US2488113A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1949 A. J. HBAROCAS 2,488,113-

, ELECTRICAL .commcwofl Filed June 3, 1946 IN V EN TOR. AB/F/IH/IM .1 5/4/ 002;

ATTOF NE 7? Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES FPATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Abraham J. Barocas. New York, N. Y. Application June 3, 1946, Serial No. 573,993

This invention relates to a decorative lighting device and more particularly to a string of lights for decorating Christmas trees and for other purposes.

Christmas tree lights are commonly made as a complete closed loop of single or double wires, frequently with each bulb on the end of a knotted section. Such strings of lights are not very satisfactory because they are dificult to drape artistically on a tree, because they use an inordinate amount of Wire and because it is impossible to conceal such wires eifectively.

It is, furthermore, often inconvenient and impracticable to connect many such strings of lights together and usually they must all lead to one or more multi-socket plugs. Those familiar with Christmas tree lights and their use will recognize still other defects and disadvantages in addition to those outlined above. So far as I am aware,

the foregoing problems have not been solved in a simple, inexpensive and practical manner.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to overcome the objections of prior lighting devices and to provide a string of lights for. Christmas tree or other use which has unique features and advantages of its own.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plug body which is adapted to receive 3 Claims. (C11 173-361) 7 Fig. 4 shows my new plug used as a male plug.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 Of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows a typical interior view of one of the plug parts.

Fig. 7 shows the plug converted to a female plug.

Figs. 8 and 9 show details of the female plug arrangement. 10

An important feature of my invention iresides in a plug which may, for convenience, v be termed sexless, but which can be adapted for use either as a male plug or a female plug in a simple easy manner, as seen in Figs. 4-11. Such a plug consists of two complementary parts 2'! and 21a, each of which has an aperture 28 so that two parts can be held in assembled relationship by a screw 29 and nut 30 or by tubular rivet.

As will be best observed in Fig. 6, the inner side of part 21 is channeled out in such manner as to form the islands 3 with channels 32 around the same and also the straight channels 33. The raised arcuate member 34 defines separate paths for each of the wires l6. Each part is adapted selectively and interchangeably male and female terminals and which may be quickly converted from one to the other as required for connecting a plurality of strings of lights into a single composite string lending itself to artistic application to a Christmas tree and to effective concealment while using a minimum amount of wire.

A still further object is to provide novel contact terminals, both male and female, adapted for interchangeable insertion in the sam plug body.

Other and further objects and advantages will be pointed out hereinafter or will be understood by those familiar with Christmas tree lights and similar electrical devices.

In the accompanyingdrawings, in which I have illustrated preferred embodiments of the several features of the invention:

Fig. 1 illustrates a string of lights in closed loop form and provided with my new plug and sockets.

Fig. '2 illustrates a part of a string of lights constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates a prior art type of light string wherein the wires are knotted to obtain desired effect.

for either male or female use and can be converted from one to the other. To form a male plug, a contact element 35 Which consists of a piece of fiat stock offset in parallel planes, is

I secured to each conductor I6.

This may be simply done by passing the end of the conductor through a hole 36 in element 35 or by soldering or otherwise connecting element 35 to the com ductor. Elements 35 then extend outwardly via I straight channels as with the shoulder of the offset portion abutting the islands am, as will be seen in Fig. 10. To form a female plug, a

' V-shaped contact element 31 is soldered or otherwise suitably secured to conductors I B and elements 3! are disposed in channels 32 around islands 3|, as will b clearly apparent from Fig.

'7. It will now be readily understood how the male plug may be converted to a female plug, or

. vice versa.

It will also be understood that the female plug arrangement of Fig. 7 is adapted to receive the male plug arrangement of Fig. 10.

Composite strings of lights can, therefore, easily be built up in any desired manner. It will further be understood that while the plug described and illustrated is preferably utilized with sockets as hereinabove described, such plug can, however, be used with any type of socket and a y ype of and a cover, the inner side of the body having... raised protuberances spaced to formnchannelsmo.

receive and hold selectively male or female electrical contact elements, said protuberancesszinw cluding an upstanding wall aroundtheperimeter.

of the body, a pair of openings through said wall at the face side of said body for the passage of prongs therethrough, a pair of protuberan-ces extending inwardly into said body from the ends of the wall section intermediate said openings, a right-triangularly shaped raised portion extendinginwardly fromsaid face wall section on either side of the mentioned pair of protuberances to complete'the wallsof channels leading inwardly from said openings, one side of each said triangle forming the. channel wall, another side of each said triangle coincident with said perimetralwall, thezhypotenuse of each said triangle constituting a wall of a channel reentrant from said inwardly extending channels, atrapezoidal island with its acute angled end extending into the space formed between each said hypotenuse-and its-adjacent portion of the perimetral wall and spaced therefrom to provide a channel therearound, one of theparallel sides of saidisland .being offset out of line with said first mentioned side of said triangle, a pair of female contact elements arranged in opposed relation in said channels, each said contact element comprising a piece of flat spring metal bent acutely transversely thereof in its mid-portion, to forma V formation, corresponding to the channel around-said trapezoidal island, with one of thelegsof said V having secured thereto an electric conductor which extends rearwardly from theface of the plug around the perimetral wall and out of said plug body, through another face thereof, the-other leg extending obliquely rearwardly, itsend lying closely adjacent the upright Wall of the central island and athwart the channel which opens to the face of the plug.

2. An electrical plug comprising a hollow body and a.cover,-the inner side of the body having raised protuberances spaced to form channels to receive and-hold selectively male-or female electrical contact elements, said protuberances includingan upstanding wall around the perimeter of the body, a pair of openings through said wall at the face side of said'body-for the passage of prongs therethrough, a pair of protuberances extending inwardly into said body from the ends of 'thewall section intermediate said openings, av right-triangularly shaped raised portion extending inwardly from said face wall. section on either side of the'mentioned pair of protuberances to complete the walls of channels leading inwardly from said openings, one side of each said triangle forming the channel wall, another side of each said triangle coincident with said perimetral wall, the hypotenuse of each said triangle constituting awall of a channel reentrant from saidinwardly extending channels, a trapezoidal island with its acute angled end extending into the space formed between each said hypotenuse and its adjacent portion of the perimetral wall and spaced therefrom to provide a channel therearound, one of the parallel sides of said island being offset out of line with said first mentioned side of said triangle, a pair of male contact elements arranged in opposed relation in said channels, each said contact element compris- "ing-eja 'piece of' flat metal= ofiset in parallel planes,

part of each contact extending outwardly of said body through one of said openings, the remaining portion extending inwardly with the offset shoulder. abutting the apex portion of said triangularly'shaped raised portion, the inner part ofisaidcremaining portion lying in said offset channel, and electrical conductors secured to the inner'ends "of said remaining portions.

3;;Anzelectrical plug casing comprising a hollow body and a cover, the inner side of the body having raisedprotuberan'ces:spaced to form channels toreceive and hold selectively male or female electrical contact elements, said protuberances including an upstanding wall around the perimeter oftthe body, a pair of openingsthrough saidwall at the-face side of said body forthepassage of prongs therethrough,-a pair of protuberances extending inwardly intosaid body. from the .ends of the wall section' intermediate-said openings,,,a right-triangularly shapedraisedportion extending inwardly fromsaidface wall. section on either side of the mentioned-pair... of .protuberances. to complete the walls of channels leading inwardly from said openings, oneside of each said triangle formingathe :channel wall, another side of each said triangle coincident with said perimetral wall, the hypotenuse of each. said triangle constituting awall of a channel reentrant fromsaid .inwardly extending-channelsa trapezoidal island with its acute angledLend extending into the space formed between each saidv hypotenuse .and its adjacent portion of the perimetral wall and spaced'therefrom to providea -.channel..therearound, one of the parallel-sides of :saidisland being offset out of-line with saidfirst mentioned side-of said triangle.

ABRAHAM J. BAROCAS.

REFERENCES CITED 1 Th'efollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED .STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 995,674 Hertzbert et a1. June 20, 1911 1,918,126 Peterson July 11, 1933 1,961,484 Grant June 5, 1934 2,086,641 Riley July 13, 1937 2,136,193 Karst Nov. 8, 1938 2,172,347 Cl'emence Sept. 13, 1939 2,222,715 Kuhlman Nov. 26, 1940 2,228,334 Abbott Jan. 14, 1741 2,229,403 Benander Jan.'21, 1941 2,239,878 Clayton Apr. 29, 1941 2,248,082 Herman July 8, 1941 2,254,754 Reece Sept. 2, 1941 2 1 J Smith, Jr. Mar. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number: Country Date 100,948 Great Britain Oct; 5, 1916 355,608 Germany June 29, 1922

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