US2057090A - Tube socket - Google Patents

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US2057090A
US2057090A US708955A US70895534A US2057090A US 2057090 A US2057090 A US 2057090A US 708955 A US708955 A US 708955A US 70895534 A US70895534 A US 70895534A US 2057090 A US2057090 A US 2057090A
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United States
Prior art keywords
contact
socket
pin
spring
opening
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Expired - Lifetime
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US708955A
Inventor
Tar Donald R De
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RCA Corp
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RCA Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R33/00—Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof
    • H01R33/74—Devices having four or more poles, e.g. holders for compact fluorescent lamps
    • H01R33/76—Holders with sockets, clips, or analogous contacts adapted for axially-sliding engagement with parallely-arranged pins, blades, or analogous contacts on counterpart, e.g. electronic tube socket
    • H01R33/7607—Holders with sockets, clips, or analogous contacts adapted for axially-sliding engagement with parallely-arranged pins, blades, or analogous contacts on counterpart, e.g. electronic tube socket the parallel terminal pins having a circular disposition
    • H01R33/7614—Holders with sockets, clips, or analogous contacts adapted for axially-sliding engagement with parallely-arranged pins, blades, or analogous contacts on counterpart, e.g. electronic tube socket the parallel terminal pins having a circular disposition the terminals being connected to individual wires
    • H01R33/7628—Holders with sockets, clips, or analogous contacts adapted for axially-sliding engagement with parallely-arranged pins, blades, or analogous contacts on counterpart, e.g. electronic tube socket the parallel terminal pins having a circular disposition the terminals being connected to individual wires the wires being connected using solder
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
    • Y10T24/45—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
    • Y10T24/45225—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock] including member having distinct formations and mating member selectively interlocking therewith
    • Y10T24/45602—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity
    • Y10T24/45775—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity having resiliently biased interlocking component or segment
    • Y10T24/45822—Partially blocking separate, nonresilient, access opening of cavity

Definitions

  • My invention relates to electric plugand socket connectors and, more particularly, to sockets for electric discharge devices of the type having connecting pins or prongs extending from the base thereof.
  • a preferred and well known type of base for electric discharge devices such as vacuum tubes is one having pins extending therefrom which are adapted to make contact on their sides with a socket contact member.
  • One diificulty encountered with the bases of this type has been that, with sockets formerly employed, the tube has a tendency to work out of the socket. This has been true especially in cases where the tube is subjected to considerable vibration or where the tube is supported in a horizontal position or hanging downward.
  • One object of my invention is to provide a socket of the above-mentioned type which will hold a tube or the like securely in position.
  • a further object of my invention is to provide a vsocket of the above-mentioned type which may be produced at a low cost.
  • a still further object of my invention is to provide a socket of the above-mentioned type which cannot easily be damaged in use.
  • each socket contact member consists of an inverted U-shape member of resilient material having good conductivity, and a cantilever steel spring arranged to force one leg of said U-shaped member against a tube pin or prong.
  • the said leg of the U-shaped member is so shaped that the contacting pin makes contact near the bottom or base of the U whereby the tube cannot readily work or shake out of contact with the socket contact members.
  • FIG. 1 is a side view of a socket, embodying my invention and having a vacuum tube inserted therein,
  • Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the socket and tube of Figure 1 showing the position of a pin as it is being inserted into the socket,
  • Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the contact members shown in Figure 1.
  • a vacuum tube l of conventional construction comprising a base 3 having contact pins 5 extending therefrom is shown inserted in position in my improved socket.
  • the socket comprises a plate I of insulating material, suchas Micarta, having a plurality of openings .9 therein through which the tube contact pins- 5 may be inserted.
  • a socket contact device Adjacent to each opening 9 there is fastened a socket contact device which consists of a substantially U-shape contact member ll of springy material such as phosphor bronze and a reinforcing or backup spring i3.
  • the U-shape member ll consists of a base portion Ha and two leg portions ill) and He, leg portion llb being positioned to make contact with a contact pin 5 (indicated in dotted lines) and having a slot Hi therein for providing a sharp wiping edge with which the pin 5 makes contact.
  • This log of the contact member is bent rather sharply near the base portion Ila so that thecontact pin 5 will engage the leg at this bent portion, as shown in Figure 1, rather than at the outer end of the leg.
  • leg portion llc there is a portion ll which is punched out of alignment with the main section of the leg in order to facilitate soldering or otherwise connecting conductors to the contact member H.
  • the reinforcing spring l3 which is preferably made of thin sheet steel heat treated to a spring temper, has a base portion l3a and a spring portion l3b bent at an angle thereto and tapering towards its end.
  • the free end of the base portion l3a is provided with a short tab 19 which, together with the narrow end portion of the spring portion 43b, is utilized for centering or aligning the spring 13 with respect to the contact member H during assembly.
  • the contact member H is provided with an opening 2
  • the socket is assembled by placing the spring l3 inside the U -shaped member H with the base portions of the spring l3 and member H in contact with each other, and with the tab I9 and the end of the spring portion l3b engaging the opening 21 and the notch 23, respectively.
  • the spring l3 and contact member II are then riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the bottom of the plate I in such a position with respect to an opening 9 that the bent section of the leg portion llb is located underneath a portion of the opening.
  • Figure 2 shows the relative positions of the socket elements and a contact pin 5 just as the pin is being inserted into the socket.
  • a still further advantage in the above described structure is that with a pin 5 making contact with a contact member II at a point near the base of a leg portion I Ib and with the reinforcing spring I3 making contact with the leg portion I Ib at its end, the spring I3 will hold the contact member I I against the pin with a greater force than in the case of conventional socket designs.
  • leg portion Ilb as a lever having its fulcrum point at the plate I and having the force of spring I3 applied at the opposite end of the lever; Since I the point at which force is applied to the pin is closer to the fulcrum point than to the other end of the lever, the force applied to the leg portion I Ib by spring I3 is multiplied by the lever action when applied to the pin, and a spring I3 of medium stifiness insures good contact.
  • the above-described spring arrangement also prevents possible damage to the socket since it restores the contact leg I Ib to its original position in the event that the tube is inserted at such an angle in the socket that it bends the portion IIb past its elastic limit.
  • a socket for a device having a. contact pin, a plate having an opening therein for said pin, a contact member having a base portion and an arm portion having a free end, means for fastening said base portion to said plate at a point near said opening, said arm portion extending away from said plate, said contact member being so positioned that said arm portion extends over a portion of said opening, said arm portion being so shaped that at a point nearer said base than the free end of said arm portion it extends farther over said opening than at its free end both before and after said pin is forced into contact with said arm, and a separate auxiliary spring fastened to said plate and having a base portion superimposed upon the base portion of said contact member and an arm portion positioned with its end in slidable contact with the end of said arm portion of said contact member.
  • a socket for a device having a contact pin a plate having an opening therein, a contact member fastened to said plate at a point near said opening, said member having a portion bent away from said plate whereby there is a bend in said portion, said bend being nearer said plate than the end of said portion, said member being so positioned that said bend extends farther over said opening than any other part of said portion whereby a contact pin inserted into said opening makes contact with said member at said bend, and a separate spring member fastened to said plate and so positioned that its free end makes. contact with and only with the end of said por-- tion to force said bend againsta contact pin.
  • a socket for a device having a contact pin a plate having an opening therein, a substantially U-shaped contact member having an opening at the base of one leg of said U and having a notch in the end of the other leg of said U, a spring having abase portion and a spring portion which is at an angle to said base portion, said base portion having a tab on the free end thereof, said spring being positioned inside said contact member with said tab in said opening and with the free end of said spring portion in said notch, and means for fastening said spring and said contact member to said plate at a point near said opening.

Description

Oct. 13, 1936. D R DE TAR 2,051,090
TUBE SOCKET Filed Jan. 50, 1954 [NI/EN me: amid/Z8. Re T m;
Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE TUBE SOCKET Donald R. De Tar, Audubon. N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware My invention relates to electric plugand socket connectors and, more particularly, to sockets for electric discharge devices of the type having connecting pins or prongs extending from the base thereof.
A preferred and well known type of base for electric discharge devices such as vacuum tubes is one having pins extending therefrom which are adapted to make contact on their sides with a socket contact member. One diificulty encountered with the bases of this type has been that, with sockets formerly employed, the tube has a tendency to work out of the socket. This has been true especially in cases where the tube is subjected to considerable vibration or where the tube is supported in a horizontal position or hanging downward.
One object of my invention is to provide a socket of the above-mentioned type which will hold a tube or the like securely in position.
A further object of my invention is to provide a vsocket of the above-mentioned type which may be produced at a low cost.
A still further object of my invention is to provide a socket of the above-mentioned type which cannot easily be damaged in use.
In a preferred embodiment of my invention, each socket contact member consists of an inverted U-shape member of resilient material having good conductivity, and a cantilever steel spring arranged to force one leg of said U-shaped member against a tube pin or prong. The said leg of the U-shaped member is so shaped that the contacting pin makes contact near the bottom or base of the U whereby the tube cannot readily work or shake out of contact with the socket contact members.
Other objects, features, and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a side view of a socket, embodying my invention and having a vacuum tube inserted therein,
Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the socket and tube of Figure 1 showing the position of a pin as it is being inserted into the socket,
Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the contact members shown in Figure 1.
Referring to Figure 1, a vacuum tube l of conventional construction comprising a base 3 having contact pins 5 extending therefrom is shown inserted in position in my improved socket. The socket comprises a plate I of insulating material, suchas Micarta, having a plurality of openings .9 therein through which the tube contact pins- 5 may be inserted.
Adjacent to each opening 9 there is fastened a socket contact device which consists of a substantially U-shape contact member ll of springy material such as phosphor bronze and a reinforcing or backup spring i3. Referring to Figure 4 where the socket contact device is shown more clearly, it will be seen that the U-shape member ll consists of a base portion Ha and two leg portions ill) and He, leg portion llb being positioned to make contact with a contact pin 5 (indicated in dotted lines) and having a slot Hi therein for providing a sharp wiping edge with which the pin 5 makes contact. This log of the contact member is bent rather sharply near the base portion Ila so that thecontact pin 5 will engage the leg at this bent portion, as shown in Figure 1, rather than at the outer end of the leg.
In the leg portion llc there is a portion ll which is punched out of alignment with the main section of the leg in order to facilitate soldering or otherwise connecting conductors to the contact member H.
The reinforcing spring l3, which is preferably made of thin sheet steel heat treated to a spring temper, has a base portion l3a and a spring portion l3b bent at an angle thereto and tapering towards its end. The free end of the base portion l3a is provided with a short tab 19 which, together with the narrow end portion of the spring portion 43b, is utilized for centering or aligning the spring 13 with respect to the contact member H during assembly.
Also for the purpose of alignment, the contact member H is provided with an opening 2| at the bottom of the leg portion He and with a notch 23 at the top of the leg portion l lb.
The socket is assembled by placing the spring l3 inside the U -shaped member H with the base portions of the spring l3 and member H in contact with each other, and with the tab I9 and the end of the spring portion l3b engaging the opening 21 and the notch 23, respectively. The spring l3 and contact member II are then riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the bottom of the plate I in such a position with respect to an opening 9 that the bent section of the leg portion llb is located underneath a portion of the opening.
Figure 2 shows the relative positions of the socket elements and a contact pin 5 just as the pin is being inserted into the socket. By comparing this figure with Figure 1, it will be seen that as the pin 5 is moved into position, both the contact member II and the spring I3 are forced away from the opening 9 whereby the pin 5 makes contact with the contact member II only at the bend in the leg portion IIb. Also by referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the pin 5 makes contact with the edges of the slot I5 so that there is a wiping or cleaning action on the pin as it is moved into or out of the socket.
One of the main advantages in having the pin make contact with the contact member II at a point near the plate I rather than at a point near the end of the leg portion I lb or along its entire length, is that the tube is held more securely in position. One reason for this is that the force exerted against the pin with a given spring force is increased due to lever action as the point of contact of the member II and the'pin 5 is moved closer to the plate I. Therefore, there is less tendency for the tube to be shaken out of the socket by vibrations such as may be encountered in shipping the apparatus. Furthermore, even if the tube is shaken part way out of the socket, its pins will still be held in good contact relation with the. contact members II since the contact was originally being made at a point near the base end of each pin 5 rather than at a point near its outer end.
A still further advantage in the above described structure is that with a pin 5 making contact with a contact member II at a point near the base of a leg portion I Ib and with the reinforcing spring I3 making contact with the leg portion I Ib at its end, the spring I3 will hold the contact member I I against the pin with a greater force than in the case of conventional socket designs. That this is true will be apparent by considering the leg portion Ilb as a lever having its fulcrum point at the plate I and having the force of spring I3 applied at the opposite end of the lever; Since I the point at which force is applied to the pin is closer to the fulcrum point than to the other end of the lever, the force applied to the leg portion I Ib by spring I3 is multiplied by the lever action when applied to the pin, and a spring I3 of medium stifiness insures good contact.
The above-described spring arrangement also prevents possible damage to the socket since it restores the contact leg I Ib to its original position in the event that the tube is inserted at such an angle in the socket that it bends the portion IIb past its elastic limit.
Various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are necessitated by the prior art and are set forth in the appended claims. I
I claim as my invention:
1. In a socket for a device having a. contact pin, a plate having an opening therein for said pin, a contact member having a base portion and an arm portion having a free end, means for fastening said base portion to said plate at a point near said opening, said arm portion extending away from said plate, said contact member being so positioned that said arm portion extends over a portion of said opening, said arm portion being so shaped that at a point nearer said base than the free end of said arm portion it extends farther over said opening than at its free end both before and after said pin is forced into contact with said arm, and a separate auxiliary spring fastened to said plate and having a base portion superimposed upon the base portion of said contact member and an arm portion positioned with its end in slidable contact with the end of said arm portion of said contact member.
2. In a socket for a device having a contact pin, a plate having an opening therein, a contact member fastened to said plate at a point near said opening, said member having a portion bent away from said plate whereby there is a bend in said portion, said bend being nearer said plate than the end of said portion, said member being so positioned that said bend extends farther over said opening than any other part of said portion whereby a contact pin inserted into said opening makes contact with said member at said bend, and a separate spring member fastened to said plate and so positioned that its free end makes. contact with and only with the end of said por-- tion to force said bend againsta contact pin.
3. In a socket for a device having a contact pin, a plate having an opening therein, a substantially U-shaped contact member having an opening at the base of one leg of said U and having a notch in the end of the other leg of said U, a spring having abase portion and a spring portion which is at an angle to said base portion, said base portion having a tab on the free end thereof, said spring being positioned inside said contact member with said tab in said opening and with the free end of said spring portion in said notch, and means for fastening said spring and said contact member to said plate at a point near said opening.
DONALD R. DE TAR.
US708955A 1934-01-30 1934-01-30 Tube socket Expired - Lifetime US2057090A (en)

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