US2950936A - Multiple cable connector - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1960 A. B. GUNTHEL, JR 2,950,936 MULTIPLE CABLE CONNECTOR Filed- April 9. 1958 United States Patent MULTIPLE CABLE CONNECTOR Alfred B. Gunthel, Jr., Sea Cliff, N.Y., assignor to Dossert Manufacturing Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,430

7 Claims. (Cl. 287-75) This invention relates in general to electrical cable connectors, and particularly to a new and useful multiple unit connector having improved cable forming clamping portions for joining cables thereto.

Previously with cables of this type great difliculty has been experienced in making suitable high-strength connections, especially with cables which were quite rigid and not easy to bend. Usually it was necessary to provide a bending tool which would bend the cable to the exact configuration of the connector to which the cable was to be joined.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a connector having one or more novel clamping members, which include a mandrel-like forming surface over which a cable may be positioned and bent to conform to the configuration of the clamping section. The cable need only be positioned between two mating clamping sections at its free end and then bent around the configuration of the upper part of the clamping section until it conforms with the mating configurations of the two sections.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved multiple unit connector.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple unit connector having at least one clamping portion including a surface over which a cable to be connected may be bent and formed for clamping therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple unit electrical connector which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the connector shown in Fig. 1 with portions broken away for clarity;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse ofiset partial section and partial elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodied therein includes a three-unit electrical connector generally designated made of suitable electrically conductive material. The connector 10 includes a body portion 12 having three separate cable positioning and clamping portions generally designated A, B and C.

The portion B of the body 12 is provided with a curved recess 14 upon which is usually positioned a main or run cable 16. A securing member or clamp generally designated 18 includes an elongated cross piece 20 having a curved recess 22, 22 formed at each end of the under- 2,950,936 Patented Aug. 30, 1960 side thereof for positioning over the cable 16. The central portion of the clamp 18 is arched to permit biasing of the ends against the cable. The securing member 18 is held tightly in position over the cable 16 by studs 24 and 26 which extend through a square opening 28 and a slot 30 in the member 18 and oversized openings 32 and 34 in the body 12, and are tightly secured to the body 12 by nuts 36 and 38 respectively. The slot 30 is provided for the stud 26 in order to facilitate easy disconnection of the securing member 18 for removal of the cable 16.

In accordance with the invention, each of the branch cable connecting portions A and C are made identical and the parts are similarly constructed and similarly designated. Each of the portions A and C include substantially U-shaped wall 40 defining a cable receiving socket. A combination cable clamping and formingmandrel piece generally designated 42 is normally positioned to close the top of the socket formed by the U- shaped walls 40.

The combination cable clamping forming-mandrel piece 42 includes a substantially U-shaped top wall 44 which is notched in the central portion as at 46 to permit centering of the piece within the walls 40 on upstanding guide and position lips 48, 48, formed at each end of the body 12.

The cable forming and clamping piece 42 is provided with a substantially U-shaped flange or mandrel wall 50 spaced inwardly from the edge of the wall 44 and extending at right angles thereto. The mandrel wall 50 forms a curved surface over which a cable 52 is positioned for forming and for clamping and securing purposes.

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The wall 50 is of the same general contour as the wall 40 but is spaced inwardly therefrom to define a channel for the positioning of the cable 52. At the end of the connector 10, the wall 50 converges to define large entrance and exit areas 54 to permit cable movement and adjustment. The top wall 44 is provided with a square opening 55 to receive a stud 56, which extends therethrough and through an opening 58 in the body 12, and is secured to the body as by a nut 60 applied over a washer '62. A compression spring 64 is biased between the inside of the wall 44 and the inner wall of the body 12.

In order to position a cable within either of the cable forming and positioning portions A or C, the nut 60 is loosened sufiiciently to cause the wall 44 to extend outwardly clear of the body 12 under the urging of the spring 64. The cable 52 is then positioned with its free end wedged against the adjacent ends of walls 40 and 56 respectively. With the cable end thus wedged, the cable is bent to conform to the contour of the U-shaped walls 40 and 50 until the opposite end of the cable lies adjacent the opposite end of the wall 50. The nut 60 is then tightened on the stud 56 to bring the wall 44 downwardly on the cable 52 and tightly hold it in position in the body piece 12.

Thus, the invention provides a connector which permits the easy forming of the end of branch cables for connection and clamping to a main conductor. The connector provides a high-strength cable clamping means as Well as an easy tool for the forming of the ends of a cable into a U-shape. The connector may be constructed for use as a cross connector, a T-connector, a parallel connector or even an end to end connector by proper positioning of the portions A, B and C.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

3 Iclaim: 1. An electrical connector comprising a body member having a cavity defined in a face thereof and including a substantially U-shaped upstanding outer wall at the nal axis to conform to said channel, and securing means for positioning said clamping member in relation to said body member.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said securing means includes resilient means biasing said clamp away from said body.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said securing means includes a compression spring biased between said body and said clamp.

4. An electrical connector comprising a body portion having a central cable receiving groove extending thereacross, means to clamp a cable in position in said groove across said body portion, a substantially U-shaped cable confining wall at one end of said body portion, a clamp having a wall of the same configuration as said U-shaped wall adapted to fit within said U-shaped portion with the wall thereof spaced from said U-shaped cable confining wall whereby to define a cable confining channel between the inner portion of said U-shaped portion and said clamp, said U-shaped cable confining wall and said clamp wall forming a mandrel-like clamp for bending the cable to conform to said channel, the ends of said clamp and said U-shaped cable confining wall defining spaced openings whereby to permit a cable to be bent to the configuration of said cable confining channel and positioned therein with each end extending through respective openings, and means to tightly secure said clamp to said body whereby to secure a cable within said cable confining channel.

5. An electrical connector according to claim 4 having at least two U-shaped end walls and associated clamps.

6. An electrical connector according to claim 4 wherein said U-shaped end walls are arranged one at each end of said body and each is provided with a complementary clamp.

7. An electrical connector comprising a body member having a cavity defined in a face thereof and including a substantially U-shaped outstanding outer wall at the periphery of said cavity, an outstanding 'wall at the edge of said cavity intermediate the open divergent ends of said U-shaped wall, a clamping member of substantially the same size and configuration as said cavity fitting inside said U-shaped wall and substantially closing said cavity with the exception of spaced openings on each side of said outstanding wall, said clamp including an inner wall substantially parallel to said body member outer wall and spaced therefrom to define a channel for a cable therebetween, said inner and outer walls forming a mandrel-like clamp for bending a cable along the cables longitudinal axis to conform to said channel, and securing means for positioning said clamping member in relation to said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,882 Chase June 5, 1883 1,004,890 Michitsch Oct. 3, 1911 1,699,211 Rose Jan. 15, 1929 1,758,948 Helm May 20, 1930 1,807,462 Zehnder May 26, 1931 1,945,575 Sumpter Feb. 6, 1934 1,948,838 Bash Feb. 27, 1934 1,999,045 Goetz Apr. 23, 1935 2,151,674 Adam et al. Mar. 28, 1939 2,359,632 Eales Oct. 3, 1944 2,564,340 Osborne Aug. 14, 1951 2,805,877 Ashley Sept. 10, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 903,458 France Oct. 5, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Dossert Mfg. Corp. advertisement, page 6, Electrical World, July 25, 1955. (Copy in Division 20.)

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