Electrical connecter

June 18, 1935.

2,005,441

W. J. SHEARER

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER

Filed June 22, 1932

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Patented June 18, 1935

2,005,441

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,005,441 ELECTRICAL CONNECTER William J. Shearer, Elmhurst, N. S. Application June 22,1932, Serial No. 618,630 1 Claim. (Cl. 173—330)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electrical connecters and although the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a so-called wall receptacle and plug, certain of 5 the important features thereof are adaptable to other types of electrical connecters as well.

It is the object of the invention to improve the construction and mode of operation of devices of this character and to at all times, insure good 10 electrical connections between the several parts thereof.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel construction whereby the plug element is movable with respect to the recepta15 cle element for the purpose of establishing or breaking an electric circuit instead of being removable therefrom as is the common practice.

I have found by actual experience with the more common type of receptacle and plug con20 necter, i. e., those in which the plug is bodily removable from the receptacle in order to break the electric circuit, the plug is quite often subjected during use to abuses which distort various parts thereof, particularly the contact pins 25 and renders them highly unsatisfactory for use.

It is a further feature of the present invention, so to construct the plug element that it is not subjected to any abuse during use thus avoiding the disadvantages of the common type 30 of connecter.

A further feature of the invention resides in a novel form of contact pin whereby a good electrical contact is assured at all times.

With the above and other objects in view ref35 erences will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a plug constructed in accordance with the present invention, ⁴⁰ Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 2—2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of a wall receptacle constructed in accordance with the ₄₅ present invention,

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 4—4 of Figure 3 showing the receptacle and plug in their assembled relation with the parts of the plug in circuit making position.

Figure 5 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale illustrating the construction of one of the contact pins,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6—6 of Figure 5, and;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the parts of the contact pins in circuit making position.

Referring to the drawing by reference character the reference numeral 10 designates a receptacle Which in the present instance is illustrated 5 as a wall socket. It may comprise a body portion f9 of suitable insulating material such as porcelain enclosed in a suitable housing 92 and it may be provided with any desired number of recesses 93 each having contact plates 14. The recesses 10 9 3 and contact plates i 4 will be arranged in pairs and the contact plates are to be connected to a suitable source of electric current supply in any manner not herein illustrated.

The plug element is more clearly illustrated in 15 Figure 2, and it comprises a housing 95 of porcelain or any suitable insulating material. The housing 95 has a removable cover 16 which in the present instance is shown as threaded in the open side of the housing as at 17. The cover 96 20 has an opening 18 and operating lugs 19 by means of which the cover may be rotated to remove the same or replace it to open or close the housing 95.

The opposite wall of the housing carries two contact pins 19'. Each of these contact pins as 25 illustrated in Figure 5 comprises two spring fingers 20 and 21. These spring contact fingers 20 and 21 may be secured to the wall 22 of the housing in any desired manner, but are preferably molded therein as indicated at 23. The refer- 30 ence numeral 24 designates an insulating material preferably fibre which is mounted upon the interior of the housing and extends to a point between the spring contact fingers terminating adjacent their secured end as indicated by the 35 reference numeral 25. The spring finger 20 of each contact pin is depressed or otherwise formed with a cam surface 27 which is disposed inwardly of the space between the spring fingers 20 and 21 as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. These 40 spring fingers 20 and 2 9 are of such proportions that the free ends thereof will be in proper position to engage the contact plates 14 heretofore mentioned when the fingers are spread or flexed thus to complete the electrical connection be- 45 tween the contact finger 20 and its associated contact plate 14.

Means is provided for spreading the contact fingers and this means consists of prongs or the like 30 carried by a member 31 which is recipro- 50 cally mounted in the housing 15, and which has an operating handle 32 extending through the opening 18 heretofore mentioned. The handle 32 is hollow and a suitable conductor 33 may be passed therethrough and its terminals connected 55

2,005,441 to the prongs 30 by means of screws or the like 35 which latter also serve to secure the prongs 30 to the member 31. The prongs 30 extend to a point between the fibre insulating members 24 5 when the member 31 is in the position illustrated in Figure 2 but are long enough to extend substantially to the end of the contact pins 19 when the member 31 and the handle 32 are in the position shown in Figure 4.

The device operates in the following manner:

The receptacle 10 is mounted in a wall, floor or other suitable supporting element. The housing 15 is preferably permanently carried during use by the receptacle by insertion of the contact 15 pins 19' into the recesses 13 as illustrated in Figure 4. The construction of the parts will be such that sufficient friction will result between the contact pins 19' and the recesses to hold the housing in the position in which it is shown 20 in Figure 4.

With the member 31 in the position in which it is shown with respect to the housing in Figure 2 the circuit will be broken. When, however, it is desired to complete the circuit the handle 25 member 32 is moved to the position in which it is shown in Figure 4. This operation moves the prongs 30 through the insulating members 24 to a point where they engage the cam surfaces 27 of the members 20 of the contact pins. This 30 action flexes the members 20 of the contact pins into engagement with their respective contact plates 14 to complete an electrical circuit between the contact plates 14 and the members 20 of the contact pins 19'. When it is desired to 35 break this circuit the handle member 32 is merely withdrawn to the position in which it is shown in Figure 2, which action positions the prongs 30 between the fibre insulating members 24 and out of contact with the members 20 thus interrupting the circuit.

From the foregoing it is apparent that under ordinary operating conditions the plug member 5 is not removed with respect to the receptacle and therefore these prongs 30 as well as the contact pins 19' are not, under ordinary conditions of use, likely to become damaged as is the case with plug and receptacle connecters as or- io dinarily constructed.

While the Invention has been herein illustrated in a preferred form it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the specific construction herein shown and that it may be practiced 15 in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.