Insulation stripper & wire separator for twisted wire pairs

Claim 1

Apparatus for stripping the insulation from each wire of a twisted wire pair, said apparatus comprising: a pair of insulation stripping blades, means for moving said blades towards and away from each other between open and closed positions along a path which is at least substantially rectilinear, said blades having leading ends which are opposed to each other, each blade having on its leading end a first cutting edge which extends substantially normally of said path and a second cutting edge which extends in the general direction of said path, said second cutting edges on said blades extending towards each other, the included angle between said first and second cutting edges being at least slightly greater than 90* and no greater than about 120* said second cutting edges being spaced apart when said blades are in said closed position by a distance d which is substantially equal to, and greater than, the diameter of the conducting core of one of said wires, said first cutting edges being spaced apart when said blades are in said closed position by a distance which is substantially equal to 2d + 2s where s is the thickness of the insulation of one of said wires whereby, upon locating said pair with its axis extending transversely of said path and upon movement of said blades towards each other, said pair will be reoriented, if necessary, by said blades so that said wires will be side-by-side between said second cutting edges and upon arrival of said blades at said closed position, sAid edges will have cut into the insulation of said wires to permit stripping of said insulation from said wires upon pulling said wires from between said blades.