US2665331A - Connector for stranded cable - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5, 1954 A. A. BERND-r 2,665,331

CONNECTOR FOR STRANDED CABLE Filed April 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 5, 1954 A. A. BERNDT CONNECTOR FOR STRANDEO CABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1952 Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONNECTOR FOR STRANDED CABLE Arthur A. Berndt, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Electroline Company, Chicago, Ill., a, corporation of Illinois Application April 4, 1952, Serial No. 280,512

(Cl. 17d- 94) I cable. In order to successfully grip such a cable for anchoring the same to a support, the two metals must be individually clamped so that the strain will be divided between the two metals in proportion to their tensile strength and so that a contact of high conductivity will be made with the outer aluminum strands.

Accordingly an object of the invention is to assemble within a single conducting metal shell, two or more sets of separate gripping members designed to grip and hold metal wires of different strength, conductivity and hardness, and wherein the intensity of the grip is controlled by varying the angle between the gripping member and its cage or shell.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a connector having gripping members for engaging the outer wires of the cable and having gripping wedges for securely gripping and holding the center wire of the cable, and wherein the gripping elements operate independently of each other and stress applied to either set of gripping elements is not transmitted to the other set.

A further object is to provide a connector for stranded cable having one or more sets of independent gripping elements and which are capable of adjustment to any variance in the size of either the steel center strand or in the outer aluminum wires as may occur due to manufacturing tolerances or differences in type of construction for the same size cable.

A further object is to provide a stranded cable connector of improved construction and operation which will essentially consist of a metal shell having tapered end portions each housing a set of gripping members for holding the outer strands of the cable, and wherein said shell will, also house a steel cage in tandem relation with respect to the gripping members respectively, which is secured to the shell by peening and contains a set of gripping wedges `whereby to grip the center steel wire of the cable.

With these and various other objects in view 2 the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as wil-1 be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specication, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure l is an elevational view of the stranded wire connector of the invention with parts oi y the shell being broken away to show structural details of the gripping elements;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one end of the present connector taken longitudinally and illustrating the construction of the gripper elements and their independent coaction;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one end of the present connector similar to Figure 24 but illustrating the action of the gripping elements when in gripping relation with a strandedA Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 'I-'I of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view illustrating the Icoupling means for the gripping members; and,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the retaining cone for the gripping wedges.

The invention is shown as embodied in a connector for stranded wire or cable, having outer wires cf aluminum or similar material of high electrical conductivity, and having a steel center wire which assumes the major part of the tension placed on the conductor when in use.

As best shown in Figure l, the connector includes a housing or casing of tubular form, generally designated by the numeral I2, and which may be of any suitable metal, preferably copper or aluminum and having at leastone end thereof tapered to form the tapering end portion I3. In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 1, both ends are reduced in diameter by a. swaging operation, and accordingly, one end is identified byl the numeral I3 and the other end by the numeral I4. It will be observed that the metal at each end opening, namely I5 and I6, is correspond-v This is a desirable the wedges 2G will move rearwardly against the tension of the coil spring 4|. Eventually, however, the gripping wedges will expand and assume full contact with the center steel strand, and upon forward tension being placed on the cable, the wedges will engage the tapering surfaces 30, causing the wedges to bite into and grip the center steel strand.

In accordance with the invention, the intensity of the grip effected by the gripping members and by the gripping wedges respectively, can be adjusted by varying the taper of the surfaces with which the elements contact. The particular angle of the taper for the gripping members, and likewise the particular angle of the taper for the gripping wedges, will vary according to the strength, hardness, conductivity, elasticity and ductility or" the various metals in the cable in order to produce a successful gripping device. The sets of gripping elements are separate, and they operate independently of each other. Any strain applied to either side is not transmitted to the other. For example, greater gripping and holding eiiort be expended the gripping wedges and their associated structure on the center steel strand oi the cable than is expended by the gripping members, and should this be the case, the same is not transmitted in any sense to the gripping members, which may be effective with somewhat less intensity on the outer wires of the stranded cable, The use of independent gripping elements also provides for their automatic adjustment due to variance in the size or either the steel or aluminum strand, as occurs due to manufacturing tolerances, or difference in type of construction for the same size of cable.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment selected for illustration in the drawings, as various forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ci the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A connector for stranded wire conductors comprising a tubular casing having a tapering end portion, gripping members arranged within said tapering end portion and adapted to receive and grip the outer wires of a conductor inserted within the tapering end portion, means yieldingly retaining the gripping members in operative connected relation so that they coact as a unit in gripping the conductor, other gripping elements located rearwardly in tandem relation with respect to the gripping members and operative to grip and hold the center wire of said conductor, said other gripping elements including a cylindrical cage located within the casing and secured thereto, said cage having tapering surfaces interiorly thereof, a plurality of gripping wedges located within the cage in contact with the interior tapering surfaces thereof, a retainer for the gripping wedges, and resilient means for the gripping members and wedges respectivly, for urging the parts in a forward direction to maintain them in contact with their tapering surfaces.

2. In a connector for stranded cable having outer wires of aluminum and a center steel wire, the combination including a tubular casing having a tapering end portion, `a set of gripping members within said tapering end portion and adapted to receive and grip the outer wires of a stranded cable inserted within the tapering end portion, a ring member at the rear of said gripping members for retaining the members in operative connected relation so that they coact as a unit in gripping the cable, a cylindrical cage having tapering interior surfaces located rearwardly in spaced relation to the gripping members and being fixedly secured to the casing, a set or gripping wedges within the cylindrical cage in contact with the tapering interior surfaces thereof and adapted to grip and hold the center wire of said cable, a retainer for said gripping Wedges, and resilient means for the gripping members and wedges respectively, for urging the parts in a forward direction to maintain them in contact with their tapering surfaces.

3. In a connector for stranded cable having outer wires of aluminum and a center steel wire, the combination including a tubular casing having a tapered end portion, a set oi' gripping members within said tapered end portion and adapted to receive and grip the outer wires of a stranded cable inserted within the tapering end portion, a ring member at the rear of said gripping members having articulated relation with each member for operatively connecting the members so that they coact as a unit in gripping the cable, a cylindrical cage having tapering interior surfaces located rearwardly in spaced relation to the gripping members and being fixedly secured to the casing, a set oi gripping' Wedges within the cylindrical cage in contact with the tapering interior surfaces thereof and adapted to grip and hold the center wire of said cable, a retainer having slots for receiving the gripping wedges, and resilient means for the gripping members located between the members and the cage for urging the members in a forward direction to maintain them in contact with their tapered end portion.

4. A connector for stranded cable as defined by claim 3, additionally including other resilient means located within the cage in rear of the retainer and operative to yieldingly urge the retainer in a forward direction to maintain the gripping wedges in contact with their tapering surfaces.

5. In a connector for stranded cable and the like, the combination including a tubular casing having a tapered end portion, a set of gripping members within said tapered end portion and adapted to receive and grip the outer wires of a stranded cable inserted within the tapered end portion, said gripping members as a set being cone-shaped and having surfaces conforming to and in contact with the tapering walls of said portion, a rear extension provided by each gripping member, a ring member at the rear of said gripping members, said extensions having telescoping relation with the ring member, means projecting radially from the ring member and having articulated relation with the extensions respectively, so that they move and coact as a unit in gripping the cable, and a coil spring for the gripping members for urging the members in a forward direction to maintain them in contact with the walls of said tapered end portion.

ARTHUR. A. BERNDT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,158,892 Becker et al May 14, 1939 2,166,457 Berndt July 18, 1939 2,209,620 Berndt et al July 30, 1940 2,222,494 Barlow Nov. 19, 1940

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