GB2061637A

GB2061637A - Tapping connector

Info

Publication number: GB2061637A
Application number: GB8034367A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bryant Manufacturing Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Bryant Manufacturing Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1979-10-26
Filing date: 1980-10-24
Publication date: 1981-05-13
Also published as: NZ195113A; GB2061637B; CA1152175A

Abstract

A connector has a base (1) with channels (2, 3) provided with ridges (4) to frictionally grip wires to be connected, and a cap (5), flexibly joined to the base, which carries an insulation-piercing contact (6, 6a). Saw tooth projections (11) and (11a) or similar means on the base and cap interlock to hold the cap and base together. The connector may be used to provide connection between a wire in channel 2 and a tapping wire in channel 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A wire tap WE, BRYANT MANUFACTURING PTY. LIM ITED, of 221 Victoria Street, Taree, New South Wales, 2430, Australia, a Company registered under the laws of the State of New South Wales, Commonwealth of Australia, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to connector devices which facilitate taking a tapping lead from a cable. Known devices of this kind have a number of deficiencies.

The known connector devices have the disadvantage that the connector housing does not firmly and frictionally grip the tapped and tapping leads of the cable prior to being clamped thereon by closing the contact portion of the known connector, i.e. by piercing the cable leads to make contact with the conducting wires therein. This gives rise to the following deficiencies, viz.

a) during installation, particularly in a confined space or difficult access position, the known connector has to be held manually on the cable for positioning and subsequent clamping and this can cause problems and take considerable time; b) because of the absence of firm frictional grip of the known connector housing on the cable, the known connector when installed may develop movement longitudinally relative to the cable wires and contact may be broken, this being caused by vibration created by vehicle movement.

This invention overcomes these deficiencies and provides a tapping connector which makes and maintains reliable electrical contact. It is easily clamped in position on the cable to be tapped by being initially frictionally mounted thereon and does not shake loose with vibration. This initial frictional mounting of the connector housing on the cable permits the connector of the invention to be initially, firmly mounted where desired on the cable, notwithstanding that the mounting position may be in a confined space or difficult access position. Also, in conjunction with complementary constructional features to be described, the connector of the invention will not be loosened by vehicle movement and vibration.

Thus the wire tap connector of this invention comprises a base member having channels with ridges formed in their sides which frictionally grip the insulation of tapped and tapping wires securely, said base member being flexibly joined to a cap member containing a metal contact adapted to penetrate the wire insulation and thereby electrically connect the wires, said base member and said cap member having co-operating clamping members adapted to lock the cap member in position on the base member.

Following is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wire tap in its open configuration, and Figure 2 shows a modification of the locking arrangement of the same wire tap.

The base member 1 has two longitudinal grooves 2 and 3 with cable anchorage grips 4 which grip the insulation of the tapped and tapping cables securely when they are pressed into the grooves. One end of groove 3 is sealed and joined by means of a flexible strip 1 2 to a plastic cap member 5.

The cap 5 has a spiked metal conductor plate 6 embedded in it which when the cap is in position on the base 1 runs transverse to the wires. The two spikes 6a in the conductor plate are positioned so as to pierce the outer insulating layers of the cable wires and make contact with the inner conductors. This plate also has projecting fingers 7 between and on either side of the spikes which grip and compress the wires and hold them firmly in position and in some cases penetrate through the insulation of the wires to provide additional electrical contact between the wires.

The cap member also has spikes 8 protruding from its inner surface which pierce the insulation of the cables thus holding the wires firmly in place against longitudinal movement.

Lugs 9 project from the long sides of the cap and fit into mating slots 10 on the sides of the base block. The mating surfaces of both lugs and the base block having opposing saw teeth projections 11, 11 a which lock the cap to the base.

A modification of the locking arrangement is shown in Fig. 2. In this case the lugs 29 co-operate with slots 20 in the base member 1. Adjacent each slot 20 there is arranged a ledge 21 which engages one of the longitudinal teeth 21a on the corresponding lug 29 when the base member 1 and the cap 5 are brought together, to provide a lock between these parts.

The device is applied by pressing the insulation of the tapping wire in the slot with the closed end and the like insulation of the tapped wire in the open ended slot of the base, whence they are initially held frictionally securely. The device is set on the cable where desired and remains in this selected position until the cap is pressed onto the base causing the saw teeth to lock the two together with the spikes of the conducting plate and the cap firmly embedded in the conducting core and insulation respectively of the cables.

It is possible to provide the base member of the connector with two open ended slots when there is a continuous tapping wire. It is also possible to provide the device of this invention with slots for more than one tapping wire. These and other variations are possible without departing from the basic invention.

Claims

1. A wire tap connector comprising a base member having channels with ridges formed in their sides which frictionally grip the insulation of tapped and tapping wires securely, said base member being flexibly joined to a cap member containing a metal contact adapted to penetrate the wire insulation and thereby electrically connect the wires, said base member and said cap member having co-operating clamping members adapted to lock the cap member in position on the base member.

2. The connector of claim 1 in which the metal contact is a plate with sections removed to form spikes which penetrate through the insulation of the wires to establish electrical contact between said wires.

3. The connector of claim 1 in which the co-operating clamping members have a series of opposed saw teeth which provide a progressive locking of the cap member onto the base member as the two are pressed together.

4. The connector of claim 1 in which the cap member has protruding spikes which dig into the insulation of the wires.

5. The connector of claim 1 in which the combined cap member and base member provide complete insulation for the metal contact as it is tapping the wires to make electrical contact.

6. A wire tap connector as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the drawings.