US1303464A - Distant-control-switch socket fob electbic lights - Google Patents

Description

J. M. DAVIS.

DISTANT GONTR OL 'SWIICH SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS, 4w- APPLICATION FILED IUNEB. I917.

1,303,464. PatentedMay 13,1919.

WITNESSES- ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MATTISON DAVIS, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS.

DISTANT-CONTROL-SWITCH SOCKET FOB ELECTRIC LIGHTS, 860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Distant Control Switch Socket for Electric Lights, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to sockets for electric lights and other electric apparatus, and its object is to provide a socket structure which may be used in the ordinary manner of an electric light socket, or which may be controlled by a distant switch having circuit terminals introducible into or removable from the socket, at will.

The invention comprises a socket suchas is customarily employed for electric lights and other purposes and through which current will flow to a translating device in the same manner as is customary in the electric sockets of either the key or the keyless type, and, in accordance with the invention, the socket is modified in such manner that the continuity of the circuit through the socket may be broken and the circuit div'erted to a distanct switch by which the current may be controlled to energize a translating device carried by or connected to the socket.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing, but may be changed and modified, so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation, with parts in section, showing a form of socket and a distant controlling switch with a plug connection'whereby the switch 'may be coupled. up

to or uncoupled from thesocket.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a somewhat different type of socket with the switch connecting plug inserted into the socket, the switch bein omitted.

Referring to the drawings, t ere is shown a socket 1 which may,as indicated at Fig. 1, be of that type having a screw plug 2 as a permanent part of one end and a receptacle 3 as a permanent part of the other end. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1917. Serial No. 173,612.

Patented May 13, 1919.

receptacle 3 may be considered as of the ordinary screw type and in the particular showing of Fig. 1 has an attachment plug 4 applied thereto, from which plug there leads a conducting cord 5, which may be.

assumed to lead to a translating device, not shown.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a socket 1 with a receptacle 3 at one end and a cap 6 at the other end, through which cap there issues a cord 7 assumed to be connected to any suitand others of like character, have internal conductors whereby the circuit through them may be continuous, except that in the case of key or chain sockets suitable electric switching mechanism is provided within the socket.

' In accordance with the invention one branch of the circuit within the socket is provided with terminals 9, 10, respectively, entering a cavity or chamber 11 formed in a body member 12 within the socket or receptacle, which body member is ordinarily made of porcelain. Within the chamber 11 are opposed spring fingers 13, 14:, respectively, fast to respective terminals 9 and 10 and securely held thereby. In the particular arrangement shown each finger 13 and 14 is bent upon it self, with one leg fast to a terminal 9 or 10, as the case may be, and the other leg opposed and adjacent to the corresponding return leg of the other spring finger. The opposed legs are of a length to enter a recess 15 at one end of the chamber 11 and are protected from accidental access .by the walls of the body member 12.

The free ends of the fingers 13 and 11 have a normal tendency to approach into firm contact andunder such conditions complete the particular branch of the circuit, within the socket, in which said fingers are included.

material, and spring fingers 19 on opposite That end of the chamber 11 remote from the mal tendency to separate, for a short distance, from the core 18, so that when the plug is introduced into the chamber 11 through the mouth 16 thereof the fingers 19 engage the fingers 13 and l land are pressed arrested by the tapered core member 18, and the fingers 13 and 14 are moved, in opposition to their normal tendency, until the ends within the recess 15 are separated out of electrical contact with each other. The plug 17 is carried by a manipulating member 20, which may be in the form of a sleeve of insulating material with a screw collar 21 at one end engaging a flange 22 on the plug 17 and clamping the latter in the manipulating member 20. Binding screws 23 are located on the plug in such position as to be within the manipulating member when the sleeve 21 is in position to clamp the flange 22 against the corresponding end of said manipulating member. The screws 23 are designed to secure the ends of conductors included in a conducting cord 24 which, at the end remote from the manipulating member 20, is suitably connected up to a switch 25 shown in Fig. 1 as of a familiar type of push-through switch.

Either socket shown in the drawings may be employed for feeding electric translating devices at any desired distance therefrom, as by the conducting cord 5 shown in Fig. 1, or may be employed to directly support an electric light bulb 26, as in Fig. 2. Such showin is deemed suflicient to indicate that the soc ets may be used for any urpose for which electric sockets or receptacFes are commonly used.'

The improved socket is susceptible of use in'the same manner as an ordinary electric socket, that is, it may be used to feed electrlc transmitting devlces without control at the socket, asin the showing of Fig. 1, or'

with control at the socket, where the latter is of the type containing a switch within the socket, as in Fig. 2.

It is often desirable, however, to be able .to controlthe flow of current through the socket from some distant point too far away from the socket to permit the'use of a key switch or a chain switch. With the device of this lnvention, a distant controlled switch, such as the switch 25, may have its plug 17 introduced, through the side or other part of the socket, into the chamber 11 to separate the spring fingers 13 and 14 and bring them 1nto good electric contact with the spring fingers 19, whereby the control switch is electrically interposed between the fingers 13 and 14 and is therefore included in the corresponding side of the circuit. If the switch 25 be open, no current will flow through the socket to the translating" device controlled by the socket, but if the switch 25 be closed toward each other until further movement is ,trol the circuit though the customary switch ordinarily in the socket. The invention has the advantage over wall or other fixed switches in that the switch 25 is readily portable to any position, since the conducting cord 24 may be as long as desired and is of a flexible nature. Furthermore it is frequently desirable to be able to control an electric light or other translating device from a temporary location, in which case the switch 25 will answer the purpose. Nor need the switch 25 be constantly coupled up in the circuit, because the plug 17 is readily separable from the socket at any time. The switch 25 when attached to the socket is in series therewith but on its disconnection from the socket the latter is restored to the condition of an ordinary socket so far as its electrical connections are concerned.

\Vha't is claimed is 1. An electric socket or receptacle having means for the inclusion of the socket in an electric circuit, means for the attachment of a translating device to the socket, interior circuit connections with accessible circuit terminals having a normal tendency to close the circuit through the socket, a plug with circuit terminals introducible into the socket to engage the accessible circuit terminals therein and separate them to divert the circuit through the plug with the latter in series with the socket or receptacle, flexible conductors connected to the plug, and a distant switch connected to the flexible conductors.

2. An electric socket or receptacle having means for the inclusion of the socket in an electric circuit, means for the attachment of a translating device to the socket, interior circuit connections including spring fingers having a normal tendency to contact, said socket being provided at one side with an opening through whichthe spring fingers are accessible from the outside of the socket, a plug with spring fingers constituting circuit terminals and introducible through the gagement with the spring fingers in said socket, a flexible conducting cord connected,

to the terminals of the plug, and a switch fast to the end of the cord remote from the socket.

3. An electric socket or receptacle having interior circuit connections, spring fingers within the socket and included in the circuit connections, sald fingers havmg a normal tendency to engage and said socket having an opening at one side through which the spring'fingers are accessible from the can terior of the socket, and a plug provided with adjacent sprmg fingers, and a tapered ceiving the terminals of a translating device and provided with through connections having normally engaged, separable circuit termlnals, and an exterior switch means, circuit terminals separate therefrom, and flexible connections between the last named circuit terminals and the switch means, whereby the said last named circuit tennin-als may be introduced into the socket for the control of the circuit within the socket at will by the switch or the switch may be wholly removed without interference with the electric continuity of the socket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa- 25 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MATTISON DAVIS. Witnesses:

ISRAEL DOEBEN, OLA SPARKS.

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