Background Art The stripping of wires and cables is a common aspect of modifying, constructing, and maintaining electrical equipment and facilities. Common types of cables used in these types of applications include multi-conductor cables such as NM-B type cable for distributing power. These types of cables typically have three or more conductors protected in a sheath. At least two of the conductors are typically individually insulated in addition to having the protective sheath.

Depending on the country and the application, the construction of these types of flat cables may vary slightly, but the overall constructions are quite similar.

When stripping multi-conductor cables, it is necessary to slit or strip the outer sheath to gain access to the interior contents and then strip the insulation from the individually insulated wires to expose the conductors. Similarly, it is

also necessary to strip the insulating material from coaxial type cables as well as single conductor wires. Regardless of the type of wire or cable being prepared, it is desirable to slit or strip the insulating material without damaging the underlying contents.

Stripping of multi-conductor cable poses certain unique challenges. As a result, there are a number of prior art tools and methods for accomplishing the stripping of the sheath of a multi-conductor cable. A common method is to use a pocketknife to slit the sheath along the longitudinal axis of the cable and then make a cut around the circumference to remove the severed portion of the sheath and expose the conductors. Although this method will suffice, it has the potential of damaging the insulation on the individual conductors. Furthermore, physical injury to the party stripping the cable is also possible. To simplify the process of stripping these types of cables, many types of specialized tools have been developed and are well know in the art.

US patent 4,951,393 to Wallace discloses a cable stripper especially adapted for stripping multi-conductor cable. Wallace teaches a tool having a blade for slitting the outer sheath of the cable to a depth approximately equal to the thickness of the sheath material. The tool may further include a separate blade arrangement having a plurality of sharpened circular openings for stripping the insulation from the individual insulated wires. The tool disclosed by Wallace includes a guide for controlling the depth of the slit in the sheath. However, variations in the thickness of the sheath, selection of different size cables, and variations in the pressure applied to the slitting blade during operation will result in a slit depth that is either slightly greater or less than the thickness of the sheath.

A slitting depth slightly less than the sheath thickness will result in the sheath being difficult to remove and a slitting depth slightly greater than the sheath thickness can inadvertently damage the insulation on the individual insulated

wires. Furthermore, the tool as taught by Wallace does not readily allow for longitudinal stripping long lengths of the insulation from insulated wires.

US patent 5,535,519 to Brimmer also teaches a tool for stripping insulation from a cable. Brimmer teaches a tool that comprises a pair of handles similar to that of pliers. However, the handles operate a pair of jaws adapted for cutting insulation. Each jaw includes a series of semi-circular cutting edges that combine to form a series of circular openings when the jaws are in the closed position. Each jaw also carries non-circular cutting edges that combine to form a dumbbell-shaped opening when the jaws are in the closed position. The cutting edges are sharpened such that they can cut the insulation and allow it to be removed. The series of circular openings allow for round insulated wires of varying diameters to be stripped without appreciably damaging the conductor.

The dumbbell-shaped opening is useful in stripping the outer sheath from multi- conductor cables. The tool as taught by Brimmer does not readily allow for longitudinal slitting or stripping of insulation from conductors.

US patent 5,325,593 to Chen teaches a double bladed vegetable peeler having pivotally mounted blades and guides similar to that contemplated for the present invention. As the disclosed and claimed utility of the peeler is for removing the skin from a vegetable or fruit, an element or elements for guiding the tool along the longitudinal axis of a wire or cable is not disclosed. Without such a guiding element or elements, the orientation of the wire or cable relative to the tool and the force applied between the blade and the wire or cable would not be controllable. This uncontrolled stripping operation would result in the strip depth and location of the insulation or sheath to be inconsistent, causing damage to an underlying insulation or conductor.

Accordingly, a need has arisen for a tool that efficiently and reliably stripping the sheath from a multi-conductor cable along the longitudinal direction of the cable without damaging the underlying contents. Depending on the

specific embodiment of the tool, the stripping of the insulating material from coaxial cables and single conductor wires may also be accomplished.

Disclosure of the Invention An embodiment of a tool according to the present invention will strip long lengths of the insulating material from along the longitudinal axis of a wire or cable, removing a sliver-like segment of the insulating material. The tool will strip the insulating material without damaging the underlying contents. To this end, an embodiment of a tool for stripping the insulating material sheath from a wire of cable includes a handle having a blade-carrying portion and a guide portion for guiding the tool along the longitudinal axis of the wire or cable. In a first embodiment, the tool includes a blade having a generally u-shaped blade portion with an open end and a closed end. The u-shaped blade portion is disposed between a first and a second elongated blade member. Each blade member is attached at a first end to the open end of the u-shaped blade portion and is attached at a second end to the blade-carrying portion of the handle. The u-shaped blade portion has a respective cutting edge. A blade guide is attached to the blade. In a second embodiment, the tool has a generally flat blade attached to a blade guide.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool that includes a blade with an associated blade guide. The blade guide cooperates with the blade such that the depth of cut is controlled whereby the contents beneath the insulating material are not inadvertently stripped or damaged. The blade and blade guide may be of unitary construction or may be linked by a separate component. Furthermore, the blade guide may be adjustable to allow for stripping of various insulating material having significantly different thickness.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool including a handle having a portion for carrying the blade and a portion for guiding the wire

or cable relative to the blade and guide. The blade-carrying portion and the guiding portion of the handle are connected such that pressure of a level suitable to maintain the wire or cable against the blade and blade guide can be readily maintained as the wire or cable is guided over the blade.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool wherein the handle includes an upper arm and a lower arm. The upper arm is preferably in combination with the blade-carrying portion of the handle and lower arm is preferably in combination with the guiding portion of the handle. The upper and lower arms may be resiliently affixed to each other. The upper and lower arms are preferably biased to a position whereby the wire or cable can be inserted into the region between the blade and the guiding portion without any significant manipulation of the handle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a tool wherein the blade and blade guide pivot relative to the blade-carrying portion of the handle. The pivoting action allows the blade and blade guide to react and adjust to contours in the wire or cable as well as to nominal variations in the applied pressure and in the thickness of the insulating material. The pivoting action contributes to the blade preferentially stripping the insulating material to a depth equal to the thickness of the insulating material being stripped. The pivoting action also contributes to the orientation of the handle not being critical to the preferential stripping action.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a tool for stripping the insulating material from an intermediate section of the wire or cable.

An end of the wire or cable need not be available to perform the stripping operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description below and from the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 A is an end view illustrating a multi-conductor cable having two insulated wires and one un-insulated wire in a sheath.

Figure 1 B is an end view illustrating a multi-conductor cable having three insulated wires in a sheath.

Figure 1 C is an end view illustrating a coaxial cable.

Figure 2A is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a stripping tool with a cable positioned to strip the sheath adjacent an exterior wire.

Figure 2B is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a stripping tool with a cable positioned to strip the sheath adjacent an intermediate wire.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the section 3-3 indicated in figure 2A.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the section 4-4 indicated in figure 2B.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view showing an embodiment of the guide portion of the handle.

Figure 6A is a side view illustrating the orientation of the blade and blade guide relative to a multi-conductor cable prior to severing the sheath.

Figure 6B is a side view illustrating the orientation of the blade and blade guide relative to a multi-conductor cable following the blade severing the sheath.

Figure 7A is a perspective view illustrating a multi-conductor cable with a portion of the sheath adjacent an exterior wire being stripped.

Figure 7B is a perspective view illustrating a multi-conductor cable with a portion of the sheath adjacent an intermediate wire being stripped.

Figure 8 is a side view illustrating the various forces on the blade during the stripping operation.

Figure 9A is a perspective view illustrating the profile of a sliver-like section stripped from adjacent an exterior wire.

Figure 9B is a perspective view illustrating the profile of a sliver-like section of sheath stripped from adjacent an intermediate wire.

Figure 10 is an perspective view illustrating an alternate embodiment of a stripping tool according to the present invention.

Figure 11 is a perspective view illustrating a single conductor wire having a portion of the insulation removed.

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view illustrating an alternate embodiment of a guiding portion of the handle.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view illustrating an embodiment of an adjustable blade guide in combination with a blade.

Best Mode of Carrving Out the Invention As shown in figure 1 A, a multi-conductor cable 10 will typically have an oblong cross-section and an outer sheath 12 around two exterior wires 14 with one or more intermediate wires 15 located between them. As shown in Fig. 1A, the exterior wires 14 will typically have a conductor 18 with a layer of insulation 20. Each intermediate wire 15 may have a conductor 18 without insulation, as shown in Fig 1A. An un-insulated intermediate wire 15 is typically included in the cable 10 for grounding purposes. As shown in Fig. 1 B, the intermediate wire 15 may be insulated with an insulation 20. A sheath interface 22 is present between the sheath 12 and the layer of insulation 20. In the case of an uninsulated wire, Fig 1A, a conductor interface 23 is present between the sheath 12 and the conductor 18. Depending on the type of cable and the manufacturer,

the sheath may follow the contour of the individual wires (Fig 1 A) of have a generally flat surface (Figure 1B).

Figure 1 C shows a coaxial cable 19. The coaxial cable 19 has a conductor 18 at its center with insulation 20 around it. The coaxial cable 19 further includes a metallic grounding layer 1 adjacent the insulation 20 encompassing the a sheath 12. As with the wire 14 of the multi-conductor cable, the coaxial cable will typically have a round cross-section.

Turning to the present invention, a tool according to the present invention will be useful in stripping the insulating material from numerous types of wires and cables, including multi-conductor cables, single conductor wires and coaxial cable. A first embodiment of a tool is shown in Figs. 2A and 2B. The tool includes a handle 24 that has a lower arm 26 and an upper arm 28. The upper arm 28 and lower arm 26 can be fabricated by stamping steel, molding plastic, or any other methods for forming such components from metal and plastic. The upper arm 28 has a blade-carrying portion 30 and the lower arm 26 has a guiding portion 32. The guide portion 32 is configured to receive a cable 10 and guide it longitudinally relative to the blade-carrying portion 30 of the handle 24. The guiding portion may be configured to carry numerous types of wires and cables, including multi-conductor cables, single conductor wires and coaxial cable.

In the presence of a sheath interface 22 or a conductor interface 23, a tool according to the present invention exhibits a self-adjusting type of operation.

Effectively, the tool is self-adjusting over a range of different insulation thickness whereby it is capable of stripping a sheath 12 or insulation 20 without stripping or damaging an underlying layer of material. This self-adjusting stripping action is a key advantage of a tool according to the present invention.

The blade-carrying portion 30 of the handle 24 carries a blade 33 and a blade guide 36. The blade 33 has a first blade member 35 and a second blade member 37 with a u-shaped blade portion 34 disposed between them. The u-

shaped blade portion 34 has an open end 41 and a closed end 43. The first and second blade members 35,37 are attached at a first end 45 to the open end 41 of the u-shaped blade portion 34. As shown in figure 2A, a second end 47 of each blade member 35,37 includes a pin 38 which is received by a holes 40 in the blade-carrying portion 30. The blade 33, blade guide 36 and pins 38 are preferably unitary and fabricated from steel. This arrangement allows the blade 33 and blade guide 36 to pivot relative to the handle 24. Alternatively, the blade 33, blade guide 36 and pins 38 can be a combination of discrete components interconnected to each other.

The lower arm 26 and upper arm 28 are pivotally attached to each other by means such as a rivet 29. The lower arm 26 and upper arm 28 may also be springably biased by means such as a spring (not shown) to a position whereby a region for receiving a wire or cable is established between the blade 33 and the guiding portion 32. Alternately, the upper arm 28 and lower arm 26 can be formed from a single piece of material using a process such as progressive die stamping. The pivoting action of the handle 24 allows the cable 10 to be forcibly brought into contact and maintained in contact with the blade 33 and blade guide 36 during the stripping operation.

The pivoting action of the blade 33 relative to the blade-carrying portion 30 and the ability to forcibly engage the wire or cable against the blade 33 are key aspects of the operation of a stripping tool according to the present invention.

The pivoting action of the blade 33 serves to minimize the affect of the tool orientation relative to the wire or cable during the stripping operation. It also minimizes the adverse stripping tendencies resulting from contours in the wire or cable. The affect of nominal variations in the force with which the wire or cable is engaged against the blade 33 is also minimized by the pivoting action of the blade 33.

In Fig. 2A, the tool is shown with the cable 10 orientated in the guide portion 32 in a position for stripping the sheath 12 from adjacent an exterior wire 14. The guide portion 32 is configured to position the cable 10 with the exterior wire 14 adjacent the respective cutting edge 35a of the first blade member 35. In Fig. 2B, the tool is shown with the cable 10 orientated in the guide portion 32 in a position for stripping the sheath 12 from adjacent an intermediate wire 15. The guide portion 32 is also configured to position the cable 10 with the intermediate wire 15 adjacent the respective cutting edge 34a of the u-shaped blade portion 34.

The u-shaped blade portion 34 enables the sheath to be stripped from adjacent an intermediate wire 15 of the cable 10.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, cross-sectional views of the first blade member 35, the u-shaped blade portion 34 and the blade guide 36 are shown. The blade 33 and blade guide 36 are constructed to provide an offset 42 between the blade members 35,37 and the blade guide 36. The offset 42 contributes to defining the maximum attainable strip depth of the tool. The u-shaped portion 39 of the blade guide 36 is approximately the same size and configuration as the u- shaped blade portion 34. For the embodiment shown, the intended function of the u-shaped portion 39 is to reduce the width of the blade guide 36 to match the width of the blade 33. It is contemplated that other blade and blade guide configurations are possible where the u-shaped portion 39 will not be necessary.

A process commonly known as progressive die stamping can be used to fabricate the blade 33, the blade guide 36 and the pins 38. A subsequent grinding operation may be performed to provide the respective cutting edges on the first blade member 35 and the u-shaped blade portion 34. Using this type of stamping and grinding process, the blade, blade guide, and pins can be effectively and economically fabricated from a single piece of material.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment of a guide portion 32 having a first guiding channel 56 and a second guiding channel 58. The first guiding channel

56 is bounded by flanges 59 for orientating the cable 10 with an intermediate wire 15 adjacent the respective cutting edge 34a of the u-shaped blade portion 34. The second guiding channel 58 has a generally u-shaped profile for orientating the cable 10 with an exterior wire 14 adjacent the respective cutting edge 3 5 a of the first blade member 35. It is contemplated that a variety of other techniques for positioning an exterior wire 14 adjacent the first blade member 35 and an intermediate wire 15 adjacent the u-shaped blade portion 34 are achievable. In the embodiment illustrated, a key objective relative to the guide portion 32 is to enable a structure that allows a multi-conductor cable to be suitably guided relative to the various regions of the blade 33.

Fig. 6A shows a cable 10 positioned in the second guiding channel 58 such that the sheath 12 can be stripped from adjacent the exterior wire 14. When stripping the sheath 12 from adjacent the exterior wire 14, the cutting edge 35a of the first blade member 35 and the blade guide 36 rest on the sheath 12 prior to initiating the stripping operation. If a means of biasing the upper arm 28 and the lower arm 26 to an open position is incorporated into the tool, the cutting edge 35a and the blade guide 36 may not come into contact with the sheath 12 until a nominal level of force is applied on the upper arm 28 and the lower arm 26.

Movement of the tool along the longitudinal axis of the cable 10 and the applied normal force FH act to initiate the cutting edge 35a severing the surface of the sheath and begin the stripping operation. Referring to figures 6B, the cutting edge 35a continues to cut down to the sheath interface 22 between sheath 12 and insulation 20 so long as the movement of the tool is continued and the applied normal force FH is maintained at a sufficient level.

By applying a force on the upper arm 28 and the lower arm 26 of the handle 24, an applied normal force FH which acts on the blade 33 and blade guide 36 is established. The applied normal force FH is translated to the blade 33 by the holes 40 in the blade-carrying portion 30 of the handle 24 and by the pins

38 which are attached to the blade 33. With grossly insufficient applied normal force FN, the blade 33 would simply slide across the surface of the sheath without cutting into it. With moderately insufficient applied normal force FH, the blade 33 might penetrate and begin stripping the material but would not reach and maintain the depth of the sheath interface 22. Controlling the applied force FH such that the tool strips properly requires that a suitable level of user skill be developed. Once the user develops this level of skill, the tool will consistently and repeatedly perform its intended function with little effort from the user.

The blade guide 36 operates to position blade 33 in a preferred orientation that is conducive for initiating the stripping operation. The angle between the blade 33 and the blade guide 36 as well as the magnitude of the offset 42 largely contribute to the orientation of the blade 33 relative to the surface of the insulating material being stripped. A preferred orientation of the blade 33 is such that a sufficient, yet not excessive applied normal force FH will result in the leading edge of the blade 33 severing the sheath 12.

In general, the same stripping action and conditions for stripping the sheath 12 from adjacent an exterior wire 14 apply to stripping the sheath from adjacent an intermediate wire 15. However, in a preferred embodiment (Fig 2B), the cable is placed in the tool positioned in the first guiding channel 56 between flanges 59 rather than in the second guiding channel 58. If a means of biasing the upper arm 28 and the lower arm 26 to an open position is incorporated into the tool, the cutting edge 34a and the blade guide 36 may not come into contact with the sheath 12 until a nominal level of force is applied on the upper arm 28 and the lower arm 26. Movement of the tool along the longitudinal axis of the cable 10 and the applied normal force FH act to initiate the cutting edge 34a severing the surface of the sheath and begin the stripping operation. The cutting edge 34a continues to cut down to the sheath interface 22 or to the conductor interface 23 if

the intermediate wire in uninsulated so long as the movement of the tool is continued and the applied normal force FH is maintained at a sufficient level.

Figure 7A shows a cable 10 wherein the sheath 12 adjacent the exterior wire 14 has been stripped to form a stripped region 44. Similarly, Figure 7B shows a cable 10 wherein the sheath 12 adjacent the intermediate wire 15 has been stripped to form a stripped region 44. Following the stripping of the sheath, the wire adjacent the stripped portion 44 can be pulled from within the sheath 12.

Several aspects of a tool according to the present invention contribute to its self-adjusting capability. The ability to control (through the upper arm 28 and lower arm 26 of the handle 24) the magnitude of the applied normal force FH which engages the cable 10 against the blade 33 is one aspect. The pivoting action of the blade 33 relative to the blade-carrying portion 30 is another aspect.

A tool having a blade 33, blade guide 36, and pins 38 with a configuration as shown in figure 3 is yet another aspect.

The dimensions of the blade 33, the offset 42 between the cutting edges 34a, 35a of the blade 33, the dimensions of the blade guide 36, and the relative angle between the blade 33 and blade guide 36 contribute to determining the maximum attainable strip depth. Once sheath 12 is severed by the respective cutting edge 34a, 35a, the blade 33 rotates about an axis defined by an line through the pins 38. The offset 42, as shown in figure 3, between the blade 33 and blade guide 36 determines the maximum strip depth. The magnitude of the offset 42 must be equal to or nearly equal to the thickness of the sheath to allow the blade 33 to reach the sheath interface 22. In a preferred embodiment where the blade 34 and blade guide 26 are unitary, the offset 42 is approximately 0.045". However, the offset 42 may be as much as twice the thickness of the sheath and will still providing the desired stripping operation. To facilitate utility of a tool of the present invention with cables having a large variation in insulation and sheath thickness, it may be desirable to employ a blade guide 36 which

permits the offset 42 to be adjustable. The specific dimension of the offset 42 would be dictated by the thickness of the sheath 12.

By applying a sufficient force to the handle 24, the blade 33 is maintained at a depth preferably equal to the thickness of the insulating material being stripped. As shown in figure 8, once the blade attains a depth at or near its maximum strip depth, the blade 33 is subjected to a negative-acting normal force FN applied by the non-stripped portion of the sheath as well as by a positive- acting normal force FP applied by the portion of the material that is being stripped. These two normal forces act in opposing directions to each other.

Providing they were of equal magnitude, they would cancel each other and the blade 33 would not have a tendency to change strip depth. However, since the sheath is of a thinner cross section than the material not being stripped, the material not being stripped generates a negative-acting normal force FN of greater magnitude than the positive-acting normal force FP applied by the material that is being stripped.

Absent an applied normal force FH, this imbalance in the negative-acting normal force FN and the positive-acting normal force FP results in the blade 33 having a tendency to exit the insulating material being stripped.. By applying sufficient force on the handle 24, the applied normal force FH and positive-acting normal force FP provide a combined normal force of a magnitude equal to or greater than the negative-acting normal force FN. This force structure maintains the blade 33 at a depth approximately equal to the thickness of the insulation material being stripped.

Where the applied normal force FH and the positive acting normal force FP combine to provide a normal force greater than the negative-acting normal force FN, this force structure does not result in the blade 33 attempting to cut to a depth greater than the sheath interface 22 or conductor interface 23. This condition is largely due to the blade 33 being at an acute angle relative to the

longitudinal axis of the cable 10 once the blade 24 attains its maximum strip depth. When acted on by the negative-acting normal force FN and positive- acting normal force FP, the profile of the blade 33 results in the normal forces maintaining the blade 33 an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the wire 14 or cable 10. With the blade 33 in this orientation, an excessive force would have to be applied to the handle 24 for the blade 33 to traverse the sheath interface 22.

The presence of a physical or material discontinuity between the sheath and an underlying layer of strippable material also contributes to a tool of the present invention being able to strip to a depth preferably equal to the sheath interface without stripping or damaging an underlying layer of material. In the case of a physical discontinuity such as a gap between the two layers of material, the relative hardness of the sheath and the underlying material is not critical. In the case of a material discontinuity such as where the two layers of material are of substantially different hardness, the presence of a physical gap is not critical.

A physical interface or a difference in material properties can establish a suitable interface for a tool according to the present invention. Providing there is a defined separation between the insulating material being stripped and the underlying contents a suitable interface will be present. Typically, the sheath on cables is extruded over a layer of insulation after the layer of insulation layer is cooled to a temperature whereby the sheath and insulation do not thermally or molecularly bonded to each other. In this type of manufacturing process, a cable as illustrated in Figs. 1A and 1B with a sheath interface 22 having a finite, physical gap between the sheath 12 and insulation 20 will result.

The inherent difference between the hardness of a layer of insulation and an underlying conductor in an insulated wire will establishes a suitable interface.

The blade will strip down to the conductor, but is unable to cut into it. Therefore, with sufficient force applied to the upper arm and lower arms of the handle, the

blade will strip the insulation to a depth approximately equal to the thickness of the insulation.

The sliver-like section 46 shown in figure 9A illustrates a section of the sheath 12 that is removed by the stripping tool from adjacent an exterior wire of the cable. The cross-sectional profile of the sliver-like section 46 is determined by the size of arch 48. In figure 9B, a sliver-like section 146 stripped from adjacent an intermediate wire of the cable is shown. The sliver like section 146 has an arch 148. The sizes of arch 48,148 is controlled at least in part by the strip depth, the orientation of the blade 33 relative to the wire or cable, by the thickness of the sheath 12, and by the amount of clearance between the sheath 12 and the underlying wire.

An alternate embodiment of tool according to the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 10. The tool of this embodiment include generally flat blade 134 and blade guide 136. The blade-carrying portion 130 of the handle 124 carries a blade 134 and a blade guide 136. This embodiment of the present invention is suitable for stripping the sheath from adjacent exterior wires of a flat multi-conductor cable, the sheath from round cables such as coaxial cable, and the insulation 20 from a single conductor wire 14 as illustrated in Fig. 11.

Figure 12 illustrates an embodiment of a guiding portion 132 having a first guiding channel 156 and second guiding channel 148. The first guiding channel 156 has a v-shaped profile for guiding wires and cables with a generally circular cross section. The second guiding channel 158 has a u-shaped profile for guiding wires and cables with an oblong shaped cross section.

Figure 13 illustrates an embodiment of a blade guide 236 that includes an offset adjuster 250. The offset adjuster 250 allows for adjusting the offset to provide a required strip depth in cases of an insulation outside of a nominal thickness range for typical cables. The offset adjuster 250 includes a detent 254 which is seated in a hole 252 in the blade guide. Having a detent 254 at various

locations on the offset adjuster 250 allows the offset 242 to be adjusted to different dimensions.

A tool according to the disclosure presented herein has numerous advantages over prior tools and techniques for stripping sheath from multi- conductor cables. The tool strips the sheath from a multi-conductor cable along the longitudinal direction of the cable without damaging the underlying conductor or insulation. The tool adjusts for sheaths having different thickness. Another advantage is that the tool is constructed to slit to a depth approximately equal to the thickness of the sheath without significant effort by the user. Additionally, for multi-conductor cables with three or more wires in a sheath, the tool is configured to strip the sheath from adjacent the outermost wires of the cable (exterior wires) as well as the sheath from adjacent at least one wire positioned intermediate the two exterior wires.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the preferred and potential embodiments of the invention at the time this application was drafted. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents along with the examples and descriptions given, rather than by the examples and descriptions alone.