US2299787A

US2299787A - Electrical connection means

Info

Publication number: US2299787A
Application number: US262472A
Authority: US
Inventors: Beal Fay
Original assignee: H A DOUGLAS Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: H A DOUGLAS Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1939-03-17
Filing date: 1939-03-17
Publication date: 1942-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1959-10-27

Description

will appear hereinafter.

Pnt-med on. 27,1942

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS Fay Beal, Bronson, Mich., assignorl to H. A.

Douglas Mfg. Co., Bronson,

tion of Michigan Mich., a corpora- Appllcation March' 17, 1939, Serial No. 262,472

`This invention relates generally to electrical connection means, known in the trade as-line connectors, and particularly toconnectors which are preferably adapted to beplaced in an electrical circuit of avehicle such as an automobile, and receive plug conductor terminals of the snap type,

The principal-object of the invention is to provide a new and improved connector, and more particularly a connector preferably consisting solely of two members, an outer tubular sleeve of resilient insulating material, and an inner nietallic insert or circuit continuing member which is adapted to receive plug conductor terminals.

Another object is Ato provide improvedelectrical connection means, including, a tube of resilient insulating material, ametal insert arranged within the tube for retaining conductor terminals, and means on the insert for pressing a. portion of the tube outwardly to provide a seat for the said means whereby to lock the insert in position. Y

One particular object is `to provide a'- device which can be economically manufactured on a commercial scale.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 3 In the drawing accompanying this specic'ation, and forming a part of this application, there is .shown for the purposes of illustration the preferred form of the invention, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the vouter tubular sleeve of insulating material;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional l view showing the sleeve and circuit continuing member in assembled relation; Figure 3 is a view on a reduced scale showing the development ofthe insert shown in Figure 4; and

.some suitable insulating material, preferably of a-resillent character, and 2 represents the insert or metallic circuit V4continuing member, which is also preferably tubular in form.

With respect tothe insert, same is preferably generally cylindrical in form, and provided with resilient portions forming receptacles 3 and "55 form and provided with a longitudinal cylindri- 4 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) f 4 `adjacent its extremities whereby to detachably receive and resiliently retain plug conductor terminals of the snap type, such as 5, one of which is shown in Figure 2, as being secured within the receptacle 3.

Considering more in detail the construction of the insert 2, and referring particularly to the development shown in `Figure 3, the insert is preferably made rectangular in shape, and comprises a central body portion I, having at one extremity, a pair of corresponding substantially'rectangular oppositely disposed laterally projecting wing portions 1 and y8, and a pair of wing portions 9 and IU corresponding substantially to the wing portions 1 and 8, adjacent its other extremity. The

respective pairs of portions by reason of the cutouts or notches I i and I! provide the receptacles 3. and I, which are independently operable' of each other. However, if desired, the wall structure of the insert may be made substantially continuous and not open adjacent its central portion.

m order to assist in holding terminals to the l insert, a detent I3 is provided in each of the receptacles 3 and l, preferably centrally with re- .spect to each pair of wing portions.

Each detent is preferably formed by striking out a por- .tion of the material of the insert to provide an aperture, such as Il, and one marginalI edge of the aperture is preferably struck outwardly with respect to the remaining material, whereby to provide a convex tapered projection or lip, the arris I5 of which is adapted to bite and engage the wall defining the groove o r cove 2i, provided in a terminal such as i. Detents of a character other than those Just described may be provided and otherwise located. and if found desirable may be entirely eliminated, but in any event it is de sirable that the'resillent wing portions forming the receptacles 3 and 4 function to eectively grip and retain terminals. Said receptacles are preferably made of a sumcient length to engage considerable surface area of the terminals in order to decrease as much as possible the millivolt dropbetween the insert and the terminals.

Intermediate the extremities of the insert, and preferably adiacent the notch I2, there is provided a curved transverse resilient projection or lug I6, and adjacent the center of the base' portion l, there is preferably formed a boss. such as i1, which extends outwardly with respect to said' Referring to the outer tubular sleeve or tube member, same is preferably made cylindrical in a diameter slightly less than the outside diameter ol.'V the insert 2. In view of the diameters. the

tube resilientlyA resists expansion of the insert,l

To assemble the sleeve and insert, the insert member is forced, preferably by a suitable tool,

into either end of the "aperture IB of the sleeve to the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the projection I6 of the insert is struck outw-ardly into the wall of the sleeve to deform same and provide an offset seat for the projection whereby tolock the members together; the boss l1 opposite the projection also assists in this respect by projecting into an extruded seat 2|.

It is to be particularly noted that when terminals are properly secured within the connector, the extremities of the sleeve member project beyoud the terminals a suihcient distance whereby to prevent the terminals from coming into contact with some metallic object and thereby avoid a short circuit. The sleeve is such that same contracts upon the insert,and particularly upon the rear cylindrical portion o r skirt I9 of each terminal so as to provide, among other things, a seal, whereby to exclude the entrance of foreignA matter, andalso avoid corrosion with respect to the electrical connections established between the terminals and the insert.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvi.- ous that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. Electrical connection means, including a substantially cylindrical tube of resilient material, a metal insert having an outside diameter cal aperture I I, which aperture is preferably of greater than the inside diameter of saidy tube arranged within the coniines of said tube, a receptacle retaining a conductor terminal provided adjacent each extremity of said insert, each of saidterminals being provided with a round portion extending free of each receptacle. said tube acting upon said insert and `the round portions of said terminals to seal from the atmosphere the space between said round portions, a resilient seat provided on said tube and extending outwardly with respect to said tube, means between said receptacles projecting laterally from said insert, said seat pressing against said means for locking said tube and insert in assembly, and a recess provided in said insert substantially opposite said means receiving a portion of said tube whereby to further assist in locking the parts in assembly.

2. Electrical connection means, including a' tube member of insulating material, a metal insert arranged within the confines of said tube, said insert having a receptacle adjacent each extremity for receiving a conductor terminal, a resilient seat provided on said tube, means projecting laterally of said insert and with respect to said receptacles, said seat pressing against said projecting means for locking the tube and insert in assembly, and a recess provided in said insert substantially opposite said means receiving a portion of said tube whereby to further assist in locking the parts in assembly.

3. Electrical connection means of the character defined in claim 2, including an additional projection on said insert, and a second resilient seat on said tube pressing against said additional projection whereby to further lock the tube and insert in assembly.

4. The method of securing metallic conducting means within a resilient tube of insulation, which consists in providing the conducting means with a recess in which a portion of material of which the tube is comprised may recede, and providing the conducting means with bendable means more or less opposite said recess so that when said conducting means is inserted into said resilient tube and the said projecting means is pressed out-v i FAY BEAL.