Pliers-type wire-crimper

Claim 2

A wire crimper for crimping a longitudinally elongated wire comprising: A. a first longitudinally spaced pair of first and second arm ends, with respective first and second crimping edges defining a first longitudinal plane; B. a second longitudinally spaced pair of third and fourth arm ends movable with respect to the first pair of arm ends between a first open position and a second closed position, the third arm end being longitudinally positioned between the first and second arm ends, and the fourth arm end being longitudinally spaced beyond the second arm end, the third and fourth arm ends having respective third and fourth crimping edges facing toward the first and second crimping edges when the arm ends are in the first open position, the fourth crimping edge being laterally offset from and defining with the third crimping edge a skewed second plane which intersects the first plane, positioning the fourth crimping edge near but not intermeshed with the second crimping edge and positioning the third crimping edge intermeshed between the first and second crimping edges when in the second closed position of the arm ends; and C. means for moving the second pair of arm ends with respect to the first pair of arm ends between the first open position and the second closed position; whereby a wire placed between the opposing crimping edges when the arm ends are in the first open position is forcibly crimped by movement of the arm ends toward the second closed position, being deformed in undulant fashion around the first, second and third crimping edges while restrained by the fourth crimping edge so that the wire portion adjacent the fourth crimping edge remains substantially straight and undisturbed after the arm ends are retracted from the second closed position.

Claim 3

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 1 wherein said pairs of arm members are pivotally interconnected at a pivot axis.

Claim 4

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 2, further comprising a torsion spring having an axis near said pivot axis and two legs each respectively mounted to one arm end of each of said pairs of arm ends for maintaining said crimping edges apart in the second, open, position when no pressure is applied to said pairs of arm ends.

Claim 5

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 2, further comprising a stop means mounted to one of said arm ends for limiting the arc through which the other of said pairs of arm ends may move whereby the axial intermeshing of said third crimping edge with said first and secoNd crimping edges if correspondingly limited.

Claim 6

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 4, wherein said stop means is mounted on a pivot axis and has an eccentric perimeter adjustably engaging an arm member of said other pair of arm members.

Claim 7

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and third crimping edges are of smaller cross-sectional thickness than the second and fourth crimping edges, and wherein the second and fourth crimping edges are of approximately the same cross-sectional thickness.

Claim 8

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and third crimping edges are arcuate, and wherein the engaging portion of the second crimping edge closest to the first crimping edge is arcuate, and wherein the configuration of the remaining portion of said second crimping edge as well as the fourth crimping edge are generally straight.

Claim 9

A wire-crimper as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal space between the first and third crimping edges and the longitudinal space between the second and third crimping edges is approximately equal to the wire diameter of the wire to be crimped, and wherein the longitudinal space between the third and fourth crimping edges is substantially greater than the wire diameter of the wire to be crimped.

Claim 10

A wire-crimper for crimping longitudinally elongated wire leads of small electronic components comprising: A. a first pair of first and second arm members having respective first and second planar end portions parallel to and spaced from each other, with respective first and second crimping edges longitudinally spaced from each other and defining a first plane perpendicular to both the first and second planar end portions, the first pair of arm members having a common second distal handle end portion at its other end; B. a second pair of third and fourth arm members pivotally interconnected with said first pair of arm members and having a first, open, position and a second, closed, position, the third arm member positioned between the first and second arm members, and the fourth arm member parallel to and spaced from the third arm member and longitudinally spaced closest to the second arm member, the third and fourth arm members having respective third and fourth planar end portions parallel to and spaced from each other, the third and fourth end portions having respective third and fourth crimping edges spaced from each other and facing towards the first and second crimping edges when the second pair of arm members is in the first, open, position, the fourth crimping edge angularly offset away from the other crimping edges so that the extension of a second skewed plane defined by the third and fourth crimping edges intersects the first plane in which the first and second crimping edges are positioned, so that when the second pair of arm members are in the second, closed, position, the fourth crimping edge approaches the first and second crimping edge but does not intersect the extension of the plane in which the first and second crimping edges are positioned, and the third crimping edge does intersect said first plane so as to intermesh between the first and second crimping edges, the second pair of arm members also having a common second distal handle end portion for pivotally moving the first and second pair of arm members from the first, open, position to the second, closed, position; whereby a longitudinally elongated wire lead of an electronic component placed between the opposing crimping edges of the wire-crimper when the second pair of arm members are in the first, open position so that the electronic component is closest to the first crimping edge, is forced over the first, second, and third crimping edges while held by the fourth crimping edge so that the corresponding portion of the wire lead adjacent the fourth crimping edge remains in axial alignment with the portion of the wire lead closest to the electronic component above the point where the first crimping edge contacts the Wire lead when the second pair of arm members are placed in the second, closed position.

Claim 11

A wire-crimper for crimping longitudinally elongated wire leads of small electronic components comprising: A. a first pair of first and second arm members having respective first and second planar end portions parallel to and spaced from each other, with respective first and second crimping edges longitudinally spaced from each other and defining a first plane perpendicular to both the first and second planar end portions, the first pair of arm members having a common second distal handle end portion at its other end; B. a second pair of third and fourth arm members pivotally interconnected with said first pair of arm members and having a first, open, position and a second, closed, position, the third arm member positioned between the first and second arm members, and the fourth arm member parallel to and spaced from the third arm member and longitudinally spaced closest to the second arm member, the third and fourth arm members having respective third and fourth planar end portions parallel to and spaced from each other, the third and fourth end portions having respective third and fourth crimping edges spaced from each other and facing towards the first and second crimping edges when the second pair of arm members is in the first, open, position, the fourth crimping edge angularly offset away from the other crimping edges so that the extension of a second skewed plane defined by the third and fourth crimping edges intersects the first plane in which the first and second crimping edges are positioned, so that when the second pair of arm members are in the second, closed, position, the fourth crimping edge approaches the first and second crimping edge but does not intersect the extension of the plane in which the first and second crimping edges are positioned, and the third crimping edge does intersect said first plane so as to intermesh between the first and second crimping edges, the second pair of arm members also having a common second distal handle end portion for pivotally moving the first and second pair of arm members from the first, open, position to the second, closed, position; whereby a longitudinally elongated wire lead of an electronic component placed between the opposing crimping edges of the wire-crimper when the second pair of arm members are in the first, open position so that the electronic component is closest to the first crimping edge, is forced over the first, second, and third crimping edges while held by the fourth crimping edge so that the corresponding portion of the wire lead adjacent the fourth crimping edge remains in axial alignment with the portion of the wire lead closest to the electronic component above the point where the first crimping edge contacts the Wire lead when the second pair of arm members are placed in the second, closed position.