Electrical conductor splicing assembly having spring with opposite end portions captured by and interconnecting conductor gripping members

An electrical conductor splicing assembly, comprising:

• (a) a tubular shell made of a substantially electrically conductive material and having opposite ends, a middle portion and opposite end portions extending said middle portion and said opposite end portions and tapering from said middle portion to said opposite ends, said shell defining an interior chamber open at said opposite ends of said shell;
• (b) a pair of tubular conductor gripping members made of a substantially electrically conductive material and disposed within said interior chamber of said shell, each of said gripping members having opposite inner and outer ends, an inner portion and an outer portion and defining a longitudinal passageway open at said inner and outer ends and a cavity within said inner portion in communication with said passageway, said shell and said gripping members being adapted for receiving an end portion of an electrical conductor through each of said opposite ends and within said interior chamber of said shell and through said outer end and within said passageway and said cavity of each of said gripping members;
• and
• (c) a spring disposed within said interior chamber of said shell between said gripping members and having a main portion, a pair of opposite end portions and a pair of intermediate portions each disposed between and interconnecting one of said opposite end portions of said spring to said main portion thereof, said opposite end portions of said spring being captured within said cavities of said gripping members so as to mount said spring to said gripping members such that said spring and said gripping members are connected together, said spring urging said gripping members away from one another outwardly toward said opposite ends of said shell and causing said outer portions of said gripping members to abut against said opposite end portions of said shell and press radially inwardly toward and grip the end portions of the electrical conductors received within said passageways and thereby provide an electrical connection between the electrical conductors via said gripping members and shell, said intermediate portions of said spring being disposed adjacent to said inner ends of said gripping members and having diameters which are reduced in size relative to diameters of said opposite end portions of said spring such that the end portions of the electrical conductors can pass through said opposite end portions of said spring whereas said intermediate portions of said spring are adapted to engage and thereby block the end portions of the electrical conductors from passing farther into said shell through said main portion of said spring located between said gripping members.