GB2131631A

GB2131631A - Terminal blockscrew-contact adaptors

Info

Publication number: GB2131631A
Application number: GB08330505A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeremy J Fry
Original assignee: Rotork Controls Ltd
Current assignee: Rotork Controls Ltd
Priority date: 1982-12-02
Filing date: 1983-11-16
Publication date: 1984-06-20
Also published as: GB8330505D0; GB2131631B

Abstract

An electrical terminal block having clamping screws (4,fig. 1) threadedly engaging terminals (5) for clamping electrical leads in the terminals is convertible by the use of adaptors into a two-part coupling. Each adapter comprises a threaded contact pin (10) which is screwed into a terminal (5) to replace a screw, whereby to form said terminal block into a male coupling part. A female coupling part (11) may then be coupled to the terminal block. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to electrical connectors This invention relates to electrical connectors for connecting an electrical device or appliance to an electrical supply and/or an electrical control ccircuit.

Typically such an electrical connector comprises a terminal blockwhich is mounted on the device and which has a number of terminals in the form of screws which screw into threaded inserts in the terminal block to clamp the powersupplyand/orcontrol circuit leads beneath the heads of the screws, or a two part coupling, one part being mounted on the device and the other part having the leads connected to it, the two parts being separably coupled together for example in the mannerofa plug and socket coupling.

The object ofthe present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can be readily modified to convert it from its basicform of a terminal block into a two part coupling.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising an electrical terminal block having a plurality ofclamping screws threadedly engaging terminals of the terminal block for clamping electrical leads in the terminals, characterised in that ancillary equipment is provided for converting said electrical terminal block into a twopart coupling said ancillary equipment comprising a plurality of threaded contact pins which can be screwed into said terminals to replace said screws whereby to form said terminal block into a male coupling part and a female coupling part having a plurality of socket contact members for locating on said socket pins.

One construction of electrical connector in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a connector in the form of a terminal block, Figure 2 shows a similar sectional view of the connector when converted to a plug and socket type connector.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view of an enclosure for the connectorwith a connector socket body mounted init, Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating howtheterminal block connector of Figure 1 is converted to the plug and socket connector of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a section ofthe line V-V of Figure 3, and, Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewcorresponding to Figure 3 and showing a modified form of mounting forthe connector socket body.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, terminal block 1 forms a closure for an entry into the casing 3 of, for example, an eiectric motor or other electrical equipment. After the electrical leads within the casing 3 have been connected to the rear side of the terminal block 1, these rear side connections can be embedded in potting compound up to a depth indicated by chain-dotted line 25.

The terminal block 1 has terminals in the form of screws 4which screw into threaded inserts 5 sealed in the terminal block 1 in conventional manner. The terminal block 1 has a housing formed by a cylindrical enclosure 6 which surrounds the terminal block 1 and a lid 7 which is secured to the casing 3 byfourtie bolts 8 which pass through lugs 9 formed on the casing and on the lid 7. (See Fig. 3) The cylindrical enclosure 6 is clamped between the casing 3 and lid 7 and is sealed to them by 'O' sealing rings 26.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 to 5, these show the conversion of the terminal block of Figure 1 to a two-part plug and socket type coupling.

The male part ofthe coupling comprises the terminal block 1 suitably modified by replacing the screws 4 with threaded pins 10 which projectfrom the outside face oftheterminal block 1. The female part of the coupling comprises a square connector body 11 of insulating material through which extend female contact members 12 which are bored at one end to receive the male contact pins 10 and are bored and threaded attheir other end to receive the terminal screws 4 removed from the terminal block 1.The female contact members 12 are a floating fit within their respective housings in the connector body 11 so thatthey can accommodate slight misalignments with the contact pins 10.This can be achieved simply by a loose mounting ofthefemale contact members 12.

The square connector body 11 ofthefemale coupling part is located in the cylindrical enclosure by bolts 13 (see Figure 5) which pass through lugs 14 on the body 11 andthrough internal lugs 15inthe enclosure 6 and screw into threaded bores 16 in the lid 7. Alternatively the bolts 13 may screw into threaded inserts fitted in the bores 16. As is apparent from Figure 3 four bolts 13 are used.

An advantage ofthe above described arrangement for converting a terminal blocktype electrical connector into a two-part coupling is that the conversion can be carried out afterthe electrical device or appliance has been sold and/or installed.

The cylindrical enclosure 6 as shown in Figure 3 has three cable entries 17, 18 and 19 unsymmetrically disposed about its central axis in an arc of just less than 1800. The enclosure 6 can thus be rotated about its central axis relatively to the connector body 11 eitherthrough 900 in either direction, or 1800 from the position shown to reposition the cable entries.

Referring to Figure 1, the cylindrical enclosure is also symmetrical about the plane X-X (Figure 1). Thus it can be rotated through 1800 about the axis Y-Y (Figure 3) to invertthe enclosure 6 to re-position the cable entries.

These features provide more flexibility when connecting the cable entries to an existing conduit run.

The number of cable entries provided in the cover 6 can be varied as desired.

In orderto provide adjustment ofthe cable entries of less than 90" by rotating the cylindrical enclosure 6 about its central axis, the internal lugs 15 on the cylindrical enclosure 6 can have arcuate slots 27 which when the bolts 13 are loosened allows the cylindrical enclosure 6to rotate relatively to the connector body 11.

1. An electrical connector comprising an electrical terminal block having a plurality of clamping screws

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to electrical connectors This invention relates to electrical connectors for connecting an electrical device or appliance to an electrical supply and/or an electrical control ccircuit. Typically such an electrical connector comprises a terminal blockwhich is mounted on the device and which has a number of terminals in the form of screws which screw into threaded inserts in the terminal block to clamp the powersupplyand/orcontrol circuit leads beneath the heads of the screws, or a two part coupling, one part being mounted on the device and the other part having the leads connected to it, the two parts being separably coupled together for example in the mannerofa plug and socket coupling. The object ofthe present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can be readily modified to convert it from its basicform of a terminal block into a two part coupling. According to the present invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising an electrical terminal block having a plurality ofclamping screws threadedly engaging terminals of the terminal block for clamping electrical leads in the terminals, characterised in that ancillary equipment is provided for converting said electrical terminal block into a twopart coupling said ancillary equipment comprising a plurality of threaded contact pins which can be screwed into said terminals to replace said screws whereby to form said terminal block into a male coupling part and a female coupling part having a plurality of socket contact members for locating on said socket pins. One construction of electrical connector in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a connector in the form of a terminal block, Figure 2 shows a similar sectional view of the connector when converted to a plug and socket type connector. Figure 3 shows a sectional view of an enclosure for the connectorwith a connector socket body mounted init, Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating howtheterminal block connector of Figure 1 is converted to the plug and socket connector of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a section ofthe line V-V of Figure 3, and, Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewcorresponding to Figure 3 and showing a modified form of mounting forthe connector socket body. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, terminal block 1 forms a closure for an entry into the casing 3 of, for example, an eiectric motor or other electrical equipment. After the electrical leads within the casing 3 have been connected to the rear side of the terminal block 1, these rear side connections can be embedded in potting compound up to a depth indicated by chain-dotted line 25. The terminal block 1 has terminals in the form of screws 4which screw into threaded inserts 5 sealed in the terminal block 1 in conventional manner. The terminal block 1 has a housing formed by a cylindrical enclosure 6 which surrounds the terminal block 1 and a lid 7 which is secured to the casing 3 byfourtie bolts 8 which pass through lugs 9 formed on the casing and on the lid 7. (See Fig. 3) The cylindrical enclosure 6 is clamped between the casing 3 and lid 7 and is sealed to them by 'O' sealing rings 26. Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 to 5, these show the conversion of the terminal block of Figure 1 to a two-part plug and socket type coupling. The male part ofthe coupling comprises the terminal block 1 suitably modified by replacing the screws 4 with threaded pins 10 which projectfrom the outside face oftheterminal block 1. The female part of the coupling comprises a square connector body 11 of insulating material through which extend female contact members 12 which are bored at one end to receive the male contact pins 10 and are bored and threaded attheir other end to receive the terminal screws 4 removed from the terminal block 1.The female contact members 12 are a floating fit within their respective housings in the connector body 11 so thatthey can accommodate slight misalignments with the contact pins 10.This can be achieved simply by a loose mounting ofthefemale contact members 12. The square connector body 11 ofthefemale coupling part is located in the cylindrical enclosure by bolts 13 (see Figure 5) which pass through lugs 14 on the body 11 andthrough internal lugs 15inthe enclosure 6 and screw into threaded bores 16 in the lid 7. Alternatively the bolts 13 may screw into threaded inserts fitted in the bores 16. As is apparent from Figure 3 four bolts 13 are used. An advantage ofthe above described arrangement for converting a terminal blocktype electrical connector into a two-part coupling is that the conversion can be carried out afterthe electrical device or appliance has been sold and/or installed. The cylindrical enclosure 6 as shown in Figure 3 has three cable entries 17, 18 and 19 unsymmetrically disposed about its central axis in an arc of just less than 1800. The enclosure 6 can thus be rotated about its central axis relatively to the connector body 11 eitherthrough 900 in either direction, or 1800 from the position shown to reposition the cable entries. Referring to Figure 1, the cylindrical enclosure is also symmetrical about the plane X-X (Figure 1). Thus it can be rotated through 1800 about the axis Y-Y (Figure 3) to invertthe enclosure 6 to re-position the cable entries. These features provide more flexibility when connecting the cable entries to an existing conduit run. The number of cable entries provided in the cover 6 can be varied as desired. In orderto provide adjustment ofthe cable entries of less than 90" by rotating the cylindrical enclosure 6 about its central axis, the internal lugs 15 on the cylindrical enclosure 6 can have arcuate slots 27 which when the bolts 13 are loosened allows the cylindrical enclosure 6to rotate relatively to the connector body 11. CLAIMS

1. An electrical connector comprising an electrical terminal block having a plurality of clamping screws threadedly engaging terminals oftheterminal block for clamping electrical leads in the terminals, characterised in that ancillary equipment is provided for converting said electrical terminal block into a twopart coupling said ancillary equipment comprising a plurality of threaded contact pins which can be screwed into said terminals to replace said screws whereby to form said terminal block into a male coupling part and a female coupling part having a plurality of socket contact members for locating on said socket pins.

2. An electrical connector according to Claim 1 wherein said socket contact members have threaded bores for receiving the clamping screws removed from the terminal blockforclamping electrical leads to said socket contact members.

3. An electrical connector according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said socket contact members are afloating fit in said female coupling part.

4. An electrical connector according to Claim 1,2 or3, wherein said terminal block is connected to an electrical device or appliance and an enclosure member is provided which is securable to said device and surrounds said terminal block.

5. An electrical connector according to Claim 4 wherein said enclosure member has a plurality of cable entries unsymmetrically located around it and wherein the ends of enclosure member are open and are formed so that either end can be adjacent to said electrical deviceorappliance in orderto provide different orientations of said cable entries.

6. An electrical connector member according to Claim 5, wherein said enclosure member is provided with a removable lid at its end not adjacent to said electrical device or appliance.

7. An electrical connector member according to any of Claims 3 to 6wherein said enclosure member is cylindrical and is securable to said device or appliance in a plurality of different orientations which are rotationally displaced from each other aboutthe axis ofthe enclosure member.

8. An electrical connector according to Claim 6, wherein said female coupling part is mountable in said enclosure member and is securable to said lid which forms with said enclosure member a housing for said female coupling part.

9. An electrical connector according to Claims 7 and 8, wherein said female coupling part is mountabie in said enclosure member in a plurality of different orientations which are rotationally displaced from each otheraboutthe axis ofthe enclosure member.