US1884121A - Electric plug - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1932 MULDOQN 1,884,121

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed March 16. 1927 MM gwwemtoz Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED, STATES PATENT-OFFICE BERNARD r. MULDOON, or MOUNTAIN. VIEW, NEW JERSEY, AssIe oE TO HENRY I-IYMAN, or BROOKLYN, W ORK ELECTRIC PLUG Application filed March 16, 1927. Serial No. 175,648.

This invention relates to a plug that is to be attached to the end of an electric light cord and inserted into a socket. The invention is especially useful in connection with electric irons, although it is not restricted to this particular use. I

Heretofore electric plugs of this character have been made with insulating members of porcelain or the like which often became broken by falling or by the same being accidentally struck. Also such plugs have been troublesome to repair due to the fact that it has been necessary to unscrew or remove screws and open up the device, after which it required some care to reassemble.

By the present invention, a plug is made in which the danger of the insulating material becoming broken or injured is largely or entirely overcome, and the device can be very much more readily disassembled and reassembled in making repairs to the electric Wires or other portions of the device.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of the device; Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, partly broken away, showing a modification.

In the drawing reference characters 5 and 6 indicate two mating insulating members of the well-known sort that are provided with grooves along their contacting surfaces for the installation of electric wires and terminals that may fit over pin contacts in a socket. The insulating members 5 and 6 are provided near the ends thereof with holes through which a threaded screw 7 can be passed and a nut- 8 screwed onto the threaded part to clamp the two insulating members. The sides of the insulating members 5 and 6 are provided with counter-sunk portions to accommodate the head of the screw 7 and the nut 8 so that they will not project beyond the outer surfaces of the insulating members.

The insulating member 5 is provided along the outside surface thereof with a longitudinal groove or recess 9 that extends from the hole for the screw 7 a considerable distance toward the other end of the member.

spring detent l is. mounted in the groove 9 with a hole near one end of the detent through which the screw 7 passes and retains the spring detent in place. The detent '10 is provided with a struck out lip or projection 11 near the free end thereof. The free end of the spring detent 1O terminates in a flat rounded portion 12, that may serve as a thumb piece by which the end of the spring can be pressed inwardly.

An armor 15 preferably of metal in the shape of a. band or sleeve fits over the ends of the insulating members and 6 and covers the spring with the exception of a small portion of the projecting end 12 thereof. The armor 15 is provided with an opening 16 into which the lip or lug 11 of the spring 10 can snap to hold the armor in place. Shoulders 17 may be provided on the members 5 and 6 to limitthe extent to which the armor can be moved on the members. The outer end of the armor may be closed, as shown at 15, holes being left, of course, through this end for the pin contacts to be inserted to make contact. I In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the pin 18v is provided with an enlargement 19 that is adapted to be seated in a corresponding recess or seat20 in the member 5. The end of the member 18is upset or riveted, as shown at 21, to keep the spring 10 in place, and. the other end of the pin extends into a hole 22 in the member 6. I

t will be noticed that the screw 7 or the pin 18 will prevent the members 5 and 6 from moving longitudinally with respect to. each other and that the armor 15 when in I place will prevent the same from sliding horipassed through the holes and the nut 8 is tightened with the end of the spring 10 held under the head of the screw 7. The armor 15 is then slipped over the members 5 and 6 until the tongue 11 snaps into the opening 16, thereby retaining the armor in place. When it is necessary to open the device, pressure is applied to the thumb piece 12, thus withdrawing the tongue 11 from the opening 16, whereupon the armor 15 can be easily withdrawn. The nut 8 is then loosened and the members 5 and 6 can be easily taken apart.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to remove the armor as the pin 18 can be withdrawn from the hole 22 without the necessity of loosening the screw or nut.

I claim:

1. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pin extending from one of said members into the other, a band extending around said members, and a spring detent attached to said pin to keep said band in place, a portion of said spring detent extending beyond the edge of said band.

2. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pin extending from one of said members into the other, a band extending around said members, and a spring detent attached to said pin to keep said band in place, said detent having a projection extending into an opening in said band.

3. An electric plug comprising an insulating member, a band extending around said member and having an opening through the side thereof, and a spring retaining means attached to said insulating member having a tongue projecting into said opening.

4. An electric plug comprisinga plurality of insulating members, a metallic band extending around said members, and spring means attached to said members for retaining said band in place, said spring means being substantially entirely inside of said band.

5. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pin extending from one of said members into the other, a band extending around said members and enclosing said pin, and a detent for retaining said band in place.

BERNARD F. MULDOON.

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