Plug and connector clamp

Claim 2

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said clamp comprising: a housing including spaced apart sides and first and second end abutments defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, and whereby said first end abutment is adapted to engage said engaged plug and connector, said first and second end abutments including a first cord opening and a clamp opening, respectively; and clamping means extending through said clamp opening and including a second cord opening and a clamp portion longitudinally movable against said engaged plug and connector in said central space to hold said engaged plug and connector between said first abutment and said clamp portion and thereby constrain said plug and connector against longitudinal separation.

Claim 3

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1 wherein said housing and said clamping means are longitudinally split to enable lateral insertion and removal of an electrical cord relative to said second cord opening.

Claim 4

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means is threadedly carried within said clamp opening for threaded longitudinal movement of said clamp portion.

Claim 5

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1 wherein said clamp opening is internally threaded, and said clamping means comprises an externally threaded shank threadably disposed within said clamp opening and including a central bore defining said second cord opening and said clamp portion comprises a thumbwheel integral with said shank.

Claim 6

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1, in combination with an electrical extension cord carrying an electrical connector at one end, said connector being disposed within said central space, and said second cord opening receiving said extension cord whereby said plug and connector clamp form part of said extension cord.

Claim 7

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 5 wherein said first cord opening is laterally open whereby the electrical cord of a plug engaged with said connector can be laterally inserted into said first cord opening for location of said plug in said central space adjacent said first end abutment.

Claim 8

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1 wherein said clamp opening is internally threaded and the threads are interrupted to define longitudinally directed unthreaded portions, and wherein said clamping means comprises an exteriorly threaded shank disposed within said clamp opening and centrally bored to define said second cord opening, the threads of said shank being interrupted to define longitudinally directed threaded portions adapted for longitudinal slidable movement along said unthreaded portions to urge said clamp portion against said engaged plug and connector in said central space, said shank being rotatable relative to said clamp opening for interengaging the threads of said clamp opening and said shank to threadedly advance said clamp portion against said engaged plug and connector.

Claim 9

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a shank centrally bored to define said second cord opening, said shank being longitudinally slidable through said clamp opening and including externally directed, longitudinally extending ratchet teeth, said second abutment carrying ratchet means biased inwardly for engagement with said ratchet teeth to fix said shank against longitudinal movement away from said central space.

Claim 10

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 8 wherein said ratchet means comprise a pair of resilient, oppositely disposed ratchet arms pivotally mounted to said second abutment and carrying projections for engagement with said ratchet teeth, each of said ratchet arms including a projecting tab enabling said ratchet arms to be pulled outwardly for disengaging said ratchet teeth.

Claim 11

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 8 wherein said ratchet means is integral with said second abutment.

Claim 12

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 8 wherein said ratchet means comprises a pair of resilient, oppositely disposed ratchet arms pivotally mounted to said second abutment and carrying projections at their free extremities for engagement with said ratchet teeth, said ratchet arms being of bowed configuration whereby pressure upon the central portions of said ratchet arms tends to flatten said bowed configuration and disengage said projections from said ratchet teeth.

Claim 13

A plug and connector clamp according to claim 11 wherein said ratchet arms include inwardly directed fulcrum posts adjacent said free extremities, respectively, said posts providing fulcrums to facilitate disengagement of said projections from said ratchet teeth upon flattening of said bowed configuration.

Claim 14

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said comprising: a housing including spaced apart sides and first and second abutments defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, and whereby said first end abutment is adapted to engage said engaged plug and connector, said first end abutment including a first cord opening and said second end abutment including a resilient, externally threaded boss having a clamp opening and a radially inwardly directed detent extending into said clamp opening; and clamping means extending through said clamp opening, and including a second cord opening and an externally threaded clamp portion longitudinally slidably movable within said clamp opening out of engagement with said detent for engagement with said engaged plug and connector in said central space, said clamping means including an internally threaded nut longitudinally slidably receiving said clamp portion and threaded onto said boss whereby tightening said nut upon said boss is adapted to deform said boss sufficiently to move said detent into engagement with the threads of said clamp portion and prevent slidable longitudinal movement of said clamp portion within said clamp opening.

Claim 15

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said comprising: a housing including spaced apart sides and first and second abutments defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, and whereby said first end abutment is adapted to engage said engaged plug and connector, said first end abutment including a first cord opening and said second end abutment including a resilient, externally threaded boss having a clamp opening and a radially inwardly directed detent extending into said clamp opening; and clamping means extending through said clamp opening, and including a second cord opening and an externally threaded clamp portion longitudinally slidably movable within said clamp opening out of engagement with said detent for engagement with said engaged plug and connector in said central space, said clamping means including an internally threaded nut longitudinally slidably receiving said clamp portion and threaded onto said boss whereby tightening said nut upon said boss is adapted to deform said boss sufficiently to move said detent into engagement with the threads of said clamp portion and prevent slidable longitudinal movement of said clamp portion within said clamp opening.

Claim 16

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said clamp comprising: a pair of U-shape housing sections arranged in opposed relation to define a housing having first and second end abutments formed by the bases of said housing sections, respectively, and further having spaced apart sides formed by the spaced apart legs of said housing sections, said abutments and said sides defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, said first and second end abutments including first and second cord openings, respectively, said legs of said first housing section having longitudinally spaced apart detents, and said legs of said second housing section having receptacles longitudinally slidably receiving said legs of said first housing section for locating said end abutments in a holding position against said engaged plug and connector to constrain said engaged plug and connector against separation, said legs of said second housing section further having projections removably receivable in selected ones of said detents for maintaining said end abutments in said holding position.

Claim 17

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said clamp comprising: a pair of U-shape housing sections arranged in opposed relation to define a housing having first and second end abutments formed by the bases of said housing sections, respectively, and further having spaced apart sides formed by the spaced apart legs of said housing sections, said abutments and said sides defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, said first and second end abutments including first and second cord openings, respectively, said legs of said first housing section having longitudinally spaced apart detents, and said legs of said second housing section having receptacles longitudinally slidably receiving said legs of said first housing section for locating said end abutments in a holding position against said engaged plug and connector to constrain said engaged plug and connector against separation, said legs of said second housing section further having projections removably receivable in selected ones of said detents for maintaining said end abutments in said holding position.

Claim 18

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said clamp comprising: a pair of U-shape housing sections arranged in opposed relation to define a housing having first and second end abutments formed by the bases of said housing sections, respectively, and further having spaced apart sides formed by the spaced apart legs of said housing sections, said abutments and said sides defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, said first and second end abutments including first and second cord openings, respectively, the free extremities of said legs of said housing sections having ratchet teeth interengaged upon longitudinal alignment of said housing sections and enabling relative movement of said housing sections toward each other for locating said end abutments in a holding position against said engaged plug and connector to constrain said engaged plug and connector against separation, said free extremities further having pin and slot connections enabling pivotal movement of said housing sections out of said longitudinal alignment to disengage said ratchet teeth and allow relative movement of said end abutments out of said holding position.

Claim 19

A plug and connector clamp for maintaining engagement between an engaged electrical plug and connector carried by electrical cords, said clamp comprising: a pair of U-shape housing sections arranged in opposed relation to define a housing having first and second end abutments formed by the bases of said housing sections, respectively, and further having spaced apart sides formed by the spaced apart legs of said housing sections, said abutments and said sides defining an elongated central space for receiving said engaged plug and connector whereby said sides are adapted to constrain said plug and connector against sideways movement in at least one plane, said first and second end abutments including first and second cord openings, respectively, the free extremities of said legs of said housing sections having ratchet teeth interengaged upon longitudinal alignment of said housing sections and enabling relative movement of said housing sections toward each other for locating said end abutments in a holding position against said engaged plug and connector to constrain said engaged plug and connector against separation, said free extremities further having pin and slot connections enabling pivotal movement of said housing sections out of said longitudinal alignment to disengage said ratchet teeth and allow relative movement of said end abutments out of said holding position.

Claim 20

An electric extension cord plug and connector clamp comprising: an electrical extension cord having an electrical connector at one end; and a housing including spaced apart sides and first and second end abutments defining an elongated central space receiving said connector, said second end abutment including an opening through which said extension cord is disposed, said first end abutment including a first cord opening laterally open to seperably receive the electrical cord of an electrical plug upon engagement of said plug with said connector and location of said plug in said central space adjacent said first end abutment, said housing including clamping means operative to prevent longitudinal separation of said plug and connector in said central space, said clamping means including a clamp portion threadedly carried within said opening in said second end abutment for threaded longitudinal movement of said clamp portion toward said connector, and said extension cord being longitudinally slidably received within said opening in said second abutment whereby said connector is movable by said clamp portion relative to said second end abutment.

Claim 21

An electric extension cord plug and connector clamp comprising: an electrical extension cord having an electrical connector at one end; and a housing including spaced apart sides and first and second end abutments defining an elongated central space receiving said connector, said second end abutment including an opening through which said extension cord is disposed, said first end abutment including a first cord opening laterally open to seperably receive the electrical cord of an electrical plug upon engagement of said plug with said connector and location of said plug in said central space adjacent said first end abutment, said housing including clamping means operative to prevent longitudinal separation of said plug and connector in said central space, said clamping means including a clamp portion threadedly carried within said opening in said second end abutment for threaded longitudinal movement of said clamp portion toward said connector, and said extension cord being longitudinally slidably received within said opening in said second abutment whereby said connector is movable by said clamp portion relative to said second end abutment.

Claim 22

A cord plug and connector clamp according to claim 16 wherein said clamp portion includes a central bore receiving said extension cord and further includes a thumbwheel operative to rotate said clamp portion.