Set of strips of electrical terminals and a method of loading an

Abstract

A set of strips of electrical terminals connected together by carrier strips (122 and 120) each comprises electrical terminals (95) each having a receptacle portion (96), a barbed retention part (98) for retaining the terminal in a terminal receiving cavity (62) in an insulating housing (14), a terminal leg and a cranked arm (102) connecting the retention part (98) to the terminal leg (100). The leg (100) has intermediate its ends a retention member (108), the leg (100) terminating in an insertion lance (112) for insertion in a hole (H) in a substrate (S). The set of terminal strips, comprises pairs of terminal strips, the arms (102) of the terminals of each pair of said strips being cranked in opposite senses. The portion (114) of the leg (100), between the arm (102) and retaining member (108) varies in length from pair of terminal strips to pair of terminal strips. The angle of crank of the arm (102) similarly varies. The invention enables the terminals (95) when they have been severed from the strips, to be selectively inserted into terminal receiving cavities (62) arranged in superposed rows in such a way that the insertion lances (112) are level with each other in two parallel rows, the spacing between the insertion lances (112) of the rows being determined by the angles of crank of the arms (102).