US1481278A - Multiple-socket receptacle strip - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 22 1924.

F. w. WOOD MULTIPLE SOCKET RECEPTACLE STRIP Filed Dec. 23 1919 A E m E l 146007. 351 2 flVCou um d.

' abl connectiim extension Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,481,278 PATENT oFFi-cE.

FRANK W. WOOD, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW J ASSIGNOR TO CHAS. CORY & SO11, IN-

COBPOBATED, OF NEW YORK, I. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

xumrrnnsocxn'r :Application filed December To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, FRANK W. Woon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Socket Receptacle Strips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in eneral to electrical switches, and especially to a multiple socket receptacle strip employed for detachcircuits to a main circuit. Strips of this nature are generally employed where a temporary lighting systom of some extent is desired, as in building operations, and they have been found es ecially useful in connection with shipbui ing. Consequently, it is necessary that they be both strong in construction and arranged to afford complete protection to the conductors under severe service conditions where they may be exposed to the weather, to chance blows and to constant danger of shortcircuiting from exposed metal parts of the structure being erected.

Suchstrips,ascommonly usedincon'neetion with shipbuilding, include a pair of parallel rods or bus bars insulated and held in position by clamping them between blocks, usually of wood grooved to accommodate the bars, extending on opposite sides of the bars substantially throughout their length, the blocks being fastened together as by screws to hold the bars in place. The bus bars are spaced. apart approximately the same distance as the split terminals of standard switch plugs; and by boring spaced pairs of adjacent holes through one of the insulating blocks and partly or entirely through the bus bars, a series of plug sockets is produced in which split terminal plugs may be detachably seated to connect extension circuits at will. These strips have ordinarily been made up by the workmen when needed but this is of course undesirable because 0 the tim required and the imperfect-ions the strips when so made. Even when mil-nu factured under the best conditions, multiple socket strips constructed in this general way; are open to several serious ob ect1ons. For.

one thing. considerable time and labor is quired in producing a thoroughly eil'cctive and safe strip, as the bars must be fitted in place with considerable care. If the bars are loose, they are likely to turn and slip,

RECEPTACLE STRIP.

23', 1919. Serial no. 346,894.

thus rendering the sockets useless; while if the grooves in which the bars are seated are t o small the blocks will not meet and are likely to split if drawntogether tootightly. Furthermore, when the blocks do not meet, a space is formed between the bus bars in which moisture may collect, incurring the risk of a short-circuit. Consequently, the bars must fit accurately in the strip grooves, necessitating a, considerable expense for labor in the production thereof. Another objection, when the blocks are made of wood as is customary, to warp. When this occurs, a space is practically always certain to be open between the bus bars in which moisture may collect, with resultant danger from a short-circuit. These considerations are particularly important when the strips are to be used in exposed places where they may be subjected to the direct action of mist and rain, the present strips being unsuited for use in many such places.

A further difliculty with this type of strip is the manipulation of the connection between the bus bars and the main circuit wires. This connection is ordinarily made at one end ofthe strip. for the sake of convenience; and the actual points of connection, if immediately adjacent the end of the protecting blocks, are so xposed that great is the tendency of the wood care must be exercised to prevent the contact of a metal conductor with both points simultaneously. On the other hand, if the points of connection are spaced inwardly from the end of the blocks to permit the latter to protect said points-considerable in convenience is entailed in making and breaking the connections, as they are not accessible from the outside of the strip without un'- screwing the blocks. Y

The object of my invention is to produce ajstrip adapted to be used in exposed places which will be reliable under the most severe service conditions, more durablev than the presenttwo-block type, and which provides {1 complete insulation for the bus bars and iconnsections at all times. I accomplish this object primarily by molding the strip in unitary form. My invention in particular includes an arrangement of parts permitting the quick, cheap and easy manufacture of the strip in this way, eliminating the largest part oflabor cost in manufacturi the strips and insuring complete insulation of the bus bars from each-other at all times.

from the mold. Furthermore, in the preferred form of my invention, no manipulation of mold arts whatever is necessary in removing t e formed strip except the usual separation of the halves of the mold.

In actual service it is desirable to place these strips in various out-of-the-way places, the. position of the strip depending upon local conditions. Consequently the strip should be so constructed that it can-either be laid flat with its sockets uppermost, or

hung up by one end. To accomplish this object, it is necessary to provide one end of the strip with suspending means, ordinarily made of wire and preferably in the form of a hook, whereby the strip may be hung from a. wire, rod, nail or other elevated support. It will be apparent that the metal suspending element must engage the strip firmly enough to sustain considerable weight where several plugs with depending wires are in the sockets, and at the same time must be thoroughly and carefully insulated-from the bus bars. I have provided a construction in which a metal supporting element may either be molded in the strip or the strip may be so formed that the supporting element may be inserted therein when needed, the construction being such that the supporting element is completely insulatcd.from the conductors. Furthermore, when the supporting element is in place, the strip may be placed in horizontall position upon a support without diilicu t I have also provided means for readily connecting and. disconnecting the main circuit wires and the ends of the bus bars adjacent said supporting element, said connection being operable directly without disturbing the strip and at the same timebeing spaced from the end of the strip to insure perfect insulation. Furthermore, I have provided a channel from which the main circuit Wires may be led laterally from the connecting points without projecting beyond the end of the strip adjacent the supporting element. This is especially useful where said element is to .be hung over a rod, pipe on similar rigid metal support, as a chance upward blow on the strip would force the upper end thereof strongly against said support, and'would be very likely to force said support against the main circuit wires and produce a shortrcircuit. This,

of course, would be avoided b having such connections at the opposite en of the strip;

but it is desirable to locate them adjacent the supporting element, as the main circuit wires may then be run along said support, which is ordinarily at some distance from the hem, keeping said wires out of the way of the passers-by. It will be noted that both ends of the bus bars are insulated, one end being completely enclosed, the other protected by the extension of the insulation far enough beyond its end to prevent simultaneous contact with both bus bars by accident.

It will also be apparent that my specific construction is pecuharly adapted for rapid and efficient molding; and a substantial part of my invention involves the production of such a construction and the .em-

ployment of standard and simple features idly molded.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyng drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the strip, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the bus bars, showing the plug in elevation engaging one of the sockets, Fig. 3 is a transverse section through" a form of plug which may be employed, and I Fig.4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. r

A The strip includes oneor more bus bars 11, of any desired form, extending substantially'throughout the length of the strip.

Bus bars 11 are parallel and spaced apart.

their centers being preferably spaced by a distance equal to that between the splitterminals of standard plugs. The bus bars 11 are 'imbedded in a homogeneous, integral casing strip 12, formed of any suitable nonconducting material adapted to be molded,

various materials of this kind being well known in the art and in common use for making electrical devices. A series of spaced pairs of adjacent socket holes 13 extend from one surface of the strip through the casing material 12 and bus bars 11, each pair of socket holes 13 defining sockets for the reception of the terminals of a plug, the

holes being so located in the bus bars that m such a way that the whole may be rapsuflicient metal is left adjacent the holes to provide a suitable conductor for the current past the holes.

As shown, the casing 12 extends completely across the lower end of each bus bar- 11, providing complete insulation for said end. The opposite end of each bus bar ,11 terminates short of the end of the casing 12. whichis provided with a recess or channel 14 extending outwardly from said end of the bus barto the outside of said casing. Said recess or channel 14 may be varied m shape, being adapted to accommodate the end of a maln circuit wire 15 held in contact with the bus bar. For maintaining this connection, I preferably provide a terminal socket 16 in the end of each bus bar 11, into which the end of the lead wire may be inserted, where it is held in any desired way, as by a set screw 17 threaded through a tapped opening in the side of the bus bar 11 at the socket 16 and manipulated through a lateral opening or well 18 in the casin r 12. It will be noted that the parts are pref erably so proportioned that the head of each screw 17 is a considerable distance below the surface of the casing 12, preventing chance contact with the adjacent terminal screw. It will also be apparent that, while the insula'tion of the lead wire 15 must necessarily be stripped from the end thereof to permit proper contact with the bus bar, channel or recess 14 is of sufficient depth so that wire recess 14 being sufficiently large to accommodate the raw end of the insulatin'g material.

I have also disclosed a suitable supporting member 19 mounted on the strip adjacent the bus bar terminals. In the form illustrated', this is composed of a wire having a hooked upper end 20, and a hooked lower end 21 passing through and engaging the strip, the intermediate part of the wire being 'imbedded in the surface of the strip and preferably lying flush therewith, the lower end of the wire being given a return bend 22 flush with the surface of the strip, if desired. It will be evident that with this construction,

the strip may either be laid flat upon the side opposite the socket openings 13 or it may be suspended by Y shaped in any preferredway according to the nature of the supports which will be en aged thereby. .1

n the specific construction disclosed, it will readily be understood that supporting means 19 may either be fixed in position durin'gmolding. or a suitable socket therefor may be provided during molding and the support placedtherein when andif needed. When the latter method is employed, the strip is preferably formed with suitably shaped depressions during molding, the form illustrated including a pair of opposite grooves 23 connected by a transverse bore 24., the construction being such that a wire may readily be passed through the bore 24 and its ends bent up to form the return bend 22 and book 20, the intermediate parts of the wire lying flush with or below the surface of the strip. p

The simplicity and effectiveness of the construction and arrangement of parts as described will be apparent; but one of its main advantages lies in the facility with hook 20, which may be which it may be rapidly and efiectively molded, this condition requiring a carefully planned arrangement not necessary when the I stri is produced in other wa s.

urthermore, all of the s aping operations on the bus bars, which in the specific form shown include drilling and tapping, may be performed prior to the molding process. This is highly desirable, as any such operations performed after molding would be likely to loosen the bars in the casing.

However, careful provision must be made for preventing the entry of the plastic covering or insulating material into the various sockets or depressions, and it is highly desirable that such preventing means be mounted rigidly within the mold so that little or no manipulation is required before removing the strip, the arrangement preferably being such that an ordinary two-part mold may be used.

It will be evident that the construction disclosed meets all of these requirements, as the bus bars may be positioned in the mold upon pins projecting from the bottom thereof, a similar pin resting against the tapped hole through which screw 17 pames. The

channels 14 may be produced by lugs pro jecting inwardly from the end 0 the mold and slidable outwardly therethrough after molding to permit the withdrawal of the strip, the form of plugs used being deter bars in the mold upon the proper pins and flanges will both close the apertures in the bus bars and at the same time provide suit- .able recesses in the mold casing; while after molding the stri may be removed directly from the mold without difficulty. The mold construction for molding channels 23 and bore 24, or for molding with support 19 in place, is obvious.

I have disclosed in Fig. 3 a suitably formed plug adapted to be used inconuection with my multiple socket receptacle, said Dlug including a two part body 26 of insulating material, the halves of which are detachably connected, as by bolts 27. Suitably positioned between the halves of body 26 are conducting rods 28, provided with split terminals 29 projecting beyond the body 26, and at their opposite ends having suitable terminal sockets 30 adapted to hold the ends of the auxiliary circuit wires 31 in any desired way, as by set screws 32. If desired, one of the conductor rods 28 may be made in two parts connected by a fuse 33 frictionally engaging sockets in the ends' of said parts. The plug may further be provided with a suitable looped supporting element 34.

It will be apparent that I have devised a multiple socket receptacle strip which combines the three primary requisites of strength and durability, thorough and last ing protection against short-circuits, and cheapncss of product'r on. The strip is, turthermore, adapted to be used in a great variety of locations and under differing conditions, being resistant to varying conditions of temperature and hum1d1ty, and to the roughest usage, without losing its effectiveform of my invention, it will be apparent that certain changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in this specification.

ill

I claim:

1. A multiple socket receptacle strip, including a plurality of parallel bus bars having relatively spaced sockets therein, an integral casing of molded around the bus bars and completely enveloping the same at one end, the said casing having socket holes in one side face extending inwardy into registration with the respective bus bar sockets, the bus bars being terminated short of both casing ends, the casing being provided at the end opposite to that at which the busbar ends are completely enveloped with lateral recesses contoured for the reception of the main or feed wires, the said recesses extending from the adjacent bus bar ends ,to the face in which the socket holes arelocated, the easing having lateral openings extending from the said bus bar ends .to the said face of the casingandterminal connectors for the last mentioned ends of the bus bars contained within the lateral openings of the caslng.

2. A multiple socket receptacle strip including a plurality of parallel bus bars havaround the bus bars and completely envolping the same at one end, the said casing having socket holes in'one side faceextending inwardly into registration with the respecinsulating material ing relatively spaced sockets therein, an integralcasing of insulating material molded tive bus bar sockets, the bus bars being terminated short of both casing ends, the casing being provided at the end opposite to that at which the bus bar ends are completely enveloped with lateral recesses extending from the adjacentbus bar ends to the face in which the socket holes are located, the last mentioned bus bar endsbeing provided with terminal sockets and lateral threaded openings in communication therewith, the casing having lateral open-- ings extending from the said bus bar openings to the face through which the recesses open, and terminal connecting screws engaged within the said bus bar openings and being contained within the lateral openings of the casing.

3. A multiple socket receptacle strip including a plurality of parallel busbars having relatively spaced sockets therein, an integral casing of insulating material molded around the bus bars and completely envolping the same at one end, the said casing having socket holes in one side face extending inwardly into registration with the respective bus bar sockets, the bus bars being terminated short of both casing ends, the casing being provided at the end opposite to that at which the bus bar ends are completely enveloped with lateral recesses open at the said end of the casing and extending across the adjacent busbar ends to the face in which the socket holes are located, and terminal connectors provided at the last mentioned ends of the bus bars.

4. A multiple socket receptacle strip including a plurality of parallel bus bars having lateral sockets, anintegral casin of insulating material molded around t e bus bars and having socketholes extending inwardly from one side face into registration with the respective bus bar sockets, and

terminal connectors for the bus'barsembedded within the casing, the said casing being provided near one end with a transverse opening located midway between bus bars and spaced therefrom and with longitudinl grooves in its external faces in registration with the said opening and extending throughthe said end of the casing, and a wire suspending. element extending through the casing opening and bent to fit the said grooves, part of the said element being extended beyond the adjacent end of the casing.

Signed at New York in the county of New Yorkand State of New York this 20th day of December A. D. 1919. i RANK-w. woon,

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