US3046517A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1962 c. J. LoRl-:Do

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed OCT.. 7, 1959 Fig.

Cyril J. Laredo INVENTOR.

9 BY @Amm d/wy M,

y 3,046,517 Patented July 24, .1962

3,046,517 ELECTRICAL CNNECTOR Cyril J. Loretlo, 6944 20th St., Rio Linda, Calif. Filed Oct. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 844,713

7 Claims. (Cl.'339255) This invention relates generally to electrical equipment and more particularly to means for electrically connecting terminals to components or for splicingan electrical conductor or such.

Generally, when wiring terminals to electrical components, a screw and lock washer is utilized. When employing a screw and washer in inaccessible areas, the procedure is extremely tedious and time-consuming, resulting in an excess expenditure of labor. In view of this, it is thought that if means could be developed for enabling terminals to be electrically connected with a minimum of effort, time and labor could be saved.

Accordingly, it is the principal lobject of this invention to provide electrical connector means for replacing conventional means and for enabling terminals to be properly electrically joined with a minimum of effort.

|It -is a further object of the invention to provide novel electrical connector means which are inexpensive to manufacture and utilize, and which assure proper electrical connection between conductors and components.

'It isa still further object of this invention to provide novel electrical connector means which include a male and female member. The female member defines a shell hav- Y ing a cylindrical shell portion and a conical shell portion formed integral therewith. Communicating entrance ways are provided in the cylindrical and conical shell portions )and a male member is receivable through the entrance ways. The male member has a cylindrical body portion land a conical body portion. A spring is disposed between the cylindrical body portion and a hat surface closing the cylindrical shell portion remote from the conical shell portion. The spring urges the male member Vaway from the flat closure surface and toward the conical shell portion so that good electrical engagement is assured between the conical body portion and conical shell portion. An aperture may be provided in the cylindrical Ibody portion for receiving a tool for' providing leverage in order that the spring may be compressed.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide novel electrical connector means which may be utilized in the formation of a splice which cannot be pulled apart as ordinary plug and socket connections. In order to properly form a splice, a female member is provided having conical shell portions on either end of a cylindrical shell portion. Male members carried by conductor ends are received in the female member with conical body portions on the male member electrically engaged with the conical shell portion. Springs are 'also provided in this instance for urging the conical body portion into engagement with the conical shell portion.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and oper-ation 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 l is a perspective view of afemale connector member which is adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical component receiving ia male connecting member secured to a conductor therein; v

FIGURE 2 is la vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the male and female connector members spaced from each other;

. FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane 4-4 of FIGURE 2; yand FIGURE 5 -is a perspective view of a connector which may be utilized forthe purpose of splicing an electricalk conductor.

With continuing reference to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally indicates the electric-al connector means forming thek subject matter lof this invention and including a female member 12 and male member 14.

The female member 12 includes a cylindrical shell portion 1'6 having an upper section 18 and `a lower section 20. The upper `section 18 of the cylindrical shell portion defines la circumferential surface extending through 360 while the lower section Z0 of the cylindrical shell portion defines a circumferential surface extending through `approximately 180. Formed integral with the cylindrical shell portion 16 is a conical shell portion 22 extending toward ian apex remote from the cylindrical shell portion 16. The conical shell portion 22 has a circumferential surface extending through approximately 270. Therefore, it will be appreciated that shoulder portions 24 lare formed between the lower section of the cylindrical shell portion and the upper :surface of the conical shell portion 22. The 180 cut-out portion lof the lower section of the cylindrical shell portion forms an entrance way in communication with the entrance way formed by the approximate cut-out in the conical shell portion. A top surface 26 is at and closes the cylindrical shell portion 16. A flange 28 is formed integral with the ilat surface 26 and denes fan |aperture 30 therein for receiving ascrew 32 for securing the female member 12 to a base 34 and `an electrical component. In order to electrically connect a wife to the female member 12 or rather to the electrical component `connected to the member 12, the male mem-ber 14 is provided. k

The male connector member 14 includes a cylindrical body portion 36 and a conical body portion 38 formed integral therewith with the yapex of the conical body portion extending away from the cylindricalbody portion;

An outwardly flared boss 40 is formed on the top surface l stake-on tool in general use.

\In lorder to electrically connect the conductor 46 to the y components electrically connected to the female member 12, the spring 42 is compressed so that the cylindrical body portion 36 may be extended through the entrance way formed in the lower section 20 formed in the cylindrical shell portion 16 of the female member 12. Likewise, it will be seen that the conical body portion 38 passes through the entrance way dened in the conical shell portion 22. With the body portions received in the shell portions, the spring 42 may be released or extended so that it bears-against the flat surface 26 to urge the conical body portion 38 downwardly into good electrical engagement with the conical shell portion 22. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the connector members 12 and 14 may be easily and eiiiciently connected without the utilization of screws and lock washers. I-n `order to aid the removal and insertion of the male member 14 into the female member 12, an aperture 50 is provided extending through the cylindrical body portion 36 of the male memberV 14. The aperture 50 is adapted to receive a hand tool for providing a leverage so that the cylindrical body portion 36 may be forced upwardly to compress the spring 42 in order to remove the male member 14 from the female member 12. It will be appreciated that the concept of the invention will function properly regardless of the material utilized, as long as clean conductive metals are employed.

When expanded, the total length of the spring 42 and cylindrical body portion 36 exceeds the length of the cylindrical shell portion 16. However, when compressed, the spring 42 and cylindrical body portion 36, have a length less than the lower cylindrical shell portion 20.

in order to utilize the connector means for splicing purposes, attention is particularly called to FIGURE 5. Assume that the conductors 60 and 62 are to be spliced. Male members 14 are electrically connected to the free 4ends of each. A modified female member 64 is provided including a central cylindrical shell portion 66 and a pair of conical shell portions 68 and 70 at either end thereof. Entrance ways similar to that illustrated in connection with FIGURES l through 4 are provided in the connector of FIGURE 5. It will be appreciated that when the male members 14 electrically connected respectively to the conductors 60 and 62 yare received wi-thin the modified female member 64, an electrical connection will be provided therebetween.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that novel electrical connector means have been provided which may be utilized with only slight modifications for all connection situations. The size of the various elements of course may be varied and the materials utilized are subject to choice.

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 loperation 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. Means for making an electrical connection, said means including a male member and a female member, means on each of said members securing said members to conductive elements, said female member defining a shell, said male member receivable in said shell, and resilient means disposed between said members for urging them into good electrical engagement, said shell including a cylindrical shell portion and a conical shell portion formed integral therewith, said male member including a cylindrical body portion and a conical body portion formed integral therewith, said cylindrical body portion received in said cylindrical shell portion, said conical body portion received in said conical shell portion, said resilient means urging said conical portions into engagement with each other, said cylindrical shell portion including an upper section having a circumferential surface extending through 360 and a lower section having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 180 so as to define a cylindrical shell entrance way, said conical shell portion having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 270 so as to define a conical shell entrance way, said entrance ways being in communication with each other.

2. Means for making -an electrical connection, said means including a male member and a female member, means on each of said members securing said members to conductive elements, said female member defining a shell, said male member receivable in said shell, and resilient means disposed between said members for urging them into good electrical engagement, said shell including a cylindrical shell portion and a conical shell portion formed integral therewith, said male member including a cylindrical body portion and a conical body portion formed integral therewith, said cylindrical body portion received in said cylindrical shell portion, said conical body portion received in said conical shell portion, said cylindrical shell portion including an upper section having a circumferential surface extending through 360 and 4a lower section having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 180 so as to define a cylindrical shell entrance way, said conical shell portion having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 270 so as to define `a conical shell entrance way, said entrance ways being in communication with e'ach other, a at surface transversely extending across Ythe top of said cylindrical shell portion remote from said conical shell portion, said resilient means including a spring carried by said cylindrical body portion bearing lagainst said at surface for urging said conical body portion into engagement with said conical shell portion.

3. Means for making an electrical connection, said means including a male member and :a female member, means on each of said members securing said members to conductive elements, said female member defining a shell, said male member receivable in said shell, and resilient means disposed between said members for urging them into good electrical engagement, said shell including a cylindrical shell portion and a conical shell portion formed integral therewith, said male member including a cylindrical body portion and a conical body portion formed integral therewith, said cylindrical body portion eceived in said cylindrical shell portion, said conical body portion received in said conical shell portion, said cylin drical shell portion including an upper section having a circumferential surface extending through 360 and a lower section having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 180 so as to define a cylindrical shell entrance way, said conical shell portion having a circumferential surface extending approximately through 270 so as to `denne a conical shell entrance way, said entrance ways being in communication with each other, an abutment surface transversely extending across the top of said cylindrical shell portion remote from said conical shell portion, said resilient means including a spring carried by said cylindrical body portion bearing against said flat surface for urging said conical body portion into engagement with said conical shell portion, and a generally diametrical passage extending through said cylindrical body portion, one end of the passage being normally exposed in said cylindrical entrance way.

4. Electric splice means comprising a female member and a pair of male members having conductors connected thereto, said female member including a central cylindrical shell portion, and conical shell portions formed on either end thereof, said conical shell portions having surfaces extending more than 180 around their axes, said male members each including a rigid unitary body having a cylindrical body portion and a conical body portion, entrance ways defined in side walls of said female member for receiving said male members therethrough, and resilient means for urging said conical `body portions into engagement with said conical shell portions.

5. A device for making and maintaining an electrical connection between two conductive elements comprising a hollow member with a rigid unitary male member slidable therein, each of said members formed of electrically conductive material, means yon each of said members for securing them to conductors, said hollow member having a wall defining a conical chamber therein, a triangular opening formed in said wall whereby said wall extends around the axis of said conical chamber more than 180, said male member including a conical portion in said chamber having an outer surface of the same shape as said chamber, an abutment on said hollow member spaced from said chamber, power means between said abutment and male member urging the conical surface thereof into conductive engagement with the surface of the conical walls of said chamber, said male member being movable against said power means out of engagement with the chamber wall whereby it may be moved laterally through said opening for Separating it from said hollow member.

6, A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the apex of said chamber communicates with a passageway, one of said conductors extending through said passageway and secured to the apex of said conical portion.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said abutment is connected to the walls of the conical chamber by a part cylindrical member having a circumferential surface extending not more than 180, said cylindricalsurface being coaxial and merging with the conical surface of the chamber Walls.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,206,736 Steinberger Nov. 28, 1916 6` Fortin Mar. 19, 1929 Bell Oct. 31, 1933 Becker May 19, 1936 Wright Dec. 2, 1941 Pergande Sept. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 17, 1951

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