Electrical connector of the hermaphroditic type

Claim 1

A hermaphroditic connector for electrical conductors having a terminal affixed thereto, said terminal including a blade having lateral tangs, a lock lug and an overlying spring arm, comprising; a connector housing having a front and rear and top, bottom and side walls, a row of laterally adjacent conductor passageways axially extending from said rear to said front, a plurality of peripheral walls defining a rear portion of each said passageway, a transversely disposed shelf extending forwardly of all of said passageway rear portions of said row and having an inner surface substantially axially aligned with said passageway rear portions, axially extending ridges normal to said shelf inner surface defining therebetween passageway front portions aligned with said rear portions, axially extending grooves in two of said passageway walls defining each said rear passageway portion adapted to receive said pair of lateral tangs on one said terminal, an axially extending slot in another one said passageway rear portion wall adapted to receive said terminal lock lug, deflectable lock means aligned with each said slot intermediate said passageway rear and front portions and adapted to snap-lock with said terminal lug within any one said passageway when said terminal spring arm is disposed within said passageway front portion adjacent said shelf inner surface. a nose on said shelf defining the forwardmost portion thereof, whereby said terminal when locked within said housing is positioned with said spring arm masked behind said nose and said blade spaced from said nose to receive therebetween a blade from an opposed inverted similar connector housing and terminal, alignment means on said top and bottom walls projecting from said housing front, and lock and catch means on said housing top and bottom walls adapted to engage each other when two opposed inverted said connector housings are joined with said sides walls in juxtaposition.