US2697210A - Socket member and contact therefor - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14, 1954 s. M. DEL CAMP SOCKET MEMBER AND CONTACT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fla. 2.

Filed July 19, 1950 INVENTOR S umoua D EL CAMP,

ATTORNTEY Dec. 14, 1954 s. M. DEL CAMP SOCKET MEMBER AND CONTACT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1950 \NvEmoR Scnmma M. DEL CAMP, BY 8 9m J AOL ATTORNEY 2,697,210 SOCKET MEMBER AND CONTACT THEREFOR Scipione M. Del Camp, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application July 19, 1950, Serial No. 174,609 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-14) This invention relates to improvements in socket devices and a contact therefor for use in combination with electrical units providing prong-like terminals with one of the units shielded by a metal shield device.

One object of my invention is the provision of a socket body carrying a grounding contact which provides a spring arm for electrical engagement with a metal shield surrounding a plug unit inserted into the socket body from one side thereof and which also provides a contact portion for electrical engagement with a prong terminal of a plug unit inserted into the socket body from an opposite side thereof, thereby grounding the shield.

' my invention is the provision of a inspection set forth.

Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. l is a side elevation of a socket member carrying my improved grounding contact in combination with a vacuum tube having a metal shield and a second plug unit;

Fig. 2 is a top view With the tube and shield Fig. 3 is her per se;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3, the grounding contact being omitted;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.

ig. 6 is an enlarged of the installation shown in Fig. 1 omitted; an enlarged bottom view of the socket mem- 3 with the grounding contact included;

section taken along the line 66 an enlarged section taken on the line 77 top view of the grounding contact per se. to the preferred socket installation illustrated have shown a socket unit 1 carrying a series of prong-receiving contacts 2 (Fig. 3) and a contact 3 (Fig. 3). upper side of the socket body 1 and provides prong terminals 5 in electrical engagement with the contact members 2 through the upper side of the socket body. A cylindrical metal shield 6 encloses the tube 4 and preferably is disposed With its lower end 7 adjacent the upper surface of the socket body 1. A second plug unit 8 carries prong terminals 9 which engage electrically the contact members 2 and the grounding contact 3. Lead wires (not shown) are soldered to the terminals 9. my preferred installation the plug unit 8 is secured to the under surface 19 of a metal supporting plate 11 by means of the rivets 12. An opening 13 is provided in the plate 11 into which the prong terminals 9 project and which receives the socket unit 1 when the plug unit 3 and socket unit 1 are in electrical engagement.

Referring in detail to the construction of the socket unit 1, l have provided a socket body 14 which is p erably made of one piece of insulating material. body 14 provides a 2,697,210 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 the aperture 16 and receiving the contact members 2 which may be of the type illustrated and described in with my co-pendmg application, serial numconnection ber 171,430. Each of 18 leading to the upper surface 19 of the socket body gages a contact member 2 when the nection.

The by a radially-disposed recess 22 which extends from the lower surface 21 toward the upper surface 19 and terminates adjacent abutments aperture tend from the upper surface 19 downwardly and terminate at shoulders 27-27.

Referring particularly to the construction of the ground contact 3, the contact is preferably made from one piece of spring metal and provides, as most clearly shown in Figs 5, '7 and 8, a pair of oppositely-facing vieldable arm passage 16. The hook-like portions 36-36 in the initial assembling action will In view of the tions 36-36 3030 disposed in alignment with the aperture 16 and extending through the passage 15 to position the inwardly-extending portion 33 in spaced superposed relation to the upper surface 19 of the socket of the socket body provides portions 38 on opposite sides of the opening 15 which extend inwardly into the opening 15 adjacent the passage 16. The portions 38-38 are spaced apart a predetermined distance to engage the broad outer surface 39 of the arms 2828 to hold the arms in proper spaced-apart relationship to enable the bowed portions 30-30 to engage and resiliently grip the prong terminal 9 inserted therebetween.

In assembling the socket unit 1 with the plug unit 8, the socket body is moved downwardly in the direction of the plug unit to engage the contact members 2 with an annular series of prong terminals 9 and the bowed portions 30-30 of the contact 3 with a prong terminal 9 disposed centrally of the plug unit. The tube 4 is moved into engagement with the socket unit by projecting the prong terminals 5 through the openings 18 into engagement with the contact members 2. Thereafter the shield 6 is moved downwardly over the tube 4 and as the lower end 7 of the shield contacts the camrning portion 34 of the spring arm 32 the arm is forced outwardly. As a result of the inherent resiliency of the arm 32, it tends to return toward normal position thereby engaging the outer surface of the shield under firm tension. Thus, it will be seen that the contact 3 operates to ground the shield 6 by effecting an electrical circuit through the arm 32 to the bowed elements 30 which are in electrical connection with a lead-oif terminal 9.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 do not wish to be limited thereby as the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical socket installation comprising a one piece socket body having upper and lower surfaces, body carrying a plurality of prong-receiving contact members and a grounding contact, said grounding contact having a terminal grounding element extending above said upper surface of said body and a prong-engaging portion,

a plug unit disposed adjacent the upper surface of said body having prong terminals in electrical engagement with said contact members through said upper surface, a metal shield member shielding said plug unit and electrically engaged with said grounding element, and a second plug unit having a prong terminal in electrical engagement with said prong-engaging portion of said grounding contact through said lower surface of said socket body. 2. An electrical socket installation comprising a one piece socket body having upper and lower surfaces, said body carrying a plurality of prong-receiving contact members and a grounding contact, said grounding contact having prong-engaging portions in alignment with an opening in the lower surface of said body and a spring grounding arm extending through an opening in the upper surface of said body, a vacuum tube disposed adjacent the upper surface of said body having prong terminals in electrical engagement with said contact members through said upper surface, a metal shield member surrounding said tube, said spring grounding arm resiliently engaging the outer surface of said shield member, and a plug unit disposed adjacent the lower surface of said socket body, said unit having a prong terminal in electrical engagement with said prong-engaging portion of said grounding contact through said lower surface of said socket body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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