GB1383146A - Electrical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

1383146 Electric sockets ELCO CORP 8 Feb 1973 [8 Feb 1972] 6338/73 Heading H2E A female contact for mating with a square pin comprises a metal sheet folded along two parallel lines 30, 32 forming a three sided channel with spring fingers 24, 26 projecting inwardly from opposite sides and having curved convex surfaces facing each other, with an extension 36 at one end of one opposing side folded inwardly along a line perpendicular to lines 30 and 32 and force fitted into slot 38 in the other opposing side opposite to the third fold line. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, a section 10 has tabs 16 and 18 for crimping round a wire 20 and is joined by portion 22 to body section 12 in which fingers 24, 26 are separated from the rest of the body section by spaces 28. A major portion of the metal is removed along the fold lines 30, 32 as at 34. Slot 38 has a tapering lead in portion. Locking section 14 has notches 40, 42 and 48 and fingers 44, 46. Figs. 4, 5 (not shown) show an insulator housing with a generally rectangular cavity from front to rear inside which the front surfaces of a boss (68) and a ledge form a tapered lead in portion which serves to guide a square male pin into a square opening to mate with fingers 24, 26, while notch 48 accommodates boss (68) and curved fingers 44, 46 lock into recesses. The method of insertion of the contact into the housing from the rear is described. In the embodiment of Fig. 2 one side of the channel has extensions 50, with square aperture 54 and tab 55, and 52, with tab 55, retained by slot 38 as above. This contact may be mounted in an insulator housing with a single tier of cavities and held by bending portion 50 downwards. Tabs 55 and 551 may be inserted through holes in a printed circuit board, bent and soldered to conductors. Another embodiment for the lower tier of a double-tier connector has a backplate as 36 above and bearing a slot into which the other side of the channel fits and an extension from the rear end of the channel which locks over a boss in the insulator cavity. A two tier printed circuit connector with upper and lower contacts is also described (Fig. 7, not shown). The upper tier has a longer rear portion 52 to reach the circuit board. The contacts are at different distances from the fronts of the cavities so that square pins meet spring fingers 24, 26 in the lower tier before doing so in the upper tier.