US3126245A

US3126245A - Battery terminal clamp

Info

Publication number: US3126245A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-24

Description

March 24, 1964 F. A. KELTON 3,

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed Nov. 30, 1961 INVENTOR.

j flank/1.52 1101! United States Patent 3,126,245 BATTERY TERMHNAL CL Frank A. Kelton, S. Pleasant Ave, Bloomingdale, Ill. Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,998 3 Claims. (Cl. 339226) The present invention generally relates to an improved and novel battery terminal clamp and more particularly to such a clamp having means for removing the clamp from the terminal.

Quite often, it is difiicult to remove a battery terminal clamp from the terminal due to corrosion, deformation of the clamp and the like. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a battery terminal clamp having a removing device incorporated therein whereby no special tools are required and very little time is required to operate the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal clamp having a bridge member extending across the terminal with a screw threaded bolt extending through the bridge member into engagement with the terminal whereby the bolt may be threaded downwardly into engagement with the terminal thereby removing the clamp without moving the terminal and eliminating damage which frequently occurs by movement of the terminal when a conventional clamp is removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a battery terminal clamp which is simple in construction, easy to apply and remove, long lasting, dependable and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded group perspective View of the battery terminal clamp;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the clamp assembled on the terminal; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the battery terminal clamp of the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10 and the clamp 10 is aflixed to the conductor cable 12 and the terminal post 14 in the usual manner.

The clamp 10 includes a body 16 having a socket 18 in one end thereof receiving cable 12. The other end of the body 16 includes a flattened portion 20 and a pair of spaced lugs or ears 22 interconnected adjustably by a clamp bolt 24. The portion 20 also includes an opening 26 for the post 14 and the opening 26 for the post 14 and the opening 26 communicates with the space 28 between the lugs 22.

Extending across the portion 20 is a bridge 30 in the form of a flat plate having downturned side edges 32 and radial reinforcing ribs 34 on the underside thereof which terminate in an integral nut 36 having an internally threaded aperture 38 therein. The aperture 38 receives a threaded bolt 40 therethrough which engages the top of the post 14.

Also, the plate 30 has a pair of slot-like openings 42 which receive rivets 44 which extend through holes 46 in the flattened portion 20 and which have retainers 45% on the bottom thereof thereby securing the plate 30 to the clamp whereby pressure exerted by the screw or bolt 40 will pull the clamp body 16 off the terminal post 14. Any suitable materials may be used and the size and shape may vary to fit various types of terminal posts.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A battery terminal post clamp comprising, in combination, a body having means for connection with a conductor cable, a laterally spreadable split clamp portion receiving the post, a bridge extending across the top of the clamp portion, a threaded member threadedly carried by said bridge extending through said bridge for engagement with the top of the post for withdrawing the bridge and clamp from the terminal post in response to rotation of said threaded member into abutment with the post, said bridge comprising a plate having downturned lateral side edges and reinforcing ribs, said side edges limiting the extent of spreading of said clamp portions relative thereto, said plate having a pair of laterally extending slot-like holes, a pair of rivets extending through said holes of said plate and secured to said body for securing said plate thereto, said slot-like holes accommodating lateral movement of said rivets in opposite directions in response to spreading and closing of said split clamp portion.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said threaded member is in the form of a bolt threaded through an internally threaded reinforced central aperture formed in the plate.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said split clamp portion clamps to the post independent of the bridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,757 Cutler Mar. 3, 1931 1,822,744 Otwell Sept. 8, 1931 2,370,227 Bruder Feb. 27, 1945 2,582,267 Moore Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 479,500 Canada Nov. 10, 1953

Claims

1. A BATTERY TERMINAL POST CLAMP COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BODY HAVING MEANS FOR CONNECTION WITH A CONDUCTOR CABLE, A LATERALLY SPREADABLE SPLIT CLAMP PORTION RECEIVING THE POST, A BRIDGE EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CLAMP PORTION, A THREADED MEMBER THREADEDLY CARRIED BY SAID BRIDGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BRIDGE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TOP OF THE POST FOR WITHDRAWING THE BRIDGE AND CLAMP FROM THE TERMINAL POST IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF SAID THREADED MEMBER INTO ABUTMENT WITH THE POST, SAID BRIDGE COMPRISING A PLATE HAVING DOWNTURNED LATERAL SIDES EDGES AND REINFORCING RIBS, SAID SIDE EDGES LIMITING THE EXTENT OF SPREADING OF SAID CLAMP PORTIONS RELATIVE THERETO, SAID PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY EXTENDING SLOT-LIKE HOLES, A PAIR OF RIVETS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOLES OF SAID PLATE AND SECURED TO SAID BODY FOR SECURING SAID PLATE THERETO, SAID SLOT-LIKE HOLES ACCOMMODATING LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID RIVETS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO SPREADING AND CLOSING OF SAID SPLIT CLAMP PORTION.