US1613825A - Automatic connecter - Google Patents

Description

Jan. '11, 1927. I 1,613,825

' G. A. HARMON AUTOMATIC CONNECTER 1 Filed Feb. 9. 1925 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR Gddfcwmon 44 ATTORNEYS G. A. HARMQN AUTOMATIC CONNECTER Jan. 1;, 1927. 1,613,825

Filed Feb. 9. 1925 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE ALBERT HARMON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN RE- FLEX-LITE COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC oonnnc'rnn.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial- No. 8,047.

nection for a lighting fixture which carries a plurality of circuits for the lamps supported by said fixture, the sections of the connecter being adapted to be disconnected by releasing a cable which maintains the fixture in position and the circuit closed.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define nomaterial departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the electrical connecter for a lighting fixture.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a detail of a switch which isadapted tobe automatically broken when desired.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the connecter.

Figure. 4 is a view in perspective of the sections of the connecter in detached relation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 designates a threaded nipple having a flange 2 which is adapted to be secured to the ceiling of a room. The threaded nipple is adapted to be screwed into a threaded passage 3 in the upper end of a metal body 4- of the upper section of the connector. This section is provided with an annular flange 5 upon which are adapted to be mounted a plurality 'of insulating blocks 6. Other insulating blocks 7 vertically alining with the blocks 6 are adapted to be connected together by means of screws 8 passing through perforations in the flange 5.

The head and nuts on the screws are seated within recesses 12 in the opposite ends of the blocks 6 and 7 and covered by any form of insulating material, such as sealing wax. The blocks 6 are seated upon sheets of insulating material 13 which are disposed upon opposite faces of the flange 5 and are perforated to receive the conducting sleeves 14 which have a flaring mouth 15 and a threaded upper end 16 into which are adapted to be screwed or secured the bolts 17. The sleeve 14 and the bolts 17 which form an integral construction, are locked in place in the blocks 6 and 7 by means of the flaring mouth 15 engaging the conically shaped wall 18 in the block 7, and a pair of nuts 19 screwed onto the threaded end of the member 17. The sleeve 14 passes through a perforation lined with an insulating sleeve 20, said sleeve preventing the currents from being short-circuited through the flange 5.

It will be noted that in each pair of blocks 6 and 7, a pair of the sleeves and screws are posit oned; Each sleeve is adapted to slidably receive the upper end of a conductor 21 which is locked in place in a pair of insulating blocks 22 and 23 secured by means of a threaded bolt 24 to the opposite faces of a flange 25 formed upon the lower section 26 of the connecter. A pair of nuts 27 and a nut 28 lock'the conductor 21 in position. It will also be not-ed that sheets of insulating material 13 are located upon opposite faces of the flange 25 which has a passage of sutficient diameter to receive a sleeve 29 of insulating material which permits the conductor 21 to be inserted through the same but prevent short-circuiting or sparking when the circuit'is closed.

The section 4 of the connecter has a depending apron 30 which has a slot, as shown at 31, adapted to receive a lug 32'located in the hollow portion 33 of the body member 26 and thereby guide the section 26 for causing the conductors 21 to be forced within their respective sleeves 14 in the upper section 4. It will be noted that the lower end of the apron 30 is sheared off as shown at 35 so that the lower edge will act as a cam for causing the lower section to be revolved when the same is being moved into position with the upper section as the curved edge of the apron rides on the V-shaped edge 32* of the lug 32. In the central portion of the chamber 33 of the body or section 26 is a sleeve or tubing 36 cast integrally with the body 26 and which has a central passage 37 adapted to receive a cable 38. i The lower end of the passage 37 opens into a pocket which provides a shoulder 39 at the lower end of the section 26 which is adapted to form a seat for a knot or enlargement 510 for the cable 88 and prevents the cable from passing through the passage 37.

The upper end of the sleeve 36 terminates, as shown at 41, adjacent the upper end of the body of the section 4, with the cable passing through a passage in the threaded nipple l and then is entrained over pulleys and through the partitions of the building to an operating drum. The recess or pocket 42 at the lower end of the section 26 is threaded adapted to receive a connecter 43 by which the usual lighting fixtures 44 are suspended or connected to the section 26.

To the nuts 19 are secured the usual wires leading from the house current while the wires completing the circuit to the lamps of the lighting fixture are connected by nuts 27 to the conductors 21 and these are connected in pairs.

It will be seen that by releasing the cable 38 the wei ht of the fixture and the section :26 will be suflicient to cause the body 26 to be moved outwardly from the body 4; and permit the conductors 21 to move out of the sleeves 14 and thereby break the cir cuit between the house current and the lamps. V hen the cable is wound upon the drum, the fixture is elevated and when the lug 32 is drawn into contact with the sheared edge 85 of the apron 30, the lug will ride upon said edge which acts as a cam and causes the body portion 26 to be revolved sufliciently until the lug 32 falls into the slot 31 whence the conductors 21 are properly positioned within the sleeves 14.

it will also be noted that the apron is of such a lengththat the conductors 21 are maintained sufiiciently away from the sleeve 1% that no short-circuiting will occur when the sections of the connecter are brought into position.

Vhat I claim is: I

1. An automatic eonnecter comprising two sections formed of metal having interfltting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annular flange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange,

and means for securing the blocks together,

a pair of electrodes mounted in the blocks of one of the sections and having a pair of expanded fingers, the blocks of the other section being provided with electrodes having projecting ends adapted to be received within the expanded fingers of the first mentioned electrodes, one of the sections being provided with a split guide having its free end provided with a cam portion, the other section being provided with a sleeve adapted to be received within the guide, and a lug engageable with the cam portion for positioning the sections in cooperative electrically connecting relation.

An automatic connecter comprising two sections formed of metal having interfltting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annular flange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange and spaced circumferentially around the flange, means for securing the blocks togetl'ier, electrodes projecting from the blocks of one section, the blocks on the'other section being provided with passages, expanded fingers located in each passage adapted to receive the projecting electrodes of the blocks of the other section, said sections having cooperating members adapted to cause alinement of the insulating blocks so that the projecting electrodes will be forced into the expanded fingers when the sections are brought together.

3. An automatic connecter comprising two sections formed of metal having interfitting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annular flange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange, and means for securing the blocks together, a pair of electrodes mounted in the blocks of one of the sections and having a pair of expanded fingers, the blocks of the other section being provided with electrodes having projecting ends adapted to be received within the expanded fingers of the first mentioned electrodes, a cam carried by one of the sections, means on the other section and cooperating with the cam for guiding the sections toward each other in such a position that the insulating blocks will be brought 1 together in end to end alinement.

GEORGE ALBERT HARMON.

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