US3678176A - Wire clamp terminal clip of the flanged tubular type - Google Patents

Abstract

A terminal clip for the solderless connecting of electrical conductors to terminal posts, wherein the clip comprises a tubular body section having a flanged section formed on at least one end, and wherein the connection relies on a compressive metallic deformation in the tubular section against the conductor for clamping the conductor to the post. The clamping force provided by the clip is determined in accordance with the configuration and/or the hardness of the flange edge in combination with the configuration and/or the hardness of the strain relief point, or knee, where the flange section joins the tubular section. In response to a compressive force being applied to the clip in a direction parallel to the axis of the tubular section, the material at the knee yields before that of the flange edge, thereby reducing the internal diameter of the tube at the knee for providing the clamping connection.

Description

United States Patent Reimer July 18, 1972 [7 2] Inventor: William A. Reimer, Wheaton, Ill.

[73] Assignee: GTE Automatic Electric Laboratories,

Inc., Northlake, Ill.

[22] Filed: Aug. 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 66,933

[52] U5. Cl. ..l74/94 R, 29/628, 174/84 R,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 908,815 10/1962 Great Britain ..339/273 F 1,089,298 11/1967 Great Britain ..339/97 R Primary Examiner-Darrel1 L. Clay Attorney-K. Mullerheim, B. E. Franz and David W. Heid ABSIRACT A terminal clip for the solderless connecting of electrical conductors to terminal posts, wherein the clip comprises a tubular body section having a flanged section formed on at least one end, and wherein the connection relies on a compressive metallic deformation in the tubular section against the conductor for clamping the conductor to the post. The clamping force provided by the clip is determined in accordance with the configuration and/or the hardness of the flange edge in combination with the configuration and/or the hardness of the strain relief point, or knee, where the flange section joins the tubular section. In response to a compressive force being applied to the clip in a direction parallel to the axis of the tubular section, the material at the knee yields before that of the flange edge, thereby reducing the internal diameter of the tube at the knee for providing the clamping connection.

5 Claim, 15 Drawing Figures Patented July 18, 1972 3,678,176

2 Sheets-Sheet -1 FIG. 4

FIG/

\ INVENTOR v Q WILLIAM A. RERMER v I ZLJMW AGENT Patented July 18, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIRE CLAMP CLIP OF THE FLANGED TUBULAR TYPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field This invention relates in general to terminal clips for the solderless connecting of electrical conductors to terminal posts, and more particularly to terminal clips of the flanged tubular eyelet type, wherein the connection relies on a compressive metallic deformation in the tubular section against the conductor for clamping the conductor to the post.

2. Prior Art A number of prior art devices and techniques relating to various forms of metallic deformation have been developed and used with respect to the solderless connection of electrical conductors to terminal posts. I

One of the more well-known solderless type of terminal connections is that of wire wrapping such as disclosed and described in US. Pat. No. 2,759,166 issued Aug. 14, 1956 to R. E. Mallina, and in US. Pat. No. 2,870,241, issued Jan. 20, 1959 to W. P. Mason. ln general, the above-noted patents describe a wire wrap connection as being accomplished by the winding of a portion of the temiinating end of a conductor tightly around a temrinal post. While wire wrapped electrical connections have been generally accepted by the industry, there are certain factors inherent to wire wrapping which affects its overall desirability andmust therefore be considered as disadvantageous. Some of the more obvious and important disadvantages are, namely: (1) the wire wrapping operation must be performed by a somewhat complicated and costly tool, which due to wear must have certain parts replaced at regular intervals; (2) to successfully wire w rap requires the use of solid wire conductors and of terminals having a plurality of sharp corners; (3) the portion of wire usedfor a wrapped connection cannot be reused for subsequent wrappings; (4) as the wire wrap is a metal-to-metal connection, wherein the contact areas comprise mating depressions in both the wire conductor and the comers of the terminal post, a careful choice of materials for use as a coating on the wire and of the terminals is required.

Another of the well-known solderless type of .terrninal connections is that of clipping a conductor to a terminal post such as disclosed and describedin US. Pat. No. 3,239,918, issued Mar. 15, 1966 to R. F. Cobaugh, and in US. Pat. No. 3,243,757, issued Mar. 29, 1966, to R. F. Cobaugh. In the clip-on type of connection described in the above-noted patents, the terminal clip includes a web portion and sidewall portions with means on the marginal portions thereof for engaging the post in such a manner that the clip can be moved axially onto the post and into I embracing relationship therewith. The post engaging means comprises curled over marginal portions on the sidewalls so that after the clip is moved onto the post the web is disposed against one side thereof while the edges of the sidewalls press against the opposite side. The wire extends onto the post and is held between the surface of the post and the internal surface of the web after the clip comes to rest. The web of the clip may be substantially flat where solid wire is being connected to the post or may be bowed transversely of the clip axis where stranded wires are used. Clip-on electrical connections have also been generally accepted by the industry, however there are certain factors also inherent thereto which are not particularly desirable and must as such be considered disadvantageous. Certain of the more obvious disadvantages are, namely: (1) the clip-on operation must be performed by a complicated and costly special tool; (2) tolerances in the dimensions of the clip with respect to those of the terminal post must be closely observed to provide satisfactory results; (3) due to the configuration of certain of the terminal posts, clips must be placed thereon in a specific position; (4) a clip used for connecting a conductor to apost of substantially square cross-section can not be used with a post of round or rectangular cross-section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved universal type of terminal clip for connecting a conductor to a terminal post, wherein the clip is simple in construction, easy and economical to manufacture, not difficult to use and provides a satisfactory and reliable electrical connection.

In the achievement of the above-mentioned object, there is provided in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a terminal clip essentially comprising a tubular body section having a flanged end section. The clip is so formed that the internal diameter of the body section tapers slightly outward starting at a knee, or strain relief point, at which the flanged end section joins the body section. The configuration and/or hardness of the flange edge and of the knee determines the clamping force provided by the clip. Therefore as compressive force is applied to the clip in a direction parallel to the axis thereof and the flange section is forced toward the tubular body section, the material at the knee will yield, or contract, inward before that of the flange edge, thereby reducing the internal diameter of the body section at the knee to provide the clamping action of the clip.

The structural design of the terminal clip is universal in that it may be used with stranded, solid or ribbon conductors to establish satisfactory electrical connections with terminal posts having square, rectangular or round cross-sections.

In a practical application of the terminal clip, there is disclosed its use for establishing connections with terminal posts of connector blocks such as are used in conjunction with printed wiring boards, or with various miniaturized electronic components. The terminal clip is particularly desirable for use with the above type of temrinal posts, since it is of prime importance that the post not be subjected to torsional forces during the connecting operation, or to permanent compressive deformation as a result thereof.

Briefly, the connecting of a conductor to a terminal post by means of the improved terminal clip is accomplished by first inserting the non-insulated end of the conductor inside the clip from the flanged end. The clipcontaining the conductor is loaded on, or placed over, the end of the terminal post and pushed down to the desired position thereon by means of a simple tool such as a slotted nose pliers or a swaging tube. A compressive force is then applied to the clip in a direction parallel to the axis thereof by means of the tool to force the flange section in a direction substantially parallel with the tubular body section, whereby the material at the knee is caused to yield inward and reduce the internal diameter in area of the knee-to tightly clamp the terminal post and thus provide the electrical connection therewith.

To provide a satisfactory connection, the clip is normally compressed until the plane of the outer side of the flange is substantially at right angles to the axial plane of the tubular section.

The clip may be removed by applying additional compressive force thereto, wherein the flange is forced inward toward the body section and beyond the above-described right angle. As such, the clamping force is allowed to relax and the internal diameter in the area of the knee tends to restore to its original size due to the inherent elastic properties of the clip.

Another embodiment of the invention discloses a terminal clip comprising a tubular body section having a flanged portion at each end, with no taper to its internal diameter. When the clip is compressed, the body section at the strain relief area of each knee yields inward as described above to clamp the bare wire to the terminal at one knee and the insulated wire to the terminal at the other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages, which reside in the construction, and the arrangement and combination of its parts, will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the terminal clip, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clip taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view, according to another embodiment of the temiinal clip;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clip taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing the clip held by the jaw portion of a pliers type compressing tool;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the clip and conductor mounted on a terminal post, with the clip being held by the tool of FIG. 5, but not compressed;

FIG. 6a is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 showing the clip partially compressed;

FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6a showing the clip compressed to its clamping deformation;

FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6b showing the clips of FIG. 6b further compressed to relax the clamping force;

FIGS. 7 and 7a are respective normal and compressed views of the clip of FIG. 1 as used with a terminal post of a square cross-section;

FIGS. 8 and 8a are respective normal and compressed bottom views of the clip of FIG. 1 as used with a terminal post of a round cross-section; and

FIGS. 9 and 9a are respective normal and compressed bottom views of the clip of FIG. 1 as used with a special terminal post of substantially round cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Structure Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show a preferred embodiment of the terminal clip 1 as essentially comprising a tubular body section 10 having a flanged end section 11. It will be noted that the thickness of the sidewalls of terminal clip 1 at the strain relief knee point 12 is less than that of the rest of the body section 10, or of the outer edge of flange 11. The purpose of this reduction in thickness will be explained more in detail later on' in the specification under the heading entitled Operation. The internal diameter of the body section 10 slightly tapers outward from knee point 12 to its lower non-flanged end, with this taper being represented in FIG. 2 by extended radial lines and identified by the reference numeral 13.

Referring now to the right-hand side of FIG 5, it will be seen that the terminal clip 1 is shown as clamping conductor 16 to a round terminal post 15, which is attached to a terminal board. The remainder of FIG. 5 shows another temiinal clip 1 being held in the jaws of a simple compressing or deforming, tool prior to being slid down into a desired position on post and the subsequent clamping of conductor 17 thereto.

Although the invention does not relate to the tool for compressing the clip, it is believed that the function of the clip will be better understood if the tool is briefly described. As shown in FIG. 5, jaws 23 and 24 represent the modified jaws of a small long-nosed pliers, wherein the extreme tip ends of the jaws have been removed. Jaws 23 and 24 haverespective slots 25 and 26 cut therein forming tines 28 and 29 in jaw 23, and tines 30 and 31 in jaw 24. The width of slots 25 and 26 is such that a terminal post will easily fit therein. A rectangular shaped stop 27 is shown as being welded to the inner surface of jaw 24 for limiting the closure of the jaws. Any other means such as an adjustable set screw could be substituted for the stop 27, however. A portion of tine 28 has been removed in order to more clearly show how the temiinal clip 1 is held by the compressing tool.

With reference to FIGS. 6 through 6b, respectively, it will be seen that these drawings are basically cross-sectional top end views showing the terminal clip I held between the tines of the jaws of the compressing tool, with FIG. 6 showing the clip in its normal nondeformed state, FIG. 6a showing the clip as partially deformed and FIG. 6b showing the clip as being deformed sufiiciently to clamp conductor 17 to post 15.

FIG. 6c is somewhat similar to FIG. 6b, but shows the use of a slightly modified form of the compressing tool for further compressing the clip 1 in order to release its clamping action and thus remove the clip and conductor 17 from post 15. The compressing tool as show in FIG. 6c is modified to the extent that the thickness of stop 37 is slightly less than that of stop 27, and the flange-engaging surfaces of tines 40 and 41 are rounded as shown at points 44 and 45, respectively. As modified, the jaws of the tool are allowed to close a slightly greater amount than the regular compressing tool, whereby flange section 1 l is additionally compressed in order to release the clamping action of clip 1.

The clip 1 may be used to clamp a conductor to square, round and special substantially round terminal posts such as are shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, respectively, with the clamping action of each being represented as a reduction of the internal diameter substantially at knee point 12 and shown in FIGS. 7a, 8a and 9a. It will be noted that while solid wire conductors have been shown as being used in all of these figures, stranded wire conductors may be used with equal success. The special round terminal post 35 shown in FIGS. 9 and 911 includes a longitudinal groove 36 for accommodating solid wire conductors such as 19. However, if stranded wire conductors are used with this type of post, they are located on the post at any of the rounded areas such as 18.

The terminal clip 2 of the other embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 discloses a tubular body section 20 having a flange section 21 at each end. In this clip it will be noted that the thickness of the sidewalls of body section 20 remains constant, but is less than that of flanges 21, wherein the thickness of their side walls substantially increases from the strain relief knee points 22 to the outer edges. The internal diameter of body section 20 is not tapered such as that of body section 10 for the reason that the use of double flanges would make the direction of the taper hard to detect at the time of loading the clip 2 on a post.

OPERATION An operational description using the terminal clip 1 such as disclosed in FIG. 1 for connecting conductor 17 to terminal post 15 will now be given. It will be assumed that the terminal clip compressing tool such as the pliers 3 shown in the lefthand portion of FIG. 5 will be used for deforming the clip to establish the clamping connection.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bare wire end of conductor 17 is inserted into clip 1 by way of its flange end, with the clip being held between the tines of jaws 23 and 24 of pliers 3. Clip 1 containing conductor 17 is placed over the end of terminal post 15 (flange end first) and pushed in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 5 to the position on terminal post 15 to the immediate left of the terminal clip 1 thereon shown as clamping conductor 16 thereto. It will be appreciated that with clip 1 being placed onto the end of post 15 as described above, flange 11 serves as an inverted funnel guiding means for aligning post 15 with the center of the clip. Further, due to conductor 17 being inserted into clip 1 from the flange end, friction resulting from the sliding movement of the clip on post 15 does not cause conductor 17 to disengage therefrom, and instead results in a cleaning action on the post.

With clip 1 and conductor 17 being in the proper position on post 15, the next operation is to deform, or compress, clip 1 for clamping conductor 17 to post 15. Jaws 23 and 24 of pliers 3 are therefore manually closed, or moved, towards one another as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6a for initiating the compression force on clip 1, wherein it will be seen that the outer edge of flange portion 11 is moved in a direction substantially parallel with body section 10. Simultaneous with the above movement of flange 11, the area of body section 10 en circled by knee 12 is caused to start contracting inward toward terminal post 15 and the portion of body section encircled by the area 32 is caused to start bulging outward away from post 15. It will be noted that body section 10 deforrrs as described above due to the selection of material of which the clip is made and the particular variance in thickness of its side walls. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the wall thickness of body section 10 continuously increases from knee point 12 to the free end of body section 10, and similarly the wall thickness of flange l1 continuously increases from knee point 12 to the free end of flange l 1.

The completion of the clamping connection is shown in FIG. 6b, wherein jaws 23 and 24 of pliers 3 are closed until jaw 23 meets stop 27 to prevent further closing of the jaws. At this time it will be seen that the area of body section 10 encircled by knee 12 has contracted against terminal post for tightly clamping the wire of conductor 17 thereto. Additionally, the bulge in the portion of body section 10 encircled by area 32 has increased as shown. The wire of conductor 17 is now clamped against terminal post 15 for establishing a satisfactory electrical connection thereto.

In the above-described clamping operation, no useful purpose was served by the taper 13, even though clip 1 was so provided. Due to different intended uses of the terminal clip, it was therefor designed to include the taper, which in addition to the above-described normal usage allows use of the clip for experimental or prototype work, wherein it is necessary to establish only temporary connections. In this special usage of the clip, the temporary connections are provided by means of the taper and compression of the clip is not required, thereby allowing easy removal and reuse of the clip.

A temporary connection is established by inserting a conductor such as 17 into the flange end of clip 1 including the taper 13. This assembly is then placed on a terminal post such as 15 and slid down into the location such as shown in FIG. 6. Due to the reduced diameter of the body section 10 of clip 1 at knee point 12, the wire of conductor 17 frictionally engages post 15 for establishing the temporary connection therewith. The connection may be disconnected merely by sliding clip 1 and conductor 17 off the post 15.

The clamping connection provided by the compressed clip 1 shown in FIG. 611 may be removed as hereafter described, reference being had in particular with FIG. 60, wherein a slightly modified clip compressing tool is used to further compress flange ll of clip 1 for releasing the clamping force provided thereby. The compressing tool is modified by reducing the thickness of stop 37 a slight amount (as compared with stop 27) to enable the jaws of the tool to close slightly more than those of the pliers 3, and by rounding the internal flange engaging surfaces 44 and 45 of tines 40 and 41, respectively, to enable the additional compressing force to be concentrated toward the outer edge of flange 11. When the clamping force of clip 1 as shown in FIG. 6b is to be removed, the clip is gripped by the modified tool and further compressed as shown in FIG. 6c, wherein the outer edge of flange 11 is moved a further amount in the same direction as previously described. This added movement of flange 11 unlocks the stress exerted by it on body section 10 so that the previously described contraction of body section 10 at knee l2 and the outward bulging thereof at area 32 is affected by the elastic properties inherent to the material of clip 1 for allowing the body section 10 to relax and partially return to its original shape. The clamping action of clip 1 is thus rendered ineffective and both the clip and conductor 17 may be slid from terminal post 15.

The above description covered the establishing of a clamping connection, wherein the conductor wire end is inserted into the terminal clip from the flange end and the clip thereafter being loaded flange-end-down onto a temiinal post. It will be appreciated that an equally satisfactory clamping connection may be established by inserting the conductor wire end into the non-flanged end of terminal clip 1 so that it extends slightly therein beyond the flanged end, and thereafter loading the clip onto a terminal post non-flanged-end-down. The clip I is thereafter compressed in the same manner to establish the clamping connection.

Use of the temtinal clip 2 of the other embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to establish a clamping connection, will now be described. Although not shown, the wire of the conductor may be inserted into clip 2 from either flange end, with the insulated part of the conductor just barely entering body section 20 of clip 2 at one of the knee points 22, and the wire portion of the conductor just barely exiting the body section 20 at the opposite knee point. The clip 2 and its conductor are held between the tines of the jaws of a similar type compressing pliers, with the clip being loaded onto a connector post conductonend-down and thereafter slid into position and compressed by the tool to complete the clamping connection. In a clamping connection using clip 2, it will be appreciated that the reduced internal diameter formed at the one knee 22 clamps the insulated conductor to the terminal post, while the reduced internal diameter at the opposite knee clamps the wire thereto to establish the electrical connection.

While the tool used for compressing clip 2 is substantially the same as pliers 3, the structure of clip 2 is such as to require the jaws of the tool to close further than when compressing the clip 1. Therefore, the thickness of the stop such as 27 must be reduced, in accordance with the predetermined compressed length of clip 2, to provide satisfactory clamping. The tool for removing clip 2 from a clamping connection is similar to the tool used for clip 1, with the exception that the thickness of the stop such as 27 must be further reduced.

FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose slots such as 14 formed within the sides of both clip 1 and flange 11 in the area of knee point 12 for allowing greater deformation thereat, if additional clamping force is desired.

From the foregoing, it is therefore quite evident that a terminal clip is provided that is universally adapted for use with stranded, solid or ribbon type of conductors to establish satisfactory electrical connections to terminal posts of square, rectangular or round cross-sections. As the terminal clip comprises a tubular body section having a flange section on at least one end, and relies on a reduction of its internal diameter, in the knee area joining the flange and body sections, as a result of a compressive force being applied thereto, the clip may be made from a wide selection of materials. Various production techniques may be employed to make the terminal clip, such as the use of a modified eyelet forming machine; coining, forming, and blanking on a punch press; or the forming thereof on a screw machine.

Having described my invention, what is considered new and is desired to have protected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical joint comprising:

a temrinal post;

a conductor extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the axis of said temtinal post; and

a generally sleeve-shaped clip surrounding said terminal post and conductor, said clip having a tubular body section with a flange formed at one end of said section and an encircling knee in said body section at the junction of said flange with said one end; said body section and said flange including a plurality of slots spaced around the internal surface thereof at said knee, said flange having a depressed orientation in which it extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of said terminal post, and said conductor being tightly and lastingly clamped to said post by an inward projection of said junction portion only of said clip, said depressed orientation and said inward projection resulting from prior momentary application of an axial compressive force to the outer peripheral portion of said flange.

2. A generally sleeve-shaped clip for connecting a conductor to a terminal post of an external dimension slightly smaller than the internal dimension of said clip, said clip comprising:

a generally tubular body section;

a flange formed with an outward flare of less than at one end of said section; and

a junction portion between said flange and said one end of said body section, the wall thickness of said flange and of said body section becoming continuously greater than that of said junction portion from said junction portion to the free end of said flange and to the other end of said body section respectively, so that said junction portion is more easily deformable than body section and said flange and that when said clip is positioned over said terminal 5. A generally sleeve-shaped clip for connecting a conduclO tor to a temiinal post of an external dimension slightly smaller than the internal dimension of said clip, said clip comprising:

a generally tubular body section; a flange formed with an outward flare of less than 90 on each end of said body section; and a junction portion between each of said flanges and the respective end of said body section, the wall thickness of each said flange continuously increasing from the respecpost and said conductor and an axial compressive force is momentarily applied between said other end of said body section and said free end of said flange, said junction portion contracts, forcing said conductor against said terminal post and establishing an electrical connection therebetween. 3. The clip of claim 2 wherein said body section is gradually flared from said junction portion to said other end of said body section.

4 A l i l j i i i tive junction portion to the free end of said flange, so that a t inal post; said junction portions are more easily deformable than said body section and said flanges and that when said clip is positioned over said terminal post and said conductor and an axial compressive force is momentarily applied to said free ends of said flanges, said junction portions contract, forcing said conductor against said terminal post, and establishing an electrical connection therebetween.

a conductor extending adjacent and substantially parallel to 20 the axis of said terminal post; and

a generally sleeve shaped clip surrounding said terminal post and conductor, said clip having a generally tubular body section, a flange formed at one end of said section and a relatively weak junction portion between said flange and said end of said body section, said flange hav- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3 678 176 I Dated July J 1972 Invent0 WILLIAM A. REIMER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown'below:

Column 7, lines 3-4, delete "becoming continuously greater than that of said junction portion" and add continuously increasing in thickness Signed and sealed this 13th day of March 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,IJR.

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC3-1050 (10-69) uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 U,S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-366-334 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3 678 176 Dated July 18 19.72

Invent WILLIAM A. REIMER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7 lines 3-4 delete "becoming continuously greater than that of said junction portion" and add continuously increasing in thickness Signed and sealed this 13th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents F ORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM DC fiO376-P59 US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 I959 O366-J34

Claims (5)

1. An electrical joint comprising: a terminal post; a conductor extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the axis of said terminal post; and a generally sleeve-shaped clip surrounding said terminal post and conductor, said clip having a tubular body section with a flange formed at one end of said section and an encircling knee in said body section at the junction of said flange with said one end; said body section and said flange including a plurality of slots spaced around the internal surface thereof at said knee, said flange having a depressed orientation in which it extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of said terminal post, and said conductor being tightly and lastingly clamped to said post by an inward projection of said junction portion only of said clip, said depressed orientation and said inward projection resulting from prior momentary application of an axial compressive force to the outer peripheral portion of said flange.

2. A generally sleeve-shaped clip for connecting a conductor to a terminal post of an external dimension slightly smaller than the internal dimension of said clip, said clip comprising: a generally tubular body section; a flange formed with an outward flare of less than 90* at one end of said section; and a junction portion between said flange and said one end of said body section, the wall thickness of said flange and of said body section becoming continuously greater than that of said junction portion from said junction portion to the free end of said flange and to the other end of said body section respectively, so that said junction portion is more easily deformable than body section and said flange and that when said clip is positioned over said terminal post and said conductor and an axial compressive force is momentarily applied between said other end of said body section and said free end of said flange, said junction portion contracts, forcing said conductor against said terminal post and establishing an electrical connection therebetween.

3. The clip of claim 2 wherein said body section is gradually flared from said junction portion to said other end of said body section.

4. An electrical joint comprising: a terminal post; a conductor extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the axis of said terminal post; and a generally sleeve shaped clip surrounding said terminal post and conductor, said clip having a generally tubular body section, a flange formed at one end of said section and a relatively weak junction portion between said flange and said end of said body section, said flange having a depressed orientation in which it extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of said terminal post, and said conductor being tightly anD lastingly clamped to said post by an inward projection of said junction portion only of said clip, said depressed orientation and said inward projection resulting from prior momentary application of an axial compressive force to the outer peripheral portion of said flange.

5. A generally sleeve-shaped clip for connecting a conductor to a terminal post of an external dimension slightly smaller than the internal dimension of said clip, said clip comprising: a generally tubular body section; a flange formed with an outward flare of less than 90* on each end of said body section; and a junction portion between each of said flanges and the respective end of said body section, the wall thickness of each said flange continuously increasing from the respective junction portion to the free end of said flange, so that said junction portions are more easily deformable than said body section and said flanges and that when said clip is positioned over said terminal post and said conductor and an axial compressive force is momentarily applied to said free ends of said flanges, said junction portions contract, forcing said conductor against said terminal post, and establishing an electrical connection therebetween.

Images