Insulation stripper and wire separator for twisted wire pairs

Claim 2

Apparatus for untwisting the two wires of a twisted wire pair and substantially simultaneously stripping insulation from the end portions of said wires, said apparatus comprising: first clamping means for clamping said twisted pair thereon against rotation at a location remote from the end of said pair, second clamping means for clamping said twisted pair thereon at a location adjacent said end of said pair, said second clamping means comprising a pair of opposed cutting blades which are movable relatively towards each other into surrounding relationship to said pair while cutting at least partially through the insulation of each wire of said pair, and means for rotating said clamping means relative to each other in opposite directions about the axis of a twisted pair held in said clamping means whereby, upon clamping of said pair in said first and second clamping means with concomitant cutting of the insulation of said wires of said pair by said second clamping means, and upon relative rotation of said clamping means in the direction of the lay of said pair, said pair will be untwisted between said first and second clamping means, and upon pulling of said pair from said second clamping means, the insulation will be stripped from the end portions of said wires.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said clamping means comprises means for rotating said second clamping means only.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cutting blades are mounted in a head member, said head member being mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith, said means for rotating said clamping means comprising means for rotating said shaft.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said shaft is hollow and is adapted to receive end portions of said pair, and adjustable stop means in said shaft adapted to be engaged by said pair to gauge the length of insulation stripped from said wires of said pair.

Claim 6

Apparatus for untwisting the two wires of a twisted wire pair and substantially simultaneously stripping insulation from the end portions of said wires, said apparatus comprising: a first clamping means for clamping said twisted pair against rotation at a location adjacent to the end of said pair, an untwisting and stripping head, means for rotating said head in both directions about an axis extending centrally through said head and coinciding with the axis of a twisted pair held in said first clamping means and extending towards said head, a pair of insulation cutting blades in said head, said blades being on opposite sides of said axis, said blades being normally in an open position relative to each other in which said blades are spaced apart, Said blades being movable towards each other to a closed position, said blades constituting a second clamping means, said blades having leading ends which are opposed to each other, cooperable insulation cutting edges on said leading ends, said edges surrounding said axis when said blades are in said closed position and penetrating at least partially through the insulation of the two wires of a twisted pair clamped in said first clamping means and extending along said axis towards, and into said head, and blade moving means for moving said blades from said open position to said closed position, said blade moving means being effective to maintain said blades in said closed position during rotation of said head whereby, upon positioning said pair on said axis with its end portion extending from said first clamping means past said blades, and upon movement of said blades to said closed position, and upon rotation of said head in the direction of the lay of said pair, the insulation of both wires of said pair will be circumferentially cut by said cutting edges and said pair will be untwisted between said head and said first clamping means, and upon pulling of said pair from between said blades, the insulation will be removed from the portions of said wires which extend beyond said blades.

Claim 7

Apparatus for untwisting the two wires of a twisted wire pair and substantially simultaneously stripping insulation from the end portions of said wires, said apparatus comprising: a first clamping means for clamping said twisted pair against rotation at a location adjacent to the end of said pair, an untwisting and stripping head, means for rotating said head in both directions about an axis extending centrally through said head and coinciding with the axis of a twisted pair held in said first clamping means and extending towards said head, a pair of insulation cutting blades in said head, said blades being on opposite sides of said axis, said blades being normally in an open position relative to each other in which said blades are spaced apart, Said blades being movable towards each other to a closed position, said blades constituting a second clamping means, said blades having leading ends which are opposed to each other, cooperable insulation cutting edges on said leading ends, said edges surrounding said axis when said blades are in said closed position and penetrating at least partially through the insulation of the two wires of a twisted pair clamped in said first clamping means and extending along said axis towards, and into said head, and blade moving means for moving said blades from said open position to said closed position, said blade moving means being effective to maintain said blades in said closed position during rotation of said head whereby, upon positioning said pair on said axis with its end portion extending from said first clamping means past said blades, and upon movement of said blades to said closed position, and upon rotation of said head in the direction of the lay of said pair, the insulation of both wires of said pair will be circumferentially cut by said cutting edges and said pair will be untwisted between said head and said first clamping means, and upon pulling of said pair from between said blades, the insulation will be removed from the portions of said wires which extend beyond said blades.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said head is secured to a shaft in alignment with said axis, said means for rotating said head comprising means for rotating said shaft.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said blade moving means comprises camming means on said shaft.