Electrical Connector And Contact

Abstract

A connector including a body having a plurality of cavities, and socket contacts in the cavities; the cavities have ledges for supporting or limiting insertion of the contacts, the contacts having corresponding shapes engaging the ledges and contact fingers struck in from opposite sidewalls which in one embodiment are oriented in opposite longitudinal directions to provide an early wipe with reduced insertion forces; the contacts are of closed entry type, formed from a single stamped metal blank, shaped to generally tubular form, having a portion defining closed entry aperture, in one embodiment formed by a bent-over piece forming cirumferentially continuously element, and in another embodiment formed by inwardly bent tabs supported by the walls of the cavity; the contacts have reduced tail portions extending through the cavities beyond the body enlarged or otherwise shaped resisting removal from the cavities.

Parent Case Text

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 261,698 now abandoned, titled "Electrical Connector and Contact."

Description

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A broad object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of novel construction, including a body with cavities therein, and contacts in the cavities, the contacts being of closed entry type.

Another broad object is to provide an electrical connector of the foregoing character having novel construction of both the cavity walls and the contacts, providing effective interaction between the body and the contacts, for effectively positioning the contacts in the cavities, enabling the contacts to be made of thin wall material and of simple form.

Still another object is to provide a connector of the foregoing character including a body with cavities, and contacts insertable through a front face of the body, and the contacts having reduced tail portions extending through the cavities, and wherein the tail portions of the contacts are enlarged or otherwise shaped resisting removal of the contacts in direction opposite the insertion thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector and contact which provide a frontwardly disposed contact-engagement surface for a mating contact with reduced insertion force.

A still further object is to provide a contact of extremely simple form and construction which is easily fabricated, and which notwithstanding such simple form and construction, provides effective electrical connection with associated electrical elements.

Still another object is to provide an electrical contact of the kind just referred to, for use in mounting in a cavity in a body, having novel shape and construction enabling it to be fabricated in a simple manner, and also providing effective mounting in the cavity.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical contact of simple form, fabricated from a single integral stamping, having a circumferentially integral end element defining a reduced dimension closed entry aperture.

Yet another object is to provide a contact of simple construction, fabricated from a single integral stamping, having a novel construction of tabs defining a closed entry construction, wherein such tabs, when the contact is inserted in the cavity, are supported by the walls of the cavity.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view of a connector made according to the present invention, showing a portion of the body of the connector and contacts in certain of the cavities.

FIG. 2 is a face view of a blank from which the contact, in one form, is fabricated.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a contact shown in FIG. 1, oriented according to line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end view taken from the top of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken from the right of the lower portion of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing a slightly modified form.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a single cavity and a modified form of contact in that cavity.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the contact of FIG. 7 and oriented according to line 8--8 of FIG. 7, this figure being similar to FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an end view taken from the top of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing a slightly modified form thereof.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another modified form of contact in addition to the form in FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the contact of FIG. 11 and oriented according to line 12--12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a side view of further modified contact with a cutaway sectional view of an associated connector body.

FIG. 14 is a face view of a blank from which the contact in FIG. 13 is fabricated.

The connector illustrated herein in its general overall nature is known. The connector is indicated in its entirety at 20 and includes a body or block or mounting member 22 in a known manner, and having a plurality of cavities 24 in which are disposed socket contacts or female contacts 26. The connector cooperates with a plug having pins or pin contacts 28 received in the contacts 26 and the connector may have any desired number of cavities and contacts such as 10 or 20 or more, and as many as for example 200 or more. The contacts have tail portions or sections 30 for connection with corresponding electrical elements. Since the manner of use of the connector is known, the following description will be directed to the specific mechanical construction. The pins 28 which can be received in the contacts are not limited to any particular shape, and they may be, for example, round as at 28 a or square as at 28b.

The body or mounting member 22 has a front face 32 and a rear face 34. The cavities 24 defined by surrounding walls in the body extend through the body or mounting member 22, each having an enlarged portion 36 rectangular and preferably square in cross section and opening through the front face 32. Each cavity also has a reduced portion 38 opening through the rear face 34 and being at least partially laterally offset from the enlarged portion 36. At the juncture of the two portions of the cavity is a ledge or shoulder 40 on one side that is abrupt or square, and preferably perpendicular to the axis of the cavity; on the other three sides of the cavity are tapered or laterally disposed, inclined ledges or surfaces 42 extending downwardly from the plane of the ledge 40 and inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the center axis of the cavity, the longitudinal dimension of these ledges not being critical. The three tapered ledges 42 are individually identified, for convenience, as 42a on the rear side and 42b, 42c on the sides (see FIG. 5).

The contact is shaped from a single integral blank 44 shown in face view in FIG. 2, which includes a main portion 46 and a tail portion 48 extending longitudinally from one side thereof. At the other end from the tail portion is a ring or loop 50, in this case square, and having a square aperture 52. The main portion 46 is stamped to form fingers or tangs 54 in openings 56.

The blank 44 after being thus stamped, is formed or shaped into the contact as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The blank is bent at lines 58 thus forming an enlarged box portion or socket section 60 (FIG. 1), tubular in form and in this case square in cross section. The tail portion 48 in being thus shaped is formed into channel form, forming a tail section 62 (FIG. 1) the flanges of which extend in the neighborhood of one-half of the transverse dimension of the socket section 60. The blank is further shaped so as to provide at the juncture between the socket section 60 and the tail section 62, tapered or inclined surfaces 64 on the three elements of the channel, i.e., the web and the flanges. Additionally, the ring or loop 50 illustrated in construction as an integral, flat section is bent over to a 90.degree. position, overlying the upper end of the socket section 60, with the outer peripheral surfaces thereof substantially flush with the outer surfaces of the walls of the socket section.

Additionally, the fingers or tangs 54 are bent inwardly and at their free ends are shaped with convex inner surfaces 66 for more effective contact engagement with the pins inserted in the contacts. The tail section 62 is swaged or otherwise shaped or enlarged at 68 at such location as to be positioned outwardly of the cavity beyond the rear face 34, to resist removal of the contact from the cavity through the front face 32. The partial offset position of the tail section 30 provides a free edge or shoulder of the socket section 60, as indicated at 70, which forms an abutment engaging the ledge 40 in the wall of the cavity.

The contact is positioned in the cavity by inserting it through the front face 32, in the proper position of rotation, the tail section 30 proceeding through the reduced portion of the cavity and extending beyond the rear face 34. The three tapered surfaces 64 of the contact engage the corresponding tapered ledges 42 in the cavity, while the shoulder 70 solidly engages the ledge 40. The contact is thus firmly held in position both by the abrupt surfaces 70, 40, and the inclined surfaces 64, 42 both in longitudinal and lateral direction. The enlargement 68 further aids in further securing the contact in place.

The ring or loop 50 is, of course, integral and it is circumferentially continuous so as to positively prevent entry of a pin of excess dimension. In accordance with the nature of a closed entry contact, it will be understood that the fingers 54 are preformed inwardly to such a position that the contact surfaces 66 extend inwardly beyond the corresponding side edges of the aperture 52 so that upon insertion of a pin of maximum size as determined by the aperture, the pin will engage those surfaces. However, the aperture 52 prevents the entry of a pin of any dimension beyond a predetermined safe maximum which might otherwise deflect or bend the fingers outwardly sufficiently to damage their resilience.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of slightly modified form, this view corresponding to FIG. 3. In the first form (FIGS. 1-5) the fingers 54 extend upwardly, or toward the entry end, while in FIG. 6 the fingers 54a extend in the opposite direction, both forms being effective for the purpose, and the two illustrations indicating equal effectiveness of the two different forms.

FIGS. 7-10 show a form of connector modified from that of FIGS. 1-6. FIG. 7, for example, shows only the upper portion of the contact and cavity in the body, the lower portions thereof being identical with the corresponding elements in FIGS. 1-6. In FIG. 7, the contact 80 is shaped from a blank similar to that of FIG. 2, but having a closed entry construction 82 different from that of the first embodiment. In the present case the closed entry construction includes a plurality of tabs 84 extending upwardly from the socket or box section 86, each having an inwardly directed convex limiting surface 88 and terminal elements 90 inclined upwardly and outwardly. The cavity 24 is provided with a ledge 92 adjacent the outer end of the enlarged portion of the cavity, tapered or inclined correspondingly to the elements 90 and surfaces 94 therebeyond that are longitudinally straight, but spaced transversely apart greater than the surfaces longitudinally inwardly of the ledge.

Upon insertion of the contact into the cavity, the elements 90 engage the tapered ledge 92, as well as the longitudinal surfaces 94, and the tabs 84 are confined by the surface 94 against outward or spreading movement. The limiting surfaces 88 thus define an entry aperture limiting the maximum size of pin that can be inserted into the contact, having corresponding relation with the fingers 54 as described above.

FIG. 8 includes an indication of a portion of the body 22, including the tapered ledge 92 and the straight portions 94.

As in the case of the first embodiment, the fingers 54 may extend toward the entry end as in FIG. 8, or in the opposite direction as in FIG. 10.

Preferably, the construction is such that the transversely aligned contacts are disposed oppositely, i.e., the open sides of the channels of the tail sections are directed outwardly from each other.

FIGS. 11-12 illustrate another form of connector modified from those in FIGS. 1-6 and 7-10. As illustrated in FIGS. 11-12, contact 100 is of one-piece construction and includes socket 102 frontwardly constructed in a similar manner to contact 80 of FIG. 7. Socket section 102 includes a closed entry construction 104 with a plurality of entry tabs 106 extending upwardly from socket section 102 with each being provided with an inwardly directed convex limiting surface 108 and terminal elements 110. Also in a similar manner to cavity 24, cavity 112 is provided with ledges 114 and surfaces 116.

Intermediate the forward and rearward ends 118 and 120 of socket section 102 are contact tabs 122 similar to tabs 54. Rearwardly disposed on socket section 102 are locking members represented by locking tabs 124 having frontwardly directed free ends 126 locked behind contact retaining shoulders 128 of body 22.

Tail section 130 rearwardly extends from socket section 102 and is shaped to receive an external conductor by wire wrapping.

Contact 100 is advantageously constructed for frontward mounting in cavity 112 in a manner whereby the entry tabs 106 resiliently abut ledges 114, preventing rearward movement and locking tabs 124 abut shoulders 128, preventing frontward movement of the contact. During the mounting operation, tail section 130 is inserted through cavity 112 from front face 132 and locking tabs 124 yield inwardly to permit passage of contact 100 until entry tabs 106 are forced against ledges 114. As entry tabs 106 are pushed against ledges 114, locking tabs 124 pass beyond shoulders 128 and spring outwardly to lock contact 100 in position.

Since contact 100 is frontwardly mounted, entry tabs 106 are advantageously constructed so as to laterally extend beyond the outer perimeter of locking tabs 124 with tabs 124 tapering outwardly and frontwardly to free ends 126. In this construction, locking tabs 124 resiliently yield inwardly to permit the desired insertion of contact 100 with entry tabs 106 providing a stop.

The construction is extremely simple, the contact is made from a single integral stamping, the metal from which the contact is made is easily fabricated to form the various shapes for cooperation with corresponding shapes in the walls of the cavity, the socket of the contact provides effective engagement with a pin, while the tail section 30 or 130 is usually effective for connection with other electrical elements.

The tapered surfaces on the cavity walls and the contact being disposed at the juncture of the respective enlarged end reduced portions in FIGS. 1 and 7 facilitate shaping the contact in that in working the metal as between a large portion and a small portion, both portions can more easily be maintained in regular and uniform shape, such as rectangular in cross section.

The complementary shape of the cavity and contact whereby the contact engages the walls of the cavity substantially throughout the length of the cavity, enables the contact to be made of extremely thin material, while still maintaining the proper shape and strength of the contact.

For convenience in fully appreciating the construction and character of the connector the following are dimensions that may be representative of a specific construction: the socket section of the contact may be 0.080 inches on edge, and having a length of about 0.300-0.400 inches, while the thickness of the material may be about 0.008 inches.

FIGS. 13-14 illustrate a further modification of the contact according to the invention. In FIG. 13, connector 140, similar to connector 20 of FIG. 1, is provided with mounting member or body 142 of insulating material. Cavity 144 extends longitudinally through member 142 and includes an enlarged front portion 156 open to front face 152 and a reduced rear portion 158 open to the rear face 154 with rear portion 158 being axially aligned with groove 159, thereby permitting front mounting of contact 146. As illustrated, contact 146 of one-piece construction is at least partially disposed in cavity 144 and includes a frontentry aperture 172 for receiving a mating contact 148. Frontwardly disposed in contact 146 is an enlarged socket section 180 generally tubular in form and constructed of thin sheet metal. Laterally offset from socket section 180 is tail section 182 generally smaller in size and constructed of dual thickness material advantageously to provide a strong, sturdy post for wire wrapping. Further as illustrated, each of beam sections 185-186 is integral with one of side walls 183-184 affording support for one of the engagement surfaces on convex curves 185-186.

For electrical engagement with mating contact 148, socket section 180 is provided with one or more pairs of contact fingers 174-175, which are rearwardly disposed from entry aperture 172 and longitudinally offset on opposite sidewalls 183-184, respectively. Fingers 174-175 extend inwardly to convex curves 185-186 providing contact-engaging surfaces for mating contact 148. As illustrated, curve 185 is longitudinally offset from curve 186 and is frontwardly disposed near entry aperture 172 to provide an early wiping surface for contact 148. Beam sections 192-193 are inclined outwardly from convex curves 185-186 to sidewalls 183-184 and provide cantilever beam action as contact 148 engages the inwardly-disposed surfaces on curves 185-186. Advantageously, beam sections 192-193 are essentially of equal length to develop essentially equal force, thereby reducing such problems as permanent contact deformation which may result when one beam section is of much shorter length than the other and the problem of improper centering by unequal deflection forces. It is a further advantage if socket section 100 is elongated longitudinally to provide elongated beam sections and is snugly fitted in enlarged portion 156 of cavity 144. Curves 185-186 are further provided with ends 194-195 opposite to beam sections 192-193 which are inclined outwardly. For curve 185, and 194 serves to funnel contact 148 into engagement with the inwardly disposed surfaces of fingers 174-175.

Further in accordance with the invention, beam section 193 is rearwardly inclined inwardly and disposed laterally opposite curve 185 to guide mating contact 148 to a center position 197. As an additional aid for the insertion of contact 148, sidewalls 183-184 include converging tapers 191 on the forward end 187 at entry aperture 172. Socket section 180 is also provided with shoulder 190 at its rearward end 188 to limit rearward movement of the contact in cavity 144.

FIG. 14 illustrates a blank 164 forming an integral sheet metal member from which contact 146 is formed by bending the sheet-like metal at lines 178 representing U-shaped and L-shaped portions 165 and 167 in generally flat main base portion 166 into the shape illustrated in FIG. 13. Free-ended oppositely directed fingers 174-175 are formed by openings 176 and 177 representing sides and ends respectively of U-shaped and L-shaped portions 165 and 167 and are also bent in the shape illustrated in FIG. 13. L-shaped portion 167 may inclue a second side 179 to form a second U-shaped portion. Tail section 168 is provided with two opposite pairs of lateral flanges 196 longitudinally separated by concave curved recesses 198 which aid in mounting contact 146. In the resulting construction, the contact is formed of an integral sheet metal member represented by blank 164 having a generally flat base portion 166 with laterally separated U-shaped and L-shaped portions 165 and 167 stamped out to form a pair of free-ended oppositely directed fingers 174-175 and a tail 168 integrally formed on the base portion 166 and which extends away from the base portion. As illustrated, the U-shaped portion 165 is inverted with respect to L-shaped portion 167 with each of the portions being formed by stamped out longitudinal sides and lateral end portions 176-177. Base portion 166 is bent along the side portions of the U-shaped and L-shaped portions to form a rectangular shape and the fingers 174-175 are bent inwardly to longitudinally offset the free ends and form longitudinally offset contact engagement surfaces.

Contact 146 is mounted frontwardly in cavity 144 by inserting tail section 182 with taper 189 into groove 159 axially aligned with rear cavity portion 158 and forcing tail section 182 rearwardly until it extends beyond rear face 154. Final positioning is accomplished by pulling tail section 182 rearwardly to force plastic deformation of member 142 and force material into recesses 198, thereby locking contact 146 in place.

The resultant construction as illustrated in FIG. 13 positions front contact-engagement surface 186 near entry aperture 172 to provide a long wiping action against contact 148 without requiring higher insertion forces normally occurring when both contact engaging surfaces simultaneously engage contact 148.

Claims

I claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising a body of insulating material having a front face and a cavity extending longitudinally therefrom in a rearward direction, and

a contact at least partially disposed in said cavity and including a front elongated socket section for front engagement with a mating contact and a rear tail section for engagement with an external conductor, said socket section including at least one pair of opposite outer sidewalls and at least one pair of contact fingers outwardly supported by said sidewalls, said fingers including longitudinally offset contact engagement surfaces inwardly disposed within said socket section and beam sections inclined outwardly from said surfaces toward said sidewalls in opposite longitudinal directions, each of said beam sections being integral with one of said side walls and supporting one of said engagement surfaces, one of said contact-engagement surfaces being frontwardly disposed so that said mating contact will initially engage only one of said surfaces with the other of said contact engagement surfaces being rearwardly disposed and the beam section with said rearwardly disposed surface being inclined rearwardly and disposed laterally opposite said frontwardly disposed surface to guide said mating contact to a center position in said socket section and into engagement with said frontwardly disposed surface.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the frontwardly disposed contact-engagement surface includes a convex curve with an end opposite said beam section which is inclined outwardly to funnel a mating contact into engagement with said inwardly disposed surface.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein said beam sections of said fingers are essentially of equal length to develop essentially equal forces against said mating contact when completely inserted.

4. The connector of claim 2 wherein the sidewalls of said contact form a front entry aperture with a pair of opposite front edges having converging tapers.

5. The connector of claim 1 wherein said body includes a rear face, said cavity includes an enlarged portion opening through the front face and a reduced portion opening through the rear face, the socket section of the contact is snugly fitted in the enlarged portion of the cavity, and the tail section is offset laterally from the socket section and extends through the reduced portion of the cavity.

6. A contact for an electrical connector comprising a front enlarged socket section elongated longitudinally and a rear reduced tail section, the socket section including at least one pair of opposite outer sidewalls frontwardly forming an entry aperture and at least one pair of contact fingers outwardly supported by said sidewalls and rearwardly disposed from said entry aperture, said fingers including longitudinally offset contact-engagement surfaces inwardly disposed within said socket section for engagement with a mating contact inserted through said entry aperture, and beam sections inclined outwardly in opposite longitudinal directions to said sidewalls, each of said beam sections being integral with one of said sidewalls and supporting one of said engagement surfaces, one of said contact-engagement surfaces being frontwardly disposed near said entry aperture with the other of said contact engagement surfaces being rearwardly disposed and the beam section with said rearwardly disposed surface being inclined rearwardly and disposed laterally opposite said frontwardly disposed surface to guide said mating contact to a center position in said socket section and into engagement with said frontwardly disposed surface.

7. The contact of claim 6 wherein said beam sections are essentially of equal length to develop essentially equal forces against said mating contact when completely inserted, said frontwardly disposed contact-engagement surface is curved convexly and includes an end opposite said beam section inclined outwardly.

8. An electrical connector comprising

a body having front and rear faces and walls defining a cavity therebetween, said cavity being substantially rectangular in cross section and having an enlarged portion opening through the front face and a reduced portion opening through the rear face,

the walls of the cavity defining, at least on one side of the cavity, an abrupt ledge between the enlarged and reduced portions of the cavity and laterally disposed ledges on the remaining walls tapering downwardly and inwardly, and

a contact in the cavity having an enlarged socket section with sides snugly fitted in the enlarged portion of the cavity, and a reduced tail section extending through the reduced portion of the cavity,

the tail section of the contact being offset laterally from the socket section, exposing an abrupt inner end surface on the socket section engaging said ledge and providing positive stop means.

9. An electrical connector according to claim 8 wherein the contact has tapered surfaces snugly engaging the tapered ledges when the abrupt inner end surface on the socket section engages the abrupt ledges in the cavity walls.

10. An electrical connector according to claim 9 wherein the tapered ledges extend from a point substantially in the plane of the aburpt ledge downwardly therefrom.

11. An electrical connector according to claim 8 wherein the contact is formed of a single integral sheet metal piece, the socket section is tubular in shape and the tail section is channel shape with a web and side flanges, and disposed with its web on the side of the contact opposite the abrupt end surface of the socket section and the flanges extend from the web a distance less than the corresponding width of the contact, and the tapered surfaces on the contact are provided on the three sides represented by the web and the flanges.

12. An electrical connector according to claim 8 wherein the enlarged portion of the cavity is substantially uniform in cross section throughout its length, the socket section engages the walls in said portion and has an outer surface, the contact has a length and a front entry end and an integral flat section disposed against the sides at the entry end extending generally perpendicular to the length of the contact, circumferentially continuous, and has an outer surface substantially flush with the outer surface of the socket section of the contact.

13. An electrical connector according to claim 8 wherein the enlarged portion of the cavity is of substantially uniform cross sectional shape from a position at the juncture with the reduced portion longitudinally outwardly to a position adjacent to but short of the front face of the body, the cavity walls include an outwardly facing ledge adjacent the front face, and the contact has a closed entry construction including tabs extending laterally outwardly beyond the remaining surface of the contact and engaging said ledge, said tabs being confined within that portion of the wall cavities longitudinally beyond the ledge.

14. An electrical connector according to claim 13 wherein the contact has fingers struck in from opposite sidewalls of the contact to a position transversely inwardly beyond the confining edges of the entry aperture.

15. A contact for an electrical connector formed of an integral sheet metal piece having an enlarged socket section, a reduced tail section, and juncture therebetween, the socket section having at least one pair of opposite sides, contact fingers struck in from said opposite sides, and a construction having an entry aperture of dimensions greater than the distance between the contact fingers but less than the distance between the wall elements from which they were struck, said contact having a length and an integral, flat section forming said construction and extending generally perpendicular to the length of the contact and disposed against the sides thereof, the contact having, at the juncture between the socket section and the tail section, one side of the contact, an abrupt shoulder facing longitudinally in a direction away from the closed entry aperture, and having ledges other than the abrupt shoulder at other sides of the contact.

16. A contact according to claim 15 wherein the socket section is substantially tubular in shape and the tail section is substantially channel form in shape.

17. An electrical contact according to claim 15 wherein the closed entry construction includes a plurality of tabs joined to and extending from the socket section at the closed entry end thereof extending longitudinally from the socket section and having a component of extension transversely outwardly beyond the outer perimeter surface of the socket section.

18. An electrical connector comprising

a body of insulating material having a front face and rear face and a cavity therethrough, said cavity having a portion of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape extending from a position intermediate said faces to a position adjacent to but short of the front face of the body, said cavity also including an outwardly facing ledge adjacent said front face and at least one rearwardly disposed contact-retaining shoulder

a contact in said cavity having a socket section with at least a portion being snugly fitted in said cavity portion of uniform shape and a tail section, said socket section including at least one pair of opposite sides, contact fingers struck in from said opposite sides of said socket section, a construction having a frontwardly disposed entry aperture with dimensions greater than the distance between the contact fingers but less that the distance between said sides, said construction including a plurality of entry tabs extending laterally beyond the cavity portion of uniform shape and abutting against said ledge

said contact including a rearwardly disposed locking member having a laterally extending portion abutting said contact-retaining shoulder of said body.

19. An electrical connector according to claim 18 wherein said ledge adjacent the front face of the cavity is tapered at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the cavity and said entry tabs on the contact are complementally inclined.

20. An electrical connector according to claim 19 wherein said contact includes a plurality of said locking members with each member formed as a resilient locking tab disposed on one of said sides of said socket section and tapering outwardly and frontwardly to a free end locked behind said contact-retaining shoulder.

21. An electrical connector according to claim 20 wherein said entry tabs include an outwardly extending component extending beyond the outer perimeter of said locking tabs.

22. A contact for frontwardly mounting in an electrical connector and formed of an integral sheet metal piece, said contact comprising socket and tail sections with said socket section being substantially tubular in shape with opposite sides, an elongated length and frontward and rearward ends, contact fingers disposed intermediate said ends and struck in from said opposite sides of said socket section, a construction at said forward end having an entry aperture with dimensions greater than the distance between the contact fingers but less than the distance between said opposite sides and including a plurality of entry tabs extending longitudinally from the socket section and having a component of extension transversely outwardly beyond the outer perimeter surface of the socket section, said socket section including locking tabs disposed on a plurality of said sides of said socket section rearwardly with respect to said contact tabs and tapering outwardly in a frontward direction, said locking tabs being resiliently yieldable inwardly to permit said contact to be frontwardly mounted in said connector.

23. A rectangularly shaped contact for an electrical connector formed of an integral sheet metal member having a generally flat base portion with laterally separated U-shaped and L-shaped portions stamped out to form a pair of free-ended oppositely directed fingers and a tail portion integrally formed on the base portion and extending away therefrom, said U-shape portion being inverted with respect to said L-shaped portion with each of said portions being formed by stamped out longitudinal sides and lateral end portions, said base portion being bent along the side portions of the U-shaped and L-shaped portions to form said rectangular shape and said fingers being bent inwardly to longitudinally offset said free ends and form longitudinally offset contact engagement surfaces.

24. The contact of claim 23 wherein the free end of one of said fingers includes an inwardly directed convex curve forming one of said contact engagement surfaces.

25. The contact of claim 24 wherein said fingers are essentially of equal length to develop essentially equal forces against said mating contact when completely inserted.

26. The contact of claim 25 wherein said contact includes an inwardly tapered entry aperture frontwardly disposed from said fingers and directing said mating contact to contact engagement surfaces.

27. The contact of claim 26 wherein said L-shaped portion includes a second side portion forming a second U-shaped portion.