US2709795A

US2709795A - Electrical cable connector

Info

Publication number: US2709795A
Application number: US223939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl E Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-05-01
Filing date: 1951-05-01
Publication date: 1955-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 1972-05-31

Description

y 31, 1955 c. E. WILLIAMS 2,709,795

ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTOR Filed May 1 195] 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 I I J {L INVENTOR. imx n. ILLIJRMS y 31, 1955 c. E. WILLIAMS ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTOR 3 S heetsSheet 2 Filed Ray 1, 1951 FIG. 2.

IN VEN TOR.

May 3 1955 c. E. WILLIAMS 2,709,795

ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTOR Filed May 1 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTO This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to connectors for use in electrical equipment employing heavy current, such as power transformers, welding machines and the like.

In electrical equipment designed for heavy current,

it is important in connecting two conductors or electric cables together that not only a good electrical connection be established between them but also that no separation of electrical connecting parts materializes which would result in an electrical are being formed. Accordingly, it is important that vibrations of the equipment, incidental to their use or from other causes, do not so loosen the electrical connection that such an are forms or the electrical contact between the conductors be impaired otherwise.

In certain types of electrical equipment employing high or heavy current, the places where electrical connection between conductors is desired to be made is frequently not freely accessible, with the result that it is difiicult to make the electrical connections at those places in a permanent manner.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector adapted for use with electrical conductors having high current carrying capacity and which connector is simple, compact and of relatively small size and with which two electrical conductors in high voltage electrical equipment can be connected together easily and convenientl} to establish a thorough and permanent electrical connection between the two conductors and which, when installed, retains the thorough electrical connection permanently and resists becoming out of adjustment as a result of vibrations or other shocks or temperature changes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector especially well suited for use as a tap changer connector in electrical power transformers, power welding machines and other heavy current electrical equipment.

Further objects of this invention include the provision of an electrical connector of the character de-' scribed which is an improvement over electrical connectors of this type heretofore known, in that, it provides greater and cleaner electrical contact making surfaces, reduces weight and size as well as cost of manufacture, affords ease of installation at places which are not readily accessible and has more flexible and easier adjustability to meet different conditions encountered and to meet various sizes of cables, tap connector studs, and the like; the objects of the invention also including the provision of a connector of the character referred to and which comprises a minimum number of parts which are interchangeable to meet difierent conditions, and which can be assembled and disassembled easily and quickly and when assembled yields a more efficient assembly in all respects.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

in accordance with this invention, the connector innited States Patent cludes two separable complementary parts or sections, each adapted to have an end of a conductor electrically fixed thereto as by welding, clamping or the like. Both of the connector parts are of conducting material and are adapted to have parts placed in juxtaposition and tightly clamped together face to face by means of a bolt, screw or the like; the two parts having complementary beveled surfaces so that, when the parts are tightened against each other, these beveled surfaces will wipe over each other and scrape off and clean the surfaces of any metal oxide that may be present thereon and establish a perfect electrical contact between these surfaces of the two parts of the connector. At the same time, the pressure of the bolting means will establish a resilient pressure between these contacting surfaces of the two connector parts and insure the permanent maintenance of the thorough electrical contact between them. Furthermore, each of the two parts of the connector are provided with means thereon-which may or may not be the beveled surfaces above referred tothat co-act, when the two parts are assembled together, to positively prevent the two parts of the connector from becoming out of alignment with each other. The two parts of the connector are adapted to'be so related that it is comparatively easy to install them at the desired place in electrical equipment and to tighten the bolt means to tightly bind the parts together even when the installation is being made at a place which is diflicult of access.

The invention accordingly consists in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts and features of construction which will be more clearly set forth hereinafter and the scope of the application of which will be set forth in the claims that follow.

In order that a clearer understanding of this invention will be had attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of thisinvention and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical outline of an electrical transformer showing therein certain installations of electrical connectors embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the two parts or sections of an electrical connector embodying this invention shown separated from each other and each having the end of a conductor or cable aifixed thereto;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same two parts shown secured together in installed position;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 5 is a sectional view thereof and is taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; t

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the end of one of the connector parts having a bolt receiving slot therethrough and a separate washer element having a circular bolt hole therethrough adapted to be placed over the said end and slot of the other connector part;

Figure 7 is a plan view of an assembled connector including the parts shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 but shows one of the connector parts equipped with a clamp adapted to receive and electrically engage the threaded end of a connector tap stud;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 10 is a sectional view and is taken on the line 10-40 of Figure 9;

v Figure 11 is a plan view of the connector part which has the conductor clamp;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the overlapping ends of the two connector parts showing them secured together by means of a machine screw; and

Figure 13 is a similar view showing the two parts secured together by means of a bolt.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings and in Figure 2 thereof, the connector embodying this invention is shown to comprise two separable parts or sections 2% and 21, each having a simple geometric configuration, being substantially rectangular in shape. From one end 22 to about the middle of the part 20, the upper edges of the piece are beveled or chamfered forming along the sides of the piece outwardly facing beveled surfaces 23. An upwardly extending threaded stud or bolt 24 is carried on the section toward its front end 22 and an electrical connector C is adapted to be electrically fastened to member 20 toward its rear end 25, either to the top surface or the undersurface thereof as may be required or is most desirable.

The opposite sides of the part 21, from its front end 26 to about mid-way of its length, is formed with depending or lateral flanges 2'7 and the inner surface of each flange 27 is formed with an inwardly facing beveled surface 28 complementary to the beveled surfaces 23 of the part 26 There is also a bore 2% formed through the body of the part 21 and through which the stud 24 of the part 2%) is adapted to extend when the front end of the connector part 21 is placed over the front end of the connector part 2%). The rear end of the part 21 is adapted to have the end of a conductor C electrically fastened thereto, as by Welding or the like, either to the upper surface or to the lower surface thereof.

The threaded stud 24 of connector part Ztl may be formed integrally therewith or, as shown in Fig. 5, may comprise a stud 3% having a reduced threaded lower end 31 adapted to be screwed into a threaded bore 32 formed in the connector part 2i and having an enlarged upper end 33 protruding upwardly from the part 2t) and adapted to extend through the bolt hole 29 in the connector part 21 and to be engaged by a nut 3d; there being a shoulder 35 presented at the juncture between the reduced portion 31 and the wider portion 33 of the stud and which shoulder is adapted to be screwed down firmly against the top of the connector part 2t However, if desired, the equivalent of either of the

studs

24 or 30 may be provided by a threaded machine screw 36 (Fig. 12) which may be inserted downwardly through the hole 29 provided in connector part 21 and its threaded end screwed into a threaded bore, such as 32, provided therefor in connector part 20 and its head 3% screwed tightly down against the top surface of the connector part 21. Also, instead of the above mentioned bolt means for securing the connector sections 2% and 21 together, an ordinary bolt lli (Fig. 13) may be used for the purpose with its head 41 seated against the top surface of the connector part 21 an its nut 42 screwed up against the undersurface of connector part 29. Also, if desired, two bolts or bolt studs with accommodating holes therefor in the connector sections may be used instead of only one bolt or bolt stud, but this is unnecessary.

It will be apparent at once that, when the front portion of the connector part 21 is placed over and parallel with the front part of the connector part 2% the beveled undersurface of the part 21 will seat upon the complementary beveled surfaces 23 of the connector part 29 and that, when the bolt means are tightened, the

parts

20 and 21 are brought together tightly. The connector section 21 is preferably of material sufiiciently resilient that, under the tightening force of the bolt means, the beveled surfaces of section 21 will spread apart and will wipe over the beveled surfaces of section 26? and will clean off any oxide that may be present on these surfaces, and at the same time will establish resilient pressure of the beveled surfaces 28 against the beveled surfaces 23. Thus, a clean and very intimate electrical and perrnanent contact between the surfaces 28 of the one connector part 21 and the conducting surfaces 23 of the other connector part 2% is established and a contact which will not become loosened or impaired by shocks, vibrations or changes in temperature.

Instead of providing one or both of the

connector elements

20 and 21 with surfaces to which the ends of conductor cables may be electrically fastened by welding or the like, either or both of the connector parts may be provided with means for electrically clamping thereto an electrical conductor such, for instance, as a threaded connecting tap stud S of an electric power transformer T, or the like. For instance, as shown in Figs. 8 to 11, one of the connector parts 45 is provided with a clamp having two Wings 4-6 and -57 adapted to be drawn together by means of a bolt 48 which extends through

holes

46 and 47 provided therefor in the wings. The clamp presents a threaded bore 49 adapted to receive the threaded end of a connecting tap stud of a tap panel or to receive the threaded end of any other similar conductor. Needless to say, these connections should be made while the bolt 48 of the clamp is loose and, after the connecting stud has been screwed into the clamp, the nut 49 of the bolt 43 is tightened up so that the connection will not become loose or be adversely affected by shocks and vibrations created during the running of the equipment in which the connection is present.

In order to increase the flexibility of the connector to meet different conditions one of the connector sections may be so mounted on the other section as to be longitudinally adjustable thereon; thus making the connector adjustable in length. To this end, one of the connector parts, such as 21, Fig. 6, may be provided with a longitudinally elongated bolt hole, 2% so that this section is longitudinally adjustable relatively to the bolt and to the other section. With this construction it is advisable to provide a washer, such as 50, which is disposed on the upper surface of the connector part 21 and has a bolt hole 51 in registry over the slot 29. This washer may be formed with side flanges 52 which extend downwardly along the sides of the connector section 21 to hold the washer against turning.

Figure 1 shows connectors embodying this invention installed in an electrical transformer T, some of said connectors 6 connecting two electric cables and other connectors 6' connecting an electric terminal stud. To connect two cables together, such as cables a and b, the end of one cable, such as a, being welded to one section, such as 2t), of a connector C and the end of the other cable, such as 12, being welded to the other section 21 of the connector, the

connector sections

20 and 21 are then brought together and the section 21 placed upon the section 26 so that the beveled surfaces 28 of the section 21 rest on the beveled surfaces 23 of the section 26; and, then, the bolt means, of whichever type the connector is supplied and equipped, are tightened up tight, thus completing the installation. A similar connector C is shown connecting the cables 0 and d of the transformer, and another connector C is shown connecting the cables e and f.

Where a conductor is to be connected to a terminal stud, such as a tap panel-stud S or to another terminal stud, such as S, a connector C of which one section, such as 45 (see Figs. 8, 9, l0 and 11), is used. To install the connector C, this section 45 is slipped over the threaded end of a stud S or S, and the end of the cable, such as a, g, h, i, j, k, or I, being welded to the other section 21 of the connector, the section 21 is then placed upon and bolted tightly down on the connector section 45, in the manner previously described and after adjusting the parts, a clamp 4647 is clamped onto the stud by nut 49 and bolt 48.

From the above, it is apparent that, due to the simplicity of the connector construction and the simple manner in which the connector sections may be fastened together and may be separated, by relative lateral movement, an electrical connection between two conductors may be easily and quickly established or disestablished, and that there is a superior electrical conducting path through the connector due to the large area of and pressure contact between the contacting surfaces of the connector parts and their self cleaning of oxide or other foreign matter. Also, it is apparent that, because of the smal sizes of the connector parts and the ease and convenience of assembly, the installation of the connectors in relatively inaccessible spaces is facilitated. Further, it is seen that the manner of fixing the connector sections together maintains the sections in alignment and in such a way that the alignment or their electrical contacting will not become impaired or disturbed by vibrations, shocks, changes in temperature or other antagonistic forces. It is also apparent that the connectors may be produced relatively easily, quickly and inexpensively.

As this invention may be included in many different embodiments of and many changes may be made in the above stated construction without departing from the scope of this invention, it is understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

That which is claimed as new is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an electrical connector of the character described for heavy or high current usage including, in combination, two separable rectangular sections of relatively wide width and of a thickness less than their width and each adapted to have an electrical cable conductingly attached to one end portion thereof respectively and adapted to have the wide surfaces of their other end portions brought into and out of lapping face-to-face contact by relative lateral movement of said sections, bolt means for fastening said sections projecting from the face of the lapping portion of one of saidvsections to extend through an aperture therefor in the lapping portion of said other section, one of said sections further having its lapping end formed with outwardly facing beveled surfaces along its side edges and the other section having a pair of spaced flanges each laterally extending along one side edge portion of its lapping end portion respectively, the inner surfaces of said flanges being beveled complemental to the beveled surfaces of the said first section to contact therewith by said lateral movement, said flanges being shaped and dimensioned so that the beveled surfaces thereof will wipe over the beveled surfaces of the companion section to clean said surfaces, when said sections are forced together, to establish a good electrical contact between said sections, and a nut threadable on said bolt means for forceably' moving said sections together and releasably clamping the same in tight contacting face-toface relation so as to preclude the turning of either section about said bolt relative to the other section.

2. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said beveled surfaces of said sections extend longitudinally of said sections, and wherein the bolt means receiving aperture of one of said sections is elongated substantially parallel with said beveled surfaces to render said sections longitudinally adjustable relative to said bolt during adjustment of said connector into position and prior to clamping said sections together by said nut and bolt means.

3. The subject-matter of claim 1 further characterized by the dimensions of said flanges and their beveled surfaces being such that, when initially brought into contact with the beveled surfaces of the other section, the opposing faces of the lapping ends of said section are spaced, whereby, when said beveled surfaces are forceably clamped together, they are held under a resilient pressure contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,663 Case Nov. 8, 1898 812,287 Nagel Feb. 13, 1906 1,467,651 Prax Sept. 11, 1923 1,594,055 Filkins July 27, 1926 1,696,568 Fogel Dec. 25, 1928 2,078,825 Wisner Apr. 27, 1937 2,274,422 Mahoney et al Feb. 24, 1942 2,502,253 Fox Mar. 28, 1950 2,531,247 Batlle Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 13.731 Great Britain of 1913