Battery terminal

Claim 2

A terminal device for connecting a battery cable to a terminal post of a storage battery comprising: a. a body housing carrying a post opening for receiving said battery post, means for connecting said cable to said body housing, a seating means for said post operatively positioned in said post opening, and guiding members for confining movement of a spring retaining wedge transversely of said post opening opposite said seating means; and b. a spring retaining wedge having a leading narrowed end and a widened trailing end being made from a sheet of resilient material bent to form opposed side members which carry opposed retaining edges for engagement with said post which are inclined to the direction of movement of said spring wedge within said guiding members, and wherein the opposed retaining edges on said leading end are spaced wider apart than the opposed retaining edges of said trailing end and wherein the retaining edges on the body of sAid wedge between said ends taper therebetween so that when contact is made between said retaining edges and a battery post, said spring retaining wedge will expand in said guiding members.

Claim 3

The terminal of claim 1 wherein said guiding means comprise a pair of opposed transverse slot members positioned on a resilient band integral with and partially encircling said seating means.

Claim 4

The terminal of claim 1 further comprising spring means positioned adjacent said guiding means to contact said wedge and force it in the direction of said post opening.

Claim 5

The terminal of claim 1 further comprising serrations extending from said seat for contacting and deforming said battery post when it is forced thereon by said spring wedge.

Claim 6

The terminal of claim 1 further comprising at least one longitudinal slot extending from said leading end of said spring wedge to thereby form at least one bendable prong.

Claim 7

The terminal of claim 1 wherein said retaining edges comprise slightly rounded sections formed by inturning the ends of said resilient sheet material.

Claim 8

The terminal of claim 1 wherein said housing and said spring wedge are made of a substantially noncorrosive metal.

Claim 9

The terminal of claim 7 wherein said metal is titanium.

Claim 10

The terminal of claim 1 wherein said seating means comprises a molded conductive metal body having the ends of the conductive wires of said battery cable integrally molded therein, and an arcuate seating area for seating said battery post.

Claim 11

The terminal of claim 9 wherein said arcuate seating area extends from about 140* to about 150* around said post opening.

Claim 12

The terminal of claim 9 wherein said conductive wires are spread in said molded body so that the ends thereof communicate substantially radially with said arcuate seating area.

Claim 13

The terminal of claim 9 further comprising serrations for engaging said battery post extending from said arcuate seating area.

Claim 14

The terminal of claim 12 wherein serrations are positioned from about 90* to about 120* around said arcuate seating area.

Claim 15

The terminal of claim 9 wherein the ends of said conductive wires of said battery cable are initially molded into said seating means as a cylindrical unit communicating with said arcuate seating area, and said serrations are cut through said arcuate seating area and the end of said cylindrical unit.

Claim 16

The terminal of claim 14 further comprising a silver plating on the exposed ends of said conductive wires in said cylindrical unit communicating through said arcuate seating area.

Claim 17

The terminal of claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises a sheet of metal transversely folded to form said guiding members at one end thereof and opposed end portions at the other end thereof carrying matching semicylindrical indentations for receiving a battery cable, a battery post aperture extending through the mid portion thereof, and means for fastening said opposed ends together.

Claim 18

The terminal of claim 16 further comprising inwardly directed indentations in said semicylindrical indentations for compressing said battery cable therebetween.

Claim 19

A terminal device for connecting a battery cable to a terminal post of a storage battery comprising: a. a body housing made from a sheet of metal transversely folded to form a wedge guiding loop at one end thereof and opposed end portions at the other end thereof carrying semicylindrical indentations for receiving a battery cable, means for fastening said opposed ends together, a battery post aperture extending through the midportion thereof, and a post seating means aligned in said aperture in opposed relationship to said wedge guiding loop; and b. a spring retaining wedge positioned within said guiding loop comprising a wedge having having a leading narrowed end and a widened trailing end and being made from a sheet of resilient material bent to form opposed side members which carry opposed retaining edges fOr engagement with said post which are inclined to the direction of movement of said spring wedge within said guiding loop for wedging action against said post, portions of said opposed side members being biased outwardly so that engagement of said wedge between said post and said guiding loop during said movement causes expansion of said wedge in locking relationship within said guiding loop.

Claim 20

A terminal device for connecting a battery cable to a terminal post of a storage battery comprising: a. a body housing made from a sheet of metal transversely folded to form a wedge guiding loop at one end thereof and opposed end portions at the other end thereof carrying semicylindrical indentations for receiving a battery cable, means for fastening said opposed ends together, a battery post aperture extending through the midportion thereof, and a post seating means aligned in said aperture in opposed relationship to said wedge guiding loop; and b. a spring retaining wedge positioned within said guiding loop comprising a wedge having having a leading narrowed end and a widened trailing end and being made from a sheet of resilient material bent to form opposed side members which carry opposed retaining edges fOr engagement with said post which are inclined to the direction of movement of said spring wedge within said guiding loop for wedging action against said post, portions of said opposed side members being biased outwardly so that engagement of said wedge between said post and said guiding loop during said movement causes expansion of said wedge in locking relationship within said guiding loop.

Claim 21

A terminal device for connecting a battery cable to a terminal post of a storage battery comprising: a titanium body having a post receiving port therethrough to secure to one end of the battery cable, and wedging means made of titanium for retaining a battery post within said post receiving port, said body and wedging means carrying a protective coating of a metal sulfate thereon.

Claim 22

A terminal device for connecting a battery cable to a terminal post of a storage battery comprising: a titanium body having a post receiving port therethrough to secure to one end of the battery cable, and wedging means made of titanium for retaining a battery post within said post receiving port, said body and wedging means carrying a protective coating of a metal sulfate thereon.

Claim 23

The terminal device of claim 19 wherein said metal sulfate is copper sulfate.