Loop forming gauge and method of forming a loop

In an electrical wiring device having a binding screw terminal and a wire-restraint, the combination comprising:

• a rigid base of insulating material, having a terminal screw;
• ribs on said base and forming wire-restraints;
• means on said base for establishing a length of insulation to be removed from a conductor wire;
• means for forming a loop in a bare end of said wire;
• said loop being formed at a point where insulation on said wire extends into one of said wire-restraints when said loop is secured under said binding screw, said loop forming gauge comprising a cavity formed within a base of substantially rigid insulating material and of a predetermined configuration, the configuration of said cavity being defined by substantially straight base wall portions communicating with stepped termination portions thereof, said stepped termination portions comprising means for accepting wires of more than one diameter, and a base surface with shoulder portions thereof extending in a substantially arcuate path in communication with said stepped termination portions, thereby providing means for guiding and forming an arcuate wire configuration.

In an electrical wiring device of a type having a binding screw and a wire-restraint, the combination comprising:

• a rigid base of insulating material;
• said base having a rear face containing a cavity adopted to receive a bare end of an insulated conductor wire therein;
• a rounded shoulder formed at an open upper end of said cavity;
• said shoulder being located at a point relative to said bare end of the wire where insulation on the wire extends into a wire-restraint when said looped end of the wire is secured beneath a terminal screw, said loop forming a gauge comprising a cavity formed within a base of substantially rigid insulating material and of a predetermined configuration, the configuration of said cavity being defined by substantially straight base wall portions communicating with stepped termination portions thereof, said stepped termination portions comprising means for accepting wires of more than one diameter, and a base surface with shoulder portions thereof extending in a substantially arcuate path in communication with said stepped termination portions, thereby providing means for guiding and forming an arcuate wire configuration.

The method of forming a loop in a bare end of an insulated conductor wire which comprises the steps of:

• placing an insulated conductor wire proximate stripping indices carried by a wiring device, thereby gaining information as to the predetermined extent of insulation to be removed from the conductor wire;
• removing said predetermined extent of insulation from an end of the conductor wire;
• inserting the bare end of the conductor wire into one of a plurality of openings within a cavity formed within the wiring device, said cavity being defined by substantially straight base wall portions communicating with stepped termination portions thereof;
• bending the bare end over a shoulder of arcuately extending portions thereof of a predetermined shape to create a bare end loop corresponding to said predetermined shape at a location of a predetermined distance from the remaining insulation covering said conductor wire while the terminus of the bare end remains in the cavity, attaching the conductor wire to the wiring device by locating a fastener through said bare end loop.