Pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle

Claim 2

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement which comprises a conductive metallic terminal strip including a body portion having a pair of transverse grooves and a tool access notch located between said grooves, a base section integrally formed from one end of said body portion and lying in generally transverse relation to said body portion, a prong engagement assembly integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto, a platform integrally formed with said base section and in generally parallel relation with said body portion, and a pair of parallel yieldable wire gripping tongues integrally formed with said platform, each of said tongues including a wire trap, at least one of said pair of wire gripping tongues having a release tab adjoined thereto, said release tab being accessible with a tool through said tool access notch, and said wire gripping tongues extending toward said body portion to locate said wire traps a distance less than the diameter of a bare conductor wire from said grooves.

Claim 3

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said prong engagement assembly includes a spring finger and a spring contact element in substantially parallel relationship and integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto.

Claim 4

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 2, including a support arm integrally formed in generally perpendicular relation with said body portion, said platform integrally formed with said support arm and said base section.

Claim 5

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 3, wherein said wire trap is located on an outer edge of each of said wire gripping tongues.

Claim 6

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 4, wherein said wire trap comprises a radiused cut-out in a portion of said outer edge.

Claim 7

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 5, including two release tabs wherein each of said release tabs comprises an independent lateral projection integrally formed on each of said wire gripping tongues, said lateral projection extending toward a congruent independent lateral projection on an adjacent wire gripping tongue.

Claim 8

In a pressure lock and release terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 6, including a break-away tab integrally joining said pressure lock and release terminal to a second mirror image pressure and release terminal strip.

Claim 9

In a duplex electrical wiring receptacle, the improvement which comprises a housing of insulating material having a pair of cavities formed therein, said cavities being defined on one side by a side wall of said housing and on the other side by a central rib, a pressure lock and release terminal strip disposed in each of said cavities, said terminal strip including a flat body portion having a pair of transverse wire guide grooves and A tool access notch located between said wire guide grooves, a base section integrally formed from one end of said body portion and lying in generally transverse relation to said body portion, a prong engagement assembly integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto, a tongue platform integrally formed with said base section and in generally parallel relation to said body portion, and a pair of parallel yieldable wire gripping tongues integrally formed with said tongue platform and a single laterally projecting release tab integrally joining said tongues, said release tab being accessible with a tool through said tool access notch, extending toward said body portion.

Claim 10

In a duplex electrical wiring receptacle, the improvement which comprises a housing of insulating material having a pair of cavities formed therein, said cavities being defined on one side by a side wall of said housing and on the other side by a central rib, a pressure lock and release terminal strip disposed in each of said cavities, said terminal strip including a flat body portion having a pair of transverse wire guide grooves and A tool access notch located between said wire guide grooves, a base section integrally formed from one end of said body portion and lying in generally transverse relation to said body portion, a prong engagement assembly integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto, a tongue platform integrally formed with said base section and in generally parallel relation to said body portion, and a pair of parallel yieldable wire gripping tongues integrally formed with said tongue platform and a single laterally projecting release tab integrally joining said tongues, said release tab being accessible with a tool through said tool access notch, extending toward said body portion.

Claim 11

In a duplex electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 8, wherein said prong engagement assembly includes a spring finger and a spring contact element in parallel relationship and integrally formed with said base section.

Claim 12

In a duplex electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 9, wherein each of said tongues includes a wire trap on an outer edge of said wire gripping tongue.

Claim 13

In a duplex electrical receptacle, the improvement as defined in claim 10, wherein said wire trap comprises a radiused cut-out in a portion of said outer edge and said wire trap is located less than the diameter of a bare conductor wire from said grooves.

Claim 14

In a terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement which comprises a conductive metallic terminal strip including a flat body portion having a pair of transverse wire guide grooves and a tool access notch located between said wire guide grooves, a base section integrally formed from one end of said body portion and lying in generally transverse relation to said body portion, a spring finger and a spring contact element in parallel relationship and integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto, a support arm integrally formed in generally perpendicular relation with said body portion, a tongue platform integrally formed with said support arm and said base section in generally parallel relation to said body portion, and a pair of parallel yieldable wire gripping tongues integrally formed with said tongue platform, each of said tongues bearing a wire trap on an outer edge of said wire gripping tongue opposite said tongue platform and a laterally projecting release tab integrally formed with said wire gripping tongue and said tabs positioned in lateral opposition to each other and being accessible with a tool through said tool access notch, said wire gripping tongues extending toward said body portion to locate said wire traps a distance less than the diameter of a bare conductor wire from said wire guide grooves.

Claim 15

In a terminal for an electrical receptacle, the improvement which comprises a conductive metallic terminal strip including a flat body portion having a pair of transverse wire guide grooves and a tool access notch located between said wire guide grooves, a base section integrally formed from one end of said body portion and lying in generally transverse relation to said body portion, a spring finger and a spring contact element in parallel relationship and integrally formed with said base section in generally transverse relationship thereto, a support arm integrally formed in generally perpendicular relation with said body portion, a tongue platform integrally formed with said support arm and said base section in generally parallel relation to said body portion, and a pair of parallel yieldable wire gripping tongues integrally formed with said tongue platform, each of said tongues bearing a wire trap on an outer edge of said wire gripping tongue opposite said tongue platform and a laterally projecting release tab integrally formed with said wire gripping tongue and said tabs positioned in lateral opposition to each other and being accessible with a tool through said tool access notch, said wire gripping tongues extending toward said body portion to locate said wire traps a distance less than the diameter of a bare conductor wire from said wire guide grooves.