US2712687A - Method of assembling electrical connector elements - Google Patents

Description

July l2, 1955 w. A. ULINE 2,712,687

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ELEMENTS original Filed Maron fr, 194e l 'n 2/ 7 Z5 IN V EN TOR.

nited States Patent METHOD F ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ELEMENTS William A. Uline, Sidney, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Sidney, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application March 7, 1946, Serial No. 652,566, now Patent No. 2,603,682, dated July 15, 1952. Divided and this application October 1, 1948, Serial No. 52,213

Claims. (Cl. 29--155.55)

This invention relates shielded electrical connection and to tools for accomplishing it. The invention is described in connection with a copending application Serial No. 652,566 disclosing an invention of which this applicant is coinventor, but the particular use This sole application is tion of Uline and Rowell, Serial Number 652,566, filed March 7, 1946, now Patent 2,603,682, granted July l5, 1952.

ln shielded electrical contacts of a valuable type, plug and socket contacts, attached to appropriate leads, are mounted by means of resilient blocks or inserts in metal shells that can be joined together, for instance by screw threading. In the invention referred to, the shells, contacts, and inserts have cooperating conformations which act, after assembly, to hold the contacts in selected position, to prevent displacement of the contacts and to prevent dislodgement of the inserts. Considerable pressure may be applied to the inserts in connecting the plug and socket, in separating them, and through the tensioning of the cable, and the resistance to displacement must be sufficient to overcome all such forces. To accomplish these things the inserts are sealed under compression, and to assemble the units with the loose contact in a precise position is very difficult.

In order to assemble the connections I have invented a tool and a method which permit the precise positioning of a contact and an insert within a shell, and the positioning of protective sleeves over the joints between contacts and insulated wires. In general the tool is comprised of a hollow tube which distends, and a pusher for displacing, the insert.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the tool in operation to position an inner insert grommet, and

Fig. 2 is a like section of the tool employed to position an outer insert.

Fig. 3 is a similar section of a final assembly of a fitting, cable, contact, insert and grommet after removal of the assembly tools shown in Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the contact supporting insert in unbiased condition.

Referring now to the numerals of the drawing and to Figs. 1 and 2 which show a preferred form of the tool and disclose the process of assembly, is a hose fitting comprising an elbow 11, and having a body portion 12 that is adapted to make contact through a spherical face 13 with a cooperating fitting. The fitting may also include an internally screw threaded nut 14 mounted on the body portion 12 by means of overlapping flanges 15 and 16. A hose ferrule 17, shown in Fig. 2 only, fits snugly within the end of the elbow 11 and is preferably attached thereto by soldering. The fitting 10 of Fig. 1 may be at one end of a hose 19 and the identical fitting of Fig. 2 may be at the other end of said hose, the same numerals being used to identify the corresponding parts of both fittings. The hose 19 contains to assembling the parts of a is illustrative, not a limitation. a division of said joint applicaan insulated cable 18 which with its attached contacts 20 is of such length that when the contacts are properly positioned in the fittings the cable will be tight. It is to be understood that this equality need not be exact, the criterion being the production of an assembled unit having relative slack in neither cable nor hose. This construction permits the cable and the hose to be of substantially snug and mutually supporting fit although in the drawings they are shown to be of different sizes for purposes of clarity and to illustrate the adaptability of the invention to variations in construction.

Such constructions were unknown to the prior art, and no methods were available by which they could be made. The novel constructions herein described were facilitated by the novel method that also forms a part of this invention. This novel method is illustrated in a preferred form in Figs. l and 2, but before describing the method there will be described certain tools which are adapted for facilitating the carrying out of the method. In those figures the numeral 21 refers to one part, of a two-part tool 21*25, having a hollow end 22 and a pointed end 23. The tool is adapted to distend a grommet 33 having small inner diameter to such size that it can pass freely over the connector 2t) and the cable 18. The cooperating tool part 25 has a sliding fit over the part 21. The part 25 is tubular, having an elongated part 26 with a fiat end 27 adapted to serve as a pusher. The opposite end 23 is internally enlarged at 29 for a certain depth, the enlargement being termi- The interior of the body portion 12 of the fitting has an annular abutment 31 and an annular abutment 32 spaced therefrom, the abutments and the cylindrical wall forming a cylindrical chamber with annular end walls which constitute positioning means for cooperation with grommet 33 and an insert 34.

For cooperation with that chamber in the mounting of the contacts in the fittings there are two flexible sleeves in the form of grommet 33 and insert 34 having external 36 of such size that, when they are firmly their flanges 35, 36 iit 32 and constitute cooperating Grommet 33 is tapered to lend it toward its small end. The gromsatisfactorily be made of rubber resilient and dielectric material.

The contact 20 has a reduced portion 37. The insert 34 is provided with an internal flange 4t) of size adapted to fit the reduced portion 37, both cooperating parts having abutments to prevent disengagement after assemwithin the abutments 31, positioning means.

increasing exibility met and insert may or of other exible,

for relatively positioning the insert and contact.

In assembling the device the hose and fittings may be first completed. All connections between the hose advantage. In soldering the hose ferrule to the elbow or other connector, caution should be employed, when a rubber hose is employed, not to unduly overheat the hose ferrule 17.

When the hose has thus been prepared, a cable of correct length is selected, the ends of the wire are uncovered and cleaned, and one end is soldered in the solder well 38 of a contact 20.

In Figs. l and 2 the contact is shown to be of receptacle or socket type, but it could be of pin or other type if desired.

The cable thus having been soldered at one end to a contact, the free end is passed through the hose assembly until the attached socket contact rests in the elbow 11 whereupon the second contact is attached to the other end of the cable as it projects from the hose into or beyond the fitting. The cable is returned to a balanced position within the hose and fittings, after the second contact has -been attached, and the parts are ready for assembly as a unit.

The grommet 33 being adapted to Vlit either snugly to, or with only slight spacing from, the cable 18, could not normally bc passed over the connector 20 without disturbing the relation of that connector to the fitting to such an extent that final adiustment would be impossible. However, by this invention the grommet is passed over the small end 23 of the tool 21, and arranged in distended position about the hollow end 22 thereof. The sleeve portion 25 of the tool is then passed over the part 21 and brought into abutting engagement with the end of the grornnict 33. The contact 2f? and the end of the cable i8 are then admitted to the hole in the tool vas shown in Fig. l, the part 23 of the tool Z1 is firmly grasped and the sleeve 25 is employed to thrust the grommet toward the position shown in Fig. 2. this position the elbow, the bracing effect of the hose, and the natural stiffness of the wire cooperate. The tool 25 is then removed and `the insert 34 is passed over the tool 27.. The tool 2.5 is then teiescoped von the tool 21 in reverse position as shown in Fig. 2, and is employed to push the insert 34 into the position wherein the enlarged portion of grommet 33 and insert 34 tit within the chamber of the body portion 12 of the fitting. The cylindrical part 28 fits over the end of the insert and prevents it from expanding against the body 12 and stopping the progress of the insert.

By holding the tool 25 in position and withdrawing the tool 21 the distended insert is permitted to conform itself to the shape of the contact Zia-and by withdrawing the tool 23 the encircled part of the grommet is released. 5

1n some instances this conformity may not be perfect in the first instance, but it can be made so by moving the contact slightly back and forth, within the insert. When the final adjustment has thus been made, a substantially permanent and very precisely aligned connection exists between the hose and fittings and the cable and contacts.

One end of the unit having thus been assembled a similar procedure is applied to the other end, producing a unitary structure wholly new and possessed of great advantages.

An advantage of the invention is in facilitating the mounting in correct position of contacts in protective shells.

Another advantage is in that the tool facilitates the new method of assembling suoli leads as herein described.

A further advantage is in the adaptability of the tool to the emplacement of all sorts of flexible inserts between inner outer bounding bodies. Other advantages of the invention will occur to persons who employ the tool and method.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of assembling a hose and fitting with a cable and contact that comprises the steps of assembling the cable and contact within the hose and fitting, distending a tubular resilient insert adapted to fit snugly within the fitting and around the contact with external and internal flanges of the insert in cooperation with means in the fitting and on the contact, respectively, for holding the insert in position within the fitting and for holding the contact in position within the insert, passing the distended insert over the contact and into position within the fitting, and releasing the insert to engage the contact whereby thc parts are accurately positioned with respect to-each other.

in attaining Lil 5' and contact within the hose and fitting,

2. A method of assembling a hose and fitting with a cable and its contact that comprises joining the end of the hose to a fitting having means therein for holding an insert in position, attaching an end of the cable to a contact having means thereon for holding it in position in an insert, placing said cable and contact within said hose and fitting, mounting on a tube a resilient insert having means for cooperating with the holding means of said Afitting and said contact, sliding the tube over said contact, and pushing the insert off the tube within said fitting and around said contact into cooperation with the holding means of said fitting and said contact.

3. A methodof assembling a hose and fitting with a cable and contact that comprises assembling the cable said Contact and said fitting having holding 'means thereon for cooperation with an insert therebetween, distending an insert sufficiently to pass over said contact and passing it thereover, said insert having cooperating means thereon for cooperation with said holding means on the contact and the fitting, and releasing the insert into cooperation with the contact in the fitting when said cooperating means on the insert are in position for cooperation with the holdingmeans on said contact and fitting, whereby the contact and the vfitting are accurately positioned with respect to each other.

4. The method of assembling a hose and fitting with a cable and its contact, comprising the steps of joining the hose to a fitting having an internal circumferential rib, attaching to the end of the cable a contact having an external circumferential groove, placing the cable and its contact within the hose and fitting, mounting on a tube a tubular resilient insert having external means for cooperating with said rib to hold the insert in position in the fitting and an internal iiange for reception by the groove onrsaid contact, sliding the tube over said contact -in Said fitting, pushing the insert into said fitting until the rib in the fitting cooperates with said external means on the insert, and withdrawing said tube from the insert to permit the insert to extend into the groove on the contact.

5. A method of assembling a hose and a fitting connected thereto with a cable having a contact connected to the end-of the cable and supported in the fitting by a resilient insert, comprising the steps of joining the hose to a fitting having means therein for holding an insert in position, attaching an end of the cable to a contact having means for cooperation with said insert to hold the contact in position, placing the cable and contact within the hose and fitting, mounting a resilient insert on a tube, said insert having means Vfor cooperating with the holding means ofsaid contact and said fitting, sliding the tube over .the contact in said fitting, pushing said insert into position for cooperation with the holding means in the fitting, and withdrawing the tube to permit the insert to contract around said contact into cooperation with the holding `means on the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,593,865 Caron luly 27, 1926 l1,690,231 Hulbert Sept. 2l, 1926 1,778,399 YPhilps Oct. 14, 1930 1,971,251 vCornell Aug. 2l, 1934 2,038,840 'Hall Y Apr. 28, 1936 y2,320,553 Barnes .lune 1, 1943 2,327,088 Barnes, A Aug. 17, 1943 2,328,771 Barnes Sept. 7, 1943 2,348,919 Milton May 16, 1944 2,396,283 Papst ,Man 12, 1946 2,422,549 Hogin .Tune 17, 1947 2,432,701 Vany Orden Dec. 16, 1947 2,435,868 'Boyd Feb. 10, 1948 2,522,495 Ballagh Sept. 19, 1950 '2`;6'03,'682 :Uline et al. :July A15, 1952

Images