Sealed battery threaded stud termination

#The present invention relates in general to cable terminations for connection to the terminals of batteries, and it relates in particular to a new and improved insulated connector construction which is adapted to be used in both in line and end terminations.

#Wet cell storage batteries such, for example, as those used in automotive vehicles, commonly employ upstanding threaded studs as the terminal members. The connectors which are provided on the ends of battery cables for connection to the terminal members are known in the art as terminations and have in the past generally been in the form of apertured lugs crimped to the ends of the battery cables. When two or more batteries were to be connected together, either in parallel or in series, the lugs from two or more such cables were placed one over the other on the battery studs and held in place by a nut threaded onto the stud. In many cases this type of connection has resulted in increased resistance between the battery terminal and the load to which the battery is connected. Moreover, corrosion of the stud and termination has been a problem.

#Briefly, there is provided in accordance with one aspect of the present invention a battery cable termination and method of making the same which incorporates a plastic cover molded onto the cable over a flat apertured connector member which fits onto the battery stud. A nut is rotatably held by the cover and is used to tighten the connector member against the base of the battery stud. In order to interconnect two or more batteries either in series or in parallel, one or more terminations are provided intermediate the ends of the cable for providing low resistance connections to the studs of the batteries.

#Further objects and advantages and a better understanding of the present invention can be had by reference to the following detailed description wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of wet cell storage batteries connected together in parallel by means of cables and cable terminations embodying the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a top view of the intermediate battery cable terminations shown in FIG. 1;

#Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a plurality of storage batteries 10 are connected in parallel by a pair of stranded cables 11 and 12 connected to the battery terminals by novel cable terminations embodying the present invention. The cables 11 and 12 may be identical but it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular cable configuration. For example, the present invention may be used for connecting a plurality of batteries together in series as is commonly done in industrial types of equipment.

#In accordance with one feature of the present invention the cables 11 and 12 each comprise a single length of stranded cable extending from one end of the cable to the other. Where intermediate portions of the cable are to be connected to battery terminal studs, one or more intermediate terminations 13 are provided in the cable. Two end terminations 15 are provided at the ends of the cables 11 and 12. As this description of the invention proceeds it will be appreciated that the intermediate and end battery terminations of the present invention have many features in common and may be manufactured in accordance with the same basic method. As shown in FIG. 1, removable sealing and insulating caps 17 are provided for each of the terminations, and these caps function to seal the terminations and the battery terminal studs from the elements and, more importantly, from the corrosive fumes emanating from the batteries along the sides of the studs.

#Reference is now made to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a better understanding of the construction of the intermediate termination 13 and its method of manufacture. In order to form an intermediate termination in a length of insulated stranded cable 18, the insulation is removed or stripped from an intermediate section of the cable and a short length of copper tubing 20 is placed over the stripped portion of the stranded cable as illustrated in FIG. 3. Preferably the tubing 20 is slightly longer than the stripped portion of the cable so as to overlie the adjacent ends of the cable insulation. The thus assembled tubing and cable are placed in a press which flattens out the intermediate portion of the copper tubing and the portion of the cable which is disposed thereon. Also the ends of the tube are slightly crimped into the cable. A hole 21 is then punched through the flattened central section of both the tube 20 and the enclosed cable strands. The punched area is then coated with hot solder to form a low resistance, fixed connection between the copper tube 20 and the conductive strands in the cable. Thereafter, the assembly is placed in an injection mold and a covering or enclosure 23 of polyvinylchloride or other suitable plastic or rubber is molded directly over the tube 20. As shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the cover 23 overlies the ends of the insulating layer on the cable thereby to form a unitary bond and seal therewith. During the injection molding process the polyvinylchloride or other plastic is sufficiently hot as to melt the adjacent portions of the cable insulation so that when the heated parts cool and solidify, an integral joint and weather proof seal is provided between the two ends of the cover 23 and the insulating layer on the cable 18.