US2189251A

US2189251A - Plug connector

Info

Publication number: US2189251A
Application number: US225236A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gordon W Potter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-08-16
Filing date: 1938-08-16
Publication date: 1940-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1957-02-06

Description

Feb.- 6, 1940. G. w. POTTER 2,189,251

PLUG CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 1s, 195s INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to plug connectors and has for an object to provide a plug connector in which the companion plug and socket members have greater electrical contact surfaces exposed l to current ilow than conventional plugs.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a plug yieldably gripped tightly to the socket member so that it cannot become accidentally dislodged.

10 A further object is to provide a device of this character in which the opening in the socket member may be easily located in a dark corner by touch, and will permit of the plug being inserted readily by straight line movement Withl out any damage being paid to prongs since the present invention is devoid of conventional prongs.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong 20 simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of 25 construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacricing any 80 of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specication,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the plug member of a plug connector constructed 8E in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the socket member of the plug connector constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of n the plug members shown in Figures l and 2 assembled.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the socket member.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the 4.5 sections of the plug member.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the other section of the plug member showing the lugs for detachably connecting both sections of the socket member together to permit application 60 and removal of the circuit wires.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the contact members.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts Il in the various views, I0 designates a hollow (CLN3-330) socket member formed of insulating material -and having the open end closed through the medium of a concave guide disc II which is mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly in the socket member. l

A helical spring I2 is secured at the front end in a groove I3 in the inner face of the guide disc and at'the inner end is secured in a groove formed in a stud I4 formed integral with the end wall of the socket member, as best shown 10 in Figure 2. The convolutions of the spring are connected by longitudinal strips I5 of insulating fabric which limit expanding movement of the spring. The spring tends .to hold the guide disc at its outer limit of movement and 16 iscompressed and placed under tension when the guide disc is moved inwardly by insertion of the plug to store up energy and return the guide disc to its outer limit of movement when the plug member is disconnected as will pres- 20 ently be described.

A pair of split ring contact members I6 and I 1, one of which is shown in Figure 7, are mounmd in spaced relationship in the inner longitudinal wall of the socket member I0 and are g5 provided with respective tongues I8 and I9 which are exposed exteriorly of the socket member and receive screws 20 for attaching circuit wires. The contact members are of transversely concave contour to spring over the mating contacts u of the plug member and make good electrical connection through a much larger superficial area than is possible in conventional plug connectors.

The guide disc II is yieldably held against .5 move'ment through the medium of a pair of oppositely disposed leaf springs 2|, best shown in Figures 2 and 4. The leaf springs are provided with offset portions 22 which engage in respective notches 23 formed in the guide disc. a, 'I'he leaf springs are directed laterally from the notches and are provided with U-shaped terminals 24 which are received in pockets 25 in the front wall of the socket member I0 and are retained therein through the medium of the rea sillency of the terminals tending to constantly expand the terminals. The free ends 2B of the leaf springs project beyond the guide disc II and are disposed inwardly of the anged opening 21 in the wall or floor plate 28 in which 50 the socket member is mounted. 'Ihe flange 21 is provided with diametrically opposed slots 29 which prevent the socket member rotating on the Wall plate but permit the spring 26 to yield outwardly when the plug member is inserted t0 5I rigidly hold the plug member and socket member assembled, as best shown in Figure 3. 1

The plug member comprises -a plug 30, formed of insulating material having tongues 3l projecting laterally from one end thereof and having a convex face 32 at the opposite end adapted to be received by the concave guide disc Il. The tongues 3l are received in notches 32 formed in a flange 33 of a cap 34 having an axial opening 35 through which the circuit wires are inserted to be connected-to the plug contacts. The plug is given a quarter turn after the tongues have entered the notches so that the tongues lodge underneath the flange 33 and prevent accidental disassembly of the cap and the plug. A spring pressed ball 36 is carried by the iiange 33 of the cap and engages in a notch 3l formed ink one of the tongues as best shown in Figure 6 to yieldably hold the plug against backing loose from the cap.

tive tongues 40 and 4I which receive

screws

42 and 43 to which the circuit wires may be attached. The split ring contact members are also provided with convex faces to be received in the K concave faces of the contact members i6 and l1 of the socket member, as best shown in Figure 3 to provide good electrical contact.

In operation to insert the plug member it is simply necessary to apply the plug member to the guide disc by straight line movement and since there are no contact prongs it is unnecessary to be particular to align the parts. The plug member is pushed forwardly against the guide disc and during the initial stages of this movement the leaf springs 2l are dislodged from the groove 23 in the guide disc so that the guide disc is free to be moved by the plug 32 against the tension of the spring I2 until the ange l23 of the cap 34 lodges against the plate 28 in which position of the/parts the outer ends 26 of the leaf spring are forced tightly against the outer end walls of the notches 29 in the flanged opening of the plate to yieldably hold the parts in unitary assembly. When the plug 32 -is at the end of its movement into the socket member as just described, the split ring contacts I6 and l1 ofthe socket member will be yieldably engaged with the mating

split ring contacts

38 and 39 of the plug member. To detach the plug member from the socket member the above movements are reversed.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully-understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug connector comprising a socket member, a concave guide disc forming a closure in the open end of the socket member, a helical spring connected to 'the closure and to the inner end of the socket member for yleldably holding the disc at its-outer limit of movement in the socket member, longitudinal strips of insulating fabric connecting the convolutions of the spring for limiting extension of the spring, arcuate resilient metalbars countersunk in the inner surface of the socket member and forming circuit terminals in combination with a plug member Vhaving a convex end face adapted to seat in the concave disc, and annular metal bars forming circuit terminals on said plug member, manual The plug is provided with a pair of split ring movement of said plug member in a rectilinear direction against said guide disc moving the guide disc to its inner limit ofv movement in the socket member until the circuit terminals of the plug' member engage the circuit terminals of the socket member.

2. A plug connector comprising a socket member, a guide disc normally closing the open end of the socket member and having a concave front face, there being a groove in the periphery of the guide disc, resilient locks disposed at the open end of the socket member and yieldably engaging in said groove, said locks having prtions projecting forwardly beyond the disc, annular circuit terminals disposed in spaced relationship on the inner wall of the socket member, in combination with a plug member having a convex front end adapted to seat on the concave face of the disc said plug member being adapted to initially engage and dislodge the locks and subsequently force the disc inwardly into the interior of the socket member, annular circuit terminals disposed in spaced relationship on the plug member engageable with said circuit terminals of the socket member when the guide disc is at its inner limit of movement inthe socket member, a helical spring connected to the socket member and connected to the guide disc and adapted to be compressed by insertion of the plug member to return the guide disc to its outer limit of movement when the plug member is withdrawn, and'longitudinal strips of insulating material connected to the convolutions of the spring for limiting extension of the spring.

GORDON W. PO'I'IER.