Terminal block and methods of making

Claim 1

A protected terminal block, which comprises: a plurality of wells; a bushing which is disposed in each said well; a protector which is received and secured in each said bushing; a terminal associated and aligned with each of said bushings and having two tangs depending from a base thereof, said base of said terminal being spaced a predetermined distance from said associated bushing; a plate through which the bushings extend and said plate providing a common ground for the plurality of bushings; a plurality of pairs of terminal posts, each post having a conductorconnecting spade and each said pair being associated with two of said terminals, each of said posts being adapted to be connected to an outgoing cable; a first plastic material which is disposed about innermost portions of said bushings, innermost portions of said tangs of said terminals and innermost portions of said spades of said posts, wherein said first plastic material is disposed about said bushings and associated terminals in a manner to hold each bushing and associated terminal in alignment with each other and to allow each said protector in each said bushing to engage said base of the associated terminal; conductors which extend between remaining portions of said tangs and remaining portions of said spades of said terminal posts which are not enclosed by said first plastic material and from an incoming cable to said remaining portions of said terminal tangs, with the spade of one post of each pair being connected electrically to one of the tangs of one of said associated terminals, the spade of the other connected to one of the tangs of the other one of said associated terminals, and the other tang of each said terminal being connected to an incoming cable; and a second plastic material which encapsulates said remaining portions of said spades of said terminal posts and said remaining portions of said tangs of said terminals.

Claim 9

A method of making a terminal block, said method comprising the steps of: supporting a plurality of bushings and terminal posts within a mold, each of said terminal posts having a spade depending therefrom; positioning a plurality of terminals within another portion of the mold such that each terminal is aligned with and spaced from an associated bushing and such that two depending tangs of each terminal attached to a base thereof extend outside the mold; inserting a module pin into and through each of said bushings into engagement with the base of the terminal associated with each bushing; introducing a first plastic material into the mold to provide a housing and to encapsulate portions of the terminal tangs, spades and the bushings and to hold each terminal base spaced from its associated bushing through a gap with the gap being absent of any of the first plastic material; connecting electrically exposed portions of the spades and terminal tangs with insulated conductors; and introducing a second plastic material to encapsulate the insulated conductors and remaining exposed portions of the terminal tangs and spades of the posts.

Claim 10

A method of making a terminal block, said method comprising the steps of: supporting a plurality of bushings and terminal posts within a mold, each of said terminal posts having a spade depending therefrom; positioning a plurality of terminals within another portion of the mold such that each terminal is aligned with and spaced from an associated bushing and such that two depending tangs of each terminal attached to a base thereof extend outside the mold; inserting a module pin into and through each of said bushings into engagement with the base of the terminal associated with each bushing; introducing a first plastic material into the mold to provide a housing and to encapsulate portions of the terminal tangs, spades and the bushings and to hold each terminal base spaced from its associated bushing through a gap with the gap being absent of any of the first plastic material; connecting electrically exposed portions of the spades and terminal tangs with insulated conductors; and introducing a second plastic material to encapsulate the insulated conductors and remaining exposed portions of the terminal tangs and spades of the posts.