US2199560A - Electric plug - Google Patents

Description

FIG. 1.

g INVENT R ATTORNEY Patented May 7, 1940 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC PLUG Ernest A. Faller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to lnternational Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y. a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1937, Serial No. 174,318

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an electrical fixture and more particularly to a combination of electric plug and receptacle wherein the plug may be inserted and locked into a base receptacle so that 5 it may be prevented from beinginadvertently knocked or pulled out of said receptacle.

- It is an object of this invention to provide a combined plug and receptacle rotatablymounted in a casing, the plug being adapted for insert 10 tion into an outlet receptacle of the type generally used in commercial practice, the casing being provided with hooked-shaped extensions which may be disposed under the heads of the screws fastening the cover plate to the outlet re- 15 ceptacle to prevent the plug from being inadvertently pulled out of the receptacle, the plug and easing being provided with an aperture through which suitable conducting wire permanently connected to the plug may extend, and the plug being provided with an'a'dditional receptacle adapted to receive another plug.

A further object of the invention is to provide a usually mounted in the baseboard for the purpose of connecting floor lamps, vacuum cleaners,

radios or other household electrical appliances.

This general method of connection is unsatisfactory for use with an electric clock as the plug is too apt to be inadvertently pulled out by being caught in a piece of furniture when it is moved or by being caught in numerous other ways in the process of general housecleaning or moving about.

A permanent connection which may withstand the above-named circumstances is more desirable; Such a connection might be made directly from the terminals within the outlet box' of the base receptacle but this would necessitate the m removal of the cover plate. The present inven-' tion' eliminates this difiiculiw as will become readily apparent from the accompanying Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation bodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawing whether within or without the scope of the appended claim and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein. In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a side elevation view in detail of the component parts of the invention, with a cutaway portion to reveal more clearly the construction and arrangement. m

Fig. 2 is a front view of the assembled parts in their normai locked position.

An ordinary and familiar cutlet receptacle I has a usual cover plate 2 fastened to it by means of screws 3. A combination plug and receptacle 1 4.suitable to be inserted in outlet receptacle I is enclosed byand rotatably mounted in a casing 5 with a shoulder 6 on said casing 5 being fastened to a plate I by means of rivets 8. Casing 5 is open at one end to allow an additional plug l2 to be connected if desired, and plate I has an so aperture i3 of smaller diameter than the plug end of plug and receptacle 4 but large enough to permit a connection between plug and receptacle 4 and the outlet receptacle 0'. Plate I also has slotted hooked ends 9 which fit under the head of screws 3 when said screws 3 are loosened slightly. The nature of the hooked ends 9 is (Fig. 2) such that a convenient attachment to, or removal from, theoutlet receptacle I may be so accomplished by simply loosening screws 3 and rotating plate 1 slightly in the proper direction. In attaching the combination fioor plug and re ceptacle 4 to the outlet receptacle l, the plug 4 is first inserted in the receptacle I then the plate I is rotated, slightly clockwise (referring to Fig. 2) in order to bring the slotted hooked ends 9 under the heads of screws 3 which have been previously loosened to give the proper clearance.

The reverse of'this procedure is followed in the o.

removal of the plug 4. In either procedure, the screws 3 are simply loosened and not removed, so that the cover plate 2 at all times remains-attached to the outlet receptacle I. The fact that the plug and receptacle'4 is rotatably mounted, 4 allows the rotationof plate I referred to above without any tendency to twist or otherwise damage the plugandreceptacle 4. Casing is provided with an aperture l0 through which wires l I pass and are permanent- 1y connected to the combination plug and receptacle 4. The permanent connection of wires II with plug and receptacle 4 does not prevent or in any way hinder the temporary connection, 0!

an additional plug P2 with the plug and receptacle 4 and hence to the outlet receptacle I.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is: v A'circuit extension unit for attachment to an outlet wall provided with a current outlet and headed screws adjacent to and spaced around said outlet; comprising. in combination, a connector body having plug connecting means at one side, terminal circuit connecting means at the opposite side, and electrical conductors fastened to the body at a point intermediate the sides, with one said body side adapted to be faced towards the wall to interfit the plug connecting means at the latter side with the outlet, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said body and provided with a flat plate section at one end having a smaller central opening than the opening in the latter body side whereby the plate abuts the latter body side to prevent movement of the sleeve and the plate outwardly, said sleeve having a shoulder abutting a shoulder facing the opposite body side to prevent inward movement of the plate and sleeve and an arcuately extending slot near said shoulder through which the conductors pass of sufijcient clearance to :permit limited rotatiof or the sleeve with respect-tothe body without interference, said plate being formed with arms having hooks to fit around'said screws and under the heads thereof upon rotation of the device after the plug connecting means has been interfitted with the aforesaid outlet, said screws being turnable thereafter to clamp the plate and thereby the sleeve and connector body to the outlet wall,

ERNEST A. FALLER.

Images