Electrical connector system for grounding member and ground wire

A system for electrically and mechanically connecting a ground wire having an outer surface to an elongated grounding member, such as a grounding pipe or rod in the ground or in an electrical conduit, having an exposed end and an outer, exterior surface, comprising:

• a generally cylindrical, connector body of electrically conductive material positioned over the exposed end of the grounding member and having
• a larger, generally cylindrical, pipe section with an inner diameter forming a first, open, interior chamber defined by a first encircling, inner wall, which is larger in its inner diameter than the outer diameter of the grounding member, allowing the connector body to be slipped over the end of the elongated grounding member;
• and
• a smaller, generally cylindrical, wire section having an inner diameter forming a second, open, interior chamber defined by a second, encircling, inner wall, which at least in part has a smaller inner diameter than said first inner wall but is coaxial with said first encircling inner wall and is in open communication therewith, forming a flat, laterally directed ridge between said inner walls, said inner diameter of said wire section being less than the outer diameter of the grounding member, preventing the two from passing one another due to the presence of said ridge, said interior ridge of the connector body being in face-to-face contact with the end of the grounding member;
• a first, axially directed, set screw lug of electrically conductive material having an interior tip for the grounding member being screwable axially down until it contacts and drives itself down against the outer surface of the grounding member, holding it under compression between its interior tip and the interior surface of said first, interior chamber;
• and
• a second, axially directed, set screw lug of electrically conductive material having an interior tip for the ground wire being screwable axially down until it contacts and drives itself down against the outer surface of the ground wire located in said second, interior chamber, holding it under compression between its interior tip and the interior wall of said second, interior chamber, said first and second set screw lugs having driving ends located on the exterior of said connector body and being located along the same longitudinal line and having driving orifices in them for the insertion of a driving tool.

A method of electrically and mechanically connecting a ground wire having an outer surface to an elongated grounding member, such as a grounding pipe or rod in the ground or in an electrical conduit, having an exposed end and an outer, exterior surface, comprising the steps of:

• a) using a connector body of electrically conductive material positionable over the exposed end of the grounding member and including
• a larger, grounding member section having a first, open, interior chamber defined by a first surrounding, inner wall, which is larger in its interior dimensions than the outer dimensions of the grounding member, allowing the connector body to be slipped over the end of the elongated grounding member;
• and
• a smaller, wire section adjacent to said grounding member section having a second, open, interior chamber defined by a second, surrounding, inner wall for the interior insertion of the wire, said body having at least in part a ridge area having smaller interior dimensions than said first inner wall, forming a laterally directed, interior blocking area, said interior dimension of said ridge area being less than the outer dimensions of the grounding member, preventing the two from passing one another due to the presence of said ridge area;
• a first, laterally directed, set screw lug having an interior tip for the grounding member being screwable laterally into said first interior chamber;
• and
• a second, laterally directed, set screw lug having an interior tip for the ground wire being screwable laterally into said second chamber;
• b) placing said connector body over the end of the grounding member with said first chamber fitting and covering over the end of the grounding member and screwing down said first set screw lug until it contacts and drives itself down against the outer surface of the grounding member, holding the grounding member under compression between its interior tip and said interior wall of said first, interior chamber;
• and
• c) inserting the ground wire into the interior of at least said second chamber and screwing down said second set screw lug until it contacts and drives itself down against the outer surface of the ground wire, thereby causing said second set screw lug to hold the wire under compression between its interior tip and said interior wall of said second, interior chamber;
• thereby using said connector body to electrically connect and mechanically secure the ground wire to the grounding member through the two interiorly contained, compressive contacts with them created by said lugs.