Multiple disconnect junction-terminal bushing

March 29, 1960 f. klumpp, jr 2,931,006

MULTIPLE DISCONNECT JUNCTION-TERMINAL BUSHING

Filed Oct. 16, 1958

Sheets-Sheet 1

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March 29, 1960 f. klumpp, jr 2,931,006

MULTIPLE DISCONNECT JUNCTION-TERMINAL BUSHING

Filed Oct. 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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United States Patent Office

2,931,006

Patented Mar. 29, 1960

2,931,006

MULTIPLE DISCONNECT JUNCTION-TERMINAL BUSHING

Ferdinand Klumpp, Jr., Union, N.J., assignor to Heyman Manufacturing Company

Application October 16, 1958, Serial No. 767,725

Claims. (Cl. 339—-198) )

My invention relates to an improved type of electrical junction-terminal bushing or disconnect strip which is selflocking within a supporting panel or wall whether the panel or wall be straight or curved and to a novel combination of bushing and conductor terminal.

In previous applications where multiple unit bushings were used with curved panels or walls, each bushing molded as a rigid unit had to be formed with a curve corresponding to that of the supporting panel or wall. This required many expensive dies. These units, whether for flat panels or curved panels, were also made in short sections or as single units so that where the number of junction terminals was large, a plurality of short sections could be utilized to form a long line of terminal bushings. This also had to be done to avoid the need of many expensive dies for different lengths of multiple bushings.

It is frequently desirable to be able to use various types of disconnect terminals, for example, solder disconnect terminals, crimp disconnect terminals, and double disconnect terminals. This requires in molded bushings, with the terminals molded in, at least several types of bushings and terminals in stock to provide for various requirements.

Another problem is that of easy assembly of the terminal conductor and the bushing and for providing flexibility of the conductor within the bushing to facilitate attachment to a disconnect terminal on a wire or cord.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved form of electrical junction-terminal bushing of the multiple unit type which may be made of any desired standard length but which can be cut to any desired length.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a terminal bushing which can be supported on flat panels or which can be fitted to any curvature of any curved panel within wide variations of curvature even a multiple curved panel.

A still further object of my invention is to make the terminal bushing self-locking regardless of whether one or more units of the multi-unit panel are used.

A still further object of my invention is to provide such a bushing which can be combined with several different types of disconnect terminals.

In accordance with my invention the multi-unit terminal bushing is molded in long strips of any desired length. Each unit is connected to the adjacent unit by an integrally molded hinge intermediate the ends of the units which preferably have flat sides and are of rectangular cross section, each unit being in the form of an elongated cup. The sides of the cups are preferably tapered toward both ends between the hinged sides and away from the hinge. This permits flexing of the bushing strip in two directions and to any curvature and provides a guide for any cutting tool to sever the hinge to provide the lengths desired.

The bottom of each cup is slotted to receive various types of terminals which can be locked to the bottom of the cup, as will be described.

The sides of the individual units or cups which are not hinged are provided with locking tongues which engage the opposite wall of the supporting panel from the wall engaged by flange elements at one end of the bushing. Slots are formed in the bottom and sides of the 5 cups for providing desirable flexibility for the terminal and for the tongues or fingers.

The detailed description of my invention follows, reference being had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a junction terminal bushing or 10 multiple disconnect strip made according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the strip bushing shown in Figs. 1 and 2 mounted on a curved panel;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of one section or unit of the bushing;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5—5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5a is a partial section of Fig. 4 showing a tongue 20 in unsprung position; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6—6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings (Figs. 1 and 2) the multiple unit disconnect strip or terminal bushing 10 made according to my invention includes a plurality of elongated cup 25 shaped units or sections 11. These units are connected by integral hinges 12. This strip is molded as a single unit to any desired length. The hinges 12 can be readily severed to obtain any length desired.

For a more detailed description of the invention, ref30 erence is made to Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Each of the cupshaped sections or elements 11 is provided at its open end with enlargements or flange elements 15 which provide the shoulders 16. Near the bottom of the ends of the cup-shaped sections 11 are provided the flexible 35 tongue-shaped locking elements 17 which prior to insertion extend outwardly from the body of the cup-shaped elements in a manner described and shown in my previous Patent No. 2,424,757. The tongues are provided with the engaging shoulders 18. Thus, when a strip bushing 40 made according to my invention is inserted into an elongated aperture within a supporting panel, the panel is engaged between shoulders 16 of the flange elements and the shoulders 18 on tongue 17 locking the bushing in place.

The bottom of each cup is provided with a pair of 45 parallel transverse slots 25—25 extending between the opposite walls of the cup. This results in a flexible supporting member 26 in which is formed a slot 27 shorter than the slots 25.

At each end of the slot 27 there are a pair of 50 oppositely disposed retaining walls or elements 30, 31 and 32, 33. These extend past the end of the slot 27 and provide slots 35 and 36 which receive the conductor terminal 40. They insure proper positioning of the terminal 40 when inserted through the slot 27.

The terminal 40 is shaped to have a pair of shoulders 41 which engage the bottom of cup section 11. The outer end in this embodiment shows a loop terminal 43 to which a conductor may be soldered. In practice, any type of disconnect terminal may be inserted into the 50 bushing strip after the bushing is molded. The supporting member 26 can be forced apart at slot 27 to permit entry of the terminal 40 which has the resilient locking tongue 42. This tongue engages the inner surface of the element 26 as shown to lock the terminal in place.

The supporting element can be flexed sufficiently so that when a female connecting terminal is forced into the bushing to make a connection, easy entry is permitted if both connecting elements are not exactly aligned,