CA1152175A

CA1152175A - Wire tap

Info

Publication number: CA1152175A
Application number: CA000363027A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Stanley Bryant
Original assignee: Bryant Manufacturing Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Bryant Manufacturing Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1979-10-26
Filing date: 1980-10-22
Publication date: 1983-08-16
Also published as: GB2061637B; NZ195113A; GB2061637A

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The wire tap connector consists of a base member and a cap member which are flexibly joined and can be locked together.
The base member has channels receiving the wires which are retained therein by ridges gripping the wire insulation while electrical connection is made by metal spikes in the cap member penetrating the wire insulation.

Description

This invention relates to connector devices which facil-itate taking a tapping lead from a cable. Known devices of this kind have a number of deficiencies.
The known connector devices have the disadvantage that the connector housing does not firmly and frictionally grip the tapped and tapping lead of the cable prior to being clamped thereon by closing the contact portion of the known connector, i.e. by piercing the cable leads to make contact with the conducting wires therein. This gives rise to the following deficiencies, viz.
a) during installation, particularly in a confined space or difficult access position, the known connector has to be held manually on the cable for positioning and subsequent clamping and this can cause problems and take considerable time;
b) because of the absen~e of firm frictionai grip of the known connector housing on the cable, the known connector when installed may develop movement longitudinally relative to the cable wires and contact may be broken, this being caused by vibration created by vehicle movement.
This invention overcomesthesedeficiencies and provides a tapping connector which makes and maintains relia~le electrical contact. It is easily clamped in position on the cable to be tapped by being initially frictionally mounted thereon and does not shake loose with vibration. This initial frictional mounting of the connector housing on the cable permits the connector of the invention to be initially, firmly ,' ' ' '~
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mounted where desired on the cable, notwithstanding that the mounting position may be in a confined space or difficult access position. Also, in conjunction with complementary constructional features to be described, the connector of the invention will not be loosened by vehicle movement and vibration.
Thus the wire tap connector of this invention comprises a base member of insulating material having longitudinal open channels with ridges formed in their sides which frictionally securely grip the insulation of tapped and tapping wires when moved transversely of their axis into said channels, said - base member being flexibly joined to a cap member of insulating material containing a metal contact which in the closed position of the cap member over the open channels extends to said channels to penetrate the wire insulation and thereby electrically connect the wires, said base member and said cap member having co-operating locking members adapted to lock the cap member in position on the base member.
Following is a description of a preferred emhodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the wire tap in its open configura-tion, and Fig. 2 shows a modification of the locking arrangement of the same wire tap.
The base member 1 has two longitudinal grooves 2 and 3 with cable anchorage grips 4 which grip the insulation of the tapped and tapping cables securely when they are pressed into the grooves. One end of groove 3 is sealed and joined by means of a flexible strip 1~ to a plastic cap member 5.

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The cap 5 has a spiked metal conductor plate ~ embedded in it which when the cap is in position on the base 1 runs transverse to the wires. The two spikes 6a in the conductor plate are positioned so as to pierce the outer insulating layers of the cable wires and make contact with the inner con-ductors. This plate also has projecting fingers 7 between and on either side of the spikes which grip and compress the wires and hold them firmly in position and in some cases penetrate through the insulation of the wires to provide additional electrical contact between the wires.
The cap member also has spikes 8 protruding from its inner surface which pierce the insulation of the cables thus holding the wires firmly in place against longltudinal move-ment. Lugs 9 project from the long sides of the cap and fit into mating slots 10 on the sides of the base block. The mating surfaces of both lugs and the base block have opposing saw teeth projections 11, lla which lock the cap to the base.
~ modlfication of the locking arrangement is shown in Fig. 2. In this case the lugs 29 co-operate with slots 20 in the base member 1. Ad3acent each slot 20 there is arranged a ledge 21 which engages one of the longitudinal teeth 21a on the corresponding lug 29 when the base member 1 and the cap 5 are brought together, to provide a lock between these parts.
The device is applied by pressing the insulation of the tapping wire in the slot with the closed end and the like insulation of the tapped wire in the open ended slot of the base, whence they are initially held frictionally securely.
_ 4 ~

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~ ~, D~ 7 5 The device is set on the cable where desired and remains in this selected position until the cap is pressed onto the base causing the saw teeth to lock the two together with the spikes of the conducting plate and the cap firmly embedded in the conducting core and insulation respectively of the cables.
It is possible to provide the base member of the connect-or with twc open ended slots when there is a continuous tapping wire. It is also possible to provide the device of this invention with slots for moxe than one tapping wire.
These and other variations are possible without departing from the basic invention.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A wire tap connector comprising a base member of insulating material having longitudinal open channels with ridges formed in their sides which frictionally securely grip the insulation of tapped and tapping wires when moved transversely of their axis into said channels, said base member being flexibly joined to a cap member of insulating material containing a metal contact which in the closed position of the cap member over the open channels extends to said channels to penetrate the wire insulation and thereby electrically connect the wires, said base member and said cap member having co-operating locking members adapted to lock the cap member in position on the base member.

2. The connector of claim 1 in which the metal contact is a plate with sections removed to form spikes which penetrate through the insulation of the wires to establish electrical contact between said wires.

3. The connector of claim 1 in which the co-operating clamping members have a series of opposed saw teeth which provide a progressive locking of the cap member onto the base member as the two are pressed together.

4. The connector of claim 1 in which the cap member has protruding spikes which dig into the insulation of the wires.

5. The connector of claim 1 in which the combined cap member and base member provide complete insulation for the metal contact as it is tapping the wires to make electrical contact.