US2703871A

US2703871A - Separable connector for electrical cables

Info

Publication number: US2703871A
Application number: US201940A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Daniel Woodhead
Original assignee: Daniel Woodhead Co
Current assignee: Daniel Woodhead Co
Priority date: 1950-12-21
Filing date: 1950-12-21
Publication date: 1955-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-08

Description

March 8, 1955 D. WOODHEAD, J R

SEPARABLE CONNECTOR EOR ELECTRICAL CABLES 2 ShQQ'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1950 IN V EN TORI Daniel Wood head,

March 8, 1955 n. WOODHEAD, JR 2,703,371

SEPARABLE CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL CABLES Filed Dec. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.'- Daniel WoodheadJr.

United States Patent '0 SEPARABLE CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL CABLES Daniel Woodhead, Jr.,. Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Daniel Woodhead Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 201,940

7 Claims. (Cl. 339 -189) The present invention relates in general to electrical connectors and more particularly to a separable connector assembly for use in connecting electrical conductors, the invention more especially relating to means for connecting conductors in operative electrical relationship against separation due' to the application of opposing tension thereon. In its more specific aspects the invention concerns electrical connectors of the sort wherein cooperating members forming the connector may be coupled together againstseparation thereof by relative turning movement of one of the members with respect to the other.

In turn locking connectors of the character mentioned, it is of course necessary to mount the electrical connecting parts and the locking elements, in the cooperating coupling members of a connector, with sufiicient firmness and rigidity to maintain the same in operative position when the cooperating connector members are coupled together. Accordingly, it has heretofore been considered necessary to provide coupling members comprising support elements of relatively rigid material. on which the electrical connecting elements and. the interlocking parts are mounted rigidly and thus supported in operative position firmly against deflection. or displacement therefrom. While many considerations make it desirable'to form the support elements of electrical connectors of resilient rubber-like material, it hasheretofore been considered impractical to utilize such resilient material in the support elements of locking, connectors because of the diificulty of anchoring especially the locking parts on such: resilient support elements in fashion preventing deflection or displacement thereof to an extent allowing the parts to become released and hence separable when in locking "position or relation.

As a consequence,.nosatisfactory turn locking connector structure has heretofore been provided having support elements comprising resilient rubber-like material and incorporating the several desirable characteristics, including hligh fracture resistivity, inherent in such resilient materia An important object of the present inventionth'usis to provide a satisfactory turn lock electrical: connector structure embodying electrical connector and mechanical locking elements mounted on support, elements of resilient rubber-like material; a further object being to provide improved arrangements for mounting the electrical connecting and mechanical locking parts on the resilient support elements in such fashion that the said parts are held against displacement sufiiciently to allow the same to perform their respective functions when the connector members are interlocked in coupled relation.

Another object of the inventionis to mount the electrical connector and mechanical interlock elements of a coupling device upon a. support structure of disc-like form providing means whereby the same may be mounted at its edge in an annular groove formed in a resilient support housing and thus held against dislodgment therefrom.

Another object is to prevent relative rotation of the disc-like support structure in the resilient housing structure by forming a tongue on one structure in position to interfit in a notch in theother; a further object being to provide the notch in the edge of the disc structure and the tongue as an integral part of the resilient housing structure; a still further object being. to form the housing structure with an internal groove for interfittingly receiving the edge of the disc structureand to form the -tor element; carrying electrical tongue in. said groove in position to interlock in the edge notch of the disc structure.

Another object is to prevent relative rotation of a disc-like electrical. connector support in its resilient housing by forming the housing with a socket for receiving a prong on the support; a further object being to form the housing with an internal groove for interfittingly receiving the edges of the support disc and to form the prong on the 'face of the disc in position to engage in the socket at right angles to the plane of the groove mounted disc and offset with respect to the center of the mounted disc.

A further object is to provide a two part separable connector in which each part embodies a resilient housing element carrying cooperable electrical connector elements, whereby electrical connection maybe made between the cooperating electrical connector elements; on the parts, by axially coupling the parts together, and'in which the parts may thereafter be locked against uncouplingm'ovement by relatively turning: the parts While in coupled position.

Another object is to provide a two part connectorcomprising a pronged part having an axially projecting blade or blades and a socket part formed to interfittingly receive the blade or blades of the pronged part in position electrically connecting the blade or blades with connection elements of the socket part, upon axial couplement of the parts, wherein the said connection elements are supported'on a disc structure anchored against turning in a resilient housing, the blades being likewise supported on a'disc anchoredagainst turning movement in a resilient housing, the blades beingv formed for interlocking engagement with the disc structure of the socket element, in response to relative turning movement of the parts 'inone direction when in. coupled relation, to thereby lock the parts against axial'separation, said prongs and connection elements being formed with cooperating latch means: adapted yieldingly to resist turning movement of the parts in the opposite" direction when latched.

Another important object is to mount the connection elements of the socket part on a disc structure of insulating material in such fashion that no uninsulated conducpotential, is exposed outwardly of the socket part.

Numerous other important objects, advantages and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as'the same is; more fully understood from'the following description, which, taken with theaccompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Refer-ring to the drawings:

Fig. 1- isaperspective view of an electrical connector embodyingthednvention and showing the parts in position to be coupled together by axial movement thereof;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the elements of the connector;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views, respectively, taken substantially along the lines 33- and 4 4 in Fig. 2;.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of a blade element forming a partof the connector;

Fig; 6 is a top plan view of the blade element shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through the coupling, substantially along the line 7--7 in Fig; 2, and showingthe electrical. connector parts thereof respectively in theposition which' they assume after axial coupling .of the parts and immediately prior to the relative turning of the parts in locking the same;

Fig. 8 is a sectional. view, similar to Fig. 7, showing the parts in lockedposition;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of elements comprising a blade mounting assembly forming a part of one coupling unit of the connector; and

Fig. 11 is an exploded view of elements comprising a socket assmebly forming apart of the other assembly associated-coupling unit of the connector.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show an electrical: connector comprising; a pronged unit 15' and a cooperating socket unit 17 adapted to interfittinglyengage with the pronged unit in making electrical connection therebetween. Each unit includes a housing 19 and an assembly 21 mounted in the housing and comprising rigid support means 23 and electrical connection making elements 25 mounted securely on and carried by the support means.

The function of the

connector units

15 and 17 is to provide for the detachable connection for the ends of a pair of electrical cables 27, each comprising conductors 29 which are respectively connected with the connection making elements 25 of the connector units, so that the cable conductors may be electrically connected when the connector units are positioned in interfitting relationship. The connector units also are formed with cooperating locking means operable to secure the units firmly together in interfitting relationship against separation in response to tensional stresses applied to the cables 27 in a direction tending to pull the units apart when in coupled relationship. The housings 19 preferably comprise hollow casings or body portions molded or otherwise formed of resilient rubber-like material. The rigid support means 23 of the units are preferably of disc-like character and formed of relatively rigid insulating material, the same being secured each in its corresponding housing by interfitrnent of its peripheral edge portions in corresponding internal grooves formed in the housing.

Referring now more particularly to the pronged unit 15, its housing is formed internally to provide a medial chamber 31 extending axially of the housing and opening outwardly of the housing at one end thereof through an opening 33 sized to snugly receive the cable 27. At its opposite end the housing is formed with a shallow preferably circular cavity 35 of diameter substantially larger than that of the chamber 31 and disposed concentrically with respect to said chamber which opens into the bottom of the cavity, the top of the cavity opening outwardly of the housing. The housing walls defining the cavity 35 are formed with an annular groove 37 opening inwardly into the cavity 35; and the body of said housing is formed with one or more anchoring sockets 39 having axes disposed parallel with respect to the axis of the chamber 31, said sockets being located in the body of the housing outwardly of the chamber and opening into the cavity 35 at its bottom. As shown, a pair of said sockets may be provided in diametrically opposed position in the housing.

The support means 23 of the assembly 21 of the pronged unit preferably comprises a circular disc 41 of relatively rigid insulating material having a central opening or perforation 43 and carrying the connection making elements 25 securely mounted on the disc in accurately spaced relation outwardly of the opening 43. These connection making elements of the pronged unit each preferably comprise a blade element 45 of suitable preferably metallic electrical conducting material. Each of the elements 45 preferably comprises a blade or prong portion 47 and an integral base or mounting portion 49 disposed substantially at right angles with respect to the prong portion. The base portion of each blade element is preferably of kidney shaped marginal configuration as shown more particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings, so that said base portion has a curved outer edge 51 substantially conforming with the circular edge of the disc 41. The blade portion 47 extends from the base portion preferably at the side thereof opposite from the curved edge 51 and is preferably located at one end of the base. At said end the base is formed with a perforation 53 forming a rivet hole. The base also, at its other end, is formed with a preferably threaded opening 55 adapted to threadingly receive the correspondingly threaded shank of a binding screw 57. The base portion 49, at its edge adjacent the opening 55, is also provided with an upstanding ear 59 in position extending at the outer margin of the head of the screw 57 when the same is screwed down snugly in the threaded opening 55.

Each of the blade elements 45 may be secured in accurately spaced relation on the disc 41 by means of a corresponding rivet 61 comprising a locating pin. Each of these rivets has a peg-like portion 63, a medial seating flange 65 and a shank 67. The disc 41 outwardly of its central opening 43, and preferably in diametrical opposition therein, may be formed with openings 69 sized to snugly receive the shank portions of the rivets. Accordingly, the rivet elements 61 may be assembled on one side of the disc by inserting the shanks 67 thereof through the openings 69, said shanks having length sufficient to project the ends thereof at the opposite side of the disc. The blade elements 45 may then be mounted on the opposite side of the disc with the projecting ends of the rivet elements extending in and through the rivet openings 53 of the base portions of the blade elements, and the ends of the shanks may be riveted tightly upon said base portions to secure the same firmly upon the disc, in properly spaced relation, with the prong portions 47 projecting in parallel spaced apart relation and at right angles with respect to the plane of the disc. The blade elements are thus mounted on the disc in position with the curved edges of this base portions disposed slightly inwardly of the periphery of the disc; and, in order to prevent relative turning movement of the elements about the axes of the rivets, the disc 41 is provided with openings 71 sized to snugly receive the threaded shanks of the binding screws 57 so that the same may serve as anchoring dowels in the openings 71 to hold each its corresponding blade element against turning movement about the axis of the riveted locating pins 61.

Each of the blade portions 47 is preferably provided with a laterally extending ear 73 in an edge thereof and forming a locking shoulder 75 facing toward the base portion 49 of the blade element, said locking shoulders extending in the same tangential relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pronged unit, the shoulders 75, in cooperation with corresponding locking portions of the cooperating socket connector unit 17, being adapted to effect the locking of the parts in response to relative turning movement of the connector units, as hereinafter more fully described.

If desired, one of the blade portions may be provided with an offset portion or car 77 on the side thereof opposite from the ear 73, said ear 77 being provided in polarizing connector structures, that is to say connectors by means of which the cables of one conductor 27 may each be electrically connected only with a corresponding conductor of the other cable. The additional overall width provided by the blade having the ear 77 will prevent such relatively wide blade from being received in a socket portion of the socket unit 17 sized for the reception of a narrower blade, thus assuring that the units may be coupled together only in predetermined polarized relationship. Each of the blades also is preferably provided with a perforation 79 near the end thereof remote from the base portion 49, for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

The assembly 21 of the pronged unit may be mounted in its housing by flexing outwardly the edges of the housing defining the cavity 35 to thereby allow the edges of the disc portion to be received and snugly held in the groove 37. When the assembly is so mounted in the housing the peg portions 63 of the locating pin rivets may be received in the sockets 39 in order to spline the parts together against relative rotation of the assembly with respect to the housing and thereby firmly mounting the blades on the housing in assembled position projecting in parallel spacedrelation at an end of the housing. The cable 27 may be attached and electrically connected to the pronged unit by inserting an end thereof through the opening 33 and the chamber 31. The bared ends of the conductors 29 may extend through the central opening 43 of the disc and be respectively connected electrically each with its corresponding blade element 45 by means of the binding screws 57. If desired, a circular cover disc 81, preferably formed from a relatively thin sheet of insulating material and having a pair of blade receiving slots 83, may be provided for assembly in position with the blades 47 extending through the slots 83, so that the disc 81 may cover the end of the housing and conceal the exposed ends of the conductors, the base portions 49 of the blades and the heads of the binding screws 57.

Referring now particularly to the socket unit 17, its housing is formed internally to provide a chamber 85 at one end of the housing, said chamber being preferably of narrow elongated rectangular sectional shape. Said chamber opens outwardly of the housing at one end thereof through 21 preferably circular opening 87 formed at the bottom of the chamber, said opening being sized to snugly receive the cable 27. At its opposite end the housing is formed with a preferably circular cavity 89 open- '5 ing outwardly of the housing and communicating with the chamber 85 at the bottom of thecavity-89. The housing walls defining the cavity 89 are formed to provide an annular groove 91 opening inwardly upon the cavity said groove being interrupted, preferably at diametrically opposed sides of the housing, by transverselocking ribs 93. comprising integral portions of the housing body.

The support means 23 of the assembly 21 of the socket unit preferably comprises a plurality of discs or plates. secured in stacked relationship and preferably having circular peripheral configuration, the connection making elements 25 of the socket unit 17 being rigidly mounted on said stacked discs of the assembly.

The contact making elements 25 of the socket unit 17 each comprises a formed sheet metal element 95pmviding a central strip portion 97 having an offset flange formed at one end to provide a mounting base 99 extending on one side of the portion 97 and having a rivet hole 101 formed therein. Each element 95 at the end of the portion 97 remote from the base 99 has a connection portion or lug 103 bent from the body portion 97 on the side thereof opposite from the base flange 99 and formed with a preferably threaded opening 105 sized for the reception of conductor clamping screws 107. Each of the elements 95 also has a pair of arms 109 extending at the sides of the body portion 97 and inclined therefrom on the side thereof opposite from the base flange 99 so that the central portion 97 and the arms 109 of each element present a generally arcuate configuration as shown more especially in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. One of the arms 109 of each element is provided with an opening 111 formed to receive a fastening element 113 such as a rivet bymeans of which a spring clip' 115 may be secured on each of the elements 95 in position extending transversely across the arms 109 and the central portion 97, a spring clip being thus mounted on each of the elements 95. Each spring clip thus has an end portion secured to an arm 109 of its carrying element by means of the fastening element which passes through an opening 117 in the end portion of the spring clip, said end portion being flanged as at 118 to extend around and engage the end of the arm 109 on which the clip is mounted. Each clip is formed with a generally arcuate offset portion 119 formed to bear against the arm of the element remote from the arm thereof on which the spring clip is preferably provided with a latching protuberance 121 in position extending toward the facing surface of I the arm 109 opposite which said arcuate portion extends.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the rigid support means 23 of the socket unit preferably comprises three

discs

123, 125, 127, the disc 123 being sized to fit snugly in the groove 91 of the housing and having notches 129 formed in its edges, preferably in diametral opposition therein, said notches being positioned and sized to snugly receive the ribs 93 of the housing. The

discs

125 and 127 are sized to fit snugly within the open end of the chamber 89 of the housing outwardly of the groove 91. 1

The disc 123 is also formed with a pair of openings 131 in diametrically opposed relation in the body of the disc. These openings preferably have straight sides 133 at one end of the openings and curved portions 135 at the opposite ends of the slots, said slots being slightly wider than the combined thickness of the prongs 45 and the portions 97 of the elements 95. Immediately outwardly of the straight sides 133 of the openings 131, the disc 123- is formed with rivet holes 137. Accordingly, the elements 95 may be mounted and secured in spaced relation on the disc 123 by disposing the lower ends of the element portions 97 in the openings 131, with the base flanges 99 extending beneath the disc in position aligning the

openings

101 and 137, the parts being secured together by means of rivets or other suitable fastening elements 139 extending in the so aligned openings. When so positioned, the outer faces of the element portions 97, at the lower end of said portions, are held in engagement with the outer straight sides 133 of the openings 131, the upper portions of the elements 95 including the arms 109, the connection lugs 103 and the clips 115 being supported above the disc 1'23.

The

discs

125 and 127 are secured on the disc 123', in concentric alignment therewith by means of rivets or other suitable fastening elements 141 which extend in aligned openings 143, 1 45, 147 formed respectively in the discs 123', 125 and 1-27'. The disc125 is formed with edge notches 149' sized andpositioned therein to receive the mounting flanges 99 of the elements 95 in anchored position on and beneath the disc 123. The disc 125 is also formed with arcuate openings 151 which may communicate at one end with the bottoms of the edge notches 149, said arcuate openings being slightly wider than the thickness of the prongs 45 and being thus adapted freely to receive said prongs upon insertion thereof endwise in an axial direction in said openings. These openings 151, furthermore, are disposed in the disc 125 in position aligned with the curved portions of the openings 135 adjacent the innermost edge of the said curved portions. The disc 127 also is formed with arcuate

curved openings

153, 153 disposed therein in position to register with the curved openings 151 and the disc 125. In constructions where one of the prongsisformed, for polarity purposes, with an extension or ear like the car 77 shown in Fig. 5, one of the openings, such asthe opening 153, may be made correspondingly larger than the other opening or openings so that the pronged and socketedunits may be connected only by inserting the enlargedprong or prongs in'correspondingly enlarged openings sized to receive the same. As shown more particularly in Fig. 11, the opening 153 is relatively longer than the opening 153'.

The assembly 21 of the socket unit 17 may be assembled in its housing by first passing the end of the cable through the opening 87 and through the housing, and connecting the ba-red ends of its conductors 29 to the connection lugs 103 by means of'the clamping screws 107. Thereupon the cable 27 may be retractedthrough the opening 87 in order to mount the assembly 21 in the housing. This may be accomplished by stretching the open end of the cavity 89 in order to dispose the peripheral edges of the disc 123 in the notch 91 and to interlock the ribs93 in the notches 129. When in such position the connection lugs 103 will be disposed within the rectangular cavity of the housing with the opposite side edges of said connection lugs in snug engagement with the opposite sides of the housing defining said cavity. Relative rotation of the assembly 21 in the housing will thus be prevented not only by the engagement of the lug bars 93 in the notches 129 but also by the engagement of the connection lugs 103 in the housing cavity 85. Accord ingly, in connecting the pronged unit with the socket unit, the housings may be manipulated to guide the prongs 45 in an axial direction through the aligned

openings

153, 151 and 135 into the relative position shown in Fig. 7.

The edges 73 of the prongs 45 will extend between the free ends of the clips 115 and the arms 109 of the elements opposite such free ends of the clips. The housi ng units may then be relatively turned in order to advance the blade edges 73 between the clips and the clip supporting elements 95 toward the anchored ends of the clips. During such twisting movement theassembl'ies 21 of the pronged and socket units may not turn with respect to the housings in which mounted, because of theinterlocking action accomplished by the housing portions 93 in the notches 129, by the lug portions 103 with the sides of the cavity 85, and by the action. of the peg portions 63 in the sockets 39. Accordingly, by manipulation of the housings only the blades. 45 may be turned into position such that the locking shoulders 75 of the blades may latch upon locking shoulders 155 provided' by the disc at the ends of the arcuate openings 151. When in such position, the connector units cannot be separated by forces applied axially in opposite directions on the connector units as by strain applied thereto through the interconnected cables 27.

When in locked position, as shown more particularly in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the latching protuberances 121 of the clips 115 register with the openings 79 in the prongs 45 and yieldingly resist relative turning movement in a direction to disengage the locking shoulders 75 from the locking portions of the socket unit. This latching action, however, is of non-positive character and will not resist positive twisting forces applied through the housings of the units in order to unlock the same for disconnecting separation.

If desired, each of the housings 19 at its cable receiving end may be provided with a ring 157 molded in the end of the housing and serving to reinforce the same. These rings may each carry a pair ofdiametricallyopposed outstanding posts 159, or other suitable support means for securing a cable clamp on the housing, the notched posts 159 shown in the illustrated embodiment being of the sort adapted to carry clamp means of the type illustratednn U. S. Patent No. 2,276,559 of March 17, 1942, no claim being made herein to such cable clamping means.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being the preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In an electric connector, a coupling unit compr1sing a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, ad acent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a fiat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend m said seat forming groove whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end o f sa1d cav ty, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member and extending from a face thereof in a direction to project within said cavity, said contact elementshaving portions, remote from said plate member, in position extending adjacent said cable opening and means for electrically connecting cable conductors on said portions.

2. In an electric connector, :1 coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, adjacent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a flat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend in said seat forming groove, whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end of said cavity, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member, said plate member having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs secured on said plate member and arms on said lugs extending from said plate member within said cavity, said openings having sufficient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member.

3. In an electric connector, a coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove from said seat, and a connection assembly structure,

adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a fiat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend in said seat forming groove, whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end of said cavity, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member, said plate member having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs secured on said plate member and arms on said lugs extending from said plate member within said cavity, said openings having suffrcient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member, said contact elements having portions, remote from said plate member, in position extending adjacent said cable opening and means for electrically connecting cable conductors on said portions.

4. In an electric connector, a coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, adjacent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a flat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend in said seat forming groove, whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end of said cavity, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member, said plate member having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs extending at and secured on one side of said plate member and arms on said lugs projecting through said openings and extending from the opposite side of said plate member within said cavity, said openings having sufiicient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from said one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member.

5. In an electric connector, a coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forrning a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, adjacent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a fiat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend in said seat forming groove, whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end of said cavity, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member, said plate member having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs extending at and secured on one side of said plate member and arms on said lugs projecting through said openings and extending from the opposite side of said plate member within said cavity, said openings having sufiicient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from said one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member, and a cover disc of insulating material secured to said plate member in position covering said lugs, said cover disc having slots formed therein in alinement with said spaced openings of the plate member.

6. In an electric connector, a coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, adjacent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a flat disc of relatively rigid. insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a periphber having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs extending at and secured on one side of said plate member and arms on said lugs projecting through said openings and extending from the opposite side of said plate member within said cavity, said openings having sufiicient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from said one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member, a filler disc of insulating material overlying said one side of said plate member and having cut out portions snugly receiving said lugs and registering with said openings, and a cover disc of insulating material overlying said filler disc in position covering said lugs, said cover disc having slots formed therein in alinement with said spaced openings of the plate member.

7. In an electric connector, a coupling unit comprising a molded element of flexible rubber-like insulating material forming a hollow resilient housing member providing a mounting cavity having an open end at an end of said housing member, said housing member being formed with an inwardly opening circumferential groove providing a seat, peripherally of said cavity, adjacent and spaced inwardly of said open end thereof, said housing member also having a conductor cable opening communicating with said cavity at the end thereof remote from said seat, and a connection assembly structure adapted to be removably mounted on said housing and comprising a fiat disc of relatively rigid insulating material forming a mounting plate member having a peripheral edge sized and configurated to interfittingly extend in said seat forming groove, whereby to detachably secure the mounting plate member, on the housing member, in mounted position enclosing said open end of said cavity, said plate member, when in mounted position, serving also to brace and rigidify the housing member, contact elements rigidly secured in spaced apart relationship on said mounting plate member, said plate member having spaced openings formed therethrough, said contact elements comprising lugs secured on said plate member and arms on said lugs extending from said plate member within said cavity, said openings having sufiicient width to receive plug contact prongs inserted removably therethrough from one side of the plate member into position to make electrical contact with said contact elements on the other side of the plate member, said openings being elongated and circularly curved and having length greater than the width of said plug contact prongs, and means on said plate member providing a lock shoulder at an end of a said opening in position to engage with a cooperating lock shoulder formed on a said contact prong.

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