Solderless connector for insulated wires

Claim 1

An electrical connector for making an electrical connection between two insulation covered wires, comprising: a base of electrical insulation material having at least two parallel channels for receiving said insulation covered wires in spaced, side-by-side relation, a narrow, vertical supporting slot extending transversely across both said channels, an electrically conducting, resilient contact plate frictionally supported in said slot and having at least two upwardly opening contact slots respectively centered relative to said channels, said contact slots having, At said channels, a width normally less than the diameter of the inner conductors of said wires, and tapering outwardly at their upper ends, first and second covers of insulation material formed integrally with said base, located adjacent opposite sides of said base and flexibly connected to opposite sides of said base by integral hinge arms, each of which extends between the inner edge of one of said covers and the adjacent edge of said base, each of said covers being pivotable independently of the other by bending the intervening hinge arm to cause said cover to overlie only one of said channels, each of said covers being recessed to receive the upper edge of said contact plate and having a wire engaging surface adapted to engage the upper side of an insulation covered wire in one of said channels and drive said wire downwardly into one of said contact slots, causing said contact plate to slice through said insulation and the sidewalls of the slot to forcibly swedge and compressively engage opposite sides of the inner conductor therein, cooperative latching elements integral with said base and with each of said covers to lock said covers individually in closed positions over the respective wires, thereby completing an insulated connection between said wires.