Connecting Tool

Abstract

There is disclosed a tool for inserting one or two insulated electrical conductors between one or both slots formed in an electrical connector by three adjacent fingers extending from a base. The tool is adjustable so that cavities of two different widths may be provided, the wider cavity being for insertion of two wires and the narrower cavity being for insertion of one wire. The cavities are of sufficient width that when pushed down over the top of the three adjacent fingers of an electrical conductor, the inner walls of the cavity contact the outer edges of the electrical connector.

Description

This invention relates to a tool adapted for connecting either one or two insulated electric wires to a particular type of electrical connector.

In my application Ser. No. 868,417, filed Oct. 22, l969, entitled, "Electrical Connectors and Terminal Connecting Block," there is described an electrical connector of improved construction and a block of insulating material containing such connectors. The electrical connectors described in that application comprise three adjacent fingers extending from a base. When an insulated electrical connector is inserted between a pair of the fingers, the insulation is scraped or cut away making the desired contact. Since there are two pairs of adjacent fingers, either one or two insulated electrical conductors may be inserted into the connector. While an insulated electrical conductor may be inserted between either or both pairs of fingers manually, this procedure is somewhat time consuming and may be difficult to perform. Thus, when the installer's hands become moist with perspiration, the insulated wire has a tendency to slip when it is attempted to force it between the fingers. Moreover, since the fingers on the electrical connector are resilient, the outer finger may yield or be pushed away from the central finger a sufficient amount so that stripping of the insulation on the electrical conductor is not adequately accomplished and, therefore, the desired electrical connection may be defective.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool which facilitates the insertion of insulated electrical conductors into one or both slots of an electrical connector, which slots are formed by three adjacent fingers extending from a base.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tool which may be adjusted to provide for the insertion of either one or two insulated electrical conductors into an electrical connector comprising three adjacent fingers extending from a base.

These and other objects are attained by the practice of this invention which, briefly, comprises providing a connecting tool which is adjustable for inserting an insulated electrical conductor into either one or both slots of an electrical connector, which slots are provided by three adjacent resilient fingers extending from a base. The tool comprises a handle portion and an elongated shank extending from the handle. The end of the shank furthest from the handle is flat. An elongated plate member is pivotally mounted on and facing the shank so that either end of the plate member may be brought into alignment with the flat end of the shank. The side of the plate member which faces the shank has a recess in each end thereof. These recesses are of less thickness than the rest of the plate member and are of less width than the plate member. Each recess is of a slightly different width. When the different ends of the plate member are aligned with the flat end of the shank, the recesses in the plate member define cavities of different widths, each cavity bounded on three sides by the plate member and on the fourth side by the shank. There is also provided means for securing the plate member to the shank in a fixed position with one or the other end of the plate member aligned with the flat end of the shank. The cavities are of such width that they will contact the outer edges of the electrical connector when either one or two wires are to be inserted therein. The narrower cavity is used with one wire and the wider cavity is used with two wires.

In use, an insulated electrical conductor is placed at the entrance to one or both of the slots provided by the three adjacent resilient fingers and the connecting tool is adjusted to provide the appropriate cavity. The tool is then placed over the top of the electrical connector and the tool is pushed down. The top end of the connector projects into the cavity and the sides of the cavity cause the insulated electrical conductor to be pushed down into the slot or slots. At the same time the outer edges of the connector make contact with the inner walls of the cavity, thereby preventing the fingers from spreading sufficiently so that they would not strip the insulation.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a connecting tool constructed according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1 and showing the plate member rotated 45.degree. from its original position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the use of the connecting tool with electrical connectors in a block;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the tool being used to insert two electrical conductors into an electrical connector;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the tool being used to insert one electrical conductor into an electrical connector;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a connector 10 having a handle 11. Extending perpendicularly from the handle 11 is a shank 12. The shank 12 is an elongated rectangular thin member which terminates in a flat end 12a. Pivotally mounted on the shank 12 is an elongated plate 13. The plate 13 is slightly shorter than the shank 12 and is secured to the shank 12 by a screw 14. The screw 14 passes through the middle of the plate 13 so that when the screw is loosened, the plate 13 may be pivoted 180.degree. . The length of the plate 13 is such that either end thereof may be brought into alignment with the flat end 12a of the shank 12. The side of the plate member 13 which faces the shank 12 contains recesses 13a and 13b in each end thereof. These recesses are of less thickness than the main portion of the plate 13 and are bounded on the bottom and both sides by the normal thickness of the plate.

The plate 13 also has notches 15a and 15b immediately below the recesses 13a and 13b. The shank 12 has a protuberance which registers with one of the notches 15a or 15b when the end of the plate 13 is brought into alignment with the flat end of the shank 12. When the screw 14 is tightened, the protuberance 16 extends into the notch 15a or 15b and holds the plate 13 in a fixed position.

When the end of the plate 13 is brought into alignment with the flat end 12a of the shank 12, the end of the tool defines a cavity 17. The cavity is bounded on three sides by the back and the two sides of the plate member 13 and on the fourth side by the shank 12. The width of the cavity will depend upon which recess 13a or 13b is forming the cavity.

The use of the connecting tool of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4-7. FIG. 4 shows a plurality of electrical connectors 20 inserted in a block 21 of electrical insulating material. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the connector 20 comprises a flat base portion 22 and three contact fingers projecting from the base portion. The fingers include a symmetrical central finger 23 and two outer fingers 24. The connector is constructed of a suitable resilient conducting material such as phosphor-bronze

When it is desired to make an electrical connection between the connector and an insulated electrical conductor, an insulated electrical conductor is placed at the entrance to one or both of the slots formed by the outer fingers 24 and inner finger 23. If two wires are to be inserted, as shown in FIG. 5, the end of the plate 13 having the wider recess 13a or 13b is aligned with the end portion of the shank 12. The top ends of the fingers 23 and 24 are inserted into the cavity 17 of the connecting tool and the tool is pushed down. The cavity 17 is of such width that the outer fingers 24 of the connector 20 make contact with the inner walls of the cavity 17. This prevents the fingers from spreading outwardly and insures crushing or cutting of the insulation 31 when the electrical conductor 30 is pushed down between the fingers. Continued forward movement of the installing tool and of the insulated conductor results in shearing of the insulation 31 and the bare conductor wire 32 is scraped against the inside wall of the fingers, thus creating a good electrical contact.

When only one wire is to be inserted into the connector, as shown in FIG. 6, the end of the plate 13 having the narrower recess is brought into alignment with the end of the shank 12, the insulated electrical conductor is placed at the entrance between one of the outer fingers and the central finger and the electrical conductor is pushed down thereon as previously described. Since there is only one wire being introduced, and since the cavity 17 is narrower than when two wires are being inserted, contact is again made between the outer fingers 24 and the inner walls of the cavity 17, thereby preventing the finger 24 from being displaced too far from the middle finger 23 to adequately strip the insulation.

Claims

I claim:

1. A tool for inserting an insulated electrical conductor into one or both slots of an electrical connector, said slots being provided by three adjacent resilient fingers extending from a base, which comprises

a. a handle portion;

b. an elongated shank extending from said handle the end of said shank being flat;

c. an elongated plate member pivotally mounted on and facing said shank so that either end of said plate member may be brought into alignment with the flat end of said shank;

d. the side of said plate member facing said shank having a recess in each end thereof, said recesses being of less thickness than the rest of said plate member and of less width than said plate member, and said recesses being of different width;

e. said recesses defining cavities of different widths when the different ends of said plate member are aligned with the flat end of said shank, said cavities being bounded on three sides by said plate member and on the fourth side by said shank; and

f. means for securing said plate member to said shank in a fixed position with one or the other end of said plate member aligned with the flat end of said shank;

whereby the inner walls of said cavities contact the outer edges of said electrical connector when said connecting tool is used to insert an insulated electrical conductor therein.