LOETFREIER DRAHTVERBINDER

1381938 Electric couplings MINNESOTA MINING & MFG CO 27 June 1972 [28 June 1971] 30153/72 Heading H2E A solderless wire connector Fig. 1 for connecting at least two wires 22 and 23 comprises two members 10 and 12 having co-operating latching members 40, 41, 62 and 63 enabling the members to be mutually engaged in an open position (Fig. 3), a partially closed position or a closed position, one member 10 having two parallel channels 48 and 49 to accommodate two wires to be connected while the resilient member 12 has a metal contact element 26 formed with wire receiving recesses 31, transverse to the channels, that electrically connects the wires when the members are engaged in the closed position. The contact element 26 is held in vertical grooves in abutments 24, integrally formed with the member 12, and by the engagement of barbs 27 in the abutments. The spacing between the legs 29 of the element is slightly less than the smallest wire diameter so that the wires are pressed into the recesses 31 by fingers positioned between the beams 52, resulting in piercing of the wire insulation and spring retention of the bared conductor. Members 34 are formed integrally with the body 12 and have resilient fingers 37 of width slightly less than the smallest wire diameter, the slots in the closed position of the connector being in line with the bores 48 and 49 and thus acting to grip the wires. The bore 49 terminates within the end wall 46, a deflection plate bending the end of the wire over. The beams 52 are spaced to fit in the gaps between the contact element 26 and the wire supports 34. Between each beam 52 and the adjacent end wall 46 or 47, are posts 57 to force the wires into slots 35 in the wire supports 34. The latching members are such that from the open position, Fig. 3, the connector can be partially closed, by finger pressure, to a position in which the end of the ramp surfaces 58 engage the centres of the projections 40, the sides of the member 12 being outwardly splayed. In this position with the wires partially retained, a tool may be substituted for the finger grip, to completely close the connector. One or both of the members 10 and 12 may be of a transparent material and a transparent dielectric grease may be inserted around the contact element. Actual dimensions of one embodiment of the invention are given.