Multi-pole electrical wiring devices with wire termination assemblies

A multi-pole electrical wiring device comprising:

• a housing having an interior, a plurality of wire receiving openings in a side wall of the housing and a plurality of activating member openings in a top wall of the housing, wherein at least a portion of the interior is hollow, wherein each of the plurality of wire receiving openings provides access from an exterior of the housing to the hollow portion of the interior of the housing, and wherein each of the plurality of activating member openings provides access from the exterior of the housing to the hollow portion of the interior of the housing;
• and
• a plurality of line side wire termination assemblies positioned in the hollow portion of the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of line side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire receiving openings and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of line side wire termination assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted through the one of the plurality of wire receiving openings in the housing and between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member of the activating assembly such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction causes the cam member to apply a mechanical load to the clamping member causing the clamping member to move from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the mechanical load from the cam member is released such that the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the pushbutton in a second direction;
• and
• a plurality of load side wire termination assemblies positioned in the hollow portion of the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of load side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire receiving openings and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of the contact assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted through the one of the plurality of wire receiving openings in the housing and between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member of the activating assembly such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction causes the cam member to apply a mechanical load to the clamping member causing the clamping member to move from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the mechanical load from the cam member is released such that the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the pushbutton in a second direction.

A multi-pole electrical wiring device comprising:

• a housing having an interior, a plurality of wire receiving openings and a plurality of activating member openings, wherein at least a portion of the interior is hollow, wherein each of the plurality of wire receiving openings provides access from an exterior of the housing to the hollow portion of the interior of the housing, and wherein each of the plurality of activating member openings provides access from the exterior of the housing to the hollow portion of the interior of the housing;
• and
• a plurality of line side wire termination assemblies positioned in the hollow portion of the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of line side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire apertures and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of line side wire termination assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted through the one of the plurality of wire receiving openings in the housing and between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member of the activating assembly such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction causes the cam member to move the clamping member from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the pushbutton in a second direction;
• and
• a plurality of load side wire termination assemblies positioned in the hollow portion of the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of load side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire apertures and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of load side wire termination assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted through the one of the plurality of wire receiving openings in the housing and between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member of the activating assembly such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction causes the cam member to move the clamping member from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the pushbutton in a second direction.

A multi-pole electrical wiring device comprising:

• a housing having a plurality of wire receiving openings and a plurality of activating member openings, wherein each of the plurality of wire receiving openings provides access from an exterior of the housing to an interior of the housing, and wherein each of the plurality of activating member openings provides access from the exterior of the housing to the interior of the housing;
• and
• a plurality of line side wire termination assemblies positioned in the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of line side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire receiving openings and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of the line side wire termination assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction from a first position to a second position causes the cam member to move the clamping member from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the cam member to move the pushbutton in a second direction;
• and
• a plurality of load side wire termination assemblies positioned in the interior of the housing such that one of the plurality of load side wire termination assemblies is accessible from one of the plurality of wire receiving openings and one of the plurality of activating member openings;
• wherein each of the plurality of the load side wire termination assemblies includes:
• a wire terminal including a clamp brace and a clamping member, the clamping member being movable between a closed position where a wire can be clamped between the clamping member and the clamp brace, and an open position where the wire can be inserted between the clamping member and the clamp brace;
• and
• an activating assembly having a pushbutton extending at least partially through the one of the plurality of activating member openings in the housing, the pushbutton being interactive with a cam member such that movement of the pushbutton in a first direction from a first position to a second position causes the cam member to move the clamping member from the closed position to the open position, and when the pushbutton is released the clamping member automatically moves from the open position to the closed position and automatically moves the cam member to move the pushbutton in a second direction.