US2077522A

US2077522A - Battery connecter

Info

Publication number: US2077522A
Application number: US20493A
Authority: US
Inventors: Floyd E Heatwole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-05-08
Filing date: 1935-05-08
Publication date: 1937-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 1954-04-20

Description

F. E. HEATWOLE BATTERY April 20, 1937.

CONNECTER Filed May 8, 1935 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 PATENT OFFICE BATTERY CONNECTER Floyd E. Heatwole, Ballston, Va.

Application May 8,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to battery connecters and particularly to connecters adapted to make a con-ducting path for electricity between a conductor cable and the pole piece of a storage battery.

An object of this invention is to produce a battery connecter which can readily be installed on either an old conductor cable, the molded lead connecter on which has been impaired by acid corrosion, or on a new conductor cable without the necessity of employing the soldering or sweating process.

Another object of this invention is to produce an article of manufacture which is adapted to prevent the formation of sulphate deposits and corrosion due to acid vapor and the resulting disintegration of the connecter.

A further object of this invention is to produce a useful article of manufacture the main body portion of which may be produced economically and to commercial advantage by die-stamping from sheet metal.

Still a further object is to produce an article of this kind having absorbent means adapted to be saturated with a corrosion preventing medium, disposed at the point where corrosion begins.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of novel means for securing the connecter to the cable in such a manner that the end is protected in part by the original cable insulation from corrosion caused by acid fumes.

Still a further object of this invention is the novel arrangement of parts so as to provide looking means adapted to prevent the clamping bolt from turning when wrenches are applied to the nut thereof.

With the above and other objects and advan tages in view, the invention consists in details of construction, and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a storage battery showing the application of my improved connecter thereto in perspective;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the U-bolt in partial section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevation showing the U- bolt in cross-section;

Fig. 4 is a disassociated perspective view showing the elements in detail; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of a modification of the connecter.

A detail description follows with reference to- 1935, Serial No. 20,493

the drawing in which like elements are referred to with like numerals.

In Fig. 1 is shown in dotted line a storage battery l, of the conventional type having a pole piece or terminal 2, adapted to receive a battery connecter for purpose of completing an elec tr'ic circuit with an electrical conductor or cable 3, having suitable insulation 4 thereon. The main body portion of my improved connecter is preferably formed from sheet metal such as iron, steel, copper, brass, lea-d, etc., or their alloys by cutting, stamping or otherwise forming a. strap 5, the width of which is substantially the same as the height of the pole piece or terminal 2, and having adequate thickness to give it durability and sufficient rigidity. Where iron or steel is used as the material from which the strap ii is formed, electrical conductivity may be increased by coating or plating the connecter with lead, lead and tin, or copper. One end of this strap may be, by die-stamping or otherwise, formed into a substantially U-shaped yoke 6, conforming tothe contours of the pole piece or terminal 2, of the storage battery. The members i and B of the U-shaped yoke 6 are provided, by drilling or punching, with holes or passages adapted to receive a bolt 9, which is inserted first through the member 1 of the yoke then through the member 8 thereof and fastened in this position by a suitable nut I0, whereby the yoke may be secured in clamping engagement with the pole piece or terminal 2 of the battery. It will be noted that the conformation of the yoke is such as to give maximum conduction of electricity between the pole piece or terminal 2 and the yoke 8.

The other end of the strap 5 is in the form of a lateral extension from the yoke member l and for purpose of illustration is shown disposed on a line which is parallel to the axis of the bolt 9. When used in the manner as illustrated the lateral extension serves as a lock for the head of the bolt 9 thereby preventing the bolt from turning when a wrench is applied to the nut H3 thereof. Obviously the lateral extension could make any desired angle with the yoke member 1 dependent upon the disposition of the two elements to be connected thereby. Near the end of the lateral extension passage ways II and i2 are formed in the edges of the strap as shown clearly by Fig. 4, or they may be in the form of holes l3 and I4, set in from the edges as shown by Fig. 5. These passages are adapted to receive the legs of a U-bolt l5 which is secured in electrical conductive relationship to the strap 5 by means of a plate 16 and suitable nuts ll. Where my invention is used in the form as disclosed by Fig. 5 the plate I6 may be dispensed with.

Electrical connection is made between my improved battery connecter and the electrical con- 5 ductor or cable 3 by cutting the insulation 4 on the cable 3 and removing a section therefrom of sufiicient width that the U-bolt will contact the cable as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the insulation on that portion of 10 the cable extending from the U-bolt to and abutting the head of the bolt 9 has not been impaired, thus providing a protective covering for the cable against the attack of acid Vapors and the corrosion resulting therefrom. This forms a very important feature, among others, of my invention.

Experience has taught that the formation of corrosion sets in at that point where the members of the yoke are clamped toward each other 0 by a bolt or other suitable 'means around the pole piece or terminal of the battery. Due to this fact the corrosion is usually worse at this point than at any other part of the connection and as a result it is always difficult and often impossible to remove the connecter from the pole piece 01' terminal without injuring the battery or the connecter. To obviate this difiiculty I have provided my connecter with corrosion preventing means consisting of a block of felt l8, shown in detail in Fig. 4, adapted to be saturated with petrolatum, heavy lubricating oil, or other like substances which act to prevent corrosion. The felt block !8 having a passage I9 therethrough adapted to receive the bolt 9 is disposed between the members i and 8 of the yoke in such a manner that it may be squeezed between. said members so as to extrude the petrolatum over the bolt, connecter and pole piece or terminal.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A battery connecter comprising a sheet metal strap having one end bent to form a substantially U-shaped yoke adapted to fit over the pole piece of a storage battery, means for clamping said yoke to the pole piece, said strap being bent further in such a manner as to form a lateral extension from the yoke, said extension having passages in the edges thereof adapted to receive the arms of a U-bolt, a U-bolt in the passages, an insulated electrical conductor secured in electrical conductive relationship by said U-bolt to said lateral extension, said conductor having an 0 insulated portion extending between said U-bolt and the yoke whereby it is protected from the acid vapors from the battery.

2. In combination with an electrical conductor cable, a storage battery connecter comprising a sheet metal strap having one end thereof bent to form a substantially U-shaped yoke adapted to conform to the contours of a storage battery pole piece, clamping means for said yoke whereby said strap is secured in electrical conductive relationship with a storage battery pole piece, said strap being bent further in such a manner as to form a lateral extension from the yoke and parallel with the aforesaid clamping means, said extension having passages in the edges thereof near the outer end adapted to receive the arms of a U-bolt, a U-bolt in the passages, an insulated electrical conductor secured in electrical conductive relationship by said U-bolt to said extension, said conductor having an insulated portion thereof extending between the U-bolt and the yoke whereby it is protected from the acid vapors given off by the storage battery.

3. In combination with an electrical conductor cable, a storage battery connecter having heavy current carrying capacity comprising a sheet metal strap having one end thereof bent to form a substantially U-shaped yoke adapted to conform to the contours of a storage battery pole piece, said yoke having aligned openings through the members thereof adapted to receive clamping means, clamping means for said yoke whereby said strap is secured in electrical conductive relationship with a storage battery pole piece, said strap being bent further in such a manner as to form a lateral extension from the yoke and parallel to the aforesaid clamping means, said extension having passages in the edges thereof near the outer end adapted to receive the arms of a U-bolt, a U-bolt in the passages, an insulated electrical conductor in electrical conductive re lationship by said U-bolt to said extension and parallel thereto and in alignment with and abutting said clamping means, said conductor having an insulated portion thereof extending between the U-bolt and the yoke whereby it is protected from the acid vapors given off by the storage battery.

4. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a sheet metal strap, one end of said strap having a yoke substantially U-shaped integrally therewith, said yoke being in conformity with the contours of the pole piece of a storage battery, a clamping bolt through the arms of the U-shaped yoke, and a pad substantially saturated with an anti-corrosion chemical on the bolt between the arms of the yoke, whereby the anti-corrosion chemical is extruded over the strap and pole piece when the strap is clamped to said pole piece.

FLOYD E. HEATWOLE.