Double-ended conductor-in-slot connecting device

Claim 2

A conductor-in-slot electrical connecting device comprising: a formed metallic tubular member of conductive sheet metal, said member having an axially extending open seam extending from one end thereof to the other end thereof, said seam serving as a conductor-receiving slot and having edges which are adapted to engage a conductor inserted into said slot, said member being partially transversely severed intermediate the ends thereof from said edges partially around the circumference of said member whereby said member is divided into two separate spring systems, for reception of at least two conductors, conductor-receiving means at each end of said member, each of said conductor receiving means comprising an opening in the wall of said member Adjacent to said ends, each of said openings intersecting said edges of said conductor-receiving slot a tubular insulating member in surrounding relationship to said metallic member, said insulating member having an axially extending open seam which is in alignment with said open seam of said metallic member, and insulating cover means each end of said tubular insulating member, said cover means being movable relatively towards each other on said tubular insulating member whereby, upon locating a conductor in each of said openings with the axes of said conductors extending laterally of the axis of said member, and upon moving said cover means towards each other said conductors are moved laterally of their axes and towards each other, and said conductors will be moved into said conductor-receiving slot and said edges will engage, and establish electrical contact with, said conductors.

Claim 3

A connecting device as set forth in claim 1, said insulating cover means having internal threads and said tubular insulating member having external threads.

Claim 4

A connecting device as, set forth in claim 2, said tubular insulating member and said cover means being of a stiffly flexible material whereby, said cover means can be pushed inwardly on said tubular member with accompanying flexing of said screw threads and without destruction of said screw threads.

Claim 5

A conductor-in-slot electrical connecting device comprising: a formed metallic tubular member of conductive sheet metal, said member having an axially extending open seam extending from one end thereof to the other end thereof, said member being partially transversely severed intermediate the ends thereof from the edges of said seam partially around the circumference of said member by severance lines which are in alignment on opposite sides of said seam, whereby said member is divided into two separate spring systems for reception of at least two conductors, conductor-receiving means at each end of said member, each of said conductor receiving means comprising an opening in the wall of said member adjacent to said ends; contact slot portions of said seam on both sides of said severance lines and extending inwardly from each of said openings to said severance lines for the reception of a conductor on each side of said severance lines, said contact slot portions having opposed edges spaced apart by a distance which is less than that of the conductor for which said device is intended, a tubular insulating member in surrounding relationship to said metallic member, and an insulating cover means at each end of said tubular insulating member, said cover means being movable relatively towards each other, whereby upon locating a conductor in each of said openings with the axis of said conductors extending laterally of the axis of said member, and upon movement of said cover means towards each other, said conductors are moved by said cover means laterally of their axes towards said severance lines, and into said contact slot portions whereby said edges engage, and establish electrical contact with said conductors.

Claim 6

A conductor-in-slot electrical connecting device comprising: a formed metallic tubular member of conductive sheet metal, said member having an axially extending open seam extending from one end thereof to the other end thereof, said member being partially transversely severed intermediate the ends thereof from the edges of said seam partially around the circumference of said member by severance lines which are in alignment on opposite sides of said seam, whereby said member is divided into two separate spring systems for reception of at least two conductors, conductor-receiving means at each end of said member, each of said conductor receiving means comprising an opening in the wall of said member adjacent to said ends; contact slot portions of said seam on both sides of said severance lines and extending inwardly from each of said openings to said severance lines for the reception of a conductor on each side of said severance lines, said contact slot portions having opposed edges spaced apart by a distance which is less than that of the conductor for which said device is intended, a tubular insulating member in surrounding relationship to said metallic member, and an insulating cover means at each end of said tubular insulating member, said cover means being movable relatively towards each other, whereby upon locating a conductor in each of said openings with the axis of said conductors extending laterally of the axis of said member, and upon movement of said cover means towards each other, said conductors are moved by said cover means laterally of their axes towards said severance lines, and into said contact slot portions whereby said edges engage, and establish electrical contact with said conductors.

Claim 7

A device as set forth in claim 4, said cover means at each end having internal ram means movable along the axis of said tubular member and inside said tubular member, so that when said cover means are moved relatively towards each other said ram means push the portions of said conductors inside said tubular member towards each other.