Improvements in Connectors for Conductors used with Electrical Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Connectors for Conductors used with Electrical
Apparatus.
We ROOKES EVELYN BELL CROMPTON and HERBERT JOHN DOWSING,
Engineers, of Mansion House Buildings in the City of London, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
In the ordinary form of connectors for conductors used with electrical apparatus
the parts consist of a plug or male portion provided with one two or more
projections which fit into corresponding holes or recesses in the socket or female
portion of the connector. Whenever the socket portion of the connector is left
permanently in connection with the source of electric supply there is always a
danger that an accident may occur through any one accidentally or maliciously
connecting the holes or recesses by a piece of metal thus causing a short circuit
and consequent damage to the conductors.
By the present improvements we protect these holes by providing them with a
movable shield or cover. This cover is pierced with holes designed when in one
position to register or correspond with the holes or recesses which it protects and
it is arranged so that in that one position the holes of this cover register or
correspond with the holes to be protected and the plug part of the connector can
then be introduced. At the time that it is desired to disconnect and the plug is
withdrawn from the socket the shield, which has a constant tendency to be moved
by a spring, automatically revolves and covers up the holes.
This shield may take the form of a revolving disc having holes in it, or of a
revolving cylinder having holes in it, or of a slider moving laterally or vertically
or in equivalent manner.
The holes or apertures in the shield may either correspond in form with the
sockets they are intended to protect, or may have slotted prolongations having for
their object the locking of the socket in position. In cases where the socket
portion of the connector is placed in the floor of the building such as on the
stage of a theatre or other public place or on the floor of a dwelling room or
warehouse, our movable shield serves the purpose not only of protecting the parts
from short circuiting as above mentioned, but also prevents dust and dirt from
finding their way into the holes or recesses.
Dated the 13th day of June 1894.
Improvements in Connectors for Conductors used with Electrical
Apparatus.
We, ROOKES EVELYN BELL CROMPTON and HERBERT JOHN DOWSING,
Engineers of Mansion House Buildings in the City of London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the ordinary form of connectors for conductors used with electrical apparatus
the parts consist of a plug or male portion provided with one, two or more
projections which fit into corresponding holes or recesses in the socket or female
portion of the connector. Whenever the socket portion of the connector is left
permanently in connection with the source of electric supply there is always a
danger that an accident may occur through anyone accidentally or maliciously
connecting the holes or recesses by a piece of metal thus causing a short circuit
and consequent damage to the conductors.
By the present improvements we protect these holes by providing them with a
moveable shield or cover.
This cover is pierced with holes designed when in one position to register or
correspond with the holes or recesses which it protects and it is arranged so that in
that one position the holes of this cover register or correspond with the holes to be
protected and the plug part of the connector can then be introduced. At the
time that it is desired to disconnect and the plug is withdrawn from the socket the
shield which has a constant tendency to be moved by a spring automatically
revolves and covers up the holes. This shield may take the form of a revolving
dise having holes in it, or of a revolving cylinder having holes in it, or of a slider
moving laterally or vertically or in equivalent manner. The holes or apertures
in the shield may either correspond in form with the sockets they are intended to
protect or may have slotted prolongations having for their object the locking of
the socket in position.
In cases where the socket portion of the connector is placed in the floor of the
building such as on the stage of a theatre or other public place or on the floor of
a dwelling room or warehouse, our moveable shield serves the purpose not only cf
protecting the parts from short circuiting as above mentioned, but also prevents
dust and dirt from finding thein
+1.
Fig. 1 shows a side view of the socket or female portion of a portable form of
connector having our improvements applied, the cover or casing being in section.
Fig. 2 is an underside view thereof and
Fig. 3 shews a side view of the plug or male portion of the connector.
Fig. 4 shows a side view of parts of a connector the ends of the plug or male
portion being shewn inserted into the holes in the moveable shield or cover and said
shield having been turned round or partially rotated until the holes in the shield
register or correspond with the holes in the socket, the plug then being ready for
insertion.
Fig. 5 is a like view to Fig. 4 but with the projections of the plug inserted into
their places in the socket thus completing the circuit. In these two figs. the
shield is in section.
Fig. 6 is an underside view of the socket and spring shewn in Fig. 5, with the
shield and plug removed.
Fig. 7 shews a plan view of the moveable shield or cover separately.
In this form of connector for electrical conductors-a spring a is provided in a
recess or hollow in the side of the socket portion b.
The upper end of the spring is connected to the socket b and the lower end is
connected to the moveable shield or cover c.
The spring a normally acts to keep the shield c with its holes c' c' away from
the contact holes, 6, thus causing said contact holes to be covered by the
shield when the plug d is removed, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
When it is desired to insert the plug d, the ends d' d' are placed in the holes c' c₁
and the shield c is revolved within the cover or casing A by means of the plug d

page_text: until the holes c¹ c¹ are exactly over the contact holes ³, see Fig. 4 when the
projections may be inserted as shown in Fig. 5.
When the plug is withdrawn, the spring a revolves the shield c automatically
and covers up the holes.
Fig. 8 shows by a side view, partly in section, our improvements as applied to
another form of connector for conductors.
Fig. 9 shows the same by an underside view and
Fig. 10 shows by a side view partly in section the plug portion for use with the
socket or female portion shown in the two previous figs.
Figs. 11 and 12 are like views to Figs. 8 and 9 respectively but with the
moveable shield or cover partly revolved so that the holes therein register or
correspond with the contact holes in the socket portion thereby allowing the
insertion of the plug.
In this modification the spring a is placed in a channel or partially circular
groove in the socket b.
One end of the spring a is connected to a pin 6 in the socket b and the other
end is connected to a like pin on the moveable shield or cover c.
The shield or cover is held to the face of the socket portion 6 by means of a
screw or stud which serves as an axis upon which the cover c turns.
b
When the ends d', d', of the plug are inserted in the holes c¹, c', of the cover c
the latter may be revolved until the holes therein are over the contact holes
in the female or socket portion b, see Figs. 11 and 12.
The plug may then be inserted and the circuit completed. When it is desired
to disconnect and the male portion dis withdrawn, the spring a revolves the
shield e automatically and covers up the contact holes as already described with
respect to Figs. 1 to 7.
Figs. 13 to 18 show our improvements as applied to another construction of
connectors for electrical conductors.
Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of the socket portion of the connector.
Fig. 14 is an underside view of the same with shield or cover removed.
Fig. 15 is a side view of the plug portion.
Fig. 16 is an underside view of the connector with the shield revolved to admit
of the insertion of the plug portion.
Figs. 17 and 18 show by plan view and edge view respectively the moveable
cover separately.
The application and operation of the moveable cover c in this modification is
substantially similar to those previously described, except that the spring a is
placed in a circumferential groove 6' formed in the flanged socket b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
The improvements in connectors for conductors used with electrical apparatus
consisting in the construction and arrangement therein or the combination
therewith of a moveable shield or cover, or moveable shields or covers, arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn by
the drawings.
Dated the Cil 1
CML 100-
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.