Transistor socket having two uniaxially aligned and electrically isolated contacting terminals for each inserted lead

Claim 1

A TEST SOCKET FOR AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT HAVING FLEXIBLE LEAD WIRES EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID SOCKET COMPRISING: AN INSULATIVE BASE HAVING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LEAD-WIRE RECEIVING CONTACT MEANS, EACH SAID CONTACT MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF GENERALLY TUBULAR ELEMENTS PROVIDING ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH AXIALLY SPACED PORTION OF EACH INSERTED LEAD WIRE, EACH SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT INCLUDING FLARED END PORTIONS SO PRESENTED AS TO FACILITATE AXIAL INSERTION OF A LEAD WIRE, EACH SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT FURTHER HAVING AT LEAST ONE LATERALLY CURVED PORTION SO SHAPED AND DISPOSED AS TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE AND TO GUIDE A LEAD WIRE AS IT IS INSERTED AXIALLY OF THE TUBULAR ELEMENT WHEREBY TO ENSURE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN EACH ELEMENT AND AN INSERTED LEAD WIRE; AND TERMINAL MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENTS THROUGH ONE OF WHICH A SUITABLE ELECTRICAL SIGNAL MAY BE APPLIED TO ONE OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENTS AND THROUGH THE OTHER OF WHICH THE OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INSERTED ELECTRICAL COMPONENT MAY BE READ, EACH SAID TERMINAL MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER PORTION OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID PAIR OF TUBULAR ELEMENTS IN THE REGION OF ONE OF SAID LATERALLY CURVED PORTIONS.