PRE-LOADED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE

• US 3,808,582 A
• Filed: 04/18/1973
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward Dennman Bunnell, Lionel Dennis Aldridge
• Original Assignee: Edward Dennman Bunnell, Lionel Dennis Aldridge
• Inventors: Aldridge, Lionel Dennis, Bunnell, Edward Dennman
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US05/352,170
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 339/95,97-99
• US Class Current: 439/395
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2433 one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot

Abstract

Pre-loaded electrical connector comprises a housing having a row of slotted plate-type electrical terminals therein. A conductor stuffer, which is part of the housing, is slidably mounted in surrounding relationship to the row of terminals. The stuffer has conductor receiving slots in which the ends of conductors are positioned. Upon movement of the stuffer in the direction of the row of terminals, the conductors are moved laterally of their axes into the slots in the terminals and are thereby to be connected to the terminals.

Claims

1. A pre-loaded multi-contact electrical device such as a multicontact electrical connector, said device comprising:

an insulating housing, a plurality of electrical contact terminals in said housing, each of said terminals having a plate-like conductor-receiving portion, each of said plate like portions having a conductorreceiving slot extending inwardly from one edge thereof, said plate-like portions of said terminals being arranged in a row in a common plane with said slots directed toward one end of said row, a wire stuffer means on said housing, said wire-stuffer means being in surrounding relationship to said slots in said platelike portions and being slidable, with respect to said housing, towards said one end of said housing, said wire stuffer means having openings extending therethrough for reception of wires, said openings extending normally of said plate-like portions, said openings being normally disposed between said plate-like portions, upon locating a wire in each of said openings and upon relative movement of said stuffer means towards said one end of said housing until said openings intersect said slots, said wires will be moved laterally of their axes and into said slots, and edge portions of said slots will engage, and establish electrical contact with, said wires.

2. An electrical device as set forth in claim 1, said openings comprising slots in said stuffer means.

3. A pre-loaded multi-contact electrical device such as a multi-contact electrical connector, said device comprising:

an insulating housing, a plurality of electrical contact terminals in said housing, each of said terminals having a plate-like conductor-receiving portion, said plate-like portions having first conductor-receiving slots extending inwardly from one edge thereof, said plate-like portions of said terminals being arranged in a row in a common plane with said slots directed toward one end of said row, said housing having a wire stuffer portion, said wire stuffer portion having an elongated groove therein, said plate-like portions of said terminals being in said groove, a plurality of conductor-receiving slots in said stuffer portion, said conductor-receiving slots extending transversely of said row and intersecting said groove, said plate-like portions of said terminals being normally disposed between said second conductor-receiving slots of said wire stuffer portion of said housing, and said wire stuffer portion of said housing being movable in the direction of said row relative to said plate-like portions of said terminals whereby, upon locating a conductor in each of said conductor receiving slots, and upon relative movement of said stuffer portion in the direction of said row until said plate-like portions are in said conductor-receiving slots, said conductors will be forced relatively into said first conductor-receiving slots of said plate-like portions of said terminals and edge portions of said first slots will penetrate the insulation of said conducTors and establish electrical contact therewith.

4. A connecting device as set forth in claim 3, said device having force multiplying means for moving said stuffer portion in the direction of said row relative to said plate-like portions of said contact terminals.

5. A connecting device as set forth in claim 3, said stuffer portion being generally channel-shaped and having a web and sidewalls, said elongated groove being defined by said sidewalls, said conductor-receiving slots extending through said web and partially into said sidewalls.

6. A connecting device as set forth in claim 5 including force-multiplying means for moving said stuffer portion relative to said plate-like portions of said terminals.

7. A connecting device as set forth in claim 6, said force multiplying means comprising a power screw threaded through a portion of said housing and bearing against one end of said stuffer portion.

8. A connecting device as set forth in claim 3, said device comprising a multi-contact electrical connector, said contact terminals having contact portions integral with said plate-like portions.

9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8, said contact portions comprising contact posts extending from said housing.

10. A pre-loaded multi-contact electrical device comprising:

an insulating housing, a plurality of electrical contact terminals in said housing, each of said terminals having a plate-like conductor-receiving portion, each of said conductor-receiving portions having a conductor-receiving slot extending inwardly from one edge thereof, said plate-like portions being arranged in a row in a common plane and in the same orientation so that said slots extend in the same direction, a generally channel-shaped wire stuffer having a web and sidewalls, said stuffer having a plurality of notches therein extending into said web and partially into said sidewalls, said notches being spaced apart by the same amount as said conductor-receiving portions, said wire stuffer being slidably mounted on said housing with said plate-like portions disposed between said sidewalls, and with each said plate-like portion being between two adjacent notches whereby, upon locating a wire in each of said notches and upon axial movement of said stuffer relative to said conductor-receiving portions, said wires will be moved laterally of their axes into said conductor-receiving slots in said terminals, and edge portions of said slots will penetrate the insulation of said wires and establish electrical contact therewith.