Conductor in-slot electrical connectors

Claim 2

A stamped and formed metallic connecting means for forming an electrical connection with a wire comprising: a substantially flat web having two parallel sides, a tongue struck up from said web, said tongue defining a plane extending transversely of said web and transversely of said sides, said tongue having a free upper end, a wire-receiving slot extending partially downwardly into said tongue from said free end, and two wire stuffing fingers extending from each of said parallel sides, the said fingers on each side being spaced-apart and being on each side of said tongue, each of said fingers having a proximate section with respect to said web and having an end section which is remote from said web, said proximate section of each finger extending divergently with respect to its respective side and said end section of each finger being joined to said proximate section by a reverse bend, each of said end sections extending generally downwardly towards said web, whereby, upon location of a wire with its axis extending parallel to said sides and between said fingers, and upon curling said proximate sections of said fingers inwardly and downwardly, the external surfaces of said fingers will engage said wire on each side of said tongue and push said wire into said slot.

Claim 3

Connecting means as set forth in claim 1 said web having sidewalls extending from said sides, said fingers extending from said sidewalls.

Claim 4

Connecting means for forming an electrical and mechanical connection with an elongated conductor comprising: a generally U-shaped member having a web and sidewalls extending from the sides of said web, a tongue struck from said web, said tongue extending from said web in the same direction as said sidewalls and defining a plane which extends transversely of said web and transversely of said sidewalls, said tongue having a free end, a wire receiving slot extending centrally into said tongue from said free end towards said web, each of said sidewalls having first and second integral fingers extending therefrom, corresponding fingers on said sidewalls being aligned with each other, said plane defined by said tongue being between said first and second fingers, each of said fingers having a first section which is integRal with, and extends in the same general direction as, its respective sidewall, and each finger having a second section which is connected to said first section by a reverse bend and which extends inwardly and generally downwardly whereby, upon locating said conductor between said fingers and curling said fingers downwardly, said wire will be engaged by external surface portions of said fingers and pushed into said slot.

Claim 5

Connecting means for forming an electrical and mechanical connection with an elongated conductor comprising: a generally U-shaped member having a web and sidewalls extending from the sides of said web, a tongue struck from said web, said tongue extending from said web in the same direction as said sidewalls and defining a plane which extends transversely of said web and transversely of said sidewalls, said tongue having a free end, a wire receiving slot extending centrally into said tongue from said free end towards said web, each of said sidewalls having first and second integral fingers extending therefrom, corresponding fingers on said sidewalls being aligned with each other, said plane defined by said tongue being between said first and second fingers, each of said fingers having a first section which is integRal with, and extends in the same general direction as, its respective sidewall, and each finger having a second section which is connected to said first section by a reverse bend and which extends inwardly and generally downwardly whereby, upon locating said conductor between said fingers and curling said fingers downwardly, said wire will be engaged by external surface portions of said fingers and pushed into said slot.

Claim 6

Connecting means as set forth in claim 3 including a film of insulating material bonded to the external surface of said connecting means.

Claim 7

Connecting means as set forth in claim 4 including a second tongue struck from said web, said second tongue being spaced from said first tongue and extending generally parallel to said first tongue, and each of said sidewalls having a third finger extending therefrom, said first fingers being between said tongue and said second tongue, and said third fingers being on the opposite side of said second tongue from said first fingers.

Claim 8

Connecting means as set forth in claim 5, and contact means integral with and extending from said connecting means for making contact with a further conductor.

Claim 9

Connecting means as set forth in claim 5, said additional tongue having a slot therein which is relatively more narrow than the said slot in said tongue, said slot in said additional tongue having a width which is significantly less than the diameter of the conducting core of said wire.

Claim 10

Connecting means as set forth in claim 4 and a second connecting means which is substantially identical to said connecting means, said connecting means and said second connecting means being in axial alignment and said web of said connecting means being integral with the web of said second connecting means.

Claim 11

Connecting means for forming an electrical connection with a wire, said connecting means comprising a stamped and formed member having: a generally U-shaped cross-section comprising a web and sidewalls, a pair of spaced-apart tongues struck up from said web, said tongues defining planes which extend transversely of said web and said sidewalls, each of said tongues having a wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from its free end, first, second, and third fingers extending from each of said sidewalls, said first fingers being between said tongues, said second and third extensions being on the opposite sides of said first fingers, said fingers each comprising a proximate section which is integral with, and which extends in the same general direction as, its respective sidewall and each finger further comprising an end section extending obliquely towards the opposite one of said sidewalls, said end section being connected to said proximate section by a reverse bend, said tongues having a height, relative to said web which is greater than the height of said sidewalls and the upper edges of said sidewalls being above the inner ends of said notches whereby, upon locating a wire between said end sections of said fingers and upon curling said fingers inwardly and downwardly towards said web, said wire will be centered by said fingers and forced into said slots.

Claim 12

Connecting means for forming an electrical connection with a wire, said connecting means comprising a stamped and formed member having: a generally U-shaped cross-section comprising a web and sidewalls, a pair of spaced-apart tongues struck up from said web, said tongues defining planes which extend transversely of said web and said sidewalls, each of said tongues having a wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from its free end, first, second, and third fingers extending from each of said sidewalls, said first fingers being between said tongues, said second and third extensions being on the opposite sides of said first fingers, said fingers each comprising a proximate section which is integral with, and which extends in the same general direction as, its respective sidewall and each finger further comprising an end section extending obliquely towards the opposite one of said sidewalls, said end section being connected to said proximate section by a reverse bend, said tongues having a height, relative to said web which is greater than the height of said sidewalls and the upper edges of said sidewalls being above the inner ends of said notches whereby, upon locating a wire between said end sections of said fingers and upon curling said fingers inwardly and downwardly towards said web, said wire will be centered by said fingers and forced into said slots.

Claim 13

An electrical connecting device for making a butt connection between two wires, at least the end portions of said wires extending axially towards each other, said connecting device comprising: a generally channel-shaped cross-section having a web and having sidewalls extending from the longitudinal sides of said web, a connecting means proximate to each end of said connecting device, each connecting means comprising a pair of tongues struck up from said web, said tongues being spaced apart along the length of said connecting device and defining planes which extend transversely of said web and transversely of said sidewalls, each of said tongues having a free end and having a wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from said free end, said slots being centrally located in said tongues and lying on the longitudinal axiS of said connecting device, said tongues having a height relative to said web which is greater than the height of said sidwallls and the upper edges of said sidewalls being above the inner ends of said notches, each connecting means further comprising first, second, and third finger-like extensions on each of said sidewalls, the first finger-like extension of each sidewall being between said tongues and having a width which is less than the spacing between said tongues, each said first finger-like extensions comprising a proximate section which is integral with, and extends in the same direction as, its respective sidewall, and an end section having a reverse bend and extending generally obliquely towards said web, said second finger-like extension of each sidewall being on one side of said first extension and being proximate to the one of said tongues which is adjacent to an end of said connecting device, said third finger-like extension being on the other side of said first extension and being proximate to the one of said tongues which is remote from said one end of said connecting device, said second and third finger on each sidewall having proximate and end sections which are at least similar to said proximate and end sections of said first extension whereby, each of said wires can be connected to said connecting device by means of one of said connecting means by locating said wire with its axis extending between said fingers and curling said fingers inwardly towards each other and towards said web, whereby said fingers will engage said wires and push said wires into said slots.

Claim 14

An electrical connecting device for making a butt connection between two wires, at least the end portions of said wires extending axially towards each other, said connecting device comprising: a generally channel-shaped cross-section having a web and having sidewalls extending from the longitudinal sides of said web, a connecting means proximate to each end of said connecting device, each connecting means comprising a pair of tongues struck up from said web, said tongues being spaced apart along the length of said connecting device and defining planes which extend transversely of said web and transversely of said sidewalls, each of said tongues having a free end and having a wire-receiving slot extending inwardly from said free end, said slots being centrally located in said tongues and lying on the longitudinal axiS of said connecting device, said tongues having a height relative to said web which is greater than the height of said sidwallls and the upper edges of said sidewalls being above the inner ends of said notches, each connecting means further comprising first, second, and third finger-like extensions on each of said sidewalls, the first finger-like extension of each sidewall being between said tongues and having a width which is less than the spacing between said tongues, each said first finger-like extensions comprising a proximate section which is integral with, and extends in the same direction as, its respective sidewall, and an end section having a reverse bend and extending generally obliquely towards said web, said second finger-like extension of each sidewall being on one side of said first extension and being proximate to the one of said tongues which is adjacent to an end of said connecting device, said third finger-like extension being on the other side of said first extension and being proximate to the one of said tongues which is remote from said one end of said connecting device, said second and third finger on each sidewall having proximate and end sections which are at least similar to said proximate and end sections of said first extension whereby, each of said wires can be connected to said connecting device by means of one of said connecting means by locating said wire with its axis extending between said fingers and curling said fingers inwardly towards each other and towards said web, whereby said fingers will engage said wires and push said wires into said slots.

Claim 15

An electrical connecting device as set forth in claim 10, each of said connecting means having fourth finger-like extensions which are spaced from said second finger-like extensions and adjacent to an end of said connecting device, said fourth finger-like extensions serving to center said wires at the ends of said connecting device.

Claim 16

An electrical connecting device as set forth in claim 10, each of said connecting means having fourth finger-like extensions which are spaced from said third finger-like extensions and adjacent to an end of said connecting device, said fourth finger-like extensions having proximate and end sections, said proximate sections of said fourth finger-like extensions being relatively shorter than said proximate sections of said first, second, and third finger-like extensions.