Electrical plugs and connectors with automatic cord clamps

Claim 1

An electrical cord clamping device, comprising: (a) an outer husk having a base wall bounding a hole through which an electrical wire is insertable along a longitudinal axis, and a generally cylindrical side wall extending longitudinally away from the base wall and bounding therewith an interior compartment, said base wall having a plurality of movable, inclined, locking legs unitary therewith spaced around the hole about said axis and extending into the compartment from the base wall and inclined relative to, and terminating short of, said axis; (b) an inner main body insertable into the interior compartment along said axis to an assembled position of use, said main body having a support wall on which at least one electrical terminal for connection to the electrical wire is supprted, said support wall having a plurality of camming projections rigid with, and extending longitudinally away from, the support wall and spaced about said axis so that each such projection faces a respective said leg; and (c) locking means for longitudinally moving the main body into the interior compartment to the assembled position, and for longitudinally moving the projections against the legs to move all the legs toward said axis and circumferentially clamp the wire within, and resist removal of the wire from, the interior compartment.