Two wire clip-type terminal and tool for operating same

Claim 2

A two wire clip terminal comprising an elongate flat body formed from flat resilient metal and having two notches at its upper part, a base portion at its lower part, and a slot communicating with the lower end of each notch, said slots providing a center arm and two end arms extending in the same direction from a common base, the outer ends of said arms being free so as to provide three cantilever beams arranged side by side, the effective width of each end arm being less that the effective width of said center arm to render each end arm more compliant than said center arm when a wire is inserted into one of said slots.

Claim 3

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 1 which is rated for the diameter of the conductor portion of an Insulated wire, and in which the effective width of each end arm is such that the end arm will be resilient when deflected to an extent equal to the difference between said rated diameter and the slot width, the stiffness of said center arm being in excess of two times the stiffness of either end arm.

Claim 4

A tow wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 1 which is rated for a range of wire sizes, each representing the diameter of the conductor portion of an insulated wire, and in which the effective width of each end arm is such that the end arm will be resilient when deflected to an extent equal to the difference between the conductor diameter of the largest wire size rating and the slot width, the stiffness of said center arm being in excess of substantially three times the stiffness of either end arm.

Claim 5

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 1 in which the effective width of said end arm is less than 70 percent of the effective width of said center arm.

Claim 6

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 1 which is rated for the diameter of the conductor portion of an insulated wire, and in which the bottom of each notch is rounded and has arcuate straight side edges which intersect the edges of said slot to provide substantially 90* sharp corner edges, the width of each said slot at said corner edges being no greater than said rated diameter.

Claim 7

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 1 which includes an elongate aperture spaced below each notch, said slot extending between the bottom of each notch and the upper end of said aperture.

Claim 8

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 6 in which said elongate apertures define for said center arm, a section having a substantially uniform width, said section being of a length substantially greater than said width so that the effective stiffness of said center arm is determined primarily by the width of said section.

Claim 9

A two wire clip terminal as claimed in claim 6 in which the edges of each said slot at a point adjacent to its associated aperture are upset to prestress said end arms and provide a slot width of substantially 0.010 to 0.012 inches at a point adjacent said notch.

Claim 10

A combination two wire clip terminal and tool for inserting an insulated wire therein comprising an elongate flat body portion formed from flat resilient metal and having two notches at its upper end, an elongate aperture spaced below each notch, and a slot extending between the bottom of each notch and the upper end of said aperture providing a center arm and two end arms, the effective width of each end arm being less than the effective width of said center arm to render said end arm more compliant than said center arm to render said end arm more compliant than said center arm when a wire is inserted into one of said slots, a tool having a recess for receiving the upper end of said clip terminal and having end surfaces engaging an insulated wire located in said notch to facilitate the insertion of said wire into said slot, the width of said recess being greater than the width of the upper portion of said clip by a predetermined distance, and locating means on said center arm and said tool for centering said tool with respect to said clip terminal so that the deflection of each arm will be limited to substantially one-half of the aforesaid predetermined distance.

Claim 11

A combination two wire clip terminal and tool for inserting an insulated wire therein comprising an elongate flat body portion formed from flat resilient metal and having two notches at its upper end, an elongate aperture spaced below each notch, and a slot extending between the bottom of each notch and the upper end of said aperture providing a center arm and two end arms, the effective width of each end arm being less than the effective width of said center arm to render said end arm more compliant than said center arm to render said end arm more compliant than said center arm when a wire is inserted into one of said slots, a tool having a recess for receiving the upper end of said clip terminal and having end surfaces engaging an insulated wire located in said notch to facilitate the insertion of said wire into said slot, the width of said recess being greater than the width of the upper portion of said clip by a predetermined distance, and locating means on said center arm and said tool for centering said tool with respect to said clip terminal so that the deflection of each arm will be limited to substantially one-half of the aforesaid predetermined distance.

Claim 12

A combination two wire clip terminal and tool as claimed in claim 9 in which said locating means comprises a boss extending from one surface of said center arm, and a groove in a wall of said recess for receiving said boss in sliding relationship.

Claim 13

A two wire clip terminal comprising an elongate flat body portion formed from flat resilient metal and having two notches at its upper end, a slot communicating with the lower end of each notch, said slots providing a center arm and two end arms, the effective width of each end arm being less than the effective width of each said center arm to render each end arm more compliAnt than said center arm when a wire is inserted into one of said slots, and a locating boss projecting from one surface of said center arm providing a point of reference for limiting the deflection of one end arm with respect to said center arm.

Claim 14

A two wire clip terminal comprising an elongate flat body portion formed from flat resilient metal and having two notches at its upper end, a slot communicating with the lower end of each notch, said slots providing a center arm and two end arms, the effective width of each end arm being less than the effective width of each said center arm to render each end arm more compliAnt than said center arm when a wire is inserted into one of said slots, and a locating boss projecting from one surface of said center arm providing a point of reference for limiting the deflection of one end arm with respect to said center arm.