US2585055A - Cable terminal connector - Google Patents

Description

CABLE TERMINAL CONNECTOR Filed May 5, 1948 77/0 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, ,1952

UNITED I srA-T CABLE TERMINAL CONNECTOR I Orrin'H. Thomas, Williamsport, and Theodore E. Snyder, South Williamsport, Pa., assignors to Peter Zayac, Johnson City, Joseph Marconi, Endicotigand Henry C. Schloer, Vestal, N. Y., a

partnership Application May 5, 1948, Serial No. 25,166

2Claims. (01.173-269) This invention relates, in generaL'to' cable connecting devices and more particularly to battery cable connectors. v

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved cable connector of a type especially designed and adapted to afford a better electric connection between the cable and the terminal portion thereof.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a battery cable connector embodying certain desired improvements that will assure a more efficient electric connection between the cable and the terminal and also the prevention of damage to the cable itself in use.

A further object of the invention is the improvement of a cable terminal connector of novel design and construction and particularly adapted to assure a longer life, a more efficient electric connection, and a more efficient wear-resistant electric connecting means in general.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of means which are intended to eliminate the damage and deterioration to cables hitherto encountered in practice and particularly in the field of battery terminal connectors. As is well known, the metallic strands or separate wires of a cable, in the process of attachment to the terminal or socket portion, are damagedjby the spreading and crushing action of the customary set screw employed. According to this invention, this damage to the cable is substantially eliminated, while at the same time a more effective and complete electrical connection is established between the conducting portions of the cable and the terminal connector member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherei Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a cable terminal connector embodyin the invention, and showing the device prior to the insertion and attachment of the cable;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the cable operatively connected to the terminal portion of the connector by the means herein provided;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the connector with the cable omitted; and

Figure 4 is a, view similar to Figure 3 and showing the inner cable-engaging sleeve collapsed'and in the position it assumes when operatively engaged with the cable.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred form of the invention, the numeral H designates generally the corrosion-resistant cylindrical body portion of the cable terminal connector. The connector H is cast or otherwise formed to provide a cylindrical bore l2 which communicates with an annular recess l3 openin into said bore. A rigid reinforcing collar orsleeve l4, preferably formed of stainless steel, is arranged in the recess I3 and is concentrically positioned on and with respect to a collapsible cylindrical shell 55, preferably formed of a soft brass alloy and protruded therethrough into the bore 12 of the body member, the said shell having an inner 'end portion embedded in the body portion H, as at'ifi. The outer end portion of the shell [5 terminates a small distance inwardly from the'end face of the body portion H, and flush with the outer end of the sleeve 14'. At its end, the body portion is formed to provide an inwardly directed and comparatively narrow annular flange, as at H, which is disposed against the outer end face of the sleeve I4 and defines a counter-bore 18 for the bore of the shell [5 through which the braided or interwoven strands or wires IQ of the cable 20 are protruded while the outer edges of the sleeve [4 and cylindrical shell [5 serve as an abutment, as at 2| (Fig. 2), for the outer layers of insulation 22 of the cable 20.

The bored metallic strands or wires IQ of the cable 20, as best shown in Figure 2, are received within the bore of the cylindrical shell I5, the outer end portion of the latter being collapsed as at 23 into clamping engagement with the said wires by a set screw 24 threadedly engaged in the circumferential portions of the body portion H and sleeve I l. The action of the set screw 2d will be understood by inspection and comparison of Figures 2, 3 and 4. More particularly, Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which the clamping set screw 24 effects reduction of the cross section of the length portion of the bared end of the cable received in the bore of the collapsible shell outwardly of the length portion of the cable disposed within the intermediate portion of the shell, which latter tends to retain its circularity due to its adjacency with the inner portion of the shell 3 which is internally supported by the metal of the body portion in which it is embedded. Consequent to the aforesaid outward reduction of its cross section as compared with the substantially full circular cross section of the portion of the cable end disposed within the intermediate portion of the fshell 5, the cable end is positively locked against withdrawal from the shell as it now becomes a practical impossibility to strip the cable from the shell. drawal of the cable from shell is. desired, such may be simply effected upon backing off the set screw 24. The collapsing effectinEigures2 and! has been somewhat exaggerated'inbrderto more clearly depict the nature of the clainping action of the collapsed inner element 15. The function of the stainless steel sleeve 14 is to provide means of sufficient strength and rigidity-to reslst thereactive thrust of the set screw 23 while:it;is collapsing the brass shell [5. This reinforcement of the comparatively soft body portion ll of the connector, which islforined of'a" lead-alloy, prevents deformation 'of thelatter whenever it "is desired to change or renew the cable.

During the process of manufacture, it is to be understood that the connector, 'as a whole, may be prepared by placing'theinne'r"brass 'sh'ell within the steel outer 'andsh'orter sl'eeve'and'then pouringmolten'leadealloyth'ereabout and into the bore of the inner end n rtio -rcm nf the 'shell in approved manner, the counter-bore [8 being provided by themjold'. This device not only affords a more effective electrical connection between the strands of the cable and the"b'odyportlon 'o'fthe connectonbut it also prevents the damage to the cable generallyoccasioned by the we'dging action of'the conventional type set'screws'when'th'e latter are applied directly to the strands of the cable. In addition, a longer life for the outer end 'of the cable is assured since it"suifers 'only slight, if any, deformationby'thebrass shell, and is therefore available for further "use after withdrawal from the connector'when' desired or necessary.

It is to be understood that the inventionm'ay be embodied in other specific Tforms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as fillustrative and not restrictive, reference being hadto the appended claims rather than to the foregoing a.

description to indicate the-scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In a battery terminal connector assembly, a cable'end connector comprising a cylindrical body portion made of soft, corrosion-resistantmetal,a

However, when axial with- .retain its circular formation, the intermediate and outer end portions of the shell being unsupported internally-whereby at least said outer portion may be collapsed, a hard metal reinforcing collar encircling the outer end portion of the shell and being embedded fin said body portion, and a clamping jscrew threaded through said body portion and collar and engaging on the outer end portion of the shell and being adapted to collapse said'outer end portion into clamping and conductive contact with the bared end of the battery cable and thereby 'to efiect reduction of the cross section of the portion of the bared cable end received therein with respect to that of the portion of "the bared cable end received in the intermediateportion of the shell.

2. A battery cable connector as set forth in claim '1, wherein the outer end of the shell'te'rminates a small distance inwardly from the end face of the body portion through which saidbore opens, and the collar ispositioned on's'aid'she'll so that their outer end edges are substantially flush with one another, and wherein said body portion is formed with aninwardly directed flange which partially covers 'the outer end edge of "the collar, said flange defining a counter-bore for the bore provided by said shell of diameter as to receive the unbared end of the cable.

'ORRIN H. 'TI-IOMfA'S. 'THEODORE'EISNYD'ER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of .this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'I-S Number Name Date 1,227,726 Woo'dhe'ad May 29,1917 1,316,034 'Haz'elett- Sept. 16, 1919 1,684,985 Garner 'Sept. 18,1928 1,706,659 Fahne'stoc'k "Mar. "26, .1929 11873,.931 Matsen Aug. 23, 1-932 2,039,669 Tenney May '5, 1936 2,057,602 Wilson Oct. 13, 1936 2,123,506 Frankel July 12, 1938 2,324,829 Dante July20, 1943

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