USRE12642E - Spring terminal-clip - Google Patents

Description

No. 12,642; .nmssunn AER. 23, I907.

- J. scams, 1. SPRING TERMINAL CLIP.

APPLIOA'HO I FILED IABJI, 1007.

#4 373, by Ml UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCHADE, IJR., OF BROOKLYN, NEW roii ASSIGNOR TO FAHNESTOCK ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SPFHNG TERMINAL-CLIP.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued April 23,1907.

v Original No. 845,268, dated February 26, 1907. Application for reissue filedKar-ch 11.1907. Serial No- 361.890.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that LJOHN SCHADE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Spring Terminal- Cli s, of w ich the following is a specification.

- his invention relates to spring terminalclips or fastening devices for the terminals of electrical conductors; and the objects of the invention are to enable the conductor to be firmly gripped and clamped in defined position, permit the ready insertion and -removal of the conductor, and insure good electrical contact at all times between the conductor and the fastening device.

This application is for the same invention as that covered by my ,application, Serial No. 179,101, filed October 29, 1903, with additional features.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and to these ends the invention consists of a fastening device for carrying out the above objects embodying the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fastening device embodying the invention. Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, are perspective views of modifications of the invention. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modification.

My im(proved.fa stening device is prefer-' ably ma from a single piece of resilient materialas, for instance, sheet metal or flat metallic. ribbon having substantiallygreater width than thicknessalthough I am not to be understood as limiting the invention to this particular form of material, for other forms of resilient metal-may be found suitable for carrying out the invention.

The fastening device comprises, broadly, two opposing normally separated members,

- at least one of which is provided withv a retaining portion of suitable shape projecting toward theopposite member and adapted to I coact with said opposite member to firmly clamp a conductor in defined position when said members are forced into operative relationsh i a H In order to construct two opposing but 5 normally separated members, the piece of resilient materialis bent upon itself to brin one member opposite the other, and one o thesemembers, which maybe termed the body member A, is adapted to be secured to a base or support I in any suitable manner, as by means of the screw J, passing through a hole in the body portion A. The body member A is'thus fixed stationary upon the base or support I, while the opposing member B, which may be termed a spring. member, is adapted to be forced out of its normal position'toward the body member A, from which it tends to separate under the retractive force of the sprin thus enabling a conductor K to be firmy gripped and clamped in defined position between the spring member B and the retaining .portion O of the body member A.

The retaining portion O of the body A '7 5 forms a stationary resistant member and is so constructed and sha ed that a conductor is held therein and firm y gripped indefined position in such manner that it cannot be easily withdrawn in a transverse direction 36 while under the influence of the pressure of the spring. Furthermore, the retainin portion 0 is so shaped as to rovide a goo electrical contact for the con uctor. .I have found that a substantially V-shaped retaining ortion C, forming the resistant member fulfi s the objects sought when combined with the other cooperating elements of my improved fastening device. I mean by a Vshaped" portion a part having diverging o sides and having the general conformation of a V, so that a conductor of suitable size when inserted in the angle of the V will make contact at at least two tangential points in I the. V.

In using my improved fastening device the size of thewire or conductor is preferably selected with reference to the angle of the V-shaped portion C, and a large wire would laced in a V-shaped retaining portion In order to more firmly gri and clamp the conductor K may be inserted in the angles of the spring and resistant members above the spring member, but beneath the inner surface of the angle of the resistant member. The retractive force of the s ring when the member B is released 'ps tl ie conductor in the angular portions 0 the s ring and resistant members. 7 Preferably the retaining-angles of the spring member B and the resistant member C are acute angles, as illustrated in 1, to enable the wire to be more firmly gripped and to afford provision for better electrical contact with the wire.

In order to obtain a strong spring-pressure in the fastening device, the resilient material from which the fastening device is made'is bent upon itself in such manner as to bring the retainin -angle B of the spring member close to the oop A, and the resistant mem: her 0 is preferably situated intermediate the length of the body member A and near the loop A to profperly cooperate'with the angular ortion o the spring member B. The singie piece of resilient metal therefore comprises a body member A, a stationary resistant member 0, projecting upward from the body member and having a hookedportion at its upper end, while a s ring member-j pro'ects upwardl from the ody member at t e forward end o'f the member, then downwardly toward-the body member, then upwardly. away from the body member.

In order to enable the strong spring formed by the construction described to be operated easily, the spring member is preferabl provided with a thumb or finger piece extending beyond the angu ar portion B. Less pressure is therefore required to flex the strong sprin than if thepoint of pressure were applie substantially close to the 'retaining-angle B of the spring member. 'shown in Fig. 1, the reslstant member C in this instance consists of a tongue out or stamped from the metal of the body memher A, while the metal of the fastening device is slotted throughout at least a portion of its len h, as'at D. The resistant member C, as s own, projects outwardly from the body member A toward the o osing or spring member B and is normail y in,inoperative relation with the angular retaining portion .of the s ring member, althoughthis is not essentia it only being requisite that the spring and body members be opposing, but normally separated. In this instance also the slotted ortion of'the spring member B is shown inc osing the resistant member C.

withreference more particularly to Fig. 1, the thumb or finger piece B is pressed down ward, thereby forcing the s ring member B toward the body member X, and after the conductor is inserted in the angular portions of the spring and resistant members the pip ting is released and its retractive force iy grips the'conductor.

According to this invention the single piece I i of resilient metal from which the fastening device is made has one end bent to form a retaining-angle B and athumb-piece B and said resilient iece of metal is then looped on itself as at in the op osite direction to the first bend. to bring t eretaining-angle close to the loop, thereby. forming a strong spring, while the projecting hook or retaining portion C is adaptedto cooperate with the said retaining-angle B to tightly clamp a conductor in defined position.

In Fig. 2 the fastening device is shown standing on end and secured to a base by In the operation of the fastening devicep means of the screw J, illustrating a different the projections of one member being adapted to enter the recesses of the other member. As shown, these members A-and B are rovided with a series of projections E, w 'ch enter slots F in-the opposite member, the projecting members and slots being alternately arranged. Thus the gripping action on the conductor is augmented.

to form alternate projections and recesses,

When the fin- 4 shows a clip formed of two members 4 horizontally arra ed and made by cutting and shaping a sing i e piece of metal, thelower member being rovlded with u wardly-extending hook-shaped portions between which the upper member B, in the form of a tongue, is located. In this instance, A is the the portions E constitute the hook-shaped retaining portion.

In 5 a reversal of the construction in 1 is shown, in which the hook-shaped retaining portion is divided, like 4, formtwo retaining portions G, which inclose the s mem er B insteadof being in close thereby. In both Figs. 4 and5 the retaining portions E and G form the stationary resistant member of v-shapedform.

body member, B is the spring member, and

member.

Figs. 4 and 5 are. provided with thumb-pieces B and Fig. 5 also has the angular retaining portion B on the spring member B, which is situated close to the loop A to form a strong prlng l In ig. 6 the spring member B'lIlClOSGS the with the slot or recess D, into which the re-- taining-hook C projects. In this instance the fastening device 1s arranged upright upon the support instead of horizontally.

The various figures illustrate a fastening device or spring terminal-clip having its opposed members so disposed as to be normally separated, but which must be pressed together to receive the terminal of an electrical conductor between them, so that each member in a sense acts as a resistant member, tending to overcome the action of the other The spring or resistant action of the two members is opposed when a terminal conductor is situated between them and in position to be secured therein. The two opposed members A and B may have a horizontal relation, as shown in some of the figures, or a vertical relation, as shown in other figures, and they may be constructed of any suitable material-as, for instance, sheet metal.

The various constructions shown are those which I consider the best. I, however, do not limit myself to such constructions or any other similar constructions, provided that the opposing members are normally separated and act to exert a pressure upon each side of a terminal conductor when introduced between them. It will be observed that the clip is adapted to receive various sizes of terminal conductors and that the conductor is held not only by the resilienc of both members acting in opposition or t e resiliency of one member acting in op osition to the resistant member, but also y the friction between the terminal .conductorand the members with which it is in contact.

According to this invention the resilient metal is looped on itself to form a springand has one end bent in a reverse direction to the loop to form with the bend of the loop an angular retaining portion, while afree-ended resistant portion projects from the opposite end of the loop toward the a larretaining portion. The apex of the hoo shaped wireretaining portion projects toward the opposite member, and the wire is adapted to be held in the apex of the hook. The outer end of the resistant member is free, thereby forming an open hook.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a flat body member of metallic ribbon having substantially greater Width than thickness and adapted to lie upon a base and be fastened thereto, an opposing s-pring member of flat metallic ribbon situated op osite and normally separated from said body member, and a resistant member adapted to lie between said members and bent intermediate its length to form an angular wireengaging portion, the apex of which projects toward one member and 1s adapted to coact with said member to clamp a conductor in defined position therein.

2. A fastenin device for electrical conductors formed om a single piece of fiat resilient metallic ribbon having substantially greater width than thickness and comprismg a fiat body member, adapted to lie upon a base and be fastened thereto, an opposing spring member situated opposite and normally separated from said body member, one of said members being provided with a resistant member bent intermediate its length to form an angulanwire-engaging portion,

the apex of which projects toward the oppo-'- site member to clam a conductor in defined osition therein, w en said members; are orced into' operative relationship.

3. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprismg a piece of resilient metal looped on itself to form a spring and having one end bent in a reverse direction to the loop to form with the bend of the loop an anular wire-engaging portion, and a stationary ee-ended resistant portion located at the opposite end of the loop and projecting to- .ward the angular engaging POI'lZlOIf, whereby when the spring is forced toward the resistant portion a conductor may be inserted between the resistant and engaging portlons and be firmly ripped in defined position by the retractive orce of the spring- 4. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprisin a body member and a sprin member, one 0 said members being slotte centrall to form a ro'ecting hoo ton e ada ted to coact wit the opposite mem er to c amp a conductor.

5. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprisin a body'member and a spring member, one 0 said members being slotted centrally to form a projecting resistant mem- I metal and adapted tocoact with the oppomember, one said members being two 0 posing-normall separated members,

' clamp-a conductor when said. members are forced into operative relationship.

over andadapted to mclose the apex of the resistant member.

'tors formed from a s' le piece of flat resilimember, one of said members being provided with a hook-tongue cut out of the body of the site member to clam a'conducton 7. A fastening device for electrical conductors, compr' a body member and a sp provide with a resistant member cut out 0 the body of the metal, and ada ted to coact with the opposite member to camp a conductor.

8. A fastening device-for electrical conductors, com ris' a body member of flat metallic. ribgon fiaving substantially greater width than thickness and, adapted tobe secured to a support, a stationary resistant member-lbent intermediateits lengthhto form an a' rat wire-e ortion, t e'a ex of whl dh projectsl ggi a r diy from the b dy member, and is-adapted to eng e a conductor, and an opposingspring mem er situated 9. A fastening device for electrical conducent metallic I ribbon avmg substantially greater width than thickness and comprising one 0 said members eing provided with a V-shaped lportion projecting toward the opposite mem er and adapted-to coact with said opposite member to firmly 10. A fastening device for electrical conductors formed from a single piece of resilient metal and comprising two op ing normally; separated members provided v ith acute-am ,angular portions and firmly .mg its outer end free,

gled portions projecting toward eachother,withtheanglesinproximitysothat when the members are forced together a conductor may be inserted in the angles of the gripped in defined osition therein by the retractive force I I of at east one member. I

11. A fastening device for electrical con- .ductors comprising a single piece of resilient metal having normally'separated opposing members, one being provided with an .mwardlyroject" acuteportion projecting toward the led wire-engagingportion and t e other wit ahook-shaped' .wherebywhen the members are forced to- Eether a conductor may be inserted in said ook-shapd engaging portion, and firmly gripped in definedposition therein by'the ietractive force of at least one of the mem.

ers.

12. A faste device for electrical coliductors formed 0 a single piece of resilient metal, comprising 'a body member, a stationary hook-s aped resistant member proLect ing upward from the bod member and avereby forming an open hook, and an oppos' spring member projecting upwardly from t e ody member at the forward end of the body member, then downwardly toward, the resistant member and in proximity thereto, then upwardly away from the body member.

' In testimony whereof I aflix m in the presence of two witnesses.- JOHN'SCHADE, JR,

signature Witnesses:

. Emmsr B. Fumns'rocx, Jomr Scams.

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