Waterproof lamp socket construction

Claim 1

A waterproof lamp socket construction, comprising in combination: a socket body having a hollow extending axially therethrough, the hollow including a large diameter portion extending rearwardly from a front end of the socket body and a smaller diameter portion adjacent a rear end of the socket body thereby to define between the larger and smaller diameter portions an annular step portion which faces toward said front end of the socket body; a tubular ferrule of electrically conducting material received in the larger diameter portion of the hollow in the socket body, said tubular ferrule including a wedge shaped protuberance which is embedded in the inside surface of the socket body thereby to lock the tubular ferrule against displacement relative to the socket body; an insulating plate having a foot contact thereon and mounted within the ferrule for axial displacement within limits; a cylindrical packing of elastic material intimately plugged into the smaller diameter portion of the hollow in the socket body for watertightly sealing the rear end of the hollow, the packing including a flange on a front end thereof and a first annular rib formed on a rear surface of said flange, said first annular rib being intimately held against said annular step portion of the socket body, said packing further including second annular ribs about a major portion thereof and pressed against the wall of the smaller diameter portion of the hollow of the socket body, said first and second annular ribs being arranged to constitute a labyrinth seal; a spring compressed between the insulating plate and the flange of the packing thereby to bias said insulating plate and said flange in opposite directions thereby pressing said annular rib against said annular step portion; and an annular gasket disposed about the socket body, said gasket having a pair of opposite ridges one of which is fast held against a flange formed about the socket body.