Floor plug

Claim 2

An electrical plug for use in connecting high-power, multiphase electrical cables to a floor receptacle, comprising a generally flat, thin casing including detachably fastened upper and lower casing portions, detachable fastening means securing the casing portions together, said casing portions being separable along a plane through the thickness of the casing, said portions having abutting faces fabricated of electrically insulating material, a plurality of grooves in the face of the lower casing portion extending from one end of the portion and terminating within the periphery of the face, the sections of the grooves at said one end defining cable opening means for reception of electrical cables, terminal opening means in the lower casing portion in alignment with the inner end section of each groove for outward projection of electrically conductive terminal elements from the casing interior, an electrical terminal in the casing for each groove, said electrical terminals each comprising an electrically conductive bar received in one of the grooves and an electrically conductive terminal element extending therefrom and through the respective terminal opening means, said bars extending to a point adjacent the cable opening means for attachment to electric cables, and a transversely extending trough in the lower casing portion adjacent the cable opening means end thereof, said trough extending across all of said grooves for collecting moisture entering said casing through said opening means.

Claim 3

An electrical plug as defined in claim 1, further characterized in the provision of a socket on the exterior face of the lower casing portion having the terminal opening means therein, said socket comprising a sleeve and a relatively thick cylindrical member, said cylindrical member being located adjacent to the lower casing portion and having opening means therein aligned with the terminal opening means and through which said terminal elements pass, said sleeve surrounding the exposed outer ends of the terminal elements and being secured to said cylindrical member.

Claim 4

An electrical plug as defined in claim 1, and further characterized in that the upper casing portion comprises a pair of separable sections, one of said sections overlying the main portion of the electrical terminals excepting for the end portions thereof adjacent the cable opening means, the other of said sections overlying the remaining terminal portions.

Claim 5

An electrical plug as defined in claim 1, further characterized in the provision of aligned slots in the opposed casing portion faces extending between each pair of grooves, and electrically insulating strips separate from said casing portions received in said slots to form electrical barriers between the terminals.

Claim 6

The electrical plug as defined in claim 1, further characterized in the provision of a transversely extending groove in the upper casing face which is aligned with said trough in said lower casing face, and a rod of electrically insulating material received in said last mentioned groove to bear against electrical cables extending into the casing and seal one side thereof thereby forcing any moisture entering the casing to flow into said trough.

Claim 7

The electrical plug as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that said grooves being four in number for three power lines and a ground line, said grooves and mating terminal bars terminating around a common center with an outer groove terminating in transverse alignment with the common center, the groove adjaceNt thereto terminating short of the common center, its adjacent groove terminating on the other transverse side of the common center, and the remaining outer groove being L-shaped with one long leg extending beyond the common center and a shorter leg extending back towards the common center and terminating in alignment therewith.

Claim 8

An electrical plug for use in connecting high-power, multiphase electrical cables to a floor receptacle, comprising a generally flat, thin casing including detachably fastened casing portions, detachable fastening means securing the casing portions together, said casing portions being separable along a plane through the thickness of the casing, said portions having abutting faces fabricated of electrically insulating material, a plurality of grooves in at least one of the faces of the casing portions extending from one end of the portion and terminating within the periphery of the face, the sections of the grooves at said one end defining cable opening means for reception of electrical cables terminal opening means in one of the casing portions in alignment with the inner end section of each groove for outward projection of electrically conductive terminal elements from the casing interior, an electrical terminal in the casing for each groove, said electrical terminals each comprising an electrically conductive bar received in one of the grooves and an electrically conductive terminal element extending therefrom and through the respective terminal opening means, said bars extending to a point adjacent the cable opening means for attachment to electric cables, said plug being adapted for use in connection with three-phase AC power, said grooves being four in number for three power lines and a ground line, said grooves and mating terminal bars terminating around a common center with an outer groove terminating in transverse alignment with the common center, the groove adjacent thereto terminating short of the common center.

Claim 9

An electrical plug for use in connecting high-power, multiphase electrical cables to a floor receptacle, comprising a generally flat, thin casing including detachably fastened casing portions, detachable fastening means securing the casing portions together, said casing portions being separable along a plane through the thickness of the casing, said portions having abutting faces fabricated of electrically insulating material, a plurality of grooves in at least one of the faces of the casing portions extending from one end of the portion and terminating within the periphery of the face, the sections of the grooves at said one end defining cable opening means for reception of electrical cables terminal opening means in one of the casing portions in alignment with the inner end section of each groove for outward projection of electrically conductive terminal elements from the casing interior, an electrical terminal in the casing for each groove, said electrical terminals each comprising an electrically conductive bar received in one of the grooves and an electrically conductive terminal element extending therefrom and through the respective terminal opening means, said bars extending to a point adjacent the cable opening means for attachment to electric cables, said plug being adapted for use in connection with three-phase AC power, said grooves being four in number for three power lines and a ground line, said grooves and mating terminal bars terminating around a common center with an outer groove terminating in transverse alignment with the common center, the groove adjacent thereto terminating short of the common center.

Claim 10

An electrical plug for use in connecting high-power, multiphase electrical cables to a floor receptacle, comprising a generally flat, thin casing including detachably fastened casing portions, detachable fastening means securing the casing portions together, said casing portions being seperable along a plane through the thickness of the casing, said portions having abutting faces fabricated of electrically insulating material, a plurality of grooves in at least one of the faces of the casing portions extending from one end of the portion and terminating within the periphery of the face, the sections of the grooves at said one end defining cable opening means for reception of electrical cables, terminal opening means in one of the casing portions in alignment with the inner end section of each groove for outward projection of electrically conductive terminal elements from the casing interior, an electrical terminal in the casing for each groove, said electrical terminals each comprising an electrically conductive bar received in one of the grooves and an electrically conductive terminal element extending therefrom and through the respective terminal opening means, said bars extending to a point adjacent the cable opening means for attachment to electric cables, moisture trapping means in the casing adjacent the cable opening means end thereof, said moisture trapping means comprising a transversely extending trough in one of the casing faces extending across all of the grooves, an aligned groove in the other casing face, and a cylindrical rod of electrically insulating material received in said last-mentioned groove to bear against electrical cables extending into the casing and seal one side thereof thereby forcing any moisture entering the casing to flow into said trough.

Claim 11

An electrical plug for use in connecting high-power, multiphase electrical cables to a floor receptacle, comprising a generally flat, thin casing including detachably fastened casing portions, detachable fastening means securing the casing portions together, said casing portions being seperable along a plane through the thickness of the casing, said portions having abutting faces fabricated of electrically insulating material, a plurality of grooves in at least one of the faces of the casing portions extending from one end of the portion and terminating within the periphery of the face, the sections of the grooves at said one end defining cable opening means for reception of electrical cables, terminal opening means in one of the casing portions in alignment with the inner end section of each groove for outward projection of electrically conductive terminal elements from the casing interior, an electrical terminal in the casing for each groove, said electrical terminals each comprising an electrically conductive bar received in one of the grooves and an electrically conductive terminal element extending therefrom and through the respective terminal opening means, said bars extending to a point adjacent the cable opening means for attachment to electric cables, moisture trapping means in the casing adjacent the cable opening means end thereof, said moisture trapping means comprising a transversely extending trough in one of the casing faces extending across all of the grooves, an aligned groove in the other casing face, and a cylindrical rod of electrically insulating material received in said last-mentioned groove to bear against electrical cables extending into the casing and seal one side thereof thereby forcing any moisture entering the casing to flow into said trough.