Fiber optic cable sheath removal tool

摘要

A cutting tool (10) for making precise circumferential and longitudinal cuts in an fiber optic cable (12) includes a rotary-driven cutting wheel (18) that extends partially into the top of a housing (24) having an open bottom. The housing receives a pair of upper and lower cable guides that have opposed longitudinal and transverse channels (36 and 42) and 38 and 44) for retaining the cable in a longitudinal and transverse relationship, respectively with the cutting wheel. A cable lock guide (48) attaches to the bottom of the housing to maintain the guides in a fixed relationship while an adjustment mechanism (52) extends through the guide lock to displace the guides (and the cable retained therebetween) towards the cutting wheel to control the depth of cut. By placing the cable in the longitudinal channels in the guides, the tool can make a longitudinal cut when displaced along the axis of the cable. By placing the cable in the transverse channels in the guides, the tool can make a circumferential cut when rotated about the cable axis.