Resilient contact for electrical conductors

An electrical connector for connecting an electrical conductor with an electrical contact mounted within a chamber contained within a housing formed of electrical insulating material, comprising:

• (a) a housing (1) formed of electrical insulating material and containing a chamber (2), said housing containing first (12) and second (13) openings communicating with said chamber, said first opening being operable to receive said electrical conductor;
• (b) a stationary electrical contact (5) mounted in said chamber adjacent said first housing opening;
• and
• (c) a resilient V-shaped clamping member (3) mounted in said chamber adjacent said second housing opening, said clamping member including:
• (1) a support leg (9);
• (2) a clamping leg portion (7);
• and
• (3) a connecting portion (10) connecting first ends of said support and said clamping leg portions, said clamping member normally having a first condition in which said connecting portion is adjacent said second housing opening, said support leg is supported by a wall portion of said chamber, and said clamping leg is resiliently biased toward said stationary electrical contact;
• (4) said clamping leg portion having a second end including:
• (a) an offset terminal portion (16) terminating in a clamping edge (8);
• and
• (b) an intermediate double-bent portion (15) connecting said terminal portion with said clamping leg portion, said terminal portion being parallel with said clamping leg portion and being laterally offset in the direction of said support leg portion;
• (5) said clamping member being so arranged that when a conductor is inserted into said chamber via said first opening toward a position between said electrical contact and said clamping leg portion, said clamping member is operable toward a clamping condition in which said clamping leg portion is angularly arranged relative to said conductor, thereby to bias the conductor toward engagement with said stationary electrical contact, and in which said clamping edge is in retaining engagement with the adjacent surface of the conductor, thereby to retain the conductor within the housing chamber;
• (6) said connecting portion being displaceable upon the insertion of a release tool (14) into said second opening toward said stationary contact, thereby to cause said clamping member to have a released condition in which said clamping leg is in parallel engagement with the conductor, in which said terminal portion is parallel with and spaced from the conductor, and in which said clamping edge is disengaged and spaced from the conductor, thereby to permit removal of the conductor from the housing.