Automatic cable connector with impact hammer
AssigneeMacLean-Fogg Company
InventorEmil J. Hlinsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic cable connector includes a hammer that is moved to a cocked position by the end of an inserted cable. A hammer spring is compressed during the cocking motion. When the cocked position is reached, a frangible abutment fractures and the hammer is free to move independently of the cable. The spring drives the hammer into tapered gripping jaws with an impact that firmly grips the jaws onto the cable.
Claims16
An automatic cable connector for making a connection to the end of a cable, said cable connector comprising:
- a tubular housing having an open end for receiving the inserted cable end and having a tapered surface adjacent said open end;
- a jaw assembly including a plurality of tapered jaw segments surrounding a cable insertion path extending axially into said housing from said open end, said jaw segments cooperating with said tapered surface to close against the cable end in the cable insertion path when said jaw segments are forced toward said open end;
- barrier means in said housing spaced from said jaw assembly;
- a hammer supported for axial movement in said housing between said barrier means and said jaw assembly, said hammer being movable between an extended position adjacent said jaw assembly and a cocked position spaced from said jaw assembly;
- and
- a hammer spring between said hammer and said barrier means;
- said cable connector being characterized by:
- said hammer being in said extended position prior to insertion of the cable end into said housing;
- said hammer spring having a relaxed length such as to be substantially uncompressed in said extended position of said hammer;
- said hammer having an abutment aligned with the cable insertion path, the cable end during insertion engaging the abutment for moving said hammer to the cocked position and for compressing said hammer spring;
- and
- hammer release means for freeing said hammer from the cable end in the cocked position of said hammer to permit said hammer spring to drive said hammer to impact against said jaw assembly.
An automatic connector for the end of a cable comprising:
- a tubular housing having a cable entry opening at one end and a spring force reaction barrier spaced from said entry opening;
- a plurality of wedge shaped jaw segments adjacent said entry opening;
- a tapered surface defined around said jaw segments;
- a massive hammer supported for movement between a normal position adjacent said jaw segments and a cocked position spaced from said jaw segments;
- a hammer spring between said barrier and said hammer;
- a cable insertion path extending from said entry end and through said jaw segments to said hammer;
- at least one breakable abutment extending from said hammer into said path for engagement by a cable inserted along said path;
- said at least one abutment being constructed and arranged to fracture in response to a predetermined compression force stored in said hammer spring when the inserted cable end contacts said at least one abutment and moves said hammer to said cocked position.
A method for gripping a cable with an automatic connector having wedge-shaped jaws reacting against a tapered housing surface surrounding an inserted cable, said method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a cable end between the jaws and against a hammer normally located adjacent the jaws;
- continuing to insert the cable end in order to move the hammer to a cocked position spaced from the jaws and in order to compress a hammer spring located behind the hammer;
- and
- freeing the hammer from the cable end so that the hammer spring drives the hammer against the jaws.
A method for setting the gripping jaws of an automatic cable connector comprising the steps of:
- inserting the end of a cable into a housing of a connector;
- storing energy resulting from the cable insertion force;
- and
- using the stored energy to set the gripping jaws after the cable has been inserted;
- said storing step including compressing a spring with the cable insertion force, and said using step including transferring the energy stored in the spring to a hammer and impacting the hammer against the gripping jaws.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.