US1212276A - Connector. - Google Patents

Description

I. C. STEARNSI coNNEcIR. APPLICATION FILED AIIG.22. I 9'I4.

Patented J al1. 16, 191?.

Lmgmp .H fr

, detachably secured.

JASON C. STEARNS, OF] WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONNECTOR.

imams.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J'AsoN C. STEARNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Voi-cester State of lvassachusetts,V have invented a new and useful Connector, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric connector and particularly to a type of connector in which one of the connected parts is Such connectors while capable of a variety of uses are particularly adapted for use in reecting head lights for automobiles and for other similar purposes. When thus used it is` customary to permanently secure one member of the connector to the casing of the light before the casing is finished, the remaining parts of the connector being attached to said member as the light is assembled. y

It is the obj eet of my invention to improve the construction'of connectors of the type abovehrefer'red to, with increased economy of manufacture, and increased reliability Vof operation.

4Vith this object in view my invention contemplates the provision of a shell having one or more sections of insulating material -inounted therein and having improved devices for securing said sections within the shell. In the preferred form of my invention these devices are so constructed that each of two sections of insulating material may be readily secured in the shell Without the use of tools, while one' of said sections can be readily detached and removed.

My invention also consists in the provision of an improved sliding contact between the conducting elements of my connector and also in the provision of improved means for securing an external conductor to said connector whereby the number ofelectrical connections in the circuit may be materially reduced. Y.

My invention further consists in certain devices, arrangements7 and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim-s. y

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which- Figure v1 is a side elevation of my improved connector; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the connector shown in Fig.

specification of Lettera Patent.

and

my invention,

YPatented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed August 22, 1914, Serial No. 858,115.

1; Figs. 3 and f1 are a side elevation and a top plan view respectively of one section of the insulating material, with the parts associated therewith; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the shell; Figs. 6 and 7 are a side elevation and top plan view respectively of the .second section of the insulating material and its associated parts, and Fig. 8 kis a detail view of a slight modification.

AsI shown in the drawings the movable parts of my improved connector are mounted within a shell 10. Whenthe device is used in connection with refiecting head lights or for similar purposes the shell 10 is soldered or otherwise secured within the casing 11 indicated in' dotted lines in Fig. 2.

After the shell is thus secured, the casing may be japanned or otherwise finished as desired, the shell thereafter corresponding in finish to the casing. The connector may also be used entirely separately from a supporting easing and possesses valuable advantages when so used.

Hthin the shell, in the preferred form of I secure twosections 12 and 13 of insulating material. At the upper end of the shell, as viewed in Fig. 1, I rvprovide an integral resilient tongue 14 having a circumferential slot 15 formed therein. tongue 1a may be formed by cutting an L- shaped slot 16 in one side of the shell. Instead of cutting the L-shaped slot 16, a straight slot 17 may be formed at each side of the resilient tongue as shown in Fig. 8.

The section 12 of insulating material ,is provided upon one side with a projection or stud 18 positioned to correspond with the slot 15. When the shell is secured to the casing 11 the resilient tongue is positioned within the casing.

In assembling the connector, the section 12 is inserted within the shell and turned,

in the shell for a purpose which will be hereinafter described but cannot be removedl from theJ shell without the use of tools to lift the tongue 14 over the stud 18. In this way I secure an absolutely reliable connection between these parts, so formed that the parts may be .most easily assembled. Inasmuch as there 1s rarely anyoccasion to sepaturned within the shell 10 when it is desired ratethese vparts after they are once assembled the necessity for using tools to separate them is no disadvantage..

. The shell 10 is provided at its lower end freely slidable'within the shell 10.

When the sections 12 and 13 are provided with two or more sets of connecting elements, as shown in Fig. 2', it will be evident that there can be no relative angular movement between them. For this reason the slot 15 is provided, so that the section 12 may be to move the stud 22 out of the-notch 21 into ,the strainght slot 2O for removal longitudinally from the shell. Where a single set only of conducting elements 1s centrally located in the sections, thel slot 15 may be reduced to acircular opening fitting the stud 18. y

One of the sections2 in this case the section 12, is provided with one or more longitudinally movable spring-pressed plungers 30. Each plunger 30 is positioned within a v 'v longitudinal recess'in the section 1-2 and has a reduced portion 31 slidable in the contracted upper portion thereof. The plunger 30 is threaded at its upper end 4and extends into a nut 32 having ai transverse recess 33 formed therein. The recess 33 is formed of two diameters, the smaller portion corre, spending in general to the size of the external conductor 31 while the larger portion corresponds to the outside diameter of the insulation 35 upon the conductor. The reduced portion 31 of the plunger 30'is surrounded by a'coil spring 36 which tends to move the plunger downward in the section 12, thus drawinfr the nut 32 against the end of the section. he plunger 30 is slotted at its lower end, so that a screw driver may be used to insure a firm contact against the conductor 34.' The section 12 mayvalso be provided with upwardly extending portions 37 by which the nuts 32 are prevented from rotation, while at the same 'time they are longitudinally movable with the plunger 30.

The section 13 of the insulating material is provided with sleeves 40 corresponding in number to the .plungers 30, each sleeve having a. hole 41 drilled therein to receive a` secondl conductor 42. A screw 43 is insertedthrough the side of the section 13 and is threaded into the wall of the sleeve 40. The screw 43 thus serves to position the sleeve within the section' 13 and also to bind in Fig. 2. The bushing 44 comprises a thin metallic cylinder having a plurality of longitudinal slots 45 (Fig. 7) formed therein.

The slots tdivide the bushinginto a series of resilient ngers which normally press slightly inward from the walls surrounding the bushing. Vhen the section 13 is to be assembled in the connector, the bushing 44 is pushed over the plunger 30 and forms a resilient sliding contact therewith. As the stud 22 approaches the upper end of the slot 20 the plunger 30 reaches the end of the bushing 4 1. Further movement of the section 13 upwardly compresses the spring 3G within the section 12. As the stud 22 is turned toward the notch 21 the spring tends to seat the stud within the notch and prevents its accidental withdrawal therefrom. It will be seen that the plunger 30 contacts directly at its threaded end with the conductor 34, while its opposite end is in resili- .ent sliding contact with the bushing 44,

mounted upon the sleeve 40'to which the conductor 12 is secured. The number of elec-. trical contacts and connections between thetwo conductors is thus reduced to a minimum.

Many changes and4 modifications inithe' construction thus described will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and I do not wish to be liniited to the details 1. Ina connector, a` section of insulating material, a longitudinally spring-pressed plunger extending therethrough, said plunger being screw-threaded at one end, and.

means for securing a conductor directly to Said threaded end, said means comprising a nut longitudinally movable with but nonrotatable with said plunger and having a transverse opening therein to receive the conductor, and said screw-tlireaded"plunger comprising the soie means for engaging and retaining said conductor in said nut.

2. In a connector, a section of insulating material, a. -pair of longitudinally springpressed plungers extending therethrough, and 'conductor-securing devices nonkrotatably mounted in a single groove formed between parallel extensions of said insulating material, sa'id devices having oppositely disposed longitudinal openings adapted to receive the ends ofthe conductors and having transverse threaded openings intersecting said longitudinal openings, and said plungers being screw-threaded at one end and eX-' tending through said transverse openings to engage and hold said conductors within said securing devices and to hold said devices in position in said section of insulating material. 4 3. ln a connector, a shell and a section of insulating material secured therein, said section having astud thereon, and said shell, having an integral resilient' tongue with a circumferential slot therein positioned to i ment thereof, said resilient tongue permitting `separation of said shell and section when desired.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand, in the presence oftWo subscribing 15 Witnesses.

A 'Jason o. ennemis. Witnesses I PQA. BBEMIS, ALBERT E. Fev.

Images