US2006622A - Terminal box - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1935. D. J. ALLEN 2,006,622

TERMINAL BOX Filed Jan. 30, 1935 l W 4,4 DWZ WZ; o Q 2 BY f l I ATT NEY.

I Patented July 2, 1935 I 2,006,622

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TERMINAL BOX Dennis J. Allen, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Charles Pearls, Blnghamton, N. Y.

Application January 30, 193:, sci-n1 No. ssuss 6 Claims. (01. 247-14) Y My invention relates to a terminal box for elec- Figure is a bottom view of the insulating tric circuits and has for its principal object the block.

provision of a simple, economical and eflicient Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the terminal means for the wires of various electrical line 65 01' Figure 1.

5 circuits leading thereto and therefrom. With reference now to the details of the figures 5 Heretofore, and with the terminal boxes in com- 01' the drawing, i indicates a terminal box or housmen use now, a real problem has existed due to ins 01' a y desi d Size or Shape, but P a y the fact that no suitable or adequate means is of the Plural Sided character in Common use provided for connecting the proper wires 01' each today. I ave shown a octagonfilly p d box in circuit and insulating them from the wires of but it will be understood that my invention is the other circuits. The common practice has q y adap to other Shapeg- Y been to splice the appropriate circuit wires to- Suitably secured within openings thru certain gether and then tape the splice. With two or sides of t e box I are the clamp fi i s 2 adapt d more sets of wires terminating in a box, this has to receive the d o cables 3 thru which the been diflicult to accomplish because 01 the rcw r s 4 pass int the terminal box The ends 15 stricted space. For the same reason, when such 01" the Wires 4 entering e bOX from each Cable splicing and taping is completed it is difiicult t are to be connected together in accordance with crowd the heavily taped splices into the box i the circuits of which they are a part and. thus permitthe cover to be placed ther complete such circuits thru the terminal box. Furthermore, the wires of corresponding cir- The cmlesponding C u t W s are usually dis- -20 cults are usually provided with a fabric covering tinguishflble by the 00101 0! the fabric Covering 5 of the same color and distinguished over the wires around the Wires- This fabric, and y insulaci other circuits. when the taping operation tion thereunder is removed fromthe extreme how in practice, is completed, it is often imends of the wires. leaving t bare as a 6 o possible to distinguish the wires of particular fiontact Purposes, 9-515 wen understood- 25 circuits. Secured to the bottom 1 of the box I as by the I have provided a terminal box in which there sciews a is an insulatim block 9 of any suitable are provided insulated binding posts for receiving insulating material- This block is provided 011 the wires ofthe variou it and have its underside with a relatively deep groove or vided a means for insulating such binding posts channel extending from one edge to the other 30 and their conductor supports from each Other in across said block. Disposed within this groove In such a way that; no taping is required no crowdis a strip H or metal constituting an electric ing of the wires is necessary, and the readily conductor and the ends of which are bent D- distinguishable circuit wires may be easily and vat the edges 01 the block, 88 at t0 8 quickly attached in proper relation without splic- D Spflced above the upper Surface of the 35 ing and with maxim convenience block, where such ends are then bent inwardly One specific object of my invention lies in th in overlying relation to said block as at i3. This provision of a novel arrangement of binding po t conductor strip I i is fixedly secured in the groove and their conductor supports in combination wit as y rivets so an insulating block, At right angles to the groove or channel In 4 Other objects and advantages ill b apparent in the underside of block 9 is a second groove l5,

as the description proceeds, reference now being of less depth than groove and also extending had to the accompanyin drawing forming a from one edge of the block to the other and part of this application and in which like reference intersecting groove numerals indicate like parts, Fixed in the groove H, as by rivets IE, is a 45 In the drawing: second strip ll of electric conducting material, Figure 1 is a top plan view or my terminal b x also bent upwardly at the edges of the block 9,

with the cover removed, showing the arrangement as t i, to 8 P nt Spaced B V the block n of wires therein in actual use, where such ends are bent inwardly as at is to Figure 2 is a top plan view of the insulating y n! position with respect to the c 50 block with the binding posts thereon. Due to the difference in depth of the grooves Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken n the III and II, it will be clear that the conductor line 3-3 of Figure 2. strips are out of contact with each other, elimi- Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line nailin any chance or a short circuit between 4-4 01' Figure 2. them. I! desired however, and as an extra pre- 55 caution, a strip 20 of insulating material may be placed in the groove ill between the'strip II and the strip l1. 1

Removably secured to the block 8, as by the screws 2|, is a third strip 22 of conducting material. This is positioned directly on the upper surface of the block and exten agonally of the strips II and Figures 1 and 2 so as not to interfere with the upper, overhanging portions of the latter strips. Centrally of the strip 22 the same is bent upwardly away from the block as at to provide a supporting saddle 24 spaced above the block the same distance as the overhanging portions 13 and i9. Obviously this conducting strip 22 is fully insulated from the strips II and II by the thickness of the block 9. By virtue of the screws 2i this auxiliary conductor strip is readily removable if not needed.

All of the spaced overhanging portions, I3, I! and 24 are provided with threaded openings as clearly shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, receiving the headed screw binding posts 25. Lying between the heads of the screws 25 and the corresponding supports therefor, are the upwardly flanged retaining, clips 26 adapted to receive the bare ends of the wires between such clips and in the box of course depends upon the circuits involved and it will be obvious that I have provided a terminal device which permits ready attachment or disengagement of the wires without danger of short circuits, and without the use of tape, and which leaves the box convenient and renders it efficient in operation.

Any conventional cover means may of course be provided for the box I.

Of course changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself therefore to the exact formherein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wire ends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, a plurality of grooves of different depths in the side of said block farthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same, conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting portions extending around the edges of said block and-towards the open side of said box, the ends of said portions being bent over said block in spaced relation thereto, and binding posts for wire ends on said supporting portions.

2. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wire ends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, a plurality of grooves of diflferent depths in the side of said block farthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same, conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting preferably di- I, as shown in portions extending around the edges of said block and towards t e open side of said box, the ends of said portions being bent over said block in spaced relation thereto, and binding post for wire ends on saidsupporting portions, said grooves being disposed angularly to and intersecting each other.

8. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wire ends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, a plurality of grooves of different depths in the side of said block farthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same, conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting portions extending around the edges of said block and towards the open side of said box, the ends of said portions being bent over said block in spaced relation thereto, binding posts for wire ends on said supporting portions, said grooves being disposed angularly to and intersecting each other, and insulating material separating the strips in the intersection of said grooves.

4. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wire ends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, a groove in the surface of said block farthest from the open side of said box and extending entirely across the same, a conductor strip secured in said groove and having its ends formed around opposite sides of said block and projecting past said block toward the open side of said box and bent to overlying relation, and binding posts on said overlying ends for wire ends.

5. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wire ends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, a groove in the surface of said block farthest from the open side of said box and extending entirely across the same, a second groove in the same surface of said block angularly disposed from the first groove, said grooves being of different depths, conductor strips secured in said grooves and having their ends formed around the edges of said block and projecting past the same toward the open side of said box and bent to overlying relation,.and binding posts on said overlying ends for across the same, a second groove in the same surface of said block angularly disposed from the first groove, said grooves beingof different depths, conductor strips secured in said grooves and having their ends formed around the edges of said block and projecting past the same toward the.

open side of said box and bent to overlying relation, binding posts on said overlying ends for wire' ends, and a removable conductor strip on the-surface of said block toward saidopen side provided with a binding post in substantially the same plane as said first mentioned binding post.

- DENNIS J. ALLEN.

Images