A self-supporting interleaving die set comprises a pair of preferably identically configured interchangeable die members each having an interior crimping surface flanked on one end by a tapered recess and on the other end by a tapered upstanding wall, the tapered wall of one of the die members being proportioned to mesh with and be supported within the tapered recess of the other die member as the die members are disposed in face to face relationship and brought together, to provide a non-locking, self-guiding die arrangement employable with crimping tools or the like. Mating ribs and recesses are provided along the interior walls of the die nest to further insure lateral coincidence between the die members.
A die set 20 for crimping an electrical connection of a contact terminal member to an electrical conductor comprises two hermaphroditic members 22, 22'. The die members 22, 22' are positioned in opposing relationship along a crimping axis and are reciprocally movable relative to each other along the axis. Each die member 22 has a base section 24 including an anvil 40 extending from the base section 24 and defining an essentially hemispheric concave crimping surface 42 having a selected desired radius. In operation, the anvils 40, 40' are opposed so that upon completion of the crimping portion of a stroke, a symmetrical essentially cylindrical recess 60 is defined having an axis orthogonal to the crimping axis. Each die member 22 further includes a bifurcated plate section 46 including edge surfaces 50 defining a slot 52 having an axis parallel to the cylindrical recess axis. A contact terminal member 80 having an outer diameter at least larger than the diameter of the cylindrical recess and having a wire portion 92 inserted therein, is crimped by placing the terminal member 80 between the opposing die members 22, 22' and parallel to the cylindrical recess axis. As the opposing die members 22, 22' are urged together, the edge surfaces 50, 50' of the respective plate sections 46, 46' initiate bulk deformation of side surfaces 85 of the terminal member 80, and the crimping surfaces of the anvils 40, 40' define a crimped electrical connection 96 cylindrical in shape and having a diameter equal to the cylindrical recess diameter.
