Improvements relating to Plug Contacts or Contact Plugs for Electric Circuits.
Year: 1899

page_text: NO VIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Plug Contacts or Contact Plugs for
Electric Circuits.
I, OWEN DAVID LUCAS, Electrical Engineer, of 39, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to construct a multiple contact plug or plug
connector suitable for the electric lighting of theatre stages.
The improved plug connector chiefly comprises a box preferably of rectangular
or semicircular cross section and containing on its inner surface a series of two
or more stationary spring contact pieces or contact plates, and a removeable plug
provided on its underside or on three sides with a series of two or more metallic
contact plates adapted to make contact with the fixed contact plates, when the
plug is placed in the box.
The box is preferably made of a metallic outer box or casing provided with
a detachable bottom and a hinged lid, and an inner box or lining made of
specially prepared wood, or vulcanite or other insulating material, having in
its upper surface two or more grooves for the metallic contact plates, which
may be horse-shoe shaped, semicircular, or any other suitable shape. Each of
the said contact plates is connected at the bottom with a leading-in wire which
passes through an opening in the end wall of the metallic box, and each of the
contact plates on the plug is connected on its upper side with a leading-out wire
passing through an opening in the opposite end of the plug, which is hollow
and provided with a detachable cover.
That end of the contact plug which is nearest to the leading-in wires has a
metallic hook adapted to enter a horizontal slot in the metallic outer wall of the
ox, and the opposite end of the plug has a cylindrical boss or extension through
hich pass the leading-out wires and which serves as an handle for introducing
he plug into the box and lifting-it out of the same.
The outer end of the handle may be provided with a screw cap or split clamping
ush for the leading-out wires. The entire box is sunk in a recess of the floor,
that the latter will be level with the lid of the box, and the lid extends
yond the end of the box so as to cover and protect the handle.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1899.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Plug Contacts or Contact Plugs for
Electric Circuits.
I, OWEN DAVID LUCAS, Electrical Engineer, of 39, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention has for its object to construct a multiple contact plug connector,
suitable for the electric lighting of theatre stages.
The improved plug connector chiefly comprises a box, preferably of rectangular
or semicircular cross section and containing on its inner surface a series of two
or more stationary contact pieces or contact plates, and a removable plug pro-
vided on its underside or on two or three sides with a series of two or more
metallic contact plates adapted to make contact with the fixed contact plates,
mentioned above, when the plug is placed in the box.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a double contact plug embodying
my invention,
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same,
Fig. 3 is an end view,
Fig. 4 is a plan, showing the lid of the contact box half open.
The box is preferably made of a metallic outer box or casing a provided with
a hinged lid, an inner box or lining made of specially prepared wood, or
vulcanite or other insulating material, and two or more metallic contact plates
or strips which may be horse-shoe shaped, semicircular, or of any other suit-
able shape. Each of the said contact plates is connected at the bottom with a
leading-in wire which passes through an opening a in the end wall of the
metallic box, and each of the contact plates or strips e on the plug is con-
nected on its upper side with a leading-out wire passing through an opening in
the opposite end of the plug, which is hollow and provided with a detachable
cover m.
That end of the contact plug d which is nearest to the leading-in wires has
a metallic hook f adapted to enter a horizontal slot n in the metallic outer wall
of the box, and the opposite end of the plug has a cylindrical boss or extension
through which pass the leading-out wires and which serves as a handle for
introducing the plug into the box and lifting it out of the same.
The outer end of the handle may be provided with a screw cap or split clamping
bush for the leading-out wires. The entire box is sunk in a recess of the floor,
so that the latter will be level with the lid of the box, and the lid e extends
beyond the end of the box, so as to cover and protect the handle, as indicated
by Fig. 1.
In the drawings. h is a thin vulcanite bottom, to protect the edges of the
metallic strips b: kan opening for the handle of the plug are thin linings
of vulcanite fixed to the box ad is a vulcanite lining fixed to the lid c:
ga vulcanite envelope for the handle g; b, bare the terminals for the leading-in
wires, and the clamping nuts for the leading-out wires.
The body of the plug is composed of a metallic core and an inner and outer
vulcanite lining.
The sides of the U shaped contact plates e are slightly divergent and elastic.
so as to form a spring contact with the stationary contact plates b. If preferred,
however. the sides of the contact plates b, may be made elastic, instead of or
in addition to the contact plates c.

page_text: The multiple contact plug shown by the drawings is designed for simultaneously
making and breaking two independent electric circuits.
cuits, it is only necessary to open the lid e, grasp the handle g of the plug,
For closing the cir-
introduce the plug into the open box a
extremity of the hook f passes through the slot n, and then to press the plug
obliquely from the top, so that the
downward with one hand or allow it to drop until the strips e, e rest on the
strips b, b, after which the lid is again closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A plug contact device for two or more electric circuits, chiefly comprising
a stationary box open at the top and provided on its inner surface with a series
of two or more stationary contact strips, and a removable contact plug provided
on its underside, or on two or three sides, with a series of two or more metallic
contact strips adapted to make contact with the said stationary contact strips,
when the plug is in the box, the whole being arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as described.
2. In a plug contact device, the combination of an open stationary box a
having contact strips h, an opening for the leading-in wires at one end, and an
opening for the plug handle at the other end, with a contact plug d having
contact strips e, e, a hollow plug handle at one end and a hook f at the other
end, substantially as described.
3. In a plug contact device, the combination of a stationary contact box open
at the top, with a plug adapted to make contact by hooking it under one end
of the box, and then pressing the plug down with one hand, substantially as
lescribed.
Dated this 21st day of Inuil 1000.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and, 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.