Electrical connector

Oct. 10, 1939.

2,175,759

1936

HlG.E·

c. G. OLSON

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Filed Nov. 12,

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Patented Oct. 10, 1939

2,175,759

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,175.759

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Carl G. Olson, Chicago: Hl., assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois

Application November 12,1936, Serial No. 110,524

Claims. (Cl. 173—269)

This invention relates to an electrical connector alternatively known as an electrical terminal for use with an electrical conductor or the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an 5 electrical connector of the type adapted to accommodate the end of an electrical .cable and which will engage the cable and also a mating connector on an electrical device, wherein the said connector is provided with means clampingly 10 to make contact with the conductor.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector of the type having arms adapted to extend along the surface of an electrical conductor and expandingly engage a 15 mating electrical, terminal into which it is positioned, wherein the connector is provided with means to enclose the end of the conducting portion of the cable and cantingly resist withdrawal thereof.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and drawing which disclose a few devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a distributor cap showing the method of arrangement of the connectors associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation taken on the line 2—2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the connector cable assembly shown in Figure 2, the view being taken from a position 90 degrees removed;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank suitable for making the connector shown, in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a connector made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the connector showing it assembled in operative relationship with tiie end of a cable;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the connector taken on a central plane transversely to the plane of Figure 5;

Figure 8 Is a top view of the connector;

Figure 9 is a bottom view of the connector 45 shown in Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section showing an alternative embodiment; and

Figure 11 is a bottom view of the connector shown in Figure 10.

(0 The present device is designed to be applied to the end of an electrical wire or cable for the purpose of making electrical contact between the conducting portion of said wire or cable and any suitable electrical fixture with which it is desired I to be connected.

The present embodiment is disclosed for illustrative purposes in connection with a distributor cap (0 (see Figure 1) wherein spark plug wires or cables 12 and the cable 14 from'a high tension source l£ad directly into· upstanding tubular 5 sleeves i 6 which are formed integrally with the body of the distributor cap from any suitable artificial or natural mouldable material having the requisite dielectric and insulating qualities. The sleeves are formed on the lower portion of their 10 inner walls with cup-shaped inserts 18 of conducting metal which forms a continuation of the distributor contact 20 and may be moulded into the plastic insulating material composing the sleeves 16 and the remainder of the distributor 15 cap in the conventional manner. The metallic cup-shaped member 18 has a continuous outwardly bent portion 22 forming an inner, annular depression for the purpose of engaging an electrical terminal. 20

The electrical connector may be formed of a sheet of metal preferably brass, copper or some other suitable conductor of electricity and is first stamped to the form shown in Figure 4, being provided with a central rectangular aperture 24 25 having longitudinally extending edges 25, and four radially extending arms 26 and 28, two of the opposite arms 26 being rounded at their extremities while the remaining pair of arms 28 are provided at their ends with narrow extensions 30 having pointed, arrow-shaped tips 30.

The blank is then stamped or otherwise formed into the shape shown in Figures 5 and 7, wherein the extending arms 26 and 28 are bent in a generally upward direction and are at the same time 35 curved in their upstanding plane to match the cylindrical external surface of the cable or wire with which the electrical terminal is intended to be employed. The arms are, moreover, provided with depressed portions 32 and 34 across the sur- 40 face thereof to form a broken replica of an outside annular or circumferential bead. The bottom portion 34 of the terminal is generally of curved or hemispherical shape, but is provided with a transverse depression or slot 36, the base 45 of the slot being adjacent the plane of the base portion of the terminal. The edges 25 of the aperture 24 are extruded or deformed downwardly to form generally parallel wall portions which are at the same time relatively short. so

The pointed or sharpened extensions 30 on arms 28 are then bent inwardly, as shown in Figure 5, to form opposed barbs. The arms 26 and 28, and the latter in particular, are purposely bent to a position just short of vertical, as shown in gg

2,175,789 the figure, for the purpose of permitting the insertion therebetween of the insulated wire 12.

In use, the spark plug cable 12 is stripped of insulation for a short distance from the end leav5 ing uncovered a short portion of the conductor 38. The end of the wire is then inserted between the arms 26 and 28 to a point where the exposed portion of the conductor 38 extends through the aperture 24 and the end of the wire covering or 10 insulation 40 is limited by abutment with the bottom of the connector. The arms 26 and 28 are then pressed inwardly until the pointed sections 30 engage and pierce the sides of the cable, as shown in Figure 9. At the same time, the 15 downwardly projecting edges 25 of the aperture 24 may be squeezed together to securely and clampingly engage the portion 38 of the conductor. If desired, the pointed portions 30 may be coincidentally forced into position, with the 20 clamping of the edges 25 around the end of the wire 38 by means of a clamping tool adapted to perform both functions. Having thus affixed the terminal to the cable and provided electrical connection between the conductor and connector, 25 the latter member may be inserted into the cupshaped connector 18, as shown in Figure 2, whereupon the curved beaded portions 32 and 34 will engage in the annular depression 22 formed in the member 18, and the natural resiliency of the 30 metal will normally cause the beaded portions 32 to removably engage the said annular depression 22 resiliently with an outwardly directed force so that the terminal will be normally held in place but may be readily removed by a forceful 35 pull of the cable.

The sides of the cup-shaped connector 18, however, will serve to restrain the arms in position adjacent the cylindrical surface of the electrical wire 12 and also maintain the barbs or pointed 40 portions in engagement with the insulating covering, thus effectively maintaining jointure of the wire and the terminal.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11, the connector is similarly formed 45 from a metallic blank, the extending arms 42 and 43 being bent upwardly and being formed with prongs or beads, as described above, to define a generally cylindrical'structure. The end portion 44 of the connector is generally flat and 50 has an aperture 46 with opposed downwardly bent sides 48. In use, the wire cable is inserted in generally the same manner, as described above, and after positioning the end of the conductor 38 in the opening 46, the side walls 48 may be com55 pressed or pinched together in engagement therewith.

In the structures disclosed, the tip of the conductor engaged by the connector may be soldered thereto if desired. However, for most purposes 60 the compressive engagement with the base portion of the connector described above will be sufficient to maintain it in position and to provide proper electric conductivity.

The connector will additionally be maintained 65 in engagement with the walls 25 or 48 by virtue of their inclination from the vertical. Thus, upon any unauthorized attempt to withdraw the conductor 38 from the connector, the edges 25 or 48 would be forcefully drawn together and 70 exert a strutting action, thus increasingly clamp ing the conductor in the position shown. If a metal of sufficient resiliency is employed, the opposed edges of the openings 25 or 46 may be formed so as normally to be separated by a distance less than the diameter of the conductor, g Consequently, when assembling the connector with relationship to an electrical cable, the conductor is forced between the above edges spreading them apart as it enters. They will thus resiliently engage and make electrical contact with io the conductor, their mutual convergence causing them to grasp the conductor with greater vigor, upon the incidence of any force tending to withdraw it therefrom.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of 20 the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.