Jacketed wire layer removing tool

Claim 1

A tool for selectively removing layers from jacketed wire, comprising: a cutting head mounting a first circumferential slitting blade on a first face thereof and protruding beyond a second face, and mounting a longitudinal slitting blade on a third face thereof and protruding beyond said second face, a second circumferential slitting blade mounted on a fourth face of said head and protruding beyond said second face, an anvil having at least two longitudinal wire guide channels in a first face thereof, interconnection means mounting said second face of said cutting head and said first face of said anvil in opposed relationship and biasing said anvil and said cutting head toward one another, said first and said second circumferential slitting blades being positioned over, and transversely of, a first of said wire guide channels, and said longitudinal slitting blade being positioned over and aligned with a second of said second wire guide channels, said first and second circumferential slitting blades being parallel to one another and spaced from one another along said first wire guide channel, a first operating lever extending from said cutting head, a second operating lever extending from said anvil generally aligned with and in opposition to said first operating lever, said interconnection means providing a pivot point between the ends of said levers, guide flanges extending from one of said operating levers, said guide flanges being spaced from said pivot point and extending along and in close proximity to the sides of the other of said operating levers limiting the relative movement of said operating levers to pivotal rotation, said first and second circumferential slitting blades and said longitudinal slitting blade being adjustable toward and away from said anvil.