US3014194A

US3014194A - Cable connector protector

Info

Publication number: US3014194A
Application number: US81089A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berglund Wilhelm Axel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-01-06
Filing date: 1961-01-06
Publication date: 1961-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-19

Description

Dec. 19, 1961 w. A. BERGLUND 3,014,194

CABLE CONNECTOR PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 6, 1961 HWAA bail, I

IN VEN TOR.

W/L HEL M A. 5526.4 uA/o A 7-7-0 ENE KS weather-resistant plastic.

Unite 3,014,194 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,014,194 CABLE CONNECTOR PROTECTOR Wilhelm Axel Berglund', 6834 W. Ardmore,

. Chicago 31, Ill. Filed Jan. 6, 1961 Ser. No. 81,089 Claims. (Cl. 339-75) This invention relates to a novel and improved electrical cable connector protector.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an efiicient and practical device of the kind indicated which is" waterproof and dirt-proof, and which imposes the strains which produce separation of the components of the connector, on the cables of the components, rather than on the components, whereby a cable equipped with the device can be roughly handled and pulled through water puddles and dirt under severe service conditions, such as on outdoor construction projects, without incurring separation of the components of the connector and without danger of short circuits and electrical shock to workmen.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, easily installed, and compact device of the character indicated above which includes wedge means, at its ends, through which the insulated lines of the cable connector components are positioned, which serve to increase their grip on the lines whenever the lines are stressed or strained endwise away from each other;

A further object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive device of the character indicated above,

which can be made almost entirely of flexible plastic, and

which is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembled parts.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a protector of the present invention, installed and closed on a connectorequipped electrical cable;

FIGURE 2 is a side perspective view of said protector, showing its slide fastener in partially disengaged condition;

FIGURES 3' and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sections taken on the lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of FIG- URE 1;

FTGURE 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are transverse sections taken on the lines 66 and 77, respectively, of FIGURE 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 generally designates an insulated electrical cable connection, composed of two lines or

sections

12 and 14, which terminate in and are electrically connected to a female connector plug 16 and a male connector plug 18, respectively. The

cable sections

12 and 14 have insulating coverings 20' of compressible insulating material, such as rubber orneoprene. It is to be understood that the illustrative protector of the present invention, generally designated 22, is alsoapplicable to other forms of separable cable connectors.

The protector 22 comprises a longitudinally elongated tubular cylindrical body 24 having limited flexibility and compressibility, and preferably molded of waterproof and The main or middie part of the body 24 has a relatively thin uniform cross. section sidewall 26, and the sidewall 26 merges, at its ends, into similar solid outwardly tapered conical end portions 28. The end portions 28 are formed with axial, outwardly tapering blind bores 30, which, open at their larger diameter ends 32, into the cylindrical chamber 34 which is defined by the sidewall 26 and the inner ends of the end portions 28. At their smaller diameter outer ends, the blind bores 30 are closed by end walls 36 which have axial openings 38 therethrough which are smaller in diameter than the blind bores and are dimensioned to receive therethrough the

cable sections

12 and 14, without substantial compression of their insulating coverings 20; but with a suificiently close fit to prevent entry of dirt and water into the blind bores.

One side of the body 22 has a radial, longitudinal slit 40 therein; which extends from end to end of the body and enters the blind bores 30 and the openings 38. The body 22 has suffi'cient flexibility to enable the resultant body sections 42 at opposite sides of the slit 40, to be pulled away from each other, to provide entrance for and access to the connected female and

male connector plugs

16 and 18, respectively, in the chamber 34, and the

related cable sections

12 and 14, respectively, in the'blirid bores 30 and the openings 38.

The halves of the blind bores 30 which are in the facing surfaces of the body sections 40 are indicated by longitudinal, outwardly tapered wedge cross section recesses 44, whose larger inner ends open to the chamber 34, as shown in FIGURE 3, and whose smaller outer e nds can reach to the end walls 36. As shown in- FIGURE 7, the side walls 46 of the recesses 44' converge laterally inwardly to define restricted longitudinal openings or slots 48.

Confined in the recesses 44 and slidable therealong are wedges 50' which conform in cross section to the recesses 44 and are shorter than the recesses. The spaces between the confronting faces 52 of the wedges 50, when the wedges are adjacent the larger inner ends of the recesses 44, are wide enough to easily admit the

cable sections

12 and 14 therebelow, but when the cable sections are pulled endwise relative to each other and relative to the end portions 28 of the body 22, the wedges are moved outwardly, in the recesses 44, by frictional engagement with the cable sections, so that the confronting faces 52 of the wedges approach each other and indent and clamp the insulating coverings 20 of the cable sections, as shown in FIGURE 3, whereby further outward movements of the cable sections, relative to the body 22 are precluded, and the pulling stresses and strains are imposed upon the body 22, rather than upon the connector plugs. It is to be noted that the

cable sections

12 and 14 are initially engaged between the wedges 50 with some slack between the connector plugs and the related end portions 28 of the body 22, so that the above described outward movements of the cable section and the Wedges can take place without separating the

cable connector plugs

16 and 18.

The body sections 42 are connected together and sealed against the entrance of dirt and water into the chamber 34 and the blind bores 30, by means of a slide fastener assembly 54. The assembly 54 comprises similar but reversed wedge cross section longitudinal grooves 56 which indent the outer surface of the body 22, at locations close to and spaced from the facing surfaces 58 of the body sections 42, as shown in FIGURE 7. Between the surfaces 58 and the inner sides 60 of the grooves 56 are longitudinal ribs 62 which have outer surfaces. 64- Whieh are spaced radially inwardly from the outer surface of the body 22. The inner sides 60 and the outer sides 66 of the grooves 56 converge in a radially outward direction. For assuring registry of the body section 42, in the closed condition of the body 22, one facing surface 58 is formed with a longitudinal groove 68 and the other surface 58 with a longitudinal rib 70 to engage in the groove 68. v

The fastener assembly 54 further comprises an elongated flat and flexible slide 72 which has, in its underside a central wedge-shaped groove 74 to conformably and slidably receive the ribs 62, and Wedge-shaped ribs 76, at the opposite sides of the groove 74, to conformably and slidably engage in the grooves 56. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, the slide 72 is sufiiciently long to extend the full length of the body 22, including the sidewall 26 and the end portions 28, and has free ends 78 which register with the ends of the body 22. The ribs 76 of the slide 72 can be engaged in the body section grooves 56, either by entering the ribs 76 endwise at one end of the grooves 56, or, as indicated in FIGURE 2, by accurately positioning the slide 72 along the body 22 and snapping the ribs 76 into the grooves 56, removal of the slide 72 being done by reversals of one or the other of these operations.

To assure retention of the slide 72 in locking position on the body 22, flat, transversely elongated flexible pull tabs 80 are provided, which extend across the top of the slide 72, at locations near to and spaced inwardly from the ends 78 of the slide, and are hinged along their longitudinally inward edges, as indicated at 82, to the top of the slide. The pull tabs 80 extend equally at opposite sides of the slide 72, and have downwardly opening female snap fastener elements 84, which are adapted to be separably connected to upstanding male snap fastener elements 86, which are fixed on the outer surfaces of the body sections 42, at opposite sides of the body grooves 56, near the ends of the body 22. When the snap fastener elements are engaged with each other, the slide 72 is securely engaged with the body 22 and prevented from being moved or disengaged from the body, by any external forces anticipated under expected service conditions, and the slide 72 seals the body slit against entrance of dirt and water. The pull tabs 80 also serve as convenient means for pulling the slide 72 out of engaged and locking position, preparatory to separating the body sections 42 to gain access to the interior of the body 22, for placement or removal of the cable and its

connector plugs

16 and 18.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular body having a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cable connector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blind bores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sections related to the connector plugs, said blind bores being tapered longitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engaged with opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engage cable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections upon longitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to the body accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to said chamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radial slit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to the chamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides of the slit, and a longitiudinally-elongated flexible slide bridging the slit and releasably engageable with means provided on said body section.

2. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular body having a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cable connector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blind bores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sections related to the connector plugs, said blind bores being tapered longitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engaged with opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engage cable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections upon longitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to the body accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to said chamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radial slit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to the chamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides of the slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separable fastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit, said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexible slide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, the outer surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinal grooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and grooves being complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other.

3. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular body having a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cable connector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blind bores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sections related to the connector plugs, said blind bores being tapered longitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engaged with opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engage cable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections upon longitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to the body accompanied by the Wedges, and means providing access to said chamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radial slit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to the chamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides of the slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separable fastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit, said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexible slide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, the outer surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinal grooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and grooves being complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, the ribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves.

4. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular body having a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cable connector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blind bores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sections related to the connector plugs, said blind bores being tapered longitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable Wedges engaged with opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engage cable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections upon longitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to the body accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to said chamher and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radial slit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to the chamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides of the slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separable fastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit, said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexible slide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, the outer surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinal grooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and grooves being complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, the ribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves, and flexible pull tabs extending across the slide adjacent to the ends of the slide, said tabs being hinged upon the outer surface of the slide.

5. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular body having a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cable connector plugs, said body having end portions formed With axial blind bores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sections related to the connector plugs, said blind bores being tapered longitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engaged with opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engage cable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally ont- Wardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections upon longitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to the body accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to said chamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radial slit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to the chamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides or the slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separable fastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit, said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexible slide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, the outer surface of said body sections being indented with longitudinal grooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and grooves being complementarily Wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, the ribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves, and flexible pull tabs extending across the slide adjacent to the ends of the slide, said tabs being hinged upon the outer surface of the slide. said tabs extending beyond opposite sides of the slide and having separable snap fastener elements on their ends, and complementary snap fastener elements on the outer surface of the body with which the first mentioned snap fastener elements are engageable.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,074 Stahl Aug. 18, 1936 2,106,724 Cope Feb. 1, 1938 20 2,908,744 Bollmeier Oct. 13, 1959 2,913,791 Martin Nov. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 505,013 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1938