US2374413A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1945. v CARLSQN 2,374,413

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W "'H M W INVENTOR VERN E. R so ATT R April 24, 1945. v E, CARLSQN 2,374,413

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fully understand Patented Apr. 24, 1945 FFlCE 2,314,413 nrncrnroancomoron Vernon E. cumin, Short Hills, N. J., assignor to Elizabeth.

Aircraft-Marin e Products, Inc,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 17, 1942, 'Serial No. 455,032 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-269) This invention relates to electrical connections and connectors; More particularly, the invention relates to connectors in which one portion engages and contacts an electrical conductor while another portion holds an insulating cover 1 on said conductor. Connectors of this general time have been commonly used on electrical conductors for various purposes, particularly in wiring of aeroplanes, automobiles, radios, etc.

The present invention is primarily concerned with connectors which are fabricated from sheet material, that. is, flat stock, whether so-called strip or sheets, and so constructed and arranged that they may be permanently secured to electrical conductors in a simple manner and advantageously. without the use of solder, and in which the conductor engaging portion and the insulation supporting portion are formed from integral parts of the same flat stock.

It is an object or the present invention to provide a connector for an insulated electrical conductor which will effectively grip both the conductor itself and the insulation thereon when crimped or compressed after application to the insulated conductor, and will make a perinanently good electrical contact therewith. Another object is the provision of an electrical connector which will be relatively inexpensive while at the same time giving maximum effectiveness for holding an electrical conductor. A still further object is the provision of an improved, onepiece connector adapted to grip both the wire and the insulation of an insulated electrical conductor. Further objects will be in part pointed out as the description proceeds and in part will become apparent therefrom. 1

In these drawings, I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention and various modifications thereof; but it is to be understood that these are not intended to be exhaustive nor the contrary are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as maybe best suited to the conditions of a particularsuse.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like'parts throughout: 1

Figure 1 is a plan view of a, blank for a novel and improved connector incorporating the invention;

been formed and applied to the endof an electrical conductor;

Figure 3 is an'enlarged sectional view of the device of Figure 2 taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank for another form of connector made in accordance with theinvention;

. Figure 5 is an edge view of a connector formed from the blank' illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of another-blank for a connector embodying my invention;

limiting of the invention, but on Figure 2 is a plan view of the connector. made I from the blank of Figure 1 shown after it has Figure 7 is'an edge view of the formed from the blank of Figure 6;

connector Figure 8 is an edge view of the same connector' as shown in Figure 7 but taken at right angles to the view of Figure '7 and afterv the connector has been applied andcrimped onto a conductor:

Figure 9 is a plan view of another blank for a modified form of connector;

Figure 10 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing a connector formed from the blank of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a plan view of a blank for another form of connector tion;

Figure 12 is a plan view of a connector formed from the blank shown in Figure 11;

Figure '13 is a plan view of still another blank for a connector embodying the invention;

Figure 14 is an edge view showing how the blank of Figure 13 maybe rolled to be applied to an insulated wire Figure 15 is a plan view of another blank for a connector embodying the invention;

Figure 16 illustrates the connector formed from the-blank of Figure 15 ready to be applied to the end of an electrical conductor;

Figure 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 18 is, a view similar to that of Figure 17 but showing the ferrule after it has been folded and pressed onto the end of an electrical conductor.

The blanks above illustrated may be stamped or cut from dead soft, or partially hardened up to about quarter-hard, flat, good-conducting metal, for example, malleable, pure sheet copper. The connectors of the present invention are designedior use with insulated wire, for example, the fine wire types found in aeroplane wiring, radios, etc., up to the heavy, types used for motors and generating equipment.

Figure 1 illustrates a blank 20 having itsmid-- vPortion adapted to form a terminal connecting embodyin the invenfolding.

As shown in Figure 2, the folding and punchin of the portion 2! and the rolling up of the end portions 22 and 24 is complete and a conductor consisting of insulation 25 and a copper wire 26 is inserted. The ears of end portion 22 have been wrapped around the insulation 25 and the tabs of end portion 24 have been rolled up to ferrule form and then crimped onto the wire 26 at 21. The

crimping may be done by any suitable tool, for

. example, that shown in copending application of S. N. Buchanan, Serial No. 421,408, filed December 3, 1941, which compacts the copper of the ferrule and of the wire into a relatively solid mass (see Figure 3). The ears of end portion 22 are wrap ped tightly around the insulation 25 so that a direct pull on the conductor is taken first by the insulation and only later by the wire 26. The latter, moreover, being bent from its position in the portion 22 to its position in the ferrule 24, can not transmit a direct, axial pull and, therefore, maintains the electrical contact established by crimping.

The form of the end portions Hand 24 in Figures 1 and2 is not essential to my invention. Any other integral connecting and embracing means may be used, as illustrated, for example, by Figures 4 to 18.

Figure 4 depicts a blank 26aconsisting of a terminal portion 2la, like that of Figure 1, and end portions 22a and 24a for rolling into transverse ferrules for holding the insulation and wire, respectively, of an insulated conductor.

In Figure 4, both ends of the blank a are rolled up on the same side of the metal so that when the terminal portion 21a is folded, as shown in Figure 5, the end portions 22a and 26a are side by side. This arrangement is advantageous in that any pull on the wire is taken against the doubled portion 21a where it merges into the end portions 22a and 24a without any possibility of pulling upon the rolled up ferrules. It is not essential to this result, however, that the ferrule portions be rolled on the same side. Thus. if they are rolled on opposite sides of the sheet metal blank and then folded so that one comes just beyond the other and side by side, substantially the same result will be attained. In either case the structure has the advantage that both ferrules, lying side by side, may be crimped onto the wire with the same tool in a single operation and that such crimping will tend to hold them solidly together.

Instead of using both rolled portions to hold one conductor, each may be crimped onto a separate conductor so that the ferrule serves to bring two conductors to a single binding post.

Although I have referred to the portions 22 and 24 which embrace and hold the wire and insulation as end portions, it is not essential that they should be located at oppositeends of the blank, as in Figures 1 and 4. Instead, these end portions may be at a side edge of the blank on opposite sides of the fold line, as shown in Figure 6. or on adjacent edges, as shown in Figure ll. When the blank of Figure 6 is formed and applied to a wire it has the advantage that the bared wire 26 passes over the folded edge of the metal, as shown in Figure 8, which affords a smooth snubbing surface to absorb a major part of any pull on the wire with no tendency to cut or break it. The wire may be held in place by crimping, as at 21b and 28b.

My invention, furthermore, is not limited to folding of the metal, as in the examples of Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, but may likewise be embodied in connectors of various forms with integral portions 22, 24 on the ends and /or sides of an unfolded portion which forms the terminal contact member.

Thus, in Figures 9 and 10, a blank 20c is indicated having a terminal portion 210 and end portions 220 and 240. Figure 10 shows these end portions rolled to'ferrule form, 220 embracing the insulation 25 of the conductor and 240 embracing the wire 26 of the conductor. The ferrule portions are crimped, as indicated at 21c and 26a.

- The embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12 is similar in structure and function except that the portions 220! and 24d, which form the ferrules for holding the wire 26 and the insulation 25, are, in this case, on adjacent sides instead of on opposite sides of the contact portion 2ld.

ure 12 illustrates how the conductor is held by the end portion 22d and the side portion 24d. The rolled portions are crimped, as indicated at 21d and 28d. to make a tight contact between the connector and the conductor, and a secure mechanical engagement.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 13 and 14, a blank 20c has a terminal portion 2 le at one side and end portions 22a and 24e substantially together so that when rolled up the resulting ferrules will be side by side, as shown in Figure 14, with the resultant advantages discussed in connection with the forms of Figures 4 and 6. Obviously, the terminal contact portion 2le may be of any desired form, according to the terminal and conductor with which it is to make contact.

Although, as has been emphasized above, there is important advantage in the side by side, or angular, arrangements of the ferrules 22, 24, other features of the structures shown may be used with advantage when axially aligned ferrules are desired. Figure 15 shows a blank 20f having terminal portions 21) arranged to be folded together, as in the case illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, and end portions 22) and 24f for the insulation of the conductor and for the bared end of the wire, respectively. The blank is folded, as illustrated in Figure 16, to bring the two ferrule portions into overlapping alignment and end portions 22) and 24! are rolled up to receive the conductor coaxially, as illustrated.

Figure 17 illustrates a connector which receives the electrical conductor between the overlapped contact portions 2lg and 249. The insulation 25 is received in the ferrule 229, the same as in the embodiments shown in the other figures. The upturned rim 30 around the opening 3| serves as a tubular rivet after the wire is in place and the part, 2| 9 folded, as shown in Figure 18, and thus holds the folded relation and also holds the contact part 2lg tightly pressed in the channel 249', which in this case serves as crimping onto a wire,

each conductor may be provided with separate of the rolled ferrule portions for the bare'd and wire and the insulated portion, respectively.

From the foregoing it will be seen that elec trical connections made in accordance with the present invention are well adapted to attain the? ends and objects hereinbefore set forth and to each embe economically manufactured, since bodiment requires for its manufacture and application nothing more than conventional sheet material and forming tools. The rolled edge ferrule for application without as shown in Figures 4 to 14, is more particularly described and claimed in the copending application, Serial No. 465,527;

filed November 14, 1942.

I claim:

solder by merely 1. An electrical connector of malleable: high conductivity metal fabricated from flat stock, said connector comprising a flat terminal contact portion provided with an aperture, a plurality of wire-receiving ferrules each formed of an integral edge portion of said'stock rolled inwardly with its edge abutting said terminal contact portion for reception of a wire.

2. An electrical connector of malleable, high conductivity metal fabricated from flat stock, said connector comprising a flat terminal contact portion formed by doubling the'stock back upon itself to form a flat area provided with an aperture, a plurality of wire-receiving ferrules lying side-by-side and each being formed of integral edge portions of the adjacent edges of the overlying stock rolled inwardly with the edges abutting said terminal contact portion.

3. An electrical connector of malleable high conductivity metal fabricated from flat stock, said connector including tion and a pair of wire receiving ferrules each formed of an integral edge portion of said stock rolled inwardly with its edge abutting said terminal contact portion for receptionof a wire, said ferrules being arranged substantially at right angles to each other.

VERNON E. CARI-SON.

a terminal contact por-'

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