US2490580A - Electrical connection plug - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1949 N. E. COLLA, JR

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION PLUG Filed Feb. 18, 1946 Fig. 2.

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Patented Dec. 6 1949 ii N TE!) OF FICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates'to an electrical connection and more particularly to a terminal plug for electric conductors.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an electrical connection plugincorporating means for freeing itself from engagement with an electric outlet receptacle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electrical connection plug for attachment to a pair of electric conductors and incorporating manually operated means for freeing the plug fromengagement in an. electric outlet.

A still further object of theinvention is the provision of an electrical connection plug for attachment to a pair of electric conductors and incorporating automatic, remotely actuated means for freeing the plug. from engagement in an electric outlet.

This invention relates to an electrical connection plug-as generally employed on the end of electric wires such as used in connection with electric appliances for establishing connection to an electric circuit usually by way of an electric outlet. AS.;iS.L.kI1OWll..iIl theiart; electric outlets commonly employed in residences, ofiices and factory buildings provide a pair of spaced sockets with conductor strips therein in connectionwith a power source. "The applianceor other device to be energized is usually connected with 'such an outlet by way of a connector plug which includes a pair of prongs engageable in the sockets of the outlet so that connection may be efiectively and simply made. Asis wellknown,

the prongs of the connection plugare frequently held very tightly in the outlet receptacleand-it is often times difficult to. disengage the same. As a result of such difiiculty, the electric conductor or wire itself is frequently damaged.

The present invention relates to an electrical connection plug incorporating self-energized means for disengaging the connection prongs from the receptacle and has been designed so that the disengaging action may be initiated manually or remotely as by pulling gently on the electric conductor to which the plug is attached. With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is across sectional side elevation of the electrical connection plug.

Figure 2 isa side elevationof the electrical connection plug turned one-quarter on avertical axis with respect to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the electrical connection plug turned one-quarter with-respect to'Figure 1, theprong-portions-thereof being shown inextended receptacle engaging-position. Figure 4 is a cross sectional side=elevation of amodified form ofthe electrical connection plu showing a latching means capable of remote actuation.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1, 2 and 3 in particularyit'wilrbe observed that the electrical connection plug consists of a body member i forming atwo-part enclosure in one end of which an elongated plug-member 2 is positioned. The plug member 2 is normally held in the positionillustrated. by tension exerted by a coil spring 3. The coil spring 3- rests on a shoulder IA inthe body member I. 'The innermost end of the elongated plug member 2 is threadably engaged in adielectric body l. The plug memberZ and the dielectric body 5 have a hollow passagewaytherethrough. The dielectric body 4,01"- the plug is, reciprocally mounted in one of, the chambers defined: by "the body member I whilethe plug member 2, connected with the dielectric body memberc, is reciprocally mounted in the other one of the chambers in the bodymember. .I. ,Thedielectric member l is provided with a pair of oppositely'disposed, outwardly extending arms 5 which engage bayonet slots 5A in the body member I.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the arms 5 may travel on an axial line in the axially extending portion of the bayonet slots 5A, as shown in Figure 2, and may also be held in locked position in the offset portions of the bayonet slots 5A, as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The dielectric body 4 is also provided with a pair of axially extending connection prongs 6 which are afiixed to the dielectric body 4 and are provided with screws A by means of which a pair of electric conductors, such as wires, may be electrically and mechanically connected therewith. The hollow passageway through the dielectric body 4 and the interior of the elongated plug member 2 is adapted to receive the electric connectors (not shown).

By referring to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the arms 5 have been moved into the offset portions of the bayonet slots 5A thereby causing the dielectric body 4 and its attached, elongated plug member 2 to be moved forward in the device so that the prongs 6 are in extended relation with respect to the outermost end of the body member I. In such position the plug may obviously be inserted in an electric outlet and the prongs 6 will establish electrical connection with the energized portions of the outlet (not shown).

When it is disengaged to free the prongs 6 and hence the dielectric connection plug from the electric outlet, the arms 5 of the device may be moved manually out of the oifset portion of the bayonet slots 5A. The coil spring will then pull the dielectric body 4 and the elongated plug member 2 thereof, as well as the prongs 6, into the body member I, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, thereby disengaging the prongs 6 from the outlet receptacle. This action will take place as the outermost end of the body member i normally engages the face of the electric outlet so that the spring tension is exerted through the body member I thereagainst to forcefully disengage the prongs 6.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications in the device are possible. One such modification is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings wherein a body member H, provided with a reciprocal plug member [2 having a dielectric body 4 attached thereto, is provided with a pair of outwardly extending arms which engage modified bayonet slots 13. The arms l5 positioned in the dielectric body l4 extend outwardly through the modified bayonet slots l3 and are normally restrained by means of a movable keeper H. The keeper l? is positioned on the body member I: by means of brackets 19 and 26 and is normally held in the position illustrated wherein it restrains the travel of the arms l5 by means of a spring 118 which is positioned about the keeper l7 between the bracket 19 and a shoulder I'lA formed on the keeper ll.

The uppermost end of the keeper I? is provided with an outlet l'iB to which the electrical conductors used in connection with the device may be attached. It will be observed that this construction permits the electrical conductors to be connected to the outlet 1713 so that the keeper I! may be moved to cause the arms [5 to be released. The formation of the modified bayonet slots l3 plus the coil spring I8, normally tending to move the connecting prongs I6 of the device into the area defined by the body member II, will cause the device to be automatically actuated and the prongs I6 disconnected from an outlet receptacle.

It will thus be seen that a simple and efficient electrical connection plug has been disclosed which possesses the dual advantage of providing a suitably sized and shaped article so that it can be conveniently handled for manually inserting it in an outlet receptacle, and it also possesses means enabling it to disconnect itself from the outlet receptacle when desired. The device is safe in operation as neither the body member 1 nor the arms 5 thereof are in electrical connection with the prongs 6. The electrical conductors used in connection therewith are protected against breakage by eliminating the necessity of using the same to pull a plug from the receptacle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

An electrical plug comprising a hollow body member having an annular longitudinally extending flange on one end thereof and a reciprocally mounted plug therein, spring means normally urging the said plug inwardly of the said hollow body member, electrical connection prongs mounted on the said plug, at least one axially extending slot formed in the said hollow body member and at least one arm positioned on the said plug and registering with the said slot, an ofiset formed in the said slot into which the arm may be moved so that the plug may be held in the flanged end of the hollow body member with the connection prongs thereon positioned out of the flanged end of the hollow body member, a rod movably mounted on said hollow body member and normally engaging the said arm when said arm is in the said oiiset of the slot, the said :ofiset being tapered with respect to the said slot so that when the said rod is moved out of engagement with said arm the arm will move into the said slot and permit the said plug to move into the hollow body member.

NICHOLAS E. COLLA, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,298,354 Knauff Mar. 25, 1919 1,323,821 Bramming Dec. 2, 1919 1,629,243 West May 17, 1927 1,775,564 Goodspeed Sept. 9, 1930 1,902,568 Maxam Mar. 21, 1933 2,053,386 Wheeler Sept. 8, 1936 2,253,668 Weddle Aug. 26, 1941 2,261,615 Cornwall Nov. 4, 1941 2,447,783 Williams Aug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 508,882 Great Britain July 7, 1939

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