US2506967A - Electric plug - Google Patents

Description

May 1950 B. F. NAUSLAR 2,506,967

' ELECTRIC PLUG Filed April 4, 1947 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN F: IVAUSLAR nesivr Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to an electric plug, more particularly for use in connection with electric flat irons, coffee pots or other electrical appliances and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an electric plug of this class Which when engaged with male plugs of a conventional electric flat iron or cofiee pot firmly grips the prongs of said male plug preventing electric are from heating and eroding the contacts of said male plug and my electric plug;

Second, to provide an electric plug of this class which employs spring and cam means for forcing the movable contacts thereof laterally into engagement with the prongs of a conventional male plug whereby intimate contact with said prongs is automatically and constantly maintained;

Third, to provide an electric plug of this class having a push button at one end thereof operatively connected with a pair of movable contacts arranged to grip the prongs of a male plug whereby lateral movement of said contacts may be readily accomplished when positioning my electric plug in connection with the prongs of a conventional male plug such as those in connection with electric irons, cofiee pots or the like;

Fourth, to provide an electric plug of this class which is adapted to engage the prongs of a conventional male electric plug and is provided with spring loaded contacts which engage said prongs for constantly providing tension in connection therewith preventing are between the prongs and said contacts;

Fifth, to provide an electric plug of this class which is very compact;

Sixth, to provide an electric plug of this class which is very simple to operate; and

Seventh, to provide an electric plug of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efiicient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my electric plug; Fig. 2 is a view of one of the plates of my electric plug taken from the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the movable contacts in connection therewith; Fig. 3 is a view of the other plate of my electrical plug taken from the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 showing the stationary contacts in connection therewith; Fig. 4 is a transverse sec tional view taken from the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

The plates l and 2, stationary contacts 3 and 4, movable contacts 5 and ii, push button 1, spring 8, connection shield 9, cord guides I0, cord II and the bolts l2 and i3 constitute the principal parts and portions of my electric plug. I

The plates l and 2 are substantially flat members preferably made of electrical insulation material. The plate I is provided with slotted portions la in which the stationary contacts 3 and 4 are fixed by means of the bolts to and lea, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to the opposite ends of which are connected the conductors I la of the cord i l which extends upwardly through the connection shield 9 and cord guide it]. These stationary contacts 3 and 4 align with recessed openings let in the plate I through which conventional electric plug prongs may be inserted when the plate I is in assembly with the plate 2 which is provided with similar openings 2a aligning with the movable contacts 5 and 6. These movable contacts 5 and 6 are slidably mounted in slotted portions 2d and are provided with shank portions 5a and 511, respectively, which slide in the recessed portions [6 and 2e of the plates I and 2 which recessed portions are arcuate in cross section, as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Connected to the opposite ends of these shank portions 5a and 5a is the push button 7 engaged by the spring 8, the opposite end or" which is fitted in the recess 2f of the plate 2 and the recess If of the plate i both of which recesses 2f and If are arcuate in cross section. The push button 1 is reciprocally mounted in recessed portions 291 and lg of the plates 2 and I, respectively, all as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. Electrically connected to the stationary contacts 3 and 4 are the bolts 3a. and 4a to which the conductor wires I! a are electrically connected. The connection shield 9 is preferably made of insulation material and is held in place by the bolt l3 and the pins 2h, all as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The cord guide I ll is preferably made of convolutions of resilient wire and is fitted to the shield 9, as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The movable contacts 5 and 6 in connection with the plate 2 are similar in constructlon and arrangement therefore the contact 6 as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing will be hereinafter described in detail. As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the recessed portion 21% is provided with an angularly inclined surface 27' engaged by the extending end 6b of the contact; 6 adjacent the semi-circular in cross section opening portion 2a through which the prongs of the conventional male plug are inserted.

The operation-of-my electric plug is substantially as follows:

When in assembly, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing, the operator desiring to connect my electric plug with the prongs of a conventional male electric plug proceeds as follows: He first depresses the push button I which compresses the spring 8 and shifts the movable contacts 5 and 6 toward the openings 2a in the end of the plate 2. The end portions 6b of the movable contacts 5 and 6 pass downwardly on the inclined surface 27'10f the recess.2d whereby;lateralshifting ;of r the. contacts -5 cand fi is promoted permitting the prongs of the-conventional male plug to be inserted between the contacts 5 andilisandthe contacts 3 and-4,,-respectively. .After said insertion, the push. button slis' released -permitting thesspring8 to force themovable contactso and 6 longitudinally of the plate 2 forcing the same upwardly over the inclined;s11.rface2j whereby lateralmovement :of said contacts v5 and 5 en- Though .I have shown and ,described a particwular construction, combination and arrangement of parts andportions, ,I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, butdesire toincluclein the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described, my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ,In anelectric plug of the class described, the combination .of insulating. means having .longitudinal openings therein,.a,pair,of movable contacts longitudinally slidablein said openings, a .pair .of 1 stationary .contacts adjacent .said .openings, resilient .means tending to force said movable contacts longitudinally of the ,axis of said openings, said insulation means. having inclined surfaceportions therein directedangularly and laterally of the longitudinalaxisof said openings, said inclined surface portions being adjacent said openingasaid movable contacts having surface openings, said insulation means having inclined surface portions therein directed angularl and laterally of the longitudinal axis of said open- ..ings,.said,inclined surface portions being adjacent said openings, said movable contacts having surface portions engageable with said inclined surface portions, whereby longitudinal movement of said contacts caused by said resilient means moves said movable contacts laterally of the .axis'of said O enings toward said stationary contacts, electrical conductors inconnection with said stationary contacts.

3. Inan electric plug of the class described, the combination of insulating means having longitudinal openings therein, apair-of movable contacts longitudinally slidable in said openings, a pair of stationary contacts .adjacentsaid openings, resilient means tending to force said movable contacts longitudinally of the of said openings, said insulation means having inclined surface portions therein directed angularly and laterally of the longitudinal ,axis of said openings, said inclined surfaceportions being adjacent said openings, saidmovable .contactshaw ing surface portions engageable with said inclined surface portions, whereby longitudinal movement of said contacts caused by said resilient means moves said movable contacts laterally of the axis ofsaid openings toward said stationary contacts, electrical conductors in connection with said stationary contacts, a push-button connected with saidmovable contacts and positioned externally of said insulation means.

BENJAMIN F. NAUSLAR.

:REFERENCES CITED Tliefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,202,923 Trood Oct. 31, 1916 1,614,508 Saxe Jan. 18, 1927 1,674,441 McKinley June 19, 1923 2,014,056 Van Noorden Sept. 10, 1935 2,117,029 Larsson May 10, 1938

Images