US2470104A - Battery post clamp - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1949. H. R. MARTIN BATTERY PosT CLAMP Filed April 2o, 1942 Hf?. Nav-Nn INV ENTOR.

f BY 0MM/@3% Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 7 claims. 1

This invention relates to battery connections and is more particularly concerned with a clamp or fastening means for securing a cable, adapted to transmit electric current, to a post of a wet storage battery.

Perhaps the most unpleasant, laborious and despised minor task encountered in the servicing of an automobile has heretofore been the removing of the battery terminal post connections, an operation necessary when interchanging batteries. The presently almost universally accepted clamp comprises a two jaw unit having a centrally located enlarged orifice for receiving the battery post. The extended ends of the jaws have registering horizontally disposed orifices for receiving a threaded and headed bolt adapted to receive a nut for pulling the jaws toward one another and into intimate contact with the post. When the battery has been used for a considerable time, corrosion frequently so decomposes the parts that the bolt and nut become frozen together to such an extent that it is almost impossible to loosen the nut. Also the jaws sometimes become securely attached to the bolt so that it is diifcult to spread them even after the nut has been removed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a battery post clamp which avoids the objections to such clamps heretofore known.

Another object of this invention is to provide a battery post clamp which is easy to install and easy to remove.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp of the type referred to which automatically locks itself in place upon installation.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a clamp which, when installed, is under constant urge toward tighter contact.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide novel battery post clamp construction, generally.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel process for producing a battery post clamp.

In general, my invention in its preferred form, comprises a U-shaped frame having a jaw slidable in opposed guides on the adjacent faces of the legs of the U. A resilient means, for example a spring, urges the said jaw toward the closed end of the U when the device is in operation, the battery post being situated between said closed end and said jaw. A cam mounted on the frame is provided at the rear of the resilient means for at times forcing said resilient means and said jaw toward the battery post. The cam is manually operated by means of a lever and the construction is such that when said lever is moved in the releasing direction its action is positive to Iwithdraw said jaw from the battery post. The battery cable attaches to the aforsesaid frame.

In order that a clear and concise understanding of my invention may be had, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which Fig. 1 is a top plan View of one embodiment of my invention, covered parts being shown in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, I have used the numeral I [I to designate the generally U-shaped frame or chassis of my clamp. Obviously, of course, the precise shape of the frame Ill is immaterial and it need not consist of a single unit. At the inner face of the closed end II of the frame I0, as I have shown it in the drawing, I provide a plurality of relatively sharp protuberances or teeth I2 adapted to tightly grip and even bite into a storage battery post, as will appear more clearly hereafter. Cooperating with the teeth I2 to confine and grip the battery post I3 is the jaw I4 which is longitudinally slidably mounted between the legs I5 and I6 of the frame I0. The operative face of the jaw I 4 is preferably knurled as at I1 or otherwise prepared to provide a relatively high friction surface. It is not highly desirable, however, to provide sharp teeth on the jaw I4 inasmuch as retraction or disengagement of the said jaw from the battery post I3 may become undesirably difficult if it have teeth extended deeply into said battery post. Flanges I8 and I9 on the inner face of the leg I5, together with opposed flanges 20 and 2 I, on the inner face of the leg I6 provide a guide for the longitudinal movement of the jaw I 4. I have shown the bottom anges I9 and 2| as of sufcient width to at least substantially meet one another whereby a bottom or closure is provided. Parts 22 and 23 of the flanges I8 and 20 respectively, also have been shown to be sufciently extended that they meet each other to form a closure. While it is not at all essential that the top and bottom of my device be closed so far as practical, it is desirable from both the point of view of appearance and from the point of view of protecting moving parts of the device. To the rear of the jaw I4 and spaced therefrom by the spring or other resilient means 24, is a .second member 25 longitudinally slidably received in the guide structure on the inner face of the legs l5 and U5. As will become apparent as the disclosure proceeds, the guide structure receiving the plunger member 25 may be separate and distinct from that receiving the jaw i4 rather than being continuous therewith as shown in the drawing. The pring 24 is preferably attached to the jaw I 4 at one end and to the plunger 25 at the other. In` the drawinglI,A have shown the fastening means to consist of loops 26 and 2'! adapted to receive respectively, the end portions 28 and 29 of the wire comprising the coil spring 24. By this construction appreciable movement of the plunger 25 in either direction tends, to cause corresponding movement of the jaw I4,

For imparting motion to the plunger 25 a generally vertically extending slot 3U is provided therein adapted to receive an actuating means such as the cam or crankshaft comprising the bent arms or cranks 3|,v and 32 which are opertively connected to the-lever structure designatedf generally bythe numeral 33. Bearings for cranks.

3| and 32' areprovided in the legs I5 and i6, re. spectively, at d'4 and 35,. As isapparent, the drawing illustrates my clamp in. post engaging position where it is held by the cranks 3l and: 3.2. Rotation ofthe lever 33. upwardly causingl corresponding rotation ofcranks 3 ly and 32 operates', first, to move. the plunger 2.5 forwardslightly due, in part, to the fact that the plunger engaging portions or'crankshafts of the cranks 3| and' 32 are below their` center of' rotation when in the relatively stable position shown. Thereafter, continued rotation of the cranks 3l and 32 above their center of rotation causes these cranks to engage the rear wall of' the slot 30, whereby the plunger 2'5', spring 24 and jaw, I4: are moved rearwardly to a positionout of'engagement with. the battery post i3. Conversely, rotation ofthe lever 33' downwardly from a generally upwardly extendingV position causes theI plunger engaging construction is preferable'ifor. the reason that itV provides an automaticlock against accidental disengagement ofthe jaw. I4 from the post I3 since bef-ore the crankshaft portions of` cranks 3L and 3.2i can move. upwardly and rearwardly, it is necessary. as stated, that they move upwardly and;

forwardly which movement' must be against the very material resistance offthe spring 24; Rota-A tion ofy the cranks downwardly and rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2V is, of course,

prevented by the flanges I19'and'2`|which preventV any downward movement of the. plunger 25. In the drawing I haveshown a'V cut-out 3'6 extending forwardly from the slot Ell adjacent theY base thereof. While such. cut-out is not at' all essentialv to my invention, especially ifv other means for locking the jaw I4 in post engaging position be provided, it is a desirable feature forA addi!- tion'ally insuring against accidental retraction of the jaw-springeplunger assembly. As appearsclearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the crankshaft portions ofthe cranks 31 and:` 32 nest in the cutfnout portion 3B' andthe pressure ofthe springl 2.4. resists dislodgement of said portions of said` cranksf-rom said cut-out, sincerin ordervforthe said? cranks; S-L and 3,12I to disengage the cut-out 36; forward movement: of. the-folungerf 215.- againstrthei compression of said spring 24, is required. Obviously when a cut-out such as 35 is provided the distance which the plunger 25 must be moved forwardly by the upwardly rotating cranks 3l and 32 before said cranks can commence rotating upwardly and rearwardly is greater than in the case where the plunger engaging portions of said cranks 3| and 32 are only below their center of rotation when the jaw i4. is in post engaging position. It willbe noted from scrutinizing Fig. 2 of the drawing, that the bearings 34 and 35 are shown as located slightly above the center of the depth of the frame lll. This arrangement is not essential', but it is desirable in that is permits greater incline of the cranks 3l and 32 and also permits the lever 33 to be disposed in a substantiallly,` horizontal position without being undesirably close to the top of the battery. If desired, protuberances 3l and 38 may be provided on the outer face of the closed end of the frame If'or'f'nrther insuring against accidental upward rotation.v ofthe leverf33. These protuberances 31 and't-maybe ofany suitable nature, but they are preferably Rounded. or inclined in order to gradually spring the lever structure until it has passedfthem. Obviously, one or-several protuberances may be employed. If desired, the protuberanccs may be so arranged that some are disposed below.A the lever 33' when the jaw I4 is in post engaging orforwardposition; In order to reduce the friction` of the plunger engaging portions of the cranks3l' andl against the walls of the slot I have provided a tubular member 39 about these portions of said cranksv which serves in the nature of' a roller bearing. This feature is, of course, optional. Two or more tubes may be employed'in place ofy one.

At therear ofi the frame l0; I have shown, for illustrative purposes, a sleeve 4! adapted to receive a battery cable and to be crimped securely thereabout. In order to facilitate the gripping of the.V cable by said sleeve, I have provided on the inner periphery thereof, rifles 4l, whereby said sleeve-actually bites into said cable. Arms 42 and are provided on the sleeve i9 for engagement with the rear end portions of the legs l5 and I6 of the frame lll'.v Any suitable means may be ernployed in attaching said' arms to said legs; care should be taken, however, that a good electrical connection is provided between the two. In the drawing, Ihave shown lingers or returned anges 44 on the arms 42 and 43 and 45 on the legs l5 and Iii for. engaging, respectively, said legs and said arms whereby the sleeve 4D and the frame l!) are securely united.

InV addition to its unique adaptness as battery postclampv for connecting motor vehicle electric cables to wet storage battery posts, my device finds many other applications as a clamp and coupling; means. My novel process also may be employed to make devices to be used for other purposes thanbattery post clamps.

Among the numerous advantages of my novel clamp fis the fact that the jaw members always retain theirl original shape rather than being themselves bent and molded about the battery post; there is thus no cha-nce for failure of the jaws due to their internal breakdown after having been bent back and forth a few times as frequently occurs in the case of the common, presently well-known type ofV battery post clamp. Since-my device provides for an automatic and positive disengagement of thel battery post, its removal from-the battery present no problem and thenecessityffor prying and'hammeringto loosen it, which operations frequently result in the severe damage or destruction of batteries when standard clamps are being removed, is avoided. By providing engagement of the post by the clamp at only two junctures, I avoid excessive corros-ion and all unnecessary confinement of corrosion in contact with the battery post and cla-mp parts. Again my device may be used with successive cables and/or transferred 4from one cable to another, for the cable may be simply disengaged from the means connecting it to the clamp. Such is especially easy in the particular connecting means which I have shown in the drawing where spreading of the slit in the sleeve 40 and longitudinal retraction of the cable is all that is required. The action of the resilient means 24 is at least three fold: it provides adaptation means whereby my clamp may be employed on battery posts of lvarious sizes; it provides an engagement with the battery post which is under constant urge toward more intimate contact so that any jar which might tend momentarily to loosen the connection to any extent whatsoever is immediately and positively counteracted by the spring; further the spring operates in connection with the cranks in the slot 30 to maintain the cla-mp in operative position as heretofore pointed out.

In the claims the term cam is intended to include cranks such as 3| and 32 inthe drawing, together with standard cams and other devices adapted to at times cause movement in at least one direction. Jaw is meant to refer to any device adapted to perform functions similar to those of the parts Il and I4 of the drawing. Plunger as used in the claims does not necessarily require a solid construction or any other precise details sometimes connected with a plunger in its strict sense; any reciprocatable device adapted to perform functions similar, in a general nature, to those of the member 25 is meant to be included.

While specific embodiments of my inventions together with certain modifications thereof have been described in detail for illustrative purposes, it is obvious that one skilled in the art will be able to make variations, eliminations and modifications in the precise structures described and this without departing from the true spirit and scope of my invention. I wish, therefore, to be limited herein only by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A battery post clamp comprising a frame having one of yits portions extending generally right angular to another one of its portions, the latter portion engaging one side of a battery post when in operative position, a battery post engaging jaw slidable along the first of said frame portions toward and away from second said frame portion for engaging the opposite side of said battery post from that engaged 4by second said frame portion, a plunger also slidable along rst said frame portion having in its side wall structure an elongated cut-out disposed generally normal to the plane of said frame, a resilient connection connecting said jaw to said plunger, a crank having its crank shaft received in said cut-out for imparting motion to said plunger and having its crank pin journaled in first said frame portion, and a lever connected to said crank.

2. A battery post clamp comprising a frame having one of its portions extending generally right angular to another one of its portions, the latter portion engaging one Side of a battery lis Journaled in said frame member is more adjapost when in operative position, a battery post engaging jaw slidable along the first of said frame portions toward and away from second said frame portion for engaging the opposite side of said battery post from that engaged by second said frame portion, a plunger also slidable along first said frame portion having in its sidewall structure an elongated cut-out disposed in the direction of the depth of said plunger, which is also the direction of the depth of said frame, said fout-out being enlarged at its base end in the direction of the forward end of said plunger and the top of said enlarged portion being inclined downwardly and forwardly from the forward wall of the unenlarged portion of said cut-out, a resilient connection connecting said jaw to said plunger, a crank having its crank pin journaled in first said frame portion and having its crank shaft received in said cut-out, the arrangement being such that the point at which said crank pin cent the unenlarged end of said cut-out, considering the depth direction only, than is the enlarged end of said cut-out, and a lever connected to said crank.

3. A battery post clamp comprising a frame having generally parallel members and a portion connecting said parallel members said latter portion engaging one side of a battery post when in operative position, guide structure on the adjacent faces of said parallel members, a jaw slidably received in said guide structure and engaging the opposite side of said battery post when in operative position, a plunger also slidably received in said guide structure, having in its side wall structure an elongated cut-out disposed in the direction of the depth of said plunger, which is also the direction of the depth of said frame, said cut-out being enlarged at its base end in the direction of the forward end of said plunger, and the top of said enlarged portion being inclined downwardly and forwardly from the forward wall of the unenlarged portion of said cut-out, a resilient connection connecting said jaw to said plunger, a crank having its crank pin journaled in one of said parallel frame members and having its crank shaft received in said cut-out, the arrangement being such that the point at which said crank pin is journaled in said frame member is more adjacent the unenlarged end of said cut-out, considering the depth direction only, than is the enlarged end of said cut-out, and a lever connected to said crank.

4. A battery post clamp comprising a frame having generally parallel members and a portion connecting -said parallel members, said latter portion engaging one side of a battery post when in operative position', a jaw longitudinally slidably mounted between said parallel members and engaging the opposite side of said battery post when in operative position, a plunger also longitudinally slidably mounted between said parallel members having in its sidewall structure an elongated cut out disposed in the direction of the depth of said plunger, which is also the direction of the depth of said frame, said cut-out being enlarged at its base end in the direction of the forward end of said plunger, and the top of said enlarged portion being inclined downwardly and forwardly from the forward Wall of the unenlarged portion of said cut-out, a resilient connection connecting said jaw to said plunger, a crank having its crank pin journaled in one of said parallel frame members and having its crank shaft received in said cut-out, the arrangement it being such that the point at which saidy crank pinv is journaled in` said.- frame member is more adjacent' the uneniarged end of said cutfout-considering thedepth` direction only., than is the enlarged end', of said cut-out, and a lever connected to said crank.

5. A: battery: post clam-p comprising. a frameA having generallyparallel members and a portion connecting said-parallel members, said latter-portionl engaging one side of a battery :post when in operative position, a battery post engagingjaw slidably mounted betweenl said parallel members forengaging theopposite side of saidbattery post, a crank jonrnaled on one of saidparallel members in a position such that itsv crank shaft is spaced-,troni saidgjaw and is disposed to that end of4 said jaw which is opposite to that end thereof which engages said battery post, and' means inn cluding a coil spring connecting said jaw to said crank shaft whereby partial rotation of said crank in one directionV causes. said jaw to engage said battery post and partial rotation of said crank inthe opposite direction causes it to disengage said battery post.

6. A battery post clamp comprising a frame having generally parallel members and a portion connecting said parallelmemherssaid latter portion engaging one sideof a battery-post when in operative position, a battery post engaging jaw longitudinally slidably mountedv between said parallel membersv for engaging the opposite side of said batterypost, a plunger also longitudinally Slidably. mounted. between. said parallel members spaced from said jaw and located in alignment therewith. to that end thereof which is opposite to. its battery post engaging end, said plunger having an elongated cut-ont inI its side wall structure.. disposed in the directionof the depth of said plunger, which is also the direction of the depth of said frame, a. crank journaled on one of said parallel frame members and having its crank shaft projecting into said cut-out for reciproca'm ing said plunger, a lever connected to said crank for rotating thek same and a coil springV positively connecting said jaw tosaid plunger whereby reciprocation of the latter results in the engagement and. disengagement of said battery post by saidjaw.

7. For a battery post clamp the combination comprising an elongated frame section, structure connectedV to; said: frame, section` and engaging one. side of a .batt-ery' post when` in operative; posi-y tion, a member.' disposed to thel opposite4 side ofsaid` battery post` when in, operative position andv reciprocatabl'e along.,` said frame section, said reciprocatablemember havingin its side wall structure an elongated cut-out disposedin the direction. ofthe depth off said; reciprocatable member',A which. is also the directionL of the depthof. said frame section and saidpost engaging structure,

said cut-out being enlargedI at its base endY in the` direction of the forward end. of. said reciprocatable member Aand the topof saidi enlarged portion being inclined downwardly andl forwardly from' the forward wall of the unenlarged portion of' said'- cut-out. a'crank'havingits crank pin journaled. on said framesection and having its crank shaft received insaid cut-out, the arrangement being such that the point at which said crank pin: is journaled irl-said frame section is more ad@ jacent the unenlarg-ed end of said cut-out, con-` sidering the depth direction only', than is theenlarged.` endv of said. cuteout, and a lever connected to said crank.

HARRY R. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of. record in` the le oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS :nbc: Name Date 1,015,096 Tait Jan. 15, 1912V 15382386.41 Smith June 28, 1921` 1,648,326 Sawyer Nov. 8, 119272` 137675903 Sparkes: June' 24, 1930 1,771,270.v Normingt-on July 22, 1930: 10682452 Hanson Jan. 191193'7' 2,103,055I Biokley Dec. 211937'v Re. 20,618 Douglas Jan. ll, 1938'y 2,110,918' ltoloerts` Mar. 15, 1938 2,168,250 Toiberg et al Aug. i, 1939: 2,190,363 Knapp Feb; 13; 194) 2,2?t'r9'35v Lee-1 Mar. 25, 1941i 2,257-,0-13- Johnson Sept. 23', 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number. Country Date 579,644` France Aug. 8, 1924:E

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