US2195546A

US2195546A - Electric plug

Info

Publication number: US2195546A
Application number: US251012A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Townsend
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-01-14
Filing date: 1939-01-14
Publication date: 1940-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1957-04-02

Description

P 1940- E. F. TOWNSEND 2,195,546

ELECTRIG rw Filed Jan. '14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jaw/m0 I." YE /-155Mb,

I Aitomgys Patented A e- .2, 1940 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g ELECTRIC PLUG i Edward F. Townsend, San Antonio, Tex. I Application January 14, 1939, serial No.'251,012

. 1 Claim. (o1. 173-361) The present invention relates to electric attachment plugs and has for its primary object to provide a yieldable mounting for the prongs of the plug whereby the prongs are heldin a diverging projecting position, the prongs being mounted for slidable lateral movement against the tension of a. coiled spring engaging the inner ends of the prongs whereby the outer ends of the prongs, when inserted in a receptacle, will have '10 a binding engagement with the walls of the receptacle as well as with the contacts thereof.

- A further object is to provide an attachment plug of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, effl- '15 cient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise, 'well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the I details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, andin which- Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the'plug engaged with a receptacle, the'latter being shown in section.

Figures 3 and 4 are end elevational views show- I so ing the opposite ends of the plug.

Figure 51s a plan view with one of the sections of the shell of the plug removed.

Figure 6 isa longitudinalsectional view taken substantially on a line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 'II of Figure 5. i Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 designates the shell of the plug which is formed of a pair of insulationsections ofsubstantially flat formation and detachably connected to each other by means of a pair of bolts 6.

An opening I is formed in the rear'end of the,

shell for receiving the usual circuit. wires and apair of openings 8 are formed in the front end of the shell through which the prongs B-proiect.

The prongs 9 are maintained in spaced diverging relation by a longitudinally extending rib l0 formed in the abutting face of each section of the shell and having oppositely inclined side faces I I against which the prongs normally lie, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings.

.Each of the prongs is yieldably held against the rib III by a coiled spring l2 extending laterally of the shell and having one end seated'in a recess l3 formed therein. The inner end of each of the prongs is formed with a lateral extension M within which a terminal screw 15 is threaded for at- 5 tachirig the circuit wires-thereto.

Each ofthe prongs are provided with an opening IGthrough which a pin I1 is inserted to provide for the free sliding movement of the prong on the pin, the ends of the pins being seated in 10' recesses N in the opposite walls of the openings 8, the pins being positioned outwardly with respect to the springs I2 as clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings.

From the foregoing construction it will be apll parent that when the prongs '8 of the plug are inserted in the recesses IQ of a threaded receptacle 20 that the plugs will bind against the edges of the recesses at the point indicated at 2| causing the spreading of the prongs against the ten- 20 sion of the springs l2 while the extremities of the prongs will bind against the contacts 22 of the receptacle. The prongs therefore will be maintained in tight contact with the contacts 22 of the receptacle and will also be held in binding 26 engagement with respect to the edges of the recesses of the receptacle to prevent accidental withdrawal of the plug.

It is believed the details or construction of the device will be readily understood from the foreso going without further detailed explanation. ,Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- An electric connecter plug comprising a shell composed of a pair of duplicate'shell sections, 35 each section including a central rib having outwardly diverging side walls and forming a partition in the section ,to define a pair of passages communicating with the interior. of the shell and having outer ends opening through one end of w the shell, recesses in the opposed walls of the passages adjacent their outer ends, pins bridging the passages and having their ends loosely seated in said recesses, a conductor prong freely positioned in each passage and slidablymounted on w each pin with one end projecting outwardly of the shell, recesses in the walls of each section inwardly of the pins and, a coil spring seated in each of said recesses and bearing against the prongs to yieldably urge the prongs against opposite wsides of the ribs.

' EDWARD B. TOWNSEND.