US3739322A

US3739322A - Battery terminal clamp

Info

Publication number: US3739322A
Application number: US00166419A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Haegert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-07-27
Filing date: 1971-07-27
Publication date: 1973-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-12

Abstract

A battery terminal clamp for storage batteries comprising a bifurcated clamping body portion having a substantially circular opening therethrough, said battery terminal clamp having means thereon for clamping said battery terminal about a battery terminal post in such a manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yields and uniformly engages a battery terminal post when said battery terminal is tightened on a battery terminal post.

Description

[ June 12, 1973 BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP 2,347,168 4/1944 Beckman 339/229 C are e B aege t, 12 h and Elm D123,589 11/1940 339/230 R Street, Coffeyville, Kans. 67337 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS July 27, 1971 899,272 8/1944 France 339/230 R Appl 166A Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn AnorneyLuke A. Mattare, James W. Dent and John 339/230 R, 339/278 C F. Smith H0lr 11/26 Field of Search..................339/224240, 278 [57] ABSTRACT A battery terminal clamp for storage batteries compris- United States Patent i 1 Haegert [76] Inventor:

22 Filed:

ing a bifurcated clamping body portion having a substantially circular opening therethrough, said battery terminal clamp having means thereon for clamping said battery terminal about a battery terminal post in such a manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yields and uniformly engages a battery terminal post when said battery terminal is tightened on a battery terminal post.

339/230 R 339/229 339/230 R 339/227 339/230 R 21 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 1,421,355 6/1922 Walker....... 1,596,891 8/1926 Rensch 2,156,013 4/1939 Graves et a1 Patented June 12, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CLARENCE B. HAEGERT ATTORNEYS Patented June 12, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8.

FIG].-

INVENTOR CLARENCE B. HAEGERT ATTORNEYS BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of battery terminals are known in the prior art for attaching a battery cable to the terminal post of a storage battery. Such prior art battery terminals are either relatively expensive to manufacture or do not have sufficient corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity and strength to perform satisfactorily under the conditions encountered when used with storage batteries. Prior art battery terminals of the type which have a clamping body portion with a bifurcated end having protruding clamping jaws thereon for receiving a bolt to tighten the clamping body portion about a battery terminal post do not uniformly engage the battery terminal post when the bolt is tightened through the clamping jaws. Moreover, if the bolt is tightened through the jaws sufficiently to make tight engagement between the clamping body portion and the battery terminal post, the jaws either break or bend, rendering the battery terminal useless. If the clamping body portion does not uniformly engage the battery terminal post with sufficient pressure, spaces are left between the clamping body portion and the battery terminal post which are subject to corrosion and rapid deterioration of the battery terminal, with the result that poor electrical conductivity is established between the battery terminal and battery terminal post.

Further, in prior art battery terminals, the means on the battery terminal for connecting the battery terminal to a battery cable is joined to the battery terminal in such manner that the clamping body portion of the battery terminal cannot yield uniformly about the circumference thereof in order to achieve uniform contact between the clamping body portion and a battery terminal post.

The present invention provides a battery terminal which is constructed so that when a bolt is tightened through the clamping jaws thereof, pressure is exerted by the bolt on the rear portion of the jaws adjacent the clamping body portion of the terminal to cause the clamping body portion to clamp or grip the battery terminal post more tightly than prior art battery terminals. Further, by exerting pressure at the rear of the clamping jaws, the possibility of the jaws bending or breaking is substantially eliminated.

The battery terminal according to the present invention is also constructed such that the means for connecting the battery terminal to a battery cable is joined to the clamping body portion of the terminal in such a manner that substantially the entire clamping body portion yields when the bolt is tightened through the clamping jaws to thereby exert uniform and strong clamping pressure on a battery terminal post.

Still further, the battery terminal according to the present invention is manufactured from materials which are more economical than prior art battery terminals and which exhibit electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength superior to prior art battery terminals.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a battery terminal which is more economical and which has better electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength than prior art battery terminals.

It is another object of this invention to provide a battery terminal for storage batteries which is constructed so that tight and uniform contact is made between the clamping portion of the battery terminal and a battery terminal post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a battery terminal for storage batteries which comprises a clamping body portion having a bifurcated end with protruding clamping jaws thereon and with means on the clamping jaws and clamping body portion for causing pressure to be exerted at the rear portion of the clamping jaws when a bolt is extended therethrough and tightened.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a battery terminal for storage batteries wherein the battery terminal includes a clamping body portion and a cable connecting portion for connecting a battery cable to the clamping body portion, said cable connecting portion and clamping body portion being joined in a manner to enable substantially the entire clamping body portion to yield when tightened on a battery terminal post to insure uniform contact between the clamping body portion and the battery terminal post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery terminal shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the battery terminal shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second form of battery terminal.

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of the battery terminal shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a third form of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a fourth form of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a fifth form of the invention; and,

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a sixth form of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, a battery terminal according to the present invention is indicated generally at l in FIG. 1 and comprises a clamping body portion 2 having a circular opening 3 therethrough with a diameter D substantially equal to the diameter of a positive battery terminal post and a bifurcated end 4 with a pair of outwardly protruding

clamping jaws

5 and 6 thereon. A battery cable connecting portion 7 is on the clamping body portion 2 at the end thereof opposite the

clamping jaws

5 and 6. The cable connecting portion 7 is substantially flat and includes a pair of oppositely directed ears 8 and 9 having internally threaded bolt receiving holes 10 and 11 therethrough, respectively. A longitudinally extending groove or channel 12 is in the top surface of the cable connecting portion 7 and extends across the width of the cable connecting portion in a direction perpendicular to a line drawn through the bolt receiving holes 10 and 11.

A cable clamping plate 13 is positioned on top of the cable connecting portion 7 for clamping a cable C between the clamping plate and cable connecting portion. A pair of bolt receptive holes 14 and 15 extend through the opposite ends of the clamping plate 13 for receiving a pair of

bolts

16 and 17 which are threaded into holes 10 and 11 to securely clamp the cable C between the plate 13 and cable connecting portion 7. A pair of dimples or

projections

18 and 19 are formed in the clamping plate 13 in alignment with the channel 12 across the cable connecting portion 7. The clamping plate 13 is normally disposed in the position shown in FIG. 1 with the

dimples

18 and 19 directed upwardly, as for example, when a relatively large diameter cable C is used with the battery terminal; however, in the event a relatively small diameter cable C is used with the battery terminal, the plate 13 can be inverted or turned upside down with the dimples l8 and 19 projecting into the channel 12 to effect a secure gripping of the small diameter cable C.

A downwardly extending flange or wall 20 is on the forward edge of cable connecting portion 7 and a relatively thin connecting wall or web 21 joins the lower edge of clamping body 2 with the lower edge of wall 20. As seen best in FIG. 3, the thickness t of connecting wall 21 is substantially less than the thickness T of the clamping body portion 2, and is also not as thick as the cable clamping portion. Accordingly, substantially all of the clamping body portion 2 is free to yield or stretch around a battery terminal post when the

clamping jaws

5 and 6 are drawn toward one another.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping jaws S and 6 have aligned bolt

receptive holes

22 and 23 therethrough, respectively, for receiving a bolt 24 therethrough having a head 25 on one end thereof and a nut 26 threaded onto the other end thereof. The holes 22 and 23- are through the rear of the

clamping jaws

5 and 6 immediately adjacent the circular opening 3 through the clamping body portion 2. The outer surface 27 is raised at the rear of the clamping jaw 5. Accordingly, when nut 26 is tightened onto bolt 24, it first engages the surface 27 at the rear of clamping jaw S to exert force on the clamping jaw 5 at the rear thereof as indicated by the arrow A. This force is actually directed along a line spaced inwardly of the circumference of opening 3, so that when the nut 26 is tightened, the clamping body 2 yields to securely and uniformly engage a battery terminal post and there is no danger of bending or breaking the clamping jaw 5.

A ledge 28 is formed at the rear of clamping jaw 6 in underlying relationship to one side of the head 25 of bolt 24 so that the head 25 engages the ledge 28 to exert pressure at the rear of clamping jaw 6 as indicated by the arrow B. The force exerted on ledge 28 is in substantial alignment with the force exerted on surface 27 of clamping jaw 5 and is also directed along a line spaced inwardly of the circumference of opening 3 in clamping body portion 2 so that when the nut 26 is tightened on the bolt and the head 25 engages ledge 28, the clamping body portion 2 yields to securely and uniformly grip a battery terminal post received through the opening 3. A shoulder 29 is formed adjacent ledge 28 and extends perpendicularly therefrom and serves as a stop for the head 25 to prevent the bolt 24 from turning when the nut 26 is tightened thereon.

The

clamping jaws

5 and 6 have their

inner surfaces

30 and 31 tapered or flared outwardly toward the free ends thereof so that the battery terminal 1 can be placed on either a positive battery terminal post or a negative battery terminal post, the

flared surfaces

30 and 31 preventing the

clamping jaws

5 and 6 from engaging one another at their free ends when the battery terminal is used on a negative battery terminal post, which is smaller in diameter than the positive battery terminal post.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a second form of the invention is illustrated and is identical in every respect with that form of the invention illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 except that a pair of relatively thin webs or

flanges

32 and 33 are on opposite edges of connecting wall 21 and extend between clamping body portion 2 and wall 20 on the cable connecting portion 7. The

webs

32 and 33 taper to a reduced thickness at their

upper edges

34 and 35, respectively, and offer no resistance to yielding of the clamping body portion 2 when it is securely clamped about a battery terminal post. In all other respects, the construction and operation of this form of the invention is the same as the first form of the invention described hereinabove.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 10, third, fourth, fifth and sixth forms of the invention are illustrated, and each of these forms of the invention is substantially identical to the form of the invention illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 with the exception of the cable connecting part which is different in each of these forms of the invention.

In FIG. 7, a generally tubular, solder type cable connecting part 36 is connected with the clamping body portion 2 at substantially right angles thereto by means of connecting wall 21 which extends from the lower edge of clamping body portion 2 to the side of tubular cable connecting part 36. An opening or bore 37 is formed through one end of the tubular cable connecting part 36 for receiving a cable C. In use, solder is placed in the opening 37 in a conventional manner, and the end of cable C is inserted into the opening37 for making a secure electrical connection therebetween.

In FIG. 8, a split cylinder, crimp type cable connecting part 38 is connected to the clamping body portion 2 by the connecting wall 21 at substantially a right angle to the clamping body portion 2 in a manner substantially identical to the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7. A longitudinally extending opening 39 is formed through the split cylinder 38 and one side of the cylinder 38 has a longitudinally extending slot 40 therein permitting the

opposite sides

41 and 42 of the split cylinder 38 to yield toward and away from one another in order that a cable C may be inserted into the opening 39 therethrough, and the

opposite sides

41 and 42 crimped securely about the cable C to effect a good electrical connection therebetween.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 9 is substantially identical with that form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 in that a tubular cable connecting part 36' such as the cable connecting part 36 is joined to the clamping body portion 2 by means of connecting wall 21 extending between the bottom edge of clamping body portion 2 and one end of tubular cable connecting part 36. An opening 37 is formed in one end of the cable connecting part 36' for receiving a cable C, which is then soldered therein, as in the FIG. 7 embodiment.

In FIG. 10, a strap type cable connector 43 is joined at one end thereof with the clamping body portion 2 by connecting wall 21 and is substantially rectangular in cross section. A rectangular opening 44 is formed in the other end of the connector 43 for receiving a strap type cable C. The cable C is soldered in the cable connecting part 43 similar to the FIGS. 7 and 9 embodiments.

Each of the hereinabove described battery terminals may be manufactured from any suitable material compatable with the environment in which they are intended to be used, such as brass or lead, but each of the battery terminals is preferably made from one of the following alloys which exhibit electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength superior to conventional battery terminal materials. Moreover, the following alloys are more economical and durable than conventional battery terminal materials.

COPPER BASE ALLOYSM form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. A bifurcated, flexible battery terminal clamp for storage batteries, comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially similar clamping jaws defining a battery terminal post receiving circular opening therebetween and having protruding ends thereon, aligned bolt means receiving openings through the protruding ends of said jaws, a thin, flexible web integral with a bottom portion of the jaws opposite the aligned openings, and a cable clamping means integral with the web and connected with said jaws by said web, said web being thinner than said cable clamping means and said web providing a space between the jaws and the cable clamping means enabling said jaws to uniformly flex about a battery terminal post received in said circular opening and Brass and Manganese Aluminum Silicon Copperbronze bronze bronze nickel Aluminum ingot, ingot, ingot, ingot, ingot,

percent percent percent percent 55.0 to 68.0 Remainder... Remainder.... Up to 8.0. Upto 1.5 Up to 2.0.... 1.5 to 5.5 Up to 7.7.

Up to 1.5 Up to 1.0 Up to Remainder. Up to 16.0"... 4.0 to 120.... Up to 8.0 Up to Up to 6.0 9.0 to 82.0 Up to 2.3 Up to Up to 2.5."... Up to 1.8... Up to 2 0. Up to Up to 015 1.0 to 5.5 Up to 0.70..... Up to 13.0. Up to 8 5 to 12 0.. Up to 1.5 Remainder. Antimony. Up to Phosphorous. Up to Sulfur Up to Manganese. Magnesium T1tanium.. Chromium ZINC BASE ALLOYS to securely removably fix said battery terminal clamp on said batter terminal ost when said bolt means is Mineral Example I Example ll Example I" SAE 903 y p ingot tightened through said aws. lumimlm gig-2 3; 2. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein opper up to up to .10 Magnesium .0231 O said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 Iron up to .075 up to .100 up to .075 up to .075 40 percent aluminum, about 0.75 to 1.25 percent copper, Lead up to .003 up to .007 up to .003 up to .004 r n m Q07 Cadmium up to .003 up to .005 up to .003 up to .003 about to 006 pa Ce t agneslum up to 5 Tin up w up to up to 302 up to .002 percent iron, up to 0.003 percent lead, up to 0.003 per- Zinc remainder remainder remainder remainder cent cadmium up to 0002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

Although battery terminals manufactured from the above alloys exhibit corrosion resistance superior to conventional battery terminals, they may be plated with a further protective material, if desired, in order to resist the corrosive atmosphere encountered when the battery terminals are used with storage batteries in automobiles, trucks, tractors and the like. The battery terminals which are made from the-copper base alloys may beplated with either lead, chrome, nickel, zinc or cadmium, and the zinc base alloys are preferably plated with cadmium with a trichloroethylene solution.

The presence of magnesium in some of the alloys listed above is important in that it prevents intergranular corrosion.

The percentages of the various minerals in each of the above alloys may be varied slightly without departing from the scope of the present invention.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that 3. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.5 to 4.5 percent aluminum, about 2.5 to 3.5 percent copper, 0.02 to 0.10 percent magnesium, about 0.lO0 percent iron, about 0.007 percent lead, about 0.005" percent cadmium, about 0.005 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

4. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.]0 percent copper, about 0.3 to 0.6 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron, about 0.003 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

5. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.10 percent copper, about 0.025 to 0.05 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron, about 0.004 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

6. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 60.0 to 95.0 percent copper, up to 20.0 percent tin, up to 27.0 percent lead, up to 17.0 percent zinc, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 0.75 percent iron, up to 0.05 percent silicon, up to 0.05 percent aluminum, up to 0.75 percent antimony, up to 1.0 percent phosphorous, up to 0.25 percent sulfur, all percentages being by weight of 'the composition.

7. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 55.0 to 68.0 percent copper, up to 1.5 percent tin, up to 1.5 percent lead, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 5.0 percent iron, up to 0.10 percent silicon, up to 7.5 percent aluminum, up to 0.05 percent antimony, up to 0.005 percent phosphorous, up to 0.05 percent sulfur, up to 5.0 percent manganese, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

8. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises a minimum of 78.0 percent copper, up to 0.20 percent tin, up to 0.05 percent lead, up to 0.30 percent zinc, up to 6.0 percent nickel, about 0.75 to 6.0 percent iron up to 0.15 percent silicon, about 8.5 to 12.0 percent aluminum, up to 0.01 percent antimony, up to 0.005 percent phosphorous, up to 0.05 percent sulfur, up to 3.5 percent manganese, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

9. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises up to 2.0 percent tin, up to 1.0 percent lead, up to 16.0 percent zinc, up to 2.5 percent iron, about 1.0 to 5.5 percent silicon, up to 1.5 percent aluminum, up to 1.5 percent manganese, the balance being copper, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

10. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 1.5 to 5.5 percent tin, about 4.0 to 12.0 percent zinc, about 9.0 to 32.0 percent nickel, up to 1.8 percent iron, up to 0.70 percent silicon, up to 0.35 percent antimony, up to 0.05 percent phosphorous, up to 1.5 percent sulfur, up to 1.5 percent manganese, the balance being copper, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

11. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises up to 8.0 percent copper, up to 7.7 percent tin, up to 8.0 percent zinc, up to 2.3 percent nickel, up to 2.0 percent iron, up to 13.0 percent silicon, up to 0.80 percent manganese, up to 10.6 percent magnesium, up to 0.25 percent titanium, up to 0.6 percent chromium, the balance being aluminum, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

12. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein means are on said clamping jaws for causing pressure to be exerted on said clamping jaws at the rear of said protruding ends when said bolt is extended through said clamping jaws and tightened.

13. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 12, wherein said means for causing pressure to be exerted on the clamping jaws at the rear of said protruding ends comprises a ledge on at least one said clamping jaw at the rear of said protruding end adjacent the bolt means receiving opening through said jaw, said ledge being disposed substantially in line with the circumference of the battery terminal post receiving opening between said clamping jaws.

14. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 13, wherein a shoulder is on said clamping jaws adjacent said ledge and extends perpendicularly to said ledge, said shoulder forming a stop for the head of said bolt to prevent said bolt from turning when a nut is tightened thereon.

15. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the other said protruding end is tapered from the free end toward the rear end thereof to provide an increased thickness at the rear end of said other protruding end so that the edge of a nut tightened on a bolt received through said clamping jaws engages the rear of said other protruding end to exert pressure thereon in substantial alignment with the ledge on the opposite clamping jaw.

16. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 15 wherein the inner facing surfaces of said protruding ends taper or flare outwardly toward the free end thereof to provide clearance when said clamping jaws are drawn toward one another by tightening a bolt extended therethrough.

17. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a relatively flat portion having oppositely extending ears thereon, internally threaded bolt receiving holes in said ears, a substantially flat clamping plate disposed in overlying relationship to said flat portion and having a pair of openings therethrough in alignment with said threaded openings, and bolt means extending through said openings in said clamping plate into said threaded openings in said flat portion for securely clamping a cable between said clamping plate and said flat portion.

18. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a tubular member joined to said clamping jaws at substantially a right angle thereto, said tubular portion having an opening in one end thereof for receiving a cable.

19. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a split cylinder having a longitudinally extending slot in one side thereof for enabling the opposite sides of said split cylinder to be urged toward and away from one another to securely clamp a cable therein.

20. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a tubular member joined at one end to said clamping jaws and having an opening in the other end thereof for receiving a cable.

21. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 16, wherein said cable clamping means comprises a relatively flat substantially rectangular member having a rectangular opening in one end thereof and joined to the clamping jaws at the other end thereof.

Claims

1. A bifurcated, flexible battery terminal clamp for storage batteries, comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially similar clamping jaws defining a battery terminal post receiving circular opening therebetween and having protruding ends thereon, aligned bolt means receiving openings through the protruding ends of said jaws, a thin, flexible web integral with a bottom portion of the jaws opposite the aligned openings, and a cable clamping means integral with the web and connected with said jaws by said web, said web being thinner than said cable clamping means and said web providing a space between the jaws and the cable clamping means enabling said jaws to uniformly flex about a battery terminal post received in said circular opening and to securely removably fix said battery terminal clamp on said battery terminal post when said bolt means is tightened through said jaws.

2. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.75 to 1.25 percent copper, about 0.03 to 0.06 percent magnesium, up to 0.075 percent iron, up to 0.003 percent lead, up to 0.003 percent cadmium, up to 0.002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

3. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.5 to 4.5 percent aluminum, about 2.5 to 3.5 percent copper, 0.02 to 0.10 percent magnesium, about 0.100 percent iron, about 0.007 percent lead, about 0.005 percent cadmium, about 0.005 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

4. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 3.9 to 4.3 percent aluminum, about 0.10 percent copper, about 0.3 to 0.6 percent magnesium, about 0.075 percent iron, about 0.003 percent lead, about 0.003 percent cadmium, about 0.002 percent tin, the balance being zinc, all of said percentages being by weight of the composition.

6. A battery terminal clamp as in claim 1, wherein said battery terminal clamp comprises about 60.0 to 95.0 percent copper, up to 20.0 percent tin, up to 27.0 percent lead, up to 17.0 percent zinc, up to 1.0 percent nickel, up to 0.75 percent iron, up to 0.05 percent silicon, up to 0.05 percent aluminum, up to 0.75 percent antimony, up to 1.0 percent phosphorous, up to 0.25 percent sulfur, all percentages being by weight of the composition.