Abstract: An adjustable steering column adjustable includes a steering shaft mounted in a body tube arranged in a movable support member and immobilized on a fixed support member by an electric clamping system. The clamping system is mounted in a casing supporting an electric actuator and includes a transmission mechanism, an immobilizing assembly and a clamping rod passing through the fixed support member. The immobilizing assembly includes a fixed cam rotationally fixed with respect to the clamping rod, and a rotationally movable cam, the cams having rolling paths for balls. Each rolling path has the shape of a spiral with an escape slope for a ball, in order to initiate clamping or unclamping depending on the rotation direction of the movable cam relative to the fixed cam.

Abstract: A hand tool is operable to crimp a tubular metal contact member concentrically about the stripped end portion of an insulated fiber optic light-wave conductor in spaced relation to the free end extremity thereof. A tensioning arrangement tensions the excess portion of the conductor that extends beyond the contact member, whereupon a cutting device engages the tensioned portion of the conductor to sever cleanly the excess extremity from the conductor. The tensioning arrangement serves to deflect the conductor excess end portion obliquely outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the conductor. Tensioning is achieved by a deflecting disk positioned normal to the longitudinal axis of the light-wave conductor, or by a guide bore contained in a conductor guide device attached to the tool body. Preferably, two contact members are simultaneously crimped on a pair of conductors, and the excess ends of the conductors are simultaneously tensioned and severed.

Abstract: A housing for connecting a plurality of branch lines to the insulated conductors of an intermediate portion of a cable from which the outer sheath layer has been removed, comprising a rectangular base member containing an open-topped base chamber, and a pair of opposed end walls containing openings for receiving spaced insulated portions of the cable on opposite sides of the cable intermediate portion. A plurality of insulation-piercing electrical devices are arranged in the base chamber in electrical engagement with the insulated conductors, respectively, and a plurality of interchangeable cover members are each adapted for seating on the base member to close the base chamber, with each of the cover members containing an electrical component arranged for connection with at least one of the electrical devices.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting the bare end of an insulated conductor with an electrical contact, including a connector housing containing a chamber in which are mounted a bus bar connected with the contact, and a clamping spring normally biased toward the bus bar. A retaining device maintains the spring in a retained open condition spaced from said bus bar, thereby to permit the conductor bare end to be introduced into the chamber toward a clamping position adjacent the bus bar. An operating member is displaced in a controlled manner to release the spring from its retained condition, whereby the spring biases the conductor toward electrical engagement with the bus bar. To remove the conductor, the operating member is operated again to displace the spring toward its open condition.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting the bare end of a horizontal conductor with a horizontal printed circuit board, including a sectional housing having a base member seated on the printed circuit board. The base member contains an open-topped chamber and includes a vertical front wall the upper edge of which contains a vertical slot communicating with the chamber. A cover member is normally seated on the base member to close the chamber and the upper end of the slot. A lower electrically conductive cage member is arranged in the bottom of the chamber for electrical connection with the printed circuit board. The cover member is removable from the base member to open the tops of the chamber and the slot, thereby to permit the horizontal conductor bare end to be displaced laterally vertically downwardly into the slot and housing chamber toward electrical engagement with the lower cage member.

Abstract: A ground conductor includes a conductor body formed from a sheet of conductive metal material of a given thickness, the conductor body having a horizontal base portion, and a pair of downwardly extending vertical leg portions that contain opposed mounting rail cavities that terminate at one end in a pair of flange recesses. A vertical tongue portion extends downwardly from the conductor body transversely across the leg portions at the other end of the cavities, the tongue portion having a width that is greater than the thickness of the metal sheet. When the conductor body is mounted on the mounting rail with one flange extending within the recesses, a spring biases the conductor body in a direction to effect electrical engagement between the other rail flange portion and the adjacent surface of the tongue portion.

Abstract: A connector apparatus connects the flat electrical conductors of a photovoltaic panel with a plurality of insulated electrical output conductors, respectively. The terminal portions of the flat conductors are bent into electrical engagement with corresponding blade contacts mounted on the photovoltaic panel. A plurality of resilient first electrical contacts are clamped in electrical engagement with the flat conductor bent portions, respectively, and a plurality of second electrical contacts are connected with the output conductors, respectively. An electrical circuit including a plurality of diodes is connected between the first and second electrical contacts. In order to dissipate the heat generated by the diodes, the diodes are mounted on a heat conducting plate that transmits the heat toward the photovoltaic panel. A cover member formed of heat conducting material is adhesively secured to the panel to enclose the connector arrangement, thereby to also transfer the diode-generated heat to the panel.

Abstract: An identification device adapted for attachment to an insulated electrical conductor includes a pair of generally-rectangular marking plates having planar first longitudinal horizontal surfaces. A plurality of laterally-spaced resilient tension members connect together corresponding side portions of the marking plates, thereby to bias the marking plates toward a normally closed condition in which the marking plate first surfaces are in contiguous engagement. The marking plates are separable against the biasing force of the tension members toward an open condition for receiving longitudinally between the plates and the tension members the free end of a conductor. Upon release, the marking plates are displaced toward a clamping condition in parallel spaced longitudinally-arranged contiguous engagement with diametrically opposed circumferential surfaces of the conductor. The marking plates are pivoted to the open condition about a pivot axis defined by chamfered end surfaces of the plates.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a preassembly frame to which the ends of a number of high-voltage transmission lines are connected, whereupon the preassembly frame is mounted in an open-ended chamber contained in a connector housing. The frame includes a first end wall having openings that receive intermediate portions of the transmission lines, which first end wall carries a grounding plate having projections for engaging exposed portions of braided shielding layers of the transmission lines. The free ends of the transmission lines are provided with contact members that are supported by insulation sleeves in wall openings contained in a second end wall of the preassembly frame. A coding arrangement prevents the connector assembly from being connected to an unauthorized companion electrical device.

Abstract: A shoe sole construction includes a sole member formed from a synthetic plastic material having a first durometer value of hardness and including toe, ball, arch, and heel portions. Relatively rigid toe and heel plates are secured to bottom surface of the sole member on opposite sides of a relatively soft flex bar member that extends transversely across the ball portion of the sole member. A plurality of toe cushion members are mounted for independent movement within openings contained in the toe plate, and a stabilizing arch cushion member is mounted in the recess defined in the heel plate. These cushion members have an intermediate durometer value that, during use, permits compression of these cushion members in a footprint pattern.

Abstract: A connector arrangement is provided for supplying electric power to a three-phase motor to produce motor operation in either a delta mode or a star mode, use being made of modular units that are removably mounted within a chamber contained in an outer frame that is secured to the motor housing. A power supply module arranged within the chamber includes a main receptacle containing a stack of terminal blocks having bus bars that transmit to the motor windings three-phase power that is supplied either by external power supply lines that extend into the chamber though openings contained in the side walls of the outer frame, or from an inverter arranged externally of the outer frame. Auxiliary receptacles are removably connected with the external surface of the main receptacle for monitoring the operating condition of the motor, or for controlling a motor operation, such as braking.

Abstract: A plug connector and a method of coding of same is characterized by first and second coding elements that are pre-mountable as a unit on at least one of a pair of plug connector components. The other plug connector component is configured so that when the connector components are initially connected together in an axial direction, one of the coding elements is connected with one of the components and the other coding element is connected with the other component. When the components are separated axially, the respective coding elements are separated so that each are retained on the component with which it was originally connected.

Abstract: Crimping apparatus for crimping separate parts of a metal sleeve arranged concentrically about the junction between a shielded cable and a plug connector, including a pair of colinearly arranged annular crimping dies that are operable by an annular operating member arranged concentrically about the crimping dies, such that upon a single angular movement of the operating member in a given direction from a retracted position to a crimping position, one end of the sleeve is crimped to the plug in one desired manner, and the other end of the sleeve is crimped to the shielded cable in another desired manner.

Abstract: An electrical connector for electrically connecting a hollow bus bar member with an insulated multi-wire or braided conductor inserted axially therein, including a conductive contact screw that is threadably connected within a first opening contained in the bus bar member wall for axial displacement from a retracted position toward a fully penetrating position, thereby to cause a pointed end of the contact screw to successively pierce the adjacent insulation layer, extend diametrically through the multi-wire conductor, pierce the adjacent layer of insulation, and extend into a second opening contained in the adjacent bus bar member wall. The bus bar member may be soldered to a printed circuit board, thereby to connect the multi-wire conductor with conductors on the printed circuit board. Alternatively, plurality of bus bar members may be formed by stamping and bending from a common conductive metal sheet, with the bus bar members being interconnected by integral straps.

Abstract: An electrical pin or socket terminal includes a vertical tubular body portion, and a spring clip portion connected with the upper end of the body portion. The spring clip portion includes two opposed electrical contacts at least one of which is resiliently biased toward the other. A separating arrangement is operable between a separated condition retaining the contacts in separated spaced relation for longitudinally receiving therebetween a conductor bare end, and a released condition in which the contacts are released for resilient electrical engagement with diametrically opposed surfaces of the conductor bare end. In one embodiment, the spring clip portion includes a pair of parallel spaced struts the upper ends of which are reversely bent toward each other. In another embodiment, a leaf spring electrical contact biases the bare conductor end against a stationary electrical contact.

Abstract: A pliers-type gripping tool includes a pair of gripping jaws, a pair of pivotally connected hand grip levers for operating the gripping jaws between an open separated condition and a closed gripping condition, and an adjusting device for varying one of the physical operating properties of the tool. In one embodiment, the hand grip levers are sectional, and the adjusting device includes an angle setting arrangement for determining the angular relationship of the sections, thereby to permit use of the tool to engage an object at a relatively inaccessible location. In a second embodiment, at least one of the levers includes a metal lever body member partially enclosed by a synthetic plastic shell member. An adjusting device controls the lateral relative positions of the lever body and shell members to adjust the effective thickness of the hand grips to correspond with the size of the hand of the user.

Abstract: A connector arrangement includes a flat conductor component having a flat engagement portion, a conductive bus bar component having a flat engagement portion, and a conductive contact screw connecting the conductor and bus bar flat engagement portions in contiguous surface-to-surface electrical engagement. The contact screw has a pointed tip and is axially displaceable from a retracted position normal to and spaced from the flat conductor and bus bar engagement portions toward a connected position in which a pointed end of the screw penetrates or extends through openings in the bus bar and flat conductor engagement portions, and into a bore contained in a housing support surface. The housing support surface supports the flat engagement portions in either a horizontal orientation or a slightly inclined orientation relative to the horizontal upper surface of electrical panel component to which the flat conductor is connected and upon which the housing is mounted.

Abstract: An insulation stripping tool of the pliers-type includes an adjustable pull rod stop device for limiting the extent of travel of the longitudinally displaceable pull rod and the cutting and stripping blades connected thereto, thereby to produce only partial removal of a length of severed insulation layer from an insulated conductor. An adjustable conductor stop device is mounted on at least one of the cutting and stripping blade holders for limiting the extent to which the end of the insulated conductor is inserted into the open mouth of the stripping tool. A stationary scale is mounted on one of the handles adjacent the adjustable conductor stop device.