AU596727B2

AU596727B2 - A wire connector

Info

Publication number: AU596727B2
Application number: AU10798/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Walter Karl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-01-28
Filing date: 1988-01-22
Publication date: 1990-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-22
Also published as: AU1079888A

Description

7 Our Ref: 260960/FP 27

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

*o a, 00 a a 4 Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Applicant(s): Walter KARL 12 Wren Place, Lugarno, New South Wales, 2210, Australia Walter Karl ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attornerys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: ft t Complete specification for the invention entitled "A wire connector".

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- W 1.

0294v/gs i The present invention relates to a joining device for connecting together wires of wire fences.

Conventional means of joining fences include the traditional tying of knots and other such systems. In the case of tying of knots this is very impractical due to the risk of breaking hardened wire and is therefore time consuming and requires wastage of wire.

Other devices have been developed for the joining together of wire strands such as that proposed in Australian Patent Application 18514/76. This device utilises a 09 cylindrical bore laterally across which extends two wires to be 0000 joined with a cylindrical block which is driven into the bore So deforming the wire strands by compre sing them between the wall of the bore and the block to create a swaging action. The problem with this type of device is that it requires an expensive machinery operation and utilises turning to provide the correct clearances between the bore and the block; thereby providing an expensive product.

In one broad form the present invention is a wire I connector formed from sheet metal, said connector member j comprising a substantially U-shaped member, said connector having two holes passing through each of opposed lateral walls of the U-shaped member, an elongate slot in the base of the U and substantially parallel to the lateral walls and a wedge member being attached to said connector by a breakaway join such that said wedge member can be removed from said connector, said wedge member adapted to be driven into said slot to extend between the walls of the U-shaped member, whereby when two strands of wire pass through, in opposite directions, the two -2j /g

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series of holes in the U-shaped member and once tensioned, the wedge member driven through the slot and between the two strands, deforms the two strands to securely bold said wires in the connector.

In another form, the present invention provides a wire connector having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, said connector having two holes passing through each lateral wall of the U-shaped member, whereby in use, a free end of one strand ,0 a* of wire is passed through one set of holes in each of the 0" lateral walls in one direction and a free end of a second «o strand of wire is passed through the other set of holes in the o a 'o lateral walls, and each free end of the strands are twisted around the other strand when the strands are tensioned to securely hold said wires in the connector.

Preferably the connector and its holes are punched from sheet metal.

The advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which PIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a wire connector of the present invention in end view; FIG. 2 shows the above connector in side view; FIG. 3 shows the above connector in a perspective view with wires in space; FIG. 4 shows a bottom plan view of the above connector with wires in place, showing the deformation of the strands; FIG. 5 shows the use of a conventional wire strainer to tension the two wire ends and FIG. 6 and 7 shows another embodiment of the present invLeaLtion.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, an embodiment of the present invention, for use with barbed wire, comprises a wire connector 1 comprising a substantial U shaped member 2, having a pair of elongated holes 3, passing through each wall 4 of the U shaped member 2. A further slot 5 is located in the base 6 of the U shaped member 2.

Preferably the connector is made from a convenient thickness ot sheet metal and is punched to form the various holes and overall shape and is bent to its U shaped configuration. A wedge 7 is formed with a breakaway join 8 o R 4 Swhereby the wedge 7 can be removed for insertion through the slot 5. 7his connector is particularly suited for use with wire tIr rl S which is brittle with age and cannot be twisted.

In use the ends of the wire are strained by any conventional strainer as shown in FIG.5 and the loose ends of M the two strands of wire are passed through the receptive holes 3 to extend beyond the walls of the connector 1, as shown in j FIGS.3 and 4. In the preferred embodiment the wedge 7 is then j forced through the hole 5 to deform the two strands of wire towards the open ends of the U shaped member 2, as shown in i FIG.4. Preferably the wedge 7 has sharp edges biting into the wire to some extent to facilitate retention of the wire strands (in the connector.

Other embodiments of the present invention whilst utilising the U shaped member can use instead of the wedge 7 other tapered devices to deform the wire strands towards the open ends of the U shaped member to prevent the wire strands 4 0133E I from pulling out of the wire connector. However the utilisation of a wedge 7 facilitates the insertion of this locking member.

As shown in Figs. 6 7 is an embodiment suited for single strand wire. The construction is substantially identical to that of the first embodiment except that the elongated holes 3 in the lateral walls 4 are replaced by substantially circular holes 9. In the case of soft wire which can easily be bent, two strands 10 and 11 are passed through the respective holes 9 and the strands tensioned or strained in any suitable manner, t and the free end of the strand 10 is wrapped around the strand 11 as shown in Fig.7, and then the free end of strand 11 is i wrapped around the strand 10 to secure both strands to the connector as shown in Fig. 6. This manner of joining strands using the connector is also suitable for ductile multistrand i f and barbed wire.

Instead of wrapping the wire, for single strand wires, a wedge similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 could be used to hold the wires in the connector.

It would be obvious to peoples skilled in the art that Smodifications and alterations can be made to the above i 20" description without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

1. A wire connector formed from sheet metal, said connector member comprising a substantially U-shaped member, said connector having two holes passing through each of opposed lateral walls of the U-shaped member, an elongate slot in the base of the U and substantially parallel to the lateral walls and a wedge member being attached to said connector by a breakaway join such that said wedge member can be removed from said connector, said wedge member adapted to be driven into S said slot to extend between the walls of the U-shaped member, S whereby when two strands of wire pass through, in opposite directions, the two series of holes in the U-shaped member and once tensioned, the wedge member driven through the slot and between the two strands, deforms the Lwo strands to securely hold said wires in the connector.

2. A wire connector according to claim 1 wherein the two holes passing through each lateral wall of the U-shaped member S are elongated to facilitate the passing therethrough of multistrand wire.

3. A wire connector according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said holes, elongate Alot and overall shape are formed by punching the oonnectat from sheet metal and subsequently bending said connector to its U-shaped configuration.

4. A wire connector as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this lgt~i day of December, 1989. WALTER KARL By His Patent Attorneys 407 -141ARTHUtR S. CAVE CO. 0294v/gs