GB2054984A - Battery connector with clamping lever - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector for connecting an electrical lead to a battery terminal post comprises a body (12) arranged to embrace the post and a clamping mechanism arranged to tighten the body on to the post. The clamping mechanism comprises a lever (24) which is mounted on a spindle (28) extending through flanges (14, 16) and a cam member (26), mounted on the spindle between the lever and the adjacent flange, with two ramp portions (40, 42) which provide cam surfaces (46, 48). The cam surfaces are spaced apart by 180 DEG about the pivot axis of the lever i.e. the axis of the spindle so that when the lever is rotated to a clamping position the flanges (14, 16) are urged together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Battery connector A battery connector can be used to connect an electrical lead to a terminal post of an electrical storage battery. The terminal post is usually of frusto-conical form, and a known kind of battery connector comprises a body portion to which the lead is attached and which embraces the terminal post, and clamping means for securing the connecting means to the post to make a good and secure electrical connection between the post and the lead.

A battery connector is known which comprises a body portion in the form of a band comprising a loop extending between two flanges to embrace a terminal post. In this known connector, the clamping means comprises a simpie nut and bolt arrangement, the bolt passing through the flanges so that the clamping means acts upon the flanges to urge them together, to tighten the loop on to the terminal post. This arrangement works well except that tightening of the nut and bolt requires availability of a suitable spanner and is a slow method of securing the band. Furthermore, should there occur corrosion of the nut and bolt, as is common adjacent a battery, release of the nut and bolt can be difficult.

Another known battery connector comprises two jaws, each of which is arranged to partially surround a terminal post. An ear projects from each jaw, and a spindle extends through the two ears to carry two levers secured to the spindle.

Clamping of the jaws to a terminal post is achieved by rotating the two levers to clamping positions in which they engage cam surfaces of the jaws, the levers acting directly upon the jaws to force them together on the terminal post; the cam surfaces are positioned so that the lines of action of the levers on the jaws pass through the terminal post, and the ears of the jaws serve solely to carry the spindle on which the levers are mounted. This arrangement avoids the use of a nut and bolt to clamp the body portion of the connector, but the arrangement of the levers, and the manner in which they operate, is awkward. In particular, with the levers bearing on cam surfaces of the jaws there is a danger of the levers releasing the jaws unintentionally, for example as a result of vibration.

It is an object of this invention to provide an efficient battery connector which can be clamped to, or released from, a battery terminal post quickly and easily.

The invention provides a battery connector, suitable for use in securing an electrical lead to a battery terminal post, the connector comprising a body portion arranged to partially embrace the post, and clamping means comprising a pivotally mounted lever and cam means whereby by movement of the lever from a release position to a clamping position flange portions of the body portion can be urged together to tighten the embrace of the body portion around the post, to secure the body portion to the post.

In a preferred arrangement the lever is pivotally mounted by means of a spindle extending through one flange portion from the other flange portion.

Preferably the cam means provides two cam surfaces which are spaced apart by 1800 about the pivot axis of the lever. Though the cam surfaces could be provided on the lever or on an adjacent one of the flange portions, in a preferred arrangement the cam means comprises a cam member mounted between the lever and the adjacent flange portion, and two cam surfaces are provided by ramp portions of the cam member.

The cam member can be located between two edge flanges of the body portion of the connector.

There now follows by way of example a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of one embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded view in perspective of the component parts of a battery connector; and Figure 2 is a view of the battery connector when assembled.

The battery connector comprises a body portion in the form of a connecting member 10 made as a metal pressing. The connecting member 10 comprises a loop portion 12 extending between two flange portions 14 and 1 6 to partially embrace a battery terminal post. Secured in a conventional manner to the flange portion 1 6 is an electrical lead 1 8 which is to be electrically connected to the terminal post. The connecting member 10 is of a shallow channel section, with edge flanges 20 and 22 projecting outwardly.

The battery connector cdmprises also clamping means operable to tighten the embrace of the loop portion 12 around the terminal post, to secure the connecting member 10 to the post. The clamping means comprises a pivotally mounted lever 24, a cam member 26, a spindle in the form of a headed bolt 28, and a nut 30 which can be threaded on to the bolt. The bolt 28 extends through the flange portion 14 from the flange portion 16, and the cam member 26 is mounted between the lever 24 and the adjacent flange portion 14.

The lever 24 is a pressed brass component.

There is an aperture 32 in one end portion of the lever, by which the lever can be pivotally mounted on the shank of the headed bolt 28. The lever 24 is of a shallow channel section, with edge flanges 34 and 36. At an opposite end portion of the lever, spaced apart from the aperture 32, one edge flange 36 is enlarged to provide a gripping tab 38 to assist operation of the lever.

The cam member 26 is of steel and comprises a rectangular base plate and two raised ramp portions 40 and 42 on one face of the plate, adjacent opposit ends of the plate. There is an aperture 44 positioned centrally in the plate, between the ramp portions, through which the shank of the bolt 28 can pass. The ramp portions 40 and 42 provide cam surfaces 46 and 48, respectively, which are inclined to the base plate in opposite parallel directions.

The battery connector is assembled by inserting the shank of the bolt 28 through aligned apertures 50 and 52 in the flange portions of the connecting member 10, through the aperture 44 in the cam member 26, and through the aperture 32 in the lever 24. The nut 30 is threaded on to the bolt 30 to secure the components together. The width of the base plate of the cam member 26 is such that the cam member fits against the flange portion 14 and is located between the edge flanges 20 and 22. The width of the lever 24 is less than the distance between the ramp portions 40 and 42 of the cam member, and the nut 30 clamps the assembly of the connecting member 10, the lever 24, and the cam member 26 together, against the head of the bolt 28, with the lever 24 in a release position in which it lies between the ramp portions (at 900 to its clamping position shown in the drawings).

The cam member 26 provides cam means whereby by movement of the lever 24 from its release position to its clamping position the flange portions 14 and 16 can be acted upon to urge them together to secure the loop portion 12 of the connecting member to a battery terminal post. To form a connection with a terminal post, the loop portion 12 is slipped over the post with the lever in its release position, and the lever is then rotated through 900 about the bolt 28 to its clamping position. The cam surfaces 46 and 48 cause the lever 24, as it rotates, to be moved away from the base plate of the cam member, with the result that the flange portions 14 and 16 are urged together to clamp the connecting member 10 to the terminal post. The cam surfaces are spaced apart by 1800 about the pivot axis of the lever, and are shaped suitably to accommodate the rotational movement of the lever.

There is a close fit between the edge flanges 34 and 36 (of the lever 24) and the nut 30 so that the nut is engaged by the edge flanges and caused to rotate with the lever. The bolt is restrained from rotation relative to the connecting member 10.

Upon moving the lever to the clamping position the nut is rotated on the bolt by the lever, and so applies a clamping force to the flange portions which is additional to that resulting from the action of the cam means on the lever. Instead of the nut 30, a nut could alternatively be provided as an integral part of the lever 24. As a further alternative, the nut 30 could comprise a cylindrical portion positioned between the flanges 34 and 36 of the lever.

Whereas in the embodiment described the lever 24 is of brass and the cam member 26 is of steel, any suitable materials, of metal or, for example, of plastics, could be used for these components in other embodiments.

Claims (7)

1. A battery connector, suitable for use in securing an electrical lead to a battery terminal post, the connector comprising a body portion arranged to partially embrace the post, and clamping means comprising a pivotally mounted lever and cam means whereby by movement of the lever from a release position to a clamping position flange portions of the body portion can be urged together to tighten the embrace of the body portion around the post, to secure the body portion to the post.

2. A connector according to Claim 1 in which the cam means provides two cam surfaces which are spaced apart by 1 800 about the pivot axis of the lever.

3. A connector according to either of Claims 1 and 2 in which the lever is pivotally mounted by means of a spindle which extends through one flange portion from the other flange portion.

4. A connector according to Claim 3 in which the cam means comprises a cam member mounted between the lever and an adjacent flange portion.

5. A connector according to Claim 4 in which said cam member comprises two ramp portions which provide cam surfaces which are spaced apart at 1 800 about the pivot axis of the lever, so that the lever lies between said ramp portions when in its release position.

6. A connector according to either of Claims 4 and 5 in which the cam member is located between two edge flanges of the body portion of the connector.

7. A battery connector constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.