Terminal junction interconnection system

Claim 2

A terminal device for use with an insulated wire comprising a metal plate having one reverse bend therein to form a pair of parallel plate sections connected by a first bight, slot means extending into said first bight and into said plate sections to define aligned slots in said plate sections and a gap in said bight, at least one of said aligned slots having a root portion of a width less than the diameter of the conducting core of said wire, the width of said gap and the width of portions of said slots adjacent to said gap being sufficient to permit movement of said wire laterally of its axis through said gap and into said slots whereby, upon movement of Said wire into said root portions of said slot, edge portions of said slot penetrate the insulation of said wire and establish electrical contact with the metallic core of said wire.

Claim 3

A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gap has a width which is less than the outside diameter of said wire and greater than the diameter of the metallic core of said wire, the width of said adjacent portions of said slots being greater than the outside diameter of said wire whereby, said wire can be forced third said gap and will be retained in said adjacent portions of said slots until said width is forced into said root portions of said slots.

Claim 4

A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 including a third plate section connected by a second bight to one of said pair of plate sections, said second bight being on the opposite side of said plate sections from the side on which said first bight is located, said third plate section having a width, as measured between said bights, which is less than the width of said first named plate sections, said third plate section being cooperable with an insertion tool to shear a wire extending past said third plate section during insertion of said wire into said slots.

Claim 5

A terminal device as set forth in claim 1 including a third plate section connected by a second bight to one of said pair of plate sections, said second bight being on the opposite side of said plate sections from the side on which said first bight is located, said third plate section having a width, as measured between said bights, which is less than the width of said first named plate sections, said third plate having a slot therein in alignment with root portions of said slots in said pair of plate sections to permit connection of an intermediate portion of a wire to said terminal device.

Claim 6

A terminal device comprising first and second platelike sections parallel to, and spaced from each other, at least one wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from one side of said second section, at least the inner portions of said slot having a width which is less than the diameter of the conducting core of the wire adapted to be connected to said device, said first section having a dimension in the direction of said slot which is less than the corresponding dimension of said second section, said first section having an edge which extends transversely with respect to said slot, said edge being cooperable with an insertion means movable between said first and second sections to trim a wire being connected to said device in the plane of said first section.

Claim 7

A terminal device comprising first and second platelike sections parallel to, and spaced from each other, at least one wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from one side of said second section, at least the inner portions of said slot having a width which is less than the diameter of the conducting core of the wire adapted to be connected to said device, said first section having a dimension in the direction of said slot which is less than the corresponding dimension of said second section, said first section having an edge which extends transversely with respect to said slot, said edge being cooperable with an insertion means movable between said first and second sections to trim a wire being connected to said device in the plane of said first section.

Claim 8

A device as set forth in claim 5 including holding means adjacent to said second section for holding a wire connected to said device and providing a strain relief for said wire.

Claim 9

A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said holding means comprises a third platelike section having a wire-receiving slot in alignment with said slot in said second section, said slot in said third section having a width which is less than the diameter of the insulation of said wire but greater than the width of said slot in said second section.

Claim 10

A terminal device comprising folded sheet metal having first, second, and third platelike sections, said first and second sections being connected to each other by a first bight on one side of said device and said second and third sections being connected to each other by a second bight on the other side of said device, a plurality of wire-receiving slots extending inwardly through said second bight and into said second and third sections, at least the inner portions of said slots in said second section being relatively narrower than the conducting core of a wire adapted to be connected to said device, said first section defining an edge extending transversely with respect to said slots and spaced from said second section, said edge being adapted to cooperate with an insertion means during movement of a wire into one of said slots to sever said wire in the plane definEd by said first section.

Claim 11

A terminal device comprising folded sheet metal having first, second, and third platelike sections, said first and second sections being connected to each other by a first bight on one side of said device and said second and third sections being connected to each other by a second bight on the other side of said device, a plurality of wire-receiving slots extending inwardly through said second bight and into said second and third sections, at least the inner portions of said slots in said second section being relatively narrower than the conducting core of a wire adapted to be connected to said device, said first section defining an edge extending transversely with respect to said slots and spaced from said second section, said edge being adapted to cooperate with an insertion means during movement of a wire into one of said slots to sever said wire in the plane definEd by said first section.

Claim 12

A terminal junction device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said edge extends transversely of intermediate portions of said slots.

Claim 13

A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said slots have wide entrance portions intersecting said slots in said third section have innner portions which are relatively wider than corresponding portions of said slots in said second section whereby said slots in said third section grip wires connected to said device and function as a strain relief.