Electric tap connector

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The foregoing "background" has highlighted the products believed to be most nearly similar to the present invention, and some of the features which this invention seeks to be improved upon.
The electrical connector of this invention is highly suited to electrically and mechanically connect a main conductor to a tap conductor.
The tap conductor can be another main line or a bail to which tap lines may be readily attached and detached, even while the circuit is "hot".
The invention includes a C-shaped body having a curved top wall adapted to hook over a main conductor.
The body has a curved bottom wall substantially identical to the top curved wall adapted to receive the tap conductor or bail.
A separate wedge is engaged with a captive drive screw.
The captive nature is provided by a lateral slotted lug.
The screw and lug are laterally shiftable with respect to one another in order to allow the wedge to be free floating.
The screw is captive longitudinally and drives in either direction, to drive the wedge forward or in reverse direction.
The preferred embodiment includes a "hot" stick tab.
The tap connector per se does not have a torque limiting structure, such as the shear device structure of the prior art.
Rather, by providing a frangible drive adapter designed to fracture at a given torque level, this invention assures the user that sufficient wedging force has been applied to properly set the wedge.
The danger in prior art devices is that not enough pressure may be applied.
This invention provides a replaceable frangible adaptor that is driven until it fractures.
Only then is the operator sure the wedge is seated properly.
Thus, expensive shear devices on the connector itself are eliminated, and the structure is reusable without reconstruction.