U.S. patent number 3,617,983 [Application Number 04/805,160] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-02 for terminal junction interconnection system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AMP Incorporated. Invention is credited to George Allen Patton.
United States Patent |
3,617,983 |
Patton |
November 2, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
TERMINAL JUNCTION INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM
Abstract
Terminal device for a wire comprises a section of metal strip
bent 180.degree. intermediate its end to form two plate sections
connected by a bight. A slot extends into the bight and partially
into the plate sections. Wire is forced into the slot and
electrically contacted by edges of the slot in each plate section.
Modified version has a third plate section integral with other two
plate sections. Third plate section may be slotted or unslotted; if
unslotted, the third plate section functions as a wire trimming
means in cooperation with an insertion tool. Housings and mounting
means of various types for terminals are also disclosed to hold a
plurality of terminals.
Inventors: |
Patton; George Allen
(Pfafftown, NC) |
Assignee: |
AMP Incorporated (Harrisburg,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
25190821 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/805,160 |
Filed: |
March 7, 1969 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
724346 |
Apr 26, 1968 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/392;
439/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
43/015 (20130101); H01R 4/2462 (20130101); H04Q
1/16 (20130101); H01R 9/226 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
4/24 (20060101); H01R 43/01 (20060101); H01R
9/22 (20060101); H04Q 1/02 (20060101); H04Q
1/16 (20060101); H01r 009/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/95,97-99,256 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
724,346, filed Apr. 26, 1968, and now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A terminal device for use with an insulated wire comprising
a metal plate having one reverse bend therein to form a pair of
parallel plate sections connected by a first bight,
slot means extending into said first bight and into said plate
sections to define aligned slots in said plate sections and a gap
in said bight, at least one of said aligned slots having a root
portion of a width less than the diameter of the conducting core of
said wire,
the width of said gap and the width of portions of said slots
adjacent to said gap being sufficient to permit movement of said
wire laterally of its axis through said gap and into said slots
whereby,
upon movement of said wire into said root portions of said slot,
edge portions of said slot penetrate the insulation of said wire
and establish electrical contact with the metallic core of said
wire.
2. A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gap has a
width which is less than the outside diameter of said wire and
greater than the diameter of the metallic core of said wire, the
width of said adjacent portions of said slots being greater than
the outside diameter of said wire whereby, said wire can be forced
third said gap and will be retained in said adjacent portions of
said slots until said width is forced into said root portions of
said slots.
3. A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 including a third
plate section connected by a second bight to one of said pair of
plate sections, said second bight being on the opposite side of
said plate sections from the side on which said first bight is
located, said third plate section having a width, as measured
between said bights, which is less than the width of said first
named plate sections, said third plate section being cooperable
with an insertion tool to shear a wire extending past said third
plate section during insertion of said wire into said slots.
4. A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 including a third
plate section connected by a second bight to one of said pair of
plate sections, said second bight being on the opposite side of
said plate sections from the side on which said first bight is
located, said third plate section having a width, as measured
between said bights, which is less than the width of said first
named plate sections, said third plate having a slot therein in
alignment with root portions of said slots in said pair of plate
sections to permit connection of an intermediate portion of a wire
to said terminal device.
5. A terminal device comprising first and second platelike sections
parallel to, and spaced from each other, at least one
wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from one side of said second
section, at least the inner portions of said slot having a width
which is less than the diameter of the conducting core of the wire
adapted to be connected to said device, said first section having a
dimension in the direction of said slot which is less than the
corresponding dimension of said second section, said first section
having an edge which extends transversely with respect to said
slot, said edge being cooperable with an insertion means movable
between said first and second sections to trim a wire being
connected to said device in the plane of said first section.
6. A device as set forth in claim 5 including holding means
adjacent to said second section for holding a wire connected to
said device and providing a strain relief for said wire.
7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said holding means
comprises a third platelike section having a wire-receiving slot in
alignment with said slot in said second section, said slot in said
third section having a width which is less than the diameter of the
insulation of said wire but greater than the width of said slot in
said second section.
8. A terminal device comprising folded sheet metal having first,
second, and third platelike sections, said first and second
sections being connected to each other by a first bight on one side
of said device and said second and third sections being connected
to each other by a second bight on the other side of said device, a
plurality of wire-receiving slots extending inwardly through said
second bight and into said second and third sections, at least the
inner portions of said slots in said second section being
relatively narrower than the conducting core of a wire adapted to
be connected to said device, said first section defining an edge
extending transversely with respect to said slots and spaced from
said second section, said edge being adapted to cooperate with an
insertion means during movement of a wire into one of said slots to
sever said wire in the plane defined by said first section.
9. A terminal junction device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said
edge extends transversely of intermediate portions of said
slots.
10. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said slots have wide
entrance portions intersecting said slots in said third section
have innner portions which are relatively wider than corresponding
portions of said slots in said second section whereby said slots in
said third section grip wires connected to said device and function
as a strain relief.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to terminal devices, methods of
manufacturing terminal devices, and to connectors containing a
plurality of terminal devices for making interconnections among a
plurality of conductors. Some herein disclosed embodiments of the
invention are particularly intended for use in telephone
installations for making interconnections among numerous
conductors. However, terminal devices in accordance with the
invention might be used under a wide variety of circumstances.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved terminal
device. A further object is to provide improved connecting device
for making connections among a plurality of insulated conductors. A
further object is to provide a connecting device which permits
connections between different conductors to be made with relative
ease by an unskilled or semiskilled technician. A still further
object is to provide a connecting device having a combination means
for establishing electrical contact with the conducting core of a
wire when the connection is made and means for trimming the end of
the wire at a location adjacent to the electrical contact. A
further object of the invention is to provide alternative types of
housings or mounting means for a plurality of terminal devices and
to achieve thereby a composite connecting apparatus which can be
made in varying sizes to suit the needs of many different
individual situations. Further objects include the achievement of
improved methods of manufacturing terminal devices and an improved
blank from which a terminal device can be manufactured.
A terminal device in accordance with one embodiment of the
invention comprises a strip of metal which has been bent through an
angle of substantially 180.degree. intermediate its ends to form
two parallel plate sections connected by a bight. A slot extends
into the bight and into both of the plate sections and is adapted
to receive a wire in a manner such that the wire insulation is
penetrated by edge portions of the slot to establish electrical
contact with the wire core. The terminal device is produced by
punching an elongated narrow opening in a metal strip and bending
the strip.
A multicontact connector in accordance with the invention, for
interconnecting a plurality of conductors, may comprise s plurality
of individual terminal devices mounted on, and held on the surface
of, a supporting block. Each terminal member has a third platelike
section which functions as a shearing member in cooperation with an
insertion tool in a manner such that as the wire is forced into the
slots of the other two sections, the scrap portion of the wire
which extends beyond the shearing plate is severed from the active
or functional portion of the wire. In an alternative embodiment the
third section is provided with a slot to permit connection of an
intermediate portion of a wire thereto.
The individual terminals may be held on the supporting block or
base by a clamping plate which fits snugly over the base member and
surrounds the individual terminals locking them in place. In this
embodiment of the invention, a cap member is provided to enclose
the entire connector and means are provided at the corners of the
housing for admitting a multiconductor cable and clamping the cable
to thereby further improve the strain-relief means for the wires.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, the
individual terminal members are provided as associated pairs with a
neck or shank connecting corresponding plate portions of the two
terminal members of each pair. Terminal members of this type are
supported on a modular composite mounting block which is composed
of a plurality of block sections latched together. Recesses are
provided in the adjacent sides of the block sections which are
adapted to receive the neck or shank portions of the individual
terminals. The block sections, in turn, are secured to a mounting
plate through which the cables extend and which may be, in turn,
secured to a suitable mounting surface.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of one form
of connector in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view showing the base portion and
the clamping plate portion of the connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 and
showing an individual terminal member exploded from the base member
and the clamping plate;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the connector of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a view taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an individual terminal member
in alignment with an insertion tool and illustrating the
relationship of the parts when a wire is being connected to the
terminal member;
FIG. 7 is a side view of a terminal member and an insertion tool
showing the positions of the parts after the connection has been
made and the end of the wire has been trimmed;
FIGS. 8 and 9 are views taken along the lines 8--8 and 9--9 of FIG.
7;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a blank of the type from which terminal
members for the embodiment of FIG. 1 are manufactured;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner portion of
the connector of FIG. 1 and illustrating the manner in which a
clamping plug is assembled to a strain-relief device to clamp an
incoming cable;
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 but showing the clamping plug
in its clamping position;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a connecting device in accordance
with an alternative embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner portion of the
connector of FIG. 13 with parts exploded from the assembly;
FIG. 15 is a side view of the terminal member used in the
connecting device of FIG. 13;
FIG. 16 is a plan view of the blank from which the terminal member
of FIG. 15 is produced;
FIG. 17 is a side view of the connector of FIG. 13 and illustrating
the manner in which the incoming and outgoing cables are
interconnected by the terminals in the connector;
FIG. 18 is a side view of a double-ended terminal device having
terminals on its end in accordance with alternative embodiment of
the invention;
FIG. 19 is a side view on an enlarged scale of a terminal of the
type provided on the terminal device of FIG. 18 and illustrating
the manner in which insulated wires are temporarily positioned in
the slots of the terminal device prior to complete insertion;
FIG. 20 is a view taken along the lines 20--20 of FIG. 19;
FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 19 but illustrating the insertion
of the wires into the terminal device and the trimming of the end
portions of the wires;
FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 20 but showing a wire fully
inserted into the terminal;
FIG. 23 is a side view of a double-ended terminal device in
accordance with a further embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 24 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank from which the
terminal device of FIG. 23 is formed;
FIG. 25 is a fragmentary perspective view of a terminal block
assembly having terminal devices of the type shown in FIG. 23
mounted therein;
FIG. 26 is a sectional end view showing a group of terminal devices
of the type shown in FIG. 23 having wires connected thereto and
illustrating the manner in which adjacent terminal devices can be
electrically commoned.
Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, one form of connector 2 in accordance
with the invention comprises a base member 4, a retaining or
clamping plate member 6, and a cover plate 8, these members being
of suitable molded insulating material such as a high impact
strength ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin. A plurality
of terminal members 10 are clamped against surface portions of the
base 4 by means of the retaining plate 6, each terminal, in this
embodiment, comprising three substantially parallel plate sections
12, 14, and 16 which are connected by integral bights 18, 20. A
plurality of slots extend downwardly, as viewed in the drawing,
through the bight 20 and form, in effect, side-by-side slots 22a,
24a, 26a, and 22b, 24b and 26b in the plate portions 14, 16
respectively, see FIG. 6. These slots, in the embodiment, are
relatively wide at their upper ends in the vicinity of the bight 20
in order to facilitate positioning of the wires in the slots. The
lower portions of the slots are relatively narrow, the width of the
portions of the slots 22a, 24a, 26a in the plate portion 14 being
less than the diameter of the conducting core 32 of the wire. As
shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lower portions of the slots 22b, 24b,
26b in the plate section 16 are preferably relatively wider than
slots 22a, 24a, 26a, and may have a width substantially equal to,
but slightly less than, the diameter of the metallic core of the
wire. By virtue of this arrangement, when a wire is forced
downwardly into the slots, as will be explained below and as
illustrated in FIG. 7, the slots in the plate section 14 will
penetrate the insulation and will deform the conducting core 32 of
the wire by a substantial amount thereby establishing a low
resistance electrical contact. The slots in the plate portion 16 on
the other hand will penetrate the insulation and penetrate the core
slightly so that they provide a strain-relief. The provision of a
strain-relief of this type ensures that the electrical contact will
not be disturbed by the application of a tensile force to the
wire.
The plate section 30 of the terminal device, which functions as a
shearing means, has a height which is substantially less than that
of the plate sections 14, 16 so that this plate section 12 provides
an upper edge 30 which extends transversely of the slot portions
22a, 24a, 26a. The bight 18 between the plate portions 12, 14 has
transversely extending feet 17 on its sides and the plate portion
16 has similar feet 19 on its opposite sides. These projections
cooperate with the retaining member 6 to secure the terminal
members in the housing 2 as will be described below.
The individual wires are electrically connected to the terminal
member by means of an insertion tool having a shank portion 38 and
a head portion 36. A suitable handle can be provided on the upper
portion of the shank member 38 or alternatively a self-tripping
impact hammer can be provided as described, for example, in U.S.
Pat. No. 2,774,133. Such impact tools with self-tripping hammers
are desirable for making electrical connections for the reason that
the technician making the connection will be assured that he has
achieved the desired result and imposed the necessary force on the
wire or terminal when he pushes on the tool with sufficient force
to trip the hammer. As will be apparent from the explanation
presented below, a self-tripping hammer of this type can be used in
the same general manner as disclosed in the above-identified
patent.
The lower end of the tool head 36 is provided with three depending
arms 42, 44, 46. The central arm 42 has a width substantially equal
to the distance between the plate portions 12, 14 of the terminal
and has a recess on its lower end at 46, the width of this recess
being somewhat greater than the diameter of the insulation 34 of
the wire. The arm 44 has a similar notch or recess 48 on its
underside and is spaced from the arm 42 by an amount equal to the
thickness of the plate portion 12 of the terminal. The arm 40 may
be of any convenient thickness and is spaced from the arm 42 by an
amount equal to the distance between the oppositely directed faces
of the plate portions 14, 16 so that it can fit over the bight 20
as illustrated in FIG. 7.
When a wire is to be connected to a terminal member 10, the wire is
positioned in the enlarged upper portion 28 of the appropriate one
of the notches in the plate members 14, 16. The tool is then
located above the terminal member with the intermediate arm 42 in
alignment with the space between plate portions 12, 14 and with the
arm 40 disposed adjacent to the plate portion 16. The tool is then
pushed downwardly until the wire is forced into the lower portions
of the notches. During such downward movement of the tool and the
wire, the portion of the wire which projects leftwardly as viewed
in FIGS. 6 and 7 beyond the plate portion 14 will be sheared in the
plane of the plate portion 30 by the cooperative action of the edge
30 and the adjacent edge of the inner side of the recess 48 of arm
44. As previously noted, the tool 38, 36 may take the form of a
center punch type impact handtool so that the tool need only be
pushed downwardly until the hammer in the tool handle is tripped
thereby assuring that the wire is moved downwardly. The portion of
the wire which is pushed into the slot portion in the plate 14 will
be radically deformed and the sides of the slot will penetrate the
conducting core of the wire thereby to establish the electrical
contact as shown in FIG. 8. The portion of the wire which is moved
into the slot in the plate 16 will have its insulation penetrated
by the sides of the slot thereby to provide the strain-relief
discussed above.
Another form of insertion tool for putting wires into the slots of
connectors or terminals in accordance with the invention is
disclosed in the copending application of Christopher K. Brown,
Ser. No. 776,383, filed Nov. 18, 1968. The Brown tool differs from
the tool shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in several respects, one
significant difference being the provision of a reaction arm of the
tool which embraces the bight 18 so that it supports the terminal
device while the wires are being inserted and trimmed by the
application of downward forces on the wires. The provision of this
reaction device is advantageous in that the forces applied to the
terminal during wire insertion are not transmitted to the housing
or mounting means for the terminal (which may be of the types
described below) and the housings or mounting means need not
therefore be designed to withstand the imposition of the insertion
forces.
It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the
electrical connection of the terminal to the wire core and the
mechanical strain-relief for the wire are achieved by the plate
sections 14, 16 of the embodiment described above and that the
plate section 12 is not directly related to the electrical function
of the terminal but is rather provided as a convenience for the
operation of connecting the wire to the terminal. In an embodiment
described below (FIG. 23) the plate section of the terminal
corresponding to the plate section 12 is provided with a slot to
permit the electrical connection of an intermediate portion of a
wire to a terminal in accordance with the broad principles of the
invention.
In its broadest aspect, then, the terminal in accordance with the
invention comprises a metal plate which has been bent through an
angle of substantially 180.degree. to form a pair of substantially
parallel side-by-side plate sections connected by a bight. The wire
receiving slot, or slots, extend into the bight and partially into
each of the plate sections so that a wire inserted into the slot
means is penetrated by the edges of the slots in both of the plate
sections. Terminal members of this general type can be used under a
wide variety of circumstances and in a wide variety of sizes. For
example, a terminal in accordance with the invention might be
provided on a printed circuit board or on a component or device
such as a relay or resistor to connect wires thereto. Terminal
devices in accordance with the invention have several advantages
over previous slotted plate type terminal devices from both a
manufacturing standpoint and from an electrical and mechanical
performance standpoint as is described immediately below.
Referring to FIG. 10, the manufacture of a terminal device in
accordance with the invention is achieved by punching elongated
openings in a metal strip 10' and merely bending the blank about a
transverse axis to form the two essential parallel plate sections
shown in FIGS. 3,6, and 7. The blank 10' of FIG. 10 is of a length
such that it can be bent at two locations to provide the plate
section 12 of the above described embodiment but a simpler version
of a terminal device in accordance with the invention would, as
noted above, not having this shearing plate. It will be noted from
FIG. 10 that the slots 26b', 24b', and 22b' are somewhat wider than
the slots 26a', 24a', and 22a'. The enlarged upper ends of the
slots in the finished terminal which opens into the bight is
indicated at 28 in FIG. 10.
The punching operation required to produce the blank of FIG. 10 is
relatively simple and can be carried out with simple and easily
maintained tooling. Moreover, since the aligned slots in the two
plate sections of the terminal device are formed when the blank is
bent through an angle of 180.degree., the slots 26a, 26b, 24a, 24b,
and 22a, 22b will be in alignment with each other and will be close
together after final forming of the terminal device.
Terminal devices in accordance with the general principles of the
invention appear to have substantial advantages over the previously
known slotted plate type terminal devices. It is believed that the
electrical and mechanical advantages of the instant terminal device
stem in a large measure, from the U-shaped profile of the terminal
device with the slot extending through the bight of the U and
partially into each of the plate sections which comprise the legs
of the U. In other words, it is believed that the advantages of the
instant device stem from the facts that the edges of the plate
sections into which the slots extend are connected by the
bight.
When an oversized wire is passed through the gap in the bight and
into the slots in the plate sections 14, 16 the wire urges the
edges of the slots apart and the reaction forces imposed on the
wire by the edges of the slot establish the electrical connection
between the wire and the terminal. Thus referring to FIG. 6, the
wire, upon insertion, tends to urge the plate section specifically
identified at 11 outwardly, the force imposed on this plate section
being relatively high since the slot in this plate section is
narrow and the deformation of the wire is extreme. The plate
section 13 is also urged outwardly but to a much lesser degree
because of the fact the slot is relatively wider than the slot in
the plate portion 11 and the loads developed are not as high as in
the plate section 14. The plate portion 11 does not act as a simple
cantilever when the wire is forced into the terminal device because
of the fact that the end of the plate portion 11 is connected by
the bight to the plate portion 13 which is not so heavily stressed
by the inserted wire. The end of the plate portion 13 thus supports
the end of the plate portion 11 against lateral flexure and the
edge of the slot in the plate section 14 is maintained in intimate
engagement with the metallic core 32 of the wire.
These features of the terminal device discussed above can be
translated, on a practical and utilitarian level, to the
achievement of a terminal device which can be made much more
compact than previously known slotted plate type terminal devices.
Specifically, if a terminal device in accordance with the invention
is designed with a given material, say a 70-30 brass, and if the
stress level is limited to some practical value, then a terminal in
accordance with the invention can be substantially narrower as
measured between the edges of the plate sections, than previously
known slotted plate-type terminals. This advantage results in the
achievement of a higher density of connections in a given space
and/or a saving in material cost. It will also be apparent that a
high degree of space saving is achieved by virtue of the fact that
the two plate sections 14, 16 of the terminal are extremely close
together rather than being spaced apart by a substantial
distance.
It should be noted that the instant invention includes the broad
combination of any desired slotted plate-type terminal with an
adjacent shearing plate as exemplified by the plate section 12. In
other words, the shearing plate 12 can be used in combination with
one additional plate having a wire-receiving slot therein (rather
than two additional plates) if desired and/or where a specific
situation dictates the use of only a single slotted plate.
One form of housing or support for terminals in accordance with the
invention is shown in FIGS. 2-5. The base portion 4 of the
connector housing comprises a floor 52 having a plurality of
spaced-apart upstanding ribs 50. The sides 56 of the base and the
sidewalls of the ribs extend downwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 below
the floor 52 so that the entire base structure is supported above
the surface of the mounting panel to which it is secured. The base
structure 4 may be secured to any convenient mounting panel by
suitable means, for example, by means of fasteners extending
through openings 57 in the floor. Each of the four corners of the
base structure 4 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart upstanding
columns 59 which define an arcuate recess 58 for reception of a
cable. Additionally, clamping means are provided for clamping the
incoming and outgoing cables in these recesses as will be described
below.
The retaining plate 6, which is also of a relatively firm
insulating material, comprises a plurality of spaced-apart hollow
bosses or ribs 60 which are connected by integral web portions 62,
the interior width of these ribs 60 being substantially equal to,
and slightly greater than, the width of the ribs 50 on the base
portion of the housing. The upper surfaces 66 of the ribs 60 have a
plurality of spaced-apart rectangular openings 64 which are
dimensioned such that the individual terminal members 10 can be
inserted through these openings from the underside of the retaining
plate although the lateral extending feet 17, 19 of the terminal
members will prevent their passage entirely through the openings.
After the terminals have been inserted through the opening 64, the
retaining plate 6 is moved downwardly onto the base member 4 until
latch arms 68 on the ends of the ribs 60 pass through suitable
openings 70 in the floor 52 of the base portion. These latch arms
have hooked ends as shown so that they will lodge beneath the
surface of the floor, as shown in FIG. 5, and hold the retaining
plate in assembled relationship to the base.
When a plurality of conductors in two or more individual cables are
being interconnected, the base member 4 is secured against a
suitable mounting panel and the appropriate number of terminal
members are mounted in the retaining plate 6. The retaining plate
is thereafter assembled to the base member and the necessary
electrical connections are made to the terminal members by means of
an insertion tool as described above. The wires extending from the
cable-supporting surfaces 58 at the corners of the base member are
led to the appropriate terminal members along the passageways which
are defined between the hollow rectangular bosses 60 of the cover
plate.
After the electrical connections among the conductors of the
several cables have been made, the incoming or outgoing cables are
clamped between the columns 59 by means of plug members generally
indicated at 84, FIGS. 11 and 12. These plug members are adapted to
be received between the opposed sides of the column members 59 and
each plug member has a boss 86 on its underside with an arcuate
surface 88 adapted to bear against the surface of the cable 82 on
the opposite side thereof from the side supported on the surfaces
58. Shoulders 90 extend beyond the sides of the plug 84 and are
adapted to lodge beneath internal shoulders 92 on the opposed sides
of the column members 59. The upper portion 84 of the clamping plug
is dimensioned such that it will be pushed downwardly against the
cable and into locked relationship with the columns 59 when the cap
member 72 is assembled to the connector.
The cap member 8 has sidewalls 72 which surround the walls 56 of
the base and additionally has openings 74 at each of its four
corners in alignment with the columns 59 to permit passage of the
cables into the connector. If desired, these openings 74 can be
formed by providing perforated plugs which would be knocked out
when the connector is being installed and when the electrical
connections are being made. With this arrangement, the technician
would merely remove the portions of the sidewalls within the
perforations where he wished to have a cable enter the connector.
The cap member or cover member 8 is held in assembled relationship
to the base member by means of latch arms 78 integral with the
extending upwardly from the sidewalls 56 of the base member
adjacent to the column 59. These latch arms have hooked ends which
are adapted to extend through appropriately located openings 76 in
the sides of the cover member. The sidewalls 72 may be made of
relatively heavy material in the vicinity of these openings as
shown at 80 in order to achieve a secure latching of the cover
member to the base member.
Connectors of the type described above can be made in any desired
size, the specific connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 being adapted
to hold a total of 50 terminal elements and is, therefore, capable
of making interconnections among a total of 150 wires. A connector
of this type might be used, for example, at one location in a room
of a building containing 50 or more individual telephone handsets.
Smaller connectors of the same general type can be used where a
smaller number of handsets are being provided in a specific
area.
In the foregoing description, the individual terminals 10 are shown
as being electrically independent of each other. However, if
desired, two or more individual terminal elements 10 can be made
electrically integral with each other by leaving a connecting slug
or shank between the plate portions 16 of the two terminals or by
any other suitable method.
FIG. 13 shows an alternative embodiment in which a connector 96 in
accordance with the invention comprises a base plate 98, which is
adapted to be mounted against a wall, having a plurality of
openings 100 extending therethrough on each side of a stack of
modular clamping blocks 104. In normal use, the plate 98 will be
mounted on a suitable panel and the individual conductors or cables
will be led through the openings 100 so that the wires thereof can
be connected to terminal elements mounted in the clamping blocks.
The clamping blocks 104 are substantially identical to each other,
excepting for the uppermost block of the stack, and have ears 106
extending from their ends. These flanges have hooked ends 108 which
are adapted to enter transversely extending recesses 110 in the
adjacent clamping block. The lowermost block of the stack shown in
FIG. 13 has its locking ears 106 extending through elongated slots
102 and the baseplate 98.
The adjacent sides of the clamping blocks are provided with
transversely extending slots 112 which are adapted to receive the
connecting shank or neck portions 114 of the individual terminal
members shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The terminal members in this
instance are of the double-ended type with the ends of each
terminal element having the previously identified parallel plate
members 14, 12, and 16. The length of the neck or shank portions
114 is substantially equal to the thickness of the clamping blocks
104 so that when individual terminals are placed in the slots 112
of the block and an adjacent block is assembled to the previously
stacked block, the terminals will be locked firmly in position. It
should be added that the terminals lend stability to the stock of
clamping blocks by virtue of the fact that the shanks of the
terminal extend into the slots. The uppermost clamping block 116 in
FIGS. 13 and 14 does not have slots on its outwardly facing side
nor does it have recesses 110 which would permit assembly of an
additional block thereto. It is not essential to use this type of
clamping block at the end of the stack, and, if desired, the
previously described type of block 104 can be used although, of
course, the outwardly facing slots would not be used for mounting
terminals.
FIGS. 18-22 show an alternative form of double ended terminal
device having an alternative embodiment of a terminal in accordance
with the invention on its ends. The terminal device of FIG. 18 is
intended for use in a connector of the general type shown at 96 in
FIG. 13 and would be substituted for the terminals shown in FIG.
13. The terminal device of FIG. 18 has a neck portion 114c which is
notched on one side thereof as shown at 116 to facilitate
positioning of the neck portion of the terminal device in the slots
112 and to prevent the possibility of movement of the neck portion
after assembly of the connector 96. It will also be noted that the
terminals 10c on the ends of the terminal device extend obliquely
rather than axially from the neck portion. It is intended that
terminal devices of the type shown in FIG. 18 would be oriented in
the connector 96 such that the terminals 2c would be directed away
from the baseplate 98 of FIG. 13. This modification has the
advantage of rendering the terminals more accessible to the
technician when the connections are made.
The individual terminals 10c differ from the previously described
embodiment in that the gaps 120 in the bight 20c have width which
is slightly less than the diameter of the insulation 34 of the
wire. The slots in the plate sections extending from the bight 20c
are enlarged as shown at 122 immediately beneath the gaps 120 and
have a width such that they are capable of receiving the wires as
shown in FIG. 19. The lower or root portions of the slots are
relatively narrow as shown in the drawing and as previously
described with reference to the terminal 10.
An advantage of the embodiment of FIG. 18 is that when a large
number of wires are to be connected to a group of terminals, as for
example, when a large number of wires are being connected to the
connector of FIG. 13, the wires can be temporarily positioned in
the terminals by passing them through the gaps 120 and by reason of
the interference fit and the wires will be retained in position
while the technician proceeds to lead the wires to the terminal
devices to which connections are to be made. Thereafter, and after
the wires have been positioned, the technician can employ an
insertion tool, either of the type shown in FIG. 6 or of the type
shown in the above identified Brown application, on all of the
terminals in the connector assembly to complete the wiring
operation. It will be appreciated that this modification results in
a substantial time saving since the technician is not required to
alternate wire positioning and inserting operations with each other
but can complete all wire-positioning operations and then complete
all of the wire-inserting operations. FIGS. 20, 21, and 22
illustrate the inserting operation which is substantially the same
as with the previous embodiment. The blank for the terminal device
10c can be formed as shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 24 by
providing a projection 18' on the sides of the punched openings
which form the wire-receiving slots.
FIG. 23 shows a double-ended terminal device 124 having a terminal
10c on the right-hand side thereof which is similar to the
corresponding terminals in the terminal device of FIG. 18. The
left-hand side of the terminal device 124 has a terminal 128 which
is formed in the same general manner as the previously described
embodiments but which has only a single slot means 132. Also, in
the embodiment, a slot 134 is provided in the end section 130
(which functions as the cutter plate in the previous embodiments)
so that a wire can be pushed down into the terminal device without
being severed.
Terminal devices of the type shown in FIG. 23 are used in connector
arrangements of the type shown in FIG. 25, 26 in which a plurality
of insulating blocks are clamped against each other with terminal
devices 124 held between the blocks. Individual conductors can be
led to the terminal devices on the left in FIG. 25 (that is behind
the stack of blocks) and the terminal devices themselves can be
electrically connected by means of wires extending through the
slots in the devices as shown on the right in FIG. 25. In this
manner, a single wire can be used to make all the required
interconnections among blocks where such terminal devices are to be
connected in series, rather than by the use of jumper wires which
would extend from one block to the next block. Devices of this type
are frequently used in the telephone industry to connect incoming
trunk lines to switch gear.
Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and
various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be
made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter
set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is
offered by way of illustration only.
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