US1657253A - Connecter for electric conductors - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1928.

1,657,253 P. R. FORTIN CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed Sept. 10. 1924 Invntor" Paul. R. FortLn b lpw y H'Ls Attorney Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

2 WE STTE GFFEQE.

PAUL R. FORTIN, OF SCHENECTADY. NEW YORK. ASSIGNOB T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATTON OF NEW YORK.

CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

Application filed September 10, 1924. Serial No. 737,001.

The present invention relates to electric conductors, and more especially to connecters or couplings whereby the endof one conductor wire may be electrically and mechanically connected to a second wireor other form of conductor.

In connecting up radio apparatus, test instruments, etc., it is necessary to couple the ends of wires to each other or to other forms of conductors, and, as such connections are not intended to be permanent but to be connected and disconnected frequently, a practical means for making such connections without the use of tools has been long wanted.

The object of my invention is the provision of an improved connecter for electric conductors which shall act automatically to grip a wire end upon its being introduced therein, which shall function positively to retain the connected wire without injury either to itself or to the wire irrespective of the amount of longitudinal stress that may be exerted tending to separate them, and which shall be adapted for ready manual separation of the joined-parts when desired and without employment of tools.

For an understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a wire connecter with one wire tip engaged therewith and a second tip in with drawn position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the several metallic parts of the connecter separated from each other, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a wire connecter designed for mounting in a panel board or similar support.

The connecter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 com- Gil tubular brass barrel 1 having .its end Walls 2 thinned or chamfered, while at its central periphery it is provided with a roughened or, knurled surface 3 for better engagement with the fingers or a surrounding part, such as an insulating sleeve 4.

Within the barrel 1 the active parts of the connecter are mounted. These consist of a helical spring with expanded ends which for manufacturing reasons is cut at 1ts middle into two conical or trumpet-shaped springs 5 and supporting sleeves 6 forming inner parts of the housing and having conical or trumpet-shaped bores slightly larger prises a housing member in the form of a.

than the springs 5 to permit limited radial expansion thereof. The length of the sleeves 6 is less than the length of the springs 5 so that when they are assembled with their outer or larger ends even the inner or severed ends of the springs project beyond the inner sleeve ends and are there reunited by a nut 7 into which said small spring ends are threaded and secured against unscrewing by solder S poured through a radial aperture at the center of the nut 7.

With the active parts thus assembled, they are inserted in the barrel 1 and secured against rotation therein by indenting the metal of the barrel 1 into peripheral depressions 9 in the nut 7.

The outer ends of the springs 5 and the sleeves are cut off even and after assembly in the barrel 1 the chamfered end walls 2 thereof are spun over at an angle so as to engage the ends of the sleeves 6, but to leave the spring ends free for a short endwise travel at 10.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 differs from that of Fig. 1 in the shape of the barrel 1 which has a radial shoulder 11 near one end adapted to abut against the face of a switchboard 12 or the like through which the barrel extends, and at the other end portion it is provided with a thread 13 for the reception of clamping'nuts 14. A washer 15 is employed to prevent therotation .of the nuts from cutting the switchboard.

lVhen a cord tip 16 of any of the many sizes on the market is. introduced into the end of my connecter, it earlier or later in its travel engages a spring convolution of a size to frictionally grip and retain the tip upon the latter being pressed home. On account of the freedom of the spring to expand longitudinally at its outer end while its other end is held stationary, any axial pull outwardly upon the cord tip 16 after it has been pressed home therein operates to close the spring convolution in frictional engagement with the tip more tightly thereupon. By giving the tip a slight twist opposite to the direction of coiling of the spring, the latter is unwound to a slight de gree and correspondingly enlarging the diameter of the gripping convolution and freeing its grip therefrom.

Thesupporting sleeves 6, by reason of the proximity of their inner walls to the springs 5,, serve to prevent the latter from being injuriously deflected or upset and at the same time in no way interfere with the free functioning of the springs, while the bent-over end walls 2 of the barrel prevent any injurious stretching thereof.

While I have shown and described herein ductors comprising a trumpet-shaped heli-- cal spring, and a protective enclosure therefor attached to the small end of said spring with its inner wall spaced from said spring ev/pas to limit the free radialand longitudinal expansion thereof.

3. A gripping connecter for electric conductors comprising. a helical spring with expanded ends, a housing enclosing said spring and provided with openings opposite the ends of said spring, said spring being attached at its middle to said housing and having limited freedom of expansion at all other points within said housing.

4. A connecter for electric conductors comprising a helical spring consisting of two trumpet-shaped members, two correspondingly shaped sleeves surrounding said spring members with clearance, a nut joining the small ends of said springmembers, and an enclosing barrel therefor attached to said nut and having openings in its ends-oppo-' site the ends of said spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set i of September, 1924.- a

my hand this 9th day 7 PAUL R. FORTIN.

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