BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP

• US 3,838,386 A
• Filed: 09/25/1972
• Issued: 09/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Armand N. Chartrain, Carl W. Newell
• Original Assignee: Armand N. Chartrain, Carl W. Newell
• Inventors: Newell, Carl W., Chartrain, Armand N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boler, James R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wai M.
• Application Number:
  US05/291,654
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 339/226,229,238,239,274
• US Class Current: 439/726
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/282 comprising means for facilitating engagement or disengagement, e.g. quick release terminal

Abstract

A battery terminal clamp which may be manually clamped or removed from a battery terminal post or from a connector engaging a battery terminal post is disclosed. The portion of the clamp which receives the post includes two pairs of spaced apart arms with a stud disposed between each pair of arms. A camming means operates between the studs to clamp the battery post.

Claims

1. A battery clamp comprising:

a plastic upper U-shaped member, the central portion of which defines an aperture, said upper U-shaped member defining a first mating surface generally perpendicular to said aperture;

a plastic lower U-shaped member coupled to said upper member, approximately parallel to said upper member, such that the ends of said upper and lower members define a region, said lower Ushaped member defining a second mating surface generally perpendicular to said aperture for engaging said first mating surface;

a first plastic stud disposed in said region between one leg of said upper U-shaped member and one leg of said lower U-shaped member, said first stud being an integral part of one of said upper and lower U-shaped members;

a second plastic stud disposed in said region between the other leg of said upper U-shaped member and the other leg of said lower U-shaped member, said second stud being an integral part of one of said upper and lower U-shaped members;

a plastic camming means engaging said first and second stud between said ends of said upper and lower members, for moving said studs relative to one another thereby varying the size of said aperture; and

aligning means defined by said first and second mating surfaces of said upper and lower U-shaped members for aligning said upper and lower U-shaped members such that after said camming means has been placed into engagement with said first and second stud said aligning means aligns said upper and lower Ushaped members allowing said members to be fastened together thereby securing said camming means in place on said first and second studs without requiring any fastening of said camming means on said first and second studs;

whereby said aperture may be placed around a connector encircling a battery terminal post and clamped onto said connector and post.

2. The battery clamp defined in claim 1 wherein said camming means includes a lever arm and cam which pivotally engage said first stud and a yoke which engages said second stud and said cam whereby movement of said lever arm causes said cam to operate against said yoke to move said studs relative to one another.

3. The battery clamp defined in claim 2 wherein said yoke is reenforced with fiberglass.