Abstract: The present invention relates to a two-wire pyrotechnic initiator unit intended for motor-vehicle safety. The initiator unit comprises a socket molded over electrodes which are connected, on the one hand, to a pyrotechnic ignition device and, on the other hand, to unstripped electrical wires via deformable conducting pincers capable of cutting the insulating sheath of the wires. The wires are supported by an elastic ring which can be snap-fastened in the socket and which presses the conducting pincers. The initiator unit is useful for manufacturing two wire pyrotechnic gas generators for inflatable cushions or seat belt tensioners in which the unstripped wires are only incorporated at the end of the assembly.

Abstract: A multipole waterproof connector comprises a connector body (1) consisting of a connector housing (7) and a plurality of press-fit terminals (8) attached to the connector housing, a press-fit or insulation-displacement block (2) consisting of an organizing protector (4), a multihole wire seal (5), and a retainer (6), a plurality of cables (3) put through the cable insertion apertures (30, 24, 18) of the retainer, the wire seal, and the organizing protector and bent at an end (3a) into the lateral cable insertion slots (22A, 22B), wherein the press-fit block is fitted into the connector body such that the press-fit or insulation-displacement portions of the press-fit or insulation-displacement terminals are press-fitted to the cables for connection by insulation displacement.

Abstract: A light set has multiple light units mounted on a multi-wire insulated cord, each light unit comprising a plastic push-in lampholders containing a bulb with two lead wires, a socket member receiving a pair of push-in contact elements and lampholder, and a base unit which snaps together with the socket member over the cord preparatory to insertion of the contact elements and lampholders. The contact elements pierce the cord insulation on opposite sides of a cutout through a selected one of the cord wires and establish positive contact with both parts of the severed wire by straddling respective of the wire parts with a pair of sharp prongs. Positive positioning of the bulb leads with respect to the contact elements is established by flexible leg extensions on the lampholders which interfit at their free ends with the leads and swing back to a position in the socket member pressing the leads against the contact elements.

Abstract: Stator coils having lead wires inserted into temporary wire clamps (36) at a winding station are electrically tested before the coil lead wires are removed from the temporary clamps. In one aspect, the clamps each include a jaw (54) formed with a wire-engaging surface (88) which scrapes the insulating coating off from a lead wire as it is inserted therein. The clamps are electrically connected to terminal members (90) which are engageable by electrical test terminal members (100). In a modification, the clamps include a wire-scraping jaw having, in addition to a body formed with a sharpened or knife edge, a shield having wire-guiding surfaces engageable by a lead wire being inserted into the clamp. The wire-guiding surfaces are located adjacent the knife edge and are so positioned that the depth of the insulated wire scraped or cut away by the knife edge is only a few thousandths of an inch.

Abstract: A cable constructed with insulation displacement connectors produces cables which connect data storage devices to a host system. The cable allows automatic address selection of data storage devices depending on the presence or absence of a CSEL terminal pin on a corresponding connector and the location of a data storage device along the cable. Address selection by connector configuration simplifies cable construction. The end connector of an ATA cable is configured to identify an attached data storage device as the first device (drive 0), while an intermediate connector is configured to identify an attached data storage device as the second drive (drive 1), thus making installation more intuitive.

Abstract: A combination messenger strand ground and cable lashing clamp comprising a jaw for gripping the messenger strand and a clamp assembly which is engageable with the jaw for clamping the jaw to the messenger strand. The jaw and clamp assembly are composed of electrically conductive material. The jaw is comprised of opposingly positioned jaw members. The clamp assembly is comprised of a studlike member which is received by openings in each jaw member. A flanged portion of the stud engages the first jaw member. A first nut is threadably positionable on the stud to engage the second jaw member. Applying torque to the first nut clamps the second jaw member and the first jaw member together thereby clamping the messenger strand between jaw member claws and causing the jaw member teeth to pierce the messenger strand insulation and engage the messenger strand conductor.

Abstract: Stator coils having lead wires inserted into temporary wire clamps at a winding station are electrically tested before the coil lead wires are removed from the temporary clamps. The clamps each include a jaw formed with a wire-engaging surface which scrapes the insulting coating off from a lead wire as it is inserted therein. The clamps are mounted on an electrically insulating support and are electrically connected to terminal members which are engageable by electrical test terminal members.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring power consumed from anywhere along the conductors in an ac power distribution system includes a housing with through passages through which the conductors extend. Toroidal coils mounted within the housing concentrically with the through passages sense the current in the conductors. Elongated electrically conductive screw fasteners threaded into support blocks mounted on a printed circuit board within the housing extend radially into the through passages to penetrate insulation on the conductors and to electrically contact and mechanically clamp the conductors thereby simultaneously providing a voltage tap and locking the housing to the conductor.

Abstract: A fixture for supporting a splicing module for telecommunications cables has a body member, generally the size of a comb, formed with a series of raised teeth, spaced its opposite edges, corresponding to the spacing of the contacts and wire receiving channels in the splicing module. The teeth are spaced and are formed to receive and locate the wires in relationship to a splicing module placed on the body member between the rows of teeth.

Abstract: A tool for grasping an electrical power conductor has a plurality of pointed pins mounted on a movable platform to pierce cable sheathing and insulation and contact a conductor of a cable held clamped in place by the tool. The pins are arranged so that at least one pin will contact the conductor to determine whether the conductor is energized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutting/clamping contact (1) for contacting an insulated cable core (5), comprising two contact legs (2, 3) made of a blade-type, resilient metal material, between the inner sides (13, 14; 23, 24) of which an upwardly open contact slot (4) with an enlarged wire introduction section (7) is formed. In order to provide a cutting/clamping contact (1) which allows for contacting cable cores (5) having a thick insulation (6) as well as cable cores having a thin conductive core (12), in particular with a ratio of insulation to conductive core diameter larger than 3, the inner side (13, 14; 23, 24) of at least one contact leg (2, 3) comprises, in the wire introduction section (7) an inclined surface (8, 9) forming a cutting edge (10) directed into the wire introduction section (10).

Abstract: A light fixture having a base coupled to a housing by means of a coupling of the ball and socket type. The light housing may be fixed in any angular orientation over a range of azimuth angles well in excess of two hundred and seventy degrees and any angle of elevation from completely horizontal to completely vertical. The coupling can do so while accommodating the passage of electrical conductors from the base of the fixture extending toward the lamp and while also protecting the fixture against misuse in the form of repeated rotation tending to disconnect those conductors internally of the fixture. Altering the relative positions of a lamp and reflector changes the width of the beam cast by the apparatus. With the reflector and front lens fixed, a lamp holder is mounted for sliding motion with respect to the rear of the housing and is moved by manual actuation of a mechanism accessible from the rear of the fixture.

Abstract: Lead terminations are provided for terminating the opposite ends of a multimeter test lead to contact devices, including a right angle banana plug contact device and an in-line test probe contact device. The test lead includes a wire having a conductor surrounded by soft easily displaced wire insulation such as silicone. Each termination includes a conductive element with a penetrating portion (such as pin portion 38 in FIG. 3, or prong 110 in FIG. 8) which is advanced into one side of the wire and which moves the wire conductor until the wire conductor moves through the opposite side of the insulation. In a right angle banana plug termination (14, FIG. 3), the contact device (20) has a pin portion (38) which penetrates through a first side of the wire insulation (32) and presses the wire conductor (30) out of an opposite second side of the insulation and against a wall of a bore in an insulative body (40). In an in-line termination (16, FIG.

Abstract: A wire splicer device for connecting electrical conductors includes a flexible sleeve formed of a non-conductive material and having a pair of openings therein. A pair of elongate arms are integrally connected with the exterior surface of the sleeve adjacent one end thereof and extend longitudinally towards the other end of the sleeve. The free end of each arm has a pressure element extending therefrom towards one of the openings in the sleeve. An elongate rigid electrically conductive splicing member is positioned within the sleeve and includes end elements, each having penetrating teeth struck therefrom. The teeth on the splicing member penetrate the insulation on the conductors to thereby electrically connect the conductors together and lock the conductors in the sleeve.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact member (1) with a bifurcated part (2) which is formed with two legs (3a, 3b) and an intermediate slit (4) and is intended, on being transversely thrust against an insulated conductor, to penetrate the insulation and make electrical contact with the conductor. The bifurcated part (2) is stamped at the contact region (5) such that the material in the legs (3a, 3b) parallel to the plastically deformed towards the slit so that the latter is given correct width and tolerance in relation to the conductor. In accordance with the invention, the material in the legs is deformed (6a, 6b) so that the side surfaces of the slit are mutually parallel and have greater height in the thickness direction of the member (1) than the rest of the member.The invention also relates to a tool containing two counter-acting punches (10) for stamping out a contact member (1) in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: An electrical connector for providing an insulation displaced connection between first and second insulated electrical wires includes a base and a cap. The base includes a body having at least one groove and a first electrical wire partially embedded in the body. A terminal pin on the end of the first wire extends into and is partially exposed within that groove. A second insulated wire is positioned in and extends through the groove, and the cap is positioned around part of that second wire adjacent the body. The cap is then matingly slid along the base, with a cam surface on the cap slidingly contacting the second wire to force that wire into an insulation displaced connection with the terminal pin on the first wire. When the cap is fully received on the base, the electrical connection is complete without any hand tools being used.

Abstract: An insulation displacement connector comprises an insulative material body in which is a generally tubular metal contact member. This includes two at least part-cylindrical shell members of which one is a floating shell member and extends circumferentially cantilever fashion from a root generatrix. It is elastically deformable in the radial direction relative to this root generatrix. Respective inner and outer lips on the shell member define a slit extending around at least part of the circumference of the contact member. A barrel member rotatable about an axis of the connector forces an electrical conductor into the slit. At least in an unstressed condition of the connector, there is peripheral clearance between the floating shell member and the insulative material body.

Abstract: A clip-type electrical terminal has a base and at least two substantially parallel resilient cantilever beam members attached to the base and longitudinally projecting outwardly therefrom, the beam members being elongated in the direction of their projections from the base. The beam members are separated to form a gap therebetween and to define facing inner edges thereof. The beam members define outer ends of the terminal, which outer ends form a notch having a first pair of beam member edge portions that form a funnel-like angle defining a guide channel. A second pair of beam member edge portions are contiguous with the first-mentioned edge portions, such that the guide channel is coextensive with at least a portion of the gap formed between the beam members.

Abstract: A modular plug terminates a multi-conductor cable therein. The modular plug includes a locking bar hingedly attached to the housing and movable from a position outside the cable-receiving opening to a position inside the opening for compressibly holding the cable therein. A plurality of spaced surfaces are formed on the locking bar to define a plurality of different positions of the locking bar in the opening, whereby the cable may be selectively and controllaby deformed according to the position of the locking bar.

Abstract: Two flat cables are interconnected to comprise a tap connection or a splice connection by stacking them and pressing together against them an assembly of upper and lower interconnecting structures which include opposing regions of alternating shearing wave shapes and relief recesses. The wave shapes shear the conductors of the cables and extrude the thus-sheared conductor strips into the opposing relief recesses so that newly sheared conductor edges are moved adjacent electrical engagement surfaces defined by vertical edges of the adjacent wave shapes. Dual conductor cables have their respective conductors interconnected by using a pair of assemblies of upper and lower interconnecting structures, each assembly having shearing wave shapes and relief recesses disposed transversely across only the half of the cables within which the appropriate conductors are disposed.

Abstract: A PTC adaptor for a pluggable data connector socket comprises an insulating housing (1) including a plug region (6) for insertion into the pluggable data connector socket, a socket region (16) including a plug receiving cavity (21) in which a pluggable data connector may be received, and a cord receiving region including a cavity (9) in which a plurality of insulated conductors may be received. The housing further includes a plurality of electrical contacts (24), each contact comprising a plug portion (26) extending into the plug region (6) for making an electrical connection with the pluggable data connector socket, a socket portion (28) extending into the plug receiving cavity (21), and a terminating portion (27) extending into the cord receiving cavity (9) for penetrating the insulating covering of the insulated conductors to make an electrical connection with the conductors therein.

Abstract: This invention is an electrical connecting device which serves to make electrical contact between two or more electrical wires while simultaneously anchoring them to firmly resist physical separation of the connection. The novelty of the device is its adaptation for use in a system which enables connections to be made rapidly in continuous succession.

Abstract: An electric plug has registering housing shells which interlock when pressed together by way of flexible legs with locking feet on one of the shells which pass through passages in the other shell. These legs deflect while the feet pass through the passages whereupon the legs spring back causing the feet to snap into locking position. The housing shells present a wireway into which contact barbs and a cord piercing and spreading prong project to respectively make electrical contact with the wire leads in an insulated cord in the wireway and to pass through and clamp the cord against outwardly curved side wall portions of the wireway while the housing shells are being pressed together.

Abstract: This connection unit for telecommunication lines comprises a sequence of insulating connection boxes and protection boxes alternating side by side on a pair of common transverse supports. Each connection box comprises at least two rows of connection elements with one row disposed along one side of the box and oriented in the direction of the common supports and the other row disposed along the side opposite the first side. Each protection box supports aligned lightning arresters. The means interconnecting each connection box and the protection box associated therewith are provided in the vicinity of one of the two opposite sides of the connection box, and in the vicinity of the registering side of the protection box. The individual means for positioning and securing the connection boxes and the protection boxes on their common supports are identical, whereby it is possible to replace a protection box with a connection box.

Abstract: A series-parallel lighting string having a cord with three wires separated by insulation and a series of cutouts severing the center wire of the cord, and lampholders positioned at each of the cutouts to hold a miniature push-in type light bulb. Each of the lampholders has a pair of contact plates between which a bulb is inserted with its lead wires in contact with the plates. The contact plates are positioned within the housing of the lampholder, and the housing has a snap-fitting cap hingedly attached thereto to define a wireway. Each of the contact plates has an insulation-piercing contact finger positioned to engage one of the end portions of the severed wire to each side of the cutout in the cord. The first and last lampholders in each series set has a second cord-piercing contact finger which contacts one or the other of the outer non-severed wires. The cap or lampholder housing has an insulating divider which projects through the cutout to keep the severed end portions of the central wire separated.

Abstract: A tubular, conductive housing has an axial opening defining an inner surface. An annular, outer lip projects from the inner surface. A centrally located axle within the housing has an annular inner lip opposing the outer lip. Cylinders at either end of the housing engage the axle in the housing and have apertures therein through which wires are inserted and located between the lips. Rotating the cylinders results in the wires being stripped and making electrical contact with the outer lip and conductive housing. Thereby, the wires become electrically interconnected to the conductive housing and to each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for the removable mounting of electrical components such that the connecting and/or disconnecting of the electrical component to or from electrical conductors does not expose an individual to contact with the electrical conductors is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a strip member having a plurality of grooves therein to accept an electrically conductive member therein, a face cover member to cover the plurality of grooves and a module structure to be removably mounted to the strip member. The face cover member has a plurality of apertures therein such that an aperture is positioned over each of the grooves. The module structure includes structure for removably mounting the electrical component therein and structure for removably connecting the electrical component across a plurality of the electrical conductors by physically penetrating the electrical conductors after passing through predetermined apertures in the face cover member.

Abstract: A connector and cable preparation fixture to provide a coaxial cable tap while the cable continues to pass signals. The apparatus of the present invention attaches the cable tap without shorting the conductors and without significantly changing the coaxial cable parameters which would affect the data flow therein. The fixture described herein provides a guide for a cutting operation and for the subsequent assembly of the finished connector. The connector includes a cable tap which mounts on the coaxial cable in a perpendicular manner, and a center pin which attaches to the coaxial cable center wire along the axis of the cable tap. The center pin has two prongs spaced apart in opposition to straddle the center conductor. The connector is easily installed with no measurements. The resultingconnection has a long and reliable life without causing an interruption to information or signal flow on the cable at any time.

Abstract: A connector for interconnecting the flat wires of flat cables having a band of insulation in which the wires are embedded. The connector comprises a strip of foldable insulating material having seats which face each other when the strip is folded and which have metal plates therein with points or prongs which, upon folding and pressing of the opposed portions of the strip toward each other with the cables therebetween, causes the points to engage the wires of the cables and form both mechanical connections between the connector and the wires and electrical connections between the wires.

Abstract: A novel device and method for making an electrical connection to an insulated wire conductor. The device comprises a conductive tube which has a plurality of spring teeth connected thereto and disposed therein so as to virtually block the tube entirely when the teeth are undeflected. Thus, for example, the spring teeth may be formed in a ring which is then secured inside the tube. In order to further enhance the electrical connection, additional sets of spring teeth may be positioned within the tube along its length in a similar manner. The tube also preferably includes an insulation material covering the exterior surface thereof. Advantageously, a portion of the insulation material adjacent each open end of the tube may be formed into a roll which can be rolled out along the wire conductor after it is inserted into the tube, thereby protecting the electrical connection from exposure to moisture and the elements.

Abstract: A pierce contact element for a connector with a housing in which the end of a cable with one or more insulated conductors is inserted. The pierce contact has a pointed part intended to pierce into an insulated conductor and a contact crown intended to make contact with the contact strip or contact wire of a matching connector housing. The contact crown is shaped so that its radius of curvature is larger than half the width of the contact crown in order to reduce wear on the surface contacting the strip or wire of the matching connector. In one embodiment, pierce contact is designed so that its pointed part pierces in the longitudinal direction into the end face of the conductor.

Abstract: A connector for interconnecting a multiconductor cable and a printed circuit board. The connector includes means for receiving and contacting individual conductors at one end of the conductor housing. It also includes at the other end means for plugging the connector onto a printed circuit board so that electrical contact is made between the conductors of the cable and contact strips on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an improved telephone connector block having quick clip contact element holder elements which support the contact elements in a given plane. The contact holder elements are modified so that they extend a greater distance outwardly of the quick clip terminals which they support to incorporate a conductor retaining area into which the free end of a conductor may be moved to be retained until subsequently engaged by a tool which then moves the conductor into the quick clip contact element and a corresponding strain relief area disposed immediately adjacent thereto in the respective contact holder element.

Abstract: An electric connector for multi-conductor flat cables comprises an insulating housing having a substantially flat end face, at least two kinds of contacts, one kind at a level of height different from that of the contacts of another kind, and at least two cable connecting members in the form of a substantially flat plate. The contacts are arranged in at least two rows extending from the end face. The pitch of or space between the contacts arranged in one row is equal to that of the contacts arranged in another row and to the pitch of the conductors in a multi-conductor flat cable to be connected.

Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement for providing an electrical connection to the enamelled wire of a coil of an electrical motor. The arrangement includes a circuit board carrying at least one conductive component such as an electrical trace on the surface of the circuit board. A conductive pin-type contact, also carried by the circuit board, is electrically connected to the conductive component. An insulating body is carried by the electrical motor and includes passageways for receiving at least two pin-receiving receptacle terminals. The receptacle terminals have inwardly-extending rib members for engaging the enamelled wire when the enamelled wire and the pin-type contact are inserted therein. The rib members are operative to penetrate the enamel covering to establish electrical contact with the wire.

Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement for providing an electrical connection to the enamelled wire of a coil of an electrical motor. The arrangement includes a circuit board carrying at least one conductive component such as an electrical trace on the surface of the circuit board. A conductive pin-type contact, also carried by the circuit board, is electrically connected to the conductive component. An insulating body is carried by the electrical motor and includes passageways for receiving at least two pin-receiving receptacle terminals. The receptacle terminals have inwardly-extending rib members for engaging the enamelled wire when the enamelled wire and the pin-type contact are inserted therein. The rib members are operative to penetrate the enamel covering to establish electrical contact with the wire.