Electrical coupler

Claim 1

An electrical coupler for releasably connecting a hanging lamp by a hanging chain to a ceiling mount of an electrical receptacle, said coupler comprising: (a) a first housing having an uninterruptible electrical and mechanical connection to a suitable intermediate point of said hanging chain, said point thusly defining upper and lower segments of said hanging chain, said first housing having an upper end facing the ceiling and a lower end disposed oppositely therefrom, said lower end defining an open face of said first housing; (b) an electrical socket means secured within said open face of said lower end of said first housing, said socket means axially secured within said first housing, said socket means comprising a substantially integral insulative body; (c) a second housing having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end defining an open face of said second housing, said lower end disposed oppositely therefrom, said open face of said second housing comprising a structure complementary to, and engagable with, said open face of said first housing; (d) an electrical plug press-fittable into said electrical socket means of said first housing, said plug set within said open upper end of said second housing, said plug comprising a substantially integral insulative body; (e) electrical mechanical extension means extending axially downward from said plug through the lower end of said second housing to an exit area within said lower end of said second housing, said exit area comprising an electrical and mechanical interface to the lower segment of said hanging chain, to the other end of said lower segment permanently attached to said hanging lamp; and (f) exterior circumferential securement means for holding said first and second housings together after said electrical socket means and plug are connected, whereby said second housing and its associated plug and extension means constitute a permanent part of said hanging chain which permanent part thereby permits convenient, releasable coupling and decoupling of said lower segment of said hanging chain to said first housing and to its electrical socket means.