US2334579A

US2334579A - Indicating lamp receptacle

Info

Publication number: US2334579A
Application number: US403635A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alric H Powell
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1941-07-23
Filing date: 1941-07-23
Publication date: 1943-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1960-11-16

Description

I Nov. 16,' 1943. A. H. POWELL INDI CATING LAMP RECEPTACLE FiledJuly 25, 1941 Jef uw@ '5 HMZ Patented Nov. 1s, 1943 UNi'rvEo STATE s PATENT ortica` mmca'rmc Lam aacsrracm Alric H. Powell, Ye'adon, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York applicati@ .in iy z3, 1941, serial No. 403,635

s claims. (ci. rive-329) .at I. The Athreads I are formed in the outer My invention relates to an indicating lamp re-V ceptacle and more particularly to a pilot larnp receptacle for use on panel boards.

In many cases, panel boards are provided with indicating or pilot lamps, visible vfrom the front of the board, which give an indication as to whether or not circuits concealed behind the' board are energized. Such pilot lamps are of low.-

voltage and power consumption and are connected to the energized circuits iri,series with a resistor. This requires a special receptacle to port the resistor.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved receptacle for mounting an indicating lamp and associated resistor on av panel board.

wall-of an annular recess 5 which is formed adjacent asleeve B extending inwardly into the interior of the tube. -Extending through spaced openings 'i inthe end cap 3 are spaced contact members 8 receiving the indicating lamp L 'Each contact member 8 comprises an elongated strip offlexible material, such as' spring bronze,

one endof whichis provided with a projecting y portion l for engaging the lamp while the other end is bent in the form of a U i which receives mount the lamp in indicating position and to sups It is another object of my invention to provide an improved receptacle for panel board j mounting which comprises relatively few parts, is easily assembled and manufactured at'low cost.I

A further object oi' my invention is the provision of an improved receptacle for panel mount` ing in which a single supporting element is utilized to support the associated resistor and indicating lamp on the panel.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 isa per-4 a screw il to form a terminal means for the contact blade. Each contact blade (Fig. 5) is also provided with a laterally extending tongue i2. In

mounting the contact blades in position on the end cap 3, the lamp-engaging ends of the blades are inserted through the openings 1 and the blades are pushed through the openings until the `tongues i2 snap into a recess i3 formed centrallyofthe sleeve `B. Once the contact blades are seated in position on the end cap, they cannotk be dislodged therefrom due to the fact that the tongues i2 engage a wall I4 of the recess spective view of my indicating lamp receptacle; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line y3--2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along.

the line I-lof Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective .f view of one of the terminal contacts, and Fig. 6

is a diagrammatic view showing the indicating f lamp connected to an energized circuit. Y

Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawing,` a, pilot or indicating lamp L and a resistor R are shown in,

diagrammatic form as connected in series across line conductors C, the energization of which is to be indicated on the panel board. Wheneverthe faces 9 which are normally biased toward each other by the spring tension of the contact blades.

conductors C are energized, the lamp L will be lighted. The lamp-L is visible from the front of.v the panel board `which conceals the conductorsV C and the resistor R and at the same time pro-r tects it'from possible damage. The lamp and resistor are carried by a receptacle mounted on the panel board.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing, my receptacle includes a support i which is in the form of a metal tube threaded throughout the entirev length of its external surface, as indicated at 2. At one end, the tube i s closed by acap l which may be formed of any suitable insulating material, such as a molded plastic, and which is threaded on the end of the tube, as indicated Il, preventing the contact blades from being revmoved lengthwise from the, end cap. Movement of the contact bladesin'the opposite direction is prevented by shoulders i5 which engage the walls of the cap adjacent the openings 1. Those portions of the contact blade which extend beyond the confines of the tube I and cap 3 are held ilrmly in assembled position by being seated in grooves i6` formed in an extension i1 of the The ,contact surfaces 9 are held apart a predetermined distance by a separator 28 which is formed oi' insulating material, such as a molded plastic, and which is provided with arms 2s for insertion through openings 30 formed in the contact blades 8. In assembled position, the contact blades are biased inwardly against the outer edges of the separator 28 so that the contact surfaces 9 are spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit easyinsertion of the guide plug 26 when the indieating lamp is to be mounted in position. As

long as the lamp base is positioned to present the tapered surface 21 to the contact blades, the lamp may be easily seated in position with the ferrules 25 in engagement with the contact blades, in the manner shown by Fig. 2. The width of the plug 26 is such, however, as shown by Fig. 3, that if the lamp is turned toa position sothat the ferrules will not engage the contact blades, the plug will engage the ends of the contact blades so that the lamp cannot be inserted in position.;

Thismeans that it is impossible to-mountjthe lamp in position incorrectly.

The contact blades and lamp L are electricallyl isolated from the metal supporting tube I by a position. In mounted position, the indicating lamp is visible from all points in iront of the l panel while the. resistor and wiring to the receptac'le`v are hidden out of sight behind the panel.

The indicating lamp may be easily replaced simply by removing the cap 39 and inserting a new lamp linto contact with the blades l. This may be done without disturbing the mounting oi' the receptacle on the panel. The lamp cannot be pushed into the tube too far since the base 276 will engage the separator .28. to adjust the liner 3| of insulating material, such as an impregnated fiber, whichv extends the full length of the tube I. A sleeve 3i `of similar insulating material is located withinA the liner to Vassist in f centering the lamp in podtion.r

The resistance R which cooperates -with the I lamp L is likewise supported onthe tube I. The

resistance comprises a windingl 32 of any suitable vresistance wire upon a shell 33.01' insulating material, such as a ceramic sleeve. One end of tl'ie resistance wire is connected to a terminal '34 formed of a strip of'metal wrapped around the shell and provided with a terminalscrew I5; the other end of the resistance wire is connected by a heavy conducting'lead 30 lto one oi the terminals lamp to correct mounted position, as indicated by Fig. 2.

My receptacle is one which is rugged in construction since it provides a single mounting support for both the resistor R and the lamp L on f the metal tube I.

The length of the tube may be varied at will to accommodate the receptacle i to' a wide variety of panel board thicknesses and resistor lengths. 'I'he same results can be attained within the limits of the tube length by adjusting the

lock nuts

31 and 44. T h'e entire #length ofthe resistor is supported on the tube so that there yis no dangerof breakage due to -the tube I.

y receptacle is not sublectto breakage by vibration or shock.

lov of a contactbiade l. The-resistance wire, terminal 'strip 34 andlead wire 30 are secured in position onIk the shell 33; by a heavy coating oi insulating material, such as a vitreous enamel. The resistor is assembled in position ou the mounting tube I by ysliding it over 'the end o! the tube into engagement with :the end cap I against which it isl locked in position by a lock nut 31, the lock nut being insulated from the sleeve by a washer ,38 of insulating material, such as sheet ber. Alternatively, the'resistor may bemounted in position prior to assembly of the end cap and' contacts by placing it over the tube against the lockvnut 31 and then assembling the cap 3 in position. Y

The receptacle is provided with'an end cap 39 which is formed of translucent material. such as glass or a suitable plastic, so that thelamp L is visible from any point at the iront of the panel board. The cap may be colored to give a designationv of the circuit to which the indicating de vice is connected. The end cap is screw threaded, as indicated at 40. into what might be termed an escutcheon nut A4I which in turn is screw threaded to the supporting tube I, as shown at 42. A portion of the colored cap l! extends into the interior of the insulating sleeve, as shown at 43, so that the metal supporting tube I vis completely insulated throughout its'length. Prior to closing the end oi' the Supporting tube by the escutcheon nut 4I, a lock nut 44 is threaded onto the end of the tube and is spaced from the accidental contact therewith. ,Moreoven the lamp isi totally enclosed within and protected by 'Ilieiconstruction is such that the The receptacle is connected into a circuit simply by running lead wires to the terminal 34 and .onel of the terminals I0. Since the lead wire ll of the resistor is'secured tothe otherv terminal i0-, the lamp and resistor will be connected in series according to the circuit diagram oi! Fig. 6.

What I claim as new and :desire to secure by Letters; Patent of the United States is:

,1. In a receptacle for a switchboard lamp, a

, tube,a cap of insulating material closing one end or said tube, spaced contact members carried by Asaid capnd having contact surfaces extending intothe interior'oi said tube and being provided with terminal portions located outside said tube,

asleeveof insulating material surrounding said tube, a. resistor for connection to a terminal portion surrounding and supported on said sleeve, and means for mountingvsaid tube on a support,

said contact surfacesbeing` adapted to supply current toalamp inserted in the `other end of said tube.

2. In a lamp receptacle, a tubular member, a

. cap of insulating material closing one end of said escutcheon nut to receive a panel board 45. The

.lock nut 44 may be adjusted laterally along the length of the tube between the other lock nut 31 l and the escutcheon nut 4I to accommodate'variou; sizes of mounting panels.

In mounting the deviceon the panel, the lock nut 44 is rst adjusted approximately in accordlance with the thickness of the panel on which the receptacleis to be mounted and'then the escutcheon nut 4I is removed from the mounting tube I so that the latter may be Yinserted v through an opening drilled in the panel board.

Thereafter, the escutcheon nut 4I is replaced on the tube and the lock nut 44 tightened up against the back ofthe panel to fasten the receptacle in tube, spaced contact members carried by said cap i `ing tube, a cap of insulatingl material closing one end of saidtube, spaced contact members carried by said cap` extending intothe interior of .said tube and Ibeing provided with contact surfaces for electrically contacting a lamp to be inserted in the other end of said tube, a liner of insulating material disposed in said tube and insulating said contact members from said tube, and a resistor carried by said tube and being supported throughout its length thereby.

4. In a lamp receptacle, an externally threaded tubular member, a cap threaded on one end of said member, spaced contact members carried by said cap extending into the interior of said member and being provided with contact surfaces for electrical connection to a lamp to be inserted in the other end of said member, a sleeve of insulating material surrounding a portion of said tubular member, a resistor carried by said sleeve for series connection with one of said contact members, and a lock nut threaded on said tubular member and forcing said sleeve against said cap.

5. In a lamp receptacle, an externally threaded tubular member, a cap threaded on one end o! said member, spaced contact members carried by said cap and extending into the interior of said member and being provided with contact surfaces for electrical connection with a lamp inserted in the other end of said member, a sleeve of insulating material carrying a resistor surrounding a portion of said tubular member. means threaded on said tubular member and clamping said sleeve against said cap, and means for closing the other end of said tubular member including a cap of translucent material.

6. In a lamp receptacle, an externally threaded tubular member, a cap threaded on one end of said member, spaced contact members carried by said cap extending into the interior of said member and being provided with contact surfaces for electrical connection with a lamp to be inserted in the other end of said member, a sleeve of insulating material surrounding a portion of said tubular member, a resistor carried by said sleeve for series connection with one of said contact members, a lock nut threaded on said tubular member and clamping said sleeve against said cap, means for closing the other end of said tubular member-including a cap of translucent material, and means for mounting said tubular member in an opening in a support with the translucent cap on one side of said support and the resistor on the other side.

ALRIC H. POWELL.