mounted on said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position disposed forwardly with respect to said connector gripping member, an alignment tooth on said connector gripping member engageable in one of the slots in the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, drive mechanism for moving said wire insertion member from the retrActed position to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, and a handle pivotally mounted on said tool body adjacent to said pistol grip portion for engagement by the hand of a user and connected to said drive mechanism for manual actuation thereof.

Claim 9

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and reaction surfaces adjacent to the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body having a pistol grip portion and a forwardly extending body portion, a connector gripping member mounted on said tool body and including guide surfaces contacting the reaction surfaces on the connector block, a wire insertion member mounted on said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position disposed forwardly with respect to said connector gripping member, an alignment tooth on said connector gripping member engageable in one of the slots in the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, drive mechanism for moving said wire insertion member from the retrActed position to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, and a handle pivotally mounted on said tool body adjacent to said pistol grip portion for engagement by the hand of a user and connected to said drive mechanism for manual actuation thereof.

Claim 10

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body having a pistol grip portion and a forwardly extending body portion, first and second connector gripping members mounted on the outer end of said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on the said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position disposed forwardly with respect to said connector gripping members, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position, and a handle pivotally mounted on said tool body adjacent to said pistol grip portion for engagement by the hand of a user and connected to said drive mechanism for manual actuation thereof, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, thus to cause the contact to strip the insulation from the wire and to grip the wire to make good electrical and mechanical connection therewith.

Claim 11

A reaction tool for installing insulated wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body having a pistol grip portion and a forwardly extending body portion, first and second connector gripping members mounted on the outer end of said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on the said forwardly extending body portion for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position disposed forwardly with respect to said connector gripping members, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member with an associated slot, drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position, and a handle pivotally mounted on said tool body adjacent to said pistol grip portion for engagement by the hand of a user and connected to said drive mechanism for manual actuation thereof, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact, thus to cause the contact to strip the insulation from the wire and to grip the wire to make good electrical and mechanical connection therewith.

Claim 12

A reaction tool for installing insulating wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body, first and second connector gripping members mounted on said tool body for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position with respect to a contact in an associated slot, a cutting blade mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a cutting position with respect to a wire in the bottom of an associated slot, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member and said cutting blade with an associated slot, and a drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position and for moving said cutting blade from the retracted position to the cutting position, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact and moving said cutting blade to the cutting position to trim the insulated wire adjacent to the contact.

Claim 13

A reaction tool for installing insulating wires on a connector having a slotted block with wire stripping and gripping contacts in the slots and spaced first and second reaction surfaces on the opposite ends of the slots, said reaction tool comprising a tool body, first and second connector gripping members mounted on said tool body for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the first and second reaction surfaces, a wire insertion member mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a wire installed position with respect to a contact in an associated slot, a cutting blade mounted on said tool body for movement between a retracted position and a cutting position with respect to a wire in the bottom of an associated slot, camming and guiding surfaces on said connector gripping members cooperating with the first and second reaction surfaces on the connector block to align said wire insertion member and said cutting blade with an associated slot, and a drive mechanism for moving said connector gripping members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and for moving said wire insertion member from the retracted position to the wire installed position and for moving said cutting blade from the retracted position to the cutting position, said drive mechanism rapidly moving said connector gripping members to the engaged position gripping said connector to position said wire insertion member in alignment with a slot and thereafter moving said wire insertion member to the wire installed position to force an associated insulated wire onto a contact and moving said cutting blade to the cutting position to trim the insulated wire adjacent to the contact.

Claim 14

The reaction tool set forth in claim 8, wherein said camming and guiding surfaces have openings therein for receiving therethrough said wire insertiOn member and said cutting blade.

Claim 15

The reaction tool set forth in claim 8, wherein said wire insertion member and said cutting blade are integral with each other.