Spring-loaded wedge dead end connector having elements for coupling together and preventing removal of conductor-gripping jaws

A spring-loaded wedge dead end connector, comprising:

• (a) a connector body having a base and a pair of opposite jaw guides formed on and protruding outwardly from said base and defining a guide channel therewith, said jaw guides extending in a spaced angular relationship to one another such that said jaw guides and said guide channel defined by said base and said jaw guides converge from a rear end to a front end of said base;
• (b) a pair of jaws mounted between said jaw guides and on said base of said connector body for undergoing slidable movement within said guide channel thereof along forwardly converging and rearwardly diverging paths between a rearward open position for receiving a segment of an electrical conductor therebetween and a forward closed position in which said jaws provide a clamping wedging engagement with the electrical conductor segment disposed therebetween;
• and
• (c) a pair of jaw keepers separate from and securable on the jaw guides of the connector body so as to overlie the jaws and prevent removal of the jaws from the connector body.

A spring-loaded wedge dead end connector, comprising:

• (a) a connector body having a base and a pair of opposite jaw guides formed on and protruding outwardly from said base and defining a guide channel therewith;
• (b) a pair of jaws mounted between said jaw guides and on said base of said connector body for undergoing slidable movement within said guide channel thereof between an open position for receiving a segment of an electrical conductor therebetween and an closed position in which said jaws provide a clamping engagement with the electrical conductor segment disposed therebetween;
• (c) a plurality of complementary elements formed on said jaws such that said complementary elements directly and slidably interfit with one another so as to ensure that said jaws are coupled to one another to undergo the slidable movement together;
• and
• (d) a plurality of retention elements for preventing removal of said jaws from said connector body.

A connector assembly for an end of a cable, said connector assembly comprising:

• a body having front and back ends, opposed top and bottom walls and opposed side walls extending between said top and bottom walls, said top and bottom and side walls defining a cavity extending axially between said front and back ends of said body;
• said side walls defining opposed elongated jaw guides at opposite ends of said cavity, said jaw guides being disposed at an angle relative to one another and being spaced apart by a larger distance adjacent said back end of said body and a shorter distance adjacent said front end of said body;
• a pair of opposed jaws in said cavity, each jaw having a guide structure at an outer side of said jaw slidably supported in one of said jaw guides, said jaws having interfacing cable grip surfaces at inner sides of said jaws defining an axially extending cable nest;
• said top wall having an axially extending cable receiving opening permitting top entry of the cable into said cable nest;
• a latch means including jaw tabs extending from each of said jaws, respectively, each tab including first and second engageable notches, respectively, for normally holding said jaws adjacent the back end of said body in an open cocked position in which said cable grip surfaces are separated by a distance larger than a cable diameter;
• and
• spring means biasing said jaws toward the front end of said body for moving said jaws forward and together to grip a cable in said cable nest in response to release of said latch means;
• and
• a pair of support arms extending rearwardly from said back end with attachment structures at the ends of said support arms, said support arms being spaced apart by a distance at least as large as the cable diameter.

A dead end connector, comprising:

• a connector body including a base with first and second ends, and first and second guide walls extending from said base and converging from said second end to said first end;
• first and second clamping members disposed on said base and between said first and second guide walls, said first and second clamping members being slidably movable with respect to said first and second guide walls, respectively, between said first and second ends of said base, and said first and second clamping members defining a receiving area therebetween adapted to receive an elongated member;
• and
• first and second extension elements extending from said first and second clamping members, respectively, each of said first and second extension elements extend into said receiving area between said first and second clamping members with said first and second extension elements being engaged as said first and second clamping members slide between said first and second ends of said base, and including respective first and second notches that are engaged at said second end of said base to releasably retain said first and second clamping members at said second end.

A dead end connector, comprising:

• a connector body including a base with opposite first and second ends, and defining a longitudinal length;
• first and second clamping members slidably engaged with said base of said connector body and movable between said first and second ends of said base;
• and
• first and second guide walls extending from said base of said connector body and converging from said second end to said first end, said first and second guide walls receiving said first and second clamping members in a direction perpendicular to the plane of sliding movement of said clamping members trapping said first and second clamping members between said first and second guide walls.

A dead end connector, comprising:

• a connector body including a base with first and second ends,
• first and second clamping members slidably engaged with said base of said connector body and movable between said first and second ends of said base;
• and
• first and second guide walls extending from said base of said connector body between first and second base ends and converging from said second end to said first end, said first and second guide walls including first and second opposing inner surfaces, respectively, that are substantially continuously planar between said base and respective first and second free ends remote from said base, said first and second free ends defining an opening sized to receive said first and second clamping members.