Cable connector hand tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10063025-B2
Application number	US-201715423809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An illustrative cable connector hand tool and associated methods are operable to permit cable connection sections to respectively pass through a side opening of hand tool members into a center aperture of the tool members. Exemplary hand tool members are formed with a recessed portion adapted to receive an end of one of a pair of cable connectors such that mating edges of the cable connectors used to couple the cable connection sections are visible when the cable connectors are in a coupled configuration abutting each other. An illustrative embodiment includes the recessed portion formed with a plurality of recesses spaced apart in the center aperture operable to engage protrusions on an outer wall of the cable connectors. Exemplary cable connectors engage each other with respective threaded connection sections to apply compressive or coupling force to two ends of the cable when the tools rotate the connectors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cable connection hand tool comprising:
a first cable connector hand tool member;
a second cable connector hand tool member;
each of the first and second cable connector hand tool members including:
a body defining a side opening to allow a cable conduit portion to pass into a center opening;
an inner wall of the body defining a first recessed portion formed with a plurality of keyways to cooperate with keys on a cable connector receiving the cable conduit portion; and
a lip extending inwardly from the inner wall and spaced apart from the keyways to cooperate with a ring wall formed on the cable connector.

2. The cable connection hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the body includes an outer wall including a plurality of planar portions, and the inner wall is semi-circular.

3. The cable connection hand tool of claim 2 , wherein the outer wall is square in cross-section and includes planar first, second, third and fourth sides, the side opening being formed within the fourth side.

4. The cable connection hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed of aluminum.

5. The cable connection hand tool of claim 1 , further comprising an insert received within the body and including a second recessed portion different from the first recessed portion for receiving different cable connectors.

6. The cable connection hand tool of claim 5 , further comprising a retainer to releasably secure the insert within the body.

7. The cable connection hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a base, a first arm extending upwardly from the base, and a second arm extending upwardly from the base and spaced apart from the first arm by the side opening and the center opening.

8. The cable connection hand tool of claim 7 , wherein the upper ends of the arms are rounded to facilitate insertion of the cable conduit portion into the center opening.

9. A cable connection hand tool comprising:
a pair of cable connector hand tool sections, each hand tool section comprising:
a rectangular body defining a center aperture and including flat edges around at least three sides of the body, and an aperture in a fourth side of the body defining a side opening that is operable to permit a cable to pass through the side opening into the center aperture of the body;
wherein the body is formed with a recessed portion adapted to receive a proximal end of one of a pair of cable connectors such that mating edges of the cable connectors are visible when the cable connectors are in a connected configuration;
wherein the recessed portion is formed with a plurality of spaced apart recesses that are operable to engage protrusions on an outer wall of the cable end connector;
wherein the cable end connectors engage each other with respective male and female threaded connection sections, each of the cable end connectors including a lip which extends from a distal end and surrounds the cable and is adapted to engage with a corresponding wall formed on the cable, wherein the cable connectors apply compressive force to the ends of a cable when the tool sections rotate the connectors via the threaded sections of the connectors.

10. The cable connection hand tool of claim 9 , wherein the spaced apart recesses of the recessed portion extend radially outwardly and are circumferentially spaced, the protrusions of the cable end connector extending radially outwardly from a cylindrical wall and received within the recesses.

11. The cable connection hand tool of claim 9 , wherein the body is square in cross-section, and the center aperture is circular in cross-section.

12. The cable connection hand tool of claim 9 , further comprising an insert received within the body and including a second recessed portion different from the first recessed portion for receiving different cable connectors.

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Small Scott L

Classifications

• B25B23/0085

  Counterholding devices · CPC title

• B25B13/04

  of ring jaw type · CPC title

• B25B13/50

  for operating on work of special profile, e.g. pipes · CPC title

• Y10T29/53209

  Terminal or connector · CPC title

• Y10T29/49

  Method of mechanical manufacture · CPC title