Abstract An apparatus is provided for installing sleeves onto elongated substrates such as electrical wiring or cable, where the sleeves are slideably arranged on fingers extending from a carrier belt. The apparatus includes a base having a belt path for receiving the carrier belt and a finger guideway for receiving a finger of the carrier belt. Stripping means are slideably mounted on the base for forcing a sleeve from a finger onto a substrate. An indexing element is provided for moving the carrier belt to a position so that a finger having a sleeve arranged thereon is in the finger guideway each time after a sleeve is stripped from a finger. In use of the device, the sleeve can be stripped from a finger into the die in two stages, where an elongate substrate is inserted into the removed portion of the sleeve between the two stages. For installing non-cylindrical sleeves on cylindrical substrates, a die is mounted to the base at a position to receive the sleeve as it is stripped from a finger. The die includes a narrow passageway for forming a sleeve into a substantially cylindrical configuration. Preferably, the die comprises at least two passageways for receiving the sleeve, the passageways being adapted for sleeves of different shape and/or material, where the die is rotatably mounted so that either of the passageways can be positioned to receive a sleeve. In use of the device, a sleeve can be stripped from a finger into the die in two stages, where an elongate substrate is inserted into the removed portion of the sleeve between the two stages.
A method for installing a non-cylindrical sleeve on an elongated substrate, the sleeve being slidably and tightly arranged in a non-cylindrical shape on a non-cylindrical holder, the method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a die having opposed first and second openings; (b) forcing only a first part of the sleeve from the holder into the first opening of the die having a second part of the sleeve on the holder, the die forming at least a portion of the first part of the sleeve into a substantially cylindrically configuration; (c) stopping the step of forcing so that there is no relative movement between the sleeve and the die; (d) while there is no relative movement between the sleeve and the die, inserting the elongated substrate into the substantially cylindrical portion of the sleeve; (e) thereafter, forcing the second part of the sleeve onto the elongated substrate; and (f) removing the substrate with the sleeve thereon from the die through the second opening.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for installing a non-cylindrical sleeve on an elongated substrate, the sleeve being slidably and tightly arranged in a non-cylindrical shape on a non-cylindrical holder, the method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a die having opposed first and second openings; (b) forcing only a first part of the sleeve from the holder into the first opening of the die having a second part of the sleeve on the holder, the die forming at least a portion of the first part of the sleeve into a substantially cylindrically configuration; (c) stopping the step of forcing so that there is no relative movement between the sleeve and the die; (d) while there is no relative movement between the sleeve and the die, inserting the elongated substrate into the substantially cylindrical portion of the sleeve; (e) thereafter, forcing the second part of the sleeve onto the elongated substrate; and (f) removing the substrate with the sleeve thereon from the die through the second opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 in which the step of forcing the second part of the sleeve onto the elongated substrate comprises forcing the second part of the sleeve from the holder into the die.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 in which the die comprises a passageway that narrows from a first section that accommodates the non-cylindrical sleeve dimension to a smaller second section having a width smaller than the width of the first section for forming the sleeve into a substantially cylindrical configuration when the sleeve is forced into the die passageway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1 in which the holder is a finger and the sleeve is one of a plurality of sleeves slideably and tightly arranged on one of a plurality of non-cylindrical fingers extending from a carrier belt, and the method includes the step of indexing the carrier belt after a sleeve is completely forced from a finger so that another sleeve can be forced from another finger.