US2547225A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

April 1951 F. w. MEBOLD 2,547,225

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed May 3, 1946 lNmFA/fme' FREDERICK W. MEBOLD 'FIG.7. FIG.8. 5

14 7- TQRNE Patented Apr. 3, 1951 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Frederick W. Mebold, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application May 3, 1946, Serial No. 666,856

This invention relates generally to connectors adapted for use'in mechanically and electrically connecting electrical conductors and other elements, and more specifically to the type'of connector which is employed extensively in the construction, extension, and repair of electrical systems of various kinds, such as telephone, telegraph, light, and power systems, and which includes a longitudinally slotted, bolt-like member with which is cooperatively associated a nut and washer assembly movable screwthreadedly on said bolt 50 that wires, or other elements, may be mechanically and electrically clamped between the washer and a portion of the bolt, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a wire connector of this type which includes resilient means adapted to insure application of sumcient pressure against the elements clamped by the connector to produce the desired perfect electrical contact at all times between 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-124) said elements being clamped andparts of the nector which includes as an integral part thereof resilient means that is adapted to exert positive spring pressure against the clamped elements at all times during use of the connector. Because of this arrangement positive electrical contact is provided between elements connected by the connector when the nut of the connector is drawn up tight, and this positive electrical contact between the clamped elements is maintained by the resilient means of the connector if for any reason any looseness of the connector develops.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved connector of the present invention, with parts thereof shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the washer of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,

and 3. a

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

2 Fig. 7 is a'plan view of another modified form of the washer of the connector illustrated in Figs.

1, 2, and 3. Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8:l of Fig. '7.

In the drawings, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely, several embodiments of the invention, A designates in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the improved connector generally. The connector A of the view mentioned includes a bolt I which is provided with a slot Z that extends longitudinally of the bolt, said slot being open at one end of the shank portion of the bolt and at its opposite end terminating in a: wire seat 3 which is located at the inner portion of the head of the bolt. The spaced apart legs I of the bolt I are screwthreaded on their outer curved faces,

and mounted on said spaced legs isan assembly ,4 that includes a nut 5 ends. washer 6.

The nut 5 and the washer t are permanently associated with each other in such manner that the nutmay rotate relative to the washer. The

washer comprises an annular portion 6a which surrounds the spaced legs of the bolt 9, the outer marginal portion of said annular portion providing an annular skirt portion which bears edgewise upon the upper face of the nut 5 (see portions of Fig. 1 which are in section) The washer includes also a relatively narrow bridge portion 62) which extends transversely of the washer and the presence of this bridge portion provides the washer with segmental openings .60 through which the correspondingly shaped legs I of the bolt I pass. The washer is provided with a pair of fingers 611 which are extended from the skirt portion of the washer at points adjacentto the opposite ends of the bridge portion, these fingers being extended initially inwardly and then downwardly through the bore of the nut. The free ends of the finger 6d are bent outwardly so that they underlie the lower face of the nut 5 and maintain the nut and washer in such assembled relation as to permit the nut to rotate about the screwthreaded bolt shank while the washer moves in a non-rotatable manner longitudinally of the bolt shank, the bridge portion 612 of the washer 6 moving longitudinally of and within the slot 2 of said bolt l r The features of construction of the connector of the present invention which dififerentiate the connector of the present invention from connectors of the same general type heretofore known has to do with construction and arrangement of the bridge portion 6b of the washer 6 of the connector A, and the material of which said washer is made. In other words, the washer 6 of washer 6 and the inwardly extended, upper por- I tions 66 of the fingers 6d of said washer, said spaces I, and the other features of construction ,referred to above, serving functions to be hereinafter set forth.

In the use of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the connector A is arranged so that the wires W, or other elements to be connected,

pass through the upper portion of the slot 2 of the bolt I of the connector. The nut and washer assembly 6 is then screwed upwardly on the shank portion of the bolt 1 to clamp the wires W between the wire seat 3 of the bolt and the resilient and bowed bridge portion 6?) of the washer 6.

The nut and washer assembly 6 is screwednpwardly relative to the bolt shank a sufficient distance to place the resilient bridge portion of the washer under considerable spring tension and this will cause the wires W to be forced together with such pressure that positive electrical contact is obtained between the wires themselves and between the upper wire and the wire seat 3-.

It is obvious, that in the use of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the tendency of the connector to become loose due to vibration of the wires, or for any otherreason, is eliminated, as the resilient bridge portion 6?) of the washer 6 takes up any looseness that may develop by continuing to force the wires W into close contact with each other and with the wire seat 3. As to the spaces "l between the opposite end portions of the bridge portion 61) and the inwardly extended, upper portions 66 of the fingers 6d of the washer 6, it is pointed out that these spaces provide for free resilient movement of the bridge portion of the washer throughout its entire length.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 a form of washer 8 is illustrated which is constructed in accordance with the washer shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, except that the transverse bridge portion 8a of Figs. 4, 5, and

4 connector shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, as previously explained herein.

In Figs. '7 and 8 a Washer I0 is illustrated which is provided with a transverse bridge portion that is made up of a pair of bowed, inwardly extended bridge portion extensions Illa and H12). The sections Illa and 19b of the bridge portion of the washer shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are so related to each other that they combine to provide the washer H) with an upwardly bowed bridge portion that functions in the same manner as the bridge portion of the washer 6 of the connector A illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

I claim:

A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank .portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nutand washer assembly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt,

' said nut being arranged to move said washer longitudinally of said bolt in a straight-line nonrotatable manner as the nut is screwed longitudina-lly of the bolt so asto clamp one or more eie" mentsbetween said washer and a .partof said bolt, said washer being inherentlyresilient' and said washer being provided with an integral bridge portion that extends through the space between said spaced shank portions of said bolt and is bowed upwardly and is adapted to contact with an element clamped by the connector so as to exert spring pressure thereagainst, said bowed bridge portion being comprised of a pair of arou-v ate elements having adjacently located free end portions, and means for retaining said washer in such assembled relation with respect to its associated nut that said nut may rotate relative to said washer.

FREDERICK W. MEBOLD. 7

REFERENCES DITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 1,873,559 Dibner Aug. 23, 1932 1,943,677 Kearney Jan. 16, 1934 2,062,882 Heinrich ec. l, 1936 2,164,075 ORussa June 27, 1939 2,262,312 Rogoff Nov. 11, 1941 2,471,957 Hubbard Mar. 31, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 522,747 Great Britain June '26, 1940

Images