Electrical wiring system and ejectable device therein

Claim 2

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means on opposite sides of said socket in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members extending from said spaced terminals and comprising substantially congruous resilient fingers having the free ends thereof adapted to protrude from openings in the opposite sides of said body for engagement with said power-line connecting means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said terminals, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, f. spring detent means connected to said fusible link for retaining said body within said casing and said electrically conductive members in circuit with said power-line connecting means, as long as said fusible link is in circuit-making position, and adapted to be disabled upon rupture of said fusible link to permit said resilient means to eject said body from said casing, at least partially, g. said electrically conductive members each comprising a resilient portion adjacent to each finger, normally biased to spring said free ends into said body, pivoted yoke means in engagement with said resilient portions to maintain said resilient portions in extended position for engagement with said power-line connecting means, and means responsive to the rupture of said fusible link to inactivate said yoke means to permit said resilient fingers to spring into said body and said resilient means to exert its ejecting force.

Claim 3

A device as set forth in claim 1, iNcluding safety means connected to said yoke means for relieving the transmission of any mechanical strain to said fusible link in the course of insertion of said body into said casing.

Claim 4

A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said yoke means comprises a pair of wings pivotally connected together at their inner ends with the outer end of each wing in engagement with an opening provided in the resilient portion of each conductive member, one of said wings being of conductive material with said fusible link connected therefrom to one of said spaced terminals, and the other one of said wings formed of insulating material for only mechanical connection with the other one of said spaced terminals.

Claim 5

A device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said wing of conductive material is connected with the hot line of the power-connecting means.

Claim 6

A device as set forth in claim 3, including safety means connected to said yoke means for relieving the transmission of any mechanical strain to said fusible link in the course of insertion of said body into said casing, comprising a substantially rigid bar extending between the wing of insulating material and the front of said body adjacent to said last-mentioned terminal, said bar having a readily frangible portion at the front of said body to inactivate said safety means following the insertion of said body into said casing.

Claim 7

A device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said fusible link connected to the wing of conductive material is constituted by a low-melting point wire of predetermined rating, with enlargements at the opposite end thereof adapted to be readily engaged with a slotted opening in at least said last-mentioned wing.

Claim 8

A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said safety means comprises a flexible tie member extending around the pivotal mounting of said wing members and through the spaced slots at the front of said body adapted to be severed following the insertion of said body into said casing.

Claim 9

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members in circuit with said spaced terminals having the ends thereof remote from said terminals adapted to engage said power-line connecting means with at least one of said ends functioning with the latter as both mechanical latching means as well as electrically conductive means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said spaced terminals and electrically conductive members, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, and f. spring detent means, for retaining said body in mechanically latched position within said casing, and in circuit-making position between said spaced terminals and said power line connecting means, as long as said fusible link is in circuit-making position, and adapted to be disabled upon rupture of said fusible link to permit said resilient means to eject said body, at least partially, from said casing.

Claim 10

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members in circuit with said spaced terminals having the ends thereof remote from said terminals adapted to engage said power-line connecting means with at least one of said ends functioning with the latter as both mechanical latching means as well as electrically conductive means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said spaced terminals and electrically conductive members, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, and f. spring detent means, for retaining said body in mechanically latched position within said casing, and in circuit-making position between said spaced terminals and said power line connecting means, as long as said fusible link is in circuit-making position, and adapted to be disabled upon rupture of said fusible link to permit said resilient means to eject said body, at least partially, from said casing.

Claim 11

A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said fusible link is in circuit with the spaced terminal and electrically conductive member connected to the hot-side of the power line.

Claim 12

A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein both electrically conductive members are adapted to have the free ends thereof in engagement with the power-line connecting means in mechanically latching and electrically conducting engagement.

Claim 13

A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said power-line connecting means are on the opposite sides of said sockets, and with the free ends of the electrically conductive members in engagement therewith being disposed in allochiral relation.

Claim 14

A device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said power-line connecting means in said socket terminate in concavely shaped seats, and correspondingly contoured surfaces on the free ends of said conductive members for nesting engagement within said seats.

Claim 15

A device as set forth in claim 8, including an additional terminal within said body spaced from said pair of terminals opposite an additional opening in the front of said body adapted to accommodate a grounding prong of an attachment plug, and electrical connections between said additional terminal and casing adapted to have a ground connection in circuit with the latter.

Claim 16

A device as set forth in claim 13, wherein said last-mentioned circuit includes said resilient means in said casing which effects the ejection of said body.

Claim 17

A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said spaced power-line connecting means are disposed in proximity to the rear of said socket.

Claim 18

A device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the walls of said socket in front of said power-line connecting means are flared toward the front thereof for guiding the free ends of said electrically conductive members into circuit-making position upon the insertion of said body within said socket.

Claim 19

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means on opposite sides of said socket in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members extending from said spaced terminals and comprising substantially congruous resilient fingers having the free ends thereof adapted to protrude from openings in the opposite sides of said body for engagement with said power-line connecting means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said terminals, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, f. spring detent means, comprising said resilient fingers, connected to said fusible link for retaining said body within said casing and said spaced terminals in circuit with said power line connecting means, and g. a spacer of insulating material within said body between said resilient fingers for supporting said fusible link and maintaining said resilient fingers in extended position through said openings in the operative condition of said fusible link, said spacer adapted to shift its position upon rupture of said fusible link to effect the withdrawal of said resilient fingers into said body to permit said resilient means to eject said body from said casing, at least partially.

Claim 20

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means on opposite sides of said socket in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members extending from said spaced terminals and comprising substantially congruous resilient fingers having the free ends thereof adapted to protrude from openings in the opposite sides of said body for engagement with said power-line connecting means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said terminals, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, f. spring detent means, comprising said resilient fingers, connected to said fusible link for retaining said body within said casing and said spaced terminals in circuit with said power line connecting means, and g. a spacer of insulating material within said body between said resilient fingers for supporting said fusible link and maintaining said resilient fingers in extended position through said openings in the operative condition of said fusible link, said spacer adapted to shift its position upon rupture of said fusible link to effect the withdrawal of said resilient fingers into said body to permit said resilient means to eject said body from said casing, at least partially.

Claim 21

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means on opposite sides of said socket in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members extending from said spaced terminals for engagement with said power-line connecting means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said terminals, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, f. spring detent means connected to said fusible link for retaining said body within said casing and said electrically conductive members in circuit with said power-line connecting means, as long as said fusible link is in circuit-making position, and adapted to be disabled upon rupture of said fusible link to permit said resilient means to eject said body at least partially from said casing, g. said electrically conductive members comprising an electrically conductive transversely reciprocating bar in circuit with said fusible link provided with a camming edge at the outer end thereof for enabling inward movement of said bar in the course of insertion of said body into said casing, spring means for forcing said bar into electrical contact and in latching mechanical engagement with the electric terminal connected to the ''''hot'''' side of said power line, and a lever system with secondary spring means of greater force than that of said first-mentioned spring means connected to said bar for compelling the movement thereof in the reverse direction in response to the rupture of said fusible link.

Claim 22

An electrical outlet device comprising a. a casing provided with a socket at the front thereof and spaced power-line connecting means on opposite sides of said socket in the interior thereof, b. a body having a pair of spaced slots at the front thereof for receiving corresponding prongs of an attachment plug, and a pair of spaced terminals in said body in alignment with said slots, c. electrically conductive members extending from said spaced terminals for engagement with said power-line connecting means, d. a fusible link in circuit with one of said terminals, e. resilient means between said casing and the rear end of said body and biased to exert an ejecting force on the latter, f. spring detent means connected to said fusible link for retaining said body within said casing and said electrically conductive members in circuit with said power-line connecting means, as long as said fusible link is in circuit-making position, and adapted to be disabled upon rupture of said fusible link to permit said resilient means to eject said body at least partially from said casing, g. said electrically conductive members comprising an electrically conductive transversely reciprocating bar in circuit with said fusible link provided with a camming edge at the outer end thereof for enabling inward movement of said bar in the course of insertion of said body into said casing, spring means for forcing said bar into electrical contact and in latching mechanical engagement with the electric terminal connected to the ''''hot'''' side of said power line, and a lever system with secondary spring means of greater force than that of said first-mentioned spring means connected to said bar for compelling the movement thereof in the reverse direction in response to the rupture of said fusible link.