US2737637A - Pressure connector - Google Patents

Description

Mamh 1956 w. J. SCOTT PRESSURE CONNECTOR Filed June 17, 1952 Lu 5 wfi W1 1m United States Patent PRESSURE CONNECTOR William J. Scott, Petersburg, 11]., assignor to Ideal Industries, Inc., Sycamore, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 17, 1952, Serial No. 293,972

4 Claims. (Cl. 339244) This invention relates to a connector and primarily to a connector intended to join together two or more wires, cables or wire ropes.

It has for one object to provide a connector of the type indicated which may be readily placed over one or more members to be connected and which, after having been placed over them so as to embrace them, may readily be arranged to prevent falling.

Another object is to provide a connector of the type indicated with pressure means so that the members which are joined or connected together by the connector are forced together with substantial pressure.

Although the invention is not limited in its use to cables or wires intended to carry electricity, one important use of such connectors is to join together electric cables and to press them into close connection by exerting a substantial pressure. Such cables are frequently suspended in the air and it is an advantage if the connectors are so arranged that they can be readily fastened over or about the cable or wire at the time of use and before tightening. Thus loosely fastened or assembled about one or more of the members which are to be connected, it cannot be dropped by accident.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagram-matically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of one form of the device in position of use but with the cables or comparable means omitted.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken at line 3, '3 of Figure l and with the cables or wires in position.

Figure 4 is an end elevation illustrating the parts partially engaged and moved into position to embrace a pair of conductors.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the strap. t

Figure 6 is an edge or end elevation of the strap before assembly.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the stirrup before as- .sembly.

Figure .8 is an end or edge elevation of the stirrup before assembly.

Figure 9 is a top view of the stirrup before assembly.

Figure is a section taken on line 10, 10 of Figure 3.

Like parts are indicated by like characters in the specification and drawings.

The invention, in the form shown, comprises two main gripping parts, a pressure part and a pressure-applying part. The gripping parts have for convenience been described as a strap which in use is engaged with a member which has been called a stirrup. Both of these parts are engaged by a screw adapted to be used to apply pressure, and on the screw is a pressure head which is preferably mounted for rotation on the screw and it bears against the members which are the connector.

The strap as shown in detail in Figures '5 and 6 comprises a generally flat member 1 having a laterally bent portion 2, having an extension 2a, and a threaded perforation 3. The strap is provided with a longitudinal slot or opening 4 which has inwardly tapering walls 5 and terminates in a section 6 which is narrower than the main section 4. A pressure-applying screw 7 is threaded in the threaded perforation '3. The screw is provided with a head 8 which may be slotted at 9 and given any desired shape. Preferably the screw is reduced as at 10 to receive a pressure head 11 which is mounted thereon .for rotation. The pressure bead 11 is provided with a longitudinal perforation within which is formed a shoulder 12. Upon the shoulder 12, the reduced portion 10 of the screw 7 is enlarged by upsetting or riveting or otherwise as at 13 and thus holds the pressure bead against displacement but permits its rotation.

The under surface 14 of the pressure bead may be roughened by any means to permit it to grip the member against which it is brought into contact when it is used to accomplish a connection.

The stirrup member comprises a generally flat portion 15 and a laterally bent member 16 at one end. A longer laterally bent portion 17 is formed at the opposite end of the member 15. Integral with the member 17 is a reduced tongue-like portion 18 which terminates in an enlarged head portion 19. The inwardly facing surfaces of the portions 17, 18 and 19 may be roughened preferably by the formation of parallel grooves as indicated at 22. The stirrup member is slotted as shown in Figures 7, 8 and '9, and the slot 20 is continued into the laterally bent member 16 .as indicated at 2-1 in Figures 8 and 9.

When the parts are to be assembled, a strap and a stirrup are brought together for assembly in the position indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The screw is inserted through the slot 20 .or 21 of the stirrup and engages the threaded perforation 3 of the strap. The pressure bead is then put into position on the reduced portion 10 of the screw 7 and the reduced portion is enlarged as at 13 by riveting or upsetting or otherwise to hold the pressure bead from displacement and to permit its rotation.

When the parts have thus been assembled, the connector becomes a unit with several relatively movable parts. If it is desired to move the parts to the position of Figures 1, 2 and 3 the stirrup is first raised to the position shown in Figure 4. In that position the head member 19 is opposite the wider portion 4 of the slot formed in the strap. It may now be swung into place so that the members 1 and 15 are generally parallel as shown for example in Figures 2 and 3.

When the parts are in this position, the extension 2a serves as a guide in the slot 2t] and it additionally strengthens the threaded perforation 3 and the stirrup may be moved downwardly bringing it into the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. This is accomplished because the reduced portion 18 is of smaller diameter than the slotted portion 6 and permits the stirrup to move down until the portion 18 is engaged against the bottom of the reduced slot 6 of the strap 1.

Ordinarily the parts will not be moved to this active position until the device has been positioned over the members which are to be connected. Such members are shown in Figures 3 and 4 as cables A and B. In Figure 4 the connector is shown in the position into which it is moved when it is manipulated to engage the cables. After the cables are in place within the grip of the conbeing joined by nector the connector parts are moved into the position shown particularly in Figure 3 and the connection, even though not tightened, cannot be dislodged and will not fall. Thereafter the screw 7 is rotated and is moved downwardly or inwardly until the under surface 14 of pressure bead is brought into contact with the cable A. Thereafter, rotation of the screw is continued until the pressure bead has been forced firmly against the member A and until the members A and B have been forced together sufiiciently to accomplish a satisfactory connection and, if desired, a satisfactory electrical contact of the two. The screw may be so manipulated as to apply the desired degree of pressure upon the members A and B to force them together as desired.

The invention is not limited to any particular precise steps for assembling the connector parts. Once the two main parts 1 and 15 have been assembled together so that each engages the screw 7, the pressure head 11 may be secured in place by any means and when it has been secured in place, the parts 1 and 15 cannot be separated. It is convenient to rivet or upset the reduced portion 10 to form the enlargement 13 and the screw may occupy any convenient position during this riveting or upsetting. The position shown is probably not the one which the screw would occupy during the riveting operation.

In use the connector will normally embrace only one cable before the parts are brought into the position of Figure 3 in which the reduced portion 18 fits into and is engaged with the slot portion 6. When the parts are in this position the connector will be fastened over one cable and will not be subject to accidental dropping. Generally, after the connector has been put into the position of Figure 3, the remaining cable or cables will be inserted. The condition shown in Figure 4 is not typical. Ordinarily when the connector parts are being brought together for engagement about a cable there will be but one cable present. The steps are the same however and it may occur that the connector will be positioned about two cables at the same time as shown in Figure 4.

I claim:

1. In combination in a connector, a member shaped to provide a slot, said member including a laterally displaced portion, a threaded perforation through said portion, the said slot shaped to provide a portion of reduced diameter at its end remote from said perforation and a screw engaged in the thread of said perforation, a second member slotted and embracing said screw, a laterally displaced portion of said second member positioned above the laterally displaced portion of said first member, a second oppositely positioned laterally displaced portion of said second member, said second displaced portion adapted to extend through the slot in said first member, and having an end of greater diameter than the reduced portion of said slot and a neck-like member for said end, said neck-like member being of diameter small enough to fit into said reduced slotted portion.

2. In combination in a connector, a member shaped to provide a slot longitudinally aligned with respect thereto, said member including a laterally displaced portion, a threaded perforation through said portion, the said slot shaped to provide a portion of reduced diameter at its end remote from said perforation and a screw engaged in the thread of said perforation, a second member slotted and embracing said screw, a laterally displaced portion of said second member positioned above the laterally displaced portion of said first member, a second oppositely positioned and generally parallel laterally displaced portion of said second member, said second displaced portion adapted to extend through the slot in said first member and having an end of greater diameter than the reduced portion of said slot and a necklike member for said end, said neck-like member being of diameter small enough to fit into said reduced slotted portion.

3. In combination in a connector, a member shaped to provide a slot longitudinally algined with respect thereto, said member including a laterally displaced portion, a threaded perforation through said portion, the said slot shaped to provide a portion of reduced diameter at its end remote from said perforation and a screw engaged in the thread of said perforation, a pressure member mounted on said screw for rotation with respect thereto, a second member slotted and embracing said screw, a laterally displaced portion of said second member positioned above the laterally displaced portion of said first member, a second oppositely positioned and generally parallel laterally displaced portion of said second member, said second displaced portion adapted to extend through the slot in said first member and having an end of greater diameter than the reduced portion of said slot and a neck-like member for said end, said necklike member being of diameter small enough to fit into said reduced slotted portion.

4. In combination in a connector, a sheet-like member shaped to provide a slot longitudinally aligned with respect thereto, said member including a laterally displaced portion, a threaded perforation through said portion, the said slot shaped to provide a portion of reduced diameter at its end remote from said perforation and a screw engaged in the thread of said perforation, a pressure member mounted on said screw for rotation with respect thereto, a second sheet-like member slotted and embracing said screw, a laterally displaced portion of said second member positioned above the laterally displaced portion of said first member, a second oppositely positioned and generally parallel laterally displaced portion of said second member, said second displaced portion adapted to extend through the slot in said first member and having an end of greater diameter than the reduced portion of said slot and a neck-like member for said end, said neck-like member being of greater diameter small enough to fit into said reduced slotted portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,258,707 Rice Mar. 12, 1918 2,117,112 Buchanan May 10, 1938 2,145,556 Rypinski Jan. 31, 1939

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