US2041425A

US2041425A - Separable electric socket

Info

Publication number: US2041425A
Application number: US713345A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Mckay
Original assignee: Jones Metal Products Co
Current assignee: Jones Metal Products Co
Priority date: 1934-02-28
Filing date: 1934-02-28
Publication date: 1936-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1953-05-19

Description

May 19, 1936. Y J. A. McKAY 2,041,425

SEPARABLE ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed Feb. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2? O A; 23 22 1M 7@MJ,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1934 WMJRZM W Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED ETATES SEPARABLE ELECTRIC SOCKET John A. McKay, Coshocton, Ohio, assignor to The Jones Metal Products Company, West Lafayette, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 28, 1934, Serial No. 713,345

10 Claims.

In electric power and light installations in industrial plants and various other environments, it is very desirable to employ separable sockets, one portion of which is permanently attached to the electric conductors, enabling a removal of the other portion of the sockets with their lamps and reflectors for cleaning, replacement or repair, and also enabling the mounting of extra lights in various places or the discarding of lights already mounted.

Such sockets are frequently used in industrial plants or elsewhere, where it is desirable to have the lights suspended directly over certain machinery or other objects, and at a height of many feet from the floor. Reflectors, supported on these sockets, are normally quite large and of considerable weight. Two methods are ordinarily used to mount or demount areflector unit with respect to a mating socket. A man may mount a ladder and manually hold the reflector while he positions it on the fixed socket. If this means of assembly is used, the sides of the reflector generally preclude the workman from' watching the movement of the reflector into the socket.

it is still more difficult for the workman to visually guide the two parts together if he adopts the method whereby he remains on the ground and retains the reflector portion on a long pole or grapple, by which he reaches the socket to mount the reflector therein.

I-Ieretofore it has been common practice to use a device having the lamp mounted within the reflector in a threaded receptacle, which in turn had prongs extending upwardly to electrically connect the receptacle with the fixed socket. Due to the practical impossibility of observing the under face of the fixed socket during the assemblage of the parts, whichever of the two methods outlined above is pursued, the workman is liable to strike the prongs on portions of the fixed socket or a hood therefor and bend them in such manner that no effective electrical contact can be obtained. Particularly is this true when the socket-hood closely fits the reflector neck.

An object of my invention has been .to so design a separable unit that this injury to projecting parts is avoided. My lamp receptacle has prongs extending above it, which are adapted to engage contacts in the fixed socket and complete an electrical circuit through the lamp when the reflector and socket are fastened together by upward pressure and a subsequent partial rotation of the reflector.

In general, I protect the upstanding prongs by surrounding them by a wall some distance outside of the prongs. In mypreferred form, however, I choose to surround the prongs with a cylindrical wall, which is substantially a continuation of the reflector neck and of the same diameter and rises higher than the prongs. Such a construction allows me to form a cylindrical unit, equal in diameter to the reflector neck and with one end partially closed. This flat, closed end may rest firmly against a similar portion of the reflector neck and may be suitably fastened to it. The equality in diameter between the guide and the reflector neck permits a single die to be adapted to form both parts, and further such a construction results in a continuous, cylindrical surface, which may be easily guided into the socket.

This cylindrical neck portion of the reflector may be designated as a male portion. The mating female portion of the socket embraces the reflector neck and at its lower end flares out to assume a funnel shape. This facilitates the guiding of the reflector into engagement with the socket, and is of distinct advantage, particularly when the assembly is made by a workman standing on the floor many feet below the socket. This flaring portion serves the additional purpose of acting as a shield for water if the device is mounted outdoors, or indoors if in a place where water may drip down upon it.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following specification and the drawings hereunto annexed. These drawings show the internal portion of the fixed socket and the coacting parts of the lamp receptacle, substantially as shown and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,940,429, issued December 19th, 1933 to my assignee, The Jones Metal Products Company of West Lafayette, Ohio, though the present invention is independent of the particular details of such internal parts.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a socket with a reflector mounted therein; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a socket, with reflector mounted on a grapple and being mounted in the socket; Fig. 3 is. an enlarged vertical section through the socket; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the base portion of the reflector with the cylindrical protective guide thereon; Fig. 5 is a section through the socket, as indicated by 5-5 in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section through the cylindrical guide, as indicated by 5-8 on Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the socket, the cylindrical protecting ring and the reflector base in assembly; Fig. 8 is a detail in cross-section on the line 8-8 on Fig. 6 of the fastening member in the lamp receptacle.

As shown in the drawings, the fixed portion of the socket i0 is flrmly fastened to a pipe II, which, in turn, is fixed in a roof beam or other overhead supporting member. The socket I0 has a surrounding shell I3 with its lower extremity flared, as at l2, adapted to guide the reflector into the socket. The reflector comprising a comparatively large shield |6 terminates in a cylindrical neck I 5, which contains the receptacle for the lamp l8.

To connect the neck |5 to the socket |0, a suitable grapple may be employed. This grapple is preferably mounted on a pole of suflicient length to enable the operator to stand on the floor below the lamp. Such a device includes suitably operated hooked arms 2|, mounted on a pole 22. At the lower end of the pole 22 is suitable means, as a hand crank 23, adapted to operate the grapple. Thus, when the reflector has been mounted in the socket, it is possible to disengage the grapple from the edge of the reflector by moving the arms to carry the notches 24 out of engagement with the bottom edge of the shield IS.

The flt between the cylindrical shell l3 of the socket III, with the neck l5 of the reflector, should have sufllcient clearance to permit the insertion of the latter into the former at an angle, as suggested by Fig. 2.

Mounted in the neck l5 of the reflector'is the lamp receptacle 25. For ease in assembly, the main portion 25 has a second portion 26 mounted thereon, fashioned of a suitable insulating material. This portion is cup-shaped and has within it the actual support for a lamp. A cylindrical threaded portion 21 of good, electrical conductivity, is adapted to embrace and retain the base of a lamp and furnish one of the electrical contacts thereto, while a spring member 28 of conducting material is adapted to engage a second electrical contact of the lamp, in a wellknown manner. These two electrical connections to the lamp are connected in their turn to prongs 30 and 3|, extending upwardly beyond the neck portion |5. Suitable interlocking means are provided on the fixed socket and the lamp receptacle, so that an upward pressure of the latter, followed by a. substantially quarter rotation, will effectively hold the parts together until released by an upward pressure and the reverse rotation. The means shown will be described later.

To protect the prongs 30 and 3| from bending, the circular guiding member is mounted about them. This protecting ring comprises a side wall 36, terminating in a flat, partially enclosing endportion 31, adapted to bear against the end I! of the neck l5. Although not necessary, it is preferable that the diameter of the ring 36 be equal to the diameter of the neck |5. The ring 35 is shown as fastened to the neck I 5 by suitable r screws 38, which also support the receptacle 25.

The cylindrical wall 36 of the ring is flanged over at its top, as at 39, to eliminate any sharp edges and to render the ring more rigid. To retain a uniform diameter along the neck and the ring, this flange portion 39 is formed on the inner side of the ring 35.

As already mentioned, the cylindrical portion of the socket shell l3 terminates at its lower end in a flared portion l2. Accordingly, when a workman isassembling the two parts, he need only locate the ring 35 within the confines of an area represented by the larger diameter of the flared portion, upon which he can move the reflector up to complete the assembly. To present a more workmanlike construction, the flared portion l2 terminates in an external bead l9.

To support the socket I have shown a pipe threadingly engaged with a member 40, which supports the parts efl'ecting an electrical connection with the reflector. This member 40 has a flange 4| which presents a flat surface to support the inturned end 42 of the socket shell. A ring 45 threadingly engages the member All and clamps down on a washer 43 and the shell portion 42 interposed between the portion 4? and a cooperating face of the ring 45.

Electrical contact with the receptacle prongs 3| and 30 is effected by two concentric arcuate contact strips and 5| in the socket portion.

Suitable lead wires

56 and 51 are removably fastened to the arcuate contact strips by screws 58, and pass upwardly through the pipe ii to the source of electrical current. These contacts are so mounted on an insulated block 52 that each of them will engage a corresponding prong of the receptacle 25, as soon as the latter is pressed upwardly and throughout its turning movement into locked position. Thus, the prong 3|, which protrudes directly upwardly, engages the inner ring 50, while the outwardly extended prong 30 engages the outer ring 5|.

It is' thus apparent that it is impossible to mount the receptacle in the socket in such a manner that electrical current may flow through the lamp in a different direction from that which it took when the receptacle was formerly mounted in the socket. This maintenance of a single direction of flow of electric current may be desirable when direct current is employed and electrical equipment requiring a certain direction of current is connected to the contacts in the receptacle 25.

I will now describe the locking means to retain the reflector and lamp receptacle firmly in the socket after engagement has taken place. I have shown for this purpose substantially the mechanism of my prior patent, which is as follows:

A stud is mounted on a stirrup 6|, fastened to the member 40 by screws 62. A rectangular head or stop 63 is rigidly formed on the stud 60. The insulator block 52 loosely surrounds the stud and is pressed downwardly by a compression spring 65. I prevent rotation of the insulating block 52 by forming a transverse slot 66 in the upper face thereof, the stirrup 6| occupying the slot in all positions of the block. The insulating block 25 of the removable portion of the socket carries an upstanding stirrup 10, having a rectangular hole 1|, slightly larger than the exterior of the head 63. Accordingly, by pressing the removable portion upwardly with the opening H in registration with the head 63, the insulating block 52 may be shoved upwardly, and then the lower portion turned so that the opening H becomes transverse of the head 63, whereby the stirrup l0 rests on top of the head.

For ease of assemblage, a rectangular hole 61, somewhat larger than the stud head 63 is made through the insulating block 52. Screwed to the underface of this block is the locking plate 68, having a rectangular hole through it and capable of being clamped to the block in different positions, as by the screw 69 passing through arcuate openings in the plate. When the opening of this plate registers with the opening in the block,

iii

the block is readily passed axially of the stud beyond the head 63; then a partial rotation of the locking plate 58 into the position shown in Fig. 5, locks these parts together while allowing the insulating block to be pressed backwardly from the head 63, against the action of the spring 65.

In the locking rotation of the reflector and lamp receptacle, an inclined downward projeetion 14 (Figs. 6 and 8) on the underface of the stirrup l0 slides over the upper face of the head 63 and then as a quarter rotation is just about completed this projection passes beyond the head and the spring forces the attached separable portion downwardly so that the head lies between the abrupt face of the inclined projection I4 and a longer positive projection 15. This definitely locks the two parts of the socket together until a slight upward movement is given to the lower portion suflicient to raise the projection 14 above the upper face of the head 63.

While the locking means and the general characteristlcs of the internal portions of the separable socket described are substantially in accordance with my prior patent mentioned, the present invention materially improves the socket of that patent in protecting the exposed projecting contact prongs of the removable member and at the same time forming an effective guide for the movable portion as it is pushed upwardly within the hood of the stationary portion. With the present improvement the insertion of the reflector can be started at quite an angle to the vertical. It makes no diiierence how far out of axial registration the movable member may be when shoved upwardly, provided it is somewhere within the extreme area of the bell mouth 52 of the hood. Even if the top of the shield abuts the extreme edge of the bell mouth, no harm is done to the contact prongs, and it is only necessary for the operator to then move the reflector nearer the fixed axis till the extreme edge of the protecting wall is within the bell mouth. The replacement of the reflector, accordingly, can be made with ease and rapidity, notwithstanding the distance of the workman when applying it, or the inaccessibility of the space directly below the socket, or the lack of adequate illumination in the vicinity of the socket.

I claim:

1. In combination with a separable socket comprising a fixed part and a movable part, each having a pair of contacts adapted to coact with those of the other part, and means surrounding the contacts of the movable part adapted to slidably guide said movable part into registration with the fixed part, and other means, in-

dependent of the guiding means, for locking. the

movable part to the fixed part.

2. In a separable socket, the combination of a fixed socket portion, a removable socket portion, slidable means on one portion to guide the other portion therein, by purely vertical movement, upwardly extending prongs on said other portion and an embracing protective member surrounding said prongs, said protective memher being arranged to engage the fixed socket before the prongs on the movable member may contact any part of the fixed member.

3. In a separable electric socket, a fixed socket portion, including a cylindrical shell flaring outwardly at one end, a removable socket portion, cylindrical in shape, and adapted to nest with said fixed portion, contact prongs extending from said removable portion, and a ring of substantially equal diameter with said removable portion embracing the prongs, said ring being of suflicient height to prevent contact of the prongs with any other member before engagement with the hood is made.

4. In a separable socket, the combination of a member adapted to be fixed to a support, an insulator carried by said member, a pair of arcu ate electric contacts on the underface of said insulator, a depending surrounding hood, as a part of said first-named member, and a movable member comprising a lamp receptacle and a pair of longitudinally projecting contact prongs connected therewith, a cylindrical wall rigid with the movable member and surrounding the pair of prongs some distance beyond the same and adapted to engage the inner side of the hood and form a guide to bring the prongs into registration with the arcuate contacts of the insulator, interlocking means independent of the guiding means on the fixed member and movable member for causing the same to be attached by an upward and rotating movement of the movable member, and a flaring reflector having a cylindrical neck surrounding the lamp receptacle and rigidly connected with said receptacle and with the protecting wall.

5. In a separable electric socket, the combination of a fixed socket portion and a removable socket portion adapted to nest therein, means to effect such nesting by a straight vertical movement of said removable portion, followed by a partial rotation of the same, said removable portion including a lamp receptacle and having prongs extending beyond the end thereof and adapted to engage said fixed socket portion, said extended prongs being protected by a ring mounted on said removable portion.

6. The combination of a fixed member having a pair of electric contacts and a surrounding hood, and a movable member adapted to be attached to a reflector and lamp receptacle and carrying a pair of contacts extending beyond the end thereof and adapted to coact with the contacts of the fixed member and a wall surrounding said contacts on the movable member, and adapted to engage the hood by a non-rotative sliding motion, and means to lock the movable member in accurate registration with the fixed member upon a completion of said non-rotative sliding motion by a partial rotation of the fixed member and the movable member with respect to each other.

'7. In a separable socket, the combination of a fixed portion adapted to be fastened to a support, and a removable portion adapted to nest with said fixed portion, said removable portion comprising a cylindrical shell, flaring at one end and partially closed at the other, an electric lamp receptacle fixedly mounted within the cylindrical shell of said removable portion, said receptacle having prongs extending beyond said partially closed end together with a protecting ring of substantially the same diameter as said shell mounted on said partially closed end and embracing said prongs.

8. In a separable electric socket, a fixed portion and a removable portion, said removable portion comprising a cylindrical shell, flaring at one end and partially closed at the other, a second cylindrical shell equal in diameter with said first shell, open at one end and partially closed at the other, the two partially closed portions of said shell being fastened together to form an integral unit, a lamp receptacle retained within the first shell having a pair of contact prongs extending into the region surrounded by said second shell, and means carried by the fixed portion and the removable portion but (meeting independently of both of said cylindrical shells and the removable portion for positively locking the removable portion into the fixed portion.

9. In combination with a separable socket comprising a fixed and a movable part, each having a pair of contacts adapted to coact with those of the other part, of means within the socket and carried by-the movable part and extending beyond the contacts of the movable part adapted to slidably guide said movable part into registration with the fixed part and other means independent of the guiding means for locking the movable part to the fixed part.

10. The combination of a fixed member having a pair oi arcuate contacts and a surrounding hood depending below the contacts, a movable member including a reflector having an upstanding neck adapted to enter the hood, said neck carrying Within it a lamp receptacle, said movable member having a pair of contact prongs adapted to contact with the arcuate contacts of the fixed member, said movable member having also a wall surrounding the prongs and of substantially the same diameter as the neck, said wall being adapted to engage the hood to guide the movable member into accurate registration with the fixed member and being sufficiently high to prevent contact of the prongs with any other member before engagement is made with the hood.

JOHN A. McKAY.