US3668607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical socket
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-01-25
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Granted: 1972-06-06
•
Expires: 1991-01-25
Abstract
Abstract An electrical socket device incorporating at least one spool constructed to receive the prongs of an electrical plug. The spool is rotationally displaceable and coacts with the remainder of the socket structure such that the plug prongs can be locked in place upon suitable rotational displacement of the spool, and this for the purpose of providing direct electrical connection as between the plug prongs and the electrical terminals or contact of a socket construction. A socket construction is made such that there is no electrical connection as between the plug prongs and the socket electrical contacts until the prongs of a particular plug are inserted in the aforementioned rotatable spool and the spool depressed and rotated. The construction affords many safety features for children so that metal items, inadvertently positioned through the prong holes of the spool, cannot make electrical connection until after the spool is both depressed and rotationally displaced.
Inventors
- 👤 Ivan A Farnworth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 18:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/70; H01R13/71
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
249 words
An electrical socket including a housing; a socket spool jounaled in said housing for rotational displacement, said socket spool including a disk, a flange, and a shaft interconnecting said disk and flange, said disk being provided with prongreceiving apertures and being constructed to permit the prongs of an external plug to pass therethrough and protrude therebeyond, said housing having a first terminal provided with an external connection and also second and third terminals, said first and second terminals being positioned to respectively engage said prongs upon rotational displacement of said spool away from its normal, inactive position and into its electrically operative position; and electrically conductive shorting bar affixed to said spool proximate the juncture of said shaft and said flange, a compression spring disposed between said housing and said flange, said shorting bar and said terminals being constructed and arranged such that, in the absence of spool depression and rotational dispencement, said shorting bar is disposed out of engagement with said second and third terminals, but upon depression of said spool, as through plug insertion therein, and subsequent rotational displacement of said spool such that said prongs assume a position of alignment with said first and second terminals, respectively, followed by release of said spool, said shorting bar assumes a position across said second and third terminals and, under the spring pressure of said compression spring against said flange, engages said second and third terminals to complete electrical connection therebetween, said third terminal also having an external connection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
249 words
An electrical socket including a housing; a socket spool jounaled in said housing for rotational displacement, said socket spool including a disk, a flange, and a shaft interconnecting said disk and flange, said disk being provided with prongreceiving apertures and being constructed to permit the prongs of an external plug to pass therethrough and protrude therebeyond, said housing having a first terminal provided with an external connection and also second and third terminals, said first and second terminals being positioned to respectively engage said prongs upon rotational displacement of said spool away from its normal, inactive position and into its electrically operative position; and electrically conductive shorting bar affixed to said spool proximate the juncture of said shaft and said flange, a compression spring disposed between said housing and said flange, said shorting bar and said terminals being constructed and arranged such that, in the absence of spool depression and rotational dispencement, said shorting bar is disposed out of engagement with said second and third terminals, but upon depression of said spool, as through plug insertion therein, and subsequent rotational displacement of said spool such that said prongs assume a position of alignment with said first and second terminals, respectively, followed by release of said spool, said shorting bar assumes a position across said second and third terminals and, under the spring pressure of said compression spring against said flange, engages said second and third terminals to complete electrical connection therebetween, said third terminal also having an external connection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a pair of separable, electrically connected terminal member, one of said terminal members including said external connection of said third terminal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said first and second terminals include oppositely extending fingers defining oppositely extending slots for receiving respective ones of said prongs of said external plug.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes a central portion provided with first and second detent means cooperable with said shorting bar, said first detent means being positioned to receive said shorting bar when said spool is in its normal electrically inactive position, said second detent means being positioned to receive said shorting bar when said spool is in its electrically active position, said second and third terminals extending into said second detent means for selective coaction with said shorting bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said spool includes an aperture for receiving a green ground prong of an external electrical plug, said housing having a green ground terminal positioned for cooperative engagement with said green ground prong.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Structure according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes a pair of socket prong extensions respectively connected to said first and second terminals, comprising said external connections and extending to the rear of said housing, for plug-in connection to an installed socket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
Structure according to claim 3 wherein said first and second terminals each include respective cogwheeLs journaled thereto for releasably locking said prongs in place.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
Structure according to claim 5 wherein housing includes a pair of socket prong extensions respectively connected to said first and second terminals, comprising said external connections and extending to the rear of said housing, for plug-in connection to an installed socket, said housing also including an electrically conductive extension connected to said green ground terminal and extending rearwardly of said housing, for plug-in connection to said installed socket.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electrical socket including, in combination an electrically insulative housing, an insulative spool journaled for rotation in said housing, said spool being provided with prong-receiving apertures, spring means for urging said spool outwardly, said housing having a pair of electrical terminals, said terminals each being provided with rotatable means for releasably locking the prongs of an external plug to respective ones of said terminals upon the rotational displacement of said spool, and one of said terminals including a medial, shorting bar segment keyed to said spool.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electrical socket including, in combination an electrically insulative housing, an insulative spool journaled for rotation in said housing, said spool being provided with prong-receiving apertures, spring means for urging said spool outwardly, said housing having a pair of electrical terminals, said terminals each being provided with rotatable means for releasably locking the prongs of an external plug to respective ones of said terminals upon the rotational displacement of said spool, and one of said terminals including a medial, shorting bar segment keyed to said spool.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1297909A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-06 | 1975-12-06 | 1976-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-06 | 1979-12-06 | 1980-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-06 | 1983-12-06 | 1984-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |