Electrical connector of the pressureactuated type having fast-acting switching unit

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTRICAL CONTACTOR OF THE PRESSURE-ACTUATED TYPE, THE COMBINATION OF A GENERALLY TUBULAR BODY MEMBER COMPOSED OF ELECTRICALLY NON-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, A FIRST TERMINAL ELEMENT PARTLY CONTAINED WITHIN SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM ONE END THEREOF, SAID FIRST TERMINAL ELEMENT HAVING AN AXIAL RECESS FORMED THEREIN OF PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING DIAMETER INWARDLY OF SAID TUBULAR BODY MEMBER, A SECOND TERMINAL ELEMENT ALSO PARTLY CONTAINED WITHIN SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF, SECOND TERMINAL ELEMENT BEING OF GENERALLY TUBULAR CONFIGURATION AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY-EXTENDING FINGERS FORMED INTEGRALLY THEREWITH, THE TWO SAID TERMINAL ELEMENTS BEING SPACED APART TO DEFINE A CLOSED CHAMBER WITHIN SAID TUBULAR BODY MEMBER, A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CONTACT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND DESIGNED FOR SLIDABLE MOVEMENT AXIALLY OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID CONTACT HAVING A TAPERED OUTER SURFACE CORRESPONDING TO THE TAPER OF THE AXIAL RECESS FORMED IN SAID FIRST TERMINAL ELEMENT, SAID CONTACT BEING INITIALLY POSITIONED OUT OF ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST TERMINAL ELEMENT AND SO THAT THE INWARDLY-EXTENDING FINGERS OF SAID SECOND TERMINAL ELEMENT ENCIRCLE BUT DO NOT ELECTRICALLY ENGAGE SAID CONTACT, AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING A PRESSURE WITHIN SAID CLOSED CHAMBER TO EFFECT A SLIDABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT, WHEREUPON SAID CONTACT WILL ENTER THE AXIAL RECESS FORMED IN SAID FIRST TERMINAL ELEMENT AND ALSO WILL BE BROUGHT INTO ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INWARDLY-EXTENDING FINGERS OF SAID SECOND TERMINAL ELEMENT, THEREBY ESTABLISHING AN ELECTRICAL PATH BETWEEN SAID TWO TERMINAL ELEMENTS THROUGH SAID SLIDABLE CONTACT.