US3037182A

US3037182A - Terminal lug

Info

Publication number: US3037182A
Application number: US804918A
Authority: US
Inventors: Felix E Myers
Original assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Current assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Priority date: 1959-04-08
Filing date: 1959-04-08
Publication date: 1962-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-29

Description

May 29, 1962 F. E. MYERS 3,037,132

TERMINAL LUG Filed April 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F54 /X f. 44%595 Mf wt:

May 29, 1962 F. E. MYERS 3,037,182

TERMINAL LUG Filed April 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,037,182 TERMINAL LUG Felix E. Myers, Haddon Heights, N.J., assignor to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 804,918 6 Claims. (Cl. 339-149) My invention relates to a terminal lug structure which is simply and economically formed of a single conductive element electrically connected to the electrical circuit for which the terminal is adapted, and a single non-conductive clamping means for clamping an electrical wire to the conductive terminal member.

In the past, terminal lugs have been formed generally of a conductive member electrically connected to the circuit for which the terminal is adapted, and a clamping means which also includes a conductive member to clamp the wire in the lug. This requires electrical current to pass through two intermediate electrical contacts at the terminal lug, and also requires a relatively complex and expensive structure, Whereas a lug should be as simple and inexpensive as possible while being consistent with highly reliable characteristics.

In the lug of the present invention, an electrical conductor is connected to the electrical system, and in a preferred embodiment is carried in a housing which is not necessarily conductive. The housing carries a screw member which directly clamps a wire to the conductive member and against the non-conductive member.

In a second embodiment of my invention, and still being consistent with the use of a single conductive member, the conductive member itself may support a nonconductive fastening means for connecting a wire directly to the conductive member.

Accordingly, the primary object of my invention is to provide a novel terminal lug.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel terminal lug which requires only a single conductive element.

A further object of my invention is to provide a terminal lug of great simplicity wherein a wire is directly clamped to a conductive member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a highly reliable and inexpensive terminal lug structure.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a first embodiment of my novel lug construction in connection with a molded case circuit breaker.

FIGURE la shows a side view of the molded housing portion of the circuit breaker of FIGURE 1 which receives my novel lug construction.

FIGURE 2 shows a side view of FIGURE 1 when looking from right to left.

FIGURE 3 shows the conductive terminal tongue of my novel lug construction in a side plan view.

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the lug of FIGURE 3 when seen looking from the right to the left in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the lug of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a top view of the terminal collar or support means which supports the tongue of FIGURES 3 through 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side view of the collar of FIGURE 6 when looking from right to left in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the collar of FIGURE 7.

However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the lug may be used in any electrical application.

In FIGURE 1, the circuit breaker is generally comprised of a stab-type line terminal 20 which is connected to a stationary contact 22. A moveable contact and contact arm 24 then moves into and out of engagement with stationary contact 22 by virtue of the operating mechanism generally seen at numeral 26. The contact and contact arm 24 is then connected to a bimetal 28 over the pigtail 30, and the upper portion of 'bimetal 28 is connected to a pigtail 32. The pigtail 32 is then connected to the tongue portion 34 of my novel terminal lug, as will be described more fully hereinafter, by means of welding or any other desired type of electrical connection.

Further details of the circuit breaker construction are not given herein, since they are fully described in U.S. application Serial No. 807,885, now US. Patent 2,996,589 issued Aug. 15, 1961, co-entitled Pivoted Bimetal in the name of Felix E. Myers, and assigned to the assignee of the instant application, which is here incorporated as part of the instant application.

The terminal lug forming the load terminal of the circuit breaker of FIGURE 1 is comprised of the aforementioned tongue 34 and a collar 36 which is a U-shaped stamping which is not necessarily of conductive material. Tongue 34 is best seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 and is comprised of a V-shaped conductive member. One portion of the leg of the V is cut away at the left portion of the V-shaped member of FIGURES 3 and 5 at numeral 38. The opposite leg of the extending V-shaped member is downwardly bent, as at numeral 40, to form a fiat surface with which the legs of the V intersect in a symmetric manner. This is the portion which extends into the circuit breaker. The bottom portion of the V is further provided with two crimps 42 and 44 which cause the crease of the V to have

projections

46 and 48 respectively which, as will be seen hereinafter, serve as means for securely bonding a load conductor connected to the lug.

The collar of FIGURES 1 and 2 is seen in detail in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 as comprising a U-shaped member which is not necessarily of conductive material and is formed with a circular flange portion 50 at the bottom of the U which has internal threads to receive a clamping screw 52, as seen in FIGURES l and 2.

The side legs of collar 36 contain apertures such as aperture 54 of FIGURE 8 wherein the bottom portion of the apeiture is V-shaped to cooperate with the bottom surface of tongue 34 of FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. The upper portion of aperture 54 is large enough so: that the tongue as well as a load conductor to be connected to the circuit breaker of FIGURE 1 may be received in aperture 54 with the load conductor thereafter being driven into high pressure contact with tongue 34 by clamping screw 52.

The manner in which the unit is assembled is understood by reference to FIGURES 1, 1a and 3 through 8. The housing of the circuit breaker of FIGURE 1a is formed with a depressed molding portion 56 which is substantially U-shaped to cooperate with the U-shaped cross-section of collar 36. Collar 36 will, therefore, fit directly into this molding depression to be supported thereby and in a fixed position with respect to the circuit breaker.

Before inserting the collar 36 into the molding. the tongue 34 is placed into the opposing slots 54 in each leg of collar 36. The depth of penetration of tongue 34 into the collar is guided by the beginning of the bent portion 40 of the aforementioned leg of the V at the area identified by numeral 58 in FIGURES 3 and 5, since this portion of the V will fall outside of the V-shaped aperture 54 and prevent further entrance of the tongue 34 into collar 36. Preferably, this downwardly bent portion 40 will be so controlled that the end of tongue 34 will .be substantially flush with the opposite wall of collar 36, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The unit soassembled is then placed in the molding of 3 the circuit breaker so that the U-shaped collar 36 fits into molding depression 56 of FIGURE 1a. The shoulder portion 60 of tongue 34 will then bear against molding pro ection 62 of FIGURE In so that a rearward motion of tongue 34 is prevented.

'Ijhe cover of the circuit breaker, which may contain a sim1lar slot 56 for receiving U-shaped member 36 is then placed in position so that the complete unit is rigidly maintained within the circuit breaker.

It is to be noted that prior to the assembly, the rear- Wardly extending flattened portion of the V-shaped tongue 34 will have been secured to pigtail 32 as by welding or brazing or any other desired method,

In order to now secure a load conductor to the terminal lug, it will be obvious that the load conductor is inserted in aperture 54 and above the tongue 34, as seen in FIGURE 2, and the clamping screw 52 is then threaded downwardly so as to drive the load conductor into rigid high pressure contact engagement with tongue 34.

In order to secure a mechanically rigid connection, the position of screw 52 is between the two projecting

portions

46 and 48 of tongue 34 of FIGURE 5 so that these protrusions will tightly grip the load conductor.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention only in connection with preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations and modifications of the principles of my invention within the scope of the description herein are obvious. Accordingly, I prefer to be bound not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A terminal lug; said terminal lug including a conductive member connectible to the equipment associated with said terminal lug; said terminal lug including means for receiving an electrical conductor and a clamping means; said clamping means being positioned to directly clamp an electrical conductor to said conductive member; said clamping means being a member Whose resistivity is materially greater than the resistivity of said conductive member; said conductive member having a V-shaped cross-section extending from a first end of said conductive member to a point adjacent the opposite end, said opposite end being substantially fiat and coplanar with the apex of the V-shaped portion; said clamping means comprising a U-shaped collar having partially V-shaped apertures in each leg for receiving the V-shaped portion of said conductive member; the bottom of said U-shaped collar receiving a threaded member with an electrical conductor being insertable in one of said aperturcs and between said conductive member and said threaded member.

2. A terminal lug; said terminal lug including a conductive member connectible to the equipment associated with said terminal lug; said terminal lug including means for receiving an electrical conductor and a clamping means; said clamping means being positioned to directly clamp an electrical conductor to said conductive memher; said clamping means being a member whose resistivity is materially greater than the resistivity of said conductive member; said conductive member having a V-shaped cross-section extending from a first end of said conductive member to a point adjacent the opposite end, said opposite end being substantially fiat and coplanar with the apex of the V-shaped portion; said clamping means comprising a U-shaped collar having partially V-shaped apertures in each leg for receiving the V-shaped portion of said conductive member; the bottom of said U-shaped collar receiving a threaded member with an electrical conductor being insertable in one of said apertures and between said conductive member and said threaded member; said U-shaped collar being rigidly connected to said equipment associated with said terminal lug.

3. A terminal lug; said terminal lug comprising a tongue of conductive material and a collar of material having a resistivity substantially greater than the resistivity of said conductive material; said tongue of conductive material being electrically connected to the electrical equipment associated with said terminal lug; said tongue being an elongated member having a first portion of V-shaped cross-section; extending from one end of said tongue to a point adjacent the opposite end the remaining portion of said tongue being substantially flat; said collar having a U-shaped cross-section; each of the legs of said U-shaped member having opposing partially V-shaped apertures therein; the bottom portion of said U-shaped member receiving a clamping screw; said tongue being positioned through said opposing apertures of said U-shaped member and having a surface forming the inside of said V-shape opposing said clamping screw; said flat remaining portion being adapted to position said tongue with respect to said collar.

4. A terminal lug; said terminal lug comprising a tongue of conductive material and a collar of material having a resistivity substantially greater than the resistivity of said conductive material; said tongue of conductive material being electrically connected to the electrical equipment associated with said terminal lug; said tongue being an elongated member having a first portion of V-shaped cross-section extending from one end of said tongue to a point adjacent the opposite end of said tongue; said collar having a U-shaped cross-section; each of the legs of said U-shaped member having opposing partially V-shaped apertures therein; the bottom portion of said U-sha ed member receiving a clamping screw; said tongue being positioned through said opposing apertures of said U-shaped member and having a surface forming the inside of said V-shape opposing said clamping screw; said tongue having a first and second stop means; said first stop means abutting a portion of said U-shaped member to prevent motion of said tongue in a first direction along the axis of said tongue; said second stop means receiving a portion of the electrical equip ment associated with said lug to prevent motion of said tongue in a direction opposite to said first direction; said tongue also having a second portion offset from said first portion; said first and said second stop means both being located at the junction between said first and said second portions.

5. A terminal lug; said terminal lug comprising a tongue of conductive material and a. collar of material having a resistivity substantially greater than the resistivity of said conductive material; said tongue of conductive material being electrically connected to the electrical equipment associated with said terminal lug; said tongue being an elongated member having a first portion of J-shaped cross-section extending from one end of said tongue to a point adjacent the opposite end of said tongue; said collar having a U-shaped cross-section; each of the legs of said U-shaped member having opposing apertures therein; the bottom portion of said U-shaped member receiving a clamping screw; said tongue being positioned through said opposing apertures of said U-shaped member and having a surface forming the inside of said V-shape opposing said clamping screw; said tongue having a first and second stop means; said first stop means abutting a portion of said U-shaped member to prevent motion of said tongue in a first direction along the axis of said tongue; said second stop means receiving a portion of the electrical equipment associated with said lug to prevent motion of said tongue in a direction opposite to said first direction; the lower portion of said opposing apertures having a V -shape to cooperate with the outer portion of said V-shaped tongue to prevent motion of said tongue in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said tongue; said tongue also having a second portion offset from said first portion; said first and said second stop means both being located at the junction between said first and said second portions.

6. A terminal lug; said terminal lug comprising a tongue of conductive material and a collar of material having a resistivity substantially greater than the resistivity of said conductive material; said tongue of conductive material being electrically connected to the electrical equipment associated with said terminal lug; said tongue being an elongated member having a first portion of V-shaped cross-section extending from one end of said tongue to a point adjacent the opposite end of said tongue; said collar having a U-shaped cross-section; each of the legs of said U-shaped member having opposing apertures therein; the bottom portion of said U-shaped member receiving a clamping screw; said tongue being positioned through said opposing apertures of said U-shaped member and having a surface forming the inside of said V-shape opposing said clamping screw; said tongue having a first and second stop means; said first stop means abutting a portion of said U-shaped member to prevent motion of said tongue in a first direction along the axis of said tongue; said second stop means receiving a portion of the electrical equipment associated with said lug to prevent motion of said tongue in a direction opposite to said first direction; said tongue also having a second portion offset from said first portion; said first and said second stop means both being located at the junction between said first and said second portions; the lower portion of said opposing apertures having a V-shape to cooperate with the outer portion of said V-shaped tongue to prevent motion of said tongue in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said tongue; the bottom of said V-shaped tongue portion including a first and second projection aligned with said clamping screw to permit rigid clamping of an electrical conductor to the bottom of said V-shaped tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,117,725 Johnson May 17, 1938 2,232,857 Jackson Feb. ,125, 1941 2,381,331 Ayers Aug. 7, 1945 2,657,370 Hobson Oct. 27, 1953 2,713,672 Allen July 19, 1955 2,746,025 Radack May 15, 1956 2,774,953 Trier Dec. 18, 1956 2,907,977 Daley Oct. 6, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,270 Norway June 25, 1945 726,299 Germany Oct. 12, 1942