TOP CLAMP

Abstract: A top clamp comprising a housing (2) made of plastics, whose one end (4) is open whilst the opposite end is closed by means of an end wall (5), a device (3) for twisting and connecting conductors being arranged inside the housing. A projection (7) is arranged on the outside of the end wall (5) having a cross-sectional form corresponding to the cross-sectional form of a rotatable socket in a power actuated nut tightener being per se known.

Description: TOP CLAMP The technical field of the invention This invention relates to a top clamp of the kind that includes a housing, suitably made of plastics, whose one end is open whilst the opposite end is closed by means of an end wall, a device for the twisting and the connection of conductors being arranged inside the housing. Background of the invention Top clamps of the kind related above are above all used for the connection of insulated conductors,having one or several leads,inside conduit boxes that can be recessed in walls or ceilings. More specifically,the connection is done thus that the insulation is stripped from the lead-ends of the conductors arriving in the conduit box and that are intended to be connected, where¬ upon the thus stripped lead-ends arebrought together to a bundle onto which a top clamp is applied which is rotated a plurality of turns, the in the inside of the top cla located twisting device -that in practice consists of a conically tapering thread provided metal sleeve - effecting an efficient twisting and by those means a permanent connection of the leads. The operator has been reduced to effect the necessary turning movement by hand in the previously known top clamps of this kind, something which in practice is time-consuming as well as a strain for the fingers of the hand, especially if a multitude of frequently recurring, connecting operations are to be carried out during a working cycle time. This is the case in spite of the presence of wings on the outer side of the plastic housing facilitating the gripping thereof. Short description of the inventive concept The present invention aims to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks and to create a top clamp that not necessarily must be turned manually by the operator. To this purpose the top clamp according to the invention is primarily characterized in that on the outside of the end wall a projection is arranged having a cross-sectional form, preferably a hexagonal cross-sectional form, corre- sponding to the cross-sectional form of a rotatable socket in per se known power actuated nut tighteners. Short description of the attached drawing In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating how a top clamp made in accordance with the invention can be made to rotate by means of a nut tightener in order to twist a plurality of conductors in a conduit box, and Fig 2 an enlarged perspective view showing a top clamp made in accordance with the principle of the invention. Detailed description of ' a preferred embodiment of the invention In the drawing 1 designates a top clamp that r in a per se known manner,comprises a suitably conically tapering,plastic housing 2 into which an also conically tapering thread-provided metal sleeve 3 has been pressed. The plastic housing 2 is open at its larger end 4 whilst the narrower end is closed by means of an end wall 5. On the outside of the housing 2 two diametrically opposed wings 6,6' are formed /intended to facilitate the turning of the housing by means of the fingers of the hand. In accordance with the principle of the invention a projection 7 with an appropriate length, i.e. 2-6 mm, is formed on the outside of the end wall 5 and in this case having a hexagonal cross-section. More specifically,the cross-sectional form of this projection 7 corresponds to the cross-sectional form of a rotatable socket 8 in- eluded in a nuttightener of a per se known,suitably battery powered kind, in Fig 1 generally designated with 9. In Fig 1 10 further denotes a conduit box whereto a plurality of different electric conductors 11 are brought together. The function of the invention The ends of the conductors that are to be connected together are stripped in. ■ the usual way and brought together to a bundle onto which the top clamp 1 is applied so that the end of the leads stick into the threaded metal sleeve 3. At the next stage the socket 8 is applied onto the projection 7 of the top clamp and the nut tightener 9 is started. The socket will then bring the top clamp into rotation whilst twisting the conductors in a per se known manner (for the sake of clarity the top clamp is shown separated from the conductors in Fig 1, although • in practice these after said rotation are closely connected to the metal sleeve 3) . In accordance with the invention, the too clamp, in question thus, by means of the projection 7, can be simply and quickly connected to,optional and/or known power actuated nut tighteners,thus eliminating all need or a manual turning by the operator. Possible modifications of the invention It is evident that the invention is not only limited to the embodiment as shown in the drawing and description. Thus the projection in question can be given another optional cross-sectional form than hexagonal, in order to fit other types of nut tighteners.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Top clamp of the kind that includes a housing(2) suitably made of plastics, whose one end(4) is open whilst the opposite end is closed by means of an end wall(5), a device(3) for the twisting and connection of conductors being arranged inside the housing, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a projection(7) is arranged on the outside of the end wall(5) and having a form in cross-section,e.g. hexagonal, that corresponds to the cross-sectional form of a rotatable socket(8) of known or arbitrary power-actu- tuated nut tighteners. 2. Top clamp according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d i n that the projection(7) is made integral with the housing(2).

Inventors: JOHANSSON JAN-ERIC, JOHANSSON, JAN-ERIC
Applicants: JAEMTPLAST AB
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H01R4
IPC codes: H01R4