Amerace Corporation

Andrew A Kominiak

Glenn J Luzzi

Frank M Stepniak

Glenn E Storck

Alan D Borgstrom

A simplified electrical high voltage loadbreak bushing insert connector is disclosed which provides an improved electrical current path between a bushing well and a male probe contact during fault and activated closure while eliminating the usual prior art internal conductive sleeve contact. A solid contact, directly coupled to a bushing well stud, electrically engages a tubular extension of the movable female contact assembly during movement of the assembly over its entire range. In a first group of embodiments, contact is made with the interior of the tubular extension while in others with the exterior. Various stop member arrangements are disclosed to limit movement of the female contact assembly and of joining the solid contact to the insert body.

High-voltage loadbreak bushing insert connector

A two piece, plastic, bayonet locking housing for assembly over a high voltage cable splice to protect the splice and exposed concentric neutral wires. End seals are provided at the cable entrances to the housing to prevent the entrance of dirt and moisture and take the form of closely conforming rubber tubes. The rolled tubes are mounted on the slotted cable entrance ends of the housings and held there by the hoop forces of the housing. Radial displacement of the housing ends reduces these hoop forces permitting the tubes to start to unroll and the tubes are fully extended over the housing ends and onto and over a portion of the cables.

High voltage cable splice protector

An electrical connector for use in connecting a male contact to a female contact in an energized high voltage circuit, the electrical connector having a female contact assembly which is movable and is accelerated in response to the generation of arc-quenching gases within the electrical connector to aid in more rapidly closing the connection between the female contact and the male contact, and kinetic energy absorption and dissipation means for gradually absorbing and dissipating at least a portion of the kinetic energy imparted to the female contact assembly as a result of such acceleration thereof, so as to decelerate the female contact assembly and thereby facilitate bringing the female contact assembly to a halt subsequent to closing the connection.

Electrical connector

Disclosed herein is a splice connector housing comprising a tubular elastomeric sleeve having first and second coaxial end portions which receive the insulation and shield of first and second cables, respectively, and, between the end portions, a central portion coaxial with the end portions and of substantially uniform wall thickness and which receives and resiliently grips a compression connector crimped to the bared ends of the conductors of the cables. The central portion further has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, similar radially resiliently, dilatable inner areas the inner surfaces of which define a circle normally of lesser diameter than both the cable insulation and the compression connector and a like number of circumferentially spaced similar relieved outer areas the inner surfaces of which define a circle of greater diameter than the cable shield. Each outer area merges smoothly, circumferentially, with two inner areas. Also disclosed herein is a completed splice joint of two shielded cables employing the housing.

Splice connector housing and assembly of cables employing same

Splice connector

Disclosed herein is a female electrical connector for separably connecting a male contact element with a high voltage circuit. The connector comprises a conductive housing having a first end adapted to receive the male contact element, a second end adapted to be closed and an internal wall surface providing an axially extending opening therebetween. The connector includes an elongate female contact assembly including a tubular conductive piston within and in conductive relationship with the housing and axially movable between a normal first position wherein the piston is maximally spaced from the first housing end and a second position. The piston provides a chamber adjacent the second housing end. The assembly also includes female contact means, for engaging the male contact element, carried by and movable with and in electrically conductive relationship with the piston. The female contact assembly is configured to transmit to the chamber arc-quenching gas which is generated when an arc is truck between the male contact element and the female contact means. The connector further comprises a latch mechanism for retaining the piston in the first position until gas pressure in the chamber attains a predetermined value and for releasing the piston to cause the same to move toward the second position when said pressure exceeds said predetermined value.

An electrical connector includes a contact assembly having a cylindrical contact element and a terminal member defining a cylindrical contact element support surface and contact element retention surfaces juxtaposed with the support surface with passages opening into the terminal member and extending through the retention surfaces. Axially facing ends of the retention surfaces have spacing therebetween less than the axial extent of the contact element for retaining the same and axially distal ends of the passages have spacing therebetween exceeding the contact element axial extent to facilitate non-deforming contact element insertion in the terminal member.

Electrical connectors and contact assemblies therefor

In making an electrical contact assembly of type having a louvered contact element, a terminal member is formed in first and second separable parts defining respective contact element retention surfaces. The contact element is formed into cylindrical configuration and is applied to the first terminal member part with one contact finger set thereof engaging the same, and is advanced into engagement with the retention surface thereof while common force is applied to the other contact finger set. The second terminal member part is then secured to the first part with the contact element engaging its retention surface. Assembly tools facilitate such common force application to the contact element.

Growing community of inventors

Flanders, NJ, United States of America

Andrew A Kominiak