Claims
- 1. A stamped and formed metal electrical contact, comprising:
- a pair of plate portions joined entirely along first sides by an elongated common bight and facing each other to define a conductor receiving passageway elongated parallel to said bight, said passageway having an elongated open side defined by spaced apart second sides of said plate portions for receiving a conductor laterally of its axis,
- said plate portions having first edge margins opposing each other across one end of said passageway and extending from said bight to said open side of said passageway,
- said first edge margins projecting, at obverse angles with the remainder of respective said plate portions, diagonally toward each other and defining therebetween a first conductor receiving opening at one end of said passageway and having a width less than the width of an elongated conductor to be received along said passageway and said first conductor receiving opening,
- said plate portions having second edge margins opposing each other across a second end of said passageway and extending from said bight to said open side of said passageway,
- said second edge margins projecting, at obverse angles with the remainder of respective said plate portions, diagonally toward each other and defining therebetween a second conductor receiving opening having a width less than the width of a conductor to be received along said passageway and said first and said second conductor receiving openings,
- said first and second edge margins comprising resiliently deflectable, conductor engaging jaws for resiliently engaging a conductor inserted laterally of its axis into and along said passageway and said first and second conductor receiving openings, and
- means on said contact for connecting the same electrically to an electrical circuit.
- 2. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, said means comprises an electrical lead integral with said bight and projecting outwardly therefrom.
- 3. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, said plate portions are provided with open notch portions communicating with said open side of said passageway to receive therein a conductor engaging and inserting member which bridges across said passageway and which enters said notch portions to engage and insert a conductor laterally of its axis into and along said passageway and said conductor receiving openings.
- 4. In an electrical connector having electrical contacts mounted in a base and a cover for engaging a plurality of conductors and inserting the same laterally of their axis into said electrical contacts for establishing electrical connections of said contacts with said conductors, the combination comprising:
- each said electrical contact having a pair of plates joined by a bight,
- said plates of each contact being longitudinally adjacent each other and defining therebetween a conductor receiving passageway open at each end and open along one side thereof opposite said bight,
- said plates of each contact including a pair of conductor engaging jaws at each open end of said passageway,
- each said pair of jaws extending from said bight to said open side of said passageway and being spaced apart a distance less than the width of a conductor to be inserted laterally of its axis into said passageway open side and in between said pair of jaws,
- said plates of each said contact include notch portions communicating with said passageway open sides,
- means on said cover for engaging corresponding conductors and for inserting the same into said contact passageways and in between said conductor engaging jaws at the ends of said passageways upon closure of said cover and said base over said contacts, said means comprising portions of said cover being wider than said passageways and entering said notch portions of said plates upon inserting conductors into said passageways and into said conductor engaging jaws,
- said base having pairs of projecting conductor alignment fingers in alignment with each open end of corresponding said contacts,
- said pairs of fingers receiving therebetween corresponding conductors and aligning the same with corresponding open sides of said passageways prior to insertion of said conductors in said passageways,
- said cover having pairs of conductor alignment projections in alignment with each open end of corresponding said contacts, and
- said pairs of fingers and said pairs of projections receiving therebetween and separating the corresponding conductors both during and after insertion of said conductors in said passageways and in between said jaws.
Parent Case Info
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 853,608, filed Nov. 21, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,573.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
853608 |
Nov 1977 |
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