US2894243A

US2894243A - Mechanical and electrical wire connector

Info

Publication number: US2894243A
Application number: US503653A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hayes Charles Pat
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-04-25
Filing date: 1955-04-25
Publication date: 1959-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 1976-07-07

Description

July 7, 1959 c. P. HAYES 2,894,243

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTOR Filed April 25, 1955 ,Z/ 1/4 1 g 726 I, fifi 4 6 2 f0 z? 8 mTKk 5; 4 13% 30 Z 47. 5 36 Z2? ,7 INVENTOR.

' [fiar/es P. Hayes United States Patent MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTOR Charles Pat Hayes, Spokane, Wash.

Application April 25, 1955, Serial No. 503,653

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-206) The present invention relates to electrical wiring systems and more particularly to a solderless mechanical and electrical wire connector.

In assembly line methods of construction Where speed of completion is important, such as in automobile manufacturing, it is not economically feasible to employ soldered wire connections at many points of connection, neither is it practical to use a continuous length of wire between the power supply and the fixture in many cases, Therefore it is one object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive yet very efiective connector for wires which will mechanically interconnect the wires and prevent their accidental separation, as well as electrically connect them.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a wire connector which is inexpensive to manufacture from a minimum number of parts and which may be assembled with facility.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a wire connector which may be tightly closed so that oil and grease or water may not enter to disrupt or short the connection.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved coupler embodying the invention constituting the subject matter of this application;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal slightly enlarged cross section taken through the coupler on a plane indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section on the plane indicated at line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a further enlarged transverse cross section on the plane indicated at line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a modified form of the invention showing a plurality of wire couplers which are electrically insulated one from the other;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken on the plane indicated at line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end view of a further modified wire coupler; and

Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken on the plane indicated at line 88 of Figure 7 and upon a scale enlarged over that of Figure 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I have disclosed a coupler having a base member 10 which is formed from a block of insulation material such as a synthetic resin, Bakelite, hard rubber, etc. On its upper side the base member 10 is provided with a flat planar surface or face 11. Opening at each end the member 10 has angularly disposed bores 1212 which communicate with each other at an oblique angle midway the length of the base member 10 and vent midway the length and the width of the flat planar surface 11, forming a recessed central portion 15.

It will be noted that the bores 12 have enlarged outer end portions 16 and reduced inner end portions 17. This permits the rubberized or other type insulation material 18 surrounding the conductive wire 19 to seal tightly in the bores 12 and yet have the terminal end portions 19a, which are bared, to extend completely into the connector where they are provided with an acute bend at 19b over a rigid portion or lip 20 to fasten the wires into the connector.

At its ends the base member 10 is vertically reduced to form vertical shoulders 13 and step portions 14.

The base member 10 is provided with a cap 21 which has a central recessed portion 22 adapted to receive the upstanding flat planar surface 11, and has end walls 23 which fit tightly into the step portion 14 of the base 10 and thus anchor the cap 21 against relative longitudinal movements with respect to the base member 10 as well as serving as a sealing means therebetween.

The cap 21 is provided with side walls 24 which are provided with serrations 25 on their inner side faces, and these serrations cooperate with mating serrations 26 formed on the outer side walls of the base member 10.

A contact strip 27 is coextensive with the recess 22 of the cap 21 and is provided with an undulatory configuration 28 midway its length. The contact strip 27 is formed from a conductive metal which has a sutficient body resiliency to permit the contact strip 27 to be pressed into the recess 22, and the resiliency or bias of the portion 28 will cause it to exert an endwise pressure and maintain its position in the cap 21 with the portion 28 disposed in the recessed portion 15.

Inspection of Figure 2 will reveal that the cap 21, when pressed down upon the base member 10, will cause the contact strip 27 to press against the bared terminal end portions 19a of the wires 19 and electrically connect the wires through the strip 27 and simultaneously clamp the Wires against the surface 11 and thus prevent their becoming unhooked from the rigid portions 20 about which they are bent at an acute angle, resulting in a practical mechanical and electrical connector for wires.

In Figure 6 I have shown a ganged type base member 10a wherein there are four portions corresponding to the base member which are disposed in the form of a cross so that four individual wires may be connected and form four wires or conductors which are electrically separate.

In Figures 7 and 8 I have disclosed a species of the invention wherein the connector unites a wire 19 with a terminal eye 29. In this species the base member 30 is provided with a pivotal cap 31 with which I associate a contact strip 32. The base member 30 has a rigid portion 31' about which the bared terminal end portion 19a of the wire 19 is bent. When the cap 31 having serrations at 33 is pressed down into cooperating relationship with the serrations 34 of the base member 30 the contact strip 32 clamps against the terminal end portion 19a of the wire 19 at 35, and electrically connects and mechanically anchors the wire to the eye 29.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In an electrical circuit, a wire connector comprising in combination with a base member of insulating material having longitudinally extending bores disposed at an oblique angle relative to each other and opening midway the length of said base member intermediate a flat surface, whereby to receive the ends of wires through said bores with their bared ends bent in acute bends and their terminal bared end portions overlaying said fiat surface in opposed directions; a contact element of conductive material substantially coextensive with said fiat surface and adapted to overlay the terminal end portions of said wires; of a cap having depending side walls adapted to be releasably secured to the base mem- Patented July 7, 1959.

3 bet with the cap in covering relation to said contact element for applying clamping pressure to said contact element toward said surface; and said cap having means associating, with, said base member to seal therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,247 Schleper June 12, 1923 4 Williams Sept. 4, 1923 Lauter Oct. 18, 1927 Wisner Apr. 27, 1937 Schauer Sept. 22, 1942 Nicolazzo Mar. 14, 1947 Grover Nov. 18, 1947 Dasher Nov. 22, 1949