AU427237B2 - A plug socket for use in a distributor sysatem for electrical power - Google Patents

Description

It is highly desirable i ekectric wiring design

to make the optimum use of the conductors of the

available electric cables. The use of different

parts of a.conductor of a cable in different

circuits, whilst maintaining the integrity of each

circuit and thereby achieving optimum use of all the

cable conductors is possible with the plug socket of

this invention.

Accordingly, the invention provides a plug

socket comprising a two part body with oppositely

disposed cable inlet and outlet openings, at least

five cable connectors housed within said body, a

terminal at each end of each connector adapted to be

connected to corresponding conductors of cables when

disposed in said inlet and outlet openings and access-

ible for such connections by separation of said body

parts, said body parts having plug pin receiving slots

therein respectively aligned with spring contact sets

housed within said body, at least one such set being

fixed to each connector so as to permit pins of plugs

when inserted into said body to be connected to said

connectors, at least one of said connectors being

formed of two parts, and individually operable isolat-

ing means for each two part connector to permit the

electrical connection or disconnection of the parts of

each two part connector.

The invention is described with reference to the

accompanying drawings in which

42723.7

14,788/70 Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the

plug socket parts

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom half of

the plug socket

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of

Fig. 2

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an assembled

s i i-

r I I-

j 427237 j

14,788/70 plug socket on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a view in the direction 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing a switching assembly Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a switching assembly cam for use in the assembly of Fig. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a terminal member mounted in an assembled plug socket. Ref erring to'Fig. I the plug socket comprises a top I and a bottom 2 having square body portions 3 and 4Irespectively and hollow flared ends'5 which, when ,the body parts are assembled provide flared inlets for cables. The body portions have holes 6 therein whereby they can be secured together as for example by thread cutting screws. The surface 7 of the bottom 2 is provided with cavities to receive..terminal members and the body top and bottom has openings 8 to receive the pins of plugs (not shown) engageable in -contacts on the terminal members. H~oles 9 are provided in the socket top I and the bottom 2 to rotatably support spindle ended switching members The terminal members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are each constructed from a length of metal tubing, flattened intermediate its ends to form body parts hla,,12a, 13a, 14a and 15a the ends being left tubular to .receive--the ends of conductors of multi-strand cables. The terminal member 11 has a pair of shaped leaves 16 riveted to its body Ila and the two pair of 4 427237

1 4,798/o spring contact fingers thus formed fit into cavities 17

provided therefor in the socket top I and bottom 2. The tubular ends of the member 11 are received in recesses 18 in the socket bottom 2 joined by a slot 19 which receives the body part Ila of the member 11. The member 12 with its spring contact fingers is received in cavities recesses and! slot 21, 22 and 23 respectively in the socket bottom 2.'1 The member 13 is similar to members 11 and 12 having spring contact fingers 24 and being received into cavities recesses and slot 25, 26 and 27 respectively. Members 14 and 15 are constructed in a manner

similar to members 11 to 13, except that they are bent and they are received in cavities recesses and slots 28 to and 31 to 35 respectively in the socket bottom 2. The

spring contact fingers 34 and 35 of the members 14 and are at right angles to the other contact fingers. Another pair of spring fingers 36 is housed in

a cavity 37 in the socket bottom 2 and is joined to the spring fingers 24 by a bridge 38 received in a cavity 39 in the socket bottom 2. The bridge 38 lies below the body of the member 14 as the cavity 59 is deeper than the slot Terminal members 40 and 41 are each comprised

of two lengths of flattened tube to provide bodies 40a and and 41a and 4fb with tubular conductor receiving ends. The body parts 40a-40b and 41a-41b are eac h joined by a pair of conductive spring fingers 42 and 43. The slots

in the socket bottom to receive the members 40 and 41 are

I 4, 7 8/70 enlarged at 44 and 45 to receive the spring fingers 42 and 43 respectively. The holes 9 in the socket top I and bottom 2 are aligned with the enlargements 44 and 45 and counterbores 46 are provided in the holes 9.- The switching members 10 each include spindlle ends 47, received in the holes 9, enlarged cylindrical parts 48, received in counterbores 46 and a diamond cross- sectioned centre 49 between the cylindrical parts 48.' The diamond shaped centres 49 are each disposed between a pair of spring fingers 42 or 43 and are dimensioned so that with the minor axis of the diamond transverse to the long axis of the member 40 or 41 the spring fingers remain in contact with the parts 40a a12d 41a. The major axis of the diamond is dimensioned. to separate the respective spring fingers when the switching member 10 is rotated through 9Q0 The spindle ends 47 are slotted to receive a screw driver blade to facilitate the rotation of the switching members 10.. The slotted ends 47 may be below the outer surfaces of the socket top I and bottom 2. As illustrated the plug socket is designed-for use with a maximum of seven conductors in each cable. The pluG pin openings 8 are designated E for earth, N for neutral link, A for active link, LI and L2 which are the interruptable conductors. Plugs may be inserted from one or both sides of the socket to selectively connect the conductors in the socket to external circuitry or appliances. The orientation of the openings 8 and the

6 427237

1 4 788/70 various plug pin receiving spring contact fingers is

optional but for practical reasons e.g. universal

plugs for insertion for either side of the socket, they

are arranged as illustrated.

It will be understood that the body of the

socket can be greatly lightened and be made more

economically if all surplus material is removed from

the body parts 1 and 2. In such a form it could be readily injection moulded.

Claims (1)

1 ,788/70 The claims defining the invention are as follows:-

1. A plug socket comprising a two part body with

oppositely disposed cable inlet and outlet openings,

at least five cable connectors housed within said body,

a terminal at each end of each connector adapted to be

connected to corresponding conductors of cables when

disposed in said inlet and outlet openings and access-

ible for such connections by separation of said body

parts, said body parts having plug pin receiving slots

therein respectively aligned with spring contact sets

housed within said body, at least one such set being

fixed to each connector so as to permit pins of plugs

when inserted into said body to be connected to said

connectors, at least.one of said connectors being

formed of two parts, and individually operable isolat-

ing means for each two part connector to permit the

electrical connection or disconnection of the parts of

each two part connector.

2. A plug socket as claimed in claim I wherein the

isolating means comprises an electrically conductive

link biassed into a position to interconnect the two

parts of its connector and movable from that position

by cam means.

3. A plug socket as claimed in claim I wherein the

isolating means comprises an electrically conductive

link fixed to one of its associated connector parts and

spring-biassed into contact with the other of its

1 4,7 88/70 associated connector parts and cam means adapted other upon movement to separate said link from said connector part. the 4. A plug socket as claimed in claim 3 wherein conductive link is deformed to provide the spring- part. bias when it is fixed to associated connector 3 or 4 A plug socket as claimed in-claims 2, ends which wherein cam means is a member with spindle are rotatably mounted in the respective body parts spindle and a profiled setter disposed between the to ends engageable with the link on part rotation parts of cause the electrical disconnection of the the associated connector. said 6. A plug socket as claimed in claim 5 wherein the plug spindle ends are accessible from outside to be used in socket and are shaped to receive a tool rotating the cam means.

7. A plug socket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 24th day of July, 1972. DATED this REGINALD WILLIAM BULGIN By His Patent Attorneys, ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

1 ,788170

11

41b, 41

FIG. 1.

427237

1 t 788/70

FIG. 3.

I 4,78 8/70

FIG. 6.

-I 7.

48 49

FIG.7.

41 43 416

49 43

F FIG. B.