US2238386A - Wire or rod clamp and connector - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1941. 1 FRANK 2,238,386

WIRE OR ROD CLAMP ANDl GOHNECTOR Filed Dec. 13, 1938 7 miauw@ l2 //l/E/n/rv/e ,(0 ws /CeH/V/r.

Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE 2,238,386 WIRE oa non CLAMP AND CONNECTOR Louisv Frank, Taft, Calif. Application December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,421 4 Claims. :(Cl. 287-115) My invention relates to a connector for wires, metal rods, and the like, and the principal object of my invention is, to provide a relatively simple, practical, and inexpensive device, that may be conveniently employed for producing a firm and being readily manipulated when applied to the f ends of wires or rods and likewise capable of being easily and quickly released and removed from the wires or rods and further, to provide a connector utilizing a lever or levers provided with heads that are eccentrically pivoted so that, when the levers are manipulated the eccentric heads will grip a wire, rod, or the like, and clamp the same securely against a portion of the member on which the lever is mounted.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a wire or rod connector that is adapted to engage and clamp Wires or rods of different sizes and further, to provide the device with a xed gripping jaw having teeth that are adapted to puncture the insulation sheath on insulated wires or rods, so as to provide electrical Contact between the clamping device and the wire that is connected thereto.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing 1n which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one form of my improved connector.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a modified form of the connector.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 'l is a cross section taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken lengthwlse through the'xed clamping plate that forms a part of the connector illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a further modified form of the connector.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross section taken onthe line lll-I0' of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail section illustrating the pivotal connection between one of thelevers of the connector and the base on which the lever is mounted.

Fig. 1.2 is a horizontal section taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 11.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a plate 20 preferably of metal constitutes the body of the clamping device and this plate may be located at any convenient point Where it is desired to clamp a wire or rod, or the adjacent ends of two wires or rods. of .plate 20 is formed a series of upstanding ratchet teeth 2l and, formed on one side of said plate and projecting upwardly therefrom is a short longitudinally disposed flange 22 that is channel-shape in cross section and outwardly curved lengthwise. This member 22 provides a seat for the wire or wires W that are to be clamped. A gripping head 23 is eccentrically pivoted on plate 20 directly opposite the ange 22 by means of a pin or screw 24 and in order that said gripping head may be shifted into dilTerent positions for gripping wires of different sizes or for gripping two or more wires within the iiange 22, said head has two different apertures 25 for the reception of the pivot pin or screw and which apertures are connected by a short slot 26.

Formed integral with head 23 is an arm 2l of resilient metal, the outer portion of which overlies the ratchet teeth 2l and, formed on said arm is a depending tooth 28 that is adapted to engage ysaid ratchet teeth, thereby holding the varm in clamping position. When in Wire or rod clamping position, the head 23 and arm 21 occupy .the positions as illustrated in Fig. 1 with a portion of the edge of the head positioned between the upper inner edge of the flange 22 and the engaged wire or wires are kinked and gripped against the longitudinally curved inner face of the ange 22. The engagement of tooth 28 with one of the ratchet teeth maintains the lever and head in gripping position until the outer end of the arm is lifted to disengage tooth 28 from the ratchet tooth with which it has been engaged.

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is similar in construction to the form of device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, inasmuch as it includes a base plate-20a, a ange 22a similar to flange 22, an eccentrically pivoted On one end gripping head 23a, and an arm 21a projecting from said head. In this particular construction, flange 22a is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of pointed projections 22h which, when an insuluated wire is clamped by the device, are adapted to puncture the insulation and make electrical contact with the current-carrying wire or conductor.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the eccentric head 23a may also be provided on its gripping edge with a plurality of pointed projections 23e which, when the device is in service are adapted to puncture the insulation that covers wires that are gripped by the clamping member, thus making electrical contact with the current carrying conductor.

Obviously, the pivotally mounted gripping members of any of the other forms of the clamp and connector may be provided with pointed projections such as 23e which function to puncture insulation and make electrical contact with the 'enclosed current conductor.

While I prefer to construct the various parts of my improved clamp and connector from metal, the same may be formed from suitable insulating material or the various parts may be coated or sheathed with insulating material, thus preventing the possibility of injury as a result of electric shocks to the users of the clamps and connectors.

It will be understood that all forms of the clamp and connector may be constructed so as to receive and grip the adjacent ends of two wires or rods that extend in opposite directions and that the forms of clamp and connector illustrated in Figs. l, 5, and 9, may be utilized for clamping the overlapping end portions of two wires or rods.

Further in this modied construction, the end of plate 20a over which the end of arm 21a projects is bent upwardly to occupy a plane slightly above the plane occupied by the main body of said plate 2ila as designated by 20h and, formed on the under side of this upwardly bent portion 20o is a series, of ratchet teeth Zilc. The outer end of arm 21a is bent downwardly and thence cent edge of the cup-shaped head 33, and below the ilange 34 (see Fig. 10).

Formed integral with and projecting from the flanged upper portion of the clamping head 33 is an arm 35 utilized in swinging the head upon its axis, the outer portion of which arm overlies the ratchet teeth 32 and one edge of said arm is adapted to engage in one of said ratchet teeth so as to retain the head 33 in Wire or rod clamping position.

Figs. 11 and l2 show the construction of the pin or screw that provides a pivot for the eccenwardly to form a hook 2lb, the end portion of v 20c, thus retaining the clamping head 23a and l its arm 21a in wire or rod clamping position.

In this form of device, the clamping head 23a may be readily moved into wire or rod clamping position by proper manipulation of the arm 21a and at the end of such movement, tooth 21C will engage one of the ratchet teeth 2te to hold the' arm and head in wire clamping position. To release the wire, the end of arm 27a is depressed to disengage tooth Zlc from the ratchet teeth and, said arm may now be swung outwardly away from one side oi the plate Zila so as to disengage the edge of head 23a from the engaged wire or rod.

In the modied construction illustrated in Figs. 9 and l0, a metal plate 3U is provided on one end with a series of upturned ratchet teeth 3| and, on one side of said plate is formed an upstanding longitudinally disposed flange 32. Ecoentrically pivoted on plate 3U immediately adjacent the ilange 32, is a shallow cup-shaped clamping head 33 provided on its'upper edge with an outwardly presented flange 34 which overlies the upper edge of flange 32. Thus when arwire or wires are engaged by th-e clamping device, they occupy the space between the upturned flange 32, the adjatric head of the wire gripping device and which screw and head are constructed so that the axis of movement of the head may be shifted slightly to accommodate Wires. of diilerent sizes or, where two or more wires are gripped and clamped by the same head.

Formed in the gripping head 36 immediately adjacent each other are apertures 3l that are vunited byr a short slot 38, the Width of which slot is less than the diameters of the apertures 31. The shank of the pivot pin or screw 39 immediately beneath the head is provided with a narrow neck portion 40 that is adapted to occupy either one of the apertures 3l and which will pass through the slot 38 when the head is rotated to proper position, thus enabling the head to be shifted relative to the pin or screw so as to shift the axis of movement of said head.

In those forms of clamping devices wherein the arms that project from the clamping heads are provided with teeth for engaging ratchet teeth on the plates or bodies of the devices, the ratchet teeth may be spaced pre-determined distances apart and which spacing corresponds with different sized wires that are clamped by the device. v

A particular desirable feature of my invention.

Further, certain forms of the device and particularly those utilizing an eccentrically mounted gripping head that `co-operates with a i'lxed ange or the like, may be advantageously employed for connecting two or more wires or rods. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a wire or rod clamp and connector that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very eiective in performing'the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved wire or rod clamp and connector, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, Without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wire or rod clamp and connector, a plate, an upstanding longitudinally curved flange on one side of said plate, a clampinghead, means for eccentrically and adjustably mounting said head on said plate adjacent said flange so as to engage and clamp a wire against said curvedflange, an `arm formed integral'with said clamping head and a series of ratchet teeth formed on said plate with which the free end of said arm is adapted to engage.

42. In a wireor rodclanip` and connector as set forth in claim 1 and with `a plurality of pointed projections!on'theinner side of said ilange.

3. In a wire or rod clamp and connector as set forth in claim 1 and which flange is curved longitudinally and channel-shape in cross section.

4. In a, Wire or rod clamp and connector, aI

base, a flange formed on the side of said base, a v

clamping head having an adjustable pivot on said base and {zo-operating means comprising a series l of ratchet teeth on said base and a tooth on said head for holding said head in Wire or rod ciamping position.

LOUIS FRANK.

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