Patent ID: 7108538

Claim:
A female locking electrical outlet ( 10 ) having a pair of slots ( 14 ) for apertured prongs ( 16 ) of an electrical plug ( 18 ) comprising: an upper body ( 20 ) having an upper base ( 22 ), an exterior surface ( 23 ), a pair of upper slots ( 24 ), an upper central cavity ( 26 ) between the two upper slots ( 24 ), and an upper channel ( 27 ) extending from an upper central cavity ( 26 ) along an axis ( 28 ) transverse to the base ( 22 ) to an opening ( 29 ) in the exterior surface ( 23 ); a lower body ( 30 ) having a lower base ( 32 ) matching the upper base ( 22 ) to form the outlet body ( 33 ), a pair of lower slots ( 34 ) respectively aligned with the upper slots ( 24 ) to form the pair of slots ( 14 ), a lower central cavity ( 36 ) between the two lower slots ( 34 ) and aligned with the upper central cavity along the axis ( 28 ) to form a central cavity ( 38 ), and a lower channel ( 39 ); a fastener for joining the upper body ( 20 ) to the lower body ( 30 ); a spring ( 40 ) having a lower end resting on the bottom ( 42 ) of the lower channel ( 39 ); a plunger ( 50 ) having a recess ( 56 ) in a lower section ( 58 ) within the lower channel ( 39 ), an inner wall 59 of the recess in contact with an upper end of said spring ( 40 ), an upper section ( 60 ) having a smaller cross-sectional area than that of the lower section ( 58 ) and extending through the upper channel ( 27 ), an upper end ( 66 ) extending through the opening ( 29 ), a shoulder ( 70 ) within the central cavity ( 38 ) during a locked position, tapered walls ( 72 ) joining the shoulder ( 70 ) to the lower section ( 58 ); a pair of locking balls ( 80 ) mounted on the shoulder ( 70 ) within the central cavity ( 38 ), each of the pair of balls ( 80 ) respectively adjacent each of the pair of the slots ( 14 ) and positional within apertures ( 84 ) in the prongs ( 16 ) during the locked position; wherein the electrical outlet ( 10 ) is moved into an unlocked position by a user urging the upper end ( 66 ) and causing the spring ( 40 ) to compress and lower the shoulder ( 70 ) below the central cavity ( 38 ) and allowing the locking balls ( 80 ) to move out of the apertures.