US3277424A

US3277424A - Fluid-proof connector

Info

Publication number: US3277424A
Application number: US490256A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur L Nelson
Original assignee: Winsco Instr & Controls Compan
Current assignee: Winsco Instr & Controls Compan; Winsco Instruments & Controls Company Inc; Cooper Industries LLC
Priority date: 1965-09-27
Filing date: 1965-09-27
Publication date: 1966-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-04

Description

Oct. 4, 1966 A. NELSON FLUI D-PROOF CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 27, 1965 2 Shets-Sheet 1 [Ill/III 7/1 INVENTOR. 34 36 ARTHUR L. NELSON Flaa. 'owgfiwfmga A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,277,424 FLUID-PROOF CONNECTOR Arthur L. Nelson, San Diego, Calif., assignor to Winsco Instruments & Controls Company, Inc., a California corporation Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,256 Claims. (Cl. 339-94) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 265,881, filed March 18, 1963, now abandoned and entitled Electrical Connector! This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to connectors for connecting two or more Wires together in a fluid-proof manner. While the connector is primarily designed for making connections underwater, it is equally useful for making connections in other fluid environments including gases such as in an explosive atmosphere wherein any exposure of the connecting contacts to the atmosphere while making or breaking a connection could result in a possible explosion from arcing and the like. Since the features of the connector which render it watertight also apply to its use in other fluid environments such as moist air or explosive gases, the preferred embodiments will be described with respect to underwater operations.

In making electrical connections underwater, there are several important considerations. Of primary importance, of course, is the assurance that once the electrical connection has been made, it will be completely watertight. Further, while a connection may be effected that is watertight, it is also important that no water be in the neighborhood of the actual engaging contacts since the presence of even a minute amount of water can have a deleterious effect on the integrity of the connected circuit.

It is also important that at the moment of making or breaking the electrical connection, the contacts involved be fully shielded from the surrounding fluid so as to avoid possible shorting when multiple contacts are involved.

Other considerations are that the connecting members themselves be relatively compact and not require any special tools for either making or breaking the connection, all to the end that a diver underwater may effect the connections even though he may be wearing heavy gloves.

Another desirable feature in an underwater connector is the provision of a design such that increased water pressure as at great depths will function to increase the sealing or waterproofing of the connection. On the other hand, the connector should be designed such that the connection can be made or broken without any appreciable additional work being involved as a consequence of greatly increased water pressure.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved fluid-proof electrical connector in which the above considerations are fully realized.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an underwater connector uniquely designed such that when a connection is being made, the electrical contacts themselves are automatically wiped clean of all moisture and/or particles and retained in a clean and insulated condition from water or other surrounding fluid after the contact has been made, all to the end that a completely fluid-proof connector is provided. In the case of multiple pairs of contacts, complete insulation between the pairs is also assured.

Another import-ant object is to provide an underwater connector so designed that the integrity of the connection and the waterproofing thereof is retained even under greatly increased water pres-sure conditions.

Still another object is to provide an underwater connector in which a connection may be made or broken without any appreciable increase in the work necessary even though the connector may be at a relatively great depth and thus subject to relatively high pressure.

Other objects are to provide an underwater connector which is rugged in design, compact, and in which a connection may be made or broken by a diver or other person without the necessity of special tools.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained, in its preferred embodiment, by providing a plug body of insulating material including an elongated plug substantially of uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length. A plug contact is partially embedded in the plug with at least a portion of its peripheral surface exposed at an area on the plug intermediate the ends of the plug and preferably substantially flush with the external surface of the plug. An insulated wire extends from the plug body and is electrically connected to this plug contact Wholly within the plug body. One or more additional plug contacts may be similarly exposed longitudinally spaced along the plug and connected to 'additional insulated wires.

Cooperating with the plug body is a socket body also of electrically insulating material, preferably resilient, including an elongated socket of substantially uniform crosssectional area throughout its length corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional area of the plug so that the plug may be urged within the socket in snug engagement therewith. The socket itself is in open communication at opposite ends with the exterior of the socket body. A socket contact in the form of a split ring has at least a portion of its internal surface exposed in the interior wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket. By employing a split ring, the socket contact is capable of circumferential expansion and contraction. An insulated wire extending from the socket body is electrically connected within the socket body to the split ring. One or more additional socket contacts may be similarly exposed longitudinally along the interior of the socket and connected to additional insulated wires.

With the foregoing structure, an underwater connection is made by simply urging the elongated plug into the socket. Because of the substantially equal cross-sectional areas of the plug and socket, a very snug or interference type fit results, and as a consequence, water within the socket is urged out one of the ends of the socket as the plug is urged into the other end. Egress means for any water within the socket is thus provided.

Further, a wiping action by the external engaging surface of the plug with the internal wall surface of the socket as the same is inserted into the socket occurs, thereby insuring that the plug contact or contacts and split ring contact or contacts, as well as the remaining surface areas of the plug and socket, will be wiped dry of any moisture and will be retained in an insulated or waterproof condition once the plug has been inserted a sufficient distance to effect electrical connection between the plug contact or contacts and the split ring contact or contacts.

A further important consequence of the foregoing design is the fact that a pressure balance is realized insofar as movement of the plug into the socket is concerned. Thus, because both ends of the socket communicate with the ambient environment, the water pressure acting on the end of the plug Within the socket is balanced by water pressure acting on the exterior of the plug body so that the actual movement of the plug into and out of the socket requires no appreciable increase in work at increased pressures than at reduced pressures.

-In preferred embodiments of the invention, the socket communication to the exterior of the socket body is provided by simply having the socket pass entirely through the body to define open ends. Thus, as the plug is inserted in one end, any water in the socket is urged out 'sulation 16 and wire 17 extends.

"7 N V .9 the opposite end. Moreover, by this type of design,

.the plug may be inserted in either end of the socket.

A further feature of the design resides in the fact that for simple connectors, by having the exposed surface of the plug contact circumferentially extending completely around the plug, the relative rotative position between the plug and socket is immaterial.

A better understanding of the invention, as well as .further features and advantages thereof, will be had by now referring to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a plug body and socket body secured together to effect an underwater with the plug of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another modified plug body and socket body structure in connected position;

FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 are cross-sectional views showing successive stages in effecting an electrical connection by means of the plug and socket bodies illustrated in FIGURE 4, all useful in explaining the operation of the underwater connector; and,

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section showing a plug and socket having more than one contact.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a plug body 10 cooperating with a socket body 11. These members are connected together as indicated at the division line 12 and are both formed of electrical insulating material such as neoprene. An insulated wire comprising insulation 13 and wire 14 extends from the plug body as shown. The socket body 11 includes a lateral portion 15 from which a similar insulated wire comprising in- The socket body 11 also includes an oppositely directed lateral portion 18 and the portion of the body defining the socket itself is elongated as indicated at 19.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the plug body 10 includes an annular shoulder 20 opposite a tapered portion 21 of the body. An elongated plug 22 extends from the shoulder 2t), and in the embodiment illustrated, -is of circular shape in cross-section having a given diameter d. An

important feature of ,this invention resides in the fact that the elongate-d plug 22 is of consistent or uniform cross-sectional area throughout substantially its entire length.

Embedded within the insulating plug 22 is a rigid conductor 23 terminating short of the end of the plug but extending within the plug throughout a major portion of the length of the plug. As shown, this rigid conductor 23 includes an enlarged electrical contact 24 having at least a portion of its peripheral surface exposed at an area of the plug surface intermediate the ends of the plug. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the contact 24 has a cylindrical peripheral convex surface which is exposed over the entire circumference of the middle portion of the plug 22. It will be noted that the exposed surface of the contact 24 is substantially flush with the insulating external plug surface.

The insulated wire 14 has one end connected to the rigid conductor 23 within the plug body 10 as shown at 25. The rigid conductor 23 thus serves two purposes. First, it lends rigidity to the elongated plug itself; and, second, it provides electrical continuity between the wire 14 and the plug contact 24.

Referring now to the socket portion, the socket body 11 includes an elongated socket 26 of consistent or substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length. In the embodiment of FIGURE 2, the socket is cylindrical in shape having a given internal diameter D which corresponds substantially to the diameter d of the plug 22. As also clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2, the socket 26 extends entirely through the socket body to define opposite

open ends

27 and 28. The lateral portion of the socket body 11 is tapered as shown at 29 and maybe integrally formed with or bonded to the insulation 16 of the wire 17.

A socket contact preferably in the form of a ring 30 split at 31 is embedded in the interior wall of the socket 26 in an area intermediate the ends of the socket and has .at least a portion of its internal surface exposed. This exposed surface extends slightly beyond a flush relationship with the internal wall of the socket. Because of the split 31 in the ring and its resilient nature as well as the resilient nature of the insulating material of the socket, the ring is capable of circumferential expansion and contraction. It will be noted that the wire 17 connects directly to the split ring 30 within the socket body 11.

Either one or both of the bodies in the for-m of the plug body and socket body may be made of resilient or pliable material. As stated, this material preferably constitutes neoprene which is a waterproof medium characterized by a non-wetting surface as well as an excellent electrical insulator. Since the diameter D cor-responds substantially to the diameter d, an interference fit of the plug 22 within the socket 26 will result, thereby insuring a snug relationship of the plug within the socket. The advantageous features resulting from this design as well as other features described in FIGURE 2 will become more evident as the description proceeds.

FIGURE 3 shows a modified socket structure wherein there is provided a socket body 32 having -a first lateral offset portion 33 from which insulation 34 for a wire 35 extends, there being provided a taper 36 on the external laterally extending portion 33.

As in the case of the socket of FIGURE 2, the insulated wire 36 connects to a split ring 37 having a slot at 38 within an elongated socket 39 corresponding in all respects to the socket 26. However, the socket body 32 includes an oppositely extending second lateral insulated portion 40 having a taper 41 from which an insulated wire including insulation 42 and wire 43 extend. The wire 43 also connects to the split ring 37 as shown.

With the foregoing arrangement, the two

wires

36 and 43 may both be connected to the insulated wire extending from the plug body. I

In the structure of FIGURES 1 and- 2, as well as in the structure of FIGURE 3, the laterally extending portion 18 of the socket body 11 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and the second lateral portion 41 for supporting the additional insulated wire, serve as convenient gripping means i or as a handle for facilitating pulling apart or fitting together the plug and socket bodies.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown an under water connector in which the principles in effecting an underwater connection are the same as those for the underwater connector of FIGURES 1 and 2 but in which the external plug and socket bodies have a different configuration.

Thus, referring to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated a plug body 44 cooperating with a socket body 45, the line of connection being indicated at 46. Extending from the plug body 44 is an insulated wire including insulation 47 and conductor 48. The socket body 45 includes a lower offset portion 49 from which extends an insulated wire including insulation 50 and wire 51.

In the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 5, it will be noted that the plug body 44 includes an elongated plug 52 within which there is embedded a rigid conductor 53 over a major portion of the length of the plug 52. The rigid conductor 53 includes an enlarged portion 54 defining a plug contact having at least a portion of its peripheral surface exposed at an area of the external surface of the plug 52 intermediate its ends. An annular shoulder 55 is defined at the juncture of the plug 52 with the plug body 44.

The socket body 45 is also similar to the previously described socket in that there is provided an elongated socket 56 open at both ends as indicated at 57 and 58 and including a split ring socket contact 59 having a slot 60 and positioned midway of the socket. As shown, the split ring is connected to the insulated wire 51.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5, there is additionally provided a slight flare 61 at the extreme end of the plug 52 and a cooperating restricting lip portion 62 directed generally radially inwardly at the entrance end 57 of the socket 56. This slight flare on the end of the plug insures a thorough wiping of the interior of the socket '56 when the plug is inserted in the socket, and the lip 62 correspondingly insures a wiping of the exterior plug surface.

The manner in which the underwater connector operates will be clear by referring to FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 together. Thus, to effect an electrical connection underwater between the

insulated wires

48 and 51, the plug 52 is inserted in the socket 56. Since the socket 56 is symmetrical and open at both ends, it is possible for the diver or other operator to insert the plug 52 in either end of the socket.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the plug 52 partially inserted in the socket wherein it will be noted that water 63, which will necessarily be in the socket when the bodies are underwater, is expelled from the opposite open end of the socket. It will be clear that because of the corresponding cross-sectional dimensions of the plug and socket, the resulting snug engagement will insure a complete peripheral wiping of both water and particles from the interior of the socket wall as well as from the exterior of the plug and thus avoid any conductive film that might conduct current along the plug or socket surfaces to the exterior or to other contacts.

FIGURE 7 shows the plug 52 inserted entirely within the socket at which point the shoulder 55 engages the peripheral portion defining the open end 57 of the socket. The dimensioning of the structure is such that the plug contact 54 will be positioned within the split ring 59 when the shoulder 55 engages the end of the socket as illustrated. Because of the capability of circumferential expansion and contraction of the split ring, the urging of the exposed contact portion of the plug within the split ring will result in a slight circumferential expansion of the ring since the internal wall surface of this ring exposed within the socket is initially slightly above a flush relationship with the intern-a1 wall of the socket.

Thus, an excellent electrical contact is insured and yet the remaining insulated surface portions of the plug are still in snug engagement with the internal wall of the socket on either side of the contacts, thereby maintaining the contacts sealed from the water and in a clean and dry condition.

To disconnect the insulated wires, the plug is simply pulled from the socket.

The foregoing operation as described in conjunction With FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 also applies to the operation of the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2., and 3, the cross-sectional areas of the plug and socket corresponding such that the desired snug relationship is realized.

In the embodiments of FIGURES 5, 6, 7, and 8, th exterior configuration of the plug body and socket body is such that the extending insulated wires are offset axially from each other so that a pulling on these wires will tend to cock or tilt the connected bodies so that there will be greater resistance oflfered to the plug being inadvertently pulled from the socket.

FIGURE 8 shows a modified plug and socket arrangement in which more than one plug contact and more than one socket contact are provided so that connections may be effected between pairs of Wires if desired. Thus,

there is illustrated a plug body 64 and socket body 65 shown in connected relationship. The plug body includes an elongated plug 66 similar to the plugs previously described but including two plu'g contacts such as indicated at 67 and 68 with surface portions exposed in flush relationship with the exterior surface of the plug 66. Rather than a solid conductor embedded in the central portion of the plug, however, the plug 66 in FIGURE 8 includes a conducting tube 69 of which the plug contact 68 constitutes an enlarged central portion. This tube, as shown, includes a lateral opening 70 through which a connection to the plug contact 67 may be effected. Thus,

insulated wires

71 and 72 connect, respectively, to the tube 69 and directly to the plug contact 67, these wires being held in insulated relationship by the insulation material constituting the plug 66. With such an arrangement, rigidity is lent to the plug by the conducting tube 69, which, as before, serves as a conducting medium directly to the plug contact 68.

The socket body 65 includes an elongated socket 73 having split

ring contacts

74 and 75 longitudinally spaced along the interior surface in proper position to register with the plug contacts when the plug is received within the socket. These split ring contacts connect to socket body insulated

wires

76 and 77, respectively.

The operation of the embodiment of FIGURE8 is identical to that described for the other embodiments and is merely set forth to show the manner in which more than one plug contact may be provided for cooperation with more than one socket contact. It will, of course, be understood that even further contacts could be provided with suitable connections to insulated Wires running axially through the tubular conductor 69, such contacts being properly longitudinally spaced along the plug and socket.

Because of the snug relationship throughout the crosssectional area of the plug with the elongated socket, it will be appreciated that the various plug contacts are thoroughly insulated from each other as well as the various socket contacts. In other words, the insulation surface of the plug between the plug contacts where more than one contact is involved cooperates with the similar interior insulating wall surface of the socket between the ring type contacts to insure complete insulation of the various pairs of connections from each other, as well as from the external environment.

There are several very important consequences of the foregoing design and operation as described. The provision of a socket open at both ends has the following advantages: First, the plug 22 may be inserted in either end of the socket; second, there is provided an easy egress means for Water within the socket out of the end of the socket opposite that end into which the plug is inserted so that it is insured that the socket is entirely free of water after the connection has been made; third, by having communication of the interior of the socket with its exterior at a point other than the opening into which the plug is inserted, the water pressure acting on the plug when the same is being inserted in the socket is balanced. Thus, with reference, for example, to FIG- URE 6, the water pressure acting on the end of the plug adjacent the flared portion 61 within the socket 56 is balanced by the water pressure acting on the remaining portion of the plug exterior to the socket. As a consequence, the Work involved in inserting or removing the plug from the socket at increased pressures is not appreciably changed since these pressures are balanced or cancelled out.

Another important advantage of the structure as described is the fact that when the plug is completely inserted in the socket as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, increased water pressure acting on the socket body will tend to compress the socket and split ring or rings into tighter engagement, respectively, with the contact and remaining surface of the plug. Thus, at 'greater depth,

the integrity of the electrical connection is insured as well as the waterproofing of the connection.

, From the foregoing description, it will thus be evident that the present invention has provided a greatly improved underwater connector which fully satisfies the various considerations outlined heretofore and which additionally finds use in any other type of liquid or even gaseous environment.

While the cross-sectional area or diameter of the plug has been defined as corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional area or internal diameter of the socket, it is meant by these terms that the dimensions are such as to realize the desired interference type fit or snug fitness configuration sufficient to provide a complete fluidproofing. Thus, the socket could be purposely moulded to a slightly smaller internal diameter than the plug external diameter, thereby resulting in a force-fit, the internal diameter expanding somewhat as a consequence of the resilient material of the socket. These very slight differences in diameter or cross-sectional areas are deemed to 'be encompassed within the statement that the crosssectional areas or diameters substantially correspond.

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid-proof connector comprising, in combination: an elongated plug having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area through-out its length; a plug contact having at least a portion of itssurface exposed in an area intermediate the ends of said plug; a socket body having an elongated socket of uniform cnoss-secti-onal area throughout its length corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional area of said plug so that said plug is receivable in said socket with substantially its entire surface area in snug engagement with the interior wall of said socket; and a socket contact having at least a portion of its surface exposed in an area of said interior wall intermediate the ends of said socket, said socket hav ing communication to the exterior of said socket body at a portion other than the end of said socket into which said plug is inserted so that when said plug is inserted underwater, water is urged out of said socket when said plug is inserted .a sufficient distance to effect electrical engagement between said plug contact and said socket contact, exterior wall surfaces of said plug on either side of said plug contact being in snug circumferential engagement with interior wall portions of said socket on either side of said socket contact as a consequence of the intermediate positioning of said plug and socket contacts so that no voids result on either side of said contacts and said electrical connection is insulated from water.

2. A fluid-proof connector comprising, in combination: a plug body including an elongated plug of circular cross-section having a substantially uniform external diameter over its length; an electrical plug contact embedded in said plug and having at least a portion of its peripheral surface exposed in an area intermediate the ends of said plug; and a socket body having an elongated socket of cylindrical shape and of substantially uniform internal diameter throughout its length corresponding substantially to the external diameter of said plug; and an electrical socket contact having at least a portion of its surface exposed in said socket in an area intermediate the ends of said socket whereby said plug may be urged into said socket in snug engagement therewith while underwater to a position in which said plug contact electrically engages said socket contact, said socket having communication to the exterior of said socket body at an end opposite the end of said socket int-o which said plug is urge-d so that water in said socket is wiped out of said socket to the exterior of said socket body as said plug is inserted, exterior wall surfaces of said plug on either side of said plug contact being in snug circumferential engagement with interior Wall portions of said socket on either side of said socket contact as a conse quence of the intermediate positioning of said plug and socket contacts so that no voids result on eitherside of said contacts and said plug and socket contacts are insulated from water.

3. A fluid-proof connector according to claim 2, in which said plug contact includes a cylindrical peripheral surface substantially fiush with the surface of said plug.

4. A fluid-proof connector according to claim 2, in which said socket contact comprises a split ring having at least a portion of its internal surface exposed within 7 said socket, said split ring being capable of circumferential expansion and contraction.

5. A fluid-proof connector according to claim 2, in which said socket has opposite open ends at opposite sides of ,said socket body of diameter corresponding to said uniform diameter of said plug, the open end of said socket opposite the end into which said plug is inserted comprising said communication to the exterior of said socket body, whereby said plug may be inserted in either one of said open ends.

6. An underwater connector comprising, in combination: a plug body having an elongated plug of given cross-sectional dimensions throughout substantially its length; an electrical contact embedded in said plug and having at least a port-ion of its peripheral surface exposed in substantially flush relationship with the external surface of said plug at an area intermediate the ends of said plug, said plug body having an insulated wire extend ing therefrom, one end of said wire being electrically connected within said plug body to said contact; and a socket body including an elongated socket of given crosssectional dimensions throughout its length corresponding substantially to said given cross-sectional dimensions of said plug, said socket passing completely through said socket body to define open ends; and a split conducting ring disposed intermediate said open ends in said socket and of internal diameter such that the inner wall surface of said ring is at least partially exposed slightly beyond a flush relationship with the interior wall of said socket, said ring being capable of circumferential expansion and contraction, said socket body having an insulated wire extending therefrom, one end of said wire being electrically connected within said socket body to said split ring, whereby said plug may be inserted in one of said open ends of said socket while underwater and urged into said socket in continuous snug engagement therewith such that the external surface of said plug wipes against the internal wall of said socket, and water in said socket is urged out the open end of said socket opposite the open end into which said plug is inserted, said plug being urged into said socket until said contact is positioned within said ring to eifect electrical connection therewith.

7. An underwater connector according to claim 6, including at least one additional electrical contact embedded in said plug in longitudinally spaced relation to said first mentioned contact and having at least a portion of its peripheral surface exposed in substantially flush relationship with the external surface of said plug inter mediate the ends of said plug; an additional insulated wire electrically connected to said additional electrical contact within said plug; an additional split conducting ring disposed in said socket in longitudinally spaced relation to said first mentioned split conducting ring and having a surface portion exposed in a manner similar to said I first mentioned split conducting ring; and an additional insulated wire connected within said socket body to said additional split conducting ring whereby two pairs of wires may .be connected together when said plug is received in said socket.

8. An underwater connector comprising, in combination: a plug body formed of electrical insulating material and including an elongated cylindrical plug of given length and external diameter, said diameter being less than a remaining portion of said body to define an annular shoulder; an elongated, rigid conductor axially embedded in said elongated cylindrical plug, said rigid conductor 'including an enlarged diameter electrical contact in its central portion at least partially exposed at a middle surface portion of said plug in flush relationship therewith so that the only electrically exposed surface of said conductor is at the exposed peripheral surface of said contact, said rigid conductor reinforcing said elongated plug throughout a major portion of its length, said plug body having an insulated wire extending therefrom, said wire being electrically connected within said plug body to said rigid conductor; and a socket body of resilient electrical insulating material including an elongated cylindrical socket of given length and internal diameter corresponding substantially to said given length and external diameter of said plug passing completely therethrough to define open ends on opposite sides of said socket body; and a split conducting ring disposed intermediate said open ends in a middle position in said socket and of internal diameter such that the inner wall surface of said ring is at least partially exposed slightly beyond a flush relationship with the interior wall of said socket, said ring being resiliently capable of circumferential expansion and contraction, said socket body having an insulated wire extending therefrom and having one end electrically connected within said socket body to said split ring whereby said plug may be inserted in either one of said open ends of said socket while underwater and urged into said socket in continuous snug engagement therewith such that the external surface of said plug wipes against the internal wall of said socket and ring and the internal wall of said socket wipes against the external surface of said plug and contact, and water in said socket is urged out the open end of said socket opposite the open end into which said plug is inserted, said annular shoulder seating against the peripheral edge of the open end into which said plug is inserted when said contact is positioned within said ring to thereby effect electrical connection therewith, the external insulating surfaces of said plug being still in snug engagement with the internal insulating wall portions of said socket to exclude water from said contact and ring.

9. An underwater connector according to claim 8, including an additional insulated wire extending therefrom and having one end electrically connected in said socket body to said split ring whereby there are available two wires to which said wire extending from said plug body may be electrically connected through said ring and contact.

10. An underwater connector according to claim 8, in which the extreme end portion of said plug is flared slightly to increase the snug fit of said plug in said socket and the entrance opening of said socket includes a generally radially inwardly directed annular lip portion, said socket resiliently accommodating at least in part said flared portion to insure the wiping action of said plug along the internal wall of said socket as said plug is inserted in said socket, and said lip portion of said socket accommodating itself to the exterior surface of said plug to insure a wiping action along said plug.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,040 1/1930 ElZer 339-183 FOREIGN PATENTS 892,801 3/1962 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A FLUID-PROOF CONNECTOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: AN ELONGATED PLUG HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH; A PLUG CONTACT HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS SURFACE EXPOSED IN AN AREA INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID PLUG; A SOCKET BODY HAVING AN ELONGATED SOCKET OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH CORRESPONDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID PLUG SO THAT SAID PLUG IS RECEIVABLE IN SAID SOCKET WITH SUBSTANTIALLY ITS ENTIRE SURFACE AREA IN SNUG ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERIOR WALL OF SAID SOCKET; AND A SOCKET CONTACT HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS SURFACE EXPOSED IN AN AREA OF SAID INTERIOR WALL INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID SOCKET, SAID SOCKET HAVING COMMUNICATION TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID SOCKET BODY AT A PORTION OTHER THAN THE END OF SAID SOCKET INTO WHICH SAID PLUG IS INSERTED SO THAT WHEN SAID PLUG IS INSERTED UNDERWATER, WATER IS URGED OUT OF SAID SOCKET WHEN SAID PLUG IS INSERTED A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO EFFECT ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID PLUG CONTACT AND SAID SOCKET CONTACT, EXTERIOR WALL SURFACES OF SAID PLUG ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID PLUG CONTACT BEING IN SNUG CIRCUMFERENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH INTERIOR WALL PORTIONS OF SAID SOCKET ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID SOCKET CONTACT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE INTERMEDIATE POSITIONING OF SAID PLUG AND SOCKET CONTACTS SO THAT NO VOIDS RESULT ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID CONTACTS AND SAID ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IS INSULATED FROM WATER.