US2134074A - Electric plug socket construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1938. N. cHlRl-:LsTElN ELECTRIC PLUG SOCKET CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 6, 1936 7 f i ,fr I

O/ Efdm E IINM IN VENTOR.

Patented Oct. 2.5, 1938 UNITED STATE-s ELEc'ralc PLUG 2,134,674 slocxE'r coNs'raUc'noN Nathan Chirelstein, Newark, N. J. I Application November 6, 1936, Serial No. 109,408

2 Claims. (Cl. 1735332) I My invention relates to electric plugs and in particular to socket members used therewith, or

used as socket members in other types of constructions.

The object of my invention is to provide a socket member that will carry a predetermined current of electricity without overheating.

A further object is to provide a socket having jaws made of soft metal such as brass or copper, which will carry practically all of the current, and a spring made of va ilat strip of steel bent into a U shape, the free ends oi' which rest upon the jaws and hold them in contact with the prongs or blades of the male'plug member under a pressure such as to action of the jaws on the blades.

A further object is to provide a construction 'r which requires no screws to hold the spring element in co-operative relation with the jaw members; the main elements consisting of but three parts comprising the two jaw members and the spring held together in assembled relation by the spring.

A further object isto so construct the parts that the spring cannot shift from its adjusted position after ithas been attached to the jaws, and also, that it -may be easily removed from the jaws and exchanged for a spring of less or greater stiffness, as occasion may require.

My improved socket. construction is shown in the present application as it appears when constructed for use in a female plug casing; the shank portions being formed with oiiset flanges by means of which they are held in proper position in the casing, but it will be understood that the shanks may be made of any metal or in any form required for the speciilc purpose of use.

Referring to the drawing which forms a part o! this -speciiicatiom Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view thru the casing of the plug, disclosing the sockets and parts located in their normal positions therein.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, on line 2-2 of Figure l, showing the arrangement of the electrical conductors Arelative to al fibre-board plate thru which they extend.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a socket and a spring member as they' appear in theact of assembling and Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4--4 oi' Figure 3, the dotted lines illustrating the spring in its iirst position of assembly and the full lines showing the spring in the position shown in Figure 3, as it appears prior to being swung socket construction with the spring insure a strong clutch laterally over the body of the jaw members, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Fig. A5 is a vertical sectional view of a complete member in position on the jaws which are held together 5 under pressure of the spring, the view being taken on line 5-5 oi Figure 3, in which view the spring member is not shown in its normal position on the jaws.

' Fig. 6 is a. perspective view of the spring mem- 10 ber in which its closed end is shown to be formed with ilat sides and its free ends to be curved to stiiien them laterally and also to hold them in position on the upper or outer curved surfaces of the jawl members.

Fig, 'l is a fragmentary cross, sectional view thru one end of a socket construction in which the inner sides of the jaws are formed with curved surfaces -to embrace a circular prong.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a socket 20 formed to provide flat jaws to engage with a ilat blade terminal member.

. Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view thru one end of the socket,:taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8, showing a flat blade held in the jaws; the sides 25 of the jaws being turned outwardly to position the ends of the spring member.

I0 indicates a casing body portion of insulating material, and I I an upper end portion held thereon by suitable means.

The upper end portion is formed with a chamber II' which is rectangular in cross section, and a bre-board plate I2 extends at an angle from one corner at one side of the chamber to a corner on the opposite side as illustrated in Fig- 35 ure 2.

The body portion III is formed with two cham'- bers I3-I3 respectively by means of a central partition I 4, the upper end part of which is reduced in width to form shoulders I5-I5 re- 40 spectively. y

Sockets Iii-I6 respectively are formed vwith shank portions I'I-II respectively, each shank portion having an offset ange I1 which rests on a shoulder I4? of the casing, and a similar 45 shoulder I8 which rests under the lower end o! thevtop Il at I9 and is held thereby in position between the casing portions.

Each socket construction comprises two jaw members 2li-20 respectively having shank por- 50 tions I1-I'I respectively formed integral therewith, and a spring member 2l which is formed as illustrated in Figure 6. y

Each shank is provided with an opening 22 formed as shown to provide oppositely disposed projecting parts 22, shown in dotted lines, and 23, which are located midway the width oi.' the opening, and the spring 2 i, having been placed in position as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is swung laterally over the jaws to their normal position as illustrated.

It will be understood that the length and width of the opening 22 is but slightly greater than the width oi' the spring, and the projections 22 and 23 are closely positioned to the opposite walls of the spring to prevent it from shifting its position on the jaw members.

The width of the metal side conducting portions 25-25 respectively, is sumcient to carry the current from the shank portion to the jaw without undue resistance and therefore they do not become hot enough to aiect the temper of the springs; also the width being reduced permits the jaw portions to bend easily when the blades are forced between them in the act of coupling.

When made for use with cylindrical prongs the jaws are formed with curved inner sides and belled ends as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, and when ilat blade terminals are to be used the jaws may be formed as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, but it will be understood that the jaws having curved surfaces will also serve to hold a ilat blade terminal.

When the jaws are formed to -hold ilat blade terminals, the side edges are turned outward as illustrated at 26-26 respectively 'and the free ends o! the spring rest between them as illustrated in Figure 8.

The shanks are formed with drilled and tapped openings' to receive the binding screws 21, and with holes 28 thru which the lead-in wires 29 extend.

The plate l2 is also provided with holes III thru macon which the wires extend and the parts are allembled as illustrated in Figure 1, as will be readily understood.

The construction as a whole. is simple and emcient, and may be made at a low cost.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new:

1. A socket construction comprising two Jaw members, each oi which is formed with a shank having an opening adjacent its inner end, said opening being substantially rectangular and having inner, outer and side walls, a projection on each of the inner and outer walls of the opening with said projections being oppositely disposed centrally of the side walls o! the Opening and terminating in spaced relation and deiining a space on each side o! the projections and a substantially U-shaped spring having the bight thereof disposed between said projections with the arms of the spring extending over the outer sides of the jaw members to hold them together in operative relation.

2. A socket construction comprising two jaw members, each oi' which is formed with a shank having an opening adjacent its inner end, said opening being substantially rectangular and having inner, outer and side walls, a substantially U-shaped spring having the bight thereoi' disposed in said openings with the arms o! the spring extending over the outer sides of the jaw members to hold them together in operative relation and oppositely disposed means projecting inwardly into the openings from the inner and outer walls of theopenings dening a space on each side of said means and for engagement with the bight of the spring for holding the latter against movement longitudinally of the jaw members.

NATHAN CHIREIBTEIN.

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