Abstract A connector and method for rapidly and conveniently connecting the sheath of a metallically sheathed cable to a further conductive member and including in one embodiment, a body member having at least a pair of hingedly coupled, superpositionally disposable arms at least one of which is provided, on its interior face, with insulation piercing teeth and at least one elongate member serving as a locking tab, and the other of which is provided with a mating tab receiving aperture to facilitate the interlocking of said arms, and coupling means preferably for attaching the connector to a conductive strap or lead. The connector may be integrally formed to provide a unitary foldable cliplike structure readily securable about a selectively exposed portion of the metallic cable sheath. The coupling means may include a threaded extension, deformable projections, or apertured tongue formed integrally with, or suitably attached to, the connector body member.
A connector comprising: a body member having at least one first arm, at least two second arms, and an interconnecting portion therebetween joining said first and said second arms in hinged relationship, said first and said second arms each having an interior face and an exterior face, said faces being disposed in generally spaced parallel planar relationship, said respective interior faces being positionable in adjacent opposing relationship as said first and said second arms are superpositionally disposed, said second arms being in juxtaposition, each being independently joined to its associated interconnecting portion; coupling means extending outwardly from said second arm exterior face for coupling said connector to a further article; insulation piercing means disposed on at least a portion of at least one of said interior faces; said second arm having at least one aperture extending therethrough between said interior and exterior faces thereof; at least one generally elongate member extending outwardly from said first arm interior face and aligned for engagement with said second arm apertured as said first and second arms are disposed in substantially superpositional relationship, said elongate member and its associated aperture being arranged to provide locking means for maintaining said first and said second arms in tight engagement about a further article inserted therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A connector comprising: a body member having at least one first arm, at least two second arms, and an interconnecting portion therebetween joining said first and said second arms in hinged relationship, said first and said second arms each having an interior face and an exterior face, said faces being disposed in generally spaced parallel planar relationship, said respective interior faces being positionable in adjacent opposing relationship as said first and said second arms are superpositionally disposed, said second arms being in juxtaposition, each being independently joined to its associated interconnecting portion; coupling means extending outwardly from said second arm exterior face for coupling said connector to a further article; insulation piercing means disposed on at least a portion of at least one of said interior faces; said second arm having at least one aperture extending therethrough between said interior and exterior faces thereof; at least one generally elongate member extending outwardly from said first arm interior face and aligned for engagement with said second arm apertured as said first and second arms are disposed in substantially superpositional relationship, said elongate member and its associated aperture being arranged to provide locking means for maintaining said first and said second arms in tight engagement about a further article inserted therebetween.