US2657367A - Electrical socket connector with supporting clip - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1953 L. w. BROOKS 7,367

ELECTRICAL SOCKET CONNECTOR WITH SUP PORTING CLIP Original Filed May 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Shae l 27 I 26 2425 40 30 x 52 I6 .ZIg. 2.

INVENTOR.

L/A/ZY W BROOKS A TTORNEYS L. W. BROOKS Oct. 27, 1953 ELECTRICAL SOCKET CONNECTOR WITH SUPPORTING CLIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 4, 1948 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 ELECTRICAL SOCKET CONNECTOR WITH SUPPORTING CLIP Linzy W. Brooks, Portland, reg., assignor to On-A-Lite Corporation, Portland, 011681, a cor poration of Oregon Original application May 4, 1948, Serial No. 24,941.. Divided and this application Novemb 2 9, S rial N 128,588;

5 Claims.v

This invention relates to an electrical fixture for making connection with a dual conductor electric cord to energize either an individual lamp socket in the fixture or a branch conductor cord for a string or lamp sockets or thelike, the present application being a division of my pending application, Serial No. 24,941, filed May 4, 1948 for Electrical Connector Fixture, which has matured into Patent No. 2,491,463, issued December 13, 1949.

The invention relates to improvements in the type of connector fixture disclosed and claimed in my copending application serial No. 761,061, filed July 15, 1947, for Decorative Lighting Fixture, now Patent No. 2,559,706, issued July 10, 1951, wherein electrical connection is made with a dual conductor cord byforcing a pair of metal prongs or pins through the insulation of the cord and into contact with the electrical conductors therewithin. The advantages of this type of connector fixture are that it enables light sockets to be mounted at any point along a conventional dual conductor electrical cord without scraping the insulation from the wires and making a permanent type of connection requiring the use of tools or solder. Such a fixture is of particular advantage in mounting decorative lights on a conductor cord for lighting a Christmas tree or the like where the lights may have to be placed at irregular intervals on the cord to obtain the desired lighting efiect, and wherein it may be desirable to shift the lights to. different positions. on the cord from time to time, as where the same string of lights is used year after year on difierent Christmas trees. This. type of fixture permits the: lights to be moved from one position to, another along the cord without leaving parts of the bare conductor wires exposed which would have to be taped, making the cord unsightly. and

a possible fire and shock hazard if the tape should.

come off, and of course involving the work of applying the tape.

In a similar manner, this type of fixture may also be used to energize branch, conductor cords, from a, main cord to add additional strings of l h s wh e they ma be n ded The ampso ke s o e branc o d m y al o, ra ly be o e n nn or yp so. t t he ma b spa ed a ran m to g the esired gh in eiIect. In addition to, the mentioned uses, for

decorative lighting purposes, this type of fixture may further be used for making temporary or permanent connection with a twin conductor cord for any other purpose. whatsoever.

The general object of the present invention is to provide improved forms of construction for an electrical connector fixture of the type described to make the fixture more durable and of greater utility and to reduce the cost of manufacture. Particular objects are to provide a type of construction having parts which. may be easily molded of readily available plastic materials, to provide a design for the individual plastic parts which requires less complicated dies for the molding thereof, and to provide an. improved. form of construction and design, of parts to reduce the cost of assembly. Another object is to provide a form of construction for the principal molded parts which will permit the use of the same molding dies to makeparts for both a lamp socket type of fixture and extension cord connector type of fixture. Additional and more specific objects of the, invention are to provide improved forms of ram or piston element for forcing thev wires onto. the prongs or pins of the fixture, to provide an improved form of cap member including such piston element, and to provide improved means for securing a spring mounting clip to the fixture.

In the present forms of construction, the. principal part of body member may be provided with a screw threaded metallic shell to form a lamp socket or it may constitute a connector fixture for a dual conductor branch or extension cord. Th body member has a, segmental end portion defining a recess having a trans-verse channel for the conductor cord with which thefixture is to be connected, and in the bottom. of the: conductor cord channel are mounted a pair of metallic pinsv having a length justv sufficient to pierce through the insulation and into the stranded electrical conductors of a conventional rubber or plastic covered twin conductor cord: without piercing through the insulation on: the; opposite side of the cord. The conductor cord. is forced,

onto the metallic pins by a. ram. or piston: element which is projected into the said recess. The

piston element is carried by a cap member which fits over the segmental end portionof the body member; to force the piston toward the pins in the bottom of the channel so that electrical connection will be made with the two conductors of the cord in the channel when the cap is secured to the body member. When the body member constitutes a light socket, the cap is provided with a spring clip for mounting the light on a Christmas tree branch or support. The cap may be secured to the body member by a screw thread ed connection, or by the use of cooperating projections and recesses adapted resilient snap engagement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the purpose of the drawing is to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the invention, as various other changes in the form of construction and arrangement of parts will occur to persons skilled in the art, and all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view showing one form of the invention embodied in an extension cord connector type of fixture;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a similar form of the invention embodied in a lamp socket type of fixture;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 2, with the cap removed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the piston ele- F ment for the cap;

Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the manner of inserting the piston element in the p;

Figure 6 is a general view illustrating the use of both types of fixtures shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure '7 is a sectional view of another modification;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure '7 with the cap removed from the body; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view showing a different manner of securing the mounting clip to the cap of the device.

Figure 1 illustrates the construction of the branch or extension cord connector fixture shown in Figure 6, the purpose of this fixture being to connect the twin conductor branch cord H to the main twin conductor cord l2. The assembled parts of the fixture l0 comprise a body portion :5, a cap 16, a washer H and ram or piston 26.

The body l has a segmental externally threaded end portion 2| with threads 22 for securing the cap 96. The two segments of the end portion 2| define a recess comprising a transverse conductor channel 23 having a bottom wall 24. At spaced points on the wall 24, as shown in Figure 3, are mounted sharp metallic pins 25 and 25 spaced to pierce through the insulation and into the stranded conductors of a conventional size rubber or plastic covered twin conductor cord. Each pin has a flange 2'! partially sunk in a shallow recess in the wall 24, which flange serves to position the pin so that the pin will extend a definite distance out from the wall 24. Preferably, the flange 21 is not entirely embedded in the wall 24, so that the outer face of the flange may be engaged by a tool in order to rivet the inner end of the pin on the opposite side of wall 24. It is important. tha the pin not be long enough to pierce entirely through the insulation on both sides of the cord so that it might possibly push a conductor strand out through the insulation where it would be in an exposed position after the fixture is removed. It is found that the pins may easily be made to the proper length for the purpose, since most common conductor cords are of fairly uniform size and cannot be appreciably flattened in the bottom of the channel by the piston 2G. The inner or riveted end of each pin is mechanically and electrically connected with a small plate or tab 28 which is soldered to one of the conductors of the cord I I. An upstanding partition 2% is formed integral with the wall 2 to separate the soldered connections and uninsulated conductor ends to prevent short circuit, it being understood that the whole body I5 is molded or a suitable electrically insulating material.

The conductor cords l l and 12 may each ccmprise separate insulated stranded conductors adapted to be laid side b side in the bottom of the channel 23, or they may comprise the more recent type of rubber or plastic covered twin conductor cords where the insulation on the two conductors is united on adjacent sides to make a single fiat conductor cord. In either event, if the individual stranded conductors are laid flat and side by side in the bottom of the channel 23, they will thereafter be held firmly in that position by the piston 28. The end of the plug 29 is preferably provided with parallel grooves 30 to fit the conductor cord. The parts are proportioned so that when the cap it is screwed down against the shoulder Bl on the body, the grooved surfaces in the end of the piston 20 are brought close to the ends of the prongs but without touching the prongs so that the insulation on the piston side will not be pierced.

The soldered connections on the end of the cord l l are enclosed by a cover member 32 which is mounted on the body member by means of a flanged friction joint 36. In assembly, this joint is preferably permanently bonded by applying a plastic solvent such as acetone, or by using any convenient adhesive material.

The washer I: forms a bearing for the nonrotating piston as as the cap it is screwed on the body l5. In mounting the fixture on a conductor cord, the cord is laid in the channel 23 across the points of the pins 25 and 26 and the cap is engaged with the starting threads on the segmental end portion of the body member. Then, as the cap is turned down, the piston forces the conductor cord toward the bottom of the channel, causing the pins to pierce the stranded conductors and make electrical connection therewith.

In the socket fixture shown in Figure 2, similar parts are identified by the same reference numerals. The body 35, cap 36 and washer 3? are different in some respects from the corresponding elements of Figure 1, in order to adapt them to the light socket, but each of these parts possesses the same cooperating elements to cause a conductor cord in the channel 23 to be pierced by the metallic pins 25'and 25 when the piston 20 is forced into the recessed channel by screwing the cap on the body member. The body 35 is made in one piece and is provided with a screw threaded metallic shell 39 forming a socket for the lamp 40. The shell 39 has a shoulder 4| mechanically and electrically connected with the riveted end of pin 25. A resilient center contact 52 for the to bond the washer to the cap member. Still other means may be devised by persons skilled in the art for securing a spring clip in a slot or recess in the cap member extending toward or into the central piston element.

By mounting the spring clip well Within the piston element of the cap member, particularly as shown in Figure '7, the clip members may have suificient length to provide the desired spring action without causing the fixture to stand high above the branch or other support on which it is mounted. It is desirable to have the fixture mounted as close to its support as possible.

It is to be understood, of course, in Figure 7 that the spring clip may be omitted and an extension cord connected directly with the pins 25 and 26 in lieu oi the lamp socket 39 to provide an extension cord connector fitting to serve the purpose of the fixture l shown in Figures 1 and 6. The various features of novelty in the body and cap members have the same advantage and utility with an extension cord connector fitting I0 as with a lamp socket type of fitting 34.

In the various embodiments shown, the invention provides a two piece fixture by which additional lamps or extension cords may be connected with a main cord without requiring any tools or the usual skill necessary to make electrical connections. All the elements necessary for making the connection are self-contained in the body member and cap without the use of any screws or nuts which are easily lost and may result in a faulty connection if improperly applied. The threads on the threaded parts are relatively large and easy to engage, and in all embodiments the parts fit in such a manner as to make it self-evident to an unskilled person when they are put together in the proper manner. The pointed pins and electrical'oonnections associated therewith are permanently mounted in an inaccessible position so that a person connecting or disconnecting wires from the fixture cannot possibly come in contact with any energized metallic parts, or with the sharp points. The energized parts are also inaccessible to tin foil and other metallic ornaments used on Christmas trees and the like.

The fixtures may be moved about on the cord as desired from time to time without materially shortening the life of the conductor cord, or

all the fixtures may be removed from the cord to make it available for some other use. The single undivided cord channel in each embodiment allows the use of twin conductor cords without splitting the cord around a central bolt as has heretofore generally been necessary in such fixtures.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. In an electric light socket fixture having a body member with a light bulb socket in one end of the body and a conductor cord channel in the other end of the body equipped with piercing contact pins to energize said socket, a cap for said channelled end of the body member, a rotatable piston element in said cap to enter said channel and press a conductor cord in the channel against said contact pins, a contractible flanged base on said piston element seated in said cap, an annular abutment in the cap overhanging said flanged base to retain the piston element in the cap when the cap is removed from the body member, a central opening in the end of the cap, and a pair of opposed spring clip members having inner end portions insertable into said opening from the outside of the cap and clamped in the cap by said piston element to impart spring action to the outer ends of the clip members to grip a support.

2. In an electric light socket fixture having a body member'with a light bulb socket in one end of the body and a conductor cord channel in the other end of the body equipped with piercing contact pins to energize said socket, a cap for said channelled end of the body member, a longitudinally slotted piston element in said cap projecting into said channel to press a conductor cord in the channel against said contact pins, a flanged base on said piston element rotatably seated in said cap, and an annular abutment in said cap over-hanging said flanged base to retain the piston element in the cap when the cap is removed from the body member, said fianged base being contractible for assembly of the piston element in the cap by pinching together the slotted portion of the piston element.

3. In a miniature light socket fixture having body member with a light bulb socket in one end of the body and a conductor cord channel in the other end of the body equipped with piercing contact pins to energize said socket, a cap for said channelled end of the body member to press a conductor cord in said channel against said contact pins, a central opening in the end of said cap, and a pair of separate, opposed spring clip members having inner end portions clamped to: gether in said cap opening to impart spring gripping action to the outer ends of said clip members for holding the fixture in upstanding position on a support, the clamping action thus exerted on said inner end portions of said clip members constituting the sole retention for said clip members in the cap.

4. In an electric light socket fixture having a body member with a light bulb socket in one end of the body and a conductor cord channel in the other end of the body equipped with piercing contact pins to energize said socket, a cap for said channelled end of the body to press a conductor cord in said channel against said contact pins, a central opening in the end of said cap, a pair of separate, opposed spring clip members having inner ends insertable into said opening from the exterior side of the cap, and opposed wall surfaces in the cap rigidly clamping portions of said inner ends together in the cap to impart spring gripping action to the outer ends of said members for holding the fixture in upstanding position on a support, said wall surfaces constituting the sole retention means engaging said clip members to hold the clip members in the cap.

5. In an electric light socket fixture having a body member with a light bulb socket in one end of the body and a conductor cord channel in the other end of the body equipped with piercing contact pins to energize said socket, a cap for said channelled end of the body to press a conductor cord in said channel against said contact pins, a central opening in the end of said cap having two confronting spaced walls, opposed indentations in said walls, a pair of separate spring clip members having inner end portions clamped together between said walls to impart spring gripping action to the outer ends of the clip members, and projections on said inner end portions engaging said indentations with a snap fit, said confronting spaced walls constituting the sole retention for said clip members in said cap.

LINZY W. BROOKS.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 318,929 Smith May 26, 1885 1,315,317 Letiecq Sept. 9, 1919 10 1,515,860 Howard Nov. 18, 1924 1,542,706 Lang June 16, 1925 Number Number Name Date Kidston Apr. 10, 1934 Moulthrop Dec. 24, 1935 Smith Mar. 24, 1942 Wolf June 2, 1942 Belling Nov. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date England June 16, 1883 England July 3, 1934

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