US2765454A - Clip terminals - Google Patents

Description

G. B. LONG CLIP TERMINALS Filed April 1?, 1952 INVENTOR.

George B. Long United States CLIP TERMlNALS Application April 17, 1952, Serial No. 282,869

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-260) This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to an improved switch having an improved structure providing a simple desirable inexpensive connection to an electrical conductor.

Ordinarily electrical connections are made by binding screws or solder. It takes considerable time to make such connections but they have the advantage that the conductor will be irnly held and the connection will provide good electrical contact if the connection is properly made.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple electrical connection which is easier and less expensive to make and requires less time and yet holds the solid wire conductor firmly and provides good electrical conduction.

It is another object of my invention to provide a simple electrical connection which can be made completely out of a contact carrying member.

These objects are attained by providing a thin metal member having one portion which either serves as a contact or supports a contact. Another portion is formed with a centrally located tongue on either side of which are hooked shaped projections. The bare wire of the electrical conductor is held firmly in the hooked portions by being engaged on the opposite side by the tongue. One or more pivoted movable roller contacts engage the metal members or the contacts supported thereby.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

-Figure l is a vertical sectional view with one side removed of a switch embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view of one of the contacts as itis formed before the electrical conductor is fastened in place.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 there is shown a substantially cylindrical housing 20 of a suitable electrical insulating plastic. This housing 20 has side plates 22 and 24 as shown in Figure 2. Supported upon these side walls 22 and 24 is a coaxially located pivot shaft 26. The cylindrical portion of the housing 20 is divided by a central spacing rib 30 which projects outwardly to provide a sufficiently long path between the two sides of the housing to prevent surface arcing. A corresponding internally extending rib 32 is provided within the cylindrical housing 20 to prevent arcing on the inner surface.

Extending radially through the wall of the housing 20 on one side of the rib 30 are the contact members 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46.

The contact member 56 is formed of suitably molded plastic material having electrical insulating properties. It is rotatably mounted upon the coaxial shaft 26. This contact member 56 is provided with an extending portion having a slot 58 carrying a metal roller 60 of some suitable electrical contact material. The roller 60 is proyided with integral coaxial pins on its opposite sides which atet O Hee are held within the notch bearings provided in the yoke 62. This yoke 62 is slidably mounted in the slot 58 and has a pin projecting radially inwardlyv on which is mounted a small coil spring 64 extending radially inwardly into a recess provided in the contact member 56. The spring 64 presses the yoke 62 and the roller 60 radially outwardly so as to yieldingly hold the roller l in bridging engagement between any adjacent two of the contact plate members 34 to 46 inclusive. The aforementioned contacts beginning with 34 and ending with 46 are in the form of thin metal plates arranged radially with respect to the shaft 26 a substantially uniform distance apart. Their inner edges are rounded and preferably are provided with a silver coating. The remainingV portions of the plates may be made of copper or other suitable electrical conducting material. All of the aforementioned contacts are arranged in a radial row on one side of the ribs 30 and 32.

Upon the opposite side of the ribs 30 and 32, the contact member 56 is provided with a second roller 70 similar to the roller 60 which cooperates with a yoke and spring identical to the yoke 62 and the spring 64 in the slot 58. The roller cooperates with the contacts 74, 75 and other contacts directly behind the contacts 34, 36, 38 and 42. The contact 40 extends on both sides of the dividing rib 32 `as shown. In back of the outer portion of the contact plate 46 is a contact plate 80 which extends radially through the housing 20 and at its inner end carries a spring mounting 82 for the contact 84. The spring mounting 82 yieldingly urges the contact 84 toward the contact plate 86 also extending radially through the housing 20. Those contacts which are bridged between the rollers 60 or 70 are uniformly spaced in the radial direction. That is they are located at equal angular distance and project inwardly the same distance from the axis of the shaft 26. In the off position of the contact member 56, the contact 84 is held in the open position by an integral projecting arm 88 extending from the body of the contact member 56 as shown in Figure 1.

Fastened to the opposite end of the contact member 56 from the rollers 60 and 70 are a semicircular translucent dial 90 and a handle or iinger grip 92. The dial 90 is provided with transparent figures indicating the various positions of the switch contact rollers 60 and 70. The figures are illuminated by a light reflecting and guide system which includes a curved reilecting surface 129 which directs light from the side into the converging light channel 127. This channel 127 converges into a narrow slot directly behind the -gures upon the dial 90 as they are moved into position covering this slot as the rollers 6i) and 70 are moved to various corresponding positions. A suitable light is provided at the side of the curved reecting surface 129.

The entire switch mechanism may be mounted upon a support member 133 in front of the surface heaters upon an electric range. The range top and front member 135 is provided with an opening through which projects a portion of the housing 20. An escutcheon member 137 covers the edge portions of the opening and the dial 9@ and the adjacent portions of the side plates 22 and 24.

According to my invention out of each of the plates l form a direct connection with the electrical conductors such as the conductors and 117. As shown in Figure 3, all of the plates, such as the plate 44, are provided with two spaced hooked projections 121 which are similar to the projections 123 and 125 on the contact member 46. Between the hooked shaped projections there is a tongue designated by the reference character 126 for the contact 44 and 128 for the contact 46. The conductor is slipped through each of the two hooked portions and then each of the tongues 126 and 128 is forced into place firmly against the adjacent side of the conductor so that the other side of the conductor is firmly held in the hooked portions of the projections. The opposing spring forces, set up in the hooked portions against the tongues, assure a firm spring pressed contact with the conductor. At the same time the hooked portions which extend considerably more than 180 around the conductor have their-extreme end portions pressed downwardly so that they curl through an angle of about 230 around the conductors suchv as the conductor 115. This curling mechanically prevents thc disturbance of the good electrical contact provided by the spring of the tongues and hooked ends.'A This connection can be made quite rapidly without difficulty. -It is very simple to properly form the projections and tongues. The contact plate 80 has a similar connection with the conductor 117 as shown in Figure 2. 1 f

While the form of embodiment of the invention as hereinV disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

An electrical connector including thin metal means having projecting means and tonguel means extending side by side substantially in the same general direction, said projecting means having a hooked end portion, an electrical conductor rmly lodged in said hooked portion with the hooked portion extending at least 180 in tight contact with the surface of the conductor, said tongue means extending a lesser distance than the projecting means and having a transverse end portion extending rmly into contact with the side of the conductor opposite the side in contact with the hooked portion.

References Cited in theiiile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Re. 12,642 Schade Apr. 23, 1907 1,531,411 Perry Mar. 3l, 1925 1,544,301 Fahnestock June 30, 1925 1,634,065 Barany June 28, 1927 1,702,451 Phinippi` A Feb. 19, 1929 20 2,436,852 Carmichael Mar. 2, 1948

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