Cable tool

Claim 2

A cable sheath cutter and stripper device for removing a portion of a sheath covering a cable, said device comprising: (a) an outer housing, (b) means forming a recess in said housing and sized to receive a sheath covered cable transverse to its length, (c) means forming a groove in another portion of said housing and also being sized to receive a sheath covered cable parallel to its length, (d) means forming a cavity in said housing to receive a blade-type cutting element of the type including a relatively long sharp cutting edge and a non-sharp grasping section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user of said device, said blade being positionable in said housing so that said relatively long cutting edge is capable of extending into said recess in order to permit cutting the sheath during positioned rotation of the cable in the recess; one end of said cutting edge extending into said groove so that it is capable of severing the cable and sheath into a plurality of longitudinal sections during pulling of the sheathed cable in the groove parallel to its longitudinal axis, (e) retaining and positioning means to removably retain said cutting element in said cavity and position said cutting element so that said cutting edge can be positionally located in said groove and said recess, and (f) said housing being shaped so that a pair of opposed portions forming part of said grasping section protrude outwardly of said housing so that said opposed portions can be grasped by the fingers of the user of said device without contact with the sharp cutting edge to positionally locate the cutting edge relative to said recess and said groove, said housing also having a sufficient size and shape so that all portions of said cutting edge can be retracted in said housing such that all portions of said cutting edge are unexposed in said groove and said recess.

Claim 3

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 1 further characterized in that said housing is comprised of two substantially identically shaped and sized mating housing sections which form said internal cavity therebetween.

Claim 4

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 2 further characterized in that said cutting element is a conventional razor blade.

Claim 5

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said blade is provided with a somewhat centrally located aperture, and said retaining and positioning means comprises a screw-like member which extends through said housing section and the aperture in said blade.

Claim 6

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said blade is a single cutting edged razor blade with said cutting edge being formed on one longitudinal margin thereof and said grasping section comprised of a thicker portion on an opposite longitudinal margin thereof, and where said opposed portions comprise opposite ends of said thicker portion which extend outwardly from opposite sides of said housing.

Claim 7

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said blade is a double cutting edged razor blade with at least one cutting edge on one longitudinal margin thereof protruding into said recess and groove, and where said opposed portions comprise opposite outwardly projecting side portions of said blade which extend outwardly from opposite sides of said housing.

Claim 8

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 2 further characterized in that said cable is a multicord electrical cable where each cable is provided with an outer sheath.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8 further characterized in that the blade is provided with an elongate aperture and is positioned by means of a screw-like device which releasably locks two housing sections together.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8 further characterized in that the blade is a conventional razor blade.

Claim 13

A cable sheath cutter and stripper device for removing a portion of a sheath covering a cable, said device comprising: (a) an outer housing comprised of a pair of housing sections, each of said housing sections having a relatively flat outer wall and a relatively flat inner wall with a relatively straight upper wall, a spaced apart relatively straight lower wall and opposed relatively straight end walls, each of said end walls merging into said lower walls through tapered wall sections, the upper and lower walls and the spaced apart end walls being marginally registrable with each other so that said housing sections are essentially mirror imaged with respect to one another, (b) means forming an arcuately shaped recess in the upper walls of said housing and sized to receive a sheath covered cable transverse to the length of the housing sections, (c) opposed inwardly and downwardly tapering wall sections extending between the upper walls and one of the end walls of each of said housing sections and which tapering wall sections are spaced apart from each other and are essentially marginally registered with each other forming a groove in another portion of said housing and also being sized to receive a sheath covered cable parallel to the length of the housing sections, (d) said inner walls being capable of being spaced apart from each other sufficient to receive a blade-type cutting element of the type including a relatively long sharp cutting edge and a non-sharp grasping section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user of said device, said blade being positionable in said housing so that said relatively long cutting edge is capable of extending into said recess in order to permit cutting the sheath during positioned rotation of the cable in the recess by merely pressing on the cable with a finger and rotating the housing on the cable relative to one another; one end of said cutting edge extending into said groove so that it is capable of severing the cable and sheath into a plurality of longitudinal sections during pulling of the sheathed cable in the groove parallel to its longitudinal axis, (e) retaining and positioning means to removably retain said cutting element in said cavity and position said cutting element so that said cutting edge can be positionally located in said groove and said recess, and (f) said housing being shaped so that a pair of opposed portions forming part of said grasping section protrude outwardly of said housing so that said opposed portions can be grasped by the fingers of the user of said device without contact with the sharp cutting edge to positionally locate the cutting edge relative to said recess and said groove, said housing also having a sufficient size and shape so that all portions of said cutting edge can be retracted in said housing such that all portions of said cutting edge are unexposed in said groove and said recess.

Claim 14

A cable sheath cutter and stripper device for removing a portion of a sheath covering a cable, said device comprising: (a) an outer housing comprised of a pair of housing sections, each of said housing sections having a relatively flat outer wall and a relatively flat inner wall with a relatively straight upper wall, a spaced apart relatively straight lower wall and opposed relatively straight end walls, each of said end walls merging into said lower walls through tapered wall sections, the upper and lower walls and the spaced apart end walls being marginally registrable with each other so that said housing sections are essentially mirror imaged with respect to one another, (b) means forming an arcuately shaped recess in the upper walls of said housing and sized to receive a sheath covered cable transverse to the length of the housing sections, (c) opposed inwardly and downwardly tapering wall sections extending between the upper walls and one of the end walls of each of said housing sections and which tapering wall sections are spaced apart from each other and are essentially marginally registered with each other forming a groove in another portion of said housing and also being sized to receive a sheath covered cable parallel to the length of the housing sections, (d) said inner walls being capable of being spaced apart from each other sufficient to receive a blade-type cutting element of the type including a relatively long sharp cutting edge and a non-sharp grasping section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user of said device, said blade being positionable in said housing so that said relatively long cutting edge is capable of extending into said recess in order to permit cutting the sheath during positioned rotation of the cable in the recess by merely pressing on the cable with a finger and rotating the housing on the cable relative to one another; one end of said cutting edge extending into said groove so that it is capable of severing the cable and sheath into a plurality of longitudinal sections during pulling of the sheathed cable in the groove parallel to its longitudinal axis, (e) retaining and positioning means to removably retain said cutting element in said cavity and position said cutting element so that said cutting edge can be positionally located in said groove and said recess, and (f) said housing being shaped so that a pair of opposed portions forming part of said grasping section protrude outwardly of said housing so that said opposed portions can be grasped by the fingers of the user of said device without contact with the sharp cutting edge to positionally locate the cutting edge relative to said recess and said groove, said housing also having a sufficient size and shape so that all portions of said cutting edge can be retracted in said housing such that all portions of said cutting edge are unexposed in said groove and said recess.

Claim 15

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 11 further characterized in that said cutting element is a conventional razor blade.

Claim 16

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 12 further characterized in that said blade is provided with a somewhat centrally located aperture, and said retaining and positioning means comprises a screw-like member which extends through said housing section and the aperture in said blade.

Claim 17

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 12 further characterized in that said blade is a single cutting edged razor blade with said cutting edge being formed on one longitudinal margin thereof and said grasping section comprised of a thicker portion on an opposite longitudinal margin thereof, and where said opposed portions comprise opposite ends of said thicker portion which extend outwardly from opposite sides of said housing.

Claim 18

The cable sheath cutting and stripping device of claim 12 further characterized in that said blade is a double cutting edged razor blade with at least one cutting edge on one longitudinal margin thereof protruding into said recess and groove, and where said opposed portions comprise opposite outwardly projecting side portions of said blade which extend outwardly from opposite sides of said housing.