US2782388A - Electric range outlet receptacle - Google Patents

Description

1957 J. ,L PALENIK ET AL 2,782,338

ELECTRIC RANGE OUTLET RECEPTACLE Filed April 50,1955

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WITNESSES: INVENTORS Y John J.Opolenik oBnd win rd H.Bullis.

ATTORNEY and nited tates ELECTRIC RANGE OUTLET REiIEPTACLE Application April 30, 1953, Serial No. 352,171

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-192) Our invention relates, generally, to electric wiring devices and, more particularly, to terminal connectors for utilization with wiring devices, such as outlet receptacles of a heavy duty type.

Most terminal connectors previously available on the market require that the wire or cable be inserted endwise into the connector. This is inconvenient for certain applications, for example, in electric range outlet receptacles, in which relatively large cables must be connected to the contact jaws of a receptacle and it is difiicult to make a connection which requires bending of a cable.

An object of our invention, generally stated, is to provide an outlet receptacle which shall be simple and efficient in operation and which may be economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a terminal connector which permits a wire or cable to be laid into the connector laterally or sidewise as distinguished from being inserted endwise.

Another object of our invention is to provide a terminal connector in which all of its parts are made captive, thereby preventing any of the parts from becoming lost or misplaced.

A further object of our invention is to provide terminal connectors which may be readily installed on an outlet receptacle base.

Other objects of our invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with one embodiment of our invention, a terminal connector having a U-shaped member with a fiat extension or tang formed integrally therewith is attached to each contact member of a three-wire receptacle base. A clamping screw is held captive in a plate slidably disposed in slots in the legs of the U. The slots and the plate are of such dimensions that the plate and the screw can be moved laterally to permit a cable to be laid into the U-shaped member, but the plate is ,held captive in the one leg. The connectors are so constructed that each plate can be removed without interference with the barriers between the contact members on the base.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of an outlet receptacle assembly embodying the principal features of the invention;

I tially at right angles to the plate.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in elevation, of one side of The base It? may be of a type utilized for 2,782,333 Patented Feb. 13, 1957 making power connections to an electric range or other apparatus requiring a three-wire receptacle. The base 10 may be molded from a suitable insulating material. It is provided with spaces 12, 13 and 14, in each one of which a contact member or jaw 15 is disposed for receiving the contact blades or prongs of a cooperating plug (not shown). The plug may be attached to an extension cord which, in turn, is connected to the range or other apparatus. An integrally formed barrier 16 separates the spaces 12, 13 and 14 from each other. Integrally formed extensions 17 of the barrier 16 are provided at the sides of the opening 13. Likewise, integrally formed extensions 13 are provided at the outer sides of the openings 12 and 14. The base 10 may be attached to the plate 11 by screws 19.

As shown, one end 20 of the plate 11 is bent substan- In accordance with the usual practice, a knockout may be provided in the end 20 which may be removed to permit the installation of a cable containing conductors 21 for connecting to the contact members 15, respectively. The plate 11 is of a type suitable for installing on any suitable supporting surface, such as a wall. It will be understood that the base 10 may be installed in a metal outlet box of a type suitable for installation in the wall of a building.

Since the conductors 21 must be of a relatively large size in order to carry suflicient current for operating the range or other apparatus requiring relatively large amounts of current, and only a small amount of space is available between the end 20 and the base 10, it is diflicult to bend the conductors in order to insert them in terminal connectors of a type previously available which require that the conductors be inserted endwise into the terminal connectors. In order to overcome this difiiculty we have devised terminal connectors 22, 23 and 24 for use with the contact members 15 in the spaces 12, 13 and 14, respectively.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the terminal connector 23 comprises a generally U-shaped member 25 having an integrally formed tang 26 extending from the bight of the U. The tang 26 has a threaded opening 27 therein for receiving a screw 28 for connecting the terminal to the contact member 15. oppositely disposed shoulders 29 are provided on the tang 26.

Oppositely disposed slots 31 and 32 are provided in the legs 33 and 34, respectively, of the U-shaped member 25. As shown in Fig. 4, an opening 35 extends from the top of the leg 34 to the slot 32. A notch 36 is provided at the bottom of the slot 32. Furthermore, the slot 31 is slightly longer than the slot 32.

A generally rectangular plate 37 has a threaded hole therein for receiving a threaded clamping screw 38. The end 'of-the screw 38 may be staked to prevent its removal from the plate 37. Also, the end of the plate 37 which extends a slight amount through the longer slot 31 may be staked at 39, thereby increasing the width of this end of the plate. I Thus, as shown most clearly in the lower part of Fig. 1, the plate 37 and the screw 38 may be removed from the leg 33 but not from the leg 34. In this manner a practically unobstructed opening is provided between the legs 33 and 34 to permit a cable or conductor to be laid into the U-shaped member 25 from the top of the member. Furthermore, the parts of the terminal connector cannot become separated since the plate 37 cannot be removed from the leg 34 and the screw 38 cannot be removed from the plate37.

The parts of the connector may be assembled 'by threading the screw 38 into the plate 37 and staking the end of the screw. The plate 37 may then be slid through the slot 32 and into the slot 31. The lower end of the screw passes through the notch 36 in the leg 34 and the upper end passes through the opening 35. The end of the plate 37 which extends slightly through the leg 33 may be staked in the manner previously described to prevent the. removal of the plate 37 through the slot 32 but not through the slot 31 which, as previously explained, is slightly longer than the slot 32. In this manner, the parts of the connector are prevented from becoming misplaced or lost, thereby facilitating the installation of the device.

The connectors 22 and 24 are similar to the connector 23 with the exception that the tang 26 on each one of these connectors extends at an angle to the U-shaped member. As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the tang 26 of the connector 22 is bent towards the leg 33 of the U-shaped member. Likewise, the tang 26 of the connector 24 is bent towards the leg 33, but the legs 33 and 34 are interchanged. In this manner these connectors may be connected to the contact members disposed in the spaces 12 and 14, which are disposed substantially 120 from each other and firom the space 13 which contains the third contact member 15.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the distance between the insides of the legs 33 and 34 is just slightly greater than the diameter of the screw 38, thereby permitting the end of the screw to clamp directly on the stripped conductor and without any conductor strands becoming loose. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special clamping plate for directly engaging the conductor.

It will also be noted that when the end of the screw 38 is disposed below the bottom of the notch 36 in the leg 34 the plate 37 is retained in both notches 31 and 32, thereby preventing the plate from coming out of the notches when pressure is applied to the conductor by turning the screw 38 through the plate.

As shown in Fig. 1, the terminal connectors may be readily installed on the base 10. The connectors 22 and 24 are so constructed that the barriers 17 do not interfere with the sliding of the plate 38 through the slots in the legs of the connector to permit installation of the conductors 21. The ends of the barriers 17 opposite the connector 23 may be notched at 41 to permit the withdrawal of the plate 37 for the installation of the conductor 21 in this connector.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that we have provided a terminal connector which is of a simple construction and, therefore, may be manufactured at a relatively low cost. The connector permits a conductor to be laid into the connector sidewise as distinguished from being inserted endwise into the connector, thereby greatly facilitating the connecting of relatively large conductors to the contact members of an outlet receptacle or other device where it is diflicult to bend or properly manipulate heavy cables to make electrical connections.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribed construction and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulating material having a plurality of spaces therein and integrally formed barriers between said spaces, wiring terminals in said spaces, each of said terminals comprising a base portion of conducting material attached to said insulating base, a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs extending from the base portion for receiving a conductor therebetween, opposed openings through said legs spaced from the base portion for receivlng a support having a threaded opening located between said legs when the support engages the openings in both legs, a screw disposed in the opening in said support for applying pressure on the conductor, said screw and said support being inseparable after assembly of the device, said barriers being adjacent to legs of at least two of said terminals, said support and said screw for each of said two terminals being movable in a direction away from an adjacent barrier to permit placing the conductor in the terminal, and cooperating means on said support and one-of said legs for preventing complete withdrawal of said support from the opening in said one leg when said support is moved away from the other leg.

2. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulating material having upwardly extending integrally formed barriers thereon, three wiring terminals mounted on said base, each of said terminals comprising a base portion having a contact member attached thereto, said barriers being disposed between the base portions of two terminals and the contact member of the third terminal, a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs extending from the base portion of each terminal for receiving a conductor therebetween, opposed openings through said legs spaced from the base portion for receiving a support having a threaded opening located between said legs when the support is disposed in the openings in both legs, a screw disposed in the opening in said. support for applying pressure on the conductor, said barriers being adjacent to legs of at least two of said terminals, the support and the screw for each of said two of the terminals being movable in a direction away from an adjacent barrier and the contact member for the third terminal to permit placing the conductor in the terminal, cooperating means on said support and one of said legs for preventing complete withdrawal of said support from the opening in said one leg when the support is moved away from the other leg and the adjacent barrier, and said barrier preventing complete removal of said support in a direction towards said barrier.

3. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulating material having upwardly extending integrally formed barriers thereon, three wiring terminals mounted on said base, each of said terminals comprising a base portion having a contact member attached thereto, said barriers being disposed between the base portions of two terminals and the contact member of the third terminal, a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs extending from the base portion of each terminal for receiving a conductor therebetween, opposed openings through said legs spaced from the base portion for receiving a support having a threaded opening located between said legs when the support is disposed in the openings in both legs, a screw disposed in the opening in said support for applying pressure on the condoctor, said screw and said support being inseparable after assembly of the device, said barriers being adjacent to legs of at least two of said terminals, the support and the screw for each of said two of the terminals being movable in a direction away from an adjacent barrier and the contact member for the third terminal to permit placing the conductor in the terminal, and cooperating means on said support and one of said legs for preventing complete withdrawal of said support from the opening in said one leg when the support is moved away from the other leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,516,572 Heller July 25, 1950 2,597,070 Cook et al. May 20, 1952 2,659,877 Sheldon Nov. 17, 1953 2,709,793 Johansson May 31, 1955

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