US2006794A - Wire and cable connecter and terminal - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1935. P. DAVIDSON 2,006,794

WIRE AND CABLE CONNECTER AND TERMINAL Filed March 28, 1933 Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES WIRE AND CABLE CONNECTER AND TERMIN Philip Davidson, Waterbury, Conn.

Application March 28, 1933, Serial No. 663,219

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wire and cable connecters and terminals.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a wire and cable connecter and terminal wherein the connecter device or terminal is in the nature of a solderless connection and comprises screw thread adjusted members providing a clamping retention means for wires or cables 19 to be connected to the terminal end of a cable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire and cable connecter and terminal of the foregoing character constructed and arranged to produce a clamping action in the nature of a strut resilient lock washer for securely fastening overlapping wires or a cable terminal in position in the connecter or terminal. When tightened, this resilient lock washer type of construction keeps the device from loosening when sub- 39 jected to vibration.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wire and cable connecter and terminal of such construction that a special wrench is required in order to tighten or loosen it, hence it cannot be easily tampered with except by one possessing the necessary special tool.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists 30 in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wire or 35 cable receiving frame part of the connecter showing the opposed internally threaded arcuate guide legs;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the compressor or wire engaging part of the connecter 40 to be received on the frame legs and carrying the conveyor screw;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the conveyor screw removed from the clamping device;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the frame 45 and clamping device in assembled relation;

Figure 5 is an inverted perspective view of the compressor or clamping member with the conveyorscrew removed and showing the oppositely disposed spring lugs for retaining the conveyor 5 screw assembled therewith and for exerting a spring action;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of connecter frame wherein the polygonal head is removed and the sides of the legs flattened to 65 provide wrench grips;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the assembled clamping device and conveyor screw engaged. with the frame shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing overlapped wires clampingly retained in the connecter;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the connecter modified to provide a cable terminal with a cable end anchored therein;

Figure 10 is an inverted perspective view of the cable terminal shown in Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a wrench employed for operating the conveyer screw for the clamping device.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing and particularly to Figures 1 to 5, there is illustrated a wire connecter for anchoring cables or wires as in electrical or other connections, the connecter including a wire receiving frame part having a polygonal head IS with a U-shaped member projecting therefrom having diametrically opposite concentric and arcuate legs l6 providing longitudinally extending side openings or slots l1 and being internally threaded as at III, the connecting portion between the inner ends of the legs being transversely curved as at N on an arc to provide intimate contact with a round or other curved wire.

A clamping device carrying a conveyor screw therefor is engaged with the frame part comprising the arcuate legs l6 and as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the clamping device includes a cupshaped member having an annular skirt flange 20 with the end wall 2| thereof centrally cut away to provide a relatively large circular opening 22 and further cut away to provide a pair of diametrically opposite arcuate slots 23. The free edge of the skirt flange 20 carries a pair of diametrically opposite inwardly directed spring lugs 24 overlying the open side of the cup-shaped clamping device and respectively disposed between adjacent ends of the arcuate slots 23. The threaded screw 25 shown in detail in Figure 3 is provided with a central key receiving polygonal opening 26 therein that may extend completely therethrough and is adapted to be confined within the cup-shaped member by the remaining portion of the end wall 2| and the inwardly directed spring lugs 24.

To attach the clamping device shown in Figure 2 with the frame part shown in Figure 1, the free ends of the arcuate legs l6 are aligned with the arcuate slots 23 in the clamping device and upon rotation of the conveyor screw 25, the threads thereof engage with the threads I 8 of the legs I. for moving the cup-shaped member of the clamping device either downwardly or upwardly upon the legs II as shown in Figure 4.

' The wrench 21 shown in Figure 11 is inserted in the key opening of the screw II for feeding the screw and cup-shaped member downwardly upon the legs Ii for moving the spring lugs 24 into binding engagement with wire ends inserted in the lower end of the slotted openings II. The lugs 24 of the cup-shaped member extending through the slots I! prevent rotation of the cupshaped member upon the frame member comprising the legs Ii, but permit feeding movement of the cup-shaped member toward the closed ends of the slots I! for clamping engagement with the wire ends, and the legs li extending to the arcuate slots 23 also prevent rotation of the cupshaped member. When the-spring lugs 24 are engaged with the wire ends, the relation between the cup-shaped member and the screw 25 is similar to a split lock washer and nut occasioned by the threaded engagement of the screw 2! with the threads ii upon the legs Ii and the engagement of the screw with the inner sides of the spring lugs II. This cooperation between the parts prevents relative movement in the presence of vibration or the like so that the wire ends are securely retained in the connecter without the use of solder or the like. The polygonal head ll upon one end of the frame member permits the application thereto of a suitable wrench to hold the frame member against rotation while the key 21 is employed for feeding the screw 25 and cup-shaped clamping member downwardly upon the legs II. By reversing the direction of the conveyer screw 25, the top of it presses against the underside of the top wall II of the clamping device which travels upwardly and releases the binding engagement with the wires.

In the form of connecter shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the head Ii of the frame part shown in Figure 1 has been eliminated while the lower ends of the arcuate legs I in have flattened surfaces II to provide a wrench grip. The cross wall at the inner ends of the slots lie is roughened or serrated as at lia to increase grip on the cables C, the construction of the connecter otherwise remaining the same as the form illustrated in Figures l to 5.

A cable terminal .s illustrated in Figures 9 and 10'and includes a mounting plate 29 having a cupshaped member similar to the form shown in Figures 2 and 5 integral with one end thereof, the same including an annular skirt flange Ila depending from one end of the plate 29 and having an end wall Ila provided with arcuate slots 23a for the passage of the arcuate legs 16b of the U-shaped cable receiving frame, the opposed faces of the legs lib being threaded while opposite sides of the legs at their lower ends are flattened as at Ila to provide a wrench grip. The conveyer screw 254 with the polygonal key receiving opening Iia therein is received in the skirt flange "a. and confined at one end by the end wall Ila and confined at its other end by the lugs 24a and 30 respectively carried by the skirt flange 20a and the mounting plate 29 with the lugs extending into the slots between adjacent side edges of the legs lib and overlying the screw 25a. The cable C has one end inserted between the legs lib and the bottom wall 2la carried by the flange 20a. Upon operation of the conveyor screw Iia, the cable C is clamped between the bottom wall lie of the flange member at the end of the plate 29 and the bottom of the U-shaped frame comprising the legs lib. The plate 29 is provided with an opening 290 to facilitate mounting thereof upon a support or the like'with the free ends of the legs lib adjacent the support so that the conveyor screw 25a is hidden from view and protected when the terminal is in mounted position so that access thereto for tampering is prevented.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood, that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

In a connecter for wires and cables, a U-shaped frame comprising opposite arcuately curved in ternally threaded legs and a clamping member and screw assembly mounted on the legs, the screw being rotatably conflned within the clamping member and the clamping member being slidable on the legs and the screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads of the legs, the clamping member having an end wall with arcuate slots therein for the passage of the legs, and inwardly directed spring lugs at the other end of the clamping member extending be- ,tween the legs and cooperating with the end wall for holding the screw rotatably confined within the clamping member.

PHILIP DAVIDSON.

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