US930788A - Extension plug or device for connecting electric conductors. - Google Patents

Description

W. E. ONEIL. EXTENSION PLUG 0R DEVICE FOR CONNEC'IING ELECTRIC CONDUCTOBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 27, 1909. I 939,788. Patented Aug. A11o, 1909.

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l Il l WILLIAMl EDWARD ONEIL, OF N ORWICH, NEW YORK.

EXTENSION PLUG OR DEVICE CONNEOTING- ELECTRIC CONDCTORS.

Speeicationof Letters Patent.

Patented ug, 1o, 1909.

` Application med Maren 27, 1909. serial No. 4ssen.

f ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ONEIL, ofNorwichrin the county of Clienango and State of'New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Plugs or Devices for Connecting Electric Conductors; and I hereby declare ythat the following is a full,'clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a'novel extension plug or device for connecting electric conductors, being especially designed for use in connecting a portableelectric light to a wall socket, or lamp socket, so that suoli portable light may be used at any desired point, and readily attached to or detached from the permanent :fixtures or sockets.

The object of the invention is to enable the plug to be attached to an ordinary screwthreaded incandescent light socket, or the like, without having to screw the plug into such socket,-and this Iaccomplish by making the plug expansible, and providing it with a wedge ieee by which the plug can be handled, and y simply pushing the plug, by the wedge, into the socket the connection'is Iliade, and by simply pulling out the wedge the plug is contracted and withdrawnfrom l the socketwithout having to turn the plug.

The invention is applicable to plugs for other kinds of sockets, as will be readily comprehended whenthe invention is understood;

land I will now explain the invention in connection with the accomlpanying ldrawings which lllustrate a practica form thereof, and

- I summarize in the claims the features of the invention for which I desire protection.

In sald drawingsFigure 1 is a side view of an ordinary incandescent light socket, and

my novel connector plug engaged therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the light socket and the plug, showing it contracted, in full lines, and expanded, in dotted lines. Fig.-3 is a section of the plug on line 3-5`, Fig. I2, showing the wedge inserted. l Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 'showi'ng a slight modilication of the plug; Fig. 6 is a transverse section online 6 6, Fig. 5.

In' the drawings 1 represents the socket piece, which may be of any desired construction, being shown as on `an ordinary incandescent light soeket, and having a threaded socket-contact 1a, and an internal end contact 1b, as usual, said contacts being prolperly insulated, and being connected in tl e ordinary manner to the proper wires in the conductor 1. The socket is welll known, and no particular illustration or description thereof 1s necessary. Ordinarilyconnection is made with such sockets by means of similarly threaded contact plugs, screwed thereinto, and having side and end contacts adapted to connect with contacts l, 1b, to form a continuation of the electric circuit when `theplug is screwed home into the socket lThe operation of screwing the plug into, orout of, the socket is slow and sometimes diicult, and my invention provides a plug which can bc'practically instantaneously connected to or removed from such sockets without having to turn the plug to lattach or detach it.

M lu com rises opposite longitudinal partr oi hlves 2) and 3, which are provided with reduced ortions 2, 3X, adapted to be inserted intof e socket 1. The parts 2 and 3 are held in pro er relative positions by suitable means, as' y dowel pins 3*t attached to part 3 engaging holes 2b 1n part 2, which pins permit the parts to be 'separated lengtlland 3 are however separated by' an interposed wedge-piece 4, preferably of fiber or insulating material, said wedge-piece being thickest at its outer end, and tapering to itsv v inner end. This4 wedge-piece 4 may be provided with a slot 4a to accommodate springs 5, and with slots 4b to accommodate ins 3a, so that the wedge 4 can be shifted ongitudinally between parts 2 and3, and when pushed inward or toward the small ends of parts 2 and 3 it se arates the parts; and when drawn outwar it.allows the parts to be drawn toward each other; in this way the plug may be expanded and contracted at will. The part 3 may have a threaded lcontact piece 3f on its outer side and a c ontact piece 3g on its end, separated by an insulation 3h, said contact pleces being connected with wires in the conductor 6 in the usual manner, so that when the plug is in the `portion 2, 3X, t ereof can be directl pull Wedge 4 outward, whlch socket, current can be transmitted from conductor 1 to conductor 6, and thence to any suitable receptive device, such as an incandescent lam (not shown).

The wedge p ate 4 is provided with an en larged head or widened portion 4F on itsy outer end, by which it can be easily graspled by two fingers and the thumb, o'r in ot er manner, so as to be easily Vand readily mani ulated.

l efore attempting wto'insert the plug` into a socket, the wedge4 is drawn outward, thus contracting the lug, -so that the reduced entered intonthe socket la Without screwing it therein, until contact 3g strikes contact 1b, then b ushing wedge 4 inward the plug is expanded bringing contact 3g into contact With the socket-contact la, and locking thev lace; if desired the plug may be plug in given a actional turn, after it is expanded, so as to insure the engagement of the threaded parts of thej contacts 3f, la# To withdraw the, plug, it is simply necessary to permits the plug to contract and simultaneously disengage the socket without any twisting or turning pf the plug.

Zand 3. are held to ether by an encircling helical s ring 5a, an the internal springs 5 can be dlspensed with. i

Obviously the form and proportions of theparts could be varied to suitthe desi ner and the size and kind of socket with w ich the plug is to be used.

Having described myinvention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon is:

1. A contact plug for electrical connections, com rising opposite relatively movable mem ers, contacts carried thereby, means for yieldingly drawing these members together, and a wedge lug interposed between the members an adapted to be o erated by hand to expand the plug when t e plug is inserted in a socket, and to permit the contraction of the plug when it is to be removed from the socket.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings the partsa manuallyoperable Wedge piece inserted between the members or parts and adapted to expandY the plug when pushed into the socket, and to ermit the contraction` of the plu and with raw it from the socket when ypul ed outward.

- 3. An electrical connector plug comprising opposite parts having contracted ends adapte to enter a connector socket, springs for holding and drawing the parts together, a hand piece inserted between the parts and adapted to expand the parts when pushed inward and permit their contraction when drawn outward and whereby the plug may be readily inserted into and withdrawn from the socket.

4. The .herein described connector plug comprising opposite longitudinal arts )rovided with insulated contacts a apte to enter a socket, springs connecting the parts, a wedge piece interposed between the parts andv having an enlarged outer end whereby it can be manually handled, and adapted to expand the plug after the contacts are ins erted into the socket and to permit the plug to contract and be withdrawn from the socket when the Wedge is pulled outward.

5. The herein .described connector plug comprising op osite longitudinal parts provided with re uced portions adapted to enterV a socket, insulated contacts on the reduced portions of the plug, springs connecting the arts, a wedge ieee interposed between t e arts and aving an enlarged outer end w ereb it can be manually handled, and adapte to expand the )lug after the reduced end is inserted into the socket, and to permit the plug to contract and be withdrawn from the socket when it is pulled outward.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM EDWAR ONEIL. Witnesses:

ROY F. HOLMES, MYLEs REDMOND.

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