Abstract: An electrical disconnect has first and second female contacts mounted in a power connector housing and first and second male contacts in a load connector housing. The male contacts each have a male blade contact finger. The female contacts each have a socket for removably receiving a male blade contact finger. At the rear ends of both the male and female contacts there are integrally formed push-in connector elements for receiving a conductor or wire. The disconnect is particularly suited for use in connecting power wires to a load device in a circuit, such as a fluorescent light ballast.

Abstract: A push-in wire connector has an improved busbar suitable for use with either solid or stranded wire. The connector has a housing with a hollow interior. At least two openings in the housing provide access to the interior for the ends of wires inserted into the connector. A busbar is mounted in the housing. The busbar defines at least two wire-crossing axes extending from an entry edge to an exit edge and a thickness between a top face and a bottom face. The busbar has a wire-receiving pocket extending below the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes and a wire-engaging protrusion extending above the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes.

Abstract: A wire connector has an enclosure including a housing and a cap and one or more contacts supported in the enclosure. The contacts each have outer ends opposite wire ports in the cap to receive a stripped end of a wire in a push-in engagement. One set of contacts has a male blade and the other set of contacts has a female socket at the inner or forward ends thereof. The housings are arranged so that two housings are releasably engagable with one another. When two housings are engaged the male contacts electrically engages the female contacts of the other housing. The female contacts include a sacrificial tine that is always first to make and last to break engagement with the male contact so that any degradation due to arcing always occurs at the sacrificial tine.

Abstract: A push-in wire connector has an improved busbar suitable for use with either solid or stranded wire. The connector has a housing with a hollow interior. At least two openings in the housing provide access to the interior for the ends of wires inserted into the connector. A busbar is mounted in the housing. The busbar defines at least two wire-crossing axes extending from an entry edge to an exit edge and a thickness between a top face and a bottom face. The busbar has a wire-receiving pocket extending below the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes and a wire-engaging protrusion extending above the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes.

Abstract: A releasable wire connector has a housing and a cap slidably engaging one another and enclosing an electrical contact. The contact has inner and outer flexible fingers disposed opposite wire ports in the housing and cap. The fingers engage conductors inserted into the connector to retain the connectors therein and electrically connect them. The cap carries a release block which will engage some of the fingers and urge them out of engagement with the conductors to allow disengagement of a wire from the connector. One of the fingers may be split into sacrificial and main tines which are arranged so that the sacrificial tine will always be the first to make and the last to break contact with a conductor. Any arcing that may occur will then always be on the sacrificial tine so the main tine will not be degraded by arcing.

Abstract: A fish tape assembly has a handle slidably mounted on a case formed by a pair of case halves. The periphery of the case has a gap formed therein. The handle has an exterior grip and shoe with a web extending from the shoe through the gap in the case to an interior belt. The belt is continuous around the full circumference of the case to provide increased strength and a shield that precludes a fish tape inside the case from inadvertently popping out through the gap. The handle has a passageway for the tape. The passageway includes a pair of laterally disposed posts that prevent the tape from popping out of the passageway.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel twist-on wire connectors. These connectors include spring inserts having cross-sectional shapes which reduce the amount of material necessary to manufacture the spring insert without compromising the holding or gripping ability of the wire connectors. The cross-sectional shapes eliminate excess material in the spring insert that plays no part in holding and gripping the electrical wires that are to be joined and held together.

Abstract: A draw punch of the type used for cutting holes in various materials such as sheet metal has a cylindrical body with a central bore through it and a cutting edge at the outside diameter of the body. A working face is defined at one end of the body between the cutting edge and the bore. The working face includes two diametral axial faces which extend from a root to a peak. The working face further includes two valleys located between the peak of one axial face and the root of the other axial face. Primary helical surfaces extend from a peak to a valley while secondary helical surfaces extend from the valley to the root. The helical surfaces are everywhere relieved in a radial direction from a plane normal to the axis of the body and intersecting any point on the cutting edge.

Abstract: An applicator for installing pre-insulated crimp connectors on the bare ends of electrical wires has a body with a straight-through passageway which permits loading a single connector in the applicator with a pulse of pressurized air. The connector is propelled by the air pulse from a supply station through a flexible hose into and almost all the way through the applicator. A flexible retainer prevents the connector from exiting the applicator under the influence of the air pulse. After the connector is stopped by the retainer a pair of indentors close on the connector and hold it in a ready position, waiting for a user to insert the wires to be connected and issue a command to crimp the connector. Upon receipt of such command the indentors apply a crimping force to the connector and advance it past the retainer.