Abstract: An electrical connector assembly has an insulator housing which includes a terminal holder and a housing cover for the terminal holder. The terminal holder supports elongated electrical terminals on a longitudinal platform which has a plurality of longitudinal fingers at the forward end and a plurality of partition walls at the rearward end which define terminal receiving channels which are associated with respective fingers. The elongated electrical terminals are laterally inserted into the terminal receiving channels and retained on the terminal holder by pairs of spaced, deflectable latch arms of the fingers. The housing cover has side walls and guide walls which prevent full insertion of a terminal holder having an improperly assembled electrical terminal and which hold the deflectable latch arms in terminal retaining positions when a terminal holder with properly assembled terminals is fully inserted in the housing cover.

Abstract: A retention article for retaining closely-spaced terminals in a connector housing is formed having a stiff water-like article of thermoplastic material and elastomeric material therearound, with a plurality of holes extending therethrough. A pair of arcuate, partly converging wall sections partly surround each hole of said water-like article and extend forwardly from a planar section thereof having forward ends acting as stop surfaces to engage a stop shoulder on each terminal inserted therein. Elastomeric material forward of the planar section surrounds and abuts the outside surfaces of the wall sections, so that when a terminal is inserted into a hole of the retention article it slightly expands the stiff wall sections apart until the stop shoulder passes the forward ends, and the elastomeric material acts to urge the wall sections together against the terminal behind the stop shoulder.

Abstract: A high voltage electrical coupling has two parts, each with spaced mating conductors, one part forming a socket shaped to receive the body of the second part. The second coupling part has an elastic, insulative support forming sleeves around its conductors and a slot between the sleeves. The first part has an insulative barrier wall extending between its conductors and fitting in the slot of the second part. Either the socket of the first coupling part or the elastic body of the second part are tapered into the socket so that the elastic body is compressed against the barrier wall as the parts are mated, thereby squeezing closed any possible air path along the surfaces of the barrier wall.

Abstract: A switch terminal for use in an electrical switch of the type having a conductive stationary contact penetrating through an insulating member. The switch terminal has a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposing holes. The pairs of holes are suitably spaced in the angular direction. In each pair, one of the holes is adapted to receive the stationary contact, while the other is adapted to receive the projection on the insulating member, thereby locating the switch terminal with respect to the insulating member, i.e., to the body of the switch. By a selective use of one of the pairs of holes, it is possible to obtain various orientations of the switch terminal with respect to the switch body.

Abstract: An insulation displacing terminal has opposed cantilever spring contact members having two portions, lower and upper. The lower portions have their outer edges inclined upward and inward to give a first tapered portion. The upper portions have the outer edges inclined upward and outward to give second tapered portions. The upper and lower portions join at a neck or narrow section. The upper portions are of reduced thickness relative to the lower portions, the reduced thickness starting just above the neck section.

Abstract: A tubular sleeve of a deformable plastic is longitudinally slotted to define a plurality of laterally separated axially weakened longitudinal columns (62) the respective forward leading edges (64) of which being inserted into an annular passageway (32) formed between an insert (20) disposed in a shell (10) so that the columns curl about and the column medial portions (66) collapse in an accordian-like fashion whereby to radially interferencingly wedge and lock the columns in the passage and thereby to retain the insert in the shell. The curling could be 180.degree. causing the leading edges to retreat coaxially rearward or be 270.degree. causing the leading edges to loop about and be driven radially outward, the leading edges in either possibly engaging its rearward medial portion.

Abstract: An electric socket outlet is provided with an outer shutter (20) mounted slidably on the socket fascia (11) and movable between a closed position in which it covers and hides from view the openings (16-18) in the fascia through which the plug pins enter, and an open position in which the openings are uncovered. The shutter is received in a recess (14) in the fascia so that its front surface is flush with that of the fasica, and is biased to the closed position by a spring (25). A switch may be included and an interlock device provided to prevent the switch being turned on when there is no plug inserted in the socket and to ensure the switch is turned off when a plug is removed from the socket.

Abstract: A moulded resilient sealing device adapted to close the exposed opening in a telephone subscriber jack to prevent entry of moisture, vermin and the like. The device includes a cap-like body having a continuous peripheral edge which contacts a planar surface surrounding the plug opening, and a smaller opening at an opposite end thereof which resiliently clamps a flattened cable leading to subscriber equipment, such as a telephone handset at one end and a corresponding plug engaging jack at an opposite end. The opening is shiftable along the cable to increase the resilient force applied to the peripheral edge. The edge is also reinforced along one rectilinear side to prevent distortion by contact with the release lever of the plug, and accomodate for commerical manufacturing tolerances encountered in jacks of different manufacture.

Abstract: The end of an electric cable for energizing the motor of a submergible pump is attached to a motor head by a device comprising a rigid shell having a body of elastomeric material filling an end portion of the shell and projecting therefrom to form an insert. Conductors of the cable extend through the elastomeric material and have terminals that engage corresponding terminals within the motor housing. The body of elastomeric material is sealed in the shell, and the conductors are sealed in the body. The remainder of the shell is filled with strain relief material. The insert is tapered and has circumferential flexible ridges that engage and seal upon the cylindrical wall of a bore leading into the motor head. An integral circumferential bead on the body seals against the end of the shell and against a portion of the motor head surrounding an end of the bore.

Abstract: A connector housing has a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a plate-like movable locking member provided through a thin hinge formed closer to the front of the connector housing. The movable locking member has a locking pawl at its free end and a locking portion which is formed in its inner surface and adapted to engage with a locking projection formed on a terminal. The locking pawl is adapted to engage, for locking, with a shoulder formed at the rear end of the connector housing.

Abstract: A pin terminal for reducing the insertion force required to engage a connector with a mating contact terminal. The pin comprises a generally quadrilateral configured conducting member having one end formed with opposite curvilinear surfaces of different radii to generate a sequential deflection on blades of the contact terminal blades as the pin member is inserted into the contact terminal.

Abstract: An electric plug lock is provided for preventing the unauthorized use of an electrically operated appliance which has an electrical cord and plug. It operates by isolating the electrical prongs of the plug in a two part container and then locking the parts together with a conventional padlock.

Abstract: An intercard connector system is formed by header assembly mounted on a circuit board and receiving therein a connector assembly terminating a multiconductor shielded cable. The header assembly is surface mountable to produce a low profile while the connector assembly is arranged to have a low profile mating portion with first and second arrays of terminals which allow close mating center line spacing and somewhat wider insulation displacing center line termination.

Abstract: A switch including a plug and a socket for use with high intensity currents includes a power circuit and a pilot circuit for maintaining current flowing through the power circuit. The switch also includes an apparatus for controlling the pilot circuit and preventing insertion of the plug into the socket when the at least one socket pilot contact and the at least one plug pilot contacts are in a closed position.

Abstract: A test plug is disclosed for alternatively providing releasable electrical connection between a test lead and a first and second electrical contact where the first contact is a female contact and the second contact is a male contact. The plug includes a housing sized to be manually engageable and having a slot formed through a first end of the housing. A plunger is slidably disposed within the housing and slidable between an extended position and a retracted position with the plunger having a contact portion sized to extend through the slot and be received within the female contact when the plunger is in the extended position. The contact portion is further sized to be received within the housing when the plunger is in the retracted position with the slot being unobstructed to the insertion of a male contact. A first electrical contact point is disposed within the slot and yieldably biased into electrical connection with a male contact received within the slot.

Abstract: A protective, tamper-resistant cover for an elevated CATV distribution tap that is mounted on an elevated CATV signal line comprises top and bottom sections that fit over and under the tap and are joined together at a junction between the sections to enclose the tap. The cover includes side openings for the CATV signal cable and for local signal cables that permit the sections to be fitted on and removed from the tap without disconnecting the signal cables from the tap. These openings are remote from the terminal connectors for these cables so as to impair access to the terminal connectors. The top and bottom sections are releasably fastened together by concealed, tamper-resistant fasteners that extend between the sections. The fasteners fit through rounded ears that resist breakage.

Abstract: A cordless plug-plate cover has prongs capable of being inserted into a socket of an electrical outlet. The plate is detachably and adjustably attached to the outer surface of the head of the plug by means of, e.g. hook and loop fabric, non-permanent adhesive or magnet/metal combination, so as to at least partially cover the outlet and to permit changing of plates for different visual effects and use with various sizes and shapes of outlets.

Abstract: An improved electrical connector for connecting a medical electrode terminal on a patient with a lead wire is provided and comprises an electrical contact member that is embedded in a resilient insulating body member. The body member includes first and second cantilevered arms having circuitous arc segments with their concave surfaces facing towards each other to form an open jaw for receiving therebetween the electrode terminal. The electrical contact member includes a pair of open ended gripping appendages that extend into the open jaw and have respective concave gripping surfaces that face towards each other and are capable of contacting an electrode terminal. The end of the circuitous arc segments are capable of not only closing the body member jaw opening, but also of further locking the respective cantilevered arms to provide additional strength.

Abstract: To reliably prevent ingress of moisture to a connection between an electrical connecting cable or line to an electrical apparatus within a housing, the conductors of the cable or line are externally surrounded by an insulating layer which is of such a material that it joins, by melting or chemical reaction with the material of a surrounding bushing or sleeve, which bushing or sleeve then can be secured in a wall of the apparatus, for example by a removable rubber ring (FIG. 2) or can be molded into the housing of an electrical apparatus, for example a sensor; preferably, the materials of the housing and of the plug or sleeve also join, either by melting together or by chemical reaction. For a melt connection, a thermoplastic such as polyamide is suitable; for reactive connection, a reactive thermosetting plastic, for example polyester imide, or epoxy may be used.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for preventing the unauthorized use of an electrical device such as a power tool or television set. The apparatus has the further provision of being retained on an electrical cable associated with the electrical device. The apparatus has an enclosure having a bottom and a peripherally extending side wall with an open top portion affording an inner chamber. An aperture is included in the bottom of the enclosure for slidably receiving the cable with the cable extending longitudinally through the enclosure and thereafter the aperture such that the enclosure is retained on the cable between the plug and the electrical device. Spaced pairs of apertures are located at the top portion on opposite sides of the enclosure.