US1111406A - Plug-receptacle and plug therefor. - Google Patents

Description

H. R. SARGET.

PLUG- RBGBPTACLB AND ELUG THRREFQH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1014,

p gm l i.406. Eatented Sept. 22, 1914.

9 Witnesses 2 inventor g/@Kay Howard R1 Sfargent, 7 f i Q17 'W His Jttorneg.

narran earner onirica.

newness a. sensatie, or scirannciaennew Yoan, Assreivon 'ro GENERAL pancreas contrarier, consonantes or :New Yoan.

rLne-niiciieracnn een entre rasanten.

pplication ined etruery To all it may concern A.

:Be y1t lmown'that l, Hoi/vano R. tjassnnr, acitize'n .of the' United States, residing at Sbhenectady, in. thev county of Schenectady,

State of New York, have invented certain nlevvand useful improvements in Plug-hie- .ieptacles and Plugs Theretor, 'ci -which the following is ya specification. i

=My :invention relates'to plug receptacles and'plugs forinaking Iconnections to electric circuits', and especially to receptacles able-for installation in Walls, floors, andether situations Where temporary electrical connections arerom time to time desired.

itfismyraimthat everything necessary to the making of the connection .shall be eftested by merely insertingsthe plug device inith'erecepta'cle, and that when the plug is Withdrawn the interior of the receptacle and the electricalcontact means therein shall be protectedl 'by automatic closure of the plug opening or openings, so that'the receptacle will be atonce thoroughly safe and in 'the highest degree 'convenient and sightly.

'iln important advantage of my invention is that it can easily be "applied to various commercial types of receptacles that donot possess these rea-tures, and that in the case of such receptacles already installed and in use this can be done as easily in the case ci receptacles not installe@ivithoutrenioval of` the receptacle proper from its' setting, disturbance of its electrical parts or con nections, or disligur'ement otite surroundings. Other advantages obtainable in connection with the' invention include sinipliclity, ruggedness, and durability o'construction; ease and cheapiiess of manufac- 'tureyfacility of installation; reedcm fromderangement; and good appearance under all conditions of use. y

" Inv accordance with my invention, l provide the receptacle With a front or face plate fap'ertured for the insertion of the plug device, and l also provide closure means or doors for said front thatvautoniatically tend to-close 'and remain closed but open inward to admit -the plug device when the saine is pressed against them, securing or mounting vthe doors so that they approach one another as they open, .as by pivoting them at their y. adjacent sides Application ci@ the invention -to rece'atacies of previene l cen'iniercial Specication of Letters datent.

p Patented sept. 22, i914. 2, isis. serialno. 315,919.

types is facilitated by securing the doors to the front of the receptacle, and this is also advantageous as tending to insure that they shall close properly and not get out of adyustinent, s for the plug device, I provide it with plug members separated so that they may pass at either side of the opening doors,

which thus lie between them When the plug is in plage in the receptacle. These plug members comprise contact means for engagenient with the contact means of the receptacle and insulating means for preventing shortncircuit during or after insertion'of the 'plug device. i

l have herein illustrated and describeda receptacle having 'an easily removable front or face plate provided with two separate openings for the plug members and vvith doors 'pivoted at adjacent sides behind the portion thereof between said openings, and

l' have shown a plug device Whose plug.

members proper comprise plug parts of insulating material and contacts secured at the remote sides of such parts. l/Vhile, however, my invention extends to these and other speciiic features and details and combina'- tions and arrangements of parts embodied in these particular structures-Which are the best for the purposes of the invention at present known to ina-yet the invention is not confined thereto, but can be otherwise carried out and applied.

ln the accompanying drawing, Figure l l is a side View of a receptacle constructed in accordance with my invention With a plug device in place in it. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional vievv of the receptacle. Fig. 3 is a plan or interior view of the receptacle with its front removed. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear view of a portion of the front of the receptacle." Fig.` 5 is a sectional side view of the plug device .in position for insertion in the receptacle of Fig. 2. Fig. G is a view of the plug device at an angle of ninetv degrees `from its position as shown. in Fig. 5.

Referring'rst to. Figs. 1, 2, and 3,' it will be seen that the receptacle structure shown comprises an oblong box-like b'ody or recepjw.

body l by means or" 'screws Bthat engage li'olesf in brackets y on 'fet r 5 "attached Sito ductors.

seid body and provided with other holes 6 for the screws that will ordinarily be used to secure the receptacle in place. The contacts '7 of the receptacle are arrangedin the body 1 at opposite ends'thereo, and they are carried by terminal pieces 8 secured in lateral recesses at diagonally opposite corners of the body and provided withv screws 2 for. the attachment of current supply con- The .contacts are referably made resilient so as to hold the plug device iirrnly in place and make good eectrical connection with its contac'ts,-since resilient contacts onV the plug device would be continually liable to accidental distortion or lgxi'ealrage. As shown, each of the contacts '7 consists or" an originally L shaped piece of cold rolled sheet copper or other suitable f material with the bottom portion of the L secured to the terminal so as to entend part `across the end Wall of the body 1 and tbe other portion' bent over so as to extend at a slight angle with the end Wall almost to the bottoni Wall.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4.-, it will be seen that the doors 1U i'or the rectangular plug openings 11 in the front plate 2 are proportioned andarranged to fit said openings closely (though not tightly) with their iront suri'aces iush 'with the surface oi said front 2, so that when closed they will be as inconspicuous and as nearly invisible aspossible These doorshave at their adjacent sides oredges pivot-receiving means 1n the form of lugs 12 that extend behind the "bridge9 portion 13 of the front plate between the openings 11, and a common pivot entends slong the middle oi the bridge 13 through the lugs 12 or" both doors. The doors 10 and the bridge 13 for most of its length are of equal thickness and thinner than the front plate 2 as a Whole, and the lugs 12 are arranged to lie against one another and between the shoulders at the ends of the thin part of thebridge 13 so that the doors will svving Without lateral ploy. The tendency of the doors 10 to close end remain closed is due to a helical spring 15 coiled around the pivot 1d between adjacent lugs 12 with its ends against the doors, this spring being under such tension that it continually urges the doors apart and outward into closed position with ample tiiougbyieiding force. The vdoors 10 are prevented from opening outward under'the action or the-spring 16 by engagement of their adjacent edges `With the-corresponding edgeso the bridge 13,-. by engagement of the. lugs 12 with the rear surface of said bridge, and by means of stop lugs 17- near the free edges of the doors t at engage the rear surface of the front plate 2. As shown,

the lugs 12 andl 17 of each door 10 are bent? up from a metal piece 18 riveted to the back of the door, and theends of the pivot 14 vof the receptacle.

are clamped in slots in rearwardly extend ing studs 19 secured in the plate 2 about Hush with the shoulders 15.

Corning, now, to the plug device 2O shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6, it Will be seen that each of its plug members 21 comprises a ontact 22 for engagement with one of the receptacle contacts 7 and insulating means between the two contacts 22. The insulating means shown consist of approximately rectangular lug parts 23 of molded insulatin compound) or other suitable material unite byan integral body piece 24:, and the4 contacts 22 consist of metal strips a little nerroWer than the plug parts 28 secured at the remote sides of theletter by any suitable means, these strips being bent so that portions 25 of them extend around on the ends of the parts 23. As shown, the-contact strips 22 have beveled edges that are slightly embedded inthe material of the plug parte 23 lWhenthe latter are molded, und they areA alsof-held in place by bolt-iike members 26 forming part of the eiectri-oel connes#l tions to them. These members 25 extend through terminals 27 seated in depressions et the outer side of the body 24 and through noles molded in said parte 2B-and threaded into thenend portions 25 of seid contacts 22. At their 'inner adjacent edges 28 the plug parts 23 project beyond the end portions 25 of the contacts 22 so as to engage the doors 10 as the plug device 2) is inserted in the receptacle and Withdrawn, and they are slightly rounded at all their edges to facilitate their movement in con tact with the various parts of the recep# tacle. A metal cap or cover 30 having c lining 31 of fiber or other insulating mate rial and en insulatino nipple or bushing 32 for the psssageof the current conductors is secured over the body `piece 2liby screws 33 that enter recesses (not shown) in the sides of said body.

When the plug device 2O is inserted in the receptacle the doors -10 approach one another and recede from thereceptacle contacts I, being finally accommodated between the plug members 2.1 Where they are invisible and rather tend to reinforce the contacts 7 in holding the plug device firmly but yield ingly in place than to force said device out With the various parts arranged and. proportioned as shown, it-Will be found impossible to insert the plug device 2Q insuch s Wayas' to cause a short circuit through contact-'of the stri s 22 with any of the other metal parts a er they engage either or' both of' the receptacle contacts l7.

By proper. location of the holes for the screws 3 or the like and proper arrangement .and proportioninv' of the'doors 10, a cover plate 2 such as f have illustrated and described can be designed for almost any of the old styles of receptacles now in use, and a is i equlp ed receptacle can be des1gned l with i vegyhittle more trouble.

at I claim as new and desire to secure 1. The combination of a plug device hav- -ing suitably separated plug members pro er comprising electrical Contact means, a p ug receptacle having therein electrical contact means for engagement with the 4Contact means of said plug device and also havin a front aperturd-for the insertion of the p ug device, and automatically closing doors for said front which open inward to admit said plug members so'mounted as to approach one another in opening and lie between the plug members when open.

. 2. AThe combination with a plug receptacle having electrical contacts therein and a front apertured for the insertion of a plug device between said receptacle contacts, of automatically closing doorsfor said front which open inward to admit the plu members proper of said plug device, said oors being pivoted at their adjacent sides so as tol ap` 'proach one another and recede from the receptacle contacts as they open.

3. A front for a plug receptacle apertured for the insertion of a plug device and having automatically closing doors which open inward to admit the plug members proper of said device, said doors e secured on said front as. to Yapproach one another in opening and to lie between the plug members when open.

4.-. A front for a plug receptacle apertured' for the insertion of a plug device and having automatically closing doors which open inward to admit the plug. members proper of said device, said doors being pivoted at their adjacent sides and thus approaching one another as they open.

5. A front for a plug receptacle apertured ing so mounted and for the insertion of a plugl device and having automatically closing inwardly opening doors for the admission-of the plug members 'proper of said device; said -doors being pivoted at their adjacent sides on a common pivot.

6. The combinationl with a front for a plug receptacle apertured for the insertion of a plug device, of two doors for the admission of the plug members proper of said device having pivot-receiving means at their adjacent sides. and also having means for preventing them from opening outward, a common pivot extendin through the pivot-receivi means of bot doors and secured to sai front, and a spring ciled around said ivot with its ends against said doors wherebyv they are yieldingly urged outward into closed position.

7. Affront for a plug rece tacle having openings for the insertion of tiie plu members proper of a plug device and also aving automatically closing inwardly opening doors for said openings pivoted at their adjacent sides behlnd the portion of the front between said openings.

8. A plug device for making connection with electrical contacts in a receptacle comprising separate plug parts of insulating material and a body uniting them, contacts for engagement with the receptacle contacts exposed on the remote sides and the ends of said plug parts, and members forming part of the electrical connections to said plug contacts extending through said plug parts to the other side of said body and serving to secure the plug contacts in place.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of January 1914.

HOXARD R. SARGENT. Witnesses: l

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

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