US2225461A - Electric light socket - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1940. R REYNOLDS 2,225,461

ELECTRI C LIGHT SOCKET Filed Nov. 22, 1958 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET neben L. Reynolds, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 22, 193s, serial No. 241,778

Claims.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of a novel construction and arrangement of companion male and female units of electrical connectors, such as a socket 5 and a lamp, a socket and a plug, a fuse block and a fuse, or any two related and detachable devices for establishing an electrical connection, wherein such construction and arrangement renders both units shock-proof and makes possible a 1o quick and easy coupling and uncoupling of said units without the use of `screw threaded parts, bayonet joints or other coupling means requiring rotation of either unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connector such as described wherein the contact members of the companion units are in the form of tubes of circular cross section arranged to bev telescopically engaged and frictionally maintained in proper contact with one another without necessitating the turning of one unit relative to the other to bring the contacts into a predetermined position other than axial alignment before plugging one in the other.

A further object is to provide a connection wherein the tubular contact members may be effectively secured in place without screws or the like and will provide a strong and rugged construction With the contact members of the line connected unit, such as a socket, lcountersunk in the body of insulation material whereby to prevent short circuiting, shocks and distortion or other damage to contact members themselves.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried into eiect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of socket and lamp constructed in accordance with this invention and as when coupled;

Fig. 2 represents an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view taken on line 15 3 3 of Fig. 2

y Fig. 4 represents a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base of the lamp constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of inner or center M contact member of the socket;

Fig. 8 is alsectional View of a fuse embodying the construction of this invention;l

Fig. 9 is a sectional View of a fuse block on socket embodying the construction of this invention. 5

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the invention hereof whether embodiedin a socket and-lamp as shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive or in a fuse unit as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, or in any other electrical connector, generally in- 10 cludes related and detachable connector units A and B having tubular and concentric contact members IA1 and A2 and B1 and B2 arranged to be telescopically engaged by merely plug-ging one unit in the other after bringing the contact members into position of axial alignment. Such units are frictionally held in contacting relation and it is seen that they may be quickly and easily connected without the use of screw threaded, bayonet or other rotative joints,- and that it is 20 only necessary to bring the contact members into axial alignment in order to plug one unit in the other. In all cases, the line connected or hot unit has its contacts countersunk in an insulation'body portion to prevent shocks, short cir- 25 cuiting and damage to the contacts themselves.

Referring more specically to the socket and electric lamp units shown in Figs. 1 to '7 inelusive; it is seen `that the socket includes the usual cylindrical two-part metal outer shell I il() which houses a body 2 of insulation material and a frictionally retained metal shell 3 having a slotted lower e'nd forming a plurality of gripping tongues or jaws 4. The shell 3 is reduced between its ends to form an annular shoulder 5 35 for supporting the body 2 and the upper end of said inner shell is crimped over the upper end of the body 2 asat 6 after the body is inserted in place.

The tubular contact member A1 is mounted in 40 an annular recess 1 centrally of the body 2 and is provided with slots 8 defining a plurality of spring contact fingers 9 which are outwardly flared and terminate in inwardly spaced relation to the outer extremities ofthe recessl `*but inposition tobe contacted when the contact B1 of the companion unit is inserted in said recess; Tongues I0 are provided on the inner end of the tubular contact A1 and are inserted through openings I I registering with the inner end of the recess 1, then bent to lie in recesses I2 at the upperends of the openings II and cemented over as at'l3, whereby to secure the contactAl to the body 2. f v

For the 'purpose of connecting the contact A1 I5@ with a line conductor I4, a tubular binding post I is formed integral with the upper end of the contact A1 and extended upwardly from the top of the body 2 through an opening I6 therein. To avoid stripping the insulation from the conductor I4, the end of the conductor is inserted in the upper end of the post I5 and a contact staple l1 is inserted laterally through aligned holes I8 in said post, in such manner as to engage the Wire as shown in Fig. 2. This provides for an easily effected and quick detachable connection of the conductor and insures a proper electrical connection.

The outer contact member A2 is mounted in an annular recess I9 concentric with and similar to the annular recess l and is substantially identical with the contact A1 except as to size, in that it is provided with contact lingers 9 and ID', and a tubular binding post I5 for the other conductor I4'. 'I'he ends of the contact ngers 9 rare spaced inwardly from the outer end of the recess I9 as are the fingers 9 in the recess 1; both side walls of each of the annular recesses I and I9 being part of the insulation body 2, and terminating on a common plane in outward spaced relation to the tips of the contact fingers 9 and 9 so that bodies of insulation protrude outwardly from the interior and the exterior of the outer end portions of the contact fingers 9 and 9 of the contact members A1 and A2. This arrangement of the contact fingers 9 and 9 prevents shock and short cricuits and 'protects the contacts from distortion and other damage.

The lamp includes the usual bulb 20 and filament conductors 2I, the bulb being cemented in a metal base 22. The upper part of the base 22 forms the annular or tubular contact member B2 which is adapted to be received 'in the recess I9 and to be frictionally engaged with fingers 9- as shown in Fig. 2.

'Ihe inner contact member Bl of the lamp is in the form of a cup the bottom of which is interlocked with a disk 23 of insulation material set interiorly of the contact B2. The filament conductors are connected as at 24 and 24 respectively with the contacts B1 and B2. The outer end portion of the annular side wall of the contact B1 is formed with an annular groove or indentation 25 whereby to frictionally and releasably interlock with the fingers 9 when the contact B1 is thrust into the recess 'I so as to engage said fingers as shown in Fig. 2.

V When the base of the lamp is inserted into the socket the tongues or jaws 4 will frictionally retain the base in the socket, it being'noted that aspacersleeve 2l of compressible paper or the like is interposed between these jaws Aand the shell, whereby to accommodate a yielding movement of said jaws.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the connectors are in the form of a fuse socket or block 28 and a fuse 29, which include thev tubular contacts A1 and A2 and B1 and B2 of substantially the same construction and arrangement as the corresponding contact members in the lamp socket and lamp shown in Fig. 2. The fuse block has annular concentric recesses 30' and 3| and the contacts A1 and A2 are fitted therein as are the contacts of the lamp socket. Tongues-32 formed integral with the contacts A1 and A2 are extended laterally through openings 33 in the block and have binding posts 34 at their outer ends for connection with line conductors not shown. The contacts A1 and A2 are countersunk as are the socket contacts and for the same purpose.

The fuse 29 consists of a body 35 of insulation material to which the concentric tubular contacts B1 and B2 are fixed so that they may be telescopically engaged with the block contacts A1 and A2.A Certain terminals of the contacts B1 and B2 extend into a covered recess 36 having a closure 3'I. A fuse element 38 mounted in said recess is connected across said terminals. 'Ihis fuse unit is subject to being readily inserted and withdrawn and will be securely frictionally held in place.

I claim:

l. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connecting devices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spaced relation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spaced concentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of said devices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts of the first named device, said second named device having concentric annular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof are mounted so as to be engaged with iirst named contacts upon entrance of the latter into said recesses, and said female contacts having their tips spaced inwardly from the plane of the margins of the walls of said recesses.

2. An electrical connector includingr a pair of separable connecting devices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spaced relation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spaced concentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of said devices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts of the first named device, said second named device having concentric annular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof are countersunk with their outer ends spaced inwardly from the plane of the margins of the inner and outer walls of said recesses so as to be engaged with first named contacts only after entrance of the latter into said recesses.

3. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connecting devices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spaced relation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spaced concentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of said devices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts of the first named device, said second named device having concentric annular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof are mounted with their outer ends recessed relative to the. plane of the margins of said recesses so as to be engaged with first named contacts upon entrance of the latter into said recesses, certain ofthe companion contacts having cooperating convex and concave portions adapted to releasably and frictionally interlock.

4. An electrical connector including a pair of separableY connecting devices, concentric vtubular male contact members mounted in spaced relation to one another on one of said devices?, similarly spaced concentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of said devices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts of the iirst named device,l said second named device having concentric annular recesses in which the ltubular female contacts thereof are countersunk with their outer ends spaced inwardly from the plane of the margins of the inner and outer Walls of said recesses so as to be engaged with rst named contacts only after entrance of the latter into said recesses,

said female contacts being slotted to define a plurality of resilient contact jaws.

5. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connecting devices one of which constitues a socket member having a body of insulation material formed with a pair of concentric annular recesses, a tubular female contact member arranged in each of said recesses having its outer end spaced inwardly relative to the plane of the margins of the side walls of its recess whereby said contact members are housed com pletely Within said body of insulation material with the outer ends of said contact members counter-sunk therein, and the other of which connecting devices embodies an end disc of insulation material and a pair of spaced concentric tubular `contacts protruding from said disc adapted to be inserted in the annular recesses of the body of the other connecting device into electrical connection with the tubular contacts therein.

ROBERT L. REYNOLDS.

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