US2811704A - Solderless connector - Google Patents

Solderless connector Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2811704A
US2811704A US602543A US60254356A US2811704A US 2811704 A US2811704 A US 2811704A US 602543 A US602543 A US 602543A US 60254356 A US60254356 A US 60254356A US 2811704 A US2811704 A US 2811704A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
housing
cable
plate
connector
solderless
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US602543A
Inventor
Thomas J Newman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Meter Devices Co Inc
Original Assignee
Meter Devices Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Meter Devices Co Inc filed Critical Meter Devices Co Inc
Priority to US602543A priority Critical patent/US2811704A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2811704A publication Critical patent/US2811704A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
    • H01R4/30—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a screw or nut clamping member
    • H01R4/36—Conductive members located under tip of screw

Definitions

  • the invention is more particularly concerned with a solderless connector for the terminal of a stranded elec tric cable and which is generally characterized by a housing for receiving said cable terminal with same in abutment with a binding screw threaded into the housing and adapted to bind the said cable terminal in fixed position in the housing.
  • Prior art solderless connectors embody a cable end receiving housing having a stop for the ends of the cable strands and binding screw engaged within a threaded aperture in the housing for binding the said cable end in the housing.
  • the cable end stop means is rigid with the housing, whereby a cable is capable of being entered into the housing from one end thereof only, and accordingly the connectors are restricted to the clamping of the end of a single cable.
  • solderless connector embodying a housing having cable end stop means and a binding screw engageable with a cable end disposed within the housing for rigidly clamping the cable in position, and wherein the said housing is open at opposite ends thereof for visual inspection of said cable, and whereby accurate positioning of same within the housing is assured.
  • a further object of the invention is the provision of a solderless connector embodying an open ended housing having a cable terminal binding screw adjustably disposed in the top wall thereof, and wherein removable stop means is disposed at one end of the housing, whereby a single cable having its end abutting said stop means may be secured within the housing by means of the said binding screws or upon removal of said stop means a pair of cable ends may be entered through opposite ends of the housing and jointly clamped in position by said screw, thereby functioning as a splice means.
  • a still further object of the invention is the provision of a solderless electric cable terminal connector including an open ended housing for receiving said cable and having stop means adjacent one end thereof, and wherein said stop means only partially closes said one end, thereby permitting visual inspection of the positioning of said cable terminal.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the improved connector in accordance with a preferred structural embodiment of the invention, the dot-and-dash lines in this Fi 1 indicating the paths of relative movement of the several cooperating elements from the separated positions shown to cooperating operative positions.
  • Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the connector shown secured to an insulated base or support and with a cable end about to be positioned within the connector.
  • Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevational and partly in longitudinal vertical section and showing the cable end in clamped position.
  • Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 4-4 on Fig. 2.
  • the improved connector will be seen to comprise a generally rectangular open ended housing 10 including opposite side walls 11, a top wall 12 and a bottom wall 13, the opposite ends being wholly open as shown.
  • the top wall 12 which may be slightly upwardly arched as shown is provided with a threaded aperture 14 disposed intermediate the ends of the housing and which is adapted for reception of a cable terminal binding screw 15.
  • the bottom wall 13 is provided with an aperture 16, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and for a purpose later referred to.
  • the connector further comprises an elongated contact plate 17 which includes opposite end portions 18 and 19 which are vertically offset a distance equal to the thickness of the bottom wall 13 of housing 10 as is clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.
  • the end portion 18 is of a width equal to the distance'between the housing side walls 11 and is adapted to be positioned within the housing in seating engagement with the bottom wall 13 thereof.
  • the end portion 19 is adapted to seat on the face of an insulated support 5 and the unitary adjacent ends of said portions 18 and 19 comprise an intermediate portion 20 which is indlined downwardly from portion 18 to portion 19.
  • the end portion 19 is of a width equal to the external width of the housing 10 with re sulting laterally opposed vertical shoulders 21 for a purpose about to appear.
  • the portion 18 is provided with a threaded aperture 22 and the portion 19 is provided with a threaded aperture 23.
  • the connector further comprises a cable terminal stop plate 24, which is relatively thin and of rectangular form and which is of a length equal to the .width of the housing 10.
  • the plate 24 is provided with an elongated rectangular slot 25 of dimensions to snugly receive the contact plate portion 18 with the plate engaged with one open end of the housing and with the lower edge thereof engaged with the support S. In the mounted position of the plates 17 and 24 the shoulders 21 engage the outer face of plate 24 at opposite ends of the slot 25.
  • the improved connector comprises four simple parts, viz. housing 10, binding screw 15, contact plate 17 and stop plate 24 and from this figure it will be apparent that assembly is quickly effected by introduction of the plate portion 18 into the slot 25 of plate 24, until plate 24 engages shoulders 21 and thereafter the portion 18 is pushed into the housing 10 in engagement with the bottom Wall 13 thereof and the stop plate will be clamped between an end of the housing and said shoulders 21.
  • a screw 26 is extended through a vertical aperture 26 in the support S, through the aperture 16 in the housing bottom wall 13 and is engaged within the threaded aperture 22 in the contact plate portion 18.
  • a second screw 27 is extended through a second vertical aperture 27' in the support S and is engaged within the threaded aperture 23 in the contact plate portion 19.
  • the stop plate 24 has a vertical dimension whereby the upper edge thereof when in assembled position is disposed substantially below the top wall 12 of the housing to provide an inspection opening and in fact a like inspection opening is provided at the opposite end of the housing as is obvious from inspection of Fig. 3.
  • the structure in order to adapt the structure for selective use as a single cable terminal connector or for the splicing of adjacent terminals of a pair of cables, it is preferable to handle the structure with the readily separable elements as shown, whereby the stop plate 24 may be usedfor engagement with the end of a single cable as shown, or the stop plate may be omitted and a cable terminal introduced into the housing from each end thereof for a splicing operation.
  • a solderless connector for electric cable terminals comprising a housing having top, bottom and side walls with opposed open ends, an elongated contact plate having one end portion thereof disposed within the housing in contact with the bottom wall thereof, a binding screw adjustably threaded through said top wall for clamping a cable terminal between same and said end portion of the contact plate, and a stop plate supported by said contact plate and engaging one end of said housing in partial blocking relation to the opening therein for contact of the free end of the terminal therewith, said stop plate being of substantially less height than said hous- 4 ing, whereby visibility to the interior of the housing is provided through the unblocked area of the said opening above the plate.
  • a solderless connector for electric cable terminals adapted to be secured to an insulated support, comprising a housing having top, bottom and side walls with opposed open ends, an elongated contact plate including opposed end portions vertically offset a distance equal to the thickness of said bottom wall, said opposed end portions being integrally united through an upwardly inclined intermediate portion of the plate, one of said end portionsof the contact plate being of a width equal to the distance between the inner faces of said side walls, the other of said end portions together with said inclined intermediate portion being of a width greater than that of said first end portion, the extensions of said intermediate portion laterally of said first end portion being provided with vertical shoulders, said first end portion of the contact plate being disposed within said housing in seating contact with said bottom wall, and said second end portion being disposed externally of the housing with its lower face flush with the lower face of said housing and with said shoulders opposed to adjacent ends of the side walls, means for securing said housing and said second end portion of the contact plate to an insulated support, and a rectangular stop plate having an elongated slot through which said housing

Landscapes

  • Connections Arranged To Contact A Plurality Of Conductors (AREA)

Description

Oct. 29, 1957 T. J. NEWMAN SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 7, 1956 1N VENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 2,81 1,704 Patented Got. 29, 1957 SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Thomas J. Newman, Canton, Ohio, assignor to Meter Devices Company, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 7, 1956, Serial No. 602,543
2 Claims. (Cl. 339-272) This invention relates to a solderless connector.
The invention is more particularly concerned with a solderless connector for the terminal of a stranded elec tric cable and which is generally characterized by a housing for receiving said cable terminal with same in abutment with a binding screw threaded into the housing and adapted to bind the said cable terminal in fixed position in the housing.
Prior art solderless connectors embody a cable end receiving housing having a stop for the ends of the cable strands and binding screw engaged within a threaded aperture in the housing for binding the said cable end in the housing.
These prior art connectors, however, make no provision for visual positioning of the butt end of the cable within the housing with the result that correct positioning is not assured.
Furthermore, in the prior art connectors, the cable end stop means is rigid with the housing, whereby a cable is capable of being entered into the housing from one end thereof only, and accordingly the connectors are restricted to the clamping of the end of a single cable.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a solderless connector embodying a housing having cable end stop means and a binding screw engageable with a cable end disposed within the housing for rigidly clamping the cable in position, and wherein the said housing is open at opposite ends thereof for visual inspection of said cable, and whereby accurate positioning of same within the housing is assured.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a solderless connector embodying an open ended housing having a cable terminal binding screw adjustably disposed in the top wall thereof, and wherein removable stop means is disposed at one end of the housing, whereby a single cable having its end abutting said stop means may be secured within the housing by means of the said binding screws or upon removal of said stop means a pair of cable ends may be entered through opposite ends of the housing and jointly clamped in position by said screw, thereby functioning as a splice means.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a solderless electric cable terminal connector including an open ended housing for receiving said cable and having stop means adjacent one end thereof, and wherein said stop means only partially closes said one end, thereby permitting visual inspection of the positioning of said cable terminal.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the improved connector in accordance with a preferred structural embodiment of the invention, the dot-and-dash lines in this Fi 1 indicating the paths of relative movement of the several cooperating elements from the separated positions shown to cooperating operative positions.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the connector shown secured to an insulated base or support and with a cable end about to be positioned within the connector.
Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevational and partly in longitudinal vertical section and showing the cable end in clamped position.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 4-4 on Fig. 2.
Referring now in detail to the drawing, the improved connector will be seen to comprise a generally rectangular open ended housing 10 including opposite side walls 11, a top wall 12 and a bottom wall 13, the opposite ends being wholly open as shown.
The top wall 12, which may be slightly upwardly arched as shown is provided with a threaded aperture 14 disposed intermediate the ends of the housing and which is adapted for reception of a cable terminal binding screw 15. The bottom wall 13 is provided with an aperture 16, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and for a purpose later referred to.
The connector further comprises an elongated contact plate 17 which includes opposite end portions 18 and 19 which are vertically offset a distance equal to the thickness of the bottom wall 13 of housing 10 as is clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The end portion 18 is of a width equal to the distance'between the housing side walls 11 and is adapted to be positioned within the housing in seating engagement with the bottom wall 13 thereof. The end portion 19 is adapted to seat on the face of an insulated support 5 and the unitary adjacent ends of said portions 18 and 19 comprise an intermediate portion 20 which is indlined downwardly from portion 18 to portion 19. The end portion 19 is of a width equal to the external width of the housing 10 with re sulting laterally opposed vertical shoulders 21 for a purpose about to appear.
7 The portion 18 is provided with a threaded aperture 22 and the portion 19 is provided with a threaded aperture 23.
The connector further comprises a cable terminal stop plate 24, which is relatively thin and of rectangular form and which is of a length equal to the .width of the housing 10.
The plate 24 is provided with an elongated rectangular slot 25 of dimensions to snugly receive the contact plate portion 18 with the plate engaged with one open end of the housing and with the lower edge thereof engaged with the support S. In the mounted position of the plates 17 and 24 the shoulders 21 engage the outer face of plate 24 at opposite ends of the slot 25.
With the plates 17 and 24 assembled as in Figs. 2 and 3 the threaded aperture 22 is axially aligned with the smooth walled aperture 16 in the bottom wall 13 of the housing 10.
As is clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the improved connector comprises four simple parts, viz. housing 10, binding screw 15, contact plate 17 and stop plate 24 and from this figure it will be apparent that assembly is quickly effected by introduction of the plate portion 18 into the slot 25 of plate 24, until plate 24 engages shoulders 21 and thereafter the portion 18 is pushed into the housing 10 in engagement with the bottom Wall 13 thereof and the stop plate will be clamped between an end of the housing and said shoulders 21.
A screw 26 is extended through a vertical aperture 26 in the support S, through the aperture 16 in the housing bottom wall 13 and is engaged within the threaded aperture 22 in the contact plate portion 18.
A second screw 27 is extended through a second vertical aperture 27' in the support S and is engaged within the threaded aperture 23 in the contact plate portion 19.
It is to be particularly observed that the stop plate 24 has a vertical dimension whereby the upper edge thereof when in assembled position is disposed substantially below the top wall 12 of the housing to provide an inspection opening and in fact a like inspection opening is provided at the opposite end of the housing as is obvious from inspection of Fig. 3.
While the several constituent parts of the connector are shown entirely separate preparatory to the connection thereof with the support S by means of screw 26, same may be held in pre-assembled relation as a single unit by means of screws, or bydimpling or peening D indicated in Fig. 2 or by other suitable means.
However, in order to adapt the structure for selective use as a single cable terminal connector or for the splicing of adjacent terminals of a pair of cables, it is preferable to handle the structure with the readily separable elements as shown, whereby the stop plate 24 may be usedfor engagement with the end of a single cable as shown, or the stop plate may be omitted and a cable terminal introduced into the housing from each end thereof for a splicing operation.
While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a preferred single structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the sub-joined claims.
What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:
l. A solderless connector for electric cable terminals, comprising a housing having top, bottom and side walls with opposed open ends, an elongated contact plate having one end portion thereof disposed within the housing in contact with the bottom wall thereof, a binding screw adjustably threaded through said top wall for clamping a cable terminal between same and said end portion of the contact plate, and a stop plate supported by said contact plate and engaging one end of said housing in partial blocking relation to the opening therein for contact of the free end of the terminal therewith, said stop plate being of substantially less height than said hous- 4 ing, whereby visibility to the interior of the housing is provided through the unblocked area of the said opening above the plate.
2. A solderless connector for electric cable terminals, adapted to be secured to an insulated support, comprising a housing having top, bottom and side walls with opposed open ends, an elongated contact plate including opposed end portions vertically offset a distance equal to the thickness of said bottom wall, said opposed end portions being integrally united through an upwardly inclined intermediate portion of the plate, one of said end portionsof the contact plate being of a width equal to the distance between the inner faces of said side walls, the other of said end portions together with said inclined intermediate portion being of a width greater than that of said first end portion, the extensions of said intermediate portion laterally of said first end portion being provided with vertical shoulders, said first end portion of the contact plate being disposed within said housing in seating contact with said bottom wall, and said second end portion being disposed externally of the housing with its lower face flush with the lower face of said housing and with said shoulders opposed to adjacent ends of the side walls, means for securing said housing and said second end portion of the contact plate to an insulated support, and a rectangular stop plate having an elongated slot through which said first end portion of said contact plate extends, and said shoulders engaging the outer face of said plate with the inner face thereof engaging with said ends of the side walls of the housing.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,082,947 Fotsch June 8, 1937 2,188,135 Lee et al. Jan. 23, 1940 2,324,829 Dante July 20, 1943 2,732,535 Hammerly Jan. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,065 Great Britain Dec. 23, 1941
US602543A 1956-08-07 1956-08-07 Solderless connector Expired - Lifetime US2811704A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US602543A US2811704A (en) 1956-08-07 1956-08-07 Solderless connector

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US602543A US2811704A (en) 1956-08-07 1956-08-07 Solderless connector

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2811704A true US2811704A (en) 1957-10-29

Family

ID=24411764

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US602543A Expired - Lifetime US2811704A (en) 1956-08-07 1956-08-07 Solderless connector

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US2811704A (en)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3320561A (en) * 1964-03-18 1967-05-16 Honeywell Inc Electrical contactor with novel terminal means
US3534195A (en) * 1969-01-27 1970-10-13 Gen Electric Circuit breaker with novel terminal strap
US3801875A (en) * 1973-06-14 1974-04-02 Gen Electric Non-metallic load center with improved bus bar construction
FR2410380A1 (en) * 1977-11-29 1979-06-22 Weidmueller Kg C PLUG-IN CONNECTOR
US4917615A (en) * 1988-11-18 1990-04-17 Franks George J Jr Ground bracket
USD486791S1 (en) 2003-01-29 2004-02-17 Senior Industries, Inc. Ground block
USD487427S1 (en) 2003-01-29 2004-03-09 Senior Industries, Inc. Ground block
US6726510B2 (en) * 2000-05-25 2004-04-27 Tyco Electronics Raychem Gmbh Cable lug
US6877996B1 (en) 2002-11-27 2005-04-12 Senior Industries, Inc. Grounding connector
US20170149378A1 (en) * 2015-11-20 2017-05-25 Hubbell Incorporated Solar panel and grounding connectors
US10062980B2 (en) 2015-05-22 2018-08-28 Panduit Corp. Field terminable plug assembly

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2082947A (en) * 1934-12-03 1937-06-08 Reliable Electric Co Terminal connecter
US2188135A (en) * 1937-06-16 1940-01-23 Burndy Engineering Co Inc Connector with washer cap
GB542065A (en) * 1940-10-01 1941-12-23 J A Crabtree And Company Ltd Improvements in, and connected with, clamping devices
US2324829A (en) * 1939-12-06 1943-07-20 Joseph J Dante Electric terminal lug
US2732535A (en) * 1956-01-24 hammerly

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2732535A (en) * 1956-01-24 hammerly
US2082947A (en) * 1934-12-03 1937-06-08 Reliable Electric Co Terminal connecter
US2188135A (en) * 1937-06-16 1940-01-23 Burndy Engineering Co Inc Connector with washer cap
US2324829A (en) * 1939-12-06 1943-07-20 Joseph J Dante Electric terminal lug
GB542065A (en) * 1940-10-01 1941-12-23 J A Crabtree And Company Ltd Improvements in, and connected with, clamping devices

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3320561A (en) * 1964-03-18 1967-05-16 Honeywell Inc Electrical contactor with novel terminal means
US3534195A (en) * 1969-01-27 1970-10-13 Gen Electric Circuit breaker with novel terminal strap
US3801875A (en) * 1973-06-14 1974-04-02 Gen Electric Non-metallic load center with improved bus bar construction
FR2410380A1 (en) * 1977-11-29 1979-06-22 Weidmueller Kg C PLUG-IN CONNECTOR
US4917615A (en) * 1988-11-18 1990-04-17 Franks George J Jr Ground bracket
US6726510B2 (en) * 2000-05-25 2004-04-27 Tyco Electronics Raychem Gmbh Cable lug
US6877996B1 (en) 2002-11-27 2005-04-12 Senior Industries, Inc. Grounding connector
USD486791S1 (en) 2003-01-29 2004-02-17 Senior Industries, Inc. Ground block
USD487427S1 (en) 2003-01-29 2004-03-09 Senior Industries, Inc. Ground block
US10062980B2 (en) 2015-05-22 2018-08-28 Panduit Corp. Field terminable plug assembly
US20170149378A1 (en) * 2015-11-20 2017-05-25 Hubbell Incorporated Solar panel and grounding connectors

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2811704A (en) Solderless connector
US2713668A (en) Quick detachable electrical connector
GB2034538A (en) A terminal block
US3032736A (en) Wiring device
US2289122A (en) Electric circuit controlling device
US2310024A (en) Electrical distribution system
US3793607A (en) Electrical terminal for connection to a conductor of a cable
US2211591A (en) Attachment plug cap
US3464055A (en) Electrical connector
US2774953A (en) Solderless lug and connector for electrical cables
US3157732A (en) Multi-part electrical junction box and plug-in accessory
GB2122431A (en) Electrical connectors
US3623687A (en) Insulator top clamp
US2873433A (en) Convenience outlet with improved wire and plug blade gripping means
US2970288A (en) Top wired electrical cap and connector
US2690545A (en) Lead wire connector
US2429448A (en) Circuit connector
US2965869A (en) Female contact for electrical outlet receptacle
US1954375A (en) Polarized duplex receptacle
WO1998053470A1 (en) Electrical terminal with finger-proof protection
US2577974A (en) Electrical outlet
US2968690A (en) End feed-in device
DE19629445A1 (en) Current distributor terminal housing
US5080612A (en) Electrical appliance
US2076209A (en) Solderless wire connecter