US2246209A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1941. V. F. JOHNSON ELECTRICALCONNEGTOR Filed Nov. 5, 1958 (Ittorneg Patented June 17, 1941 UNETED STATES PAT ENT DFFHCE ELECTRICAL, CONNECTOR Virgil'F. Johnson, Davenport, Iowa application November 5, 1938, serial No. 228,944

g 4 Claims. "(Cl. 173-343) V The present invention relates to electrical connectors of the locking type, particularly for the household appliance and the industrial classes of service. While there are many known varieties of locking connectors, they are ingeneral all subject to the disadvantage that, while the two parts may be used together, the two individual parts are not separately useful with an analogous complemental part of standard construction. Thus, for instance, if-atoaster were provided with a pronged connector and a" threaded female plug of special construction to interlock, the housewife wouid not be able to plug in the pronged connector in a standard construction outlet. Also, if an outlet were provided with special locking construction it would not be adaptable to use for plugging in standard pronged connectors. 1

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector of the locking type, either portion of which is adaptable for use with an analogous complemental part of standard construction. Further objects of this invention are to provide'individual electrical connector parts adapted to functionproperly with standard parts or to lock with the other of said parts.

. For-a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing which shows'illustrative embodiments of this invention and in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of my improved electrical connector parts assembled in locked position with a portion of the base of the apertured part broken away to show the cooperating contact members. In this figure, the'invention is shown applied to an apertured connector part of the threaded variety.

Fig. 2 is a section of a slight modification of the apertured connector shown in Fig. 1 substantially on the line 22 in Fig. 3.

- Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the connector part shown in Fig. 2. 3

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the pronged connector part shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the connector part shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section substantially on the line '|-'l in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of an apertured connector part in accordance with this invention with a standard rigid pronged connector inserted therein with a portion of the base of the apertured part broken away to show the manner of cooperation of the parts.

' --.Fig. 10 is an elevation of a double outlet connector in accordance with this inventionfor use in an outlet box.

vFig. 1 1 is a section substantially on the line lI.--ll in Fig. 10.

\ Fig. 12 is an elevation showing a preferred form of hook contact member.

- In accordance with this invention, a pronged connector part 2 is provided with a pair of prongs. The base portion 4 of connector 2 is formed of a relatively easily flexible material, such as a flexible rubber or the like. An opening 5 passes longitudinally through the base portion 4 in accordance with common custom. A recess 6 is. formed in the pronged end of the base portion 4, in which recess the prongs 3 are secured. Each prong is provided with a wire terminal arm I and with an arm 8 extending intothe base portion away from the pronged end and in general radial alignment with the prong connected therewith..'A pair of diametrically opposed notches 9 may be formed in the base portion 4, radially located at an angle with respect to the prongs whereby movement of the prongs together by deformation of the base is facilitated. In order more readily to determine the proper direction of fiexure of the base for movement of the prongs, the base may be provided with bosses ID in general radial alignment with the prongs.

' Pressing against the base portion .near the pronged end thereof and in general radial alignment with the prongs causes the outer ends of the prongs to move together. While some of this movement may be due to the prongs moving bodily together, a major portion is due to the prongs pivoting about the embedded arms 8.

The apertured connector part Iicomprises a. base I2 formed of a relatively rigid insulatin material which has thereabout, adjacent one end, a threaded ferrule M. A pair of apertures I5 are formed in the opposite end and open into a pair of contact chambers in the base. A partition wall I6 extends from end to end of the base l2 and serves to define one wall of each of the chambers. A'plate l1, circular in form, is secured to the threaded end of the member and closes thatend of the contact chambers, the

platen being formed of insulating material and being secured to the base by headed members I8 which extend through a conducting plate I!) provided with a contact boss 20.

A pair of contact members 2|, 22 extend from contact chamber I3 through the plate I! and into contact with the conducting plate IS, the contact 2| extending from the aperture in plate [1 to the outer wall of the chamber, thence along the wall of the chamber to a position adjacent aperture l5, then being reourved upon itself and extending therefrom toward the threaded end of the connecting member. The reourved contact arm 23 is spaced from'the remainder of member 2| so that under pressure it may move outwardly against the spring-pressure of the member. The contact member 22 extends along the-partition wall I6 to a point adjacent the aperture l and is there reourved, extending therefrom toward the threaded end, the reourved end of this contact being normally in engagement with arm 23 and spaced from the body of member 22. An abutment is provided in the chamber to'limit the inward movement of the end portion 23 of contact 2|. This abutment may be inany suitable form, such as the shoulder 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in which the portion of the chamber occupied by contact 2| is wider than the remainder of the chamber, or it may be in the.

form of a pin 25, as shown in Fig. 1,: which engages portion 23 and prevents undue inward movement thereof. The contact arm. 23 is formed with a hook 26 near its inner end with the outer face of the hook inclined so that the end of one of the prongs'3 will ride up'the hook and with the inner face of the hook abrupt so that, when the opening 21 in prong 3 engages over the hook, the prong will not normally pull off of the hook. A book of this character may be formed by making a pair of cuts in the contact arm 23 converging away from. the end of the arm. The tongue between the cuts is bent to form an outer inclined face 33 connected along its outer edge to the contact arm and an abrupt stop 34 in a position substantially perpendicular to the arm 23. This stop is bent and swaged into position where it holds tightly, due to the tongue being wider at the portion of the stop in contact with the sides ofthe notch than the original width of the notch. It is obvious that the ends of arm 23, beside the notch in which the hook is formed, may be connected with the same advantages of preventing the hook from being pulled out of shape, due to the end being swaged into place. While a hook formed as described is preferable, as it is very strong,'it being almost impossible to deform the hook by pulling on the pronged member, my invention also includes connectors in which the hook is formed otherwise.

The spring 22 is normally in contact with the hook 26. The contacts may be made of spring material with either one stronger than the other, but in case contact 22 is the stronger, the normal position thereof should be as shown in Fig. 2 so that it will allow contact 2| to rest on the abutment. In any event, the contact 22 and the corresponding contact 22', hereinafter described, should be sufiiciently readily flexible to allow manual flexure of the pronged connector 2 enough to remove the prongs from the hooks.

In the remaining contact chamber, a pair of contacts 2|, 22' are provided which are identical in all respects with the contacts 2|, 22 except that their ends, at the threaded endof the concontact 2| resting on shoulders at the end of the body portion l2.

When the pronged member 2 is inserted in the apertured member II, the prongs pass into the apertures [5. Depending upon the relative strengths of the four contact members and. of the base 4, the prongs move together or the hooks move apart or else both move suificiently to allow the openings 21 to engage over hooks 2B. To separate the connector elements, pressure is exerted on the bosses I0, forcing the ends of the prongs together against the action of contacts 22, 22', which, together with partition IB, center the prongs between the hooks so that neither prong remains in engagement.

If a standard rigid type of pronged connector 28 is inserted in the member I due to the relative rigidity of the prongs, the contact arms 23, 23' aresprung outwardly, as shown in Fig. 9. The contacts 2 I, 2| may be so proportioned that none of the standard pronged connecting members, some of which have openings therein, will have their openings in position to register with thehooks 26.

If the pronged connector is inserted in standard type of apertured member similar to member 1 I, it functions the same as the standard pronged member.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the present invention is-applicable to outlets for use in standard outlet boxes. Thus, a pair of apertured connectors may be mounted on a bar 29 which has openings 33 at its ends for attachment in a box. Each apertured connector is provided with contact chambers and with contacts, as above described, in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. Each pair of contacts, at its right end, as seen in Fig. 11, contacts a conducting bar 3|, both of which are covered with an insulating member 32. The power lead wires may be attached to terminals (not shown) on the bars and thereby conduct current through the bars to the;contacts in both of the connectors.

As with the apertured connectors shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the'apertured connector of Figs.

10 and 11 may be employed either with a pronged connector 2, as shown in Fig. 7, or with a standard rigid connector 28, such as shown in Fig. ,9.

It should be understood that while I have disclosed specific embodiments of my invention, considerable modification may be made therein within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, this invention is limited not by the above description but only by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An electrical connecting member comprising a substantially rigid base having a pair of apertures therein and a pair of contact chambers communicating therewith, contacts in said chambers, the contact in at least one of said chambers comprising an arm having a hook inclined in the.

arms to govern the normal distance of saidarms from said other chamber.

2. An electrical connecting member comprising a substantially rigid base having a pair of apertures therein and a pair of contact chambers communicating therewith, contacts in said chambers, the contact in at least one of said chambers being a locking contact and comprising an arm having a hook directed toward the other of said contacts, said arm being pressed in the direction of said other contact, said locking contact also comprising a second arm spring-pressed away from said other contact, the first mentioned arm being movable away from and the second arm being movable toward said other contact whereby, when a rigid pronged connector is inserted in said chambers, said first arm moves away from said other contact and whereby, when a flexible pronged contact is inserted therein, said second arm moves toward said other contact and a stop positioned normally to limit movement of said first arm toward said other contact.

3. An electrical connecting member comprising a substantially rigid base having a pair of apertures therein and a pair of contact chambers communicating therewith, contacts in said chambers, the contact in at least one of said chambers comprising an arm having a hook formed therein, said hook being formed of a tongue integral with said contact and with the edges of said tongue converging toward the apertures, said contact having an opening therein of the same shape as moved, the hook being inclined from the point of attachment to said contact inwardly of said base and from said arm, thence abruptly outwardly of said base and into the opening from which said tongue was removed, whereby the end of the tongue is frictionally held by the remainder of the contact.

- 4. An electrical connector of the apertured type comprising a base member having therein a pair of apertures and a pair of contact chambers individually communicating with said apertures, a hooked contact in each chamber, the hook on each contact extending toward the other of said contacts, said hooks being spring-pressed together, abutments in said chambers limiting the movement of said contacts together, said chambers providing room for flexibly connected contact members when inserted in said apertures to be moved together by said hooks, said contacts being movable apart from positions against said abutments -to allow the insertion of rigid connected contact members insulated from each other, and means enabling the position of a pair of flexibly connected contact members out of engagement with either of said hooks when pressed together.

VIRGIL F. JOHNSON.

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