Flexible connector for aerials or the like

July 12, 1960

B. E. DAGGETT

2,945,084

FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR FOR AERIALS OR THE LIKE

Filed Jan. 24, 1958

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INVENTOR.

BILLY E. DAGGETT

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PATENT AGENT

United States Patent Office

2,945,084

Patented July 12, 1960

2,945,084

FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR FOR AERIALS OR THE LIKE

Billy E. Daggett, Campbell, Calif., assignor of fifty percent to Donal C. Weaver, San Jose, Calif.

Filed Jan. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 711,018

Claims. (Cl. 174—86)

The present invention relates to connecting devices, and more particularly, to flexible connectors for radio aerials or the like wherein both mechanical and electrical connection must be established.

Various connectors have been designed to provide either mechanical or electrical connection between two elements. Furthermore, certain of the mechanical connectors include some form of resilient member which makes the juncture a flexible one. However, if both electrical and mechanical connection are to be made between two adjoining elements, severe difficulties are encountered if the joint is to be made flexible; particularly, it is difficult to maintain good electrical contact through the connector yet permit the desired pivotal or other relative motion between the two connected elements.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a flexible connector for two elements, such as two sections of a radio aerial, where both good mechanical and electrical connection must be established and maintained over a prolonged period of time.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a connector of this general character which can be easily assembled to the elements or sections to be joined without the utilization of soldering or other techniques conventionally employed in obtaining good electrical connection.

Additionally, it is a feature to provide a flexible connector which is easily disconnected when required, but is not subject to accidental release under normal conditions.

An additional feature relates to the simplicity and consequent inexpensiveness of the connector, the same employing a minimum number of readily fabricated elements.

A further feature relates to the design and fabrication of the flexible connector so that the same presents an esthetically desirable appearance and is resistant to wear and environmental conditions wherefore both its appearance and utility are maintainable over a prolonged period of time.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from a perusal of the following description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 constitutes an elevational view of a conventional radio aerial having sections thereof joined by a flexible connector embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the flexible connector shown in Fig. 1 with portions thereof broken away to illustrate interior details of construction,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3—3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 5 is another view similar to Fig. 2 showing yet a further modification.

Generally, a structure embodying the present invention includes means for connecting the adjoining sections of a structure in a manner such that relative pivoting there15 between can be attained. To maintain the joined sections in a desired relative disposition, yet permit the relative pivoting thereof, spring means of an appropriate shape and configuration are provided.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the flexible connector, generally indicated at 10, is arranged to join two sections Αχ and A₂ of a radio aerial A of the telescopic type found conventionally on automobiles. As there shown, the lower section Αχ of the aerial is secured at its lowermost end to the body B of an automobile by a conventional rigid support that holds the lower section Αχ of the aerial in substantially a vertical position. Preferably, as shown, this lower section Αχ of the aerial is relatively short and the connector 10 is arranged to support the upper section A₂ of the aerial resiliently in vertical alignment thereabove. Thus, the telescopic portions of the upper section A₂ of the aerial can be withdrawn within one another in the normal fashion.

With added reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the aerial sections Αχ and A₂ adjacent the connector 10 constitute hollow tubes of like diameter. Into the upper tube section, A₂, the barbed end 12 of a brass conductor 14 is inserted, the dimensions of the barbed end 12 being such that a pressed fit within the tube is obtained upon such insertion. The amount of such insertion is limited by engagement of the end of the tubular section A₂ with a flange 16 on the conductor 14. The other end of the described conductor 14 is formed in the shape of a protruding ball 18 that is arranged to enter a complementary socket 20 formed at one end of a second conductor 22 wherefore a ball and socket joint, generally indicated at 24 is provided. This second conductor 22 is otherwise substantially identical in structure to that described immediately above, having a barbed, end 26 pressed into the interior of the other tubular section Αχ and limited in such insertion by a laterally-projecting flange 28. The described ball 18 and socket 20 are closely dimensioned so that a universal pivotal connection and electrical continuity are established therebetween. In order to bring the ball 18 into its pivotal engagement within the socket 20, the latter is open at one side, as best illustrated at 20α in Fig, 3. The formed juncture thus cannot be broken by an axial pull but can only be released through relative lateral motion of the two conductors 14 and 22 attached respectively to the aerial sections, A₂ and Αχ.

In order to hold the aerial sections Αχ and A₂ against such lateral movement, and more particularly, to hold them in axial alignment, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a coil spring 30 is arranged to embrace both sections Αχ and A₂ adjacent their pivotally-connected ends. Preferably, such spring 30 is of regular helical configuration and is formed from rectangular stock so that flat engagement is maintained with the outer surfaces of the tubular sections. Thus, while the spring 30 can be moved axially of the aerial sections Αχ and A₂ with the application of sufficient force, it is normally held frictionally against such movement, and the disposition of the spring in bridging relation over the ball and socket joint 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will be maintained unless considerable external force is applied thereto. As long as the spring 30 is maintained in its position, as illustrated, the tubular aerial sections Αχ and A₂ will be maintained in alignment and the ball and socket joint 24 will be held against disconnection. Preferably, the spring 30 is formed from spring steel so that it, like the previously described brass conductors 14 and 22, is capable of carrying electrical currents. Furthermore, the spring is preferably plated with chromium or other weather resistant conductive metal so that the conductivity of the spring and its in2,945,084 engagement with the aerial sections to secure the same together, as desired.

Yet a further modification of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the mating brass conductors shown in 5 either of the first two embodiments of the invention are replaced by a single, conductive ball 60 that is arranged for disposition between the two tubular aerial sections Αχ and A₂. The diameter of the ball 60 is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the tubes so that pressed 10 engagement of the ends of the tubes against slightly spaced portions of the ball is established, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The ball 60 can thus conduct radio-frequency current from one aerial section to the other and also provides a universal pivotal connection therebetween, 15 wherefore, the upper aerial section A2 can bent relative to the lower section Αχ without breaking the desired electrical contact. A coil spring 62 surrounds the aerial sections Αχ and A₂ and is provided at its ends with collars 64, 66 in the same fashion as the previously 20 described embodiment of the invention so that set screws 68, 70 may be turned through radial openings in such collars into engagement with the tubular sections to maintain the desired contact with the interposed ball 60.

Yet other alterations and/or modifications can ob25 viously be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention are to be considered as purely exemplary and not in a limiting sense; and the actual scope of the invention is to be indicated by fefer30 ence to the appended claims.