Stieff, Lorin R.;

Fiber optic seal assembly

A fiber optic seal assembly tool has a stripper for stripping a predetermined length of tubing from an end of a fiber optic bundle. The stripped end is inserted in a seal block and the block is gripped in a hand tool. An actuating lever is squeezed, biasing bundle clamps closed, and sliding a grooved anvil toward the block to press a collet chuck which holds the fiber ends into the block. When the collet is pressed into the block, ends of the fibers are sheared by a knife which moves in the anvil opening.

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I claim:

1. A fiber optic seal assembly tool comprising a frame, actuating means connected to the frame, a slide mounted for sliding movement on the frame and connected to the actuating means for moving the slide, a fiber optic seal block retainer means and an anvil means mounted on the frame and on the slide and connected to the actuating means for relatively moving the anvil with respect to the retainer and thereby pressing a collett into a block mounted on the retainer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retainer is mounted on the frame, and wherein the anvil is mounted on a slide.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a fiber optic bundle clamp mounted on the frame adjacent the retainer remote from the block for clamping a fiber optic bundle which is inserted into the block while the anvil is moved in a direction toward the block by the actuating means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the bundle clamp comprises at least one movable portion and wherein the slide includes a portion which coacts with the movable portion of the clamp to move the clamp in a clamping direction for operating the clamp and holding a fiber optic bundle as a slide and anvil are moved toward a block within the retainer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the slide comprises a ramp which slides into engagement with a movable portion of the clamp to move the movable portion into clamping position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the clamp comprises two similar opposite portions which are moved into clamping position by the ramp on the slide.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the frame is a handle having upward parallel channels mounted thereon, and wherein the actuating means is a lever connected to the handle, and wherein the slide is positioned within the channel and is connected to the actuating lever for movement within the channels.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a shearing mechanism connected to the apparatus for shearing ends of a fiber bundle in a predetermined plane.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the shearing mechanism is connected to a face of an anvil.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a face of an anvil is bifurcated for engaging sides of a collet and wherein the shearing mechanism is centrally mounted between the bifurcations and wherein the shearing apparatus and the face of the anvil are co-planar, whereby the fiber optic ends may be sheared with the anvil held against the collet after the collet is secured in the block.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising shearing means connected to the tool.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the handle includes a fiber optic bundle receiving guide and a stop for receiving a predetermined length of fiber optic bundle and wherein the handle comprises a stripping mechanism associated with the bundle receiver, whereby when a bundle is inserted within the receiver and the handle is closed, the stripping mechanism engages and cuts a outer layer of the bundle at a predetermined length.

13. A method for assembly of a fiber optic seal comprising stripping a predetermined length of sheath from and end of a fiber optic bundle and exposing the fibers, inserting the stripped fibers in a seal block and inserting the block in a retainer, moving an anvil toward a collet in the block in which ends of the stripped fibers are held and securing the collet in the block.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising gripping a portion of the bundle which extends from the block.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the gripping is simultaneous with the moving of the anvil toward the block.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the moving of the anvil comprises moving a slide on which an anvil is mounted and wherein the gripping comprises moving a bundle gripping apparatus into gripping position by the slide.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the moving the slide comprises moving a lever and thereby moving the slide toward the block.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising holding the collet in the block with the anvil and simultaneously shearing fiber ends protruding from the block by moving a shear within separated portions of the anvil.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the stripping step comprises inserting a bundle in a receiver in a handle, stopping the insertion at a predetermined length by a stop within the handle, squeezing the handle and scoring the sheath by a knife mounted within the handle.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising concurrently pressing collets on opposite sides of a block, locking a bundle in a collet one side of the block, and concurrently locking fiber terminii in a collet on an opposite side of the block.