Patent ID: 6159025
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A locking device for securing an electric cord power plug or other plug device that is connected to an electric powered equipment, said locking device comprising:(a) a rigid plastic body having a rectangular box-like shape, said body having a generally planar front surface, back surface, top surface and bottom surface, said body incorporating and including the following features:a rectangular shaped box cavity located inside one half of said body, extending from near one end of the device;two vertical parallel slot openings in said front surface, cut through to communicate with said cavity and having a length extending to the center longitudinal axis of said body, said slot openings being sized and spaced apart to receive two parallel prongs projecting from a power plug, each of said parallel prongs having a first hole in its tip, one of said slot openings being slightly wider and taller than the other to allow for a non-grounded plug having only two prongs;a groove formed in said bottom surface underneath and between said slot openings, and extending across the width of said body, said groove being sized to receive a ground prong, said groove together with said parallel slot openings forming an electrical plug receptacle;a straight, tubular first passage located along the approximate longitudinal axis of said body and extending from near one end of said body to near its distal end, said first passage being aligned so that it passes through the ends of said parallel slots at a location coincident with the position of said first hole in each of said prongs when said prongs are inserted in said slots; and,a straight, tubular second passage bored through said body and intersecting said first passage at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, said second passage having a diameter sufficient to allow passing through a wire cable, shaft or padlock shackle, said second passage being located close to the body end furthest from said plug receptacle; and(b) a floating pin located in said first passage in said body, said pin having a length sufficient to extend across and beyond both said slot openings, and a diameter sized to pass easily through said first hole in said prongs;said pin falling away from said slot openings when said body is turned with its end nearest to said second passage, titled downwards, allowing insertion of a power plug in said receptacle; said pin passing through said first hole in each of said parallel prongs, and remaining in position across said prongs when said body is turned with its receptacle end downwards, said pin being prevented from moving out of said parallel prongs when a wire cable, a shaft or a padlock shackle is passed through and held within said second passage in said body, effectively locking said power plug to said body.