Cable stripper

Abstract

A blade stripper has a displaceable blade carriage, which is normally biased toward a cable support to automatically accommodate differently dimensioned jacketed cables, and a pair of coaxial handles spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the blade stripper to allow the user to apply pulling forces directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for producing a linear cut in the jacket.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cable stripper comprising: 
 an elongated column;    a cable support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column;    a blade carriage provided with a blade assembly and slidably mounted on the elongated column, the blade carriage and the cable support being displaceable relative to one another to form a space therebetween sufficient to selectively receive differently dimensioned jacketed cables, the blade carriage being resiliently biased towards the cable support so that when a cable to be stripped is inserted into the space, the cable support and blade carriage press against the cable in opposite directions while the cable's jacket is being cut by the blade assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The cable stripper according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide column has a central post provided with a seat on one end and receiving a carriage spring, the carriage spring being braced between the blade carriage and the seat to bias the carriage toward the cable support.  
     
     
         3 . The cable stripper according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade assembly includes a hollow blade housing mounted on the blade carriage, and a blade holder traversing the hollow blade housing and resiliently biased away from the end of the hollow blade housing facing the cable support.  
     
     
         4 . The cable stripper according to  claim 3 , wherein the blade holder has opposite ends one of which is thicker than the other end which is coupled to the blade, the cable stripper further comprising a blade spring extending along the blade holder and having opposite ends braced against the one end of the blade holder and the blade carriage to bias the blade holder within the blade housing.  
     
     
         5 . The cable stripper according to  claim 4 , wherein the blade housing has a threaded periphery and a U-shaped recess formed in the periphery and forming angularly spaced guide channels to provide access to the interior of the blade housing.  
     
     
         6 . The cable stripper according to  claim 5 , further comprising a hollow lever traversed by a thumb screw coupled to the blade holder, the hollow lever extends through the recess and operative to selectively move along the spaced guide channels to establish a radial cutting position and an axial cutting position of the blade.  
     
     
         7 . The cable stripper according to  claim 6 , further comprising a blade cap having an inner threaded surface meshing with the threaded periphery of the blade housing and displaceable relative to the blade housing to lock the hollow lever in a desired position corresponding to one of the radial or axial cutting positions of the blade.  
     
     
         8 . The cable stripper according to  claim 6 , wherein the blade holder is provided with two angularly spaced holes selectively engaged by the thumb screw so that when one of the holes is engaged by the thumb, the blade can be switched between the radial and axial cutting positions, and when the other hole is engaged by the thumb screw, the blade is in a spiral cutting position.  
     
     
         9 . The cable stripper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dial assembly rotatably mounted on the blade housing to enable the blade assembly to penetrate the jacket of the cable at a predetermined depth.  
     
     
         10 . The cable stripper according to  claim 7 , wherein the dial assembly includes a dial ring mounted on the blade housing between the blade carriage and the blade cap, so that when the blade cap is displaced toward the dial ring, the hollow lever is locked between the opposing faces of the dial ring and the blade cap.  
     
     
         11 . The cable stripper according to  claim 10 , wherein the dial ring has a scale provided on the face of the dial ring facing the blade cap and indicating a desired penetration of the blade into the jacket upon rotating the dial ring in an operative position, the cable stripper further comprising a ring lock mounted on the blade carriage and biased in a lock position, wherein the dial ring is locked against further rotation after having been rotated in the operative position.  
     
     
         12 . The cable stripper according to  claim 11 , wherein the ring lock has a plate-like body formed with spaced oblong holes and extending between opposite ends, one of the ends being provided with a resilient element extending between the blade carriage and the one end, and the other end extending from the blade carriage to terminate flush with the scale and to provide an index for establishing the operative position of the dial ring.  
     
     
         13 . The cable stripper according to  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners each extending through a respective oblong hole and removably attached to the blade carriage so that when an external force is applied to the one end of the plate-like body, the ring lock is displaceable until the extremities of the oblong holes engage the fasteners.  
     
     
         14 . The cable stripper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle pivotally attached to a side of the cable support facing away from the blade carriage, the handle having a point of attachment lying on a central axis which extends through the guide support, the blade carriage and the blade assembly.  
     
     
         15 . A cable stripper comprising: 
 an elongated column;    a cable support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column;    a blade carriage provided slidably mounted on the elongated column, the blade carriage and the cable support being displaceable relative to one another to form a space therebetween sufficient to receive differently dimensioned jacketed cables; and    a blade assembly provided with a resiliently biased blade and mounted on the blade carriage to travel therealong along the elongated column, the resilient blade being biased away from the blade carriage in a rest position of the blade to prevent contact between the user and the tip of the blade.    
     
     
         16 . A cable stripper comprising: 
 an elongated column;    a cable support detachably coupled to one end of the elongated column and centered along a longitudinal axis;    a blade carriage coaxial with the cable support and slidably mounted on the elongated column, the blade carriage and the cable support being displaceable relative to one another to form a space therebetween sufficient to receive differently dimensioned jacketed cables;    a blade coaxial with and mounted on the blade carriage to move therealong;    a blade cap removably attached to the blade carriage and extending in one axial direction from the blade; and    a handle attached to the cable support so that a point of attachment lies on the longitudinal axis and extending generally in opposite axial direction, so that when the blade penetrates into the cable to be stripped, the handle and the blade cap provide a reliable grip for the user as the cable stripper and the cable move relative to one another.