Abstract: A socket connector for parallel circuit boards comprises a dielectric connector body and a plurality of sinuous contact strips which are inserted into cavities in the connector body through top openings and individually retained in the cavities. The contact strips have end tabs disposed in shallow slots in the connector body side walls to stabilize the contact strips and facilitate removal.

Abstract: A heat shielded, spark plug boot assembly comprises an elastomeric boot and an electrically grounded heat shield. The heat shield has a thin inner dielectric barrier which is configured to protect against electrical discharges through the thinner vulnerable portions of the elastomeric boot and to be bypassed by corona conduction from the elastomeric boot to the metal shell of the heat shield. The elastomeric boot is ribbed to provide air flow passages between the elastomeric boot and the heat shield.

Abstract: A header assembly comprising a thermoplastic housing and two rows of metallic conductor pins is attached to a printed circuit board. The conductor pins have tails which are bent over anvil portions of the housing and project through slots in a locator plate at the conductor end of the housing. The locator plate slots have detents for retaining the bent tails in a pattern to facilitate assembly and soldering of the tails in a matching pattern of holes in the printed circuit board. Stress on the solder connections due to differential thermal expansion is reduced by flexure of the conductor pins in enlarged rearward cavity portions and slippage of the bent tails in the detents.

Abstract: An electrical device has screw-down post terminals for making electrical connections to keyhole ring terminals attached to electrical leads for the device, the screw-down post terminal comprising an integral dielectric post of the device housing and a conductor disposed therein so that an end is exposed for contacting the ring terminal, the post terminal including a screw-down device for clamping the ring terminal against the exposed end of the conductor which comprises a head and a shank which connects the head to the conductor, the dielectric post having a raised arcuate shroud and a raised stop which angularly positions the ring terminal and ensures proper engagement therewith.

Abstract: A three-piece fuse block assembly for an automotive vehicle comprises a bracket attached behind the front wall of the vehicle instrument panel, a fuse block hinged to the bracket for movement between a horizontally stored position and a vertically access position, and a manually operable latch attached to the fuse block for releasing the fuse block from the stored position and pulling it down to the access position.

Abstract: An electrical connector for a flexible printed circuit comprises a connector body having two rows of open channels and a terminal disposed in each channel. Each channel has a longitudinal rib which projects from a partition wall on one side of the channel and is spaced from the partition wall on the other side of the channel and which cooperates with a base wall of the connector body to define a slot. The terminals have a side wall disposed between the longitudinal rib and the partition wall on the other side of the channel and a lateral flange which is attached to a longitudinal edge of the side wall and which is disposed in the slot to retain the terminal in the transverse direction. The terminals further comprise a contact bow which is attached to a forward edge of the lateral flange and has a nose portion seated against the longitudinal rib to retain the terminal in one longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A clamp for fixing fluid conduits or the like has a pair of narrow projections at the free end of a clamping strip, an angled mounting bracket at the opposite end and a pair of lugs formed out of the opposite end portion of the clamping strip. The narrow projections cooperate with the lugs to lock the clamping strip around fluid conduits. The clamping strip has a reinforcing bead which starts at the mounting bracket, passes between the lugs and ends at a designated point of bending in the clamping strip.

Abstract: A universal joint comprises inner and outer drive members, two drive balls located in the complementary funnel-shaped ball grooves of the inner and outer drive members and a pilot member which engages for the two drive balls to locate the drive balls in cooperation with the complementary funnel-shaped grooves.The two drive balls are 180.degree. apart and the pilot member is hinge-connected to the inner drive member for pivotal movement solely about an axis which is perpendicular to an axis through the center of the two drive balls.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a pair of mating dielectric connector bodies each having a plurality of electrical contacts which engage the electrical contacts of the other when the connector bodies are coupled. The coupled connector bodies are locked together by a projection on one connector body and a cooperating lock arm which is part of a resilient metal clip which is attached to the other connector body and which engages an electrical contact on the one connector body when the coupled connector bodies are locked together. The resilient metal clip has a central slot for attaching a conductor to the clip and for disengaging the lock arm with a screwdriver or the like.

Abstract: An electric socket terminal has an elongated, resilient socket comprising two axially spaced split tubes joined by a circumferential array of juxtaposed spring strips and means for retaining the electric socket terminal in a cavity of an insulator block. The retaining means is beside the elongated, resilient socket and includes a U-shaped guard and a resilient latch tang. The U-shaped guard has axially spaced legs which are integrally attached to the respective split tubes and the resilient latch tang is integrally attached at one end to one of the legs of the U-shaped guard and extends generally axially of the elongated, resilient socket.

Abstract: A printed circuit edgeboard connector is connected to a miniature printed circuit board plug. The edgeboard connector comprises a connector body having two rows of terminals disposed in cavities of the connector body and engaging opposite sides of the printed circuit board. A multi-function lock is inserted into the conductor end of the connector body to prevent withdrawal of the terminals. When attached to the connector body, the multi-function lock has an external flexible lock arm which engages a notch in the printed circuit board to maintain the mechanical connection of the edgeboard connector and the plug.

Abstract: A socket assembly for a baseless cartridge lamp of the dual filament type has identical terminals for engaging the loop and hook terminals at the opposite ends of the lamp. The terminals have a spring tongue which engages the lamp terminals and a spring support which increases the spring forces acting on the lamp terminals. The terminal has a side wall with a flange for limiting torque deflection in one direction and a second flange which cooperates with the spring support. The spring support has an inturned foot which engages the spring tongue to limit deflection in the opposite direction. The side wall also has an extension for attaching the terminal to a conductor.

Abstract: A unitized manual actuator assembly is attached to a printed circuit board for operating poppet switches mounted thereon. The actuator assembly comprises a two-piece housing having a pair of integral tube guides disposed in the housing. A pin is slideably disposed in each tube guide with one end protruding out of the housing for operating the switches. The internal end of each pin has an integral hollow cap covering and protecting the upper open end of its associated tube guide. A coil spring surrounds each tube guide and engages the integral hollow cap of the pin to bias it against a rocker member pivotally mounted in the housing. The rocker member has an operator portion extending through an opening in the housing and a pair of oppositely extending arms engaged by the hollow caps so that the pins translate in opposite directions when the rocker member is pivoted.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a slide-in radio to a plurality of related, remotely located components by a plurality of wiring harnesses comprises, a plurality of connector blocks attached to respective wiring harnesses. The connector blocks are arranged in two longitudinally spaced laterally offset rows by a holder which is attached to a receptacle for the radio. The radio has a side mounted terminal block which has a plurality of terminal pads arranged to complement the connector blocks. The terminal pads and connector blocks each have a plurality of terminals which engage when the radio is mounted in the receptacle.

Abstract: A junction box and connector arrangement for jump starting an automotive vehicle comprises a junction box of one-piece thermoplastic construction, a stud and a cap fastener. The junction box has a box-like body provided with an integrally hinged flap and an integrally hinged cover. The stud is inserted into the box-like body through an aperture in the bottom wall and retained by closing the flap. The flap also insulates the stud so it can be used as a hot connector. Cable terminals are secured to the stud by the cap fastener which serves as a connector for a conventional jumper cable clamp when jump starting is required. The open top of the body is normally closed by the hinged cover to protect the hot connector.

Abstract: A grommet assembly has a two-piece grommet comprising a shank and a flange at a rearward end of the shank for locating the shank in a panel aperture. The shank has a rigid projection at one side which is spaced from the flange to form a slot for receiving an edge portion of the panel and pivoting the shank into the aperture. The shank also has a flexible arm opposite the rigid projection which has spaced projections for engaging the backside of the panel when the shank is pivoted into the aperture. The assembly includes a gasket for sealing against the face of the panel and a U-shaped retainer which is mounted on the shank after insertion for securely fastening the grommet assembly to the panel and insuring a good face seal at the gasket.

Abstract: A part-time four-wheel drive vehicle has a transfer case and a split axle drive mechanism for the selectively driving two vehicle wheels. The split axle drive mechanism has a clutch associated with one of the differential side gears for preventing back drive to the transfer case in the two-wheel drive mode. A control system for operating the clutch responsive to the operational mode of the transfer case comprises a vacuum motor and a solenoid operated two-way valve energized by way of a switch in the transfer case. The control system also includes a pneumatic time delay and a vacuum check valve.

Abstract: A drive axle assembly comprises a drive shaft with an integral flange at one end and a second drive shaft with an integral hollow head at an end adjacent the flange. The flange and head having cooperating lugs forming a lost motion, positive drive between the shafts. The assembly also includes a limited torsional damper comprising a shell welded to the flange, a canister welded to the head and a pair of rubber bushings compressed between the shell and the canister. The assembly has an internal spacer to maintain longitudinal alignment of the shafts and a fail safe feature which retains the shafts together in the event the rubber bushings fail.

Abstract: An electrical socket connector is detachably connected to a post terminal having two axially arranged contacts. The socket connector comprises a one-piece ceramic connector body having a pair of tiered terminal cavities each of which is closed at one end and has a central guide rib. Each cavity retains an appropriately sized channel-shaped contact terminal and communicates with a socket for receiving the post terminal lead wires which project through a boot for sealing the open end of the connector body.The one-piece connector body is made by dry pressing ceramic powder into a machineable preform with terminal cavities. The preform is then drilled to provide the socket and retention shoulders in the longitudinal ribs.

Abstract: A blade terminal has a forward contact portion comprising a pair of flat longitudinal juxtaposed blades and an enlarged channel shaped median portion of reduced width. A pair of longitudinal inclined latch tangs attached to the respective rearward edges of the blades are positioned adjacent the channel shaped median portion for protection. The lateral extensions of the side walls of the channel shaped median portion offer further protection and may serve as forward stops and/or secondary locks in conjunction with a lock bar. A modified terminal has the leading edges set at an angle to reduce mating forces.