Grounding connector

A grounding connector for interconnecting a ground wire with a pipe in a one-piece stamped and formed member (10) which includes an outer section having diverging walls (14,16) extending from a base section (12) to form a V-shaped channel (18), upper sections (20,22) of the walls (termed outer walls) being crimpable toward each other and locked in a vertical orientation when applied to the pipe (70) and wire (68). An inner section (30) extends integrally from the top (24) of one outer wall (20) and is latchable to the top (24) of the other outer wall (22), and includes a pair of inner walls (36,40) joined by a central arcuate portion (38) crossing the top of the U-shaped channel (18). When the outer and inner walls (20,36;22,40) are crimped to a vertical orientation and locked, the rotated inner walls (36,40) urge the central portion (38) downwardly against the large diameter pipe (70) which in turn engages upper edges (64) of a pair of insert tabs (52,54) partially rotating them to urge other tab edges (62) under spring bias against the ground wire (68) in the V-shaped channel (18) below the insert tabs (52,54). The insert tab edges (62,64) penetrate corrosion on the surface of the pipe (70) and ground wire (68) to establish a ground connection having stored energy from the spring bias.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This relates to the field of electrical connectors and more particularly to 
grounding connectors. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In certain electrical wiring arrangements such as in utilities or in 
telecommunications, it is necessary to interconnect a pair of uninsulated 
conductors to establish a system ground. Where the conductors are 
uninsulated for long periods of time prior to being interconnected, a 
substantial layer of corrosion forms on the conductor surfaces having a 
thickness of about 0.001 inches and in spots up to about 0.0035 inches. It 
is necessary for the connector selected to interconnect a pair of such 
corrosion-encrusted conductors, to establish an assured electrical 
connection with the conductive portion of the conductors beneath the 
corrosion layer, sufficient to establish a ground connection. It is also 
necessary for the connector to remain firmly secured to the conductors and 
assuredly electrically interconnecting them over long in-service use, 
while exposed to the environment. 
It is desirable to be able to apply a connector directly to the 
corrosion-encrusted conductors rather than involve a procedure to remove 
the corrosion prior to application. It is further desirable for such a 
connector to be easily applied without special tools or involving an 
operator-sensitive procedure. It is also desirable for the connector to 
provide a visual indication of an assured electrical connection. 
It is additionally desirable for such a connector to be applicable to a 
pipe for establishing a grounding connection of a ground wire. 
Further, it is desirable for such a connector to be formed of a single 
component and not require assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an integral component which includes a pair of 
initially diverging sections extending from a bight section in a V shape 
together defining a conductor-receiving region between opposed clamping 
surfaces; when the body sections are manipulated or squeezed into an 
applied configuration, the clamping surfaces are urged toward each other 
and against the conductors and thereby establish a ground connection 
between the conductors. Preferably an insert section is disposed in the 
conductor-receiving region between the clamping surfaces defining discrete 
conductor-receiving passageways and against which the conductors are 
clamped. The insert section includes engagement edges extending toward the 
clamping surfaces and having profiles shaped selectively to match the 
surfaces of the respective conductors. The connector defines a pair of 
separate passageways into which the conductors are inserted, after which 
the connector is deformed such as by pliers to clamp the conductors 
against the profiled engagement edges of the insert section. Preferably 
the insert section includes a pair of spaced engagement edges engageable 
with each of the respective conductors at locations axially spaced 
therealong, adapted to break through corrosion formed on the conductor 
surfaces. 
The component includes a base section and a pair of initially diverging 
walls extending upwardly to upper ends from the base section to form a 
V-shaped (or optionally a U-shaped) channel into which the first 
conductor, such as a wire, is disposed. Formed integrally with one of the 
upper wall ends is a clamping section which will ultimately be rotated 
about the upper wall end to latch at its flanged free end with a 
corresponding flange on the other upper wall end to extend between the 
wall ends in which position it will be locked after the connector is 
mounted about a portion of a continuous second conductor such as a pipe. 
The clamping section when locked in position above the upper conductor 
includes wall sections extending inwardly and downwardly at an angle 
toward the upper conductor and are joined by a central portion. The inside 
surfaces of the base section and the central portion of the clamping 
section define opposed first and second clamping surfaces, which face 
respective first and second conductor-receiving regions. 
When the connector has been mounted about the first and second conductors 
with the conductors disposed in the conductor-receiving regions and the 
clamping section locked in position, the upper sections of the diverging 
walls are squeezed toward each other such as by pliers until rotated into 
a vertical orientation, with the lower wall sections adapted to be between 
about the large diameter second or upper conductor such as a pipe. The 
rotated upper wall sections, or outer wall sections, are brought against 
the wall sections of the clamping section, or inner wall sections, to 
cause them to be likewise rotated into a vertical alignment bout the 
integral joints with the central portion. Upon rotation, the inner wall 
sections urge the central portion toward the base section and press the 
conductor in the passageways against the clamping surfaces and against the 
insert section therebetween. 
The inset section preferably includes a pair of first edges extending 
downwardly to engage the first or lower conductor at spaced locations 
axially along the first conductor, and a pair of second edges extending 
upwardly to engage the second or upper conductor which may be a larger 
diameter pipe. Each edge is profiled to be arcuate and correspond to the 
round surface of the first conductor thus engaging the conductor at 
several locations about the circumference. Further, each of the first and 
second edges is defined along a plate portion of the insert section which 
is preferably angled from the vertical, and upon engagement with the first 
conductor during crimping, becomes deflected to a greater angle form the 
vertical to wipe along the conductor surface axially breaking through the 
corrosion and also becoming spring biased against the conductor surface 
after full crimping. Preferably the insert section comprises a pair of 
plate sections extending between a first and second engagement edge of 
each pair thereof, and joined to respective wall sections proximate the 
base section by respective straps capable of being twisted during crimping 
as the plate sections are rotated by the first and second conductors upon 
engagement therewith. 
The connectors can be fabricated by being stamped from a single strip of 
metal and the various sections thereof can be formed, resulting in a 
single piece; preferably the connector can be made of copper alloy such as 
brass or made of deformable stainless steel. 
The connector of the present invention is adapted to groundingly connect a 
round wire to a larger diameter pipe (or rod). The base section of the 
outer body member is essentially V-shaped with the apex of the V being 
round to receive the smaller diameter wire therealong, while the central 
portion of the clamping section is convex upwardly with a radius 
approximately matching the diameter of the pipe (or rod), such as one 
having a one-half inch diameter. 
the connector preferably includes means for locking the vertically-rotated 
wall sections together upon full crimping for an assured mechanical 
connection to the wire and pipe. Such locking means can comprise a pair of 
tabs formed from the inner wall sections of the clamping section to extend 
generally inwardly from the ends thereof but formed to be angled outwardly 
away from the central portion; free ends of the tabs will extend to each 
other upon rotation of the outer and inner wall sections and will become 
lockingly engaged by means of a locking projection of one free end 
becoming caught behind a locking surface of a slot through the other. The 
locking arrangement provides a mechanical assurance of full crimping and a 
visual indicator thereafter. 
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an electrical 
grounding connector easily applied to uninsulated conductors of certain 
dimensions to establish a grounding connection therebetween without 
requiring special tools or particular skill. 
It is another objective for the connector to be especially adapted to be 
applied to corroded conductors and penetrate the corrosion upon simple 
application to establish an assured grounding connection therebetween. 
It is yet another objective for the connector to be usable with a wire and 
a large diameter rod or pipe. 
It is additionally an objective for such connector to be a single piece not 
requiring assembly of parts, and adapted to be easily mounted around 
intermediate portions of continuous conductors upon application. 
It is still another objective for the connector to provide a mechanical and 
visual indication of assured connection. 
It is also an objective of the connector of the present invention to be 
fabricated at low cost. 
An embodiment of the grounding connector will now be disclosed by way of 
example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Grounding connector 10 is shown in FIG. 1 after being stamped and formed 
from a single strip of metal such as brass or stainless steel. Connector 
10 is to be applied to intermediate portions of continuous lengths of 
conductors such as a ground wire and a larger diameter pipe by being 
mountable around the conductors. FIG. 2 illustrates the connector 10 as it 
would appear after being disposed around the conductors but not yet 
crimped thereto, and FIG. 3 illustrates the configuration of the connector 
as it would appear after crimping, with the conductors not shown. 
Connector 10 includes a base section 12 and outer walls having lower wall 
sections 14,16 extending upwardly therefrom and diverging to define 
V-shaped channel 18, and upper wall sections 20,22 continuing outwardly 
from lower wall sections 14,16 to bends 24 at outermost extents thereof. 
Lower and upper wall sections 14,20;16,22 diverge outwardly from base 
section 12 at selected angles .alpha. from vertical (FIG. 5). Upper wall 
sections 20,22 are bent back inwardly at bends 24 to form slots 26. 
Clamping section 30 extends from upper wall section 20 and includes a hinge 
joint 32 integral with bend 24 thereof, a first bend 34 extending from 
hinge joint 32, and in succession a first inner wall section 36, an 
arcuate central portion 38, and a second inner wall section 40 concluding 
in a second bend 42. Initially, clamping section 30 extends in a direction 
generally away from base section 12 permitting the connector to be easily 
placed around a continuous portion of a large diameter pipe (see FIG. 5). 
Central portion 38 is arcuate outwardly and joins inner ends of wall 
sections 36,40 at radiused third bends 44. The concave inwardly facing 
surface of central portion 38 defines clamping surface 46 associated and 
engageable with an upper surface of a second large diameter conductor such 
as a pipe upon crimping, with the radius of concave clamping surface 46 
generally equal to the radius of the pipe. 
Referring to FIG. 2, clamping section 30 has been rotated about hinge joint 
32 to extend between the outer extents of upper wall sections 20,22. First 
and second bends 34,42 are disposed within slots 26 inside of bends 24 at 
the outer extents of upper wall sections 20,22, with second bend 42 
latched within the respective slot 26 under spring bias generated by hinge 
joint 32. Wall sections 36,40 now extend downwardly and inwardly within 
upper wall sections 20,22 and will hereafter be referred to as inner walls 
36,40 while upper wall sections 20,22 will hereafter be referred to as 
outer walls 20,22. Inner walls 36,40 are now oriented at selected angles 
.beta. (FIG. 6) which are greater than angles .alpha. of outer walls 
20,22. 
Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, concave clamping surface 46 now faces downwardly 
toward the inside surface 48 of base section 12, with both generally 
defining therebetween a conductor-receiving region 50. Near inside 
clamping surface 48 of base section 12, a pair of undulate or contoured 
insert tabs 52,54 extend inwardly each from a respective one of lower wall 
sections 14,16 generally forming an insert section dividing 
conductor-receiving region 50 into lower and upper conductor-receiving 
passageways 56,58. 
With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, each contoured insert tab 52,54 
comprises a plate portion 60 extending between a first end portion 
concluding in a first or lower engagement edge 62 and a second end portion 
concluding in a second or upper engagement edge 64, and is joined to a 
lower wall section 14,16 by a strap 66. First or lower edges 62 are 
concave to correspond with the surface of a round wire first conductor 68 
and are spaced apart to engage the round wire at spaced axial locations 
therealong; second or upper edges 64 are concave to correspond with the 
lower surface of a large diameter pipe second conductor 70, and are spaced 
apart to engage the pipe at spaced axial locations therealong. 
Each plate section 60 is generally oriented slightly upwardly from 
horizontal extending inwardly into V-shaped channel 18 to be rotated about 
straps 66 upon crimping to a generally horizontal orientation. Further, 
each insert tab 52,54 is undulate or contoured so that respective end 
portions of plate section 60 adjacent first and second edges 62,64 extend 
downwardly and upwardly from at angles of about 30.degree. from the 
vertical for a sharp corner of the edge to engage the wire or pipe surface 
and penetrate the corrosion thereon, and also to be wiped along the 
surfaces when insert tabs are generally somewhat flattened under 
compression between pipe 70 and ground wire 68 during final stages of 
crimping. 
In FIG. 5 connector 10 is being mounted about a portion of a continuous 
large diameter pipe 70, with pipe 70 positioned above insert tabs 52,54 
and an end portion of a grounding wire 68 routed below the insert tabs 
against clamping surface 48 defined by base section 12 forming the bottom 
of the V-shaped channel 18. Alternatively connector 10 can be mounted to a 
portion of a continuous length of ground wire 68 by manipulating the wire 
or the inset tabs 52,54 or both until the wire is worked between and under 
the insert tabs and along base section 12. 
In FIG. 6 clamping section 30 has been rotated downwardly about hinge joint 
32 until first bend 34 has entered associated slot 26 at bend 24 of outer 
wall 20 and second bend 42 has latched into its associated slot 26 at bend 
24 of outer wall 22. Clamping surface 46 of central portion 38 is not 
proximate the upper surface of pipe 70 and inner walls 36,40 extend at 
angles .beta. from vertical diverging from outer walls 20,22 which are 
oriented at angles .alpha. from vertical less than angles .beta.. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, crimping is easily performed by squeezing outer 
walls 20,22 at upper extents thereof toward each other such as with 
pliers, rotating outer walls 20,22 about pipe 70. First and second bends 
34,42 of inner walls 36,40 firmly engage bottoms of slots 26; continued 
rotation of outer walls 20,22 toward each other during crimping in turn 
rotates inner walls 36,40 toward each other about joints 44 which define 
pivot points, until both outer and inner walls attain a vertical 
orientation. 
During crimping, free ends 34,42 of inner walls 36,40 are trapped in 
bent-back free ends 24 of outer walls 20,22; rotation of inner walls 36,40 
to vertical causes central portion 38 to move relatively downwardly toward 
base section 12, since inner walls 36,40 are rotated through a greater 
angle than are outer walls 20,22. 
Connector 10 is stamped and formed in its final shape form a strip of metal 
having spring properties such as brass alloy no. 260 half hard temper or 
stainless steel and having a general thickness of about 0.040 inches. 
Outer walls 20,22 preferably are formed at an angle .alpha. of about 
20.degree. to about 40.degree. and preferably about 30.degree. from 
vertical and bends 24 define partially open slots 26 with radiused bottoms 
at least as wide as the outer surfaces of first and second bends 34,42 of 
clamping section 30. Clamping section 30 has a selected length and shape 
so that after rotation and latching to outer wall 22, inner walls 36,40 
are oriented to extend at a angle .beta. which may be from about 
35.degree. to about 55.degree. and preferably about 45.degree. from 
vertical. 
Also shown especially in FIGS. 6 and 7 is a locking arrangement for locking 
connector 10 together upon full crimping. First locking lance 72 extends 
at a right angle inwardly and upwardly from inner wall 36 to a free end 74 
in which is formed upper and lower locking projections 76,78 defining lock 
surfaces 80,82 facing inner wall 36. Second locking lance 84 similarly 
extends inwardly and upwardly at aright angle form inner wall 40 to a free 
end 86 and includes a slot 88 defining a corresponding lock surface 90 
facing inner wall 40, best seen in FIG. 4. Free ends 74,86 meet and begin 
to interleaf upon inner walls 36,40 being rotated to a vertical 
orientation, and irrespective of either free end passing over or under the 
other, one of locking projections 76,78 will enter slot 88 and the locking 
surface 80 or 82 thereof will oppose and lock behind locking surface 90. 
Locking lances 72,84 prevent inner walls 36,40 and perforce outer walls 
20,22 from being opened outwardly and also serve as a visual indication of 
full crimping thereafter. 
In FIG. 7, outer walls 20,22 have been urged toward each other by pliers 
until vertical, bending generally about pipe 70, urging inner walls 36,40 
to a vertical orientation and translating central portion 38 downwardly 
for concave clamping surface 46 thereof. In turn, clamping surface 46 
clamps against the top surface of pipe 70 and urges pipe 70 against second 
or upper engagement edges 64 of insert tabs 52,54. As a result, first or 
lower engagement edges 62 of insert tabs 52,54 are clamped tightly against 
wire 68 which is thus clamped against clamping surface 48 of V-shaped base 
section 12. Free ends 74,86 of locking lances 72,84 are interlocked. 
Engagement edges 62,64 establish electrical connections with conductive 
material of grounding wire 68 and pipe 70, respectively, thus groundingly 
connecting them. 
Best seen in FIG. 7 wherein connector 10 has been fully crimped, it is 
preferred to provide support flanges 92 upturned from inner walls 36,40 to 
define support ledges 94 engageable with top surface portions of central 
portion 38 upon full crimping at axially spaced locations axially along 
both sides. Such support flanges 92 provide an upper stop when clamping 
surface 46 is clamped tightly against the upper surface of pipe 70 and 
minimize deformation and possible weakening of rounded joints 44, and 
provide for generally even levels of clamping at four separate locations. 
Other variations may be devised which are within the spirit of the 
invention and the scope of the claims. It is also within the spirit of the 
invention to utilize other structures which when crimped together, clamp a 
pair of wire-clamping surfaces of the connector against a pair of wires 
and cause edges or teeth along the V-shaped channel walls or the central 
portion of the clamping section themselves to break through the wire 
corrosion and interconnect the wire and pipe to establish an assured 
grounding path.