GB2240581A

GB2240581A - Connector for wires, etc

Info

Publication number: GB2240581A
Application number: GB9100390A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hugh David Facey; Brian Edward Shawcross
Original assignee: Gripple Ltd
Current assignee: Gripple Ltd
Priority date: 1990-01-09
Filing date: 1991-01-09
Publication date: 1991-08-07
Also published as: GB9100390D0; GB9000415D0

Abstract

The connector for wires (or the like) which comprises a body (10) having through passage means (11) adapted to receive a pair of oppositely directed wire end portions (12A, 12B), channels (13A, 13B) within the body disposed one to each side of the through passage means, and a pair of rollers (14A, 14B) guided within the channels adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the through passage means to urge the wires therebetween forcibly towards each other and thus secure the wires firmly in the connector, wherein the rollers (14A, 14B) are provided with ribs (15) extending generally parallel to the roller axes. Springs (16A, 16B) urge the rollers towards the through passage means (11). <IMAGE>

Description

CONNECTOR FOR WIRES ETC..

This invention relates to a connector for wires (or the like) of the type described and claimed in International Application No. PCT/GB88/00762 (Publication No. WO 89/02994) practical embodiments of which have proved very successful using steel balls in the wedge means.

However, with higher tensile wires there is a tendency for slip to occur between the wires and the balls because the hardness of the wires precludes indentation by the balls.

The above mentioned International Application discloses a connector for wires or the like which comprises a body having through passage means adapted to receive a pair of oppositely directed wire end portions, channels within the body disposed one to each side of the through passage means and acutely inclined to and, at their inner ends, breaking into the through passage means, and wedge means comprising a pair of rollers guided within the channels, together with springs urging the rollers towards the through passage means, adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the through passage means to urge the wires therebetween forcibly towards each other and thus secure the wires firmly in the connector, the through passage means consisting of twin bores in close lengthwise relationship with each other end adapted to receive the pair of oppositely directed wire end portions one in each bore, and whereby the wedge means within the channels are adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the respective bore to urge that wire into frictional engagement with that bore.

The object of the present invention is to improve this performance.

According to the present invention, therefore, a connector for wires is of the type described above, characterised in that the rollers are provided with ribs extending generally parallel to the roller axes, whereby there will be one or two points of initial contact between each inserted wire end portion and the respective roller, and in that the channels in the body of the connector housing the wedge means have a cross-section corresponding to the overall axial section of the ribbed rollers, at least over lengths adjacent the ends of the channels breaking into the through passage means and within which the ribbed rollers are able to slide or roll.

The ribs may be tooth-like in profile, but are preferably shallow compared with the radius of the rollers and have flat or radiussed peaks. Thus rollers of 5.2 mm diameter and 4.5 mm length preferably each have twenty-four ribs 0.155 mm high with 0.07 mm radius peaks formed between grooves of 0.12 mm depth and 0.07 mm radius bottoms, and the rollers preferably have a minimum hardness of RC 45. The shallow radiussed ribs do not materially affect the ability of the rollers to roll along the channels in the body and/or roll along wire end portions during insertion thereof, nor do they materially affect the ability of the rollers to turn against the abutting ends of springs urging the rollers towards the through passage means.However, each spring preferably has two close coils at each end, with each end coil of such lesser outside diameter than the adjacent coil that the end coil can nestle within the adjacent coil in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring, whereby the ends of the springs abutting the rollers are better able to ride over the ribs. Each roller is preferably provided with radiussed or bevelled ends defining faces of less diameter than the body of the roller faces for sliding contact within its channel.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a connector; Figure 2 is an elevation from the left hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 2 but with wires inserted; Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a roller in accordance with the invention; Figure 6 is an end elevation of the roller of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary section on the line VII-VII of Figure 5.

Figures 1 to 4 show a connector for wires (or the like) which comprises a body 10 having through passage means 11 adapted to receive a pair of oppositely directed wire end portions 12A, 12B, channels 13A, 13B within the body disposed one to each side of the through passage means, and a pair of rollers 14A, 14B guided within the channels adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the through passage means to urge the wires therebetween forcibly towards each other and thus secure the wires firmly in the connector.

The rollers 14A, 14B are provided with ribs 15 extending generally parallel to the roller axes. Springs 16A, 16B urge the rollers towards the through passage means 11.

The through passage means consists of twin bores 11A, 11B, and the end 17A, 17B of each bore through which a wire end 12A, 12B can be inserted diverges outwardly to facilitate insertion of a wire end. The twin bores llA, 11B are separated by a wall portion 18.

The body 10 is formed from solid metal, with blind bores 19A, 19B forming the channels 13A, 13B for the rollers 14A, 14B, the outer ends of the blind bores being closed by plugs 20A, 20B after springs 16A, 16B have been inserted behind the rollers. The plugs 20A, 20B are secured by local deformation 21A, 21B of the body 10.

As illustrated by Figures 5 to 7 each roller 14A or 14B has a diameter of 5.2 mm and a length of 4.5 mm and has twenty four ribs 15 with 0.07 mm radius peaks 22 formed between grooves 23 of 0.155 mm depth and 0.07 mm radius bottoms 24, and each roller 14A or 14B is provided with bevelled ends defining faces 25 of less diameter than the body of the roller for sliding contact within the channels 13.

Each spring 16A or 16B has two close coils at each end, with each end coil of such lesser outside diameter than the adjacent coil that the end coil can nestle within the adjacent coil in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring, whereby the ends of the springs abutting the rollers are better able to ride over the-ribs.

Claims

1. A connector for wires or the like comprising a body having through passage means adapted to receive a pair of oppositely directed wire end portions, channels within the body disposed one to each side of the through passage means and acutely inclined to and, at their inner ends, breaking into the through passage means, and wedge means comprising a pair of rollers guided within the channels, together with springs urging the rollers towards the through passage means, adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the through passage means to urge the wires therebetween forcibly towards each other and thus secure the wires firmly in the connector, the through passage means consisting of twin bores in close lengthwise relationshipswith each other end adapted to receive the pair of oppositely directed wire end portions one in each bore, and whereby the wedge means within the channels are adapted upon attempted withdrawal of either of the wire end portions from the respective bore to urge that wire into frictional engagement with that bore, characterised in that the rollers are provided with ribs extending generally parallel to the roller axes, whereby there will be one or two points of initial contact between each inserted wire end portion and the respective roller, and in that the channels in the body of the connector housing the wedge means have a cross-section corresponding to the overall axial section of the ribbed rollers, at least over lengths adjacent the ends of the channels breaking into the through passage means and within which the ribbed rollers are able to slide or roll.

2. A connector as in Claim 1 wherein the ribs are tooth-like in profile.

3. A connector as in Claim 2, wherein the ribs are shallow compared with the radius of the rollers and have flat or radiussed peaks.

4. A connector as in Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the rollers are of 5.2 mm diameter and 4.5 mm length each having twenty-four ribs 0.155 mm high with 0.07 mm radius peaks formed between grooves of 0.12 mm depth and 0.07 mm radius bottoms.

5. A connector as in any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the rollers have a minimum hardness of RC 45.

6. A connector as in any preceding Claim, wherein each roller is provided with radiussed or bevelled with ends defining faces of less diameter than the body of the roller for sliding contact within its channel.

7. A connector as in any preceding Claim, wherein each spring has two close coils at each end, with each end coil of such lesser outside diameter than the adjacent coil that the end coil can nestle within the adjacent coil in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring, whereby the ends of the springs abutting the rollers are better able to ride over the ribs.

8. A connector for wires substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.