GB2132035A - Electrical plug - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric plug is more easily attached to an electric cable by providing an entrance passageway for each wire of the cable, each passageway leading to a terminal which has a hole at the same level or lower than the base of the passageway. Three terminals may be arranged in an arc or line so that the plug accepts wires of equal length. A cable clamp in the form of a screw- threaded cylinder in the manner of a grub-screw may be provided. An offset fuse arrangement is disclosed.

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical plug This invention relates to electrical plugs for insertion into power supply sockets. These plugs can include a fuse incorporated into the line or positive terminal.

Present plugs usually involve a complicated and time consuming method of fitting the wires to be connected to tiny holes placed in each of the pins or fuse connectors. The wires usually need to be cut to varying lengths to allow this operation. The clamping of the whole cable to the body of the plug is usually achieved by means of two screws carrying a clamping plate.

This invention is intended to simplify and make quicker the fitting of the wires to the plug. This is achieved by extending the head, that is the part of the pin which is situated within the body of the plug, of the earth pin downwards towards the cable entrance of the plug. Similarly the head of the neutral pin is extended upwards, away from the the cable entrance. Together with the line terminal, which is connected to the line pin by the fuse, the three terminals then form a line or arc above the cable entrance.

Four vertical projections from the base of the plug form three separate passageways, each one leading from the cable entrance to a terminal. The terminals are either lightly recessed into the plug base or the passageways are ramped upwards so that a wire sliding along the passageway enters directly into the terminal, where it can be secured by the terminal screw. The vertical projections are of a sufficient height and thickness to form the necessary insulation between the terminals, pins, pin extensions and the fused line terminal.

The earth and neutral pin extensions may be an integral part of the pins or may be additions which are screwed, rivetted or welded to the pins. In either case they will include a terminal with a wire securing screw. The fuse-bearing spring or clip on the line pin may be fixed to the line pin at an angle to carry the fuse outwards from the centre of the plug in order to make space for the passageway to the earth terminal. Alternatively, the line pin or the fuse clip or spring which is attached to it, may have a lateral extension to achieve the same object. The hole through the base which carries the screw to secure the lid of the plug may be situated in the body of either of the two central passageway separators.

The body of the plug is so constructed as to give a clear space behind each terminal to accommodate any surplus connecting wire.

The cable may be clamped to the body of the plug by pressure from a screw-threaded non-metallic plug mounted laterally on one side of the cable entrance to the plug. This would force the cable against the opposite wall of the entrance. For ease of manufacture the hole for the plug may be up to half threaded in the base of the plug and up to half threaded in the plug top. The threading may be from the cable entrance to the side of the plug to allow access for a screwdriver. The cable may alternatively be clamped by the normal twin screw and plate.

An embodiment of this invention allows up to three connecting wires, each of an equal length, to be pushed or slid into the required position simultaneously and secured. This allows a great saving in wire trimming and fitting time. The optional cable clamp involves only one screwing action and gives a further saving in fitting time.

1. An electrical Plug for insertion into a power outlet having the inside of the plug base so arranged that three wire entrance passageways guide wires sliding into the plug automatically straight into the wire holes in each terminal simultaneously, by arranging for the base of the hole in the terminal to be at the same level or fractionally lower than the end of the passageway.

2. An electrical plug as in 1. having the fuse offset to the right by attaching the fuse clip to the line pin at an angle or by extending the fuse clip laterally to achieve the same object.

3. An electrical plug as in 1. having four raised separators forming three wire entrance passageways, one of the two central separators being wide enough to accept the hole for the lid securing screw.

4. An electrical plug as in 1. having the neutral and/or earth pin extended within the body of the plug so that the three terminals form a line or arc above the cable entrance to the plug so that the wire entrance passageways are equal in length and so accept wires of equal length.

5. An electrical plug as in 1. having a nonmetallic screw-threaded cylinder acting laterally from one side of the cable entrance to the edge of the plug to clamp the cable against the opposite wall of the cable entrance, the screw-threaded passageway being up to half threaded in the base of the plug and up to half threaded in the lid of the plug the passageway being completed by securing the lid to the plug base.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Electrical plug This invention relates to electrical plugs for insertion into power supply sockets. These plugs can include a fuse incorporated into the line or positive terminal. Present plugs usually involve a complicated and time consuming method of fitting the wires to be connected to tiny holes placed in each of the pins or fuse connectors. The wires usually need to be cut to varying lengths to allow this operation. The clamping of the whole cable to the body of the plug is usually achieved by means of two screws carrying a clamping plate. This invention is intended to simplify and make quicker the fitting of the wires to the plug. This is achieved by extending the head, that is the part of the pin which is situated within the body of the plug, of the earth pin downwards towards the cable entrance of the plug. Similarly the head of the neutral pin is extended upwards, away from the the cable entrance. Together with the line terminal, which is connected to the line pin by the fuse, the three terminals then form a line or arc above the cable entrance. Four vertical projections from the base of the plug form three separate passageways, each one leading from the cable entrance to a terminal. The terminals are either lightly recessed into the plug base or the passageways are ramped upwards so that a wire sliding along the passageway enters directly into the terminal, where it can be secured by the terminal screw. The vertical projections are of a sufficient height and thickness to form the necessary insulation between the terminals, pins, pin extensions and the fused line terminal. The earth and neutral pin extensions may be an integral part of the pins or may be additions which are screwed, rivetted or welded to the pins. In either case they will include a terminal with a wire securing screw. The fuse-bearing spring or clip on the line pin may be fixed to the line pin at an angle to carry the fuse outwards from the centre of the plug in order to make space for the passageway to the earth terminal. Alternatively, the line pin or the fuse clip or spring which is attached to it, may have a lateral extension to achieve the same object. The hole through the base which carries the screw to secure the lid of the plug may be situated in the body of either of the two central passageway separators. The body of the plug is so constructed as to give a clear space behind each terminal to accommodate any surplus connecting wire. The cable may be clamped to the body of the plug by pressure from a screw-threaded non-metallic plug mounted laterally on one side of the cable entrance to the plug. This would force the cable against the opposite wall of the entrance. For ease of manufacture the hole for the plug may be up to half threaded in the base of the plug and up to half threaded in the plug top. The threading may be from the cable entrance to the side of the plug to allow access for a screwdriver. The cable may alternatively be clamped by the normal twin screw and plate. An embodiment of this invention allows up to three connecting wires, each of an equal length, to be pushed or slid into the required position simultaneously and secured. This allows a great saving in wire trimming and fitting time. The optional cable clamp involves only one screwing action and gives a further saving in fitting time. CLAIMS

1. An electrical Plug for insertion into a power outlet having the inside of the plug base so arranged that three wire entrance passageways guide wires sliding into the plug automatically straight into the wire holes in each terminal simultaneously, by arranging for the base of the hole in the terminal to be at the same level or fractionally lower than the end of the passageway.

2. An electrical plug as in 1. having the fuse offset to the right by attaching the fuse clip to the line pin at an angle or by extending the fuse clip laterally to achieve the same object.

3. An electrical plug as in 1. having four raised separators forming three wire entrance passageways, one of the two central separators being wide enough to accept the hole for the lid securing screw.

4. An electrical plug as in 1. having the neutral and/or earth pin extended within the body of the plug so that the three terminals form a line or arc above the cable entrance to the plug so that the wire entrance passageways are equal in length and so accept wires of equal length.

5. An electrical plug as in 1. having a nonmetallic screw-threaded cylinder acting laterally from one side of the cable entrance to the edge of the plug to clamp the cable against the opposite wall of the cable entrance, the screw-threaded passageway being up to half threaded in the base of the plug and up to half threaded in the lid of the plug the passageway being completed by securing the lid to the plug base.