US994980A - Electrical receptacle. - Google Patents

Description

J. S. GROSSLEY.

ELECTRICAL BEGEPTAGLB.

uruoulon rILnD mv. 1a, 190s. l

Patented June 13. 1911.'

All@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. CROSSLEY, OF SOLVAY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PASS AND SEYMOUR, INC.,

0F SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 13, 1911.

I Application filed November 18, 1909. Serial No. 528,797.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES S. CRossLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Solvay, countyof Onondaga, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Electrical Receptacles, of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for incandescent lamps, plugs and other similar electrical devices, and its object is to provide an appliance of the above type which is so constructed that the terminals may be operated, to connect and disconnect them with line wires, from the front of the device and without removing the same from the outlet box or other wire covering.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a section through an outlet box showin a receptacle embodying one form of the invention in position; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l but showing the invention embodied in another form of base.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates an g outlet box of ordinary construction, 11 conduits communicating with the outlet box and 12 the line wires in the conduit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, R indicates the receptac e which comprises a base 13 of insulating material such as porcelain and a top or cap 14 of like material` To the base is suitably connected the usual metal socket 15 which is adapted to receive a lamp or plug and the top or cap 14 is attached to the base, as shown, by screwing it onto the outer surface of the socket. One of the hooked terminals 16 is suitably connected with the socket 15, as shown in Fig. 2, and the other terminal 16 is connected with the usual central contact 17. The terminals are provided with bindin screws 18 for securing the line wires an connecting them suitably with the terminals. As shown the receptacle is supported centrally in the outlet box by means of a plate 19 which is secured to the box and the inner margin of which is clamped between the base 13 and the top 14 of the receptacle." The plate 19 forms an ornamental covering for the outlet box and may be of any suitable design.

As heretofore constructed, it has been necessary to remove receptacles from the outlet boxes or other foundations to which they are secured in order to connect or disconnect the line wires and this necessarily required considerable slack in the wires, as the wires had to be drawn out of the box with the receptacle. This excess of wire which had to be coiled or doubled loosely in the box was objectionable as adding to the risk of short circuits, and furthermore there was danger of the wiremen not leaving sufficient wire to permit of removing the receptacle, in which case the wires had to be broken or unduly strained.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle which may be connected and disconnected to the line wires in an outlet box or the like without drawing the wires out of the box and which permits of the adjustment of the binding screws and the connection or disconnection of the wires without disconnecting or disturbing the receptacle itself with relation to the box or base on which it is mounted.

The foregoing object is accomplished, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, by providing openings 20 in the bases 13 and corresponding or registering openings in the threaded sockets 15 through which a screw driver may be passed to manipulate the binding screws, as indicated in Fig. 3, in which a screw driver blade is shown in dotted lines.

These openings also permit of the passage of a hook, pliers or other instrument, with which to place the wires under the binding screws or dislodge them from such position. It will be' evident from an inspection of the drawing that the line wires may be readily connected or disconnected with the terminals without disturbing any part of the receptacle. The receptacle 1s also arranged for easy connection to passing or through line wires as distingulshed from ended wires. It will also be evident that the invention may be embodied in many different forms or designs of receptacles. I have illustrated one modification, which will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 4.-, R indicates a receptacle having a broad insulating base 21 adapted to be directly connected to the outlet box 10 by means of screws 22. The terminals 16 are connected respectively to the socket 15 and the central contact V17 in any suitable manner and they are provided with the usual binding screws 18. In this form of the invention I provide openings 23 through the base 21 which are situated directly over the binding screws and exterior to the socket 15 and through these openings the binding screws and the wires are readily accessible. If desired the socket 15 may be cut away to also provide for access to the screws from its interior, but in Fig. 2 I have shown a layer of insulatin material 24 surrounding the socket and ave especially provided for access to the screws through the outer openings 23, as indicated by the screw driver blade, shown in dotted lines. The receptacle shown in Fig. 4 is provided with an ornamental cap plate 25 which is suitably connected to the base and which must be removed when it is desired to manipulate the terminals. It will be understood that this cap or cover is removably held in place by screws or some other suitable way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base adapted for insertion in an outlet box or suitable support, of terminals located rearwardly on said base and rovided with means operable from the ront of the receptacle for clamping line wires to said terminals, said base being provided with recesses in alinement with said clamping means, whereby said clamping means may be operated from the front of said' receptacle to clamp and release the wires from said terminals leaving the base undisturbed.

2. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of terminals thereon, means operable from the front of the receptacle for clamping wires to said terminals, said base being provided with recesses in alinement with said clamping means and extending through the walls of said base land open to the front face of the receptacle,

whereby said clamping means may be operated; from the front of the receptacle to clam and release the wires from said termina s.

3. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contact pieces in said base, including a. metal socket, terminals con nected to said pieces and located rearwardly of the socket, means operable from the front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wires to said terminals, and means whereby said clamping means may be operated by a tool inserted through the socket to clamp and release the wires from said terminals.

4. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contact pieces in said base, including a metal socket, terminals connected to said pieces and located at the rear of the receptacle, and means operable from the 'front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wires to said terminals, said base being rovided with recessed portions whereby said clamping means may be operated by a tool inserted through the socket to clamp and release the wires from said terminals.

5. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contact pieces in said base including a metal socket, hooked terminals connected to said pieces and located in rear of the front of the base, means operable from the front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wires to said terminals, and means whereby said clamping means may be operated by a tool inserted through the socket to clamp and release the wires from said terminals, said terminals being located within the line of the o-utside contour of the base.

6. The combination with an outlet bgg;A or suitable support, of a gegcgpaclg andmd means for securing the same to sal Wbox or support, the said receptacle being provided with terminals adapted for connection to line wires and being provided with openings whereby the said terminals may be manipulated from the front of the receptacle and without disconnecting the same from the outletbox or support.

7. The c mbination with an outlet box or other suitable support, of a receptacle adapted thereto, and means for securing the receptacle upon the front of the box'or support, said receptacle comprising a socket, a base and terminals on the base in rear of the socket, and said base being provided with openings registering with the terminals whereby the terminals may be manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the line wires wit-hout disturbing the relation of the receptacle to the outlet box or other support.

8. The combination with an outlet box or other suitable support, of a receptacle adapted thereto, and means for securing the receptacle upon the front of the box or support, said receptacle comprising a socket, a base and terminals on the base in rear of the socket, and said base and socket being provided with openings registering with thev terminals whereby the terminals may be manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the line wires without disturbing the relation of the receptacle to the outlet box or other support.

9. The combination with anwoutletwbgx, 0f arecertaslaadapted to attached t0 Said '50X aridtasese.theirestthere@ an insulating base in said receptacle, terminals mounted on said base and adapted for connection to line wires within the box, and openings in the receptacle whereby the terminals may be manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the line wires by an instrument passed into the receptacle from the front thereof and Without disturbing the relation of the receptacle to the outlet box. 10. In a reroetale the combination With an insulating base, of7 contact pieces thereon= Atermina,ls connected to said pieces and 1ocated in rear of the front of the base, and means operable from the front of the receptacle for clamping conducting Wires to said terminals, said base being provided With openings in alinement with said clamping JAMES S. CROSSLEY.

Witnesses:

B. E. SALISBURY, W. B. HUDSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. C.

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