Insulation piercing connector for underground installation

Claim 2

A connector for use in electrically interconnecting insulated electrical conductors and for providing and maintaining watertight and electrically insulated connections around the resulting electrical path comprising contact means connectable to a terminal of a first electrical conductor, said contact means including piercing means for cutting through insulation on a second conductor and establishing electrical contact with the second conductor, first insulating means formed to insulate a first part of said contact means, deformable insulating means shaped as a sleeve through which said piercing means extends, said deformable insulating means making it possible in cooperation with the first insulating means to establish and maintain electrical insulation around the contact means and to provide a water tight seal between said piercing means and insulation of said second conductor, a yoke and a cap each having a threaded portion cooperative with each other to initially assemble the connector around the second conductor, and means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke, after said connector is initially assembled around the second conductor, for forcing said piercing means through the insulation of the second conductor and into contact with the second conductor.

Claim 3

A connector as claimed in claim 1, including means for limiting the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor.

Claim 4

A connector as claimed in claim 2, in which the means for limiting the depth includes a pressure pad selected to place a minimum limit on the spacing between the means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke and the piercing means.

Claim 5

A connector as claimed in claim 1, including means for controlling the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor, said means for controlling the depth including a pressure pad, said pressure pad including a first face for directly contacting the insulation of a conductor to be pierced, and said means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke including a set screw in engagement with the yoke for contacting a second face of the pressure pad to enable closure of the space between the deformable insulating means and said pressure pad.

Claim 6

A connector as claimed in claim 1, including means for controlling the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor, said means for controlling the depth including a pressure pad, said pressure pad including a first face for directly contacting insulation of the second conductor, and said means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke including a set screw in engagement with the yoke, said set screw contacting a second face of the pressure pad to enable adjustment of the spacing of the yoke and said pressure pad against the conductor, and said cap contacting a set of gauges formed by the pressure pad to limit the minimum spacing between the yoke and the pressure pad.

Claim 7

A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which said piercing means consists of a chisel-shaped point formed on one end of said contact mEans.

Claim 8

A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which said deformable insulating means includes a sealing grommet formed to accept said piercing means, said sealing grommet forming an insulating seal between the first insulating means and insulation over a conductor into which the piercing means has penetrated.

Claim 9

A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the cap responds to rotation about the axis central to its threaded portion to fasten the yoke and cap about the second conductor.

Claim 10

A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which said yoke has two legs forming a U shape, a pressure pad for limiting the depth to which said piercing means penetrates a second conductor, said means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke includes a set screw, said pressure pad including arms and spaces enabling it to nest within the U of the yoke against the face of a set screw threaded into the U of the yoke, said cap including threads for engaging threads on the legs at the open end of the yoke, and said set screw responding to rotary forces to push the piercing means into a conductor positioned within the U of the yoke.

Claim 11

A connector as claimed in claim 1, including means for controlling the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor, said means for controlling the depth including a pressure pad, said pressure pad including a first face for directly contacting a conductor to be pierced, and said means adjustable in cooperation with said yoke including a set screw in engagement with the yoke for contacting a second face of the pressure pad to enable adjustment of the spacing of the yoke and said pressure pad against the conductor.

Claim 12

A connector for use in interconnecting insulated electrical conductors and maintaining an insulated path through the resulting connections comprising contact means connectable to a terminal of a first electrical conductor, said contact means including piercing means for cutting through insulation on a second conductor and establishing electrical contact with the second conductor, insulating means associated with said contact means to establish and maintain insulation around the piercing means and contiguous with the insulation on the second conductor, a yoke for forming a binder along at least one side of the conductor, means cooperative with said yoke for forcing said piercing means through the insulation of the second conductor and into contact with the second conductor, means for controlling the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor, said means for controlling the depth including a pressure pad, said pressure pad including a first face for directly contacting insulation of the second conductor, a set screw and a cap in engagement with the yoke, said set screw contacting a second face of the pressure pad to enable adjustment of the spacing of the yoke and said pressure pad against the conductor, and said cap contacting a set of gauges formed by the pressure pad to limit the minimum spacing between the yoke and the pressure pad.

Claim 13

A connector for use in interconnecting insulated electrical conductors and maintaining an insulated path through the resulting connections comprising contact means connectable to a terminal of a first electrical conductor, said contact means including piercing means for cutting through insulation on a second conductor and establishing electrical contact with the second conductor, insulating means associated with said contact means to establish and maintain insulation around the piercing means and contiguous with the insulation on the second conductor, a yoke for forming a binder along at least one side of the conductor, means cooperative with said yoke for forcing said piercing means through the insulation of the second conductor and into contact with the second conductor, means for controlling the depth to which said piercing means penetrates the second conductor, said means for controlling the depth including a pressure pad, said pressure pad including a first face for directly contacting insulation of the second conductor, a set screw and a cap in engagement with the yoke, said set screw contacting a second face of the pressure pad to enable adjustment of the spacing of the yoke and said pressure pad against the conductor, and said cap contacting a set of gauges formed by the pressure pad to limit the minimum spacing between the yoke and the pressure pad.