Slotted plate type electrical connections

Claim 2

An electrical and mechanical connection between a conductor and a terminal member, said terminal member comprising a plate-like member of conductive sheet metal, said member being bent transversely of its length at a location spaced from one end thereof to define an end section and a conductor-receiving side section a wire-receiving slot extending into said conductor-receiving side section and extending for the full length of said side section and into said end section, said slot having a dead end in said end section, said conductor being wedged in, and extending transversely through, said slot in said side section only, portions of said side section on each side of said slot being flexed outwardly and away from each other to provide a first spring system maintaining edge portions of said slot in engagement with said conductor, and portions of said end section on each side of said slot being torsionally stressed in opposite rotary directions to provide a second spring system maintaining said edge portions of said slot in engagement with said conductor.

Claim 3

An electrical and mechanical connection as set forth in claim 1, said terminal member being substantially L-shaped.

Claim 4

An electrical and mechanical connection as set forth in claim 1, said terminal member having a second conductor-receiving side section and a second end section, said second side section being integral with said side section, said conductor extending through said slot in said side section and through said slot in said second side section only.

Claim 5

An electrical and mechanical connection between a connecting device and an elongated conductor comprising: a conductive slot metal member, said member being folded intermediate its ends and transversely of its length to the form of a V having a bight and divergent sides, said sides being transversely of the length of said member to define oppositely directed end portions extending from the ends of said sides, a conductor-receiving slot in said member extending along the length thereof, said slot having dead ends in said end portions of said member and said slot extending in both of said end portions and continuously in said sides, said slot intersecting said bight, said conductor having its axis extending parallel to said slot and extending through said slot in each of said sides only, said conductor being wedged between the opposed edges of said slot at contact locations, portions of said member on each side of said slot being resiliently flexed outwardly and away from each other in opposite directions and portions of said end portions on each side of said slot being torsionally stressed in opposite rotary directions.

Claim 6

An electrical and mechanical connection between a connecting device and an elongated conductor comprising: a conductive slot metal member, said member being folded intermediate its ends and transversely of its length to the form of a V having a bight and divergent sides, said sides being transversely of the length of said member to define oppositely directed end portions extending from the ends of said sides, a conductor-receiving slot in said member extending along the length thereof, said slot having dead ends in said end portions of said member and said slot extending in both of said end portions and continuously in said sides, said slot intersecting said bight, said conductor having its axis extending parallel to said slot and extending through said slot in each of said sides only, said conductor being wedged between the opposed edges of said slot at contact locations, portions of said member on each side of said slot being resiliently flexed outwardly and away from each other in opposite directions and portions of said end portions on each side of said slot being torsionally stressed in opposite rotary directions.

Claim 7

An electrical and mechanical connection between at least two wires comprising: a sheet metal plate-like member, said member being folded transversely of its length at a location intermediate its ends to define a V-shaped section having a bight and sidewalls which diverge from said bight, said sidewalls being bent transversely of their lengths to define end portions which extend in opposite directions from said sidewalls, two slots in said member, said slots extending from said bight through said sidewalls and into said end portions, said slots having dead ends in each of said end portions, at least portions of said slots in said sidewalls having a width which is less than the thickness of said wires, said wires being in parallel side-by-side relationship with one wire in each of said slots, said wires each having an end portion extending through said slots in each of said sidewalls only, portions of said sidewalls on each side of each slot being elastically flexed in opposite directions by said wires, and portions of said end sections on each side of each slot being torsionally flexed by stresses transmitted from said outwardly flexed portions of said sidewalls whereby said wires are resiliently held in said slots, housing means enclosing said plate-like member and said end portions of said wires, said housing means comprising a housing base and a housing closure, said housing base having an open-sided cavity therein, said plate-like member being disposed in said cavity, openings in said housing base communicating with said cavity, said end portions of said wires extending through said openings, said closure member being assembled to said base member and serving as a closure for said open side of said cavity, said plate-like member being oriented in said cavity wIth said end portions of said plate-like member disposed against the side of said cavity which is opposite to said open side and with said bight proximate to said open side, said housing closure having a pair of spaced-apart integral legs extending therefrom, said legs being in straddling relationship to said bight and having their free ends against said wires thereby to retain said wires in said slots.

Claim 8

An electrical and mechanical connection between at least two wires comprising: a sheet metal plate-like member, said member being folded transversely of its length at a location intermediate its ends to define a V-shaped section having a bight and sidewalls which diverge from said bight, said sidewalls being bent transversely of their lengths to define end portions which extend in opposite directions from said sidewalls, two slots in said member, said slots extending from said bight through said sidewalls and into said end portions, said slots having dead ends in each of said end portions, at least portions of said slots in said sidewalls having a width which is less than the thickness of said wires, said wires being in parallel side-by-side relationship with one wire in each of said slots, said wires each having an end portion extending through said slots in each of said sidewalls only, portions of said sidewalls on each side of each slot being elastically flexed in opposite directions by said wires, and portions of said end sections on each side of each slot being torsionally flexed by stresses transmitted from said outwardly flexed portions of said sidewalls whereby said wires are resiliently held in said slots, housing means enclosing said plate-like member and said end portions of said wires, said housing means comprising a housing base and a housing closure, said housing base having an open-sided cavity therein, said plate-like member being disposed in said cavity, openings in said housing base communicating with said cavity, said end portions of said wires extending through said openings, said closure member being assembled to said base member and serving as a closure for said open side of said cavity, said plate-like member being oriented in said cavity wIth said end portions of said plate-like member disposed against the side of said cavity which is opposite to said open side and with said bight proximate to said open side, said housing closure having a pair of spaced-apart integral legs extending therefrom, said legs being in straddling relationship to said bight and having their free ends against said wires thereby to retain said wires in said slots.