Hand tool for applying a ferrule to a safety cable

摘要

A hand tool for applying a ferrule to a safety cable is disclosed having a ferrule positioning device to position the ferrule while a safety cable is placed through the ferrule and through the tool, a mechanism for applying a tension to the cable and a mechanism to crimp the ferrule so as to attach the ferrule to the safety cable. A ferrule holding device, which may contain several ferrules is removably attachable to an elongated body of the hand tool such that one of the ferrules in the holding device is aligned with an opening defined by the elongated body. After threading the safety cable through the ferrule in the ferrule holding device and the opening in the elongated body, it is attached to a tensioning device which applies a predetermined tension to the safety cable. The tensioning device incorporates a clutch which disengages the tensioning device once the predetermined tension has been achieved. A pair of handles are pivotally attached to each other and are associated with the elongated body and a crimping punch such that when the handles are squeezed toward each other, the crimping punch deforms the ferrule to attach it to the safety cable. The hand tool according to this invention incorporates a locking device to prevent the handles from being moved toward each other until the predetermined tension has been placed in the safety cable. The clutch mechanism which disengages the tensioning device may also disengage the locking mechanism to enable the handles to be moved toward each other once the predetermined tension has been achieved. The device also incorporates a ratchet device associated with the handles to prevent the handles from returning to their initial, spaced apart positions until the ferrule has been properly crimped onto the safety cable. This positively ensures that the ferrule is properly affixed to the safety cable by preventing the return of the handles to their initial positions and the removal of the device from the ferrule.