GB2139001A

GB2139001A - Electrical socket outlet

Info

Publication number: GB2139001A
Application number: GB08406043A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Werner Schmalenbach
Original assignee: Brown Boveri und Cie AG Germany; BBC Brown Boveri France SA
Current assignee: BBC Brown Boveri AG Germany; BBC Brown Boveri France SA
Priority date: 1983-03-09
Filing date: 1984-03-08
Publication date: 1984-10-31
Also published as: GB8406043D0; DE3308253A1; GB2139001B

Abstract

A socket outlet conforming with British Standard 1363:1967 incorporates a switch (10 Fig. 6) with a lamp (17 Fig 6) below a window 12 in a switch rocker 11. In addition a locking shutter (70, Fig. 8) is provided below a base cover (65 Fig. 7) as protection for children. The compact design with the terminals 30, 40, 50 at the upper side of the socket outlet and with a mounting ring 7 and expanding claws (21 Fig. 3) permits installation in boxes in accordance with DIN 49070, 49072 and 49073 and also CEE 7/74. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Socket outlet The invention relates to a socket outlet.

The British Standards Institution published specifications for 13A plugs, socket outlets (with or without switches) and boxes in BS 1363:1967. The socket outlets specified have three female contacts for live (L contact), neutral (N contact) and earth (E contact).

The three female contacts are arranged in an isosceles triangle which is usually upwardly pointing in use, the E contact forming the top apex of the triangle and the L contact being at bottom right. One of the designs covered by the specification is for a socket outlet with a single-pole switch to switch off the Lcontact.

Known socket outlets with switches for flush mounting in accordance with these standards have a cover plate at least 82.55 x 82.55mm and are intended for square boxes with an internal width of at least 64.3mm. The switch is beside the outlet. The latter cannot be fixed by means of expanding claws.

The leads are supplied from the rear with screw terminals accessible from the side.

An object of the invention is to provide a socket outlet with a single-pole switch in accordance with BS 1363:1967 and also to seek to fulfil the following additional requirements: a) It should be possible to fix the socket outlet, which is for flush mounting, in boxes in accordance with DIN 49070,49072 and 49073 and also CEE 7/74 by means of screws or expanding claws. Terminals should be accessible from the front.

b) An indicator lamp in the switch rocker should indicate the switching state.

c) The power contacts should be protectable by a locking shutter when no plug is inserted.

d) The socket outlet should be disposed under a central plate measuring approximately 62 x 62mm.

Accordingly, the invention provides a socket outlet, comprising E, N and L contacts arranged substantially in a triangle as specified in BS 1363: 1967, a single-pole switch to switch off the L contact, the switch being mounted in a base and a base cover of the socket outlet and having a switch rocker arranged transversely and substantially centrally above the E contact, a window, a lamp below the window, the lamp and window being providing in the switch rocker, a locking shutter below the base cover, and E, N and Lterminals for the E, N and L contacts being provided on the upper side of the socket outlet, and the socket outlet having a mounting ring and expanding claws as fixing means.

Using the invention it is possible to provide a socket outlet which is substantially more compact and therefore more space-saving in construction than known outlets in accordance with BS 1363:1967, and can also be installed in the smaller boxes specified in the above-mentioned DIN standards. Socket outlet and switch can be disposed under a central plate measuring 62 x 62mm and can fit into a 51 x 51 mm aperture with a corner radius R = 8mm in a cover frame or combination frame.

Despite the compact design the socket outlet is "child proof" and also has an indicator lamp to show the condition of the switch. Also, it can be fixed with expanding claws and the connecting wires can be attached at the front.

A socket outlet embodying the invention is hereinafter described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of the socket outlet; Figure 2 is a front view without the cover; Figure 3 is a side view of the socket outlet; Figure 4 shows the arrangement of connector paths in the base; Figure 5 is a side view of the outlet from one expanding claw side; Figure 6 is a transverse section through a switch of the socket outlet; Figure 7 is a transverse section through the base and base cover of the socket outlet; and Figure 8 is a view of the underside of the base cover with means for locking the power contacts.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a socket outlet 8 in accordance with BS 1363:1967, with a single-pole switch. In this external view of the outlet 8 the following are visible: a cover frame 1, a cover plate 2 with respective apertures for an E contact 3, and N contact 4 and an L contact 5, and for a switch rocker 11 with a window 12. The contacts 3 to 5 are arranged in a triangle in accordance with the standard and the switch rocker 11 is arranged transversely and centrally above the E contact 3. The cover plate 2 is attached to a socket outlet base 20 (see Figure 4) below it by a screw 6.

The cover frame 1 is held by the cover plate 2.

Figure 2 shows the same view as Figure 1 but with the cover plate 2 removed and without the cover frame 1. This reveals a mounting ring 7 and an E terminal 30, situated between the N contact 4 and the L contact 5. Also shown are an N terminal 40 and an Terminal 50, both on the same side of the base 20, directly on opposite sides of an expanding claw 21 (Figure 5) (allowing for the necessary air gaps and tracking paths). Figure 2 also shows a base cover 65, described in more detail below.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the closed socket outlet 8 with the exterior of the base 20 and the expanding claw 21.

Figure 4 shows the arrangement of connector paths in the base 20. In the middle there is the E terminal 30 with a connection to a female E contact 31 belonging to the contact 3. The N terminal 40 at the bottom left is attached directly to a female N contact 41 belonging to the N contact 4. The L terminal 50 at top left is connected to a female L contact 51 for the L contact 5 by way of a switch 10 (Figure 6). To this end the L terminal 50 carries an angled bearing 14 in which a contact rocker 13 is mounted, which co-operates with a fixed contact 15.

The contact 15 is fixed to an extension 16 of the female L contact 51.

Figure 4 also shows a wire member 42 (0.5mm in diameter) with an angled portion 43. The wire member 42 is clamped by means of the N terminal 40 and lies in a channel in the base20. It is required to connect the neutral to a lamp 17 (Figure 6) in the switch 10 and ends in a recess 22 in the base 20. The angled portion 43 of the wire member 42 is supported by a compression spring 23 mounted in the base 20.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the socket outlet 8, with the N and L terminals 40,50 immediately adjoining opposite sides of the expanding claw 21.

Figure 6 shows a section through the switch 10, which is installed in the base 20 and base cover 65 of the socket outlet 8. In the switch rocker 11, below the window 12, there is the indicator lamp 17 (incandescent or neon lamp). A bore 18 in a rocker foot 19 houses a contact pressure spring 60 which urges an electrically conductive pin or sleeve 61 onto the contact rocker 13.

Afirst connecting wire 62 for the lamp 17 runs along a slot into the bore 18 in the switch rocker 11 and is connected to the contact pressure spring 60 in the rocker foot 19 by pressure contact. The lamp 17 is thus connected to the L terminal 50 by way of the first connecting wire 62, contact pressure spring 60, contact rocker 17 and angled bearing 14.

A second connecting wire 63 for the lamp 17 is placed round a projection 64 on the underside of the switch rocker 11 and makes contact, when in the ON position, with the angled portion 43 of the wire member 42, which in turn is connected to the N terminal 40. To ensure a good contact the angled portion 43 is urged onto the second connecting wire 63 by the compression spring 23 in the base 20. To restrict the mobility of the angled portion 43, the wire member 42 with its angled portion 43 is held in position by means of a first rib 66 formed in the base cover 65. In addition the travel of the compression spring 23 is limited by a second rib 67, also formed in the base cover 65.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate further details of the design of the socket outlet 8, in particular the means for locking the power contacts (child proofing).

Figure 7 shows a section through the base 20 and base cover 65. Figure 8 shows the underside of the base cover 65, which houses a longitudinally displaceable locking shutter 70 which is operated by springs 71 to close the female N and L contacts 41, 51. In the closed position detents 76 on the locking shutter 70 engage on edges 75 in the apertures for the power contacts 4, 5 in the base cover 65. The locking shutter 70 is also stopped by means of guide ribs 73 in grooves 74. If a pin is inserted into only one pole (contact aperture 4 or 5) the locking shutter cannot be displaced. When a plug is inserted, the engagement of two plug pins pushes the shutter 70 downwards and slightly away from the base cover 65, turning it slightly about an axis 72 parallel to the contact apertures 4, 5. This releases the locking shutter 70 from the edges 75, and the free ends of the two guide ribs 73 are lifted out of the ends of the grooves 74. The plug pins can therefore, due to further pressure on the bevelled detents 76, push the locking shutter 70 inwards, compressing the springs 71.

Claims

1. A socket outlet, comprising E, N and L contacts arranged substantially in a triangle as specified in BS 1363:1967, a single-pole switch to switch off the L contact, the switch being mounted in a base and a base cover of the socket outlet and having a switch rocker arranged transversely and substantially centrally above the E contact, a window, a lamp below the window, the lamp and window being provided in the switch rocker, a locking shutter below the base cover, and E, N and L terminals for the E, N and L contacts being provided on the upper side of the socket outlet, and the socket outlet having a mounting ring and expanding claws as fixing means.

2. A socket outlet according to Claim 1, in which the terminals are so arranged that the E terminal is situated between a female N contact and a female L contact the N terminal and the Lterminal being disposed on one side of the base immediately to either side of an expanding claw so allowing for the necessary air gaps and tracking paths.

3. A socket outlet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which for mounting the switch in the base and base cover of the outlet the L terminal carries an angled bearing member in which a contact rocker is mounted, which co-operates with a fixed contact connected by way of an extension to the female L contact.

4. A socket outlet according to Claim 3, in which to connect the lamp, a first connecting wire is connected to a contact pressure spring, which urges a pin in a rocker foot onto the contact rocker and so establishes contact to the L terminal, and a second connecting wire forthe lamp runs round a projection on the underside of the switch rocker and when in the ON position makes contact with an angled portion of a wire member connected to the N terminal.

5. A socket outlet according to any preceding claim, in which the locking shutter engages by way of detents in the apertures for the L contact and N contact, closing them, and only if pressed downwards due to simultaneous engagement by two plug pins can the shutter be turned about an axis substantially parallel to the contact apertures and pushed back against the action of two springs, two guide ribs being lifted at their free ends out of grooves.

6. A socket outlet, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.