Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
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MULTIPLE SOCKET ATTACHMENT
B~CKROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
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Field of tlle inventioll:
Thi 9 invention relates to fln attachment adapted to
be connected to a conventional electric wall out]et and capable
of accommodating multiple electrical appliance cord plugs and in
particular six, eight, ten or a higher multiple of pairs of cord
pl IJgS .
Prior Art:
U.S. patent No. 3,005,179 discloses a multipl n
electric outlet which is limited to six outlets. The design oE
the inner conductors defines a complex path and the superpogition
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of positive and negative conductors carries A risk of short~
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circuit.
The present applicant has a pending application
S.N. 457,102 describing a multiple socket attachment which can
accommodate a maximum of only four cord plugs. In this
application, the conductors extend crosswise between the lateral
wal 19 through which the cord plugs are inserted.
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SUMMf~RY_OF_ HE_INVENTION_
In the pregent multiple gocket attflchment, the
main strip of the conductors extends parallel to the lateral
walLs through which the cord p1ugs are inserted. The design of
the conductors is simple and leads to the possibility oE
accommodating an unlimited number of pairs of cord plugs.
The present multiple socket attachment comprises a
rectangular box-like receptacle having two parallel lateral walls
provided with a plurality of pairs of slots for receiving the
tineg of electrical appliance cord plugs and two Fflcing walls
extending between the lateral walls. One of the facing walls
comprise a plurality of interna]ly projecting pnrtitions defining
chanl1els. The attachment also includes four electrical
conductors disposed in two of the channels. Each of the
conductors extends from positions adjacent a plurality of the
; slots to a prong projecting perpendicularly outwardly through the
one facing wall.
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The channels compromise two gymmetrical
rectilinear channelg logitudinally extending parallel to the
lateral walls and a purality of transversal channels extending
perpendicularly from the longitudinal channels in the direction
of the adjacent lateral wall and in line with each of the slots.
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The conductors comprise two pairs of conductors and each pair ofconductorg comprise a linear strip ~uperposed in the longitudinfll
channnel~s. Tran~versal strips laterally extend from the linear
strips through each of the transver~sal channels. A spring
contact is secured at the end of each transversAI ~trip adjacent
one of the 610ts. Eacll prong comprises an L-shaped strip secured
to each of the linear strips. The L-shaped strips are secured to
the superposed l;near strips forming a pnir of ndjacently
positioned prongs adapted to fit into the conventional wall
out1et. The superposed conductors are maintained in a spaced
relation~sllip by abutting over the edge of the pnrtitions which
are crenelated.
The attacllment may also be provided with grounding
prongs Eixed to a grounding plate inside the receptacle while
tlle grounding prongs extend outside the receptacle to fit into
the conventional electric wall outlet. The grounding plate is
also provided with spring clamps laterally disposed and fldjacent
each pair of slots for resi~iently clamping and grounding the
tines of the cord plugs projecting through the slots.
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~ ~RIEF DESCRIPTI()N ()F THE DRAWINGS:
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- Figure I is an exploded view of a conventional
electric wall outlet and n multiple socket attachment according
to the invention
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Figure 2 is a front view of the multiple socket
attachment mounted on a wall outlet and to which a purality of
electrical appliance cord plugs are attached,
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively rear and side
- view~ of an embodiment o~ the novel attachment,
Figure~ 4a and 5a are two side views of
alternative embodiments of the invention,
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an empty and
open box-like receptacle for the socket attachment,
Figure 7 is an exploded view of the superposed
- elements to be fitted inside tlle receptacle shown in figure 6,
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Figure 8 is an internal elevation view of the
cover sl-own in figure 7,
Figure 9 i~ an enlarged view of the portion 9
~llnwn in fig. 8,
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along
` line 10-10 of Eigure 9,
-~ Figure 11 is a front view of a grounding plate
mounted in the attachment shown in figure 7,
Figure 12 is a side view of the grounding plate
shown in figure 11,
Figure 13 is an enlarged view of portion 13 shown
- in figure 12,
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Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
taken along line 14-14 of figure 11 showing a grounding prong
mounted on a portion of the grounding plate,
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 15-lS of the cover shown in figure 8,
Figure 16 is a plan view of the conductors to
be installed in the channels of the cover shown in figure 8,
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Figure 17 and 17a are cross-sectional views of
`~the conductors taken along lines 17-17 and 17a-17a in figure
16,
Figure 18 is an enlarged view of a spring
contact shown in encircled portion 18 of figure ~6,
Figure 19 is a side view of the spring contact
shown in f igure 18,
Figure 20 is an end view of the spring contact
shown in figure 18,
.-.;Figure 21 and 2la are cross-sectional views
taken along lines 21-21 and 21a-21a of figures 3 and 4a
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`Figure 22 is a perspective view of an alterna-
.~:tive embodiment of a conductor to be installed in a receptacle
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as shown in figures 4a and 5a,
Figure 23 is an enlarged view of a spring
contact for a conductor as shown in figure 22,
Figure 24 is a side view of a portion of the
-conductor shown in figure 22 including a spring contact,
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Figure~ 25-28, 25a and 27a are side and rear views
of different alternative embodiments of multiple 60cket
attachment according to the invention,
Figure 29 is a perspective view of a box like
receptacle including a switch and a reqet button, and
Figure 30 is an electrical diagram including the
~witch and reset button u6ed in f;gure 29.
DErAILED_DESCRlPTION_OF_TH _INVENTION_
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Figure 1 illustrates the combination of a
conventional electricsl wall outlet 10 which has two socket~ 12
and 14 and a multip1e socket attachment 16 which is adapted to
fit into the ~ockets 12 and 14. The outlet 10 i~ covered by a
rectangular wall plate 18 and the socket attachment 16 has a
periphery slightly exceeding the periphery of the wall plate 18
in order to fit over it. Similarly, two pairs oE prongs 20 and
22 with their matching grounding prong 24 and 26 are located to
fit preci~ely into the corre~ponding sockets 12 and 14. Rach
lateral wall 28 and 30 of the attachment 16 is provided with
three ~ets of slots adapted to receive the tines of six
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electrical appliance cord plugs 30-42. These plugs are laterally
introduced in the attachment 16. Such an arrangement, differs
trom the plog5 which projeot: perpend~cularly from t~e wall.
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Because they project a smaller distance away from the wall, they
have many advantages. In particular, they allow a piece of
furniture to re~t closer to a wall having such an attachment.
Furthermore~ plug~ such as 32-42 do no~ have the tendency to pull
away Erom the wall the .socket attachment such as 16 contrary to
the plugs wl1ich are introduced from the front in the commonly
known socket attachment.
' The attachment 16 is provided with wide and narrow
s10ts 44 and 46 to suitab1y accept the polarized plugs which have
a wide nnd A narrow prong according to the first embodiment a8
shown in figure~ 3, 4 and 5. The narrow slot 46 is below the
wide slot 44 on one lateral wall 30 (figure 4) while on the
other lateral wall 28 the position of the slots is reversed that
is the wide slot 48 is below the narrow slot 50 (figure 5). In
other embodiments, as may be seen ]ater, the wide and narrow
slots can be positioned side by side on the same vertical plane
as sl1own in figures 4a and 5a.
Figure 6 illustrates a empty box-like receptacle
52 in which is mounted in sequence a grounding plate 54 an
insulating sheet 56, a set of four conductors 58 and a cover 60.
A set of 4 internally threaded sleeves 62 projects inside the
receptacle whici1 are adapted to penetrate through correspondingly
located holes in plate 54 and sheet 56 and be retained to the
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cover 60 by screws 64, such as shown ;n figure 3.
The four conductors 58 are held by partitions
internally projecting from the cover 60. The partitions consist
ot two main partions 66 an 68 which are parallel and adjacently
disposed each side oE a longitudinal central axis of the base
plate 70. The main partions 66 and 68 are longitudinally aligned
while a set of trElnsversal partions such QA 72, 74, 76 and 78
extendfi towards the edge of the base 70. The spnce between the
main partition 68 and the transversal partition~ 72-78 and the
other partitions on the other side of the base plate 70 forms a
channel 80 adapted to receive the longitudinal strips of two of
the conductors 58 as explained later. Another channel 82 similar
to channel 80 i~9 provided on the opposite ~ide of the bsse plate
70 between the main partition 66 and the adjscent transversal
partitions such as 72a, 74a, 76a and 78a and the other
transversal partitions located above the previous ones.
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The space between the two main partitions 66 and
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68 al~o have dividing partitions to hold the prong~ of the
conductors 58 as explained later. These partitions consist of
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partitions 84 and 86 for one of the prong~ and 88 and 90 for the
other prong. These partitions are particularly illustrated in
figures 9 and 10.
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Let us consider conductors 92 and 94 which are
adapted to extend into the channel 80. These conductors are made
of a linear strips 96 and 98, three transversal strips 96a and
~pring contact 96b. Conductor 94 is similarly made oE a linear
flat strip 98 with three transversal strips 98fl from which
extends three spring contact 98b.
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``` The conductor 92 hAs a grounding prong 96c
constituted by an L-shaped arm having one portion extending in
the direction opposite the transversal strip 96a and another
pnrtion orthogona]ly extending through the base plate 70 between
the partitions 88 and 90. Similarly, conductor 98 has a
grounding prong 98c constituted of an L-shAped nrm having A
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portion extending in a direction opposite the direction of the
transversal strips 98a and another portion orthogonolly extending
through the base plate 70 between the partitions 84 and 86 tsee
figure 10)-
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The description of the conductors 92 and 94substantially applies equally to the conductoru 101 and 102 which
; are disposed in the channel 82. The conductor 100 has a
grounding prong lOOc which extendsd through the slot 108 (fig.8)
and the conductor 102 has a grounding prong which extends through
the slot 110 (fig.8).
The upper edge of the longitudinal ~rt~tion
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adjoinillg the transverqal partitions such as 7Za, 74a, 76a and
78a are crenelated for supporting the transversal strips of the
conductors 100 and 102 in space relationship, RO that one strip
lies against the base plate 70 while the other one is supported
by a portion of the crenelated edge of the partition adjoining
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` the transversal partitions such as 72-78 and 72a-78a.
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The transversal channels extending between the
trAnsversal partitions 72-78 and the other transversal partitions
on the same ~ide as the base plate 70 as well as the partitions
72a-78a and the other partitions on the opposite side AS the
base plate 70 are located so that the spring contacts are lined
up with the slots such as 44 and 46 provided for receiving the
tines o~ the plugs such as shown in fig.2. More specifically the
:~ plug 32 of fig.2 is intended to be introduced in the slots 44 and
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46 such as sllown in fig. 6. Similarly, the positioning of the
; prongs 96c and 98c are positioned 80 as to be aligned with the
- slots 104 and 106 (fig. 8) while the prongs lOOc and 102c are
vertically positioned on the strips 100 and 102 respectively to
be aligned Witll the slots 108 and 110.
Figure 16 i9 a front view of the conductors 92,
.A 94, 100 and 102 flS seen in figure 7. Conductors 92 and 94 are
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~uperposed and adjacently positioned relative to the superposed
- conductors 100 and 102. Figure 16 particularly identifies the
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spring contncts 96b and 98b which are located to face the slots
`~ sucll as 44 and 46 sllown in figure 4. The contact spring
extending from the oppositely positioned conductors 100 and 102
which are not numericfllly identified are similarly located to
face the oppositely positioned slots such as 48 and 50.
As seen in figures 17 and 17a the tines 96c and 98c
projects side by side in a parallel fashion for insertion into
- tlle wall outlet 10 sllown in figure 1. Similarly the tines IOOc
and 102c extend.q from tlle conductors 100 and 102 in a parallel
- relationsllip witll the tines 96c and 98c.
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- Figure~ 18 19 nnd 20 illustrates one embodiment
of the spring contact wherein the metal from the conductor is
punched out in such a .sllape to form a lobe 112 which ends with
two forwardly projecting strips 114 splitting out at their
forward end to face slots such as 44 snd 46 and tightly receive
the prongs of the pl-g~ 30-42.
It is pointed out that the conductors are made
from punche(l out strip of metal such as brass having lateral
protecting portions adapted to be folded as previously described.
The ground prongs 96c 98c IOOc and 102c which have a L-shaped
leg are welded or riveted at one end to the ].inear portion of the
conductor at locfltions defined above. The production of such
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conductors is simplified considering the linearity of the strips
~ o~ the conductors and of the channels 80 and 82 receiving them asp well as the orthogonality of the tranversal strips 98a. The
embodiment illustrated and described in the present application
is suitably designed for receiving six cord plugs 30-42 but the
design according to the present invention can easily be adapted
to receive a plurality of pairs of cord plugs by lengthening the
linear qtrips and multiplying the trnnver~qal strips to the number
oi pairs of plugs desired.
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As explained previously, the multiple socket
attachment according to the invention may be limited to a pair of
polarized prongs suci- as 20 and 22 without the use of a specific
grouniing prong. ~lowever, the present invention i9 suitably
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conceived to provide a grounding prong to be inserted into the
wall outlet 10. For tllis purpose, A grounding plate 54 is
inserted into the box-like receptacle 52 behind the conductors as
shown in figure 7. Plate 54 shown in figures 11-14, includes two
lamina~ l20 and 122 joined by spring clamps or clips 126 and
provided with similar spring Clip8 128 at the outer four corners
i28 of the laminas 120 and 122. The spring clips are shaped so
as to surround a grounding prong such as 130 shown in figure 13.
The prongs such as prong 24 are riveted to the lamina 120 to
maintain a rigid orientation perpendicular to the lamina 120 as
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ShOWIl in figure 14. Figure 2I shows a cross-sectional view oE an
attachment as described above, along line 21-21, of figure 3.
~owever, for a box-like receptacle 132 as shown in figures 4a and
5a, wherein the slots 134 are parallel to the vertical axes of
the receptac]e and to the strip 136 (fig. 22) of the
corresponding conductors, the box-1;ke receptacle 132 is slightly
different as ællown in f;gure 21a Erom the one shown in Eig. 21.
Figure 21a is a crosq-sectional view along line 21a-21a of figure
4a. Considering that the slots 134 are positioned side by side,
the back o~ the receptacle is made thicker but lightened by a
pularity of grooves or recesseq 136 provided on the inside of the
box. The conductors used for this embodiment have essentially
the same silape as shown in figure 2 but are provided with
transversal strips extending into spring contacts 140 adapted to
be paral]el and in line the slots 134 shown 4a and 5a. The
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conductor~q, as shown in figure 22, can be made from blank ~heetæ
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o[ metal, pre~qs, cut and folded to provide the shape of the
æpring clips 140. The latter is also made with a lobe 142
resiliently holding to fingers 144 spreading out a~q lips 146.
The conductor shown in figure 22 has an L-shaped leg 148 serving
as a ground prong similar to the one~q described above.
The present invention has also the flexibility of
being adaptable to various types of multiple socket attachment
used in various countries of the world. :The attachment shown in
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figures 25, 25a and 26 are provided with circular apertures 149
on their lateral walls and corresponding inner spring clip8
Auitable For many European countries. The embodiment shown in
figc. 27, 27a and 28 have slots 151 in the lateral walls which
are ang~llarly diAposed relative to each other in each pair of
slots. This arrangement is suitable for Australian regulations
and can be eaAily made from the conductors de~scribed above.
'I'he same arrangement as described above is mounted
in the box-like receptacle 150 illustrated in figure 29. This
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embodiment is provided with a lighted switch 152 and ~ reset
button 154. A circuit suitable Eor switching oEE the circuit
inside the receptacle 150 is illustrated in figure 30. The part
of the circuit enclosed by the dotted line l56 corresponds to the
socket Erom the wall outlet such as 10. The spring Clip8 such as
96b and 98b are symmetrically aligned on the right- and on the
leEt-hand side~q oE the diagram identified by ~ and - fork-like
member~s 160. The switch 152 can close the current from the
pring clips to the circuit 156 and is adapted to be ]ighted when
the Aocket receptac]e 150 is in operation. ilowever, such an
attachment having a pural;ty oE outlets suitable to be connected
to a pluraity oE cord plugs, is liable to be overloaded. For
this purpose, any overloading of the circuit is prevented by the
re~qet device 154 and may be reconnected by the same device of
known reset devices.
