Thermocouple lead attachment

Claim 1

An electrical system comprising a transducer effective to generate a current of the order of magnitude of a few milliamperes at a potential of the order of magnitude of a few millivolts, an instrument responsive to the output of the transducer and wiring interconnecting the transducer and instrument, the wiring including electrical leads and a readily detachable connector for connecting the transducer to each lead extending from the transducer, the connector comprising, in combination, a terminal stud on the transducer having a threaded outer surface of generally cylindrical form, an adapter body having a boss split axially of the boss into parallel fingers and defining a socket bounded by the fingers having an interior surface adapted to receive and frictionally fit the terminal stud, a spring extending around the exterior of the boss engaging the fingers to bias them into compressive engagement with the terminal stud, and means including a portion of the adapter having threads of the same dimensions as those on the terminal stud fixing the lead to the adapter, so that the transducer may be connected and disconnected by sliding the adapters onto and off the terminal studs, and a low-resistance contact between the terminal stud and adapter is ensured by the wiping action of the parts in making the connection and the small area of relatively high unit bearing pressure at which the adapter and terminal stud are in contact.