Electrical connector having a resilient conductor-engaging area

Claim 1

IN A CONNECTOR OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, A CONDUCTIVE TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST THREE SIDES, SPRING PROJECTIONS DISPOSED IN EACH SIDE OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND INCLUDING FREE ENDS EXTENDING AWAY FROM AN END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID SPRING PROJECTIONS HAVING A TRUNCATED CONFIGURATION WITH SAID FREE ENDS BEING OF LESS WIDTH THAN THE WIDTH OF OPPOSITE ENDS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDES, SAID FREE ENDS BEING DIRECTED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT EACH OTHER TO DEFINE A COMMON CONDUCTOR-ENGAGING AREA DISPOSED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO A LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID CONDUCTOR-ENGAGING AREA DEFINING A CONFIGURATION SIMILAR TO THAT OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TO PROVIDE UNIFORM ENGAGEMENT PRESSURE ON AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS WHEN PLACED WITHIN SAID CONDUCTOR-ENGAGING AREA WITH THE FREE ENDS OF THE SPRING PROJECTIONS BITING INTO THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS UPON THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS BEING MOVED IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO ITS DIRECTION TO INSERTION TO PROVIDE A MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.