US1415795A - Electric contact - Google Patents

Description

J. B. CHEMIDLIN. AELECTRIC CONTACT. APPLlcAloN man APR. 13. v1921.

1,415,795. Patented May 9,1922'.

JOHNB. CHEMIDLIN, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC CONTACT.

Application led April 13, 1921.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. CHEMIDLTN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Electric Contact, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electric contacts and has for an object to provide an improved construction wherein parts are ,provided which may be connected to different articles so that when the articles are brought into certain relation to each other the contacts will engage and provide a proper circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a contact which may be used in connec-` tion with removable signs, the arrangement being such that when the sign is applied the circuit is completed and when the sign is `removed the circuit is opene In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a front view of part of a sign constructed to use one sign illustrating how the invention may be used.

Figure 2 is a rear View of the sign shown y in Figure 1.

Figure 3` is a sectional view through Figure 1 on line 3 3. 0

Figure 4 isa substantially vertical section y through Figure 2 on line 44.

` away Figure 5 is a top plan view of the letter shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken or illustrating. the `appearance of the spring contacts forming certain features of the invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom tact plate shown at Figure 4.

In many devices which use electrical en` ergy, connecting means must be provided which will permit the devices to be applied and removed. Heretofore, in many devices, as for instance, in electric signs, sockets and plugs have been used because of their easy operation and ready adaptability or connec tion and disconnection. Where signs have been used as that illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the plugs must be inserted before the letter and care must be taken to push the wires outof the way when the letter is placed in its correct position. This requires considerable effort and care.

In the present invention, a contact has been provided which will permit the letter l, for instance, to be properly placed in posiplan view of the con` the upper part of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922. Serial No. 461,129.

tion easilyand without any thought to the electric connection. Inother words, a person changing the letter l would merely have to remove said letter and substitute another and the electric connection would take care of itself so that the new letter would be properly `illuminated when correctly positioned. The letterl is any suitable form oi letter and is provided with turned over edges 2 and 3 as shown in Figure 5 whereby a covering 4 may be applied, said covering having` flanges 6 and 7 which may be sprung back as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5 and then forced under the flanges 2 and 3 This covering is intended to protect the various `connections and wires associated with the sockets 8 in the letter l. This covering also carries a plate 9 of porcelain or other form of insulation which in turn carries contact pins 1() and 11. Plate 9 may be held by screws 12 or other suitable means while the contact points 10 and 11 are preferably solid rods having an enlargement 13 at their inner ends as shown in Figure 4, said enlargement litting into a tublar member 14 supporting a spring 1,5. The wirings of the sockets 8 are connected in any suitable manner to the member 15, as for instance, by the con` necting members illustrated in Figure 6. By this construction and arrangement. two contact plugs are provided which are resiliently held in a given position and, consequently, which will take up any unevenness between the letter l and the casing 16 in which it is positioned when .in use.

From Figure l it will be observed that the porcelain plate 9 .is provided with a projecting boss 17 which extends through openings in the upper part of the cover 4l so as to prevent positively any short circuiting at this point. Arranged in the easing 16 is a porcelain or other insulating plate 18 having a boss 19 extending througha supporting section 20. A cup-shaped member 21 rests against the boss 19 and surrounds the lower end of the contact pin 22, which contact pin is rigidly held in the plate 18 by a nut or any other suitable means. Suitable conducting wires 23 and 24 are connected to the respective pins 22 so that current is continuously supplied thereto and to their respective enlargements 2`5 located'in the cupshaped members 21. When the letter l is placed in position the pins 1() and 11 will automatically fit 'into the cup-shaped me1nbers 21 and press against the enlargement 25 so as to complete the electrical connection. In order that this connection may be maintained, the casing 16 is provided with a groove 26 at the bottom and a groove 2T at the top.

In inserting the letter l, the upper edge 28 of the front plate 29 of the letter is inserted into the groove 27 and-the letter is forced upwardly until the lower edge 30 is able to move into groove 29. This upward movement is permitted by reason of the springs 15. -Ater the edge 30 has moved into groove 26, the-letter is permitted to move downwardly until the edge 3() strikes the bottom of groove 26 whereupon the parts are in the position shown in Figure et and the contacts 10 and ll are still in engagement with the pins 22, To remove the letter it is only necessary to raise the same slightly and then swing the lower end out a short distance. After this has been done, the letter may be lowered slightly and then moved away and ay new one substituted by inserting the upper edge of the letter lirst and then allowing the lower edge 30 to drop in the groove 26.

What I claim is l l. Ina contact or the character described a supporting insulating plate, a pin arran'gedonsaid plate, acoacting plate, a

sprin pressed contact rod carried by said secon plate and an insulating cup surrounding the end of said pin.

2. A contact structure comprising a pair of insulating plates, one oif said plates having apair of tubes therein, a spring arranged in each of said tubes, a pin arranged in each oi said tribes and resiliently held in a given position by said springs, the other of said plates having a pair of pins having enlarged heads adapted to be engaged by the rer-tiliently pressed pins and a cup surrounding said heads on one ,tace around the edge, the walls of said cup projecting beyond said heads.

3. In an electric sign of the letter selective type, the combination of a plate secured to the sign and a plate secured to the le ter, said plates when in place lying opposite. each other, a plurality of insulatorsI associated with each plate, each insulator carrying a Contact pin adapted to autmnatiwilly contact with the pins on the opposite plate when the letter is in its operative position` and `springs associated with the pins on the letter to keep said pins pressed against the pins on the sign when the letter is positioned within said sign.

JOI-IN B. GHEMIDLIN.

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