US1539539A - Water-tight receptacle and plug therefor - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1925.

R. B. BENJAMIN WATER TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Aug. 7. 1918 2 heets-Sha l v May 26, 1925. 1,539,539

R. B. BENJAMIN WATER TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Aug. 7.. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i wg') k 7262576655651 M vs Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNO'R T0 BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WATER-TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR.

Application filed August 7, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in ater-Tight Receptacles and Plugs Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved water-tight receptacle and plug therefor, one object of the invention being to produce a device of this kind from which moistur'e, vapors, gases, and the like are eft'ectually excluded, so that it will be suitable for use in exposed places, such as on shipboard.

Another object is to produce a device in which it is possible to connect the parts without twisting the conductors.

Another object is provide means whereby any strain caused by the conductor-cords being pulled or jerked is taken by the exernal or housing members of the device, instead of by the receptacle contacts.

Another object is to provide an improved construction for the insulating and currentcarrying parts of the plug, permitting the conductors to be readily connected.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a water-tight receptacle with a screw-cap in place;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the device with the cap removed and the plug inserted, the outlet-box or casing of the receptacle being shown in section;

Fig. 3 shows an axial section of the plug, the section being taken on the line 33 of Figs. 5 and 7;

Fig. 4 shows an axial section of the plug, the section being taken on the line H of Figs. 5 and 7 Fig. 5 is an end view of the plug;

Fig. 6 is a broken elevational view of the part of the plug which enters the threaded socket of the receptacle;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the under side of the inner or lower insulating base mem ber of the plug, showing the binding-ten minals;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the under side Serial No. 248,684.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional View of the cordgripping portion of the plug, the section be- Ing taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the insulating base of the rece tacle and the parts carried by this base, looking into the threaded socket, the insulating sleeve which surrounds the threaded shell contact being omitted; and

Fig. 11 is an axial sectional View of the same, the section being taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10, the insulating sleeve being shown in place in this view.

In the several figures of the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout, the casing or outletbox comprises a main body portion 20 and a cover portion 21, which is held to the body portion by screws 22, a water-tight joint being; made between these parts by means of a rubber gasket ring 23. The cover portion 21 of the casing is provided with an externally-threaded neck 24, through which the plug of the device is inserted into the threaded socket-shell. When it is not desired to use the device as a means for supplying current to translating devices, the plug will be withdrawn from the socket and a cap 25, which is internally screw-threaded. may be placed in position on the neck and maintains the device water-tight. To prevent the cap 25 from becoming lost, it is connected to the casing by means of a short chain 25.

When it is desired to insert the plug into the casing this cap 25 is removed. The plug, after being inserted, is securely held in position by means of a threaded ring 26 which is swivelingly carried by the casing of the plug and which takes the place of the cap 25.

Before describing the details of the plug portion of the device, the receiving-socket and other parts which are contained within the casing of the receptacle will first be described.

A base 27 formed of suitable insulating material is secured in the casing by means the casing. To prevent rotation of the base 27 and consequent turning under the heads of the screws 28, which. might result in the base becoming detached, the smaller or restricted end of each key-hole-shaped opening is countersunk to receive the head of the screw. This leaves a projection 28 on each side of the opening, beyond which the screwhead cannot paw The threaded contact shell 31 is held in position on the insulating base 27 by means of a pair of screws 32 and 33, which extend throuh the base into small plates 34 and 35. ese plates are. located in the contact shell 3 the latter bein provided with an inturned' flange 36, t rough :which the screws pass into the lates 34 and 35. A third screw 37 passes t rou h the insulating base 27 and through the flange 36 of the shell contact 31, and enters a threaded openin in a binding-terminal plate 38. This binding-terminal plate passes through a slit in the side of the shell contact and is provided with binding- screws 39 and 40. Electrical connection is made between one of the leading-in conductors and the threaded contact shell 31 by means of this ter- 'minal plate 38.

Thecenter contact corresponding to the threaded outer contact 31 is formedby a spring plate 41, which is held in position by means of a. screw 42, which passes j throu h the insulatin base 27 into a binding-p ate 43. This inding-plate is provi ed with a pair of binding- screws 44 and 45." An internally-threaded ring 46, formed oLporcelain or other suitable insulating material, is screwed upon the outside of the socket shell contact 31 and extends a short distance beyond the outer edge of the,

latter. When connection is to be made between the wires and the binding-terminals of the socket, this threaded, ring46 is removed. The inner end of the ring 46 is enlarged to ive it a suflicient diameter to extend well eyond the outer ends of the binding-plates "43 and 38;

The insulating base 27 is formed with a pair of lugs 47 and 48, which extend outwardly from the face of the member 27, and when the insulating rin 46 is screwed upon the shell contact 31*1t is limited by the luggs 47 and 48. 4 i eferring now to the lug portion of the device, the latter 'includlis an outer casin or housing 50. This housin is expande at its forward end to provide a comparatively large chamber 51, in which is disposed the insulating base 52 The base 52 is secured in the housing 50 and has its underside formed with recesses in which are located the binding-terminals. Another insulating member comprising a c lindriv cal block 53 forms the portion of t e plug which carries the outer contact memberin the conductin and the end contact member which co-operate with the contacts of the receptacle when the parts are put together. The center contact member of the plug comprises a plunger 54, whichis urgedoutward by a spring 55. The plunger 54 is guided in an opening or recess 56 in the insulating'block 53, 'by a hollow shell 57, which works up and down in the opening 56 in the block and contains the outer end of the spring 55. The inner end of the spring 55 is seated against a bushing 58, which forms a guide for the inner end of the plunger 54. This bushing is in electrical connection with a plate 59, which lies in a shallow recess in the end of the insulating block 53 and is held in place therein by the bushing 58, which is expanded or clinched over at its inner end upon the plate 59. The plunger 54 is limited in its outward movement by being expanded or headed at its inner end 54.

The outer contact of the plug comprises a metallic shell or rin 60 which surrounds the cylindrical insulating block 53 and also a pair of bow-shaped resilient members 61 and 62, held in place by the metallic ring 60. The members61 and 62 lie in slits in the ring 60 and make direct contact with the inner surface of the threaded shell contact 31 of the receptacle when the plug is.

inserted thereinto. The metallic shell 60 is held in gosition on the block 53 by having its en s inwardly flanged at 63 and 65, the former flange lying between the two insulating members 52 and 53 of the plug. A metallic plate-ring 64 is held in-place' the plug is thrust into the socket member of the receptacle the strips 61 and 62 are caused to flatten slightly, being bent inwardlytoward the member 53, and are pressed into; firm electrical contact with .these'tongues 66 and 67.

The insulating member 52 carries the binding-terminal plates upon its lower or inner side. These binding-terminal plates, best seen in Fig. 7, are held in position by screws which pass up into the plate 59 and ring 64 on the under or inner side of the member 53. The terminal plate 70 is held in place by a screw 71, which passes through the base 52 into a threaded opening 71 plate 64. The terminal plate 70 isprovi d with the usual bindingscrew 72. A screw 73 similarly holds in place the binding-terminal plate 7 4 and electrically connects it with the plate 59 on the under side of the member 53, electrical connection thus being made between the ter minal plate 74 and the center contact 5% of the plug. The terminal plate 74 is also provided with a binding-screw 75. To further aid in mechanically holding the parts of the plug together, a pair of screws 76 and 77 are provided, which also pass up into the conducting ring 64.

The parts of the plug which carry the current-conveying members and bindingterminals, when held together by the various screws above described, constitute a unit which may be removed from the casing or housing of the plug for the purpose of wiring the device. These parts are normally held in position in the housing by means of a pair of screws 78 and 79, which extend through notches 80 and 81 in the edge of the inner or lower insulating base member 52.

The inner wall of the housing of the plug, at its upper end, is made tapering or sub stantially cone-shaped. A cone-shaped soft rubber ring 82 is arranged in this part of the housing and forms a gasket provided with a water-tight joint with the covering of the conductor cords, to exclude moisture from the current-carrying parts of the device. The inner end of this ring is provided with a laterally-extending flange having substantially the diameter of the inside of the portion 51 of the casing 50.

The conductor-cord extends up through the neck 83 of the housing 50 and through the ring 82, where the ends of the conductors are secured to the binding-screws on the under side of the member 52. These connections are made while the current-carrying parts of the plug are removed from the casing, which may be done, as hereinbefore explained, by the removal of the screws 78 and 79. After the connections are made and the current-carrying parts of the plug are reinserted in the casing, the tightening of the screws 78 and 7 9 tends to force the rubber ring 82 down into the tapering mouth of the housing and to press the same in against the covering of the cord. At the same time the flange on the upper end of the rubber ring is pressed into close contact with the under side of the base member 52. The enlarged upper portion of the rubber gasket ring thus forms a cover for the depressions in the base member 52 in which the bindingterminals are located, whereby moisture is prevented from getting to these parts when the plug is not in use.

On the lower side of the insulating menu'- ber 52 there is provided a wedge-shaped extension 82, which is intended to separate the two conductors of the cord and force them against the inside of the rubber ring 82.

The lower end of the neck portion 83 of the housing of the plug is provided with means for gripping the cord to take the mechanical strain caused by pulling or jerking upon the cord. This cord-grip is formed by slitting the neck 83 longitudinally into preferably six parts, so that the tongues or fingers thus formed unay be forced inwardly ing.

hen it is desired to connect the plug with the receptacle portion of the device, the cap 25 is first removed by unscrewing it and the plug is brought into position to cause the contact-carrying part of the latter to enter the threaded socket. Rotation of the plug member is not necessary in order to make electrical connection, as the outer contact member of the plug is of. such form that it may enter straight into the socket and make good electrical connection therewith.

In order to hold the parts in mechanical and electrical connection, the threaded ring 26 is revolved to screw the same upon the neck 24 of the receptacle casing. A sealed joint is made between the plug housing 50 and the receptacle casing 21 by a compressible gasket-ring 88 which is clamped between these parts when the ring is screwed up. I

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. An electrical connecting device comprising a housing provided with means for securing it to a main support, an insulating base member disposed in said housing, binding-terminals carried by said base member, an insulating block carried by said base member and extending beyond the forward edge of the housing, a center contact carried by said block, and an outer conducting shell carried by said block and having its rearward edge flanged inwardly and confined between said block and said base member.

2. An electrical connecting device comprising a housing provided with means for securing it to a main support, an insulating base member disposed in said housing, binding-terminals carried by said base member, an insulating block carried by said base member and extending beyond the forward edge of the housing, a center contact carried by said block, and an outer contact member comprising a ring surrounding said block, said ring having an inturned inner edge, a

conducting plate clamped between said edge and said block, and means for holding said insulating parts together, comprising means extending through said insulating base member into said clamping plate.

3. An electrical connecting device comprising an insulating base member, bindingterminals carried by said base member, an insulating plug, a conducting shell on said plug having its inner end flanged over the end of the plug, said shell having a plurality of slits, and a strip of conducting material lying in each of said slits and held between said shell and plug and adapted for engagement with the outer contact of a socket.

4. An electrical connecting device, comprising an insulating base member, bindingterminals carried by said base member, an

insulating plug, a conductingshell on saidplug having its inner end flanged over the end of the plug, said shell having a longitudinal slit, a strip of yielding conducting material lying in said slit and in electrical communication with said shell and held between said shell and plug, and adapted for engagement with the outer contact of a socket, and means for securing said plug and said insulating member together with the conducting plate in electrical communication with one of the binding-terminals.

5. An electrical connecting device comprising an insulating plug member, a conducting shell on said member, said shell having a longitudinal slit, said shell having also an inturned projection opposite said slit, and a yieldin strip of conducting material lying in sa1d slit and having its middle portion bowed outwardly to engage the outer cont-act of a socket, and arranged to be pressed into engagement with said inturned projection.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. I

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN

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