US1458811A - Insulator connector - Google Patents

Description

June l2, 1923.

G. E.' l-:cKERT` INSULATORl COVNNECTQR Filed Sept. 30 1920 I Patented June 12,1923.

UNiTED ,STAT-E1s lmariani* .-oFFicE.

ORANDON n ncxnnr, ornasr LirvEarooL, 01110, AssIeNon fro THE aIjTiIOMAs le lSONS col., or :EAST LrvEnroOL, 01110,;` CORPORATION or onto.'l

. INSULn'roR CONNECTOR.'

Application-tiledSeptember 30,1 5920. Serial NO413855 To all wkomz'tmay concern.'

Be it known that I, GnANnoN E. EOKERT, a citizen of thefUnited' .States ofAmerica, residing at East Liverpool, inthe .county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in InsulatorA Connectors, .of which the .following is aspecilicatiom My invention relates to insulator connectors, and-particularlyto connectors for susl pension insulator links. The object of my invention `-isto provide a connector of the type shown in the l (zo-pending application `of Richard H. Marvin, filed September29,.1919, Serial No. 327,027, with an improved filler pin serving to hold the link ends against accidental escape from the connectors.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 vis a Vertical section through adjacent insulator. units, showing their links united by a connector in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connector showing the link ends assembled therewith; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, but showing the filler pin in different positions. In its main features the present device resembles that disclosed in the Marvin application above mentioned, and as there disclosed, is shown in connection with a suspension insulator comprising units 5 and 6, each pierced by passages 7 and 8 lying at right angles to each other and adapted to receive the flexible metal links 9 passed therethrough. The links are provided with enlarged heads 10 engaged by connectors 11, to which the invention particularl relates. Each connector comprises a hol ow body member with end slots 12 communicating with the lateral entry opening 13 at one side through which the heads 10 of. the links enter ,the chamber of the connector. The cntryopening 13 is preferably of a size predetermined with relation to the heads 10 of the'links, so that while it affords a port of sullicient area to admit one link head, its size is insufiicient to permitthe introduction of both link heads simultaneously. The walls of the connector form wells at opposite ends of the latter in which the link heads 12 are seated in operative position, and held against escape. Shouldslack occur lbetween the linksfhoweventhere is afpossibility that without becoming disengaged from' the connector body withl which, however, it is readily assembled.

As here shown the present liller comprises a spring pin passing through the hole 14 formed in the body of the connector 10 opposite the entry opening 13 thereof. The pin is shaped from spring sheet or strap metal, and comprises a pair of legs 15 and 16 integral with the head 17. At their free ends the legs 15 and 16 are olset to form oppositely angled feet 18, while the Shanks of the legs are oppositely bowed away from each other at 19. To assemble the filler pin with the connector the legs 15 and 16 are sprung toward each other to permit the feet 18 to pass through the hole 14 into the cham.- ber of the connector. Upon release of pressure the legs spring apart and the feet 18 engage the inner walls of the chamber of the connector adjacent the opening 14. In

this position the pin lies out of obstructing position so that the link heads l() may be freely inserted through the entry port 13 and drawn into the wells at opposite ends of the connector chamber. After the link heads are so positioned the spring pin is pushed in through the opening 14, past the outwardly bowed areas 19 thereof, the head 17 being of a size greater than that of the opening 14 and forming a stop which prevents the pin from being pushed inward through the hole 14 and becoming disengaged from the connector. In this position the legs 15 and 16 lie between the heads 10 of the links 9 and form a filler element which, while loosely engaged between the heads 10 prevents their displacement into register with the entry port 13, and thus prevents ytheir escape from the connector. Inasmuch as thelegs 15 and 16 are presented edgewise to theheads of the linlrs, the latter can exert no pressure upon the pin tending to press the legs toward each other, and thus to bring about a condition in which the pin can escape trom the connector. The outwardly bowed areas i9 impart to the pin an over-all width, at this point greater than the width of the pin hole ld, and thus ailord retaining shoulders l which, in the inserted position oi the pin,

lll

engage the inner margin of the hole and prevent the pin from working out ot its inserted tiller position (llig. 3), Between the outwardl bowed. areas 19 and the head i7 ot the pin the legs may be bowed toward each other to torm a neck 2l which, in inserted position, lies in the hole le and permits the legs to expand, thus insuring the engagement ol' the shoulders 20 with the inner margin of the hole.

rllhe present iiller pin construction is of particular advantage in that the pin remains engaged with the connector ll under all conditions, since it need not be removed, but merely withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. l upon the assembly or disassembly ot the linlr heads with the connector. 'Ehe lineman is thus reminded by the projecting pin that the latter should be inserted upon the completion ot the assembly ot the links with the connector in order to lock the linlr heads against escape. rll`he pin is simply made and readily assembled, while it edectively performs its function of retaining the linlr heads against escape from the connector,

@bviously the look pin may be variously modified in shape and construction without departing 'from what l claim as my invention.

ll claiml. A Cotter pin tor use with an aperturcd supporting member, said pin being formed from a strip oil spring sheet metal of materially greater width than thickness, and comprising a pair of legs integral with and connected by spring bends to the head end orn the pin, said legs being spaced apart and oppositely oitset to form retaining abutments adapted to automatically engage the walls ot .the apertured supporting .member and to prevent accidental disengagement ot the pin aiter its insertion.

2. ln a connector of the type described, a chambered body laterally apertured to admit cooperating link heads7 and a spring locking pin carried by the connector and movable into .and out oit spacing position between the assembled link heads, said pin being shaped to aord a spring pressed engagement with the connector in both ot said positions.

3..v ln a connector lof the type described, a chambered body laterally apertured to admit cooperating link heads, and also apertured 'to receive a loclring pin, in combination with a spring locking pin engaged in said pin aperture and movable into and out ot spacing position between the assembled link heads, said pin being shaped to afford a spring engagement With the connector body serving to maintain the pin in its spacing position.

d. 'lhe combination with' a chambered connector apertured to receive a locking pin, otra spring locking pin having a pair of legs with oppositely oilset feet adapted to engage the inner margin ot the aperture to hold the pin against accidental withdrawal, a head engaging the outer margin of the aperture to prevent the pin from being pushed therethrough, and intermediate oilset leg portions engaging the inner margin of the aperture to hold the pin in inserted position.

5. rlhe combination with a cliambe-red body member having its side wall apertured to admit the head of an associated connector element and being supplementarily apei1u tured to admit a retaining member of a cotter formed from spring strip metal, comprising a pair ont legs integral with and connected by spring bends to the head of the vCotter, said cotter being adapted for insertion through said supplemental aperture in the side wall of the body member to present its legs with their edges opposed to the head of the associated connector element, said legs being oppositely offset and serving to automatically engage the margins of the supplemental hole through which the pin is passed to prevent the accidental escapo oiE the pin from inserted position.

6. l pin for use with an apertured supporting member, said pin comprising a pair of spring legs offset in opposite directions at their free ends to form retaining feet on its insertion through said aperture, said legs being outwardly bowed in opposite di rections intermediate their ends to aliiord retaining shoulders adapted to engage the margins of the aperture, and the head of the pin being of a size suiicient to prevent the passage of the pin through said aperture.

l, A pin for use with an apertured supporting member, said pin comprising a pair ot spring legs offset in opposite directions at their free ends to form retaining feet on its insertion through said aperture, said legs being outwardly bowed in opposite directions intermediate their ends to aiiiord retaining shoulders adapted to engage the margins oil the aperture, and the head of the pin being of a size suilicient to prevent the passage of the pin through said aperture, together with a narrow neck area between said head and outwardly bowed portions ot the legs to permit the free expansion of said legs on the insertion of the pin through the aperture.

8. l pin for use with an apertured suplll() lporting member, said pin being formed its insertion in said aperture, said pin havfrom spring sheet metal having a width ing at its outer end an enlargement of suf- Inany times .its thickness and comprising a c1ent size to prevent its passage through l0 pair of spring legs at least one of which has the aperture in the supporting member.

5 its free end offset away from the other leg In testimonyv whereof I have signed my to form a detaining foot adapted to prevent name to this specification. the accidental withdrawal of the pin after GRANDON E. ECKERT.

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