US2154301A - Electrical torsion contactor - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 11, 1939 f uNlTED f STATES .PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL 2,154,301 e rr'oRsIo'N coNTAoroa kFrank M. Clement, Beloit, Wis., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Torsion Grip Manufacturing o., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December s, 1935, serial No. 53,220.

e l d, y Claims. *This .invention relatesy toA electrical connectors and particularly to thosel of the type that is adapted toengage Liane-electrodes or prongs of a radiotube or the like.

- The main objects of this invention areto provide anr improvedfform of socket member for radio tubes and the like and having improved electrical terminals `which grip the prongs of the ytube ina superior manner; to provide an improved constructionof this character inwhich greater force isrequired to detach-the tube than is required forr attaching it; to provides. construction v. of this character in which vibration yor jarring of the. tube, tendsto increase the grip of the'uconnectoryand to providefor multiple prong, tube sockets animproved constructionwhich may bejsimple `in rform and operation andinexpensive to manufacture.

y Anillustrative embodiment of the present linvention is shown which:

Fig. 1 isa bottom planfview of a multiple prong radio. tube socket withV some of .the connectors omitted for: the purpose of illustrating the strucz tural details. Y

in theaccompanying drawing, in

Fig. 2.is a sectional view of the ysametaken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

d Fig. y3- is a perspective view of a torsion grip connector unit which forms a part of the structureshown in Fig.1. t g Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same as it appears at one step in the operation of form-` ing it. Y A y Fig. 5ris a top` plan .View of a modified form ofthe .torsion grip connector. e

Fig 6 .is a side edge view of thesame.

Fig.A .'lfis a'r bottom rplan view ofk a multiple prong tube socket, having a modified form'of plate for holding the connector terminals.

In theeiorm shown inthe drawing, the tube l socket I, isfastened ong/mounting plate 2v by means rof screws 3 and consists of lower and yupper insulation plates ,4 and, both plates being preferablyV constructed of perforated sheets of insulating material, such as` Bakelite, liber or the like, secured together by yrivets 6. The plate 5 as shownis provided with a plurality of symmetrically spaced prong apertures 'l and an equal numberjof adjacent rapertures or slots 8 lwhich cooperate in securing the connectors 9. `The `torsionl grip .connectors `or clips A9 are preferably formedk of unitary punchings stamped from sheet-metaLas shown in Fig. 4:,l and each comprising two leaves IIJr and II. folded upon each other and together bent at an angle, on a line parallel tothe fold, and resiliently bendable relative to each other. Semi-tubular prong grips or lips I2 andv I3 of arcuate section are formed on outer ends of the leaves IIIl and Il and stand out from the plane thereof. As will be apparent, when the leaves I0 and II are folded these two grips face eachother and form a split socket adapted to receive theprong of a radio tube or the like. The grips I2 and I3 are at opposite edges of differentv leaves of the folded clip and they are inclined toward each other at their ends.

When a prong of a radio tube or the like is inserted into the socket the extremities of the grips I2 and I3 are spread apart,but this spreadlng 'is resisted by the side twist or torsional strain of the parallel rleaves, III and II.A The connectors 9 are placed between the insulating plates land 5 in-the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the sides of aperturesl prevent any lateral movement of the leaves, but the plates 4 and 5 are spaced apart as shown, to permit a limited amount of torsionalbending of the leaves Illfand II.-l The marginaledges of the apertures 'I serve'as fulcrums about which the prong grips may rock. v

Thebutt .end portion I4 of the connector 9 extends through the slot 8 and downwardly be-. yondl the bottom plate 5, to form a soldering lug. The end portion I4 is provided with apertures I4.I to receive and hold the wires which are to be` soldered to the connector. The open slots 8 prevent the connectors from skewing. Another method of. preventing skewing is shown in Fig. 7, Where the bottom plate 5.I has a single T-slot punched ho1e l6 of irregular form to receive and hold .the connector, and permits a lfree spring action between the grips I2 and I3. A modified form of my torsion connector is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which the upper leaf I I.I, instead of being sheared away to tapering form as shown in Fig. 4, is left intact and the prong grip or lip I3.I is punched and struck up from the metal in the cut. Prong grip I2.I is produced in a similar manner on the lower leaf IILI, and is adapted to pass through the aperture formed by the punching to produce prong grip.I3.I. v

The panel 2 is provided with apertures I5 to receive the prongs of the tube yand to register with the apertures l. d

The insulating punching hole I6 shown in Fig. 7 has an additional advantage in that the rate of cooling during the soldering operation is increased, due to a greater area exposed to the air.

Although but two specific embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it 'will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as deiined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising a pair of superimposed sprlng metal leaves rigidly joined at one end and at their other end carrying outstanding semitubular prong-grips one on each leaf and mutually disposed for coaction with each other to embrace an interposed contactor prong, a pair of apertured insulating plates connected together with an aperture in one plate in substantial registration withv that in the other plate and forming a holder for said connector, said plates being spaced apart suciently for reception of the spring metal leaves of said connector and to permittorsional bending of said leaves, the spring leaves being disposed in` the space between the plates and thesemi-tubular prong grips of said connector being disposed in the aperture of one of the insulating plates in alignment with the registering aperture in4 the other plate.

2. The method of making a socket-like contact which consists in die-stamping a blank from spring sheet metal, said blank being oblong with oppositely disposed'lateral arms at its ends respectively, bending these arms in opposite directions on an axis disposed lengthwise of said plateand also bending each of said arms somewhat cylindrically to face oppositely on their concave sides, and then bending said blank on its middle transverse axis to bring the cylindroconcave faces of said arms opposite and adjacent to each other and thereby forming from the complementary arms a socket adapted to so receive a terminal rod. v

3. The method of making a socket-like con tact which consists in die-stamping ablank from spring sheet metal, said blank being' oblong with oppositely disposed lateral arms at its ends; respectively, bending these arms in opposite directions on an axis disposed lengthwise of said plate and also bending each of said arms somewhat cylindrically to face oppositely on ltheir concave sides, then bending said blank on its vmiddle transverse axis to bring the cylindroconcave faces of said arms opposite and adjacent to each other and thereby forming from the complementary arms a socket adapted to so receive a terminal rod, and together bending tne two resulting adjacent leaves of the device on a medial transverse axis to incline the socket part toward the opposite end of the device.

4. The method of making a socket-line contact which consists in die-stamping a blank from spring sheet-mtal, said blank being oblong with oppositely disposed lateral arms coplanar with said blank at its ends respectively, bending these arms in opposite directions on an axis disposed lengthwise of said plate and central thereof and also shaping each arm somewhat cylindrically to face oppositely on their concave sides, and then bending said blank on its middle transverse axis to superimpose one part on the other and to bring the cylindro-concave faces of said arms opposite each other and thereby form from the complementary arm members a spring socket adapted to so receive a terminal rod.

.5. An electrical connector comprising a pa'ir of oblong spring metal leaves disposed face t face and rigidly joined at one end and at their other end having struck-up complementary outstanding transversely curved complemental prong-grips one on each leaf and mutually disposed for coaction with each other to embrace an interposed contactor prong, a pair of apertured insulating plates connected together with certain apertures in one plate in substantial respective registration with certain of those in the other plate and forming a holder for said connector, said plates being spaced apart sufficiently for reception of the spring metal leaves of said connector and to permit tortional bending of said leaves, said spring leaves being disposed in the space between the plates and said prong-grips being held respectively in the apertures of one of said plates to resist spreading at their bases.

6, A female electrical contact element comprising a pair of legs of sheet metal, each of said legs having an end joined to the corresponding end of the other leg, the free ends of said legs extending in substantial parallelism in a substantially common plane, each leg, toward its free end, having an integral transversely at least partially rounded oiset portion at the edge adjacent the edge of the other leg, the said offset portions being complementary and defining a conoidal channel adapted to receive a male contact element and having a line of cleavage extending completely through both sides of the channel and the free end of the legs, the axis of said channel being angularly disposed with respect to the substantially common plane of the said free ends, whereby the extensions of the legs are adapted to resiliently engage a male contact element above the said substantially common plane so that the resilient engagement on the male element is as a resultant of stresses comprising those arising from separation of the legs in their substantially common plane and from torsional bending of the legs.

'7. A contact for socket receptacles comprising a pair of juxtaposed resilient sheet metal legs in substantial planar parallelism, said legs being connected at one en-d and separated by a line of cleavage at the other end, a'hollow tapering split substantially frusto-conical member being formed in spaced relation to the leg connection substantially symmetrically ofthe line of cleavage from material of the adjacent parts of the legs to form a contact-prong-engaging embracing resilient area or surface spaced from the substantial plane of the legs, said contact being formed of substantially intersecting normally eccentric arcs arranged to grip an inserted prong contact element on two diametrically spaced points as a resultant of the separation of the legs in the common plane as wellas torsional of the legs through lateral displacement of the sides of the 'conical member out of the common plane.

8. A female contact element comprising a pair of legs lying in a substantially common plane, means joining the legs at one end, the legs being provided with respectively integral juxtaposed at least partially curved up-standing portions den-i ing a tapering channel completely split by a line of separation between the legs, the channel converging above the substantially common plane of the legs so that the grip on the male element is as a resultant of stresses comprising resilient resistance of the legs against separation in their substantially common plane the resilience of the off-set portions relative to the legs and the torsional bending of the legs distorted by separation of the off-set portions above the said common plane.

9. A female electrical contact element comprising 'a pair ofrlegs of sheet metal, each of said Vlegs'fhavkng'v an end `Joined ytothe corresponding end' ofthe other leg,` the "freefends' of` the legsy having ,fan elongated/substantial line of separation` and y extending `in substantial parallelism in a siibstantiallycommonplane, the legstoward 'their free ends khaving complemental respectively integral confronting transversely at least partially the *substantialplane' of the legs dening a subs stantial channel having asplit substantially coincident with vsaid line, *the lineof separation `hayingsuch length that theends ofthe legs can `15f .l v l v l f ysubstantiallyperpendicular adjustmentlof thel bep-independently bent on',L substantial axes lying inr said substantial plane to permit independent ,1 respective roff-set portions, thesubstantialgcham' fnelbeing adapted tobe entered and widened byr` f amale contact element,'andfthe oiT-set portions beinglarranged to resilientlyengage and contact i ywithsuch male membersat appoint spaced from n ',said'substantial vcommon plane so that'the en'- gagemen'ton such male'member' is asa resultant of 1 stresses comprising L'resilienceI ofthe legsy against vseparation in thesubstantial plane, torsional bending of the legs, resilience of the legs j and resilience of the off-set portions relative to the'legs.. y y l y vl0. An electrical .connector comprising a pair of spring metal leaves rigidly joined at one end andy lying in a substantially common plane and at their other end carrying outstanding semitubularprong grips one on each leaf and 4mutu` y, ally ydisposed for coaction with each other to embrace an interposed contacter prong by torsion of said leaves, a pair of vapertured insulating plates `,connected together with certain apertures in one platefin substantial respective registration with certain of those, in the other plate and forming a holderfor said connector, said plates being `spaced apartsufllcientlyfor reception of the spring metal leaves of said connector and to permit torsional 4 bendingof said'ffleaves, the spring leaves being gdisposed between the plates and the semi-tubular prong grips of said connector being disposed in the aperture of vone plate in alignment with the yregistering aperture in the other plate.

FRANK M. CLEMENT.

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