Electrical connector of the hermaphroditic type

Abstract

A hermaphroditic connector for use in pairs to join a plurality of electrical conductors includes a block housing of integral construction containing one or more stacked rows of a plurality of adjacent isolated passageways. A horizontal shelf extends forwardly from each such row and includes an inner shelf surface having a front nose projecting forward of the housing side walls. Each passageway is adapted to receive a conductor terminal having a planar tongue with adjacent lateral tangs and an integral, abutting spring arm. During insertion of each terminal into any one passageway, the tangs engage within lateral passageway slots and the spring arm is juxtapositioned the shelf inner surface with a lug on the terminal blade deflecting and becoming entrapped by a lock finger in the housing. Proper alignment and positive juncture between an opposed, inverted pair of the connectors is achieved in view of pairs of laterally spaced apart tongues projecting forwardly from the front face and which overlap opposed ones of the tongues to insure that continued closing wil cause opposed shelves to be immediately juxtaposed one another. The resultant closure insures that each terminal tongue slidably contacts an opposed terminal tongue, intermediate its tongue and spring arm. Mating locking and catch members on each connector complete the connection of the housings.