US1821553A

US1821553A - Electric plug

Info

Publication number: US1821553A
Application number: US250497A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kuhn Frank; Laurence H Thomas
Original assignee: American Electrical Heater Co
Current assignee: American Electrical Heater Co
Priority date: 1928-01-30
Filing date: 1928-01-30
Publication date: 1931-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1948-09-01

Description

Sept. l, 1931. F. KUHN ET L 1,821,553

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed Jan. 30. 1928 [n Zi' 3 mento@ @Horn m s a plug formed of aA plurality of sections and Patented' Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK KUHN AND LAURENCE H. THOMAS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN ELECTRICAL HEATER COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPO- RATION 0F MICHIGAN ELECTRIC PLUG Application filed January 30, 1928. Serial No. 250,497.

This invention relates to electric plugs and contemplates the provision of a plug which shall be simple of construction and easy to assemble.

An object of this invention is tov provide to provide a single means for.holding all of these sections assembled.

A further object of this invention 1s to provide an electric plug including an insu- .lator block and a sectional casing for the block and including means in the insulator block for receiving portions of the casing for facilitating an assembling of the casing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a solid molded block for the contact clips and to provide a handlewhereby the plug may be conveniently used.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel type of contact clip and to provide a novel means for maintaining the contact clip in position within the insulator block.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds particularly when reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an electric plug constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure tis a transverse section taken on the line 4:-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a section of the casing forming a part of the electric plus;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the insulator block; and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the member shown in Figure 6.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, it will be noted that the electric plug includes an outer casing 10 and an inner insulator block 11.

The casing 10 includes a pair of like sections, one of which is shown in Figure 5. This section is provided with a body portion 12 adapted to constitute the side covering of`the electric plug. The body portion' 12 is provided with the edge flanges 13 which as clearly shown, are provided with the cut out portions 14 adjacent one end and is further provided with a relatively narrow end ange 15 and a relatively wide base fiange 16. The lianges 13 are adapted to form the edges of the casing while the base flange 16 is ladapted to form the bottom of the casing. The base flange 16 is provided with the flanged extremities 17 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Obviously when the two sections of the casing 10 are brought together, they form a casing such as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and this casing is adapted to receive the insulator block 11. The insulator block is sectional and includes a body section 184 and a base lsection 19. The bodysection 18 is preferably a solid molded block, relatively fiat and long, and is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending recesses 19 which are reduced at their outer ends to form slotted inlet openings 20. The molded block 18 is further provided with a transversely arranged aperture 21, which opens at its ends to the counter sunk portions 22 and 23.

The base section 19 is a substantially elongated member which is adapted to be arranged transversely of the block 18 and adjacent one end of the same. The block 19 is provided with the rounded end portions 25 which are adapted to project through the cut away portions 14 in the iianges 13 to form linger pieces whereby the electric plug may be conveniently handled. The body portion of the block 19 between the end pora substantially cylindrical recess 28. The last mentioned face of the member 19 is also provided with a longitudinally extending groove 29 which is adapted to receive the flanges 17 of the casing 10.

The recesses 19 in the block 18 are adapted to receive contact clips as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. Each conta-ct clip includes a strip of resilient metal bent upon itself to form the resilient gripping

arms

30 and 31, which arms are free to move relative to each other at one end and are joined together at their op- `posite end as by the base 32. For securing the wires 33 of an electric conduit 34 to each clip, there is provided a threaded member 35 adapted to have threaded engagement with both

arms

30 and 31 adjacent the base 32. It will be obvious that arms 30 and`31 of the U-shaped clip will, by virtue of ltheir resiliency, tend to move away from each other. This force acting on the threaded member 35, when the same is threaded in the

arms

30 and 31 will tend to lock the member 35 against rotation whereby the

arms

30 and 31 will in substance form a lock washer for the threaded member 35.

The electric wires 33 coming from their respective contact clips are adapted to initially enter the recess 26 in the member 19 where they are combined into the conduit 34 which asses 4through a passage 36 formed in t e member 19 and then through an opening in the casing 10 formed by the semi-circular cut away portions 36 in the flanges 16.

If desired, a resilient member such as a spring 40 may be sleeved on the conduit 34 and arranged with its inner end within the casing 10 for reception in the recess 28 in the member 19. This resilient member will obviously tend to prevent too sharp a bending of the conduit 34 at the point where the same enters the casing 10.

For preventing longitudinal movement of the contact clips in their recesses, each contact clip is provided with a plate 45 which is adapted to be secured to each clip by its respective threaded member 35. Each plate 45 is provided with the depending flanges 46 adapted to embrace the end of its respective clip and is further provided with the upwardly projecting ange 47 adapted to be received and clamped between the member 19 and the block 18 when these elements are assembled.

In assembling the device the plates 45 and the wires 32 are connected to their respective contact clips and each contact clip is placed in one of the recesses 19. The conduit 34 is extended through the opening 36 in the member 19 and the member 19 is then brought into position adjacent the end of the block 18 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The flange 47 being positioned between the

members

19 and 18 will e'ectively brace the contact clips against longitudinal movement in their recesses. The sections of the casing 10 are then positioned upon opposite sides of the

members

19 and 18 and their flanges 17 are inserted into the groove 29. The groove 29 will thereby tend to maintain the lower ends of the sections of the casing in assembled position and the upper ends ofthe section of the casing may then be locked in assembled position by a bolt 48 which passes through the aperture 2l in the block 18 and through apertures 49 in the sections of the casing 10. The sections of the casing 1() may be provided with countersunk portions 50 and 51 surrounding the apertures 49 whereby the head of the bolt 48 and the nut mounted on the bolt will not project beyond the sides of the casing 10. Further, the countersunk portion 51 may be so shaped as to prevent turning of the nut 52 whereby rotation of the bolt 48 will assure a tightening of the nut on the bolt.

From the above, it will be apparent that the invention provides an electric plug which includes a sectional insulator block and a sectional casing for the block, all of which sections may be held together by a single securing means. It will further be obvious that the groove in the member 19 will provide a simple and efficient means for holding one end of the sections of the casing together and that the projecting ends of the member 19 will provide a serviceable handle for the entire device.

Further the solid molded block for the clips will provide a strong housing for the clips while the resilient arms of the clips will serve as lock washers to prevent turning of the threaded member which secures the electric wires to the clips.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described somewhat in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only. The right is therefore reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

lVhat We claim as our invention is:

1. In an electric plug, a sectional casing, and an insulator block provided with means for receiving an end of each section of said casing to lock said ends together.

2. In an electric plug, a sectional casin fianges formed on the corresponding ents of the sections of said casing, and an insulator block grooved to receive the said anges.

3. In an electric plug, a casing formed of a pair of like sections, a iange formed on one end of each section, the said flanges beingl adapted to lie in juxtaposition to each other when the sections of the casing are assembled, and a sectional insulator block adapted to be positioned in the said casing, the said insulator block including a transverse section grooved to receive the flanges formed on the sections of the casing.

4. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a recessed body section and a base section, a contact clip in the recess in the body section, and an angular Harige carried by the said clip adapted to be clamped between the said body section and base section of the block for securing the clip within the recess.

5. In an electric plug, an insulator block including a recessed body section and a base section, means clamping the said sections together, a clip in the recess in the body section and means carried by the said clip adapted to be clamped between the said body and base sections of the block for securing the clip within the recess.

6. An electric plug connector comprising a casing formed of a pair of sections, each of said sections being provided with a flange on one end thereof, said flanges being adapted to lie in juxtaposition to each other when the sections of the casing are assembled, and an insulator block adapted to be positioned in said casing and having a groove for receiving said flanges.

7. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a recessed body section and a base section, a contact clip in the recess in the body section, and means for securing said clip within the recess including a member having a portion rigidly clamped between the sections aforesaid of the insulator block for securing the same in place and having another portion extending within the recess and detachably secured to the clip.

8. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a recessed body section and a base section, means for clamping the sections aforesaid together, a contact clip in the recess in the body portion, means for securing said contact clip within the recess including a flange carried by said clip and having a portion clamped by the clamping means aforesaid between the body section and base section.

9. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a recessed body section and a base section, a contact clip arranged within the recess in the body portion, means for Aattaching an electric conductor to the clip, and means for securing said clip within the recess including a member having a portion rigidly clamped between the sections aforesaid of the insulator block and having another portion extending within the recess and secured to said clip by the said conductor securing means.

10. In an electric plug, an insulator block r having a body portion formed of one piece natures. FRANK KUHN. LAURENCE H. THOMAS.