Patent US3812446A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3812446A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric lamp or fuse socket
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-07-10
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Granted: 1974-05-21
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Expires: 1992-07-10
Abstract
Abstract An electrical socket member is provided and includes an inner end center contact and contact shielding structure is mounted within the socket and shiftable laterally thereof between a first position overlying and thus shielding the contact and a second position disposed to one side of and thus exposing the contact. The contact shielding structure is spring-biased to the contact shielding position thereof and a centrally apertured abutment is mounted in the socket for inward and outward shifting therein and is operatively connected to the contact shielding structure for swinging the latter toward its contact exposing position in response to inward shifting of the abutment in the socket, the abutment being engageable by the base of a bulb being threaded into the socket for inward displacement of the abutment and thus shifting of the shielding structure to the contact-exposing position thereof as the bulb base approaches a fully seated position in the socket.
Inventors
- 👤 R Sinclair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:03
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H85/00; H01H85/02; H01H85/20; H01H85/2005; H01R; H01R33/00; H01R33/945; H01R33/96; H01R33/962
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
A safety electrical socket member defining an elongated outwardly opening socket and including means defining side wall portions of said socket, at least one of which side wall portions defines a first electrical contact portion for engagement by a first contact element of a body including first and second electrical contact elements adapted to be at least partially received in said socket, a second electrical contact portion supported from said socket member within the inner end of said socket and insulated relative to said first contact portion, and second electrical center contact portion shielding means supported from said socket member for movement between a first out-of-the-way position adapting said second contact portion for engagement by a second contact element carried by said body upon longitudinal advancement of said body and thereby said second contact element into said socket and a second position overlying said second contact portion disposed between the latter and the open end of said socket and thereby shielding said second contact portion against being contacted by a person''s finger inserted into said socket, means yieldingly biasing said shielding means toward said second position, and abutment means mounted in said socket for shifting longitudinally of the latter between inner and outer positions therein and engageable by said body for movement toward the inner position upon inward movement of said body in said socket, said abutment means being operatively associated with said shielding means to urge the latter, against its biasing means, toward its out-of-the-way position upon movement of said abutment means toward its inner position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
257 words
A safety electrical socket member defining an elongated outwardly opening socket and including means defining side wall portions of said socket, at least one of which side wall portions defines a first electrical contact portion for engagement by a first contact element of a body including first and second electrical contact elements adapted to be at least partially received in said socket, a second electrical contact portion supported from said socket member within the inner end of said socket and insulated relative to said first contact portion, and second electrical center contact portion shielding means supported from said socket member for movement between a first out-of-the-way position adapting said second contact portion for engagement by a second contact element carried by said body upon longitudinal advancement of said body and thereby said second contact element into said socket and a second position overlying said second contact portion disposed between the latter and the open end of said socket and thereby shielding said second contact portion against being contacted by a person''s finger inserted into said socket, means yieldingly biasing said shielding means toward said second position, and abutment means mounted in said socket for shifting longitudinally of the latter between inner and outer positions therein and engageable by said body for movement toward the inner position upon inward movement of said body in said socket, said abutment means being operatively associated with said shielding means to urge the latter, against its biasing means, toward its out-of-the-way position upon movement of said abutment means toward its inner position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said abutment means is normally biased toward its outer position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a sleeve member generally concentrically disposed in said socket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein at least some of said side wall portions define threads for threadingly receiving said body in said socket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said shielding means includes at least one panel member pivotally supported from said socket member in the inner end of said socket for rotation about an axis extending generally normal to the medial plane of said panel member and extending longitudinally of said socket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said abutment means comprises a sleve member generally concentrically disposed in said socket, said panel member including an operating arm portion shiftable generally circumferentially of said socket during pivotal movement of said panel member, and an arcuate wave spring disposed in said socket beneath said sleeve member and extending at least partially circumferentially thereabout, one end of said spring being anchored to said socket member and the other end being connected to said arm portion, said wave spring normally biasing said sleeve member toward its outer position and being compressible axially of said socket, upon inward movement of said sleeve member, to increase its effective length and swing said arm portion to pivot said panel member from its second position to its first position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
186 words
In combination with an electrical socket member of the type defining a socket including an inner end extremity and a center contact portion spaced slightly outwardly of said inner end extremity, an automatic contact shielding assembly comprising panel-like base having an opening formed therethrough and seated in said socket with said center contact projecting at least slightly through said opening, contact shielding means supported from said base above the latter and movable transversely of said base between a first position out of axial alignment with said opening and a second position in axial alignment with said opening so as to be positioned to shield said center contact, means operatively connected between said base and said contact shielding means yieldingly urging the latter toward said second position, actuator means connected to said shielding means and disposed in said socket member above said base and movable toward and away from the latter, said actuator means being adapted for engagement by a bulb or fuse base being displaced into said socket and operable, upon displacement toward said base, to effect movement of said shielding means toward said first position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
186 words
In combination with an electrical socket member of the type defining a socket including an inner end extremity and a center contact portion spaced slightly outwardly of said inner end extremity, an automatic contact shielding assembly comprising panel-like base having an opening formed therethrough and seated in said socket with said center contact projecting at least slightly through said opening, contact shielding means supported from said base above the latter and movable transversely of said base between a first position out of axial alignment with said opening and a second position in axial alignment with said opening so as to be positioned to shield said center contact, means operatively connected between said base and said contact shielding means yieldingly urging the latter toward said second position, actuator means connected to said shielding means and disposed in said socket member above said base and movable toward and away from the latter, said actuator means being adapted for engagement by a bulb or fuse base being displaced into said socket and operable, upon displacement toward said base, to effect movement of said shielding means toward said first position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
In combination an electrical socket member defining an elongated socket including an inner end extremity and a center contact portion spaced slightly outwardly of said inner end extremity, contact shielding means supported from said base for lateral shifting between an active position overlying said center contact slightly outwardly of the latter and an inactive position disposed to one side of a line containing said contact and extending longitudinally of said socket, a centrally apertured abutment mounted in said socket for shifting longitudinally thereof outwardly of said contact shielding means between inner and outer positions, means biasing said abutment toward said outer position, said abutment being operatively connected with said contact shielding means for shifting the latter between said active and inactive positions in response to shifting of said abutment between its inner and outer positions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
135 words
In combination an electrical socket member defining an elongated socket including an inner end extremity and a center contact portion spaced slightly outwardly of said inner end extremity, contact shielding means supported from said base for lateral shifting between an active position overlying said center contact slightly outwardly of the latter and an inactive position disposed to one side of a line containing said contact and extending longitudinally of said socket, a centrally apertured abutment mounted in said socket for shifting longitudinally thereof outwardly of said contact shielding means between inner and outer positions, means biasing said abutment toward said outer position, said abutment being operatively connected with said contact shielding means for shifting the latter between said active and inactive positions in response to shifting of said abutment between its inner and outer positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein said socket is internally threaded and said abutment is threadedly engaged in said socket.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |