Connector with conductor retention means

Claim 1

A connector for one or more conductors comprising: means for electrically contacting each conductor disposed within a casing of insulating material, said contact means including two parallel extending contacts with contact surfaces spring based against each other, and means for retaining said conductor in a position between the contacts, said retaining means including a swivel means adapted to be rotated about one point, said swivel means having a projecting part which cooperates with a stationary counterelement to retain the conductor, said swivel means also having an abutment surface adapted to engage an end of one of the parallel extending contacts, whereby rotating the swivel means in one direction will move the projecting part away from a position adjoining the counterelement and will cause the abutment surface to engage the end of said one contact so as to lift the contact to create a gap between said contact surfaces through which the conductor may be inserted, and whereby subsequently rotating the swivel means in the other direction will lower said one contact until its end is free of the abutment surface and the projecting part is positioned adjacent the counterelement, said conductor thereby being electrically contacted by said spring biased contact surfaces and also being retained by the clamping action between the projecting part and the counterelement.