US3260985A

US3260985A - Pin-type electrical connector

Info

Publication number: US3260985A
Application number: US350914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Company The Royal Trust; Duffield Joseph Frederick
Original assignee: Smith and Stone Ltd
Current assignee: Smith and Stone Ltd
Priority date: 1963-12-23
Filing date: 1964-03-10
Publication date: 1966-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 1983-07-12

Description

July 12, 1966 c. R 1: s ET AL 3,260,985

PIN-TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 10, 1964 FIG. SD

M 9W W 7 United States Patent 59 Claims. (Cl. 339-97) This invention relates to a quick wiring electrical connector plug wherein an associated cable is connected to the contacts of the connector without the use of tools by a spike on the contact penetrating the cable.

It is known to provide electrical connectors having insulating piercing spikes such connectors enabling electrical connection to cables without the use of tools. Such devices applied to plug connectors have been unduly complex or have multilated the conductors or have been such that the spikes have not been locked into the electrically connected position. Further, prior devices of the type have been bulky and expensive to produce.

Many quick wiring plug caps exist where it is possible to gain access to the interior and thus exposing live metal contacts after being inserted in a receptacle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a quick wiring electrical connector plug having a minimum number of elements.

It is a further object of this invention to provide .a quick wiring electrical connector plug wherein electrical connections once made are locked into substantially permanent condition.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a quick wiring electrical connection of easy manufacture and of low cost.

A still further object of the invention is to prevent access to live metal parts by the unintentional removal of the plasticbody of a plug cap embodying the invention after it has been inserted in a receptacle.

The invention consists of a quick wiring electrical connector plug for application to a cable without the use of tools, comprising: a body member moulded in a slightly resilient plastic,said body member having a blade-receiving opening at one end and walls defining a four-sided interior, at least one of the sides of said interior having a pivot recess and at least one adjacent side of said interior having lower and upper contact receiving recesses, a cable receiving aperture, at least one contact member having depending therefrom, firstly, a blade, secondly, a pivot, thirdly, a projection and fourth-1y, an insulation piercing spike, said pivot received in said pivot recess in said body member, said projection being received in said lower contact receiving recess and adapted to deform said body member upon rotation of said contact about said pivot whereupon said projection transfers from said lower recess to said upper recess simultaneously with said spike piercing said cable, said body member returning to an undeformed position whereby said projection is retained in said upper recess.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a quick wiring plug and a twin-conductor cable fitted to the plug.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pair of contacts for use with the plug shown in FIG. 1, the contacts each having the respective position taken after assembly into body member.

\ FIG. 3 Ba sectional side view of the plug taken along Smith & Stone Limited, Toronto,

3,260,985 Patented July 12, 1966 "ice the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 but with the contact blades in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the plug taken along the line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5a is a sectional view of the plug taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3 but with the blades spread apart.

FIG. 5b is a similar sectional side view to FIG. 5a but with the blades in final and parallel relationship and with a portion of the cable shown.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a hollow body 1 having an aperture 2 for receiving a flat-twin cable 3, and which further supports a pair of blade contacts 4. The body has a blade receiving opening on the underside.

The internal configuration of the 'body is seen best in FIGS. 4, 5a and 5b. The body has

end walls

5 and 6 and

side walls

7 and 8, and a top 9 from which an anvil 10 projects downwardly therefrom. The

side walls

7 and 8 have vertical ribs 11 projecting inwardly therefrom, each rib 11 having a convergent lower end 12. One end wall 5 of the body 1 has a cable entrance 2 formed therein. The

end walls

6 and 5 include

recesses

13 and 14 respectively therein, and the

recesses

13 and 14 are disposed at diametrically opposed positions about the vertical centreline of the body as best seen in FIG. 4 and are shown dotted in that figure. A further and relatively more shallow recess 15 extends from below the recess 13 along the end wall 6 towards the side wall 7 and along the side wall 7 until the recess 15 meets a rib 11. A similar recess 16 extends from below the recess 14 along the end wall 5 towards the side wall 8 and along the side wall 8 until the recess meets the other rib 11.

Side wall 8 includes a lower contact receiving recess 17 which substantially abuts one side of an associated rib 11, and an upper contact receiving recess 18 abutting the same side of associated rib 11. Side wall 7 includes a lower contact receiving recess 19 and upper contact receiving recess 20 wherein

recesses

19 and 20 are located at diametrically opposed positions, in relation to the vertical plane of symmetry of FIG. 4, to those of recesses 17 and 18. The body is formed of a slightly resilient moulda'ble plastic having good electrical insulating properties.

Referring to FIG. 2, the

contacts

4, 4 have identical configuration except that one of the contacts is, as shown, a diametrically opposite replica of the other contact.

The contacts comprise a contact blade 20 the upper end of which has a first portion outwardly bent to form a pivot 21. The upper end of the contact has a second portion inwardly bent to form an inclined extension 22. Integrally attached to the said extension 22 is a cross-piece 23 which, prior to the operation of fitting the plug to a cable, is inclined slightly outwardly of the plane of the extensions 20. One end of the cross-piece converges slightly to form a blade locating projection 25 and an insulation piercing spike 26 extends upwardly from the top edge of the cross-piece. The contacts are formed from any suitable contact material such as brass, or copper.

The contacts are initially assembled into the body, firstly, by locating the pivot 21 of one contact into recess 13 and the pivot 21 of the other contact into recess 14, and secondly, by forcing respective blade locating projections 25 into associated

lower recesses

17 and 19, as shown in FIG. 5a.

In operation, the cable 3 is threaded into aperture 2 as shown in FIG. 5b and the two blades 20 squeezed together. The blades then pivot about pivots 21 located in

respective recesses

13 and 14. During this pivoting motion, projections 25 force an escape from the respective

lower recesses

17 and 19 by outwardly deforming the slightly resilient body 1 and thereafter enter the upper respective recesses 18 and 20 whereafter the body returns inwardly to the underformed condition whereby the upper recesses 18 and 20 retain the contacts in this final position. During the pivoting motion of the contacts 4, two operations are carried out. Firstly, cross-pieces 23 are thrust against the ribs 11 Where the ribs 11 bend the portions 22 of the contacts 4 gradually, as the blades come together, until the cross-pieces 23 lie in parallel relationship and abut the ribs 11. Secondly, the spikes 26 are forced upwardly and through the insulation of the cable, whose upward movement is inhibited by the anvil 10, whereby one of said pair of contacts 4 is electrically connected with one of the wires in the said cable, and the other of said contacts 4 is electrically connected with the other of the wires in the said cable.

It is obvious that a single contact may be used with a single core cable. It is also possible to have two entrances 2 so that the device may be used as a line tap connector.

The anvil may be dispensed with in certain circum-- stances, in which case, the top 9 may be of sufficient thickness to maintain the cable firm before and after the spikes have penetrated the cable. In the embodiment illustrated hereinbefore, the quick-wiring connector has been applied to a standard plug, but the blades 20 may be replaced by other contact members, terminals or lugs without departing from the spirit of the invention. The blade pivot means 13 and 14 have been shown as recesses but the pivot means could comprise a horizontally disposed semi-cylinder formed on the interior of the

walls

5 and 6 and the contacts provided with associated concave recesses to pivot on the semi-cylinder formations.

We claim:

1. A quick wiring electrical connector for application to a cable without the use of tools, comprising:

(i) a body member molded in a slightly resilient plastic; said body member including;

(a) a blade receiving opening at one end,

(b) walls defining a four-sided interior, at least one of said sides of said interior having blade pivot means, at least one adjacent side of said interior having lower and upper contact locating means, said interior having a top disposed opposite to said one end, and,

(c) a cable receiving aperture,

(ii) at least one contact member having depending therefrom;

(d) a blade, rotatably received in said body by said blade pivot means,

(e) a blade locating projection for alternate cooperation with said lower and upper contact locating means, and,

(f) an insulation piercing spike, said spike being adapted to penetrate said cable when said blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means said contact member being pivotal about said blade pivot means from a first position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said lower contact locating means so that a cable is insertable in said cable receiving aperture to a second position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means so that said insulation piercing spike contacts said cable to make electrical contact therewith and said contact member is substantially restrained from random movement.

2. A quick wiring electrical connector for application to a cable without the use of tools, comprising;

(i) a body member molded in slightly resilient plastic, said body member having;

(a) a blade receiving opening at one end,

(b) walls defining a four-sided interior, at least one of said sides of said interior having a pivot recess formed therein and at least one adjacent side of said interior having lower and upper contact receiving recesses therein, said interior having a top disposed opposite to said one end, and,

- to a two conductor (c) a cable receiving aperture,

(ii) at least one contact member having depending therefrom;

(d) a blade, rotatably received in said pivot re cess,

(e) a blade locating projection for alternate cooperation with said lower and upper contact 10- cating means, and,

(f) an insulation piercing spike, said spike being adapted to penetrate said cable when said blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means said contact member being pivotal about said blade pivot means from a first position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said lower contact locating means so that a cable is insertable in said cable receiving aperture to a second position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means so that said insulation piercing spike penetrates said cable to make electrical connection therewith and said contact member is substantially restrained from random movement.

3. A quick wiring electrical connector for application to a cable without the use of tools, comprising:

(i) a body member molded in a slightly resilient plastic, said body member having;

(a) a blade receiving opening at one end,

(b) walls defining a four-sided interior, at least one of said sides of said interior having a pivot recess and at least one adjacent side of said interior having lower and upper contact receiving recesses therein, said interior having a top disposed oposite to said one end, and,

( c) a cable neceiuing aperture,

(ii) at least one contact member having depending therefrom,

(d) ablade,

(e) a pivot, said pivot being received in said pivot recess,

(f) a blade locating projection for reception in and transfer between said lower and upper contact receiving recesses, and

(g) an insulation piercing spike, said spike being adapted to penetrate said cable when said blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means said contact member being pivotal about said blade pivot means from a first position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said lower contact 10- cating means so that a cable is insertable in said cable receiving aperture to a second position in which the blade locating projection cooperates with said upper contact locating means so that said insulating piercing spike penetrates said cable to make electrical connection therewith and said contact member is substantially restrained from random movement.

4. The connector in claim 3 wherein said body member includes a rib on one of said adjacent walls, said rib being adapted to slightly bend said contact when said contact is pivoted about said pivot during transfer from said lower recess to said upper recess.

5. A quick wiring electrical connector for application cable without the use of tools, comprising:

i) a body member molded in a slightly resilient plastic, said body member including;

(a) an opening in one end of contact blades,

(b) walls defining a four-sided interior, an opposed pair of sides of said interior having blade pivot recesses therein, said recesses being diametrically disposed about a vertical plane of symmetry of said body, a pair of adjacent sides,

for receiving a pair each adjacent side having, firstly, lower and upper contact locating recesses therein, the said locating recesses in one of said adjacent sides being diametrically disposed, about said plane of symmetry, to said locating recesses in the other of said adjacent sides, said pair of adjacent sides each having, secondly, a rib formed thereon, said interior having a top disposed opposite to said one end, an inwardly directed anvil formed on said top, and,

(c) a cable receiving aperture located in one of said sides,

(ii) a pair of contact members, each having depending therefrom;

(d) a blade,

(e) a pivot, the pivot on one member being pivotally received in said recess in one of said pair of opposed sides, the pivot on the other member being pivotally received in said recess in the other of said pair of opposed sides,

(f) a blade locating projection, the projection on one member being adapted for reception and transfer between said lower and upper contact receiving recesses in one of said pair of adjacent sides, the projection on the other member being adapted for reception and transfer between said lower and upper contact receiving recesses in the other of said pair of adjacent sides, said rib serving to position the projection on said one member and said other member in their respective upper contact receiving recesses when said contact members are pivoted about their respective blade pivot means from a first position in which the blade locating projections cooperate with their respective lower contact locating means so that a cable is insertable in said cable receiving aperture to a second position in which the blade locating projections cooperate with their respective upper contact 10- cating means, said projections resiliently deforming said body on transferring from associated lower and upper recesses, the body in its undeformed condition serving to substantially retain said members from random movement, and,

(g) an insulation piercing spike, the spike on one member being aligned with one conductor of said two conductor cables, the spike on the other member being aligned with the other of said conductors, said spike on each of said members being adapted to penetrate the insulation of said cable and electrically contact their associated conductor when said respective blade locating projections cooperate with associated upper contact locating recesses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,627 8/1935 Gilbert a 339-97 2,593,743 4/1952 Galvao 339-97 2,682,647 6/1954 Smith 339-99 2,769,154 10/1956 Greenbaum 339-99 2,810,894 10/1957 Kerr 33999 PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner.

Claims

1. A QUICK WIRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOF APPLICATION TO A CABLE WITHOUT THE USE OF TOOLS, COMPRISING; (I) A BODY MEMBER MOLDED IN A SLIGHTLY RESILIENT PLASTIC; SAID BODY MEMBER INCLUDING: (A) A BLADE RECEIVING OPENING AT ONE END, (B) WALLS DEFINING A FOUR-SIDED INTERIOR, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDES INTERIOR HAVING BLADE PIVOT MEANS, AT LEAST ONE ADJACENT SIDE OF SAID INTERIOR HAVING LOWER AND UPPER CONTACT LOCATING MEANS, SAID INTERIOR HAVING A TOP DISPOSED OPPOSITE TO SAID ONE END, AND, (C) A CABLE RECEIVING APERTURE, (II) AT LEAST ONE CONTACT MEMBER HAVING DEPENDING THEREFROM; (D) A BLADE, ROTATABLY RECEIVED IN SAID BODY BY SAID BLADE PIVOT MEANS, (E) A BLADE LOCATING PROJECTION FOR ALTENATE COOPERATION WITH SAID LOWER AND UPPER CONTACT LO CATING MEANS, AND, (F) AN INSULATING PIERCING SPIKE, SAID PLATE BEING ADAPTED TO PENETRATE SAID CABLE WHEN SAID BLADE LOCATING PROJECTION COOPERATES WITH SAID UPPER CONTACT LOCATNG MEANS SAID CONTACT MEMBER BEING PIVOTAL ABOUT SAID BLADE PIVOT MEANS FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THE BLADE LOCATING PROJECTION COOPERATES WITH SAID LOWER CONTACT LOCATING MEANS SO THAT A CABLE IS INSERTABLE IN SAID CABLE RECEIVING APERTURE TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE BLADE LOCATING PROJECTION COOPERATES WITH SAID UPPER CONTACT LOCATING MEANS SO THAT SAID INSULATING PIERCING SPIKE CONTACTS SAID CABLE TO MAKE ELECTRICAL CONTACT THEREWITH AND SAID CONTACT MEMBER IS SUBSTANTIALLY RESTRAINED FROM RANDOM MOVEMENT.