US1325865A - Vacuum-tube socket - Google Patents

Description

H. E. SHREEVE. VACUUM TUBE SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, ms.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

lM vwvqfm: Mew ke f. Shrweve UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. SHREEVE, OF WYOMING, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB. TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ieeasce.

Specification of Letters Patent.

vacuum-TUBE sooner.

Application filed May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,770.

a To all whom it may concern:

Be it'kuown that I, HERBERT E. SHRnEvn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Wyoming, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum- Tube Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to a socket for vacuum tubes, and in particular to vacuum tubes such as the audion, in which a plurality of electrodes comes from said tube, and with which electrodes intimate connection must be made for various circuits. Its purpose is to construct a socket which will be con venient for use and effective in making such contacts as are required.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a socket designed according to this invention in combination with one form of audion tube. Fig. 2 shows a view from below of the socket shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an element comprising two sockets as one unit, Fig; 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig.3, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring contact element or unit used throughout Figs. 1 to 4.

Referring inparticular to Fig. 1, 10 repre sents a casting of brass or other suitable metal, of which 11 is the base, and 12 the socket proper, into which socket a vacuum tube with suitable terminals may be inserted, as hereinafter described. Secured to the bottom of the base 11 and at one side is a spring contact unit, such as is shown in Fig. 5, this unit comprising a strip of insulating material 13 with spring elements 15, 16, 17 and 18, secured thereto in any suitable manner. One method of securing these springs to the insulating strip is shown in Figs. 2 and 5, Fig. 5 showing at 30 depressed bolts which, in connection with the nuts 31 shown in Fig. 2, hold the respective spring elements in a rigid position with respect to the strip 13, and to assist in this, it will, in general, be desirable to place these spring elements in grooves, as shown in the various fi res. The spring contact unit is secured rigi ly to the base plate 11 by means of screws 20 engaging with suitable nuts 21 shown in Fig. 2.

The various spring members 15 to 18 project forward, and to such an extent and manner that their terminals 25, 26, 27 and 28 are suitably disposed below the opening of the socket member 12 to make contact with. the terminals of the vacuum tube to be used In connection therewith. In this particular case, these terminals are shown as forming respectively the corners of a square, the center of which square falls upon the axis of the socket 12.

For convenience, it may be desirable to insert a plate 32 with suitable numerals or des ignation charcters, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by means of which the several terminals may be readily recognized one from the other. Around the base plate 11, or a portion thereof, is placed a rim "33 of such a height as to give free motion to the spring elements.-

The socket thus far described is particularly adapted for usein combination with a form of audion tube shown in Fig. I. This tube 40 comprises an evacuated vessel within which are placed a filament, a grid and a plate element. For ordinary use, such a tube requires four terminals, two being connected with the filament, one with the grid, and one with the plate. In Fig. 1, there is shown a circular piece of insulating material 44 to which the four terminals are secured. The grid terminal is shown at 45, the fila ment terminals at 46 and 47, and the plate terminal at 48, and in this particular tube,

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

these terminals 45 to 48 are arranged at the with a collar 49 secured to the bulb by any suitable sealing material, and the collar 49 is of such dimensions as to fit snugly into the socket 12. This collar 49 with the insulation member 44 will be spoken of as a block. On said collar 49 is placed a small pin 50, which engages with a slot 51 in the member 12, forming'thereby a bayonet joint. The pin 50 and the slot 51 are so positioned with respect to each other that the terminals 45 to 48 will make contact with thevspring terminals 25 to 28, respectively, and these terminals 45 to 48 are made of such length that a suitable contact pressure is obtained with the springs 25 to 28, respectively.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a somewhat modified structure in which, in place of the casting 10, there is used' a plate member 60 serving asa base, this bein of sheet metal or other suitable fiat material. Sections 62 of brass tubing or other suitable metal are then secured in Fig. 4. The internal dimensions of the tube 62 are so chosen as to make a close fit with the collar 49 of the vacuum tube to be used. In Fig. 3, two such socket members 62 are shown, but it is apparent that by increasscribed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. Any

- under side of said base, said unit comprising desired method may be used for elevating the member suiiiciently above its support so as to give free motion to the spring contact element, and in this case, there are shown small feet 64. If desired, these feet may consist of brass tubing, as shown in the figures, afl'ording thereby convenient means for screwing the whole socket member to any suitable support.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tube having a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured to said block and arranged adjacent to each other, the socket comprising a base portion having an opening therein, a tubular portion fitting in said opening and arising therefrom, a plurality of contact springs secured to but insulated from said base, said springs projecting under the base portion and beneath said opening and so disposed as to make contact w1th the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube in aprearranged manner.

2. In a vacuum tube set, thecombinationwith a socket, of a vacuum tubelhavinga .block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured to said block, said socket comprising a base, a socket member attached to said base, a contact unit secured to the a strip of insulation and a plurality of contact springs projecting under the socket opening and so disposed as to make contact with the respective electrodes of the vacuum 7 tube in a prearranged manner.

3. In a vacuum tube set, the combination wlth the neck of a vacuum tube .havingfonr electrodes, of asocket, the socket comprisin a base,.a socket member attached thereto, an

a contact unit, secured to the under side of i said base, said unit comprising a strip of in- 55 sulation and four contact springs projecting under, the socket opening and so disposed as to make contact with the four electrodes of the tube in a prearranged manner.

t. In a vacuum tube set, thecombination with a socket, of a vacuumtube havin a block attached thereto, a plurality of elactrodes secured to said block and arranged ing a base and a socket member attached thereto, a plurality of contact springs secured toibut insulated from said base, certain ends of said springs projecting under ner, the opposite ends of said springs projecting beyond the lateral edges of said base,-

whereby external circuit connections may be readil made.

5. Iii a vacuum tube set, the combinationwith a socket, of a vacuum tube having a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured to said block, said socket comprising a base and a socket member attached thereto; a contact unit secured to the underside of said base, said unit comprising a strip of insulation and a plurality of contact springs projecting beyond the lateral edges of said insulation and under the socket opening, and so disposed as to make contact with the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner, portions of said springs projecting beyond the lateral edges of said base whereby external circuit connections may be readily made.

6. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tube having a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured to said block, said socket comprising a base, a socket member attached thereto, a contact unit secured to the underside of said base, said unit comprising a strip of insulation and a plurality of contact springs projecting under the socket opening and so disposed as to make contact with the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner, said insulation having grooves therein, whereby said contact springs may be rigidly held in place. i

7. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tube having a block attached thereto, said block comprising a, collar surrounding the lower portion of said tube and an insulation piece substantially closing the lower end of said collar and attached thereto; a plurality of electrodes attached to said insulation piece, said socket comprisin a'base having a socket opening and a soc retmember attached to said base over said opening, a plurality of contact springs secured to but insulated from said base, said springs projecting under thesocket opening and so disposed as to make contact -with said electrodes in a prearranged manunit comprising a strip of insulation and a adjacent-to each other, sald socket comprisplurality of substantially parallel contact,

springs attached to said insulation, said 8. .A socket adapted to receive the elecneaasoa posed as to make contact with the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner.

10. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tube having a plurality of electrodes attached thereto, the

socket comprising a base portion having an 20 opening therein, a tubular portion fitting in said opening and arising therefrom, a plurality of contact springs secured to said base portion at a point distant from said opening, said springs extending under the base 25 portion to a point beneath said opening and so disposed as to make contact with the respective electrodes in the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 30 my name this 18th day of May, A. D, 1916.

HERBERT .E. SHREEVE.

Images