Patent attributes
A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated conductors of a flat cable with a plurality of tap-off branch conductors includes a plurality of insulation-piercing contacts that extend upwardly from the horizontal upper surface of the rectangular base member of a connector housing. A horizontal actuator plate is arranged in spaced relation above the contacts to define a space for longitudinally receiving the cable. When a housing cover member is initially slidably displaced longitudinally of the base member from an open first position toward a closed second position, a first wedge arrangement displaces the actuator plate downwardly to force the cable into insulation-piercing engagement with the contacts. When the cover member is subsequently displaced to the fully closed second position, a second wedge arrangement clamps the ends of the actuator plate to the cable, thereby to provide the connector contacts with strain relief protection.