US1780289A

US1780289A - Terminal connecter for electrical conductors

Info

Publication number: US1780289A
Application number: US331728A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank W Zepp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-01-11
Filing date: 1929-01-11
Publication date: 1930-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1947-11-04

Description

F. w. ZEPP 1,780,289 TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Nov. 4, 1930.

Filed Jan. 11. 1929 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK W. ZEPP, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUGTORS Application filed January 11, 1929. Serial No. 331,728.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to terminals for the ends of insulated electric wires and cables, and particularly to such terminals having at one end means for engaging the binding post of a spark plug or other electrical device and at the other end means adapted for connection with the insulation and core of the conductor.

One object of this invention is to produce a new and useful terminal for insulated electric conductors from a unitary blank of metal which permits the terminal to be easily and cheaply manufactured and at the same time provides one of durable construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a terminal with means for readily and removably fastening it at one end to an insulated conductor and at the other end to a binding post of a spark plug or other electrical device.

Still another object is to provide a terminal for an insulated conductor with means on one end of the terminal for engagement with the insulation of said conductor and means on the other end for engagement with a spark plug or like device and means in the form of a tang on the terminal for connecting it to the metallic core of the conductor.

Briefly stated, this invention is a terminal for electric insulated conductors and comprises an integral blank of metal with a cutout portion therein, the blank being bent upon itself at its center in the form of a loop. The cut-out portion thus forms a bifurcated end, when bent, which is adapted for engaging a binding post of a spark plug or similar device. The sides of the loop form rearwardly projecting prongs with inwardly bent points adapted to be imbedded in the insulation of the conductor to hold the terminal in position. A tang is formed on the terminal for mechanical and electrical engagement with the core of the conductor.

The familiar types of terminals now employed are made in a number of sections which are expensive to construct, difficult to attach to a conductor, and are attached to the end of the conductor in such a manner as to require the use of solder in making contactbetween the terminal and core of the conductor in which case the solder frequently melts due to the heating of the terminal thereby releasing the conductor and causing danger of fire from short circuits.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this invention to devise a terminal which is simple and cheap to construct and efiicient in use, readily applied to and removed from the conductor and binding post of a spark plug or like device to which it is attached and is not liable to get out of order.

The construction, novel combination and arrangement of parts of this invention is hereinafter more particularly described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings; it being understood however that Various changes in form, proportion and other details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Referring more particularly now to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters,

Fig. 1 shows a side view of this invention attached to a conventional spark plug;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the cut blank from which the terminal is'formed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the invention lla ent into form from the blank illustrated in Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the invention applied to a high tension electric cable;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking sleeve;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line AA of Fig. 4 and Fig. 7 is a modified form of terminal end.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention (1) indicates an elongated strip or blank of resilient conductive material such as sheet metal from which the terminal is formed. I

The strip or blank is provided intermediate its ends with a central body portion (2) eontaining a longitudinal U-shaped cut-out portion the upper ends of which form a base (4) of a V-shaped tang (5) which is integral with the body portion (2) and is reduced in its width to a point adjacent the bottom of the cut-out portion (3).

The walls of the cut-out portion are the sides of the body portion (2) which are longi tudinally extending arms (7) and (8) in substantially parallel relation with each other.

The arms (7) and (8) of the central body portion (2) are reduced in width at their ends (9), (10) as indicated at (11) and (12) such reductions being greater at one end (9) than at the other end (10). The reduced end (9) is extended or produced to form a longitudinally disposed V-shaped prong (13) which is extended along the center line of the strip or blank (1) and reduced in width from the reduced end (9) as to terminate in a point and in an opposite direction to the tang (5) having a common base (4).

On the opposite end of the body portion (2) are elongated V-shaped prongs (14) and (15) having a common base (1(3) formed by cut-- ting out a V-shaped portion (17) from the end of the blank (1). These prongs (14) and (15) diverge outwardly from the reduced end (10) and common base (16).

In attaching the terminal to the end of an insulated conductor (18) as shown in Fig. 4, a sleeve (19) which is ovate in cross section and is provided with pointed projections (20) emanating from one of its ends the purpose of which will hereinafter be described, is slid over the end of the conductor (18) the end of the sleeve (19) with the projections (20) pointing in the opposite direction to the end of the said conductor (18). The tang (5) of the blank (1) is now bent outwardly about the base (4) as an axis, until it is substantially parallel with the prong (13) the blank (1) is then bent upon itself, along its transverse axis leaving at one end a U-shaped yoke portion (21) with fingers or projections (22) having raised surfaces (23) at their outer ends as illustrated in Figs. (3) and (4) and the prongs (13), (14), (15), and tang (5) extending toward the other end, on the outer ends of the prongs(13), (14), and (15) biting spurs (24) are provided which are bent inwardly for attachment with the insulation (25) of the conductor (18). The tang (5) extends in the same general direction as the prongs (13), (14), and (15) but is spaced therefrom and in substantially parallel relationship therewith as shown in'Figs. (3) and (4).

This tang (5) is now projected or embedded in the core (26) of the conductor (18) for mechanical and electrical contact with the said core (26), after which operation the prongs (13),, (14), and (15) are closed in about the insulation (25) of the conductor (18) and the biting spurs (24) of the prongs (13), (14), and (15) are driven into said insulation (25).

The oval-shaped sleeve (19) is next pulled forward and is positioned on the ends of the prongs (13), (14), and (15) thereby wedging the prongs in position and holding the biting spurs formed on the ends of said prongs embedded in the said insulation (25).

In order to hold the sleeve (19) in place on the ends of the prongs (13), (14), and (15) the projections (20) are bent inwardly into the insulation (25) of the conductor (18) by any suitable means. It will be noted that the raised surfaces (23) of the fingers on the outer ends of the yoke-shaped portion (21) of the terminal when in position upon an electrical device as for instance a spark plug will retain the terminal in position even when the nut (28) becomes loose.

I have shown a modified form of terminal end in Fig. 7, wherein a tang (5') is joined to the end of a bent integral blank (1) by soldering or otherwise. For the purpose of attaching this form of terminal to a spark plug it is formed with an aperture (29)..

It will thus be seen by the above description that the present invention broadly, comprises a terminal for insulated electric conductors. which terminal is formed from a unitary metallic blank and is characterized by having at one end insulation gripping means for holding the terminal on the end of the conductor and at the other end a bifurcated portion for attachment to the terminal of an electric device, means on the terminal in form of a tang for engagement with the core of the conductor to make electrical and mechanical contact therewith, and a sleeve slidably mounted on the said insulation gripping means for holding the gripping means in position on the said insulation; integral metallic blanks adapted to be formed into such terminals are also comprised within the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A blank of sheet metal adapted to be formed into an electrical terminal for insulated cables comprising a central body portion, a V-shaped prong projecting from one end thereof, a plurality of V-shaped prongs extending from the other end thereof, and a central prong projecting within said central body portion.

2. Means for forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sections joined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs, for insertion into the insulation of an electric conductor, each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, said sections and said prongs being formed from a single blank.

3. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicateyoke-shaped sections joined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs for insertion into the insulation of an electric conductor each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, and a locking sleeve slidably mounted about said prongs, said sections and said prongs being formed from a single blank.

4. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sections joined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs for insertion into the insulation of an electric conductor each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, and a sleeve slidably mounted about said prongs, said sleeve having spurs projecting at an angle to said prongs, said sections and said prongs being formed from a single blank.

Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sections joined at their 2O ends, and provided with raised bead-like retainingelements at the point of juncture, and terminating inelongated prongs"; each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section.

6. Means forming a terminal comprising du licate yoke-shaped sections joined at their enc and terminating in elongated prongs, each in substantially the same plane )as its respective"yoke-shaped section, and a tang bent from, one of said yoke-shaped sections to extend substantially parallel to said elon-/ gated prongs. I"

7. Means torning a terminal comprising du licate yoltehaped sections joined at their ents and terminating in elongated prongs,

I each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, and a tang bent from one of said yoke-shaped sections to extend substantially parallel to, said elongated 4" prongs, and a locking sleeve slidably mounted about said prongs and tang.

8. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sections joined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs,

each in substantially the same plane as its rcspective yoke-shaped section, and a tang bent from one of said yoke-shaped sections to extend substantially parallel to said elongated prongs, and a locking sleeve slidably mounted go about said prongs and tang, said sleeve having I an oval cross section.

FRANK W. ZEPP.