Connector for an electric range

Claim 1

A device for insulating and connecting a pair of power wires and the terminal ends of an electric range heating element, said device comprising: a pair of spring-like contacts, each connected to one of said pair of power wires and each having means defining a butterfly section for receiving an inserted one of said terminal ends of said heating element, said butterfly sections terminating on one end thereof in a pair of flared lips and having on an opposite end thereof a pair of outwardly projecting tines; and an insulative body having a front end and a rear end, and means defining two channels therethrough, extending substantially parallel to each other, each channel for receiving at a rear end thereof one of said spring-like contacts, and at a front end thereof one of said terminal ends of said heating elements, each channel having an internal portion for receiving one of said spring-like contacts in locking engagement, each internal portion having a first forward abutment, located at said channels' front end, for limiting forward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said flared lips, and having rearward abutments for limiting rearward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said projecting tines, whereby said respective butterfly sections will be caused to spread upon insertion of said terminal ends, and clamp upon them, a spring-like stand attached to the front end of said insulative body for holding said insulative body separated from a platform of the electric range, a mounting bracket attached to said heating element terminal ends for holding them in spaced-apart relationship, said insulating body's channels terminating in an opening for receiving said mounting bracket, and wherein said bracket acts to close said opening.

Claim 2

A device for insulating and connecting a pair of power wires and the terminal ends of an electric range heating element, said device comprising: a pair of spring-like contacts, each connected to one of said pair of power wires and each having means defining a butterfly section for receiving an inserted one of said terminal ends of said heating element, said butterfly sections terminating on one end thereof in a pair of flared lips and having on an opposite end thereof a pair of outwardly projecting tines; and an insulative body having a front end and a rear end, and means defining two channels therethrough, extending substantially parallel to each other, each channel for receiving at a rear end thereof one of said spring-like contacts, and at a front end thereof one of said terminal ends of said heating elements, each channel having an internal portion for receiving one of said spring-like contacts in locking engagement, each internal portion having a first forward abutment, located at said channels' front end, for limiting forward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said flared lips, and having rearward abutments for limiting rearward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said projecting tines, whereby said respective butterfly sections will be caused to spread upon insertion of said terminal ends, and clamp upon them, a spring-like stand attached to the front end of said insulative body for holding said insulative body separated from a platform of the electric range, a mounting bracket attached to said heating element terminal ends for holding them in spaced-apart relationship, said insulating body's channels terminating in an opening for receiving said mounting bracket, and wherein said bracket acts to close said opening.

Claim 5

A device for insulating and connecting a pair of power wires and the terminal ends of an electric range heating element, comprising: a pair of spring-like contacts, each connected to one of said pair of power wires and each having means defining a butterfly section for receiving an inserted one of said terminal ends of said heating element, said buttefly sections terminating on one end thereof in a pair of flared lips and having on an opposite end thereof a pair of outwardly projecting tines; and an insulative body having a front end and a rear end, and means defining two channels therethrough, extending substantially parallel to each other, each channel for receiving at a rear end thereof one of said spring-like contacts, and at a front end thereof one of said terminal ends of said heating elements, each channel having an internal portion for receiving one of said spring-like contacts in locking engagement, each internal portion having a first forward abutment, located at said channels' front end, for limiting forward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said flared lips, and having rearward abutments for limiting rearward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said projecting tines, whereby said respective butterfly sections will be caused to spread upon insertion of said terminal ends, and clamp upon them, a spring-like stand attached to the front end of said insulative body for holding said insulative body separated from a platform of the electric range, said spring-like stand having wall portions generally parallel to said channels and extending beyond the front end of said insulative body, one of said wall portions including a rearwardly extending tab, biased toward a terminal of said heating elements, and ending just forward of the insulative body's front end, a mounting bracket attached to said heating element terminal ends for holding them in spaced-apart relationship, a tab, located on each spring-like contact, between its connection to the power wire and its butterfly section, perpendicular to the clamping butterfly sections, and extending perpendicular to and across the channel direction, a groove in each channel, commencing at its rear end and terminating in a second forward abutment for receiving said perpendicular tab, said second forward abutment being for limiting forward movement of the spring-like contact.

Claim 6

A device for insulating and connecting a pair of power wires and the terminal ends of an electric range heating element, comprising: a pair of spring-like contacts, each connected to one of said pair of power wires and each having means defining a butterfly section for receiving an inserted one of said terminal ends of said heating element, said buttefly sections terminating on one end thereof in a pair of flared lips and having on an opposite end thereof a pair of outwardly projecting tines; and an insulative body having a front end and a rear end, and means defining two channels therethrough, extending substantially parallel to each other, each channel for receiving at a rear end thereof one of said spring-like contacts, and at a front end thereof one of said terminal ends of said heating elements, each channel having an internal portion for receiving one of said spring-like contacts in locking engagement, each internal portion having a first forward abutment, located at said channels' front end, for limiting forward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said flared lips, and having rearward abutments for limiting rearward movement of said spring-like contacts by engaging with each of said projecting tines, whereby said respective butterfly sections will be caused to spread upon insertion of said terminal ends, and clamp upon them, a spring-like stand attached to the front end of said insulative body for holding said insulative body separated from a platform of the electric range, said spring-like stand having wall portions generally parallel to said channels and extending beyond the front end of said insulative body, one of said wall portions including a rearwardly extending tab, biased toward a terminal of said heating elements, and ending just forward of the insulative body's front end, a mounting bracket attached to said heating element terminal ends for holding them in spaced-apart relationship, a tab, located on each spring-like contact, between its connection to the power wire and its butterfly section, perpendicular to the clamping butterfly sections, and extending perpendicular to and across the channel direction, a groove in each channel, commencing at its rear end and terminating in a second forward abutment for receiving said perpendicular tab, said second forward abutment being for limiting forward movement of the spring-like contact.