GB2287138A

GB2287138A - Electrical socket protector

Info

Publication number: GB2287138A
Application number: GB9402669A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Owen Skelton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-11
Filing date: 1994-02-11
Publication date: 1995-09-06
Also published as: GB9402669D0

Abstract

An electrical socket protector comprises a mount (12) for fitting between the socket box (10) and the front socket plate (11); a cover (13) mountable on the mount (12) so as to enclose both the socket and a received electrical plug; and a locking device (20) to lock the cover (13) in place on the mount (12). With the cover (13) locked in place there is secure protection to prevent the socket, and any plug positioned therein, being tampered with by, for example, young children, and there is protection against removal of equipment connected to the socket. The mount is a two part plate joined by dovetails and including a groove to slidably receive the cover (13). The locking device (20) comprises a key operated tang that, when locked, holds apart spring urged electrical contacts of an alarm circuit. The alarm is operated in response to unauthorised removal of the cover or severing of the cable. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRICAL SOCKET PROTECTOR This invention relates to an electrical socket protector and the object of the invention is to provide a protector which prevents live sockets from being tampered with, e.g. by young children, prevents or at least hinders theft of electrical apparatus such as TV's, videos, stereos etc., and which also ensures that plugs are not accidentally removed thus disconnecting vital equipment such as computer equipment.

According to the present invention, an electrical socket protector comprises a back plate adapted to be fitted to an existing electrical socket, a cover adapted to fit over the back plate so as to enclose both the socket and a plug when positioned in the socket, but to allow a cable to extend from the plug out to apparatus, and a locking device to lock the cover in place.

Preferably the back plate is in two parts for ease of application and is adapted to fit between the socket box and the front plate of the socket.

Preferably the protector incorporates an alarm device. The alarm device may be operated mechanically if the protector is interfered with or it may be operated electrically, e.g. via a signal created by a third party attempting to cut the electrical cable.

An LED or similar device may be provided with a switch so as to enable the user to obtain visual indication of the operational state of the cover and its alarm device.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a protector device for a double three pin power socket, embodying the present invention.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the device and a socket during assembly; Figure 2 is a detail showing a break in a back panel of the protector device; Figure 3 is a detail of the locking and alarm block; Figure 4 is a section through the electrical socket with the protector in position; and Figure 5 shows a groove around three sides of the plate into which the plug cover or protector body is adapted to fit.

In Figure 1 an electrical socket box 10 (surface mounted or recessed) is adapted to receive a standard twin 13 amp plug socket 11. The protector device includes a plate 12 made in two parts 12a and 12b adapted to be joined by a dovetail joint on each side, illustrated at 12c in Figure 2. This is to enable the plate 12 to be assembled over the socket box when there is wiring coming out through the box to the socket 11.

The plate 12 is placed on the socket box 10 and the two parts 12a and 12b joined. The plug socket 11 is then screwed in place with the screws passing through holes in the plug socket 11, in the back plate 12 and into the socket box in the normal way. This firmly clamps the back plate in position.

The protector cover 13 can then be slid downwardly over the back plate by using the grooves 14 shown in the back plate 12 in Figure 5.

A key operated locking device is provided at 15 which co-operates with a lock block 16 shown in Figure 3 having two spring loaded contacts 17 and 18 kept apart by a plastic tang of the lock. If the lock is broken or the cover forcibly removed, a circuit is made which operates an alarm (not shown). The alarm can be disarmed by turning off the key switch.

As shown in Figure 1, an LED 19 is provided to the switch 20 as a test device to determine the operator's state of the protective circuit.

The key operated switch enables the device to be disarmed for legitimate use and may also incorporate a low battery audible indicator.

The protective device can be manufactured in plastic material similar to that which is used for existing double and single 13 amp sockets, or it may be manufactured in steel for additional security.

The alarm device preferably is a audio device giving a signal in the region of 110-135 decibel and this device will be activated either by attempted removal of a cover or by attempted severing of the cable. Severing of the cable would obviously give the thief a nasty shock since the cable would normally be live. The alarm device might be operated by the magnetic field generated by electricity flow in the cables so that if the cables were severed, the switch activates and sounds the alarm, but this might be in addition to or as an alternative to a mechanically operated alarm device.

Claims

1. An electrical socket protector comprising a mount for fitting to an electrical socket, a cover mountable on the mount so as to enclose both the socket and an electrical plug when positioned in the socket, but to allow an electric cable to extend from the plug, and a locking device to lock the cover in place on the mount.

2. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mount is for fitting between the socket box and the front plate of the socket, sandwiched therebetween.

3. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mount is in two parts that are separable to facilitate fitting the mount to a socket that is wired up.

4. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the two parts of the mount are separably interconnected at a dovetail joint.

5. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the mount is apertured to permit screws for securing the front plate of the socket to the socket box to pass through the mount and secure the mount to the socket.

6. An electrical socket protector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a tongue and groove arrangement between the mount and the cover, enabling the cover to be mounted on the mount.

7. An electrical socket protector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking device has two parts respectively carried by the socket box and the cover, one of these parts being for engagement and disengagement with the other part to lock the cover to the mount or to free the cover for removal from the mount.

8. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said one part is a key-operated lock tang.

9. An electrical socket protector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and comprising an alarm device.

10. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claims 8 and 9, wherein the lock tang is made of electrical insulating material and serves to separate electrical contacts, of the alarm device, carried by the said other part of the locking device, these contacts being resiliently urged into electrical contact with one another to activate the alarm device.

11. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the alarm device is activated by severing of the cable from the plug.

12. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the alarm device is an audio device giving an audible signal when triggered.

13. An electrical socket protector as claimed in claim 9, 10, 11 or 12 and comprising an electrical indicator for giving a visual indication of the state of the alarm device.

14. An electrical socket protector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.