US1733470A - Electric socket - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29,1929. H. SHAPIRO 1,733,470

ELECTRIC SOCKET Original Filed Feb. 6, 1925 INVENTOR.

16 57f HYMAN .Smwma BY 84 w ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICET 11mm snarmo', or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR ro run 1a. rnorr co. mo,

01 NEW YORK, N. Y.', A CORPORATION on NEW YORK ELECTRIC SOCKET Original application flled February 6, 1925, Serial No. 7,207. Divided and. this application filed July 20,

1926. Serial No.,-123,603. I

This invention relates to detachable electric fittings, such as switch type, duplex, lamp-socket, plugfittings adapted to receive a pair of electric bulbs or a pair of connectors of other electric apparatus.

One object ofthe invention is toprovide an improved, selectively operated, push button switching means which is especially adapted to be incorporated in 1am socket,

1o plug fittings of the character descri ed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described including an improved push-button switching mechanism, and comprising few and simple parts which may be quickly andeasily assembled, cheap to manufacture yet, neat and attractive in appearance, and practical and efiicient in operation to a highdegree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and'in part hereinafter pointed out.

This application is a division of my pendingapplication Serial No. 7 ,207 filed Feb. 6, 1925, and certain features herein shown and described are shown, described,

and claimed in my said co-pending application and in myco-pending application Serial No. 123,602 filed simultaneously herewith, now Patent No. 1,646,499.

Theinvention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of partswhich will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of whichthescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In theaccompanying drawing, in'which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a completely assembled socket.

Fig. 2 is a transversesection taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 showing one section of the socket and the push button switching mecha- $5 nism mounted therein- 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional detailed view taken on line3-3inFig.2., Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view. of the exteriorly threaded shell cap which assists in holdin the sections of the socket in assembled relation. 7, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing a modified form of push button switching mechanism. Fig. 6 isan enlarged ,detailedsectional view taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 5., I Referring in detailto the'drawing, 10 denotes an electric lamp socket embodying the invention. Said'socket is seen to comprise two mating, molded, insulating sections 15 and '16, eachincluding an intermediate body portion 17 of substantial solidityand onopposite sides of'such intermediate portion, a pair of short arms hollowedout to provide internally threaded socket portions 18,"18

disposed approximately at right angles to each other. Forming a continuation of the bodyportion of each member is a plug poi tion 19 which may be cut away internally as indicated by the hollowportionQO. When the two sections 15, 161 are placed together in mating relationship, the two hollow neck portions cooperate to provide a plug of oval exterior shape upon which fits an exteriorly threaded shell 21 provided with'aninwardly 7 turned flange 22 having an oval opening. g thereinto prevent'rotation of the shell on theneck of thesocket. By virtue of this construction, 21; am able to eliminateqthe necessity for exteriorly threading the socket neck and simplyslip the shell in place and holdc'it against rotation on the neck bythe non-circular g flange: 22. Suitable supple mental'means maybe provided for anchoring the shell ,21-against;rotation relative to the neck of the socket member, such for instance, as by soldering the shell 21 toa conducting member .75, as. will hereinafter. appear.

As an additional precautionfagainst the, I i

accidental separation" or relative displacement of the two mating sections 15 and 16, I preferably employ annular metallic bands 50 encircling the extremities of the short arm portions thereof, said bands being frictionally fitted or otherwise firmly but preferably detachably secured in place. The two sections of the duplex sockets are thus secured together at their three outermost parts and are accurately maintained in proper mating relationship. I

It will be understood that the shell portion 21 is screwed into a suitable outlet plug in the wallorin the socket of an ordinary electric light fixture and the sockets 18 receive electric bulbs or connections for other electrical apparatus. I equip the sockets' 1'8 with contact members to engage the said shell andthe central terminal contact ofelectric lamp having the ordinary" Edison'- base. 7 I

In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the switch mechanism forthe'l'anips is seen to comprise independently operable push button switches, one connected in a lead to each lamp socket 18, the other leads com: prising conducting members 75 projecting through the body of the moldings,- Said members are soldered to the shell 21; at one end 75 and include fingers 7 6 at their other ends projecting into" the bases ot the lamp sockets 18 and constituting the central contacts thereof. The central current carrying member 77 is provided with a tongue 78 projecting through and beyond the neck of the molding and constituting the central plug Contact. Its intermediate portion: is secured in cooperating grooves 79 of the two molded members 15, 16 and its resilient end 80 is accommodated in recess 81 formed by 00- operating recesses in the molded sections of the body, and extends one side of said recess longitudinally of the wall of one of the sockets 18. A second conducting member 82 has one end securedin the same grooves 7 9 which retain member 7'? and terminates in a free ant 8'3; disposed in the recess 81 and longitudinally of the wall of the other socket 18. The push button switches are in the ma ture of rods 84; extending through the recess 81 and including ends which project through and are exposed 'exteriorly of the body portion of the socket. ihe intermediate portions or the rods 84 are provided with shoulders 85 adjacent cam surfaces 86' which are adapted to engage with spring fingers 80, 83, and lift them onto the shoulders 85 as the rods 84 are axially shifted. In the drawing,'I

have shown the left hand rod 84 in the oil' position and the right hand rod 84 in the on position, in which the corresponding pring finger 80 has been pressed against the shell contact of the enclosed lamp, or plug, (not shown), to complete circuit thereof. It will be acted that member 16 is equipped with pockets 87 therein for accommodating the shoulders 85 when the rods 84 are pushed to release the spring fingers 80 and 83 which will snap to the position shown at the left in Fig. 3 to open circuit.

As seen from Fig. 2, the projecting spring end 78 of the central plug contact is not likely to be strained, or to break at the hinge line when pressed into the outlet socket since the length of spring metal integral therewith and longitudinal of the plug is iree'to flex within the hollow structure of the plug thereby permitting such accommodation without strain, and aiiording efi'ecti-vespring contact engagement in the outlet socket.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the push button switch push rod 90 in which the rod is of insulating material and of circul'ar cross section and provided at its central portion with a diametrically extending slot 91 in which a swivelled cam 92 is secured upon arivet 98. These rods 90'1'nay be conseniently substituted for the rods 84, the cams of course, takingthe place of the shoulders 85 and being adapted to project tongues 80, 83, into contact making position, by a toggle lever action with their supporting rods. Preferably a pin 84: in the path of the cam renders this toggle action positive so that as the push bar is moved to switchclosing position, carrying with it the pivot of the cam,-the cam is turned by the pin 84 and moved to its full throw position urging the spring terminal arm into contact closing position. Upon release, a rapid snap action is had since pressure on the rod to move the cam 0H its dead center position results in the spring contact member quickly returning the parts to their normal open circuit position. 7

While I have shown duplex socket members embodying in detail the construc ion of a push button type of switch, it is understood th-a tvarious methods of securing the complementary socket sections together may be employ'ejd but the method shown in the drawing and described above isse'ento greatly expedite assembling the device in that itobviates the necessity of enteriorly threading the plugs otthe sockets or accurately fitting the shells on the plug portion. The current carrying members or conducting arms are accommo dated in complementary grooves formed in the complementary sections of the duplex-socket, that is to s'ay,the1contact arms 7 5 and 7 7 and conducting strip 82 are simply laid in place in their respective grooves when the-two sections of the socket are assembled and require theuse of no securing device, such as screws,

rivets, or the like. p r I It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. I a

As various possible embodiments might .be

made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as 5 illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: i

1. A duplex socket member including a pair of complementary sections of molded insulating material cooperating to provide a pair of unlined sockets terminal devices in the bottoms of the sockets, spring arms mounted for movement through the sides of the sockets and a pair of independent push buttons positioned between said sockets adapted to be longitudinally operated to move the arms into contacting position within the sockets, said push buttons comprising rods having their opposite ends mounted in and projecting beyond mating openings in the two members of the duplex socket and including enlargements at their intermediate portions engageable with the arms to move them into contact position, said enlargements serving as stops for limiting the movement of the rods in both directions, said duplex socket members, each having a recess therein, normally housing the spring terminal arms and provid- 3o ing clearance for the movement of the enlarged portions of the rods.

2. In a push button switch, the combination with a spring finger normally held in one extreme position by its inherent resiliency,

of an axially movable push rod, a cam swivelled within the rod and engageable with the finger whereby a toggle lever action is exerted between the push rod and cam as the rod is moved in one direction to flex the finger.

4o 3. In a push button switch, an axially movable push rod, a cam pivot-ally mounted therein, a spring contact finger exerting pressure on the cam and tending to maintain the rod in one extreme position, and means whereby c movement of the rod toward the other position eiiects movement of the spring finger through the intermediacy of the cam, and locks said finger in its shifted position when the cam passes its dead center.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

HYMAN SHAPIRO.

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