US3742431A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wire connector
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1971-07-23
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1991-07-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention contemplates a so-called lay-in wire connector wherein a clamp nut is retained by spaced arms of a U-shaped body, adapted to receive an electrical conductor at the bottom of the U-shape. The nut carries a clamp screw and is longitudinally guided by and retained between the spaced arms. Interengaging parallel concave and convex V-formations on overlapping surfaces of the nut and arms (a) assure against arm-spreading when the clamp is applied to the conductor, and (b) assure against such clamped permanent deformation of the arms as might otherwise interfere with later removal and reassembly of the same nut and screw, as when changing the conductor in a re-wiring operation.
Inventors
- 👤 H Kobyner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:40
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/28; H01R4/30; H01R4/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
An electrical wire connector, comprising a generally U-shaped body having spaced upstanding side arms extending upward from a mounting base, the upper ends of said arms including spaced lug portions extending toward each other, a nut of width greater than the span between opposed lug portions and receivable under said lug portions upon end-wise insertion within the U-shape, and a screw in threaded engagement with said nut and between said lugs, the axis of said screw being substantially parallel to said arms and directed to the bottom of the U-shape of said body, said screw and nut in retracted position being sufficiently spaced from said bottom to clear a conductor seated on said bottom, and said screw being sufficiently elongate to thereafter clamp said conductor by squeeze action against said bottom, the overlapping adjacent surfaces of said nut and lugs being characterized by interengaging parallel concave and convex V-formations having mating alignment axes which are spaced to limit the spacing of said arms in the clamped condition of said connector, the inner surfaces of the opposed V-formations of said nut being oppositely and upwardly sloped in the direction of the screw axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
An electrical wire connector, comprising a generally U-shaped body having spaced upstanding side arms extending upward from a mounting base, the upper ends of said arms including spaced lug portions extending toward each other, a nut of width greater than the span between opposed lug portions and receivable under said lug portions upon end-wise insertion within the U-shape, and a screw in threaded engagement with said nut and between said lugs, the axis of said screw being substantially parallel to said arms and directed to the bottom of the U-shape of said body, said screw and nut in retracted position being sufficiently spaced from said bottom to clear a conductor seated on said bottom, and said screw being sufficiently elongate to thereafter clamp said conductor by squeeze action against said bottom, the overlapping adjacent surfaces of said nut and lugs being characterized by interengaging parallel concave and convex V-formations having mating alignment axes which are spaced to limit the spacing of said arms in the clamped condition of said connector, the inner surfaces of the opposed V-formations of said nut being oppositely and upwardly sloped in the direction of the screw axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A connector according to claim 1, in which said arms are spaced in accordance with the size of conductor to be accommodated, and in which said arms have opposed facing parallel nut-receiving grooves short of the upstanding ends of said arms, said lugs being defined at corresponding upper walls of said grooves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A connector according to claim 1, in which screw-trapping projections formed out of at least one of said arms and on opposite lateral offsets from the path of screw displacement extend to locally reduce the clearance between arms to less than screw diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A connector according to claim 3, in which said screw-trapping projections are located sufficiently remote from the region of conductor reception to trap the screw and at the same time permit free conductor insertion, whereby the connector assembly may be self-retaining prior to conductor clamping.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein the mating alignment axes of said V-formations are so positioned with respect to adjacent nut edges and adjacent upstanding inner surfaces of said arms that a clearance exists between said adjacent nut edges and inner surfaces when said connector is clamped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein the mating alignment axes of said V-formations are so positioned with respect to adjacent nut edges and adjacent inner surfaces of said arms that all surfaces of said V-formations engage for a clamped Relation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein said body is a cut-off length of extruded electrically conductive metal having a cross-section characterized by said U-shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
173 words
An electrical wire connector comprising a generally rectangularly prismatic body of conductive metal, said body having a primary groove extending longitudinally between opposite end faces and upwardly open along a third face to define a generally U-shape between upstanding opposed arms, said arms having opposed facing longitudinally extending nut-receiving grooves near the upper ends of said arms, a nut longitudinally slidably guided in both arms at said opposed grooves and insertably removable from said grooves at one longitudinal end of said body, a screw threaded to said nut and extending toward the bottom of the primary groove, whereby clamp action against an inserted conductor involves reaction between overlapping adjacent surfaces of said nut and arms, said overlapping adjacent surfaces being characterized by interengaging parallel concave and convex formations having mating longitudinally extending alignment axes which are spaced to limit the spacing of said arms in the clamped condition of said connector, the inner surfaces of the opposed V-formations of said nut being oppositely and upwardly sloped in the direction of the screw axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
173 words
An electrical wire connector comprising a generally rectangularly prismatic body of conductive metal, said body having a primary groove extending longitudinally between opposite end faces and upwardly open along a third face to define a generally U-shape between upstanding opposed arms, said arms having opposed facing longitudinally extending nut-receiving grooves near the upper ends of said arms, a nut longitudinally slidably guided in both arms at said opposed grooves and insertably removable from said grooves at one longitudinal end of said body, a screw threaded to said nut and extending toward the bottom of the primary groove, whereby clamp action against an inserted conductor involves reaction between overlapping adjacent surfaces of said nut and arms, said overlapping adjacent surfaces being characterized by interengaging parallel concave and convex formations having mating longitudinally extending alignment axes which are spaced to limit the spacing of said arms in the clamped condition of said connector, the inner surfaces of the opposed V-formations of said nut being oppositely and upwardly sloped in the direction of the screw axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector according to claim 1, in which the space between said arms is less than the diameter of said screw, opposed upstanding central regions of said arms being locally recessed to an extent permitting screw accommodation and entrapment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |