US1766515A - Storage-battery clamp - Google Patents

Description

june 24, 1930. E R, HEBERT A,766,515

STORAGE BATTERY CLAMP Filed July 25.*1926 gmebev Patented .lune 24, 193@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORAGE-BATTERY CLAMP Application filed July 23, 1926. Serial No. 124,472.

The invention relates to improvements in storage battery clamps and an object of the invention is to provide a soft metal clamp which may be lead reinforced to effectively s withstand continued use and which is designed such that corrosion and oxidization are reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lead battery clamp having a reinforc- 1@ ing core, such permitting of an effective electrical contact being made and maintained with the battery post.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lead clamp having an interior reinforcement and to provide the clamp with clamping means for attaching the same to a battery post and to arrange the parts such that when the clamping means is tightened up on the post, the strain is taken up by the reinforcement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a battery clamp formed from lead and having a strong metal in the interior thereof which reinforces the lead and an adjustable clamping jaw operating in an anchoring nut, the nuty being associated with the reinforcing member in such a manner that when the screw is tightened up to clamp the jaw against the inserted post, the strain is taken up by the reinforcing member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reinforced battery clamp having a loosely inserted nut` engaging the clamp, an adjusting screw carried by the nut and a jaw mounted on the inner end of the screw, the jaw, screw and nut being removable as a unit from the clamp.

With the above more important objects in view, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the clamp attached to a binding post of a battery.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the clamp.

50 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member which is contained in the clamp.

Fig. et is a horizontal sectional view at 4 4 Figure 5, the adjusting screw being shown in side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalview at 5-5 Figure 4, the adjusting screw being shown in side elevation.

Fig. 6 is an end View of the clamp, the adjusting screw being shown in vertical section.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The battery l is of the customary type and is provided with the usual terminals, one of which at 2 is herein shown. The clamp which I have designed is utilized for connecting the customary cable 3 to the post and is shortly described in detail.

I might primarily remark thatI am aware that bronze and such metallic clamps are now in use, such being dipped in lead to give them an exterior lead face. I might remark, however, that in such clamps, the lead is simply a thin exterior' coating covering the otherwise bronzef clamp and can not in any way be considered as a reinforced lead clamp. Such clamps readily deteriorate as the thin coating of lead quickly wears or chips off and the clamp then quickly co1'- rodes or oxidizes.

I might further remark that owing to the I manner in which such lead coated clamps are made, it is impossible to apply a thick coat for the reason that if one coating has been put on, another one cannot be applied for the obvious reason that reheating would melt the lead and on account of its heavy specific gravity, the molten lead would run off. I make the above remarks in order to initially stress the point that a lead dipped clamp is not in reality a reinforced lead clampsuch as I provide.

The reinforcing 4 for the lead clamp is herein show as a somewhat U-shaped iron bar or strip which has the ends thereof provided with inturned hooks or - auchoring flanges 5 and 6. The lowerends of the flanges may be connected together by a connecting portion 7 which provides a somewhat U-shaped opening 8. The connecting portion 7 is not essential as it only gives the completed clamp additional strength. I also supply two similar screw threaded bolts 9 and 10 having enlarged heads 11 and 12. Twosuch bolts are provided for convenience purposes as they permit one to connect the cable to the clamp at either side as occasion demands. Obviously a single bolt could be used if desired.

The reinforcement and bolts are then placed in a mould, the bolts at this time be,- ing held in respect vto the reinforcement in the sition best shown in Figure 4 and the rein orcement having the lower edge thereof elevated above the bottom of the mould. The lead or such soft metal body 13 of the clamp is then poured into the mould and go entirely covers to a considerable thickness the reinforcement.

Suitable cores are provided such that the large end of the moulded reinforced lead clamp will have a terminal receiving eye or g5 vertical hole 14 in the end thereof and a substantially rectangular pocket 15 opening to the side of the eye, it being observed that the bottom of the pocket is closed by a lead cross web 16 andthat the outer end of the 3o pocket has a vertical slot 17 therein which is in reality the slot 8 with a covering of lead thereon.

It will be also noticed that the head ends of the bolts are moulded in lead and are real inforced by moulded lead bosses 18 and 19. A nut 21 is provided which slides down into the outer end of the pocket and rests against the end of the pocket and the nut carries an adjustin screw 22 having the` outer end thereof tted with a hexagonal head 23 and the inner end carrying a jaw 24 which is readily movable lengthwise of the pocket upon the screw being turned. The screw, nut and jaw can be removed at any time as a unit.

The cable 3 is supplied with a lead head 25 having the end thereof counter bored and screw threaded to receive the projecting end of the bolt 9 or that 10 depen ing on which is the most convenient to use.

When this reinforced lead clamp is to be used, one turns the screw to withdraw the the clamp on the terminal or post 2 of the battery with the post extending upwardly within the opening 14 and then by applying a wrench to the head of the nut and turning the screw, the jaw is advanced into contact with the post and effectively clamps the device on the post.

I Wish here to particularly point out that the strain brought on the clamp, when the screw is tightened up, is transferred to the inturned hooked ends or flanges 5 and 6 of the reinforcing member 4 with the result as by abnormal that the lead bod of the clamp is not impaired. I accor in ly have a very effective clamp which wi stand up to the work for which it is decsigned, the lead forming an effective electri contact with the post and being not subject to corrosion or oxidation and the reinforcing member carrying all the clamping strain to which the device is subjected.

I mentioned hereinbefore that the cross portion '7 was not entirely necessary.

usedfit will prevent any possibility of they clamp breaking when subjected to abuse such and unnecessarytightening of the jaw. On the other hand, however, if not used, the clamp will stand up under normal conditions as there is practically no out thrust on the flanges when the jaw has been tightened suiciently on the post for all practical purposes.

Whilst .I have entered into a detailed description of the particular clampin means used, I wish it to be understood tat this might be materially altered without departing from the more important feature of the invention which relates to the lead or similar soft metal clamp having an `interior reinforcement.

What I claim as my invention is:

A lead battery terminal clamp having a substantially U-shaped lead body presentm a vertical terminal openin at one end an havin the other end vertlcally slotted and provi ed with a horizontally'disposed integrally formed cross web, an internal substantially U-shaped reinforcing plate contained within the leadbody and terminating 1n opposing inturned abutments situated at the end of the clamp remote from the terrnlnal openin a nut located adjacent to the inner side o the slot, engaging the abutments and bearin on the cross web, an adjpsting screw carried by 'the nut and extending towards the terminal opening and a jaw carried by the inner end of the screw.

Signed at Winnipeg this 20th day of April, 1,926.

ERDMAN R. HiEBERT.

from the opening 14. He then places v

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