US2122848A - Snap-in socket - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1938. R. w. STEARNS 2,122,348

SNAP-IN SOCKET Filed Dec. 24, 1937 as 4 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III? fay/71012???" cffgarmr a, may

Patented July 5, 1938 PATENT OFFICE SNAP-IN SOCKET Raymond W. Stearns, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 24,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a socket for a lamp or other electrical device adapted to be held in a means for holding yieldingly; to avoid removal, when desired; to provide the socket with a double flange, one part of which is adapted to pass through the hole, preferably circular, in the panel board or support and the other having a flange held against the same for the purposes above described, and to provide a length of coil spring flexed into circular form to come between these two flanges Fig. 3 is an end View in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of one form of spring holding device, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form of spring holding device, also coming within the scope of this invention.

This is a self-contained socket avoiding the necessity of a bracket on the panel board or the like, thereby reducing the expense. The invention is shown as applied to a panel board H), or other support, having a circular perforation H for receiving the entire socket and the instrument or lamp with which it is provided.

The socket comprises a tubular member E2 of sheet metal having a bottom closed except for an opening to receive an electric cable l3 which connects with a terminal l4 inside the tubular member. It is provided with a plate I 5, preferably backed up by a spring l6, so as to provide a spring-pressed terminal. The tubular member [2 is provided with the usual bayonet slots I"! for receiving the pins I8 on the base I9 of an elec- 1937, Serial No. 181,670

tric lamp or other electrical instrument. The tubular member I2 is provided at the end with an outwardly projecting concave flange 28. It is also provided with a fixed tubular member 2| having a corresponding flange 22 spaced from '5 the flange 20 and also having a flat annular extension 23 beyond it.

These two flanges 20 and 22 are concave so as to receive a holding device in the form of a coil spring 2 3 of circular cross section. This coil spring is a very inexpensive device for use in holding the socket in the panel board, or the like, and it is preferably made with its two ends finished and the end coils at 25 contacting, as shown in Fig. l. This constitutes a preferred form but, if desired, it can be made with a little more difflculty to remove by providing one end exactly as shown in Fig. 4 and reducing the other end 26, as shown in Fig. 5, to such a degree that it will enter the larger end and hold the spring more firmly in place. The spring in this caseis made a little longer than in the other. In either case it furnishes a yielding holding device.

The spring is other side of b the spring through the hole, ordinarily.

l The supports, as for example panel boards I l), may be of diiferent thicknesses in difierent instances and a single construction will take up these differences so that whatever the thickness of this support may be within ordinary limits, different sizes of springs will not have to be used. It will be seen that the spring comes in back of the edge of the hole, at one end, and that at the other end at 20' the concave flange reaches over the center of the spring. In both cases it is held the perforation. 50

This constitutes a very inexpensive and neat device for the purpose intended, without projecting parts and without the use of any brackets. The projecting flange 23, of course, comes against one side of the plate it] while the spring bears against the other side and thus the socket holding the socket in a perforation through a is held against longitudinal dislocation. supporting plate, comprising a circular flange on Having thus described my invention and the the tubular member, a circular flange on the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to sheet metal member, and a yielding coiled spring the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as surrounding the socket, located between said set forth in the claim, but what I claim is: flanges, and slightly larger in outside diameter As an article of manufacture, an electric socket than said perforation, to enable it to be pushed comprising a hollow sheet metal member, a tubuinto the perforation and hold the socket in place, 1&1 membe Se e therein and p jec g but capable of yielding under pressure to allow therefrom, a spring pressed electricterminal in the socket to be withdrawn. 10 said tubular member, and means for detachably RAYMOND W. S I'EARNS.

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