US2453014A - Socket primarily for radio tubes and the like - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 2, 1948." JACKSON SOCKETS PRIMARILY FOR RADIO TUBES AND THE-LIKE Filed April 4, '1945 Inventor ha/d Jackson Attorney Patented Nov. 2, 1948 v UNITED STATES 1 company ApplicationAprile, 1945, Serial N 0. 586,608 V In Great Britain April 1,1944 i This invention relates to devices of the character primarily designed as sockets for radio tubes and the like, although such devices and devices of similar character are also often used as sockets for coils, condensers and other electrical equipment. i

An object of this invention is the provision of a socket structure having. novel means for supporting the contact elements therein, facilitating assembly of the socket and combining other useful functions and advantages. i 1

A further object of this invention" is to provide a socket having a novel and. improved structure rendering the contacts thereof self-aligning.

A further object of this invention is the pro--' vision of a mode of construction which is especially advantageous for the manufacture and assembly of miniaturetypes of radio tube-sockets.

A further object of this invention is' a novel andimproved method and means for assembling and self-locating the contact elements of a socket. r

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. l

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. i

In the drawin Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively top and bottom plan views of one embodiment of socket exemplifying the invention. r i

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the socket inverted, certain parts having been removed and others being shown in section and broken away for the purpose of illustration.

The socket construction illustrated in the drawing is especially suitable for the manufactureof miniature types of tube sockets (for instance; of about A" in diameter) such as are required for miniature radio tubes. However, the structure may, of course, also be employed for larger sockets. In the illustrated socket; the contact elements thereof, generally designated B, are individually carried by a set ofcomplementary segments 210" 7 Claims. (Cl; 173-323) of insulatingum'aterialwhich are assembled side by side. together in a closedpircu-lar array to producea composite mountorcarrier body of insuw lationzof circular plate form. The individual segments 72 Himaybe made as mouldings :of synthetic resin or like plastic material 'or of ceramic material. The socket shown" has eightsimilar segments, seven of which carry contact elements t'he eighth or blank segment being without a contact element. This arrangement is provided to obtain 15 provided in place of the blank segment and the.

adjacent one on the left as viewedin'Fig. 1. Each contact-carrying segment 2H! carriesits contact elementbililfi in a recess 2201 in one side of'jthe segment, the contact element being introduced sideways into the recess 220 and being retained thereinby the adjacent unrecessedlside flll o'f the next segment in the assembly, which thus in effect closes the recessed side of the. preceding segment, as will be .clearly seen in thejdrawing.

ratively, as seen more clearlyin Figs. 3 and '4, the

recess 22-8111 the side of eachcontact-carryin segment 2-! ii; is shown as beingsh'aped toprovide anupper'enlarged portion 22! adj acent the upper 40 passes to project from the bottom of the segment.

.Therestricted portion 222 of the recess 226 has. a local enlargement 2231 therein which receives a complementary enlargement or projection 203 formed intermediately on the terminal portion 2m. Sucha contact element may be formed in one piece from a short lengthof metal strip, rcr

OFF'IIC E- The contact elements may be of any suitable 292 of thecontact element zen; thus preventing the contact element, after it is laterallyintreduced into the recess 220-, frombeing drawnout either vfrom the top orfrom the bottom offthe segment I wise shaped, such as in the manner depicted, so

as to provide points of line contact ensuring efiective conductive engagement with the cooperating pin or prong. The strip is also suitably shaped to form the enlargement 203, and the doubled end 202 thereof serves as a terminal tag for effecting connection of a conductor to the contact element. The doubled terminal portion 202 may be opened out into a loop, as illustrated, for facilitating such connection, or it may be notched or perforated for the same purpose.

The segments 2I0, with contact elements mounted therein as described, are assembled in a supporting and retaining member which is shown as in the form of a metallic ring generally designated I00, of suitable material such as tinned steel which is provided with ears IOI pierced with holes I02 for mounting the completed socket, for example on a radio chassis. The ring I00 is formed at its upper end with aperipheral bead I03 and an inturned flange I04, providing an annular internal groove I05 to receive a complementary peripheral bead 2I2 on the upper end of each segment 2) and adjacent a shoulder 2I3 which is adapted to receive the flange I04 of i the ring I00. Each segment 2| 0 has, below its bead 2I2, 'a cylindrical face portion 2 I4 conforming substantially withthe corresponding straight portion I06 of the ring I00. 1 Below the portion 2I4' the face 2I5 on each segment 2I0 may be tapered conically, as shown.

On assembly, each contact-carrying segment 2I0 -'is inserted into the ring I00 to bring its peripheral bead 2I2 into the groove I05 of the ring. For enabling such insertion to be carried out with all the segments 2I0, it will be apparent that the individual segments, if assembled close together, must occupy less area than that of the interiorof the ring so that there will be enough space to introduce all the segments into the ring in the manner described. This will be clear from the inspection ofFig. 4 where one of the segments 2I0 is shown in partially inserted position just prior to its bead 2I2 being brought alongside and into. the groove I5. Thus, after insertion of all the segments 2), they will be loose in the ring I00. A suitable fixing element can then be introduced into the residual space left after bringing the beads 2 I 2 of the segments into interlocking engagement with'the groove I05 of the ring, so as to maintain such engagement and prevent the segments from being removed or dropping out fromthe ring. For this purpose, the segments 2I0 are shaped so that when assembled together they form a central hole 320 through the assembly, in which a suitable headed fastener may be inserted. The fastener is shown as a metal rivet 330 inserted through the hole 320 from the faceor upper side of the socket, the lower end 33 I of the rivet 330 being swaged over a washer 332 on which can rest the inner portions of the bottom faces of the segments 2I0. The rivet 330 is of smaller diameter than that of the hole 320 was to retainthe assembly of segments in the ring I00 in such a manner that the segments individually are still loose to a slight extent so that each has'a limited degree of free movement substantially in all directions, so enabling the contact elements 200 carried thereby to be individually self-aligning. That is to say, when the contact pins or prongs on a radio tube base or other device are plugged into the socket, the looseness of the segments 2I0 permits each contact element 200 to adjust itself automatically into substantial alignment with the entry pin or prong. The contact elements 200 may also be slightly loosely fixed in their carrier segments 2I0, thus providing additional means assisting their self-,

alignment.

As well as providing a means of rendering the contact elements self-aligning, another advantage of employing discrete segments for the contaet elements is that it simplifies manufacture andlassembly of the socket, and especially the fixing of the contact elements, since these can be more easily fixed each in the individual segments which are thereafter assembled, than if all the contact elements were inserted and fixed in a one-piece body equivalent to the segment assembly. This is particularly advantageous with miniature types of tube sockets where the contact elements are even closer together than in the larger sockets. A further advantage of the. segmental mode of construction is that it very readily enables effective. electrostatic screening to be provided between adjacent contact elements or groups of contact elements, according to requirements, so enabling the screening between the input and output circuits and electrodes of radio tubes and their external circuits to be completed, in a simple and effective manner, by: merely providing a screening partition or partitions between the-appropriate segments carrying the contact elements that desirably are to be electrostatically screened from one another.

In order to locate the segment assembly in proper orientation in the ring I0 and to prevent rotational displacement of the assembly therein, any suitable locating means may be employed, as for instance, interlocking projections. and recesses in the segments and supporting ring. However, in the embodiment shown this location is accomplished by means of a metallic screen 300 provided for electrostatically shielding certain contact elements of the socket fromothers'. This screen-380 extends diametrically across the segmentassembly, the central portion of the screen 380 skirting around the hole 320 S0 as-not to foul the rivet 330. The ends of the screen 380 are provided with lugs 38I which project throughhaustive, sincemany modifications may be made thereof and constructional details varied thereina Therefore, the invention is not to be regarded as limited in'its broadest aspects to any of the specific details hereinbefore described and illustrated, butonly by the scope of the appended claims. v

- Iclaim:

1. In a socket, a

tary segments of insulation, at least some of said segments each having in one side thereof a 1011- gitudinal recess extending between opposite faces.

skilled in the art composite insulating bodycomposedof juxtaposed individual complemenof thevwsegment, said recess-comprising a main widenportion extending fromone of saidifaces of the segment andcommunicating withra narrower portion extending to 'the other of saidxfa'ces of the segment, a plurality oi contact elements accommodatedin said wider portion of its recess and a narrower terminafportion, part of which adjacent, said tongues is, arranged within said narrower portion of said recessandzthe remainder of which terminal portion extends from the narrower end of said recess so as to project from the adjacent face of the segment, each contact element being held against longitudinal displacement in itsrecess and further being held against lateral displacement from its recess bythe adjacent side of the adjoining insulating segment in the assembly, and means embracing said insulating segments to hold them in assembled relation.

2. In a socket, an insulating body comprising an assembly of juxtaposed individual complementary segments of insulation at least some of said segments each having in one side thereof a longitudinal recess extending between opposite faces of the segment, said recess comprising a main Wider portion extending from one of said faces of the segment and communicating with a narrower portion extending to the other of said faces of the segment, aplurality of contact elements housed one in each of said recesses and each comprisinga pair of spaced pin receiving tongues accommodated in said wider portion of its recess and a narrower terminal portion, part i of which adjacent said tongues is arranged within said narrower portion of said recess and the remainder of which terminal portion extends from the narrower end of said recess so as to project from the adjacent face of the segment, each contact element being held against longitudinal displacement in its recess and further being held against lateral displacement from its recess by the adjacent side of the adjoining segment in the assembly, a support having an annular portion loosely embracing said segmental body and exteriorly interengaging with peripheral portions of said segments for supporting the same, said segment assembly including a member surrounded by said segments and engaging the same to hold the segments against peripheral disengagement from said annular portion of said support. i

3. In a socket, a rigid support ring, a composite disc-like insulating body arranged within and supported by said ring and comprising a loose assembly of individual complementary segments of insulation, a plurality of said segments each having in one side thereof a recess extending between opposite faces of the segment and each carrying an individual contact element held in said recess to move bodily with the segment, the recess in each segment being closed by the adjacent side of the adjoining segment in the assembly, the segments exteriorly having peripheral means having interlocking engagement with said ring for holding the segments against axial displacement, the segment assembly having a substantially central axial aperture defined by inner peripheral walls of the segments, and a loose retainer member axially arranged within said aperture and supported by the inner peripheral portions of said segments to loosely hold the segbetween saidsupport ring and sald retainerrhem:

4. A socket structure as defined in: claim-v3; whereinsaid retainer member comprises a loose rivet extending through said aperture and having headed ends overlying the opposite faces of the innerperipheral portions of the segments;

5. In a socket, a rigid support ring, a composite disc-like insulatingsbody arranged loosely Within said ring and composed of an assembly of individualoomplementary segments of insulation 'a,

bl" having an axial aperture extending substantially centrally through said assembly and defined by inner peripheral walls of the segments, a loose r retainer member axially arranged Within said aperture and supported by the inner peripheral,

portions of said segments to loosely hold thesegmerits against disengagement from said ring while allowing each segment a limited freedom of independent movement in the annular space between said support rin and said retainer member, and means to hold the segment assembly against rotational bodily displacement within said ring.

6. A contact unit for a socket structure, comprising an insulator of circular segmental shape having in one radial side thereof a recess extending between opposite faces of the segment, the

other radial side being unrecessed, said recess having a main wider portion extending from one of said faces and communicating with a narrower portion extending to the other of said faces, said narrower portion having a local enlargement,

and a contact element secured in said recess comprising a pair of spaced pin-receivlng tongues accommodated in said wider portion of said recess and a narrower terminal portion, part of which adjacent said tongues is arranged within said narrower portion of said recess and is provided with an enlargement corresponding to and registering with the enlargement in said recess, and

the remainder of which terminaljportion extends from the narrower end of said recess so as to project from the adjacent face of the segment.

"7. In a socket, a support member having an aperture therein, a composite insulating body arranged within said aperture and supported by said member and comp-rising a loose assembly of juxtaposed individual complementary segments of insulation, a series of contact elements each i mounted within an individual segment to move bodily therewith, said segments exteriorly having peripheral means having interlocking engage tions of said segments whereby said retainer member is supported by said inner peripheral portions of said segments to loosely hold said segments against disengagement from said support member while allowing each segment a limited freedom of indefiendent movement in the annular space between said support member and said retainer member.

DONALD JACKSON.

I REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,169,314

Zannoth et a1 Jan. 25, 1916 Number 10 Number Great Britain 1 1926

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