FR2860346A1 - ELECTRICAL DEVICE COMPRISING AN INSULATING HOUSING AND AN AUTOMATIC CONNECTION TERMINAL PROVIDED IN SAID HOUSING - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has a casing (2) with one wall having a U-shaped slit along the insertion direction of an electrical conductor, and rigid fingers (39) protruding from sections (38) of the wall. The sections bend to allow the fingers to push an elastic blade (11) of an automatic connection terminal for spacing extreme edge of a base (46) of the terminal so that the conductor is withdrawn from the terminal.

Description

The invention relates to electrical apparatus comprising a terminal to

  automatic connection arranged in an insulating housing.

  It is known that there are many devices of this type, such as a switch, a socket or a terminal block, that is to say an electrical and mechanical connection member between several conductors.

  Such devices are already known whose case has an opening for insertion of an electrical conductor in a predetermined direction, in which devices the automatic connection terminal is formed by a rigid member and a flexible member, the rigid member having a seat at the insertion opening, the flexible member having an elastic blade having an end edge facing the seat, the resilient blade being adapted to deform to leave the driver, when engaged in the housing through the insertion opening, insert between the seat and the end edge of the blade and, if the driver is then urged to be removed from the housing, to wedge the driver between the seat and the edge of the end of the coverslip.

  In some devices, no means is provided to push the elastic strip away from the seat to allow the introduction of a flexible conductor into the terminal automatically connected and / or to allow the removal of a driver previously set up in the terminal with automatic connection.

  In other devices, there is provided in the housing an orifice for the passage of a tool, for example the shaft of a screwdriver, so that the tool can push the elastic strip away from the seat (see for example DE 199 40 971 A).

  In still other electrical devices, the housing is provided with an articulated pusher to act on the elastic strip, the pusher being attached to the housing or in one piece with it, the articulation being done in the latter case by providing a very thin connection zone between the pusher and the rest of the housing (see for example certain electrical devices such as a switch or a plug) or by articulating the body and the cover, which constitute the housing, in the manner a compass (see for example EP 1 152 489 A).

  The invention aims to provide an electrical appliance of the same kind that is simple, convenient and economical, both in manufacture and use.

  It proposes for this purpose an electrical apparatus comprising an insulating casing and an automatic connection terminal disposed in said casing, which has an insertion opening of an electrical conductor in a predetermined direction, said terminal being formed by a rigid member and by a flexible member, the rigid member having a seat at said insertion opening, the flexible member comprising an elastic blade having an end edge facing said seat, said elastic blade being adapted to deform to leave said driver, when engaged in said housing by said insertion opening, inserting between said seat and said end edge of the sipe and, if said conductor is then urged to be removed from said housing, to wedge the conductor between said seat and said end edge of the slat; characterized in that a wall of said housing has a slot with a U-shaped contour oriented in the direction of insertion while a rigid finger projects internally from the portion of the wall of the housing delimited by said slot, the free end of said finger being opposite said lamella, said wall section being adapted to flex to cause the finger to push said lamella to move said end edge of said seat so that said conductor in place in said terminal can be removed.

  Thus, in the apparatus according to the invention, the pusher serving to release a conductor set up in a terminal with automatic connection, and also to allow the establishment of a flexible conductor in the terminal with automatic connection, is formed by a section of the housing wall, having a certain flexibility, and by a rigid finger, unlike the aforementioned prior devices, wherein the pusher is completely rigid and articulated by one end.

  It follows in particular that an apparatus according to the invention can both be provided with a disconnection pusher and be particularly compact.

  According to preferred features for simplicity and convenience: - said housing wall having a U-shaped slot has a relatively constant thickness; and / or - said housing wall having a U-shaped slot is generally L-section; and / or - said housing wall having a U-shaped slot is part of a cover included in said housing; and / or - said wall portion delimited by said U-shaped slot has at its free end, on the external side, an impression adapted to receive a screwdriver blade; and / or - said insertion opening is located on said housing on the free end side of said wall section delimited by said U-shaped slot; and optionally - the free end of said wall section delimited by said U-shaped slot and the portion of the wall of the housing in which said insertion opening is formed are square to one another; and / or - said housing has a spout in line with said insertion opening, said spout delimiting a guide channel aligned with said insertion opening; and / or - said insertion opening is formed in a body that includes said housing; and / or said housing is formed by a body and a cover assembled to one another by latching means.

  According to other preferred features for the same reasons: said elastic blade of the automatically-connected terminal has a free end subdivided into a tongue to which said end edge belongs and a folded lug disposed laterally with respect to said tongue; and optionally - said flexible member is V-section, with said elastic blade which belongs to a first flange of said flexible member and with said lug which protrudes from the general plane of said elastic strip on the side facing the second wing; and / or - the rigid member has a U-shaped profile with a first wing and a second wing facing each other while a third wing is disposed between the first wing and the second wing, the one of the longitudinal ends of the third wing being connected to one of the longitudinal ends of the first wing and the other longitudinal end of the third wing being connected to one of the longitudinal ends of the second wing; and optionally said rigid member has, for the introduction of a conductor into the quick-connect terminal, an opening located at the junction between the first wing and the third wing and opening flush with the inner surface of the first wing, which inner surface forms said seat; and optionally - said rigid member has, in said first flange, an opening for passage of said rigid finger offset from said insertion opening, while said elastic strip is subdivided into a tongue to which said end edge belongs and in a folded lug disposed laterally with respect to said tongue, with said tongue which is opposite the insertion opening of the rigid member and said lug which is opposite said passage opening, said rigid finger being disposed between said lug and said section of the housing wall delimited by a U-shaped slot; and optionally - said passage opening is an oblong hole.

  According to other characteristics relating to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention: said apparatus comprises a series of said similar automatic connection terminals arranged side by side, said flexible member comprising a plurality of said elastic strips similar while said rigid member has a plurality of said similar seats, the flexible member and the rigid member together forming a connecting bar disposed in said housing; and / or said apparatus comprises a series of said similar automatic connection terminals arranged side by side, for each of which said housing comprises a said rigid finger and a said wall section delimited by a U-shaped slot, each said slot U-shaped contour forming part of a generally comb-shaped slot; and / or said apparatus is a distribution terminal block comprising a series of said similar self-connecting terminals and at least one screw terminal for a conductor of larger section than those intended to be received in said self-connecting terminals; and optionally - said housing has a boss at the location of each said screw terminal; and optionally - said terminal block comprises two series of said quick-connect terminals disposed on either side of a central portion, with a screw terminal in said central portion; and / or - said terminal block comprises a screw terminal at each end.

  The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of exemplary embodiments, given below by way of illustration and without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings. On these: - Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of an electrical apparatus according to the invention, in this case a distribution terminal block; FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views, respectively, of a flexible member and of the rigid member (the latter being partially shown) that this terminal block comprises to form a connection strip comprising a plurality of electrically connected automatic connection terminals; to others; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of this connection strip, and more specifically of a similar connection strip, the rigid member of which has some minor differences in execution; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of a body that comprises the terminal box housing illustrated in Figure 1, and more specifically the body of a similar housing with some minor differences in execution; - Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cover of this housing; - Figure 7 is another perspective view of the lid, showing the inner side thereof; FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view taken as indicated in VIII-VIII in FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but taken in the terminal block comprising the bar shown in FIG. 4 and comprising the housing formed by the body and the cover shown in FIGS. 5 to 7; FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but with a conductor in place in the automatically-connected terminal at which this view is situated; and FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but with the elastic lamella of the terminal which is away from the seat of the latter so that the conductor can be removed from the terminal, the lamella being maintained at the seat gap with a pusher formed by a portion of the wall of the lid and a rigid finger protruding from this section.

  The electrical apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a distribution terminal block intended to be arranged in a switchboard, cabinet or electrical cabinet in order to connect one or more conductors with a relatively large section and a plurality of conductors with a smaller section. so that all these conductors are at the same electrical potential.

  The terminal block 1 comprises an insulating housing 2 and a connection strip 3 (FIG. 4) disposed in the housing 2.

  The connection strip 3 comprises two examples of a flexible member 4 illustrated in isolation in FIG. 2 and comprises a rigid member 5 illustrated in isolation, in part, in FIG.

  The flexible member 4 is made of a cut and folded spring steel sheet having generally a V-shaped section so that the member 4 has two wings 6 and 7.

  The wing 6 seen at the bottom and back in Figure 2 has several openings 8 serving, as will be seen below, to immobilize the member 4 vis-à-vis the member 5.

  The wing 7 has transverse slots 10, regularly distributed, subdividing it into a series of identical elastic strips 11, here in number twelve.

  The free end of each lamella 11 is also subdivided, by a slot oriented transversely, into a lug 12 and a tab 13.

  The lug 12 is projecting relative to the general plane of the wing 7 and the blade 11, the side facing the wing 6. This is obtained after having made the slot located at the end of the blade 11 , folding towards the wing 6 the portion of material located with respect to this slot on the side that is seen on the left in FIG.

  The tongue 13 is formed by the portion of material located on the other side of the end slot, that is to say by the portion that is seen on the right in Figure 2. The tongue 13 is thus in the extension of the rest of the lamella 11.

  The width of the lug 12 is about one-third of the width of the sipe 11 and, of course, the width of the lug 13 is about two-thirds of the width of the sipe 11.

  As will be seen below, each slat 11 is intended to form part of an automatic connection terminal, with the slice located at the end of the tongue 13, and more precisely one of the end edges which delimit this slice. , which is intended to cooperate with the conductor engaged in the terminal to which the strip 11 belongs, in order to keep the conductor in contact with the member 5 and to prohibit the removal of this conductor.

  The width of the tongue 13 is slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the conductors intended to be received in the terminals with automatic connection.

  As will also be seen below, the lug 12 provides, for a finger 39 provided to push the strip 11, by the free end thereof, so as to bend it towards the wing 6, a surface of support softer, and in any case less sharp, than the tip of the tongue 13.

  The rigid member 5 (Figure 3) is made of a relatively thick electrically conductive metal material both to have good mechanical rigidity as to provide a low electrical resistance.

  The member 5 has a U-shaped profile and therefore has three wings, respectively 14, 15 and 16.

  The wings 14 and 16 are facing each other while the wing 15 is disposed between the wings 14 and 16, one of the longitudinal ends of the wing 15 being connected to one of the longitudinal ends. of the wing 14 and the other longitudinal end of the wing 15 being connected to one of the longitudinal ends of the wing 16.

  At the junction between the wings 14 and 15, the member 5 has a series of openings 17 opening each flush with the inner surface of the flange 14.

  The latter has, for each opening 17, an opening 18 offset from the opening 17 in the longitudinal direction, on the side that is seen on the left in FIG.

  The wing 16 of the member 5 has, on the inner side, protruding claws 19 (FIGS. 4 and 8), each adapted to engage in an opening 8 (FIG. 2) of a flexible member 4, in order to hold it in position. square.

  As seen in Figure 4, the member 5 has two series of twelve openings 17 respectively located on either side of a central portion.

  The member 5 is provided to receive a flexible member 4 opposite each series of openings 17 and 18, with, for each member 4, the outer face of the flange 6 which is supported on the inner face of the wing 16 of the member 5, with the junction between the wings 6 and 7 of the member 4 which is located on the side of the wing 15 of the member 5, and with the wing 7 (and therefore each blade 11) which is arranged at an angle in the member 5, the wing 7 being inclined towards the opposite of the wing 15 and towards the wing 14.

  Each slat 11 corresponds to a pair formed by an opening 17 and an opening 18, with the tongue 13 of the slat 11 which is opposite the opening 17 of the member 5 and facing the portion of the flange 14 located at the right of the opening 17 while the lug 12 is opposite the opening 18.

  Each strip 11 thus forms with the portion of the member 5 surrounding it, a terminal with automatic connection.

  As will be seen below with reference to FIGS. 8 and following, for each terminal with automatic connection, the portion of material of the wing 14 located at the right of the opening 17 serves to provide, for a driver 45 introduced through the opening 17, a seat 46 against which this conductor is intended to be plated by the tongue 13 of the blade 11, while the opening 18 serves for the passage of a finger 39 provided to be controlled from the outside, in order to push the blade 11, at the lug 12, towards the wings 6 and 16, in order to release the conductor 45.

  The member 5 also has, to be connected to conductors of relatively large section, notches 20 in the flange 14 and, in the flange 16, cutouts delimiting a contact tab 21 at the base of each notch 20.

  In a well-known manner, each lug 21 is engaged in a cage (not shown) cooperating with a screw (not shown) whose barrel passes through the notch 20 located in line with this lug 21, the cage having on the side of the wing 14 a threaded hole with which cooperates the barrel of the screw so that, when it is tightened, the end comes to bear on the lug 21, the cage is driven to the wing 14 and the section conductor relatively large can be clamped between the face of the tongue 21 opposite the wing 14 and the portion of the cage facing this opposite face.

  In the example illustrated, the member 5 is intended to be connected to four relatively large section conductors, two of which are at the end shown on the right in FIG. 4 (this is the end illustrated on FIG. Figure 3), one in the center and one at the other end.

  The member 5 thus comprises two notches 20 and two tabs 21 corresponding to the end that is seen on the right in Figure 4, another notch and the corresponding tab at the other end, and a notch and the tab corresponding in the central portion on each side of which are the respective series of twelve openings 17 each associated with an opening 18.

  The connection strip 3 formed by the members 4 and 5 as well as the cages and the associated screws can be connected to four conductors of relatively large section and twenty-four conductors of smaller section. These different conductors, when connected to the bar 3, are electrically connected to each other by the member 5.

  The housing 2 in which the bar 3 is disposed is made of molded plastic, which material is electrically insulating and has a relative flexibility.

  The housing 2 is formed by the assembly, by snapping, of a body 50 and a cover 51. It has a generally parallelepiped shape with, on the side which is seen below in the drawings, a boss 25 with locations where the bar 3 cooperates with a movable cage to connect a relatively large section conductor.

  There is thus a boss 25 at each of the two ends of the housing 2 and in the center thereof.

  Each boss 25 has, on the face that is seen in the front in Figures 1 and 5, an opening 26 for insertion of a relatively large section conductor in one of the mobile cage terminals.

  In line with each boss 25, on the face that is seen at the top in the drawings, the housing 2 has for each mobile cage terminal an opening 27 giving access to the head of the control screw of the cage, each opening 27 being formed in the center of a stud 28 surrounding the head of such a screw.

  Between the bosses 25, that is to say at each of the two locations where the bar 3 forms a series of terminals with automatic connection, the housing 2 has, on the side that is seen at the front in FIGS. and 5 and to the left in FIGS. 8 to 10, a series of protruding protrusions 29 each located, as can be seen in FIG. 8 and following, in line with an opening 30 formed in the wall of the housing 2 in the alignment of one of the openings 17 of the terminal strip 3.

  Each spout 29 defines a guide channel 31 aligned with the openings 30 and 17 so that the channel 31 and the openings 30 and 17 together form a conduit for insertion of a conductor into a quick-connect terminal, this conduit insertion being centered on the axis 32 oriented in the transverse direction.

  Always at each location where the terminal strip 3 forms a series of fast connection terminals, the housing 2 has, in the portion of its generally L-section wall that is seen at the top and back in the figure 1 and at the top and at the front in FIG. 6, a slot 35 in the shape of a comb.

  Each slot 35 has a longitudinal branch 36 and a plurality of transverse branches 37, here thirteen in number, so that each slot 35 disengages twelve sections 38 of the wall of the housing 2 each delimited by a U-shaped portion of the slot 35.

  Each section 38 has a width corresponding to that of the slats 11 of the member 4. Its relatively constant thickness is such that it forms a flexible angled tab.

  From each section 38 protrudes internally a finger 39, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 7, each finger 39 passing through a respective opening 18 of the member 5 and having its free end which is opposite the pin 12 of a respective lamella 11, as can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9.

  The fingers 39 each have dimensions such that they are relatively rigid.

  Each section 38 has opposite the finger 39, that is to say on the outer side, an imprint 40 adapted to receive the flat blade of a conventional electrician screwdriver.

  We will now explain how one places in one of the automatic connection terminals a conductor such as 45 (Figure 10), and more precisely the stripped end thereof, the conductor being rigid type.

  This end is introduced into the terminal block 1 in the transverse direction by one of the nozzles 29, it passes through the openings 30 and 17 corresponding then meets the tongue 13 of the corresponding lamella II and causes it to flex towards the wing 6 so that it allows the end of the driver to fit between the tongue 13 of this strip and the flange 14 of the member 5, the driving movement of the driver 45 continuing for example until the end the driver comes into abutment against the wall of the housing 2 opposite the opening 30, as shown in FIG.

  The inner surface of the flange 14 located at the right of the opening 17 and facing the tongue 13 forms for the driver 45 a seat 46 against which it is held by the blade 11 which plate against the seat 46, the area whereby the blade 11 is in contact with the conductor 45 being formed by the end of the tongue 13.

  It was observed that the end of each finger 39, which is disposed laterally relative to the tongue 13, provides some guidance to the conductor 45 when it is inserted into the self-connecting terminal.

  If the conductor such as 45, once installed in an automatic connection terminal as shown in Figure 10, tends to be removed from the terminal block 1, that is to say if it is subjected to a force directed towards the side that is seen on the left in Figure 10, this driver will tend to carry with him the slat 11, which will bend and thus wedge against the seat 46, which will prohibit the withdrawal of the driver.

  It is nevertheless possible to remove the conductor, thanks to the key formed by the wall section 38 and the finger 39, by exerting on this key an inwardly directed stress, for example using a screwdriver of an electrician whose blade is engaged in the impression 40, this bias having the effect of bending the section 38 so that the finger 39 pushes, via the lug 12, the blade 11 towards the wing 6, that is to say away from the seat 46, until the end of the tongue 13 is no longer in contact with the conductor 45, as shown in FIG. 11, whereby the conductor 45 may be removed from the automatically-connected terminal in which it was engaged.

  It will be noted that it is also possible, in the case where it is desired to connect to the terminal block 1 a flexible conductor, to engage the stripped end thereof in an automatically connected terminal at the same time as the shaped key is acted upon. by the section 38 and the corresponding finger 39 to move the tongue 13 of the seat 46 to allow the stripped end to be placed between them.

  As indicated above, there are some minor differences in execution between the terminal block illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 and 8 and that illustrated in the other figures.

  In particular, while in the rigid member 5 illustrated in Figure 3 the openings 18 are notches opening into the edge of the flange 14, the openings 18 illustrated in Figure 4 are closed on the side of the edge of the wing 14 (they are oblong holes). This is favorable to the rigidity of the limb 5 at the level of the seats 46.

  With regard to the casing 2, it is in both cases formed by a body 50 to which the bosses 25 and the spouts 29 belong and by a cover 51 to which the studs 28 and the keys each formed by a section 38 and a finger 39, but the connection areas between the body 50 and the cover 51 are located at different locations, as can be seen by comparing Figures 8 and 9.

  For the snap-fitting assembly of the body 50 and the cover 51, there are provided in the two cases notches 52 carried by the cover at the level of the pins 28 and, on the body 50, a handle 53 for receiving each notch 52, but with a different conformation.

  In the housing 2 shown in particular in FIGS. 5 to 7, it is provided, in order to facilitate the identification, by the user, of the section 38 and the spout 29 in correspondence with each other, a locating groove 54 from one to the other.

  In general, it is the distribution terminal block shown in Figures 4 to 7 and 9 to 11 which is today the embodiment that seems the best.

  In variants not shown connection terminal block 1, the number and location of mobile cage terminals is different or there is no mobile cage terminal; the mobile cage terminals are replaced by another type of screw terminal; the number and the location of the terminals with automatic connection is different, with for example certain terminals with automatic connection which are not provided with an unlocking key formed by a section of the insulating case such as the section 38 and by a protruding finger of internal side such as the finger 39 while other terminals with automatic connection, or even one, are provided with such a key.

  In other variants not shown, the movable cage terminals and / or the insulating housing are arranged differently, for example the insertion aperture such as is located on the housing other than on the free end side of the section. wall 38, or even the free end of the wall section such as 38 and the wall portion in which is formed the insertion opening such that 30 are not square to each other ; the wall having a U-shaped slot, rather than being generally L-shaped, has another shape, for example completely flat and / or there is provided another subdivision between the body and the lid, with for example the slot defining wall sections such as 38 and insertion openings such as 30 which are in the same element rather than being in separate elements.

  In other variants not shown, the apparatus of the invention is not a distribution terminal block, but another electrical device, for example a switch, a socket or a lamp provided with at least one terminal to fast connection of the same kind as those of the distribution terminal block 1.

  Many other variations are possible depending on the circumstances and it is recalled in this respect that the invention is not limited to the 25 examples described and shown.

Claims (22)

  An electrical apparatus comprising an insulative housing (2) and an automatically-connected terminal (11, 46) disposed in said housing (2), which has an opening (30) for insertion of an electrical conductor (45) in accordance with a predetermined direction, said terminal being formed by a rigid member (5) and a flexible member (4), the rigid member (5) having a seat (46) at said insertion opening (30), the flexible member (4) comprising an elastic blade (11) having an end edge facing said seat (46), said elastic blade (11) being adapted to deform to leave said conductor (45), when engaged in said housing (2) by said insertion opening (30), inserting between said seat (46) and said end edge of the lamella (11) and, if said conductor (45) is then urged to be removed from said housing (2), for wedging the conductor (45) between said seat (46) and said ext edge; rim of lamella (11); characterized in that a wall of said housing (2) has a U-shaped slot (36, 37) oriented in the direction of insertion while a rigid finger (39) protrudes internally of the wall portion (38). of the housing (2) delimited by said slot (36, 37), the free end of said finger (39) being opposite said lamella (11), said wall section (38) being adapted to flex to bring the finger ( 39) pushing said slat (11) to move said end edge away from said seat (46) so that said conductor (45) in place in said terminal (11, 46) can be removed therefrom.   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said wall of the housing (2) having a slot (36, 37) U-shaped contour has a relatively constant thickness.   3. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said wall of the housing (2) having a slot (36, 37) U-shaped outline is generally L-section. 4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said housing wall (2) having a slot (36, 37) U-shaped contour is part of a cover (51) that includes said housing (2).   5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said wall portion (38) defined by said slot (36, 37) U-shaped outline has at its free end, the outer side, a fingerprint (40) adapted to receive a screwdriver blade.   6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said insertion opening (30) is located on said housing (2) on the free end side of said wall section (38) delimited by said U-shaped slot (36, 37). 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the free end of said wall section (38) delimited by said slot (36, 37) U-shaped contour and the portion of the wall of the housing (2) in which is provided said insertion opening (30) are square to each other.   8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said housing (2) has a spout (29) in line with said insertion opening (30), said spout (29) defining a channel of guide (31) aligned with said insertion opening (30).   9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said insertion opening (30) is formed in a body (50) that comprises said housing (2).   10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said housing (2) is formed by a body (50) and a cover (51) assembled to each other by means of latching (52, 53).   11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said elastic blade (11) of the self-connecting terminal has a free end subdivided into a tongue (13) to which said end edge and in a folded lug (12) disposed laterally with respect to said tongue (13).   12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that said flexible member (4) is V-section, with said elastic strip (11) which belongs to a first flange (7) of said flexible member (4) and with said pin (12) which protrudes from the general plane of said elastic strip (11) on the side facing the second wing (6).   13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said rigid member (5) has a U-shaped profile with a first flange (14) and a second flange (16) which are opposite one. on the other while a third wing (15) is disposed between the first wing (14) and the second wing (16), one of the longitudinal ends of the third wing (15) being connected to one of the longitudinal ends of the first flange (14) and the other longitudinal end of the third flange (15) being connected to one of the longitudinal ends of the second flange (16).   14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that said rigid member (5) has, for the introduction of a conductor (45) into the quick-connect terminal (11, 46), an opening (17) located at the junction between the first flange (14) and the third flange (15) and opening flush with the inner surface of the first flange (14), which inner surface forms said seat (46).   15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that said rigid member (5) has, in said first flange (14), a passage opening (18) of said rigid finger (39) offset from said opening opening (17), while said elastic strip (11) is subdivided into a tongue (13) to which said end edge belongs and to a folded lug (12) arranged laterally with respect to said tongue (13), with said tongue which is opposite the insertion opening (17) of the rigid member (5) and said lug (12) which is opposite said passage opening (18), said rigid finger (39) being arranged between said lug (12) and said section (38) of the housing wall delimited by a slot (36, 37) U-shaped contour. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that said passage opening (18) is an oblong hole.   17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it comprises a series of said self-connecting terminals (11, 46) similar, arranged side by side, said flexible member (4) having a plurality said resilient lamellae (11) being similar while said rigid member (5) comprises a plurality of said similar seats (46), the flexible member (4) and the rigid member (5) together forming a connecting bar (3) arranged in said housing (2).   18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises a series of said self-connecting terminals (11, 46) similar, arranged side by side, for each of which said housing (2) comprises a said rigid finger (39) and a said wall section (38) delimited by a slot (36, 37) with a U-shaped contour, each said U-shaped slot forming part of a generally shaped slot (35). comb.   19. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it constitutes a distribution terminal block comprising a series of said self-connecting terminals (11, 46) and at least one similar screw terminal (21). for a conductor of larger section than those intended to be received in said terminals with automatic connection (11, 46).   20. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that said housing (2) has a boss (25) at the location of each said screw terminal (21).   21. Apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that said terminal block comprises two series of said quick-connect terminals (11, 46) disposed on either side of a central portion, with a screw terminal (21) in said central portion.   22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 20 or 21, characterized in that said terminal block comprises a screw terminal (21) at each end.