Electrical connector apparatus

Claim 1

Electrical cable connecting apparatus, comprising: a. common mounting support means, b. first and second insulator housings rigidly affixed to said common mounting support means at laterally spaced locations thereon, said insulator housings comprising respective elongated insulating jackets extending from said common mounting support means in directions parallel to one another, each of said insulator housings having conductive means disposed within the confines of said insulating jacket, c. an elongated conductor axially extending through an insulating jacket in a direction transverse to said parallel direction, said elongated conductor having one end adapted for coaxial termination with a high voltage electrical cable and and the other end electrically connected with one of said conductive means, d. generally U-shaped connector link means including a central conductor axially extending through, and entirely surrounded by, an insulating jacket, the end portions of the central conductor being adapted for respective removable mateable engagement with said conductive means disposed within said insulator housings, the end portions of said insulating jacket of said link means being adapted for respective removable mateable engagement with the elongated insulating jackets of said insulator housings, said link means being simultaneously disconnectably coupled with said first and second insulator housings to electrically connect said conductive bodies by way of the central conductor of said connector link means, and e. jack assembly means for facilitating the respective retraction and advancement of said U-shaped connector link from and into coupling engagement with said insulator housings, said jack assembly comprising: a catch assembly comprising a housing having a channel therein, said channel extending to at least one side of said housing to define an opening thereto, said housing being so mounted to said U-shaped connector link means to position said channel above, and tangential to, the apex of said U-shaped connector link means, and an arm assembly comprising a generally U-shaped frame having parallel disposed arms, a shaft threadably connected at the apex of said frame and extending intermediate, and generally parallel to, said arms, washer means affixed at one end of said shaft and dimensioned to fit within the confines of said channel, said arm assembly being mounted so that said parallel disposed arms straddle the U-shaped connector link means and are pivotally movable about a point disposed directly below the apex of said U-shaped connector link means, whereby the pivoting of said arm assembly to a substantially vertical position disposes said washer means within said channel to enable the respective retraction and advancement of said link means from and into coupling engagement with said insulator housings in response to the rotation, in one direction and the other, of said threadably connected shaft.