Shielded/jacketed ribbon-cable sheathing stripping tool

Claim 1

A tool for use in stripping sheathing from a ribbon cable of the type characterized by a series of parallel conductors lying in a plane encased in one or more layers of sheathing having first and second opposite sides essentially parallel to the plane of the conductors connected along their longitudinal edges comprising a frame having at least two spaced-apart upright supports adapted to be mounted on a horizontal surface and when mounted, extending generally at right angles thereto, and a cutting assembly supported by said upright supports at a predetermined position above the horizontal surface, said cutter assembly including a cutting blade having a forward end, a central axis and at least two cutting edges in the plane of said blade extending rearwardly and at an angle to said central axis with the central axis being an axis of symmetry for said cutting blade, said blade being secured to said upright supports in a position generally parallel to the horizontal surface, and a non-cutting guide member mounted on a surface of said blade symmetrical with the central axis thereof and having a leading edge extending forwardly of the forward end of said blade, said guide member adapted to be inserted between the conductor sheath and conductors of said ribbon cable to separate the same prior to the cable contacting the cutting edges as the cable is pushed rearwardly to slit said sheath while permitting the enclosed conductors to pass therethrough undamaged.