Blasting block connector

Abstract

A connector block having an elongated body with an end wall at one end. A resilient, cantilever arm extends from one side of the end wall over the wall to the other side of the wall and terminates in a free end at the other side of the end wall. The arm is spaced from the outer face of the end wall to define, with the outer face, a slot that snugly receives signal lines. The cantilevered arm is tapered in thickness toward its free end in a manner to have the end wall curl back over itself when the block is used by exploding a detonator carried by the block.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A connector block having an elongated body, the body having an end wall at one end, the end wall having an outer face; an opening in the end wall extending through the end wall to the outer face; the body adapted to support a detonator with a leading explosive end of the detonator extending into the opening in the end wall and at least close to the outer face of the end wall; a cantilever arm extending from one side of the end wall over the outer face of the end wall to the other side of the end wall and terminating in a free end at the other side of the end wall; the arm spaced from the outer face to define, with the outer face, a slot that snugly receives signal lines so as to locate the signal lines adjacent the opening; the free end of the arm and the end wall forming an entrance to the slot; the cantilevered arm tapered in thickness, from a point spaced along its length from its connection to the end wall determined by where the arm will curl rearwardly over itself rather than separate from the end wall when the detonator is exploded, to adjacent its free end where it is thinnest.  
     
     
         2 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cantilevered arm is tapered from at least the center of the arm, where the longitudinal axis of the opening intersects the arm, to adjacent its free end where it is thinnest.  
     
     
         3 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cantilevered arm is resilient.  
     
     
         4 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the cantilevered arm is resilient  
     
     
         5 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the portion of the slot that receives the signal lines is of uniform width.  
     
     
         6 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the portion of the slot that receives the signal lines is of uniform width.  
     
     
         7 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the portion of the slot that receives the signal lines is of uniform width.  
     
     
         8 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the portion of the slot that receives the signal lines is of uniform width.  
     
     
         9 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the outer face of the end wall is curved to have a generally semicircular portion extending toward the arm, the portion centrally located with respect to the opening, the arm curved to follow the curved portion to provide a slot of substantially uniform width.  
     
     
         10 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the outer face of the end wall is curved to have a generally semicircular portion extending toward the arm, the portion centrally located with respect to the opening, the arm curved to follow the curved portion to provide a slot of substantially uniform width.  
     
     
         11 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the outer face of the end wall is curved to have a generally semicircular portion extending toward the arm, the portion centrally located with respect to the opening, the arm curved to follow the curved portion to provide a slot of substantially uniform width.  
     
     
         12 . A connector block as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the outer face of the end wall is curved to have a generally semicircular portion extending toward the arm, the portion centrally located with respect to the opening, the arm curved to follow the curved portion to provide a slot of substantially uniform width.