US1681186A - Electrical fitting - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1928.

J. s. JONES ET AL ELECTRICAL FITTING Filed June 11, 1923 2 Sheets-$heet 1 a Q 6 0 a, v

INVENTOR. d 7036 5 J. .ibrre;

famue/ M Mead Arrow/g.

Aug. 21, 1928.

J. S. JONES ET AL ELECTRICAL FITTING Filed June 11, 1923 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR. .fose il J. Jones war A TTORNZ Y.

Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

' rosnrn a JONES AND SAMUEL n. MEAD, .73., or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIVGNORS" 10 CHAS. CORY &SON, INCORPORATED,

NEW YORK.

Application filed June 11,

electrical fittingsor fixtures. c

A principal object of the invention is to provide a newandfimproved combined lamp Our invention relates to improvements in c or plug socket andswitch.

Another important object is to provide a lamp socket or, analogous electrical conneca completely oil and gas-tight, for the tion or fitting, in combination .with an oilandfgas-tighttbox or enclosure for circuit connections or a switch.

Another object is to provide modifications and improvementsin double pole switches of the type disclosed in the patent to Frank W. Wood, N 0. 1,094,690, April 28, 1914-, and

1 particularly to adapt a swltch of that type invention are further. sufiiciently explained in connection with the following detail descriptionqjof the accompanying drawings, which show one exemplifying embodiment ofthe invention. Afterconsidering this embodiment, it will beevident to per-- j sons skilledin the art thatinany variations may be made within the principles of the invention, and we contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an electrical fixture embodying the invention in one form.

Figure2yis a horizontal. section through a the switch-box.

Figure 3 's a vertical section of thesocket,

. switch and operating mechanism in the plane ofthe switch rotor. axis.

of, Figure ,3.

Figure 4is asection of thesocketand plane at a right angle tothat switch ina ,Figurefo is; aidetail section of the switch rotor in operative relation to one of the movablecontacts- 3 1" v 1 A'socket body 1 of suitable insulating ma- 0] NEW YORK, 1v. 2., A conrona'rxon or announcer. mcrzrme.

1923. Serial No. 644,627. I

terial, such as porcelain or other molded composition, is'provided with a'socket sleevei or housing 2 and a flanged base3. 'A'contact base 4, which in the present embodiment. of the invention is a switch base, of any suitable insulating material, is 'asso-. ciated with the socket body and secured thereto by rivets or screws 5, the heads ofwhich are locatedin sockets 6 in the'switch base and the'lthreaded portions ofwhich preferably engage in metallic members. 7, located in suitable sockets. in the base of the socket body. j

The contactfmembers in thesocketbody may vary in accordance with the purpose for which the fixture is designed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the socket portion of the fixture'is designed to. receive an electric bulb or a screw lug attached to an electric cord. Fort is urpose a metallic shell 8, screw threa'de' or pressed .to a thread-like formation, is located within the socket housing 2 and preferably this contact shell is entirely free from the socket body and a is mounted on {the switch base 4. This mounting orattachment of the threaded shell consists, in the}v present example, of screws 9 and 10 and.

nuts 11, the screws passing. through the" switchbase and through inturned flanges of the "contact shell 8 and the nuts engaging below the flanges. A circuit connectionto the upper sideof thes'witch base is provided by one of the fasteningscrews such as, 10, which passesithrough an ofl'set-portion 12 of a flat metal contact or conductor13 located ontop of the switch base; A central socket contact 'member or button" 14," formed as a part of a substantially U-.

" shapedmetallic' conductor '15' is secured by a screw 16 to theswitch base, and this" screw, to provide a clrcu t connection, also passes through an offset portion 17 of a flat'meta'l contact member or conductor 18 located on top of the switch base. Desirably the bottom'fac'e of the switch base is provided with f a substantially -U-shaped r semi-circular flange19't0 enclose an inner part 15 of the central socket contact. e e ,p f The variousfcntttcts or ;metallic condlib. tors so far described, are merelyrepresenta-Ii tiveof suitable contacts or connection's which may be'provided invarious forms for differ-f ent adaptations ofthe combined socket and contact orgcircuit-connectmn devices. Ina preferred embodiment of the invention, however, and especially when it is adapted for a lamp fixture as in the present specific example, the insulating body 4 is not merely a contact or conductor base, but a switch base. and the conductors 13 and 18 are associated with the movable switch members 20, two of these being provided, since a double-pole switch is desirable and preferred for many reasons. Each switch member 20 is bent into substantially U-form at 21 to provide a base portion 22 secured to one of the conductors, either 13 or 18, by screws or rivets 23. At the other end each switch member is bent into U-form' at 2t to provide a contact member 25 adapted to yieldingly and closely engage a fixed contact or terminal 96, one of these being provided for each switch mem' her. The terminals or fixed contacts 26 are secured to the upper or outer end of the switch base by screws 27, which may serve at the same time as binding screws to secure the ends of conductor wires to the fixed contacts. Desirably the outward ends of the contacts are turned up as at 528 to facilitate the proper electrical connection between the contact members and the conductors when the latter are clamped down by the screws.

The movable switch members are operated by a rotor 30 of suitable insulating material, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 31, and the shaft is rotatably supported in brackets 32 having angular bases 33 secured to the switch base by screws or rivets 31. The rotor is connected to turn with shaft 31 with a suitable amount of lost motion, by a screw-pin 35 inserted in a threaded hole in the shaft, and located in a slot 36 of the rotor. The central portion 37 of the rotor in which slot 36 is located may be substantially circular in cross section. At each side of it is a substantially oval or cam portion 38, the smaller diametral width of which is such that when the rotor is in the posi tion shown in Figure 5, the switch members 520 spring upward and break contact between their ends 25 and the fixed contacts 26, to break the circuit. Cam portions 38 of the rotor have, in line with their longer axis, small flat portions or lands 39, so that when the rotor is turned to a position at a right angle to that shown in Figure 5, one of the lands or flat portions 39 engages the corresponding switch member and holds the movable contact portions 25 yieldingly and firmly in engagement with the fixed contacts 36, to close the circuit. The lost-motion device provides in a simple way an effective snap action to insure quick separation of the contacts when the switch is opened. A suitable handle and operating connection are provided as hereinafter described.

When an electrical fitting or fixture of the present type is used in a great many locations, for instance locations where oil or gas is present and might cause fire or explosion by access to loose circuit connections, it is dcsirable to provide a. housing which will substantially or entirely prevent access of oil or gas to such connections, and this is particularly desirable when the circuit connections are. as in the present preferred cmbodinieut of our invention. in the form of a switch and sparks are usually drawn at the switch contacts when the circuit is broken. For this purpose and also to provide a secure and tight enclosure for the switch mechanism to prevent it from mechanical injury and access of water or moisture, as well as gas and oil, and also to provide a suitable base or mounting for the combined socket and switch or circuit base 4, the combined socket and switch base is mounted on a switch box -10, which is usually of metal of substantial thickness. This box has an upper or outer end wall 41 which is desirably solid or entirely free from apertures, and a side wall or walls 4-2. This side wall may be contoured to provide a box of any suitable shape such as square polygonal orround, a round box being selected for illustration, and in that case the side wall 12 is of circular cross section and is usually made of very substantial thickness. Opposite to end wall 41, the box has an inwardly projecting flange -13 surrounding an aperture 14 properly shaped to accommodate the switch base 4, which is inserted in the aperture and the switch mechanism with its contacts and circuit. connections is then located entirely within the box. Flange 3 of the socket body lies below or outside flange 43 and desirably a washer or gasket 45 of any suitable material, such as rubber or rubber composition, or of other suitable compressible material which is impervious to oil it the fixture is exposed to oil, is placed between flange -13 and the socket llangc and the socket flange is secured to the box by screws -16 passing through suitable holes 17 in the socket llangc and engaging in the box flange 43. By setting these screws up tight an oiland gastight joint is provided which eilectively prcvents access to the interior of the box of oil, gas, or moisture.

Desirably the box has a cylindrical extension suitably threaded to receive a glass globe 51 when it is desired to use such a globe to enclose and protect the lamp bulb 52, and the gasket or washer 45 is preferably of a sufiicient diameter so that the inner end of the globe will bear against it and include oil or moisture from the interior of the globe. Desirably also the outward end of extension 50 is recessed to receive the collar 51 of any ordinary or suitable globe protector 52. A. set screw 53 is also usually provided to secure the globe protector in position.

Inc

i are not in use may be tightly closed, as by around the side wall of the box.

- stem, outside the switch box.

screw plugs '62. A conduit, such as 61, is usually inserted in alposition which is convenient for bringing the enclosed conductor wires to the binding screws 27, as shown in Figure 2. It is usually convenient to provide four of the openings 60 spaced equally While any suitable operating device having an exterior handle may be provided to operate the switch, preferably improved operating mechanism is provided which allows for any slight disalinement between the switch shaft 31 and the operating mechanism; the operating mechanism is moreover designed so that it may be conveniently located in any one of the apertures 60 and also so that it may be tightly packed to prevent entrance of oil or gas. In the present embodiment of the.

invention, the operating device comprises a stem 70 passing through a stufling box which comprises an outer member 71 screwed into one of the apertures 60 and an inner member 72 screwed into the outer member and arranged to properly compress any suitable packing 73 around thestem. On the inward end of stem 70 is formed or secured a jaw member 74, the jaws 75 of which are located with slight clearance against any two opposite faces of a square head 76 formed on oneend of the switch shaft 31. A spring 77 located about an inner portion of stem 7 0 serves to take up unnecessary play and to hold the inward end of the stem against the outer end of shaft head 76. Any suitable handle or finger knob 78 is secured to the outer end of the The square head 76 and jaw member 74 provide in effect a universal connection between the stem and the switch shaft, and allow for moderate disalinement of these members. The described operating device and connection provides in an obvious way for inserting and connectin the operating device to the switch shaft w en the socket and switch 7 I body are attached to the switch box in any ofthe possible positions. a r The described construction and arrangement provides for a complete and secure oil and gas-tight enclosure of the switchmechanism so that oil or gas cannot get inside the box, and sparks which occur when the switch circuit is broken cannot ignite gas or oil in the neighborhood of the box. The provisionof a double-pole switch in the present simple and durable form also renders the exteriorly accessible contacts (socket contacts) completely dead when the switch is open. a

We claim:

1. An electrical fitting including a tubular body and a contact base closing one end of the body, said base and body of insulating material, the base carrying an inter-' nally threaded socket extending into the body, fixed and movable contacts on the face of the base remote from the body, the movable contacts being normally spring urged to open position, and a rotor journaled on the base above the movable contacts and having cam portions to move the contacts to closed position.

2. An electrical fitting including a tubu lar body and a contact base closing one end of the body, said base and body of insulating material, the base carrying an internally threaded socket extending into the body, fixed and movable contacts on the face of the base remote from thebody, the movable contacts being normally spring urged to open position, a rotor journaled on the base above the movable contacts and having cam portions to move the contacts into closed position, a closed casing having a fluid tight connection with the exterior of the body, and mechanism extending through.

a wall of the casing for operating the rotor,

and having a fluid tight connection with said wall.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York andState of NewYorkthis 6th day of June A. D. 1923.

JOSEPH S. JONES. SAMUEL N. MEAD, JR.

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