Electrical connectors

Claim 1

An electrical connector assembly comprising a first conductive element formed as a one piece metal casting; said casting including a main annular body portion having a first post-like extension off-set from but parallel to the body portion axis, the end area of the annular body portion remote from the post-like extension having a number of slits machined therein parallel to the body portion axis, said slits separating the end area of the annular body portion into an equivalent number of stiff resilient cantilever arms, said slits extending only part way along the axial dimension of the annular body portion whereby the unslit area of said body portion defines an uninterrupted ring-like annulus; said electrical connector assembly further comprising a second one piece conductive element having a pin-like body portion located on the axis of the aforementioned annular body portion and within the space circumscribed by the resilient cantilever arms; said second conductive element further including a second post-like extension off-set from but parallel to the body portion axis, and a transition portion integrally joining the pin-like body portion and the second post-like extension; said electrical connector assembly further comprising a dielectric body molded around selected portions of the first and second conductive elements to anchor them in spaced-apart relationship; said dielectric body comprising a central dielectric section surrounding and embedding therein the ring-like annulus area of the first element and the circumscribed portion of the second element; said dielectric body further comprising an annular shroud portion surrounding but spaced outwardly from the cantilever arms to permit limited deflection movements of said arms about their connections with the aforementioned ring-like annulus; the aforementioned post-like extensions projecting axially through the dielectric body to provide exposed post end faces, said post-like extensions having threaded openings in their exposed end faces for reception of lead wire-attachment screws; the aforementioned dielectric body having lead wire openings in its side surface so that the lead wires are enabled to extend into the dielectric body normal to the post-like extensions; the aforementioned conductive elements having circular contours taken around the aforementioned axis, thus permitting the defined electrical connector assembly to swivel around the aforementioned axis for accommodation of different lead wire directions; the post-like extensions being widely spaced on a diammetrical line passing through said axis.