GB1432389A - Electrical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

1432389 Electric connectors J D KINNEAR 20 July 1973 [21 July 1972] 34729/73 Heading H2E A connector comprises a strap folded to form a spiral tube 28 with a circular inner periphery and ends 20, 22 overlapping by at least 120 degrees and having a screw threaded opening 36, 38 with a clamping screw 40, 42, the length of the opening axially thereof being at least 20% greater than the radial thickness of the overlap and the diameter of the opening being not less than the inner diameter of the tube. The tube 28 which may be of stainless steel is folded at 24 to provide a substantially continuous inner surface and has within it a copper sleeve 30 which is adapted to receive a cable conductor 32 and has a terminal lug 34. Holes 44, 46 in the sleeve align with the holes 36, 38. A steel saddle 48 with an end piece 54 folded back at 56 is inserted in the sleeve to cover the holes 44, 46 so that the screws 40, 42 on tightening bear against the saddle and deform it against the strands of the conductor 32. The tube 28 is tensioned such that the overlapping ends tend to separate circumferentially but are restrained by the screws. The end piece 54 defines the amount the conductor is inserted into the connector. In the embodiment of Fig. 6 (not shown) the sleeve (68) is semicircular, while in Fig. 7 (not shown) the sleeve is omitted and the lug (74) is integral with the tube (72). In a multiconductor connector each conductor may be provided with a respective connector (Fig. 5, not shown). Fig. 8 (not shown) illustrates a T-shaped sleeve for receiving the ends of three conductors to be interconnected and is used with three tubes 28. The sleeve may be formed without a lug and form part of a battery terminal (Figs. 9-11, not shown) for receiving a tube, saddle and cable, the assembly being enclosed in a heat shrunk sleeve (not shown).