Interlocking electrical connector

Claim 2

A female connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with the mating connector, at least one passageway formed in said base element having a first longitudinal portion extending from and perpendicular to the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and at least one contact inserted within the base element having a body bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket in the second portion of said passageway for embracing a mating contact, said contact having outward ends rigidly attached to said base element.

Claim 3

A male connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of wire, a male base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with a mating connector, at least one male contact having a cantilever portion extending from said substantially perpendicular to the surface of the male base element, said male contact having a body spaced from said surface and bent medially to provide one portion overlying a free flexing resilient end portion with a hollow therebetween, both portions being laterally offset to one side of the cantilever portion thus effecting a resilient contact structure to be embraced by a mating female contact said portions being shaped to affect resilient detent with the mating female contact.

Claim 4

A male connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of wire, a male base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with a mating connector, at least one male contact having a cantilever portion extending from said substantially perpendicular to the surface of the male base element, said male contact having a body spaced from said surface and bent medially to provide one portion overlying a free flexing resilient end portion with a hollow therebetween, both portions being laterally offset to one side of the cantilever portion thus effecting a resilient contact structure to be embraced by a mating female contact said portions being shaped to affect resilient detent with the mating female contact.

Claim 5

The structure set forth in claim 2 together with a female connector comprising a second housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a female base element connected to the second housing and having a surface adapted to from an interface with the surface of the base element of the male connector, a plurality of passageways formed in said female element each having a first longitudinal portion extending from the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and each of said second portions being substantially parallel to one another respectively, at least one female contact inserted within the female base element having a body located in the second portion of a passageway, and bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket for embracing the male contact.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 wherein the both said housings include hollow shell portions, and together with removable fastening means for securing said first and second housings to the male and female base elements respectively.