US2552392A

US2552392A - Spade type electric connector

Info

Publication number: US2552392A
Application number: US113943A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hugh W Batcheller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-09-03
Filing date: 1949-09-03
Publication date: 1951-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-08

Description

y 3, 1951 r H. w. BATCHE'LLER 2,552,392

SPADE TYPE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 3, 1949 Z1 FIG. 2 /0 J2 FIG.3

TIIIIIIIZ'IIIIIIIIIIIII.

M FIG. 5

INVENTOR HUGH W.- BATCHELLER Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,552,392 SPADE TYPE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Hugh W. Batcheller, Newton Highlands, Mass. Application September 3, 1949, Serial No. 113,943

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an electric connector by which the ends of two wires can be connected and disconnected electrically. As is usual, the connector consists of two cooperating members, each of which is secured to the end of one of the wires to be connected. Many connectors have heretofore been produced for connecting and disconnecting conductors. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved connector characterized by economy of manufacture, reliability in operation and improved interfacial contact to reduce the electrical resistance of the connector.

The connector embodying the invention is of the type described in my copending application, Serial No. 67,488, filed December 27, 1948, and consists of male and female members, the male member comprising essentially a flat plate or tongue to be received by the female member. The latter has a plane bottom portion with overhanging flanges arranged to press the male member strongly against the bottom portion to ensure firm interfacial contact. This is done by shaping the overhanging flanges of the female member so that each has a low point with a clearance above the bottom slightly less than the thickness of the male tongue. The side walls supporting the flanges are preferably cut away to reduce their stiffness and to make it possible for the flanges to yield slightly upward when the tongue is thrust thereunder.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of WhiCh Figure l is a perspective view of the two members of a connector embodying the-invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the connector with the members connected; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The female member of the connector can conveniently be made by shaping a blank which has been cut from sheet or strip stock of suitable metal, such as copper, brass, or bronze. This member consists of a flat bottom portion having side walls l2 and I 4 bent up at right angles thereto. These side walls are inturned to form flanges l6 and I8 which overhang portions of the bottom plate. The metal stock from which the blank for this member is cut is preferably of suflicient thickness to provide a considerable degree of rigidity in an object of the size of the members of the connectorshown on the drawing. In order to increase the resilience of the side walls l2 and I4, these walls may be cut away between the bottom plate l0 and the flanges l6 and [8 to form

openings

20 and 22, leaving the end portions of the walls as supporting elements for the flanges. The effect of cutting away a portion of each wall is to reduce its stiffness so that the flanges can yield more readily when pressure is brought to bear on them. While it is convenient to cut away the central portion of each wall, as shown, the end portions can be cut away instead, leaving the central portion to support the flange.

The flanges l6 and I8 are shaped so that they slope longitudinally and are in the form of a V with a very wide angle, the apex of the V- preferably coming at or near the mid-point of each flange. In other words, each flange slopes gradually downward from both ends toward an intermediate point of minimum clearance from the bottom ID.

The female member is also provided with a tubular portion 24 adapted to receive the end portion of copper wire 26 and to be pressed upon the wire so as to grip it. A tubular portion 28 of larger diameter may be provided also to receive the end portion of the insulation 29 of the wire. The

tubular portions

24 and 28 are preferably integral with the bottom II].

The male member includes a plane tongue 30 having a width slightly less than the distance between side walls l2 and I 4 of the female member and having a thickness slightly greater than the minimum clearance between the flanges and the bottom of the female member. The male member is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with indentations 32 in one or both faces thereof, located to receive the points of minimum clearance of the flanges l6 and [8 when the two members of the connector are joined together. Laterally projecting ears 34 may be formed on the male member to act as stops and by engaging the ends of the walls l2 and [4 when the member has been thrust to its proper position under the flanges l6 and I8.

The male member is preferably provided with

tubular elements

36 and 38 which are adapted to be pressed on the stripped end portion of the wire 40 and on its insulation 42, respectively.

Since the faces of the tongue 30 are plane and uninterrupted except for the small recesses 32, there is a large area of interfacial contact between the bottom of the tongue 30 and the floor of the bottom portion ll] of the female member. The stiff resilience of the side walls l2 and I4 and of the flanges l6 and I8 causes the flanges to press the tongue 3|] strongly against the floor of the female member so that a good electrical connection is had between the members if the interfacial surfaces are kept clean. The lowermost points of the flanges enter the recesses 32 in the upper face of the tongue 30 and tend to hold the members in their assembled relation so as to prevent accidental disconnection.

I claim;

1. An electric connector 'consisting'of male "and female members of sheet metal, the female mem-'- her having a flat bottom portion with bent-up side-= walls and inturned flanges overhangingsaid-bot tom portion, a substantial mid-portion of each 15 side wall being cut away, the portionofeach said flange above the cut-away portion of: thelcorrew sponding side wall being downwardly bent to a V-shape with the angle of the V approximately at the mid-point of the flange, said male mem- 20 bar-comprising aflat -tongue slightlythicker than the clearance between each said angle and the bottom surface beneath, said'male member hav ing indentations'extending in its face to receive said angles.-

2. A female" member of an electric connector, comprising a flat sheet metal bottom portion with bent-up side walls and inturned flanges overhanging said bottom, said flanges each being sazNumber shaped to slope longitudinally'to form awide-- angled'v whereby the underface of each flange 25v Number Name Date 1,995,115 Douglas Mar. 19, 1935' 2,257,317 Wade Sept. 30, 1941 FOREIGN I PATENTS Country Date 539,811 England Sept; 24, 1941 slopes gradually downward from the ends thereof to an intermediate point of minimum clearance from the surface of said bottom, said side walls having portions cut away to reduce their stiffness.

3. A female member of an electric connector, comprising a single piece of sheet metal having a plane bottom portion with bent-up side walls and inturned flanges on the side walls overhangingisaid bottom, each side wall having a substantial portion thereofcut away between the ends thereof whereby the stiffness of the side walls is reduced, each said flange being shaped to. a-rfwide-angled 7v form whereby the under surface slopes gradually from the ends of the flange toan intermediate point of minimum clearance over. said bottom. 1

HUGE W. BATCHELLER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS