U.S. patent number 3,760,338 [Application Number 05/242,687] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-18 for terminal plug construction.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Basic Electronics, Inc.. Invention is credited to John F. Bruels.
United States Patent |
3,760,338 |
Bruels |
September 18, 1973 |
TERMINAL PLUG CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
A terminal plug construction includes a base portion having
three separate terminal male contacts which project from the bottom
of the base for connection to an electrical circuit and which
includes an interior screw connecting post which extends upwardly
from the interior of the base. The base is provided with a
plurality of circumferentially spaced projections which engage with
a complementary number of recesses defined around a ring portion of
an intermediate member which fits over the base member. The
intermediate member is shaped so it may interengage with the base
member in a selected one of a plurality of orientations depending
on which of the recesses are engaged over the circumferentially
spaced projections on the base. The orientation of the intermediate
member is chosen to affect the desired angular projection of a
cable receiving trough formed as a radial extension of the
circumference of the ring portion of the intermediate member. The
cover member includes a cylindrical portion which overlies and
covers both the intermediate member ring portion and the portion of
the base and it also includes an outwardly extending portion which
is oriented over the trough of the intermediate member and which
provides a cover for the connecting cable. The complete assembly is
held in position by a single bolt or screw which is directed
through a central opening in the top member and through the
threaded connection of the screw connecting post member.
Inventors: |
Bruels; John F. (Danielson,
CT) |
Assignee: |
Basic Electronics, Inc.
(Danielson, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
22915805 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/242,687 |
Filed: |
April 10, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/694 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/56 (20130101); H01R 24/30 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/00 (20060101); H01R 13/56 (20060101); H01r
033/04 (); H01r 033/72 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/63,13C,107,138,141,196,206,208 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Champion; Marvin A.
Assistant Examiner: Staab; Lawrence J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical terminal plug for connecting a lead-in cable,
comprising a base part having a bottom with a plurality of terminal
contacts projecting outwardly therefrom which are adapted to be
electrically connected, a terminal post for each contact being
carried on the interior of said base part for connection to the
lead-in cable, an intermediate part including a tubular end portion
engageable over a portion of said base part and having a cable
guiding section extending radially outwardly from said tubular end
for orienting a lead-in cable in a selected radial orientation in
respect to said base part, said tubular end and said base part
having complementary inter-engageable projection and recess
portions, a cover having a cylindrical portion overlying and
covering said base part and having a radially extending portion
overlying said cable guiding section of said intermediate part, and
securement means holding all of said parts together, said cable
guiding section including a radially outwardly extending trough
defining a receiving recess for the cable and a recess defined in
an edge of said cable guiding section, said cover part including a
radially outwardly extending portion overlying said trough and a
downwardly extending projection accommodated by said recess in said
edge of said cable guiding section for interlocking said two parts
in a selective orientation together.
2. An electrical terminal plug according to claim 1, wherein said
cover part includes a central opening therein, said base part
having a raised cylindrical boss forming a centering post for said
cover part, said securement means comprising a threaded bolt
extending through the opening of said cover and threaded into said
raised boss of said base part.
3. An electrical terminal plug for connecting a lead-in cable,
comprising a base part having a substantially cylindrical bottom
with a plurality of terminal contacts projecting outwardly
therefrom which are adapted to be electrically connected, a
terminal post for each contact carried on the interior of said base
part and projecting upwardly therefrom, the interior of said base
part including a raised cylindrical platform having projections
extending radially outwardly therefrom at a plurality of
circumferentially spaced locations, an intermediate part including
a tubular end engageable over said raised platform portion and
having recesses corresponding in number to the projections of said
raised platform portions and interengaged with said projections, a
cable guiding trough connected radially into said tubular end of
said intermediate part, said tubular end being selectively
engageable with said raised platform portion of said base part in a
plurality of angular positions so as to orient the cable guiding
trough in one of a selective number of orientations, a cover having
a cylindrical portion overlying the cylindrical portion of said
base part and covering said base part and a radially extended
portion overlying said trough of said intermediate part, and a bolt
extending through the top of said cylindrical portion of said top
part and threaded into said bottom part, said intermediate part
trough portion including a receiving recess on each side and said
cover part radially extended portion including a downwardly
extending projection on each side engageable into the receiving
recess on each side of said trough portion.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to electrical connectors and in
particular to a new and useful terminal plug made up of three
easily assembled parts which may be oriented in a plurality of
selected orientations for the purpose of positioning a connecting
cable which is adapted to be connected to the terminal post P
located at the interior of a base part.
The present invention is an improvement over the prior art,
particularly in respect to the position of a three terminal male
connecting plug for electrical circuitry which is made up of three
inter-connectable housing parts which may be oriented in a selected
manner in order to provide for a desired lead-in angle for the
connecting cable. The feature of the invention is the construction
of three interengageable plug terminal parts which may be held
together in a desired orientation by a single threaded securement
member or bolt. The invention provides in a simple manner an
inexpensive terminal plug which includes an outwardly extending
covered passage for the lead-in cable which may be oriented in a
plurality of selected angular locations in respect to the center of
the plug in order to provide for a desired orientation of the cable
in respect to the plug.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the terminal plug
includes a base member having a plurality of terminal posts defined
at an upstanding flat interior base portion which are connected to
a similar number of projecting male terminals which extend from the
bottom of the base portion. The base portion includes a raised
terminal post platform which includes a plurality of
circumferentially spaced radially extending projections which are
adapted to engage with a corresponding number of recesses defined
in a ring-shaped portion of an intermediate part and which also
includes a radially outwardly extending cable receiving trough for
the lead-in cable. The lead-in cable may be positioned at a
plurality of selected angular locations in respect to the base
member and the recesses engaged over the projections of the
platform portion. In the preferred embodiment at least four
separate angular locations of the lead-in cable may be effected,
which, for example, may be 90.degree. from each other. The complete
assembly is closed at the top by a cover member which includes a
radially extending portion which overlies the cable receiving
trough and which has a cylindrical portion which engages over the
ring and the base portion, and the entire assembly is secured by a
single screw which penetrates the top cover and engages into a
central threaded receiving portion of the base.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an
improved connector for electrical cables having a base portion with
a plurality of lead-in wire connecting posts and an intermediate
member which defines a radially extending cable receiving trough
for guiding the connecting cable which may be oriented at a
plurality of selected locations in respect to the base member and
interengaged with the base member; and which further includes a
cover member which includes a radially extending portion which
overlies and covers the receiving trough for the cable and the
central portion for the intermediate member and the base and which
is held in position by a single holding screw.
A further object of the invention is to provide a male terminal
plug connector having a base with a raised cylindrical portion with
a plurality of angularly spaced radially projections which engage
with a complementary number of recesses on an intermediate member
which is locked over the base member at a desired angualr
orientation and which carries a radially extending cable receiving
trough for orienting a cable to be connected at a selected angle in
respect to the plug.
A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical
terminal construction which is simple in design , rugged in
construction, and economical to manufacture.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and
forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a
preferred embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a top cover portion of a
terminal connector constructed in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the intermediate portion of
the terminal connector;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the bottom portion of the
terminal connector; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan view of a terminal connector
having a cable connected thereto.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied
therein comprises a terminal connector which includes a base
portion generally designated 10, an intermediate portion generally
designated 12, and a top portion or cover generally designated
14.
In accordance with the invention, the base portion includes a
maximum diameter lower portion 16 with two straight bar connector
or male plugs 18 and 20 and one cylindrical connector or plug 22
all of which extend downwardly from the exterior bottom side
thereof. A cylindrical platform portion 24 extends upwardly from
the top side and it includes a plurality of radially extending and
angularly spaced partial cylindrical projections 26. In the
embodiment illustrated there are four separate cylindrical
projections 26 which are oriented to extend with their axes at
90.degree. from each other. Mounted on the raised cylindrical
platform 24 are the bus-bars 28 and 30 for the bar terminals 18 and
20, and 32 for the cylindrical terminal 22. A central cylindrical
bus or sleeve 34 provides a centering post for orienting and
connecting the top cover 14 and for this purpose it is internally
threaded as at 36, in order to provide a receiving bore for a screw
to hold the parts in the assembled condition.
A feature of the invention is the construction of the intermediate
part which includes a ring-shaped end 40 having a number of
recesses 42 corresponding in size and angular spacing with the
projections 26 on a platform portion 24 of the base 10. The ring
part may be engaged over the platform portion 24 and selected ones
of the recesses 42 may be oriented to engage with selected
projections 26 in order to orient a radially extending cable
receiving trough portion 44 at a desired angle in respect to the
base 10. The cable receiving trough 44 includes a receiving recess
46 along which a cable 48, which is to be connected, is directed.
The lead-in cable may be oriented at any desired angular position
in accordance with the orientation of the ring part 40 with the
raised platform portion 24. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4
separate positions are possible at which the cable receiving trough
44 may be oriented at any one of four 90.degree. quadrant position.
Naturally, a larger or smaller number of interengaging projection
and recess means 26 and 42 may be provided as design conditions
warrant.
After the intermediate part 12 is oriented at a selected
orientation in respect to the base part 10, the cover part 14 is
engaged with its cylindrical cover portion 50 over the cylindrical
bottom 16 of the base 10 and a cup opening 32 is oriented to align
the opening with the threaded receiving bore 36 of the centering
post 34. A single securing screw or bolt 54 may be passed through
the opening 52 and threaded into the receiving bore 36 to hold all
of the parts in the assembled condition.
The cover part 14 includes a radially extending part 56 which
overlies the trough 44 and it includes downwardly extending tabs or
legs 58 and 60 which engage into corresponding recesses 60 and 62
of the intermediate part 12. The interior of the cover part is
provided with a curved wall 64 overlying the cable receiving recess
46 which bears against the top of the connecting cable 48 in the
assembled condition.
Thus the invention provides a simple terminal plug construction in
which all of the parts may be interconnected and held in a desired
orientation by means of a single engagement bolt. In addition, the
lead-in cable may be fixed at a desired orientation in respect to
the base portion by a simple selection of the orientation of an
intermediate part with the base portion and the application of the
cover over the intermediate part, after the connecting cable is
first led in on guide way defined by the intermediate part and
connected to the terminals carried on the base part.
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles
of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be
embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
* * * * *