CZ2000472A3 - Coupling sleeve or connector for coupling electric cables or connecting branches to electric cables - Google Patents

Abstract

Connecting sleeve (1) for connecting electrical cables fitted with torque screws (4) or connector for the branched wires contain spaces (5) or grooves (8) to where the ends of the wires to be connected are inserted with loose tubes (6) with inserted wires or cables. The free tubes (6) are preferably made of annealed copper, which is tinned.

Description

Connection sleeve or connector for connecting electrical cables or connecting taps to electrical cables

Technical field

The invention relates to a coupling sleeve provided with torque screws for connecting electric cables, said coupling sleeve comprising a housing, both ends of which are provided with hollow spaces for receiving the ends of the cables to be connected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This type of coupling sleeve is known, for example, from GB-2,266,628. The problem of such coupling sleeves has been shown to be such a wide range that the softness or hardness of the metals used in the spliced cables is such that the tightening torque of the screw for locking and sufficient contact can cause a considerable reduction in the cross sectional area of the soft wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved coupling sleeve capable of substantially alleviating the above problem in such a way that the torque screw supplying the torque for locking and sufficient contact does not sink too deeply into the soft cable material.

This object is achieved by the invention on the basis of the features set forth in the characterizing part of the appended claim 1.

The invention also relates to a branched wire connector comprising a sleeve provided with wire receiving grooves, one or more C-shaped clamping parts whose edges are flush with the sleeve grooves and one or more clamping screws for tightening the clamping piece or clamping parts against the sleeve and thereby for pressing the wires against the groove walls.

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It is known that such branched wire connectors have corrosion problems, especially when connecting branched copper wires to the main aluminum cables. Thus, a connector that is normally made of aluminum must be tin-plated. The same problem relates to the aforementioned connections with the coupling sleeves.

It is an object of the present invention to utilize the solution used for coupling to the coupling sleeve also for the branched wire connector in order to avoid the above-mentioned corrosion problem and to avoid the tinning process of the connector as far as possible.

The object is achieved by the invention on the basis of the features set forth in the characterizing part of the appended claim 2.

The independent claims describe a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a coupling sleeve to which the invention can be applied;

Fig. 2 shows the coupling sleeve in a side view before inserting the loose tubes of the invention into the coupling sleeve;

Fig. 3 shows the same coupling sleeve with free sleeves 6 inserted inside the coupling sleeve 1.

Fig. 4 is a front view of a branched wire connector utilizing the same invention of loose tubes as used in the coupling sleeve of Figs. 1-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The connection sleeve shown in FIG. 1 is made of a flow tube, both ends of which are provided with hollow spaces 5 for receiving the ends of the electrical cables to be connected.

In the middle of the coupling sleeve 1 there is a pressure-resistant partition 2 which is made of a loose disk, the central part of which, after insertion, is compressed (flattened by pressure) so that the edges of the disk tightly expand against the inner surface of the sleeve opening.

On either side of the partition 2 there are two threaded holes 3 for the torque screws 6. When the torque screw 4 is tightened against the end of the wire or cable inserted into the sleeve, the head of the torque screw 4 breaks after a sufficient tightening has been achieved. If the metal of the wire to be attached is soft, the end of the torque screw deforms the wire and displaces a portion of the wire material, with the wire cross-section becoming too small.

The problem is avoided by using the loose tubes 6 shown in Figures 2 and 3, which are inserted from both ends of the coupling sleeve into the cavities 5. The material, hardness and wall thickness of the loose tubes 6 must be selected in such a way that the end of the torque screw 4 is capable deform the sleeve material Ei for proper and reliable contact while preventing the torque screw from penetrating too deep into the material of the wire. Practical tests have shown that the best results are obtained with a tinned copper tube after softening the copper by annealing. The pipe has a wall thickness in the range of 0.2 to 0.5 mm, preferably in the range of 0.3 to 0.4 mm. Since the sleeve 6 is tin-plated, the tinning of the coupling sleeve 1 and the screws 4 can be omitted without the risk of corrosion damage to the connection.

Other possible loose core material may be aluminum or soft annealed brass, which are tin-plated.

The loose sleeve 6 has a bottom 6b which is preferably compact for further protection against corrosion. The sleeve 6 may have a conically widened mouth 6a to facilitate insertion of the wire end into the sleeve

6.

The branched wire connector shown in Fig. 4 comprises a housing 7 which is provided with wire receiving grooves 8 to the wires.

- which is fastened by one or more C-shaped clamping parts 9 using one or more clamping screws 11. The clamping part 9 has its ends 10 aligned with the receiving grooves 8. The ends of the wires to be connected are pressed against the groove walls 8 by the clamping part 9 tightened against the housing 7 with the clamping screw 11.

If it is e.g. by attaching copper wire to an aluminum main cable, to the end of the copper wire mounted loose sleeve 6 'and the free end of the wire to the ferrule 6' is placed in the groove 2 ^ ^Ta may be used correctly selected loose material tube 6 'Exclusion corrosion without the need to tin the entire connector. If the connector is made of aluminum and used as a connector between two copper wires, the loose sleeve 6 'is placed in both grooves around the ends of the wires to be joined.

Loose sleeves 6 and 6 'are manufactured in multiple sizes according to diameters corresponding to the diameters of standard wire diameters so that the wire can be readily inserted into sleeve 6 or 6'. The loose sleeve 6, 6 'has a length that covers the necessary connecting region and, for example in the case of FIG.

Claims (9)

Connection sleeve provided with torque screws (4) for connecting electric cables, comprising a sleeve (1) both ends of which are provided with hollow spaces (5) for receiving the ends of the cables to be connected, characterized in that they are housed in hollow spaces (5) loose sleeves (6) with inserted cable ends. A branch wire connector comprising a housing (7) provided with wire receiving grooves (8), one or more C-shaped clamping parts (9), the ends (10) of which are aligned with the housing grooves (8) and one or more clamping parts screws (11) for tightening the clamping piece (s) (9) against the housing (7) and thereby pressing the wires against the walls of the grooves (8), characterized in that at least one of the grooves (8) houses a loose sleeve (6 ') with inserted end of the connected wire. Coupling sleeve or connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the free sleeve (6, 6 ') is made of tin-plated copper. Coupling sleeve or connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the copper comprises soft annealed copper. Coupling sleeve according to claim 1 or connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the free sleeve (6, 6 ') is made of aluminum. Coupling sleeve according to claim 1 or connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the loose sleeve (6, 6 ') is made of soft annealed brass which is tin-plated. Coupling sleeve or connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the free sleeve (6, 6 ') has a wall thickness in the range of 0.2 to 0.5 mm, preferably in the range of 0.3 to 0, 4 mm. -68. Coupling sleeve or connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the free sleeve (6, 6 ') has a solid bottom (6b). Coupling sleeve or connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the free sleeve (6, 6 ') has a conically widening mouth (6a). Coupling sleeve according to any one of claims 1 or 3 to 9, characterized in that the sleeve (1) is formed by a nozzle tube one side of which is provided with four threaded holes (3) for four torque screws (4), the individual free sleeve (6) engages the working area of the two torque screws (4) and the hollow spaces (5) in the sleeve (1) are separated from each other by a partition (2).