US2229211A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

J. A KonENGoLD 2,229,211

Jan. 21, 194.1.

:ummm counxcm und nos. 22. 1931" Y C #4 a A k 7/ FIGA..

A lNvr-:NTOR JOHN H. KoRENGoLD f I y l f Patented Jan. 2l, 1941 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE kThis invention relates inwgeneral to` electrical connectors and has for its primary objects the provision of an electrical connector'A which may be readily pulled apart4 andk reconnected with ex- Ii ceptional ease and facility; which, when `connected, provides unusually rigid, low resistance, and satisfactory contact; which may be quickly and conveniently attached tothe respecv tive electrical conductors joined by it;` which may,

l if desired, be rendered explosion proof; which is very rugged and durable;v and which is otherwise highly satisfactoryand efticient in the performance of its intended functions. y

And with the above and other objects in view, l5 my invention `residesin the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts presently described and pointedout in the claims. y

In the accompanying drawing-- Figure 1 is avlongitudinal sectional view of an electrical connector, constructed in accordance with and embodying myf present invention, illustrating the use of such avconnector in a conduit pipe:

Figure 2 is a top plan .view ofthe .female portion of theconnector; Y

Figure is a top plan view of the femalel porl tion of the connector with the contact-posts thereof removed;

yalong the line 4-4, Figure2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the female connector member, taken approximately along the line5-5, Figure 2; I

Figure 6 is a top planview of the male member of the connector;

Figure '7 is a diametral sectional view of the male connector member, taken approximately 40 along the line I--1,v Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the male connector member, taken approximately along the line 8-8, Figure 6. g

Referring now in more detail andby reference characters to the drawing, A designates a section of conduit member having an externally threaded end I and being interiorly provided with a preferably integrally formedl annular shoulder 2 spaced inwardly from the threaded end ink the formation of a connector-receiving socket 3. B

designates a companion conduit member; diametrically enlarged for a predetermineddistance inwardly from its one end in the provision of a connector-receiving socket 4 for endwise abutting engagementwith the conduit member'A and in turn, is internally Figure 4'is a diametral sectional view of thefemale connector member, taken approximately having, at its rearwardly presentedend, an annular abutment face 5 for abuttingly .engaging the annular fiange 6 of the union-collar C, which,

threaded for conduit-connecting engagement with the threaded .end I of the conduit member A.

Formed preferably of molded Bakelite, hard rubber, Aor other suitable dielectric. material for snug-fitting removable disposition within the connector-socket 3, is` a female connector member 1 including a cylindrical shank portion 8 provided with a pair of axial bores 9 and a pair of tapped plugs lli,y preferably formed of electrically conductive material and molded into or otherwise rigidly mounted in the shank portion 8, the shank portion 8 being rof external diametrical size substantially equivalenty to the internal diametrical size o f the annular shoulder! of the conduit member A. g Formed preferably integrally with, and extending axially outwardly from, the inner, face j of the shank 8, is a diametrically enlarged cup-like member I I, being in external dimensions substantially equal to the corresponding dimensionsof the connector-receiving socket Provided for threadedly removable disposition in the tapped plugs IB, is a pair of female connector posts I2 each diametrically enlarged and bored at one end in the provision Aof an axially extending cup-likev portion I3, the side wall of which is provided with a plurality of lengthwise slots I4, the rearward end ofthe cup-like portion I3 being exteriorly faced off inthe provision of a fiat annular abutment` margin I5, all for purposes presently more fully appearing and as best seen in Figures 1 and 4. y

Likewise formed preferably of molded Bakelite, hard rubber, or other suitable dielectric substance, is a` male connector member IB, including a shank portion I1 of diametrical size and length substantially equivalent to the corresponding inner dimensions of the connector-receiving"socket 4 Vfor snug ttingdisposition therein, the male connector ymember I6 further including a plug portion formed integrally with and projecting 4 outwardly from Ithe shank portion I1, being diametrically sized to fit snugly within the cup-like portion II of the female member 1 and being-in length 'considerablyshorter than the depth of the shank portion II of the male connector member I6, is a pair of parallel apertures I8 preferably arranged in diametral juxta-position. Rigidly mounted also in the shank portion I1 of the male connector member I6, is a pair of parallel cylindrical metallic insert members I9 preferably arranged in diametral juxta-position, being on their upper face preferably flush with the upper face f of the shank portion I1 and having an internally threaded bore 20 for receiving the threaded end of a connector post 2| diametrically sized for snug-fitting engagement Within one of the female connector posts I2.

It will, of course, be apparent in this connection that the bores 20 will be axially aligned with the respective female connector posts I2, so that the male connector posts 2I will readily t thereinto as the male and female connector members are put together. The shank portion I'I of the male connector members I6 is provided with an axially disposed radial slot 22, which extends diametrically across and through the metallic insert member I 9 and is of a depth equal to the length of the bore 20 thereof, all for pur- Y poses presently more fully appearing and as best seen in Figures 7 and 8.

In use, the selected conductor wires are suitably bared at their ends in the conventional manner and inserted upwardly through the apertures 9 of the female connector member 1. Flat conductor rings r of conventional design are soldered to the bared ends and are bent over into iiatwise abutment with the respective tapped plugs IIJ. The female connector post members I2 are thereupon threaded into the tapped plugs downwardly into tight engagement with the upwardly presented faces of the connector rings r whereby to hold them rigidly in electrically conductive engagement, as best seen inFigures 4 and 5.

The other electrical connectors or leads, which are to be brought into circuit-completing connection with the previously mentioned conductors or'leads, are likewise bared at their ends in the conventional manner and inserted Aupwardly through the apertures I8 of the male connector plug member. The bared ends are then bent over at right angles into the slot 22, so that they will respectively extend along the bottoms and across the bore 20 of the metallic insert members I9. The male connector post 2| is thereupon threadedly inserted into the bore 20 and screwed down into tight engagement with the bored end of the connector wires for electrically conductive and gripping engagement therewith, as best seen in .Figures 7 and 8.

The male and female connector plug members are then inserted into each other in such a manner that the male connector posts 2l willl respectively be inserted axially into the female connector post members I2 forjcircuit completing engagement therewith substantially in the manner shown in Figure 1. It will, of course, be apparent that, as the respective contact members slide into each other, the effect of a so-called wiping contact will be achieved over the entire contact area, with a resultingly high contact efllciency.

If desired, the apertures 8 and I8, respectively, of the male and female connector members may be sealed with a suitable plastic substance in order to provide a substantially gas-tight or explosion-proof electrical connection joint. In the case of the use of the present electrical connector in conjunction with a conduit pipe, as illustrated in Figure 1, the joined connector members are then placed into the respective ends of the conduit members A and B, as shown in Figure 1, and the threaded collar` C turned into conduitconnecting position. whereupon the male and female members, respectively, will be held tightly within each other.

It should be pointed out in this connection that in various types of electrical apparatus, such as the conduit pipes A and B, the mechanical connection of the parts requires a certain amount of axial movement' or play. The present connector member provides a considerable amount of such axial freedom, the male connector posts merely slipping axially within the female connector posts to a greater or lesser degree as may be desired in the mechanical connection of the housing parts, such as the conduit pipes A and B.

Thus by my present invention I have provided an electrical connector which is exceptionally simple in construction and operation and provides a highly efficient detachable connection, which, when' joined to complete the electrical circuit, does so in a sort of wiping manner which provides unusually eiiicient contact. My present invention further provides a vconnector member which is readily disconnected, so that the various housing elements may be disconnected without the necessity of extensive rewiringoperations. Suppose, for instance, that the conduitpipe A carried at its one end a lamp socket and shade and the conduit B at its other end was connected to the stand, base, or other supporting structure of the lamp. In such a case, as will readily be apparent, if the lamp socket became damaged, it could be readily removed from the base structure for repair without completely dismantling the entire structure and disconnecting all the wires.

Since the most common type of electrical installation is the two-wire system, the application of the present invention to such a two-wire system is illustrated, although it should be understood that the present invention is equally well applicable to different types of electrical systems, such as three-wire systems, for instance, by the mere multiplication of parts in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

It should be understood that changes and modications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the electrical connector may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An electrical connector element comprising a dielectric base having an aperture whereby an electrical wire may be inserted through the base, an internally threaded cup `set into the base, and a contactor member having at one end a jackpost receiving socket and at' its other end a screw-post for threaded engagement in the cup, said contactor member being enlarged adjacent the linner end of its screw-post in the provision of an abutment shoulder for contactively engaging, and at thesame time retentively holding, the electrical wire.

2. An electrical connector element comprising a dielectric base having an aperture whereby an nature and principle of my electrical wire having a non-insulated end may be inserted through the base with its non-insulated tactor member having at one end a conductorrecelving substantially cylindrical and concentric socket and at its other end a screw-post for threaded engagement in the cup, said contactor member being enlarged adjacent the inner end of its screw-post in the provision of an abutment shoulder in opposing relation to the cup-rim for contactively engaging the bent-over non-insulated end of the electrical wire and retentively holding said wire-end against the cup-rim,

3. An electrical connector element including a dielectric base member provided with a kshank having an outwardly presented face, an internally threaded cylindrical cup set into the shank and opening upon the shank face, said dielectric member being provided with an aperture extending axially therethrough adjacent said cup, said shank and said cup being provided with a narrow slot extending diametrally across the cup and opening at one end into the aperture and at the other end upon the outer side face of the shank,

said slot being substantially flush along its bot-k tom face'with theknside bottom face of the cup, and a jack-post member having a threaded end portion substantially greater in length than the depth of the cup for -(3o-operative engagement in the cup whereby to force a bent-over section of conductor wire over into the slot and downwardly against the inside bottom Wall of the cup for simultaneously making contact therewith and retentively holding the same in place.

JOHN A. KORENGOLD.

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