US2630468A - Terminal connector for electrical conductors - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1953 G. P. FELTS ET AL 2 ,630,468

TERMINAL CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Filed April 30, 1951 IN VEN TORS.

7:16 '29 oraon F-Z i a'berZWSeger.

Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TERMINAL commerce roe ELECTRICAL CONDUCTDRS Application April 30, 1951, Serial No. 223,779

2 Claims.

This invention relates to terminals for multistrand electrical conductors, one type of which is commonly known as tinsel wire, in which a central multistrand core conductor is covered by flexible insulating material of well known type. It has been found difficult to provide a terminal of solderless type having lasting. quality and that will produce an effective electrical connection and it is the primary object of this invention to over come all previous objections and provide an efficient contact for multistrand conductors Without impairing effectiveness of electrical connection after long continued use. Among other objects of the present invention is to provide means for forming and attaching terminals to electrical conducting cords in an improved manner.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates our improvements, Fig. 1 is a plan of our improved terminal for an electrical conducting cord; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig, 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a detail before the piercing contact member is struck through the covering of insulation and impinged in contact with the strands of the electrical conducting core; Fig. 4 is a plan of a detail portion of the terminal blank before it is formed for use; Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive are views of various alternative constructions of our improved multistrand terminal.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, our improved terminal is formed from a blank, a detail portion of which is shown in Fig. 4, said blank having the usual connecting arm or blade II], a pair of laterally spaced conductor holding flanges I I-I I, and the piercing contact member I2. In forming the blank the flanges are first struck laterally so as to produce a channel or trough I3 in which the end of the insulated multistrand conductor cord A is adapted to be held. The piercing member I2 in use is bent upwardly from the rearward end portion of the connecting arm I and is formed with a longitudinal conductor cord receiving passage I4 which registers with the rearward end of the channel I3. The piercing end of the contact member I2 is pointed at I and is adapted to be bent and thrust downwardly with its pointed end perforating the insulation covering I6 of the conductor and to engage between and in firm contact with the conductor strands I! of the core I8, as shown in Fig. 5.

The conductor cord A has its core I8 covered by insulation I6, composed of rubber or other non-conducting material, and its core consists of several electrical conducting strands II which are wrapped spirally or disposed longitudinally in the usual manner. In practice the pointed contact member I5 is deformed and thrust through the outer covering of insulation I6 and into contact between the strands of the conductor core It either by hand or by any suitable mechanical means. After the conductor cord is connected the arm or contact blade I0 is ready to be used directly or while applied to a plug such. as is shown in our companion applications, Serial Numbers 213,394,211554, and 177,349, for making contact with a wall or other connecting socket.

In Fig. 6, the flanges lI-II shown in Fig. 1 are replaced by a longitudinal sleeve 20, which is formed on the arm or blade Ill, through which the conductor cord A is inserted and held. This sleeve has an opening 2| through its side which admits the contact arm 22 and permits the latter to be thrust through the insulation covering 23 and made to contact between the strands Ii of the core [8.

In Fig. 7, instead of the contact arm or blade being thrust by hand into contact with the strands of the conductor core it is clamped by a collar or sleeve 29 which is slid forwardly over the connecting arm or blade I0 and the spring piercing contact member 25, whereby said contact member 25 is pressed inwardly with its pointed end piercing the insulated conductor cord A and making contact between the strands of the conductor core. The piercing contact member 25 is supported on the conductor cord A by a collar 26, which is formed on the rearward end thereof. The lateral broken line position of the piercing contact member 25 shown in Fig. 7, occurs when the collar is withdrawn rearwardly and assumes the outward broken line position before it is applied in use. The portion of the contact member II] which extends forwardly is provided with a pair of conductor holding side flanges II which are heretofore described. In use an end of the conductor cord A is inserted through the collar 26 and is held between the flanges II in juxtaposed position below the forward perforating pointed end 28 of the spring contact arm 25. Instead of depressing the contact arm 25 di rectly by hand to make electrical connection with the strands I! of the conductor core I8, a sleeve 29 is slidingly supported over the arm Ill andthe conductor A thereon. When the sleeve is slid forwardly it depresses the contact arm and causes the latter to perforate the covering of insulation I6 on the conductor cord and to make contact with and between the strands I! of the conductor I8. The full line position of the spring contact arm 25 and of the actuating sleeve 29 indicates the connected position with the core l8 of the conductor cord A and the extended socket contact member [0.

In the alternative construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the blank 30 from which the terminal is produced is formed with a pointed end 3|, a conductor cord receiving opening 32 and a cord holding longitudinal recess 33. In use the end portion of the conductor cord A is first inserted upwardly through the passage 32 and placed over the longitudinal recess 33. The pointed end 3| is then bent upwardly and clasped tightly down as shown in Fig. 8 with its pointed end perforating the outer insulation 34 on the conductor cord and contacting between the strands I 1. In this manner the conductor is held rigidly by the pointed end on the terminal both laterally and longitudinally in the recess 33.

Other modifications are contemplated within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

We claim;

1. An electrical connector for an insulated multistrand electrical conductor comprising a generally J-shaped, one-piece terminal member having a long arm constituting a circuit contact blade and a short arm constituting a conductorwire contact member, said short arm being bent up and over said long arm and having a piercing point at its free end, a longitudinal channel in said long arm for holding a conductor laterally therein, said channel being adjacent the bight and lying under the short arm, said bight having an opening therein in register with the channel to receive the conductor for placement in the channel, and said piercing point being adapted to be pressed through the insulation of the conductor and into contact with the strands thereof.

4 2. An electrical connector for an insulated multistrand electrical conductor comprising a generally J-shaped, one-piece terminal member having a long arm constituting a circuit contact blade and a short arm constituting a conductor-wire contact member, said short arm being bent up and over said long arm and having a piercing point at its free end, a longitudinal sleeve on said long arm for holding a conductor laterally therein, said sleeve being adjacent the bight and lying under the short arm and having an opening in the top thereof, said bight having an opening therein in register with the sleeve to receive the conductor for placement in the sleeve, and said piercing point being adapted to be pressed through the opening in the sleeve and down into the insulation of the conductor and into contact with the strands thereof.

GORDON P. FELTS. ROBERT W. SEEGER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,595,031 Steiner Aug. 3, 1926 1,706,005 Thompson Mar. 19, 1929 1,764,227 Robinson June 17, 1930 ,780,289 Zepp Nov. 4, 1930 2,309,311 Grohsgal Jan. '26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 189,641 England Dec. 7, 1922 596,406 France Oct. 23, 1925

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