Patent US3683414A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3683414A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terminal device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-04-13
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Granted: 1972-08-08
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Expires: 1990-04-13
Abstract
Abstract An improved terminal device comprises resilient means for compensating for cold flow of a conductor that may be pressureconnected to the terminal device.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald J Deangelo
- 👤 Francis L Gelzheiser
- 👤 Kenneth R Coley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/58; H01R4/62; H01R4/28; H01R4/30; H01R4/36; H01R4/363; H01R4/366; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/39
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
355 words
A terminal device comprising a generally rigid terminal conductor, a shell of generally resilient material, said shell being generally U-shaped and comprising a base part and a pair of leg parts extending upward from the base part in a generally parallel relationship, said terminal conductor being positioned over said base part between said leg parts, said terminal conductor and said shell being formed to provide a space at each lateral side of said shell between said terminal conductor and said base of said shell, said terminal device comprising clamp means, with a conducting wire placed between the leg parts of said shell on said terminal conductor said clamp means being operable from A pre-connected position to a connected position during which movement said clamp means exerts a downward force on said conducting wire and an upward force on said leg parts of said shell to pressure-connect said conducting wire to said terminal conductor and during which movement said shell flexes to a spring-charged condition as said leg parts of said shell are drawn upward diminishing said spaces whereby if said conducting wire subsequently cold flows the bias of said spring-charged shell will compensate for said cold flow to maintain pressure between said conducting wire and said terminal conductor, and substantially all of the spring charging action of said shell occurring through the flexing of said shell that diminishes said spaces, said leg parts of said shell being generally flat leg parts extending upward from said base part in a generally parallel relationship, each of said leg parts of said shell having an opening therein, said clamp means comprising support means and a clamp screw threadedly mounted on said support means, said support means comprising a pair of ear projections, in said connected position of said terminal device said ear projections being positioned in said openings and said clamp screw being adjusted to force said conducting wire downward into pressure engagement with said terminal conductor which downward force operates to bias said clamp means upward such that said ears in said openings engage said leg parts to draw said leg parts upward to spring-charge said shell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
355 words
A terminal device comprising a generally rigid terminal conductor, a shell of generally resilient material, said shell being generally U-shaped and comprising a base part and a pair of leg parts extending upward from the base part in a generally parallel relationship, said terminal conductor being positioned over said base part between said leg parts, said terminal conductor and said shell being formed to provide a space at each lateral side of said shell between said terminal conductor and said base of said shell, said terminal device comprising clamp means, with a conducting wire placed between the leg parts of said shell on said terminal conductor said clamp means being operable from A pre-connected position to a connected position during which movement said clamp means exerts a downward force on said conducting wire and an upward force on said leg parts of said shell to pressure-connect said conducting wire to said terminal conductor and during which movement said shell flexes to a spring-charged condition as said leg parts of said shell are drawn upward diminishing said spaces whereby if said conducting wire subsequently cold flows the bias of said spring-charged shell will compensate for said cold flow to maintain pressure between said conducting wire and said terminal conductor, and substantially all of the spring charging action of said shell occurring through the flexing of said shell that diminishes said spaces, said leg parts of said shell being generally flat leg parts extending upward from said base part in a generally parallel relationship, each of said leg parts of said shell having an opening therein, said clamp means comprising support means and a clamp screw threadedly mounted on said support means, said support means comprising a pair of ear projections, in said connected position of said terminal device said ear projections being positioned in said openings and said clamp screw being adjusted to force said conducting wire downward into pressure engagement with said terminal conductor which downward force operates to bias said clamp means upward such that said ears in said openings engage said leg parts to draw said leg parts upward to spring-charge said shell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A terminal device according to claim 1, said terminal conductor comprising a back surface shaped to engage the base part of said shell and shaped to provide said spaces between said back surface and said base part of said shell in the pre-connected position which spaces are diminished as said shell is spring-charged when said clamp means is operated to the connected position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A terminal device according to claim 2, an insulating support, and mounting means fixedly supporting said base part of said shell and said terminal conductor on said insulating support.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
A combination according to claim 3, said insulating support having opening means therein, said base part of said shell having opening means aligned with the opening means of said insulating support, said terminal conductor having a tapped opening therein aligned with said opening means of said base part and said opening means of said insulating support, and a screw member passing through said opening means in said insulating support and through said opening means in said base part of said shell and being threaded in said tapped opening in said terminal conductor to fixedly mount said terminal device on said insulating support.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination according to claim 4, said terminal conductor comprising a curved front surface for providing increased surface contact between said terminal conductor and said conducting wire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination according to claim 5, said clamp means comprising said clamp screw and a pressure plate connected to said clamp screw with a swivel-connection which permits said clamp screw to be rotated without rotating said pressure plate while moving said pressure plate axially with said clamp screw, and said pressure plate having a curved surface for engaging said conducting wire in the connected position of said terminal device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
227 words
A terminal device comprising a generally rigid terminal conductor, a shell of generally resilient material, said shell being generally U-shaped and comprising a base part and a pair of generally flat leg parts extending upward from the base part, said terminal conductor being positioned over said base part between said leg parts, said terminal conductor and said shell being formed to provide a space at each lateral side of said shell between said terminal conductor and said base of said shell, said terminal device comprising clamp means, with a conducting wire placed between the leg parts of said shell on said terminal conductor said clamp means being operable from a pre-connected position to a connected position during which movement said clamp means exerts a downward force on said conducting wire and an upward force on said leg parts of said shell to pressure-connect said conducting wire to said terminal conductor and during which movement said shell flexes to a spring-charged condition as said leg parts of said shell are drawn upward diminishing said spaces whereby if said conducting wire subsequently cold flows the bias of said spring-charged shell will compensate for said cold flow to maintain pressure between said conducting wire and said terminal conductor, and substantially all of the spring charging action of said shell occurring through the flexing of said shell that diminishes said spaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
227 words
A terminal device comprising a generally rigid terminal conductor, a shell of generally resilient material, said shell being generally U-shaped and comprising a base part and a pair of generally flat leg parts extending upward from the base part, said terminal conductor being positioned over said base part between said leg parts, said terminal conductor and said shell being formed to provide a space at each lateral side of said shell between said terminal conductor and said base of said shell, said terminal device comprising clamp means, with a conducting wire placed between the leg parts of said shell on said terminal conductor said clamp means being operable from a pre-connected position to a connected position during which movement said clamp means exerts a downward force on said conducting wire and an upward force on said leg parts of said shell to pressure-connect said conducting wire to said terminal conductor and during which movement said shell flexes to a spring-charged condition as said leg parts of said shell are drawn upward diminishing said spaces whereby if said conducting wire subsequently cold flows the bias of said spring-charged shell will compensate for said cold flow to maintain pressure between said conducting wire and said terminal conductor, and substantially all of the spring charging action of said shell occurring through the flexing of said shell that diminishes said spaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
A terminal device according to claim 7, said terminal conductor comprising a bottom surface resting on the base part of said shell in proximity to the transverse center portion of said terminal conductor with said bottom surface moving frontward away from said base part at the lateral sides of said terminal conductor to provide one of said spaces between said bottom surface of said terminal conductor and said base part of said shell at each side of said center portion of said terminal conductor in the pre-connected position of said terminal device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
110 words
A terminal device according to claim 7, each of said leg parts of said shell having an opening therein, said clamp means comprising support means and a clamp screw threadedly mounted on said support means, said support means comprising a pair of ear projections, in said connected position of said terminal device said ear projections being positioned in said openings and said clamp screw being adjusted to force said conducting wire downward into pressure engagement with said terminal conductor which downward force operates to bias said clamp means upward such that said ears in said openings engage said leg parts to draw said leg parts upward to spring-charge said shell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A terminal device according to claim 9, said terminal conductor comprising a back surface shaped to engage the base part of said shell and shaped to provide said spaces between said back surface and said base part of said shell in the pre-connected position which spaces are diminished as said shell is spring charged when said clamp means is operated to the connected position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A terminal device according to claim 10, an insulating support, and mounting means fixedly supporting said base part of said shell and said terminal conductor on said insulating support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
A combination according to claim 11, said insulating support having opening means therein, said base part of said shell having opening means aligned with the opening means of said insulating support, said terminal conductor having a tapped opening therein aligned with said opening means of said base part and said opening means of said insulating support, and a screw member passing through said opening means in said insulating support and through said opening means in said base part of said shell and being threaded in said tapped opening in said terminal conductor to fixedly mount said terminal device on said insulating support.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination according to claim 12, said terminal conductor comprising a curved front surface for providing increased surface contact between said terminal conductor and said conducting wire.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination according to claim 13, said clamp means comprising said clamp screw and a pressure plate connected to said clamp screw with a swivel-connection which permits said clamp screw to be rotated without rotating said pressure plate while moving said pressure plate axially with said clamp screw, and said pressure plate having a curved surface for engaging said conducting wire in the connected position of said terminal device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2602104A
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US2539628A
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DE1054136B
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US2877443A
Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-08 | 1976-02-07 | 1976-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-08 | 1980-02-07 | 1980-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-08 | 1984-02-07 | 1984-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |