Method for electrical connection to the center conductor of an insulated wire

Claim 1

A method of making an electrical terminal for electrical connection to the center conductor of an insulated wire, said method characterized by: stamping a flat sheet of metal into an elongated generally rectangular shape, said sheet being defined by a pair of longitudinal edges and by a pair of lateral edges, cutting into the sheet to form a plurality of V-shaped fins, forming a plurality of V-shaped sheet portions along one lateral edge, each V-shaped sheet portion including lateral edge portions which terminate in a tip portion, bending each of said V-shaped fins upwardly from the plane of the sheet so as to be longitudinally extending and substantially perpendicular thereto, folding each of said V-shaped tip portions upwardly from the plane of the sheet and then downwardly towards the plane of the sheet so that the tip portions are pointing towards the fins, and rolling said sheet into a tubular sleeve by progressively bending the longitudinal edges around to a position where said longitudinal edges adjoin at a seam, said rolling disposing said fins and said V-shaped tip portions internally of said sleeve, said fins being disposed in a longitudinal plane passing through the primary axis of the sleeve, and said V-shaped tip portions converging together to form a conical spike the axis of which is generally coaxial to the sleeve.

Claim 2

A method of making an electrical terminal for electrical connection to the center conductor of an insulated wire, said method characterized by: stamping a flat sheet of metal into an elongated generally rectangular shape, said sheet being defined by a pair of longitudinal edges and by a pair of lateral edges, cutting into the sheet to form a plurality of V-shaped fins, forming a plurality of V-shaped sheet portions along one lateral edge, each V-shaped sheet portion including lateral edge portions which terminate in a tip portion, bending each of said V-shaped fins upwardly from the plane of the sheet so as to be longitudinally extending and substantially perpendicular thereto, folding each of said V-shaped tip portions upwardly from the plane of the sheet and then downwardly towards the plane of the sheet so that the tip portions are pointing towards the fins, and rolling said sheet into a tubular sleeve by progressively bending the longitudinal edges around to a position where said longitudinal edges adjoin at a seam, said rolling disposing said fins and said V-shaped tip portions internally of said sleeve, said fins being disposed in a longitudinal plane passing through the primary axis of the sleeve, and said V-shaped tip portions converging together to form a conical spike the axis of which is generally coaxial to the sleeve.

Claim 3

A method of making an electrical connection between a terminal and the stranded conductors of an insulated wire, said terminal comprising a sleeve including an interior cylindrical passage the diameter of which being slightly greater than the diameter of said insulated wire and having an interior end wall, said method characterized by: providing the interior cylindrical wall of the passage with a plurality of longitudinally extending fins for slicing the insulator and the end wall with a longitudinally extending conical spike for penetrating the conductors, the fins having a slicing edge each which are disposed in a plane passing generally through the axis of the passage and the spike having its tip coaxially aligned with the axis of the passage, longitudinally inserting the end portion of said wire into said passage whereby said fins slice through the insulation of said wire, forcing the end portion of said wire axially inward into said passage and against said conical spike whereby the tip of said spike penetrates into said stranded conductors, and applying an external force radially inward to said sleeve to drive said fins inwardly and drive there penetrating points into contact with the stranded conductors whereby the penetration by said pentrating points and said tip with the stranded conductors forms a mechanical and electrical connection between the wire and the terminal.

Claim 4

A method of making an electrical connection between a terminal and the stranded conductors of an insulated wire, said terminal comprising a sleeve including an interior cylindrical passage the diameter of which being slightly greater than the diameter of said insulated wire and having an interior end wall, said method characterized by: providing the interior cylindrical wall of the passage with a plurality of longitudinally extending fins for slicing the insulator and the end wall with a longitudinally extending conical spike for penetrating the conductors, the fins having a slicing edge each which are disposed in a plane passing generally through the axis of the passage and the spike having its tip coaxially aligned with the axis of the passage, longitudinally inserting the end portion of said wire into said passage whereby said fins slice through the insulation of said wire, forcing the end portion of said wire axially inward into said passage and against said conical spike whereby the tip of said spike penetrates into said stranded conductors, and applying an external force radially inward to said sleeve to drive said fins inwardly and drive there penetrating points into contact with the stranded conductors whereby the penetration by said pentrating points and said tip with the stranded conductors forms a mechanical and electrical connection between the wire and the terminal.