US3399375A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1968 v. E. PEEK 3,399,375

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed July 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l l 1 4 Z l\ 19 W X 25 i Aug. 27, 1968 v. E. PEEK 3,399,375

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed July 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical connector is described for use in an elec trical distribution system as a dead-ending aid for neutral service drops. The connector includes a pair of jaws pivota'lly interconnected for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the jaws, and a pair of spaced main and tap conductor grooves extending parallel to the axis in each of the jaws. One of the jaws has an opening and the other an integral bolt adapted to pass through the opening on swinging movement of that jaw for inserting and clamping the conductors in the grooves between the jaws. The pivotal interconnection includes a slot for assembly of the jaws.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a mid-span connector for neutral service drops.

It is frequently necessary to electrically and mechanically connect a tap conductor to a main line conductor in an electrical distribution system to provide a neutral service drop to a point remote from the main conductor. Various types of connectors have been developed for this purpose but none have proven entirely satisfactory under some conditions of use and for some purposes. For example, such connectors frequently become disassembled and drop to the ground during installation, are difficult to install, and generally consist of a large number of separate components parts which are difficult to handle and costly to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an electrical connector which mechanically and electrically connects a tap conductor to a main conductor; the provision of such a connector which may be installed with ease by a single lineman; the provision of such a connector which consists of fewer component parts than similar connectors; the provision of such a connector which cannot become disassembled during installation; the provision of such a connector which may be easily assembled for use; the provision of such a connector capable of use with a wide range of conductor sizes; and the provision of such a connector which is characterized by simplicity of construction and low cost. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Briefly, an electrical connector of this invention comprises first and second jaws pivotally interconnected at one end thereof for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the jaws. The jaws have opposed faces each of which includes a pair of spaced grooves substantially parallel to each other and to the axis, and the first jaw has an opening and the second jaw a captive bolt adapted to extend from between the grooves thereof through the opening. The second jaw is swingable about the axis from a first position wherein the bolt is displaced from the opening and both grooves in the first jaw are unobstructed whereby one groove may receive a main con- "Ice ductor to a second position wherein the bolt is swung into the opening whereby the main conductor is held between one set of opposing grooves and a tap conductor may be inserted between the other set of opposing grooves. The bolt further includes means for bearing against the first jaw to draw it against the second jaw to clamp the jaws together with the conductors therebetween.

'BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B are plan and elevation views, respectively, of one of the jaws of a connector of this invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are plan and elevation views, respectively, of the other connector jaw;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the assembled connector in an open position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the connector in a partially closed position; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan and elevation views, respectively, of the connector completely closed about main and tap conductors.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electrical connector of this invention comprises a jaw or keeper portion 1 and a mating jaw or body portion 3. The jaw 1 is constituted by an integral T-shaped member 5 having a head portion 7 and a captive bolt or shank portion 9, the latter being threaded over a portion of its length as indicated at 11. The head 7 of jaw 1 is provided with first and second pairs of laterally extending flanges 13 and 15 respectively defining spaced parallel tap and main conductor grooves 17 and 1-9 in the face of the jaw. A downwardly curved nose or tab 21 extends between the tap conductor flanges 13. At one end of head 7 is a relatively large hinge loop 23 having an oblique slot 25 therein, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth. A flat washer 27 is received on bolt 9 and a nut 29 is threaded thereon. The threads at the end of bolt 9 are peened over, as indicated at 31, to hold the nut captive on the bolt. Jaw 1 is preferably formed of any suitable electrically conductive material, such as a high-strength aluminum or bronze or alumimum-bronze alloy electroplated with tin.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the jaw 3 is constituted by an integral bifurcated casting 33 having a pair of legs 35 and 37 defining an opening or slot 39. The legs 35 and 37 are joined by a bn'dge 41 near their centers and by an Open strain relief eye 43 at their ends. A pair of spaced parallel arcuate grooves 45 and 47 are formed in the face of casting 33 for respectively receiving the tap and main conductors. It should be noted that the spacing of grooves 45 and 47 corresponds to the spacing of grooves 17 and 19 in jaw 1. The end of jaw 3 opposite eye 43 extends upwardly and outwardly to form a hinge loop 49 having an opening 50 bounded by curved legs 52 at its sides and a crossbar 51 at its end. The lower surface of casting 33- opposite its face is arcuately configured, as indicated at 53, for engagement with washer 27 and nut 29 on jaw 1. Jaw 3 may be formed of any suitable electrically conductive material, such as a highstrength aluminum alloy.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, first and second jaws 3 and 1, respectively, are pivotally interconnected at one end for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the jaws by means of hinge loops 23 and 49. That is, crossbar 51 of hinge loop 49 is passed through oblique slot 25 and hinge loop 23 is pressed partially closed to prevent accidental or inadvertent disassembly of the jaws during installation and use. It should be noted that the hinge loops extend transversely to each other and the grooves extend parallel to the pivotal axis. Second jaw 1 is thus free to swing on first jaw 3 from a first position, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, wherein bolt 9 is displaced from opening 39 and grooves 45 and 47 are unobstructed for receiving a main conductor 55 in groove 47 to a second position, such as illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein the bolt is swung into opening 39 for holding main conductor 55 between grooves 19 and 47 while permitting insertion of a tap conductor 57 between the other set of grooves 17 and 45.

To relieve the weight of the tap conductor run from its end where it is clamped between the jaws, a conventional dead-ending clamp 59 is secured to the tap conductor at a point spaced from, but near, its end. The dead-ending clamp 59 illustrated in FIGS. and 6 consists of a tubular sleeve 61 encircling tap conductor 57, and a wedge plate 63 having a bail 65 looped through connector eye 43, The purpose of dead-ending clamp 59 is to act as a strain relief for tap conductor 57 by removing the weight of the tensioned conductor run from its curved end where it is secured between grooves 17 and 45 and transferring it directly from dead-ending clamp 59 through bail 65 to strain relief eye 43. Thus, the curved connected end portion of tap conductor 57 is not subjected to the tension load of the conductor r-un.

To electrically and mechanically connect tap conductor 57 along the span of uninsulated main conductor 55 to provide a neutral service drop, the lineman first assemblies the wedge-type dead-ending clamp 59 on tap conductor 57 by threading collar 61 thereon, inserting bail 65 through eye 43 and forcing wedge 63 between the conductor and the collar. Nut 29 and washer 27 are backed off to the end of threaded portion 11 of bolt 9 and jaw 1 is pivoted on jaw 3 to the position of the connector illustrated in FIG. 3.

The connector and attached tap conductor is then moved into a position relative to the main conductor so that the main conductor is received in groove 47 in jaw 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and jaw 1 is pivoted downwardly so that bolt 9, washer 27 and nut 29 pass through opening 39 and eye 43. Nut 29 is then threaded partially up the bolt and jaw 1 is pivoted to the FIG. 4 position wherein the jaws cooperate to restrain main conductor 55 against withdrawal from between grooves 47 and 19 while allowing for insertion of tap conductor 57 either between nose 21 and the lip of groove 45 or sideways through the bore of grooves 45 and 17. The end of tap conductor 57 is then inserted between grooves 45 and 17 and jaw 1 is pivoted vertically to the FIGS. 5 and 6 position. Nut 29 is then threaded the remaining distance up bolt 9 into engagement with surface 53 on jaw 3, thereby clamping the jaws together with the main and tap conductors therebetween, the nut and washer constituting a means for bearing against jaw 3 to draw it against jaw 1. As the nut is tightened against jaw 3, a clamping force is simultaneously applied on both sides of the conductors by the respective jaws by means of the single bolt and nut. It should be noted that in the intermediate FIG. 4 position of jaw 1, fiat washer 27 intersects arcuate surface 53 and prevents the jaw from swinging completely open. Thus, although the tap conductor can be freely inserted or removed from the tap conductor grooves, the main conductor is securely restrained between the jaws to support the connector during installation and free both of the linemans hands for insertion of the tap conductor. The large diameters of hinge loops 23 and 49 permit free relative swinging movement of the jaws but do not interfere with the clamping pressure on the conductors. If desired, a lock washer may be inserted between the nut and flat washer, or an integral nut and washer may be used.

Thus, the connector of this invention mechanically and electrically connects a tap conductor to a main line conductor by means of a single bolt and nut. The connector may be utilized with a wide range of main and tap conductor sizes, may be installed in a relatively short time by a single lineman, is easily assembled by means of the slotted hinge loop connection, and provides a unitary, but pivotable, structure for ease of installation. In addition, the connector is composed of relatively few parts, is economical to manufacture and is maintenance free.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising first and second jaws, means pivotally interconnecting the jaws at one end thereof for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the jaws, said jaws having opposing faces each of which includes a pair of spaced grooves substantially parallel to each other and said axis, said first jaw having an opening therein and said second jaw having a captive bolt adapted to extend from between the grooves thereof through said opening, said second jaw being swingable about said axis from a first position wherein the bolt is displaced from said opening and both grooves in said first jaw are unobstructed whereby one groove may receive a main conductor to a second position wherein said bolt is swung into said opening whereby the main conductor is held between one set of opposing grooves of said jaws and a tap conductor may be inserted between the other set of opposing grooves, said bolt including means for bearing against the first jaw to draw it against the second jaw thereby to clamp the jaws together with said conductors therebetween.

2. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a hinge loop at said one end of each of the jaws, the hinge loop on the first jaw extending transverse to the hinge loop on the second jaw, said hinge loops being pivotally connected to each other.

3. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said hinge loops is slotted for assembly of the jaws, the slot being partially closed after assembly to prevent inadvertent disassembly of the jaws during installation and use.

4. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 3 wherein the hinge loop on the second jaw is slotted.

5. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the surface of said first jaw opposite its face is arcuate, said surface being engageable with the means for bearing against the first jaw for limiting swinging movement of the second jaw from said second position to said first position, whereby the main conductor is held against withdrawal from said one set of grooves while permitting insertion of the tap conductor between said other set of grooves.

6. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said bolt is integral with said second jaw and said means for bearing against the first jaw comprises a nut threaded on the bolt.

7. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a strain relief eye at the other end of said first jaw, said eye being adapted to receive the hail of a strain relief dead-ending clamp connected to said tap conductor.

8. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 7 where- References Cited in said interconnecting means comprises a hinge loop at UNITED STATES PATENTS said one end of each of said aws, the hinge loop on the first jaw extending transverse to the hinge loop on the 1,278,013 9/1918 Reed 339-466 second jaw, said hinge loops being pivotally connected to 5 2,219,846 10/1940 Meyer 24 81 each Othen 3,019,282 1/1962 Husted 174-43 9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 where- 3177459 4/1965 Toedtman 339246 X in one of said hinge loops is obliquely slotted for assem- FOREIGN PATENTS bly of the l 1,025,423 1/1953 France.

10. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 9 10 0 714 195 Germany wherein the end of said bolt is peened to maintain said nut captive on said bolt. RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner.

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