Captive shear bolt
AssigneeBurndy Corporation
InventorNicholas Polidori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A captive shear bolt assembly includes a bolt and a shear coupling. The bolt may have a head, an extension, and a shank. The shear coupling may be configured to be received by the extension. The shear coupling may be configured to receive the extension via an orifice in the shear coupling. The shear coupling may be configured to shear when an upper head of the shear coupling is driven at a threshold torque. When the shear coupling has sheared, the extension may be configured to captively secure the upper head to the bolt. The captive shear bolt assembly may be used in a tap connector for electrically connecting a main conductor to a tap conductor.
Claims28
A captive shear bolt assembly, comprising:
- a bolt having a head, a shank extending from a bottom surface of the head and an extension extending from a top surface of the head, the extension having a deformable upper portion;
- and
- a shear coupling having an upper head, a lower head, a shear portion joining the upper head to the lower head and an orifice extending through the upper head, the lower head and the shear portion, the orifice being configured to receive the extension and the head of the bolt;
- wherein when the extension is received within the orifice and the upper portion of the extension is deformed, the shear coupling is prevented from being removed from the bolt, wherein the shear portion is configured to shear when the upper head is driven at a threshold torque, and wherein when the shear portion shears, the upper head is decoupled from the bolt and the deformed upper portion of the extension captively secures the upper head to the bolt.
An electrical connector adapted to electrically connect a main conductor to a tap conductor, comprising:
- a body member with a curved top wall configured to receive the main conductor;
- a wedge configured to be received by the body member, wherein the wedge is configured to receive the tap conductor;
- and
- a captive shear bolt assembly configured to be rotated to drive the wedge into the body member to enable an electrical connection between the main conductor and the tap conductor, the captive shear bolt assembly, including:
- a bolt having a head, a shank extending from a bottom surface of the head and an extension extending from a top surface of the head, the extension having a deformable upper portion;
- and
- a shear coupling having an upper head, a lower head, a shear portion joining the upper head to the lower head and an orifice extending through the upper head, the lower head and the shear portion, the orifice being configured to receive the extension and the head of the bolt;
- wherein when the extension is received within the orifice and the upper portion of the extension is deformed, the shear coupling is prevented from being removed from the bolt, wherein the shear portion is configured to shear when the upper head is driven at a threshold torque, and wherein when the shear section shears, the upper head is decoupled from the bolt and the deformed upper portion of the extension captively secures the upper head to the bolt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.