US2956259A - Transformer connector - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 1l, 1960 Filed July 28, 1958 f' 30 f I IIHIIII,

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United States Patent TRANSFORMER CONNECTOR Edward S. Cornell, Jr., Westport, Conn., assigner to Penn-Union Electric Corporation, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 28, 1958, Ser. No. 751,343

4 Claims. (Cl. 339-149) The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a novel connector especially useful in association with transformers.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel transformer connector which is of compact, rugged and economical construction and whereby an improved connection may be obtained with a wire or cable.

A more specilc object of the present invention is to provide a novel transformer connector having a compact and rugged hollow main body member and a pressure pad or complementary clamping member disposed within the body member, which members are constructed so that each may be economically formed in one piece and so that they may be readily assembled with each other.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a transformer connector incorporating features of the present invention assembled with a tapped Wire or cable;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken generally along line 2--2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken generally along line 4 4 in Pig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but shows the manner in which the clamping member may be assembled within the main body member of the connector; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the pressure pad or clamping member of a connector incorporating features of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a connector 10 incorporating features of the present invention comprises a main body member 12 which may be formed from aluminum, copper, brass or any other suitable electricity conducting metal or material. The body member 12 is assembled with an elongated insulator 14 formed from ceramic or other suitable insulating material. referably the insulator is provided with a circular ecess 16 in `one end thereof defined by an axially extending peripheral flange 18, which recess receives a circular end portion 20 of the body member 12 that is connected with the remainder of the body member by a reduced diameter neck portion 22. The insulator is provided with an axially extending central bore 24 therethrough. The bore 24 snugly receives an internally threaded cylindrical extension 26 projecting from the end portion 20 of the body member so that the body member and insulator will be located in predetermined relationship.

An elongated rod 2S extends through the bore of the insulator. The rod may be brazed `or similarly connected to a transformer, not shown, and to the extension 26, but in the embodiment shown, the rod has a threaded rice end portion 30 turned into the cylindrical extension 26 for providing an electrical and mechanical connection between the rod and the body member 12. An opposite end portion 32 of the rod extends outwardly of the insulator 14 and is also threaded for accommodating a nut 34 or the like which may serve to mechanically and electrically connect the rod 28 and thus the connector 10 to a transformer, not shown. When this is accomplished the rod 28 serves to mechanically and electrically connect the body member 12 with the transformer.

The end portion 2d) `of the body member 12 is provided with an annular recess in which a washer 36 of plastic or other suitable material is positioned. The washer 36 provides a seal between the opposing end faces of the insulator and the body member for preventing the passage of moisture `or other foreign material into the central bore of the insulator. As shown in Fig. 1, a projecting linger or tab 3S extends from an integral junction 4with the end portion 20 through a suitable notch formed in the axially extending ange 1S of the insulator. The tab 38 serves to prevent relative rotation between the insulator and the body member 12 and also serves to provide a predetermined spark gap between the exposed metal portions of the connector and the housing of a transformer, not shown.

A main section 40 of the body member 12 is provided with an aperture 42 extending transversely therethrough. In addition an axially extending aperture or bore 44 is provided which opens at the end of the body member opposite from the insulator and which intersects the aperture 42. As indicated, for example, in solid lines in Fig. 1 a tap wire or cable 46 may be assembled with the connector 10 by inserting it through the aperture 42. lf desired, a tap wire or cable may be assembled with the connector by inserting it into the axially extending aperture or bore 44 as indicated in broken lines in Fig. l. It will be appreciated that the bottom surfaces of the circular apertures or bores 42 and 44 provide right angularly disposed elongated and contoured or arcuate wire accommodating seats for promoting a more effective mechanical and electrical connection between the connector and a wire.

The connector 10 also comprises a clamping member 48 having right angularly disposed legs 50 and 52 adapted to be located in the transverse and axially extending apertures or bores 42 and 44 respectively. The legs 50 and 52 respectively present elongated and transversely contoured `wire accommodating seats 54 and 56 directly oppositely disposed from and substantially coextensive with the seats provided by the lower surfaces of the bores 42 and 44. In order to shift the clamping member 48 so as to clamp a wire between a pair of opposed seats, a screw 58 is provided. The screw 58 is turned through an internally threaded aperture 60 in the body section 40. A reduced diameter end portion 62 of the screw is rotatably disposed in an aperture 64 formed in the clamping member leg 50 at the intersection of the longitudinal axes of the leg portions 50 and 52. A terminal end of the screw portion 62 is upset as indicated at 66 for interconnecting the screw with the clamping member 48.

In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, the members 12 and 48 are of compact rugged construction and are formed so that each may be economically produced in one piece and so that they may be quickly and easily assembled with each other. More specifically, a slot 70 is formed in the body member 12 at a junction between the bores 42 and 44 as shown in Figs. l, 4 and 5. The slot is provided 4with a width slightly greater than the thickness of the clamping member 48 so that a portion of the clamping member may pass therethrough during assembly of the clamping member with the body member. As illustrated best in Fig. 5, the slot or recess 7@ is formed and located so as to provide sufiicient clearance forv the clampingV member 48 to enable the clamping member to be assembled with the body member by first inserting the leg por-tion 50 into theV bore 42 and through slot 7G and then turning the clamping member through the position shown in Fig. and to the position Shown in Fig. 4. After the clamping member is fully assembled within ythe body member, the reduced diameter end of the screw 5S is inserted into the aperture 64 and peened over or upset. It will be appreciated that without the `slot or recess 70, the width between the opposite Sides of the bore Y42 `is less than the distance between one side surface lof the leg portion 52 of the clamping member anda remote end of the leg portion 50 so 'that the clamping member could not be assembled within the body member. In other words, the lengthsY of the wire accommodating seats or surfaces provided by the members 12 and 48 are relatively long as compared with the diameter of the largest wire which may be accommodated by the connector and therefore the lengths of the clamping member legs are such that the clamping member cannot be inserted into the bores 42 and 44 without Ythe provision of the above mentioned recess or slot.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A transformer connector comprising a body member of electricity conducting material, an insulator associated with said body member and having an axially extending end flange dening a recess, said body member including an end portion disposed in said recess, said insulator having an axially extending bore therethrough, an electrical conductor extending through said bore and connected with said body member end portion, said body member including irst and second angularly disposed bore means therein respectively partially defined by elongated angularly disposed wire accommodating seats, said second bore means intersecting an intermediate portion of said first bore means, a one piece clamping member including angularly disposed first and second leg portions respectively shiftably disposed in said first and second bore means oppositely from said seats, said leg portions Y 2. A transformer connector comprising a one piece body member `oi electricity conducting material, an electrical insulator having a bore therethrough and disposed with an end thereof associated with one end of said body member, an electrical conductor extending through Said bore and connected with said one end of the body member, substantially right angularly disposed first and second bore means in said body member and extending substantially transversely and axially of said body member and respectively partially defined by elongated angularly disposed wire accommodating seats, said second bore means intersecting substantially a mid portion of first bore means, a one piece clamping member including substantially right angularly disposed first and second leg portions respectively shiftably dispo-sed in said first and second bore means oppositely from said seats, said second leg portion extending from a substantially mid section of said first leg portion, said leg portions having lengths greater than diameters `of said bore means, recess means in said body member at a junction between said first and second bore means and providing clearance for enabling said one piece clamping member to be assembled within said bore means, and screw means connected with said members for relatively shifting said members for clamping a wire therebetween.

3. A connector comprising a body member yof electricity conducting material, first yand second angularly disposed bore means in said body member and respectively partially defined by elongated angularly disposed conductor accommodating seats, said second bore means intersecting an intermediate portion of said first bore means, a one piece clamping member including angularly disposed first and second leg portions respectively shift ably disposed in said first and second bore means oppositely from said seats, said second leg portion extending from an intermediate section of said iirst leg portion, recess means in one of said members for enabling said one piece clamping member to be assembled within said bore means, and screw means connected with said mem bers for relatively shifting said members for clamping a conductor therebetween.

4. A connector, as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second leg portions have lengths greater than diameters of said first and second bore means, and said recess means is in said body lmember at a junction between said first and second bore means.

Lee a Mar. 12, 1935 Rowe lune 21, 1938

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