US3281752A - Wiring device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1966 A. P. NEWMAN 3,281,752

- WIRING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vi m an "T g m I I; $3 W m I l g E: g a I jT M W. 722 a Oct. 25, 1966 A NEWMAN 3,281,752

WIRING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/V5. 1/ T08.

( M MW 4455 7" I? A/SWOHM United States Patent Ofilice Filed Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,576 10 Claims. (Cl. 339-41) This invention relates to a wiring device and more particularly to a new and improved electrical connector comprising two elongated electrical conductor housing members having male and female contacts, respectively, and novel means to prevent accidental contact with energized contacts.

Electrical connectors quite often are disengaged without electrically de-energizing the output or fem-ale connector. Usually the female contacts are recessed slightly into the connector body but it is relatively easy to make contact by a portion of the human body with one or more of the energized contacts, thus resulting in a dangerous and sometimes fatal shock. At the present time there are various devices commercially available for preventing accidental contact with energized female contacts. Some of such prior devices have been characterized by structures having a rotatable disc on the female connector with male entry holes therein so that the disc must be rotated to effect a mating of the male and female contacts. A disadvantage of such prior structures is that it is possible for a person to place a finger into one of these entry holes and rotate the disc until a live female contact is engaged. The present invention as hereinafter described obviates such disadvantage by providing locking means to prevent rotation of the disc during the time that the male and female contacts are disengaged.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved wiring device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wiring device having a lockable protective rotatable disc for preventing accidental bodily con tact with energized contacts.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide a new and improved electrical connector having a lockable protective rotatable disc for automatically preventing dirt and grit from entering into the female con tact.

These and other objects and advantages of this inven tion will become more readily apparent upon considera tion of the following description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an assembled side elevational view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention with a portion'thereof broken away to more clearly show the structure thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the female connector as shown in FIG. 1 showing the protective disc locked in a normal non-electrical engaging position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the electrical connector as shown in FIGURE 1 with the locking means shown in an engaged position;

FIGURE 4 shows a section of the electrical connector taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 with the locking means shown in a released position; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view -of the device shown in FIGURE 1 in a disassembled relationship.

Referring to the drawings it will be noted that an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention comprises a cylindrical insulated housing 1 having a pair of elongated electrical male contacts 4 (only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said housing and axially outwardly from the face of said housing with the inner ends thereof being embedded within hous- 3,281,752 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 ing 1. The housing 1 is preferably provided with an integral tubular outer casing 2 of aluminum or any other suit-able metal having similar properties and with an integral tubular shroud 3 which surrounds the male contacts 4. Contacts 4 are electrically engageable with a pair of elongated female contacts 6 (only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1), which are suitably embedded to extend axially of an elongated insulated housing 8. An opening or slot 5 extending axially inwardly from the face of housing 8 and parallel to the axis thereof is suitably counterbored as at 7 to receive the female contact 6. The ends of the contacts 4 and 6 remote from their engageable ends are suitably electrically connected to suitable electrically insulated conductors carried by cables generally indicated as 10 and 12, respectively, and which cables 10 and 12 are suitably connected to the housings 1 and 8, respectively. Housings 1 and 8 are preferably formed of a suitable dielectric material such as flexible molded rubber or neoprene with the ends of the cables 10 and 12 integrally mounted therein.

Extending axially outwardly from the face of housing 1 is an elongated cylindrical metallic pin member 14 whose longitudinal axis coincides with the longitudinal axis of the housing 1. Pin member 14 is embedded within housing 1 and is suitably secured therein such as by means of knurled surfaces 16. Securely mounted within housing 8 as by knurled surfaces 18 is an elongated cylindrical tubular, sleeve member 20 having an extended bore 22 therein for the reception of pin 14 and an aperture 24 defined by a circular beveled wall 25 communicating with bore 22 located inwardly adjacent the forward end of said member 20 for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained. For purposes of this description, the forward ends of housings 8 and 1 will be their mating ends, respectively.

In order to prevent entry into contacts 6 during the time that contacts 6 are electrically disengaged from contacts 4, the forward or free end of housing 8 is recessed to provide a depression 23 for receiving a circular protective insulation cover or disc 26 which substantially covers the face of housing 8 and is located adjacent thereto. Disc 26 is preferably formed of a suitable hardened material such as a plastic molding compound so that it will not be readily deformed upon the application of forces thereto. However, other durable hard materials may be employed, such as the hardened rubber-like material shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4. A central circular opening 28 in disc 26 concentric with the central axis of disc 26 is provided for accommodating sleeve member 20. Disc 26 is mounted for rotation within depression 23 about sleeve member 20 and is held in place axially by lock ring 27 mounted in an annular groove 31 located inwardly adjacent the forward end of member 20. A plurality of openings or slots 29 in disc 26 extend parallel to and are spaced radially outwardly from opening 28. When in normal position disc 26 is turned relative to housing 8 substantially from a position of alignment or registry of openings 29 with contacts 6 thereby preventing access to contacts 6.

Means are provided to bias disc 26 to the normal position or the position in which openings 29 are out of registry with contacts 6. Such means comprise an elongated, helical, torsion spring 34 located between member 20 and a sleeve 32, Sleeve 32 is suitably embedded in housing 8 and is located within a central bore 30 which is concentric with member 20 and of a larger diameter than the member 20. The spring 34 has legs 33 and 35 at the opposite ends thereof which extend radially outwardly beyond the periphery of the helical portion of spring 34, one leg 33 being captively located or confined within the walls of a slot 36 in housing 8 and the other leg 35 being similarly captively located within the walls of a slot 38 in disc 26. Looking at FIGURE 2, torsion spring 34 3 biasesrotatable disc 26 in the counterclockwise direction or in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow. Thus, if disc 26 is rotated relative to housing 3 clockwise or in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIGURE 2, against the bias of spring 34, leg 35 of spring 34 will rotate in the same direction with respect to leg 33 thereby stressing or loading spring 34 so that upon release of pressure, spring 34 will unload and rotate disc 26 in the counterclockwise direction.

Rotatable disc 26 has a bore 41 extending from circular opening 28 to the periphery of disc 26. Bore 41 is suitably counterbored to provide a passageway 40 and is further suitably counterbored to provide a passageway 45 for the reception of an adjustable set screw 50. Passageway 40 terminates in a shoulder 43 which serves as a stop for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained.

In order to prevent accidental rotation of disc 26 and thereby undesirable access to energized contacts, a slidable locking member 42, preferably in the form of an elongated plunger, is disposed within bore 41. Locking member 42 has a flange 46 which cooperates with shoulder 43 to limit movement of locking member 42 in a direction radially inwardly toward bore 22. Arranged between flange 46 of locking member 42 and adjustable set screw 50 is an elongated helical coiled compression spring 44, which constantly biases said locking member downwardly toward aperture 24. Accordingly, in the normal locking position, member 42 is received within aperture 24 of member due to the bias of spring 44, thereby locking disc 26 to housing 8. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the compression on spring 44 and accordingly the amount-of bias on locking member 42 can be adjusted by set screw '50. I

In order to limit the rotational movement of disc 26, an elongated projection or stop pin 52 is located radially outwardly with respect to bore and issuitably mounted in housing 8 extending axially outwardly from the face of housing 8. An arou ate groove 54 having its center line lying on an arc whose center coincides with the central axis of disc 26 is suitably formed in the face of disc 26 adjacent housing 8 and is located radially outwardly with respect to opening 28. Arcuate groove 54 receives projection 52 and has two end portions 56 and 58 which serve to limit arcuate movement of groove 54 and thereby rotational movement of disc 26. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the arcuate groove 54 may be in housing 8 and the projection 52 mounted on the face of disc 26, if desired.

OPERATION During the time that contacts 4 and 6 are disengaged, rotatable disc 26 will be locked to housing 8 due to the bias of locking member 42 into aperture 24, thereby preventing relative rotation between disc 26 and housing 8. At this time openings 29 in disc 26 are approximately 90 out of phase or alignment with female contacts '6. Upon inserting male contacts 4 into openings 29, pin 14 which is secured to housing 1 will enter bore 22 and engage the round end portion of locking member 42, thrusting locking member 42 upwardly out of bore 22 against the bias of spring 44. Since the wall of aperture 24 is beveled as at 25, upon rotation of disc 26 effected by manual ro tation of housing 1 and thereby contacts 4, the rounded end portion of locking member 42 will be cammed out of engagement with aperture 24 allowing disc 26 to rotate. Consequently, after locking means 42 has been thrust out of bore 22, the male contacts 4 along 'with disc 26 are rotated in a clockwise direction or in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIGURE 2 against the bias of spring 34 until end portion 58 of groove 54 abuts projection 52, as shown in FIGURE 4, at which position contacts 4 and 6 will be in alignment to complete insertion of male contacts 4 into female contact 6 to eifect an electrical connection. Since leg 35 of spring 34 is confined within the walls of slot 38 in disc 26, the leg 35 will rotate with respect to the other leg 33 of spring 34 thereby stressing or loading spring 34. Upon disengagement of male contacts 4 and pin member 1 4, spring 34 will unload or untwist to rotate disc 26 counterclockwise until the end portion 56 of groove 54 abuts projection 52, at which position locking member 42 is aligned with and will be thrust into aperture 24 by compression spring 44, thereby locking disc 26 to housing 8.

A further embodiment of the present invention contemplates the use of a spiral groove in metallic pin member 14 cooperatively engageable with a pin mounted on disc 26 and extending into bore 22. In the operation of this embodiment, the male connector is inserted directly into the female connector and rotation of the disc is effected by the spiral groove and pin arrangement rather than by hand as in the first embodiment.

The above described invention provides a simple means for preventing accidental contact with energized female contacts and for protecting female contacts from dirt and other objectional foreign matter. It is to be appreciated that the diameter of bore 22 and cooperating pin 14 is relatively small with respect to the diameter of contacts 4 and 6 so that insertion of a finger, for example, into bore 22 is impossible. Although as shown and described, a pair of mating contacts have been employed it will be obvious that if desired more or less than two contacts may be so located in the housings l and 8. Inaddition, although various components have been described as circular, various cooperable configurations may be employed. Althou'ghlocking member 42 is shown preferably as a cylindrical plunger, other configurations of the locking member could be employed.

Preferred embodiments of this invention having been described in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be realized that modifications thereof may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is respectfully requested that this invention be interpreted as broadly as possible and be limited only by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A wiring device comprising: an elongated housing member having at least one electrical contact therein which is engageable from one end of said housing member, means overlying and rotatably mounted adjacent said one end of said housing member, said means having at least one opening extending ttherethrough, means biasing said first mentioned means relative to said housing member to at least one position whereat said contact and said opening are out of alignment, a member extending axially outwardly from said one end of said housing member and having a bore therein, a passageway located in said first mentioned means communicating with said bore, a member slidable in said passageway and having a portion thereof projectable into said bore for locking said first mentioned means in said one position.

2. A wiring device comprising: a housing member having a face portion, a tubular member having a transverse opening therein rigidly secured in said housing member and extending axially outwardly from the face portion thereof, said housing member having at least one opening therein extending axially inwardly from said face portion, an electrical contact disposed in said opening, a disc member rotatably mounted about said tubular member adjacent to the face portion of said housing member and having at least one opening therethrough which is in registry with the opening in said housing member, means for rotatively biasing said disc relative to said housing memher to at least one position in which said openings are out of registry, a plunger slidably mounted in said disc member, and means for biasing said plunger into the transverse opening of said tubular member for locking said disc in said one position.

3. A wiring device comprising: a first elongated housing member having at least one electrical contact therein which is engageable from one end of said housing member, means overlying and rotatably mounted adjacent said one end of said first housing member, said means having at least one opening extending therethrough, means rotatively biasing said first mentioned means relative to said first housing member to at least one position whereat said contact and said opening are out of alignment, a member extending axially outwardly from said one end of said housing member and having a bore therein, a passageway located in said first mentioned means communicating with said bore, a member slid'able in said passageway and having a portion thereof projectable into said bore for locking said first mentioned means in said one position, a second elongated housing member having at least one electrical contact therein, said contacts in said first and second housing members respectively being engageable with each other, and means on said second housing member operatively engageable with said portion of said slidable member for thrusting said portion of said slidable member out of said bore so that said first mentioned means may be moved to a position whereat said contact of said first housing member is accessible through said opening in said first mentioned means.

4. A wiring device comprising: a first housing member having a face portion, a tubular member having a transverse opening therein rigidly secured in said first housing member and extending axially outwardly'from the face portion thereof, said first housing member having at least one opening therein extending axially inwardly from said face portion, an electrical contact disposed in said opening, a disc member rotatably mounted about said tubular member adjacent to the face portion of said first housing member and having at least one opening therein which is in registry with the opening in said first housing member, means for rotatively biasing said disc relative to said first housing member to at least one position in which said openings are out of registry, a plunger slidably mounted in said disc, and means for biasing a portion of said plunger into the transverse opening of said tubular member for locking said disc in said one position, a second housing member having at least one electrical contact therein, said contacts in said first and second housing members respectively being engageable with each other, and means on said second housing member operatively engageable with said plunger for thrusting said plunger out of said transverse opening.

5. A wiring device comprising: a housing having at least one electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one surface of said housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said housing adjacent to and overlying said surface of said housing, said cover means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said housing having a portion extending outwardly from said surface and into said opening in said cover means, said portion of said housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof, said portion of said housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said housing, and said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said housing and partially within said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said housing.

6. A wiring device comprising: a housing having at least one electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one surface of said housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said housing adjacent to and overlying said surface of said housing, said cover means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said housing having a portion extending outwardly from said surface and into said opening in said cover means, said portion of said housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof, said portion of said housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said housing, said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said housing and partially within said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said housing, and cooperable stop means on said housing and said cover to limit rotation of said cover to a position where said open portion is in registry with said contact.

7. A wiring device comprising: an elongated housing having at least one elongated electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one end of said housing, said elongated contact having the central axis thereof spaced from and parallel to the central axis of said housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said housing adjacent to and overlying said end of said housing, said cover means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said housing having a central portion extending axially outwardly from said end and into said opening in said cover means, said portion of said housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof coaxial with the central axis of said housing, said portion of said housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said housing, and said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said housing and partially with in said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said housing.

8. A wiring device comprising: a first housing having at least one electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one surface of said first housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said first housing adjacent to and overlying said surface of said first housing, said cover means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said first housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said first housing having a portion extending outwardly from said surface and into said opening in said cover means, said portion of said first housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof, said portion of said first housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said first housing, said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said first housing and partially within said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said first housing; a second housing having at least one electrical contact thereon, said electrical contacts in said housings being engageable with each other, and means of said second housing operatively engageable with the portion of said moveable portion located within said bore to move said moveable portion out of said bore to release said cover for rotation.

9. A wiring device comprising: a first housing having at least one electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one surface of said first housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said first housing adjacent to and overlying said surface of said first housing, said cover means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said first housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said first housing having a portion extending outwardly from said portion of said first housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof, said portion of said first housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said first housing, said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said first housing and partially within said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said first housing; a second housing having at least one electrical contact thereon, said electrical contacts in said housing being engageable with each other, means of said second housing operatively engageable with the portion of said moveable portion located within said bore to move said moveable portion out of said bore to release said cover for rotation, and said last mentioned means being received within said bore to provide a pivot shaft for rotating said second housing with respect to said first housing.

10. A wiring device comprising: an elongated first housing having at least one elongated electrical contact therein which contact is engageable from one end' of said first housing, said elongated contact having the central axis thereof spaced from and paralled to the central axis of said first housing, cover means rotatably mounted on said first housing adjacent to and overlying said end of said first housing, said cover 'means having an open portion locatable in and out of registry with said contact upon rotation of said cover means, means biasing said cover means relative to said first housing to one position whereat said open portion is out of registry with said contact, said cover means having an opening extending therethrough, said first housing having a central portion extending axially outwardly from said end and into said opening in said cover means, said portion of said first housing having a bore extending inwardly from the outer end thereof coaxial with the central axis of said first housing, said portion of said first housing having an opening extending laterally therethrough from said bore, said cover means having a chamber therein communicating with said opening in said cover means, means within said chamber having a moveable portion biased into engagement with said portion of said first housing, said moveable portion extending at least in part through said opening in said portion of said first housing and partially within said bore to releasably retain said cover means in said one position when said moveable portion is aligned with said opening in said portion of said first housing, a second elongated housing having an axially extending member closely received within said bore upon insertion therein and engageable with the portion of said moveable portion located within said bore to move said moveable portion out of said bore to release said cover for rotation, and said second housing having an axially extending contact engageable with said electrical contact in said first housing when said open portion is in registry with said contact in said first housing.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 838,702 12/1938 France.

728,178 10/1942 Germany.

464,250 4/1937 Great Britain.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Examiner.

.T. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A WIRING DEVICE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HOUSING MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICAL CONTACT THEREIN WHICH IS ENGAGEABLE FROM ONE END OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER, MEANS OVERLYING AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER, SAID MEANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, MEANS BIASING SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING MEMBER TO AT LEAST ONE POSITION WHEREAT SAID CONTACT AND SAID OPENING ARE OUT ALIGNMENT, A MEMBER EXTENDING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER AND HAVING A BORE THEREIN, A PASSAGEWAY LOCATED IN SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE, A MEMBER SLIDABLE IN SAID PASSAGEWAY AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF PROJECTABLE INTO SAID BORE FOR LOCKING SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEANS IN SAID ONE POSITION.

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