GB2171263A

GB2171263A - An electrical switch guard

Info

Publication number: GB2171263A
Application number: GB08503595A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marcus Edred Pembrey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-12
Filing date: 1985-02-12
Publication date: 1986-08-20
Also published as: GB8503595D0

Abstract

A guard (8) to be fitted to at least one pin of an electric plug (2) has an extension thereof designed to overlie a switch operating member (16) associated with the socket into which the plug may be inserted. The extension is of electrically insulating material and may be flexible enough to allow a determined operator to bend it sufficiently to give his fingers access to the switch operating member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An electrical switch guard This invention relates to an electrical switch guard, by which is meant a device able to be attached to an electric plug for inhibiting operation of a switch associated with a socket into which the plug may be inserted.

In dwellings, laboratories and offices it is often necessary to keep permanently connected to the electric mains such devices as freezers, refrigerators and videorecorders, whilst others, such as computers or laboratory equipment must not be disconnected during operation. Each such device usually has a flexible supply cable terminating in a plug intended to be inserted in a switched socket. When the cables are long, and particularly when several plugs are positioned in a multi-point socket, it is all too easy for the wrong switch to be operated, thus leading to a device being inadvertently deenergised.

The present invention aims at providing a guard which can be quickly and easily fitted to the contact face of an electric plug. When the guard is fitted with the correct orientation and the plug inserted in a switched socket, part of the guard overlies the operating member of the switch so as to prevent it from being operated without the guard being flexed or otherwise so as to expose the operating member.

Accordingly the present invention provides an electrical switch guard which is as claimed in the

appended claim.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a user's view of an electric plug fitted with the safety guard of the present invention; Figure 2 is a view of the contact face of the plug shown in Figure 1, with the guard oriented in the opposite sense thereto; Figure 3 is an end view of the plug and guard shown in Figure land Figure 4 is an isometric view of the guard, drawn to a smaller scale.

In these Figures the members shown will retain their references.

In Figure 1, an electric 13 amp plug 2, having a flex 4, is fitted with the guard 6 of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, the guard 6 is a cranked construction, comprising a base plate 8 adapted to embrace a plug contact 10; a web 12 and a cover 14.

The base plate 8 embraces the pin 10 (in the instance shown it is the larger earth pin) in a way which prevents the guard from rotating. This ensures that the cover 14 overlies the switch dolly 16, thus preventing any casual user from altering the position of the dolly so as to switch off the electric apparatus connected to flex 4.

Although stiff enough to retain its shape, the material forming the guard is flexible enough to permit a determined user to bend the cover and web sufficiently to give his fingers access to the dolly 16.

For this purpose, the guard 6, in addition to being made of electric insulation material, is of plastics or other material able to retain its mechanical integrity in use.

In addition to acting as a mechanical guard for the dolly, the cover 14 will preferably carry a suitable legend indicating the type of equipment connected to the flex, or else a reminder that the switch is not to be operated.

As can be appreciated from the drawings, the guard is not 'handed'. In other words, the guard can be removed easily from the plug after it has been withdrawn from its socket, turned through 180, and replaced so that when the plug is inserted in another socket, the cover will overlie a dolly on the other side of the socket.

Although the guard is shown as being attached to a 13 A plug, alternative forms of guard can be designed to fit other types of plug. When such other plugs have round pins, in orderforthe guard to be non-rotatable when in position on the plug, its base plate would be designed to fit over at least two pins.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides a cheap and effective guard inhibiting inadvertent operation of a switch dolly associated with the socket into which is inserted the plug carrying the guard.

CLAIMS An electric switch guard comprising a thin sheet of electrical insulation material adapted to embrace at least one pin projecting from a face of an electric plug, so as to extend over part of the plug face to a position spaced from the plug body, at which position the sheet is attached to, or integral with a guard portion adapted to overlie the operating member of an electric switch associated with a socket into which the plug may be inserted, so as to hamper digital contact with the operating member.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

SPECIFICATION An electrical switch guard This invention relates to an electrical switch guard, by which is meant a device able to be attached to an electric plug for inhibiting operation of a switch associated with a socket into which the plug may be inserted.

In dwellings, laboratories and offices it is often necessary to keep permanently connected to the electric mains such devices as freezers, refrigerators and videorecorders, whilst others, such as computers or laboratory equipment must not be disconnected during operation. Each such device usually has a flexible supply cable terminating in a plug intended to be inserted in a switched socket. When the cables are long, and particularly when several plugs are positioned in a multi-point socket, it is all too easy for the wrong switch to be operated, thus leading to a device being inadvertently deenergised.

The present invention aims at providing a guard which can be quickly and easily fitted to the contact face of an electric plug. When the guard is fitted with the correct orientation and the plug inserted in a switched socket, part of the guard overlies the operating member of the switch so as to prevent it from being operated without the guard being flexed or otherwise so as to expose the operating member.

Accordingly the present invention provides an electrical switch guard which is as claimed in the

appended claim.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a user's view of an electric plug fitted with the safety guard of the present invention; Figure 2 is a view of the contact face of the plug shown in Figure 1, with the guard oriented in the opposite sense thereto; Figure 3 is an end view of the plug and guard shown in Figure land Figure 4 is an isometric view of the guard, drawn to a smaller scale.

In these Figures the members shown will retain their references.

In Figure 1, an electric 13 amp plug 2, having a flex 4, is fitted with the guard 6 of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, the guard 6 is a cranked construction, comprising a base plate 8 adapted to embrace a plug contact 10; a web 12 and a cover 14.

The base plate 8 embraces the pin 10 (in the instance shown it is the larger earth pin) in a way which prevents the guard from rotating. This ensures that the cover 14 overlies the switch dolly 16, thus preventing any casual user from altering the position of the dolly so as to switch off the electric apparatus connected to flex 4.

Although stiff enough to retain its shape, the material forming the guard is flexible enough to permit a determined user to bend the cover and web sufficiently to give his fingers access to the dolly 16.

For this purpose, the guard 6, in addition to being made of electric insulation material, is of plastics or other material able to retain its mechanical integrity in use.

In addition to acting as a mechanical guard for the dolly, the cover 14 will preferably carry a suitable legend indicating the type of equipment connected to the flex, or else a reminder that the switch is not to be operated.

As can be appreciated from the drawings, the guard is not 'handed'. In other words, the guard can be removed easily from the plug after it has been withdrawn from its socket, turned through 180, and replaced so that when the plug is inserted in another socket, the cover will overlie a dolly on the other side of the socket.

Although the guard is shown as being attached to a 13 A plug, alternative forms of guard can be designed to fit other types of plug. When such other plugs have round pins, in orderforthe guard to be non-rotatable when in position on the plug, its base plate would be designed to fit over at least two pins.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides a cheap and effective guard inhibiting inadvertent operation of a switch dolly associated with the socket into which is inserted the plug carrying the guard.

CLAIMS An electric switch guard comprising a thin sheet of electrical insulation material adapted to embrace at least one pin projecting from a face of an electric plug, so as to extend over part of the plug face to a position spaced from the plug body, at which position the sheet is attached to, or integral with a guard portion adapted to overlie the operating member of an electric switch associated with a socket into which the plug may be inserted, so as to hamper digital contact with the operating member.