Wire Shaping Tool

Abstract

A pair of crossed and pivotally connected levers defining a first pair of corresponding jaw ends at one pair of ends and a second pair of corresponding handle ends at the other pair of ends. One of the jaw ends includes a pair of aligned rollers spaced longitudinally thereof and journalled on one side thereof about parallel axes extending transversely of the one jaw end. The otherjaw end includes a third roller journalled therefrom about a third axis extending transversely of the other jaw end and disposed in a plane generally centrally intermediate the axes of rotation of the first pair of rollers and normal to a line extending between the first pair of rollers. The peripheries of the rollers are grooved to embracingly receive a wire to be straightened therebetween and the handle ends of the levers may have manual pressure applied thereto in order to urge the jaws together and to clamp a length of wire to be straightened between the first pair of rollers and the third roller as the levers are moved along the length of wire to be straightened.

Description

The wire shaping tool of the instant invention has been specifically designed to provide a hand tool that may be readily utilized to straighten wires in a lighting or other power panel before the various wire ends in the panel are attached to their respective terminals.

The tool includes the general construction of a conventional pair of pliers with the jaw ends of the crossed levers slightly angulated to one side and inclined relative to the center line of the handle ends of the levers. A pair of aligned rollers are carried by and spaced along one of the jaw ends of the levers and are journalled about axes extending transversely of that jaw end while a third roller aligned with the other pair of rollers is journalled from the other jaw whereby a wire to be straightened may be at least lightly clamped between the pair of rollers carried by the one jaw and the single roller carried by the other jaw as the hand tool is moved along the length of wire to be straightened.

The main object of this invention is to provide a hand tool to be utilized in straightening wire ends within a lighting or power panel before the wire ends are attached to their respective terminals.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a hand tool that may be utilized to perform its intended function with ease.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hand tool requiring little skill on the part of the user in order to perform the intended function.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a hand tool in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanYing drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wire shaping tool of the instant invention with the jaw ends of the crossed levers comprising the tool disposed in open positions and a portion of the insulation carried by one of the handle ends of the levers being broken away and illustrated in section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool as seen from the right side of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tool in use straightening the end of a conductor wire.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the wire straightening tool of the instant invention. The tool 10 includes a pair of crossed levers 12 and 14 pivotally secured together as at 16 for relative oscillation between the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

One pair of ends of the levers 12 and 14 define a pair of jaw ends 18 and 20 while the other pair of ends of the levers define a pair of handle ends 22 and 24. The handle ends 22 and 24 are provided with insulative coverings 26 and 28 whereby the user of the tool 10 will be insulated from electrical shocks.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the jaw ends 18 and 20 are laterally offset to one side of the plane in which the handle ends 22 and 24 are swingable and that the jaw ends 18 and 20 are inclined relative to that plane.

The jaw end 20 has a pair of rollers 30 journalled therefrom at points spaced longitudinally therealong for rotation about axes extending transversely of the jaw end 20. The rollers 30 are aligned with each other and a third roller 32 is journalled from the jaw end 18 and aligned with both the rollers 30.

As may be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawings, the spacing between the axes of rotation of the rollers 30 is less than twice the diameter of the roller 32. Also, it will be noted that the diameter of the third roller 32 is greater than one half the distance between the axes of rotation of the rollers 30.

The rollers 30 and 32 are each provided with grooved peripheral edges 34 in which a length of wire such as the wire 36 may be cradled. Further, when the jaw ends 18 and 20 are disposed in the closed positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the axes of rotation of the roller 32 lies in a plane generally centrally intermediate the axes of rotation of the rollers 30 and disposed normal to a line extending between the axes of rotation of the rollers 30.

Any suitable form of fasteners may be utilized to support the rollers 30 and 32 from the jaw ends 20 and 18 whereby the rollers 30 and 32 will be free to rotate. Further, it will be noted that the grooved peripheral edges 34 of the rollers 30 and 32 are generally semi-cylindrical in cross-sectional shape and therefore that the rollers 30 embracingly engage one side of the wire 36 and the roller 32 embracingly engages the other side of the wire 36 when the jaw ends 18 and 20 are disposed in the closed positions and the wire 36 extends between the rollers 30 and the roller 32.

In operation, when it is desired to straighten the wire section 36, the jaw ends 18 and 20 of the tool 10 are swung to their open positions illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the tool 10 is laterally advanced toward the wire 36 until the wire 36 is disposed in the plane of the rollers 30 and 32. Then, the handle ends 22 and 24 of the levers 12 and 14 may be manually urged toward each other in order to close the jaw ends 18 and 20 and to clampingly grip the wire 36 between the rollers 30 and the roller 32. After the wire 36 has been engaged by the rollers 30 and 32, the tool 10 may be drawn to the right relative to the wire 36 as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawings in order to straighten the wire 36.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hand tool for straightening wire ends in a terminal box or service panel prior to connection of the wires to their respective terminals, said hand tool including a pair of crossed pivotally connected levers defining a first pair of elongated lengthwise extending corresponding jaw ends on one side of the pivot and a second pair of lengthwise extending handle ends on the other side of the pivot, said levers being relatively swingable between first positions with said jaw ends in closed close proximity positions and second positions with said jaw ends swung apart, one of said jaw ends including a pair of aligned rollers journalled from one side thereof about at least generally parallel axes extending transversely of and spaced along said one jaw end and the other of said jaw ends including a third roller journaled therefrom about a third axis at least generally paralleling said axes and disposed in a plane centrally intermediate said axes and normal to a line extending therebetween when said jaw ends are disposed in the closed positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rollers each includes grooved peripheral surfaces.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the effective diameter of said third roller is greater than one half the distance between the axes of rotation of said pair of rollers.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rollers are disposed in a plane slightly angularly displaced, about an axis generally normal to the axes of rotation of said rollers and said line, relative to a plane normal to the axes of relative oscillation of said levers.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said handle ends include insulative coverings.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the spacing between the axes of rotation of said pair of rollers is less than twice the diameter of either of roller said pair of rollers.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the effective diameter of said third roller is greater than one half the distance between the axes of rotation of said pair of rollers.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said rollers each includes grooved peripheral surfaces.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said said rollers are disposed in a plane slightly angularly displaced, about an axis generally normal to the axes of rotation of said rollers and said line, relative to a plane normal to the axes of relative oscillation of said levers.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said handle ends include insulative coverings.