US2864069A

US2864069A - Quick-disconnect connector

Info

Publication number: US2864069A
Application number: US561835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Neil D Bingham; Rene J Beauregard
Original assignee: RCA Corp
Current assignee: RCA Corp
Priority date: 1956-01-27
Filing date: 1956-01-27
Publication date: 1958-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1975-12-09

Description

Dec. 9, 1958 N. D. BINGHAM ET AL 2,364,069

QUICK-DISCONNECT CONNECTOR Filed Jan/27, 1956 IN VEN TORS.

M17 D. Bing/36nd Y Rene dBedzzreg'azd ATZURNEX United States Patent Ofiiice 2,864,069 Patented Dec. .9, 19518 2,864,069 QUiCK-DISCONNECT CONNECTOR I NeillDaBingham,Inglewood, and Rene J. Beauregard, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware A 'iplicafioursnnar 27,1956, Serial No. 561,835 3 class; (Cl. 339-75 might plug in to the other units to comprise the complete equipment! An pbj ect of admitted is to provide an improved,

connector for electrically and mechanically joining a pair or electr' 5.11, units.

A'np'flie objectofthis invention is to provide a novel electrical c'onneetori wherein theelectrical contact elements are protected" against accidental damage when the connectonparts are separated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel electfical connector whichincorporates a rigidmechanical. col lpling and wherein the connector elements are capable of being readily coupled and uncoupled.v

lii a ccordancejwith the present invention, a connector eomprises two portions, ,each ofwhich may be fixed to an individual unit or chassis, and each including a housmg. One housingenclose's conductive'plug'elerrients. and the other housing encloses conductive socket elements. One housingis dimensioned to be received telescopically within the other. ..The.outer housing includes a clamp, a portion of which is integral with this housing. The clamp is readily clamped oyer the inner housing by means f. qglebolt Or screw vvhenthe connector, portions arefhass'enibledl The clamp holds theplug and socket element's inengagement witheach other and provides a rigid mechanical coupling between the connector portions.

The novel features of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in plan of a connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, taken along the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the appended arrows;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the appended arrows; and

Figure 4 is a view in plan of a pair of connectors in accordance with the present invention used for connecting two units of electrical equipment.

Referring now in more detail to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, an illustrative embodiment.

of a connector in accordance with the present invention is illustrated and described. The connector is comprised of two portions. A first connector portion 11 comprises a housing 13 in the form of a cylindrical a;

structure 15 by means of which the housing is attached to electrical equipment or to a cable. Enclosed .within the housing 13 and substantially flush with the open.

face of the housing is' a socket member 17 having con-1,-

ductive socket elements 19. Thesesocket elements extend inwardly from the face of the socket'member and are disposed in any desired arrangement. A second connector portion 21 comprises a housing in the form of a cylindrical sleeve and a structure 25 for.

attaching the housing to electrical equipment or. to a member of such or similar equipment. ,The housing23 includes a flange 24 which'may be used .for mounting,

the housing in some applications. The housing 23;

encloses .a plug member 27 having conductiveplug ele? ments or pins 29 extending outwardly from its face. Means are provided within each ,of the connector..por-,-.

tions for connecting conductors to the plug and socketelements.

v The inner diameter of the sleeve housing 23 slightly;

largerthan the outer diameter of the sleeve housing 13 so that the housing 13 is received snugly, yet .readily,

within the housing 23 when the connector .portions are assembled. The plug member 27 is set back. from the; open end of the housing 23,to permit the housing 13 to be, received within the sleeve housing 23, This provides, the'advantage that the pins 29 do n'otextend beyond the open: face of the housing 23, and therefore are protected against unintentional damage when the connector portions are .in a separated condition. t .7

In order to provide a means forrigidly connecting the, two connector portions, a formfof clamp 31 is provided which is an extension of the housing 23. A portion of this clamp 31 is formed by anaxial' extension 33 of, the housing 23. This extension 33 includes substantially 1 one half of. the circumference of'the housing 23. The

endjof the arcuate member 35 is joined inh'inged'oli, pivoted relationship with one e'nd of' the] extension. 331;; The hinged connection is illustrated, in Figure 3;: to, be,

in the fornj of a scarf joint whereineach of the members forming the clam'pis providedwi thi ai tab or. heersqjl, These tabs or hooks are interlocked to form a pivotal joint.

The ends of the

members

33 and 35 forming the clamp, which are remote from the hinged ends, are each provided with a flange 39. These flanges 39 are provided with bores 'which are aligned perpendicular to the axis of the housing 23 and are substantially tangential to the housing 23. The bore in one of the members is smaller and is tapped to receive the threaded portion of a screw 41. The ends of the

clamp members

33 and 35, having the flanges 39, are separated slightly so that the clamp may be drawn together by the screw 41 to a circumference which is less than the inner circumference of the housing 23. The

housings

13 and 23 are dimensioned to slide together easily, and yet the clamp 31 is readily tightened to positively lock the housings together.

The above described'clamp will be held together when the housing 23 is separated from the housing 13 by means of the screw 41 and through the resiliency of the arcuate member 35 which will prevent the hinged joint from becoming separated.

An additional means for supporting the clamp is pro vided. This means includes an annular groove 28,

half of the clamp. 31 is formed from" provided in the plug'member 27, in cooperation with inwardly extending

annular ribs

34 and 36 provided on the clamp portions'33 and 35. respectively. This means permits the clamp to be readily opened and closed and maintains the movable clamp portion 35 in alignment with the housing 23.

'With the above described arrangement the clamp 31 is substantially an integral part of the housing 23. The connector portions are engaged and disengaged readily by relative movement in an axial direction. The rigid mechanical coupling between the connector portions is very readily made or broken merely by turning the screw 41 with a screw driver, for example. The connector itself may be difiicult to reach, yet the connection may be easily made and broken if the head of screw 41 can be reached by a suitable tool.

In order to provide for the proper orientation of one of th e connector portions with respect to the other, so that the pins 29 will be inserted in the proper sockets 19, the housing 23 is provided with a tab 43 (Figure 3) which extends inwardly from its inner surface. The housing 13 is provided with a groove 45 at its outer surface which extends from its face in a direction parallel to the axis of the housing. This groove 45 is dimensioned to receive the tab 43 and permits the connector portions to be assembled together only in one relative rotational position.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawing, a pair of connectors is shown providing the means for electrically and mechanically connecting two equipment units and 20. In this embodiment only one pin and socket element are illustrated for each connector. When used in this manner, it is not necessary to provide means, such as the tab 43 and the groove 45, for properly orientating connector portions relative to each other, since the relative positions of the units will likely be obvious. In an assembly such as is illustrated in Figure 4, the electrical and mechanical connection between the two electrical units may be easily and readily made even though the connector assembly itself may be difiicult to reach. The units are assembled by moving the movable unit toward the fixed unit in a direction axially of the connector portions. The only requirement for making the mechanical connection then is that the heads of the bolts 41 can be reached by a suitable tool. By means of this arrangement the inserted unit is rigidly connected to the remainder of the electrical equipment.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a pair of sleeves dimensioned for telescopic engagement, a member fixed in one of said sleeves having at least one conductive plug extending therefrom in a direction parallel to the axis of said one sleeve, a member fixed in the other of said sleeves having a conductive socket in register with said plug, the larger of said sleeves having a longitudinal extension comprising substantially one half of the circumference of said sleeve, an arcuate member, means for interlocking one end of said arcuate member with one edge of said extension to form a hinged clamp, means associated with the ends of said extension and said arcuate member opposite from said interlocking means for adjustably maintaining said ends in substantial abutting relationship, the smaller of said sleeves having an annular groove in its external surface adjacent to the end thereof, and said hinged clamp having means on its internal surfaces defining an annular rib adapted to be received in said annular groove.

2. A connector coupling comprising a first portion having a circular cross section at one end, a conductive socket mounted in said first portion, a second portion including a circular sleeve at one end, a conductive plug mounted within said sleeve, means defining a ring clamp associated with said sleeve, said means including an axial extension of substantially one half the circumferential wall of said sleeve, an arcuate member, means pivotally connecting said arcuate member to said extension along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, means for adjustably connecting said extension and said arcuate member at a point diametrically opposite from said pivot means to form a substantially complete extension of said sleeve, said first portion of said coupling having an annular groove adjacent to said one end thereof, and said ring clamp extension of said sleeve having means on the internal surfaces thereof defining an annular rib adapted to seat in said annular groove.

3. A connector coupling comprising a first portion having a circular cross section at one end, a plurality of conductive socket elements mounted in said first portion at said circular end, a second portion including a circular sleeve at one end, a plurality of conductive plug elements mounted in said sleeve, means defining a ring clamp extension of said sleeve, said means including an axial extension of one half the circumference of said sleeve and an arcuate member, said axial extension and said arcuate member being pivotally connected along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, means adjustably connecting said extension and said arcuate member at a point opposite from said pivotal connection, said second portion having an inwardly extending tab, and said first portion having a longitudinal groove on its outer wall for cooperation with said tab to orient said first and second portions rotationally with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,773 Flath Dec. 28, 1937 2,698,926 Young Jan. 4, 1955 2,729,802 Jordan Jan. 3, 1956