Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6428339
-
Patent Number
6,428,339
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, December 6, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 6, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Bradley; P. Austin
- Gushi; Ross
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 346
- 439 258
- 439 261
- 439 263
- 439 265
- 439 266
- 439 2691
- 439 2692
- 439 270
- 439 372
- 439 373
- 439 535
- 439 539
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A lockable electrical cord connector unit having a cylindrical connector housing made of electrically non-conductive material. A locking control ring telescopes over the connector housing and it is mechanically connected to structure within the connector housing that allows male electrical connector members extending from the housing to be locked into a female electrical socket. In an alternative embodiment the connector housing may have female sockets that can lock onto a male electrical terminal by using the same locking control ring structure. A second alternative embodiment provides for the connector housing to be an adaptor having male electrical terminal prongs extending from one end and having a female electrical socket formed in its other end. The locking ring allows both ends to be locked to mating electrical terminals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an electrical connector and more specifically to one that can be locked onto either a male electrical terminal or a female electrical terminal.
Extension cords have been used for many years to lengthen the cord of an electrical device so that it can be connected to a remote power supply or receptacle. One end of the extension cord has a female socket that is sized to engage with a plug located on the cord of the electrical device while the other end of the extension cord is formed with a plug which is adapted to engage with a socket located at the power supply.
Quite often, while the user is moving the electrical device or when the extension cord or the cord of the device becomes entangled or caught, the extension cord will become disconnected from the device or the power supply. When this occurs, the user is forced to discontinue operations and to reestablish the electrical connection, thereby adding additional time to complete the task. Another problem is that the extension cord partially disconnects from the receptacle and has hot electrical contacts exposed to the user and the environment. In this situation, a person may accidently touch the electrical contact and sustain injuries or the electrical contacts may short and cause a fire and/or damage to the device, power supply or user.
In order to prevent the extension cord from becoming disconnected from the electrical device, users have often resorted to means such as tying a knot in the cord of the device and the socket end of the extension cord to isolate the plug/socket connection from induced stress. This method, is time consuming, and can damage the insulation surrounding the conductor, and shortens the effective life of the cord.
To overcome the above disadvantages, extension cords have been designed with a variety of locking mechanisms to securely connect the extension cord to the device or power supply. One such extension cord is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,991. It utilizes structure allowing engagement of the apertures formed in the prongs of a male electrical plug. Once engaged, the two members cannot be pulled apart and there is structure for releasing that engagement. A similar method of locking a connector onto the male prong of a male electrical plug is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,132.
Other prior art patents of interest are the following. The Chesler U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,327 discloses a circuit-closing adaptor having a key-operated lock means that closes the electrical circuit when the key is in the lock and which opens the circuit when the key is removed from the lock.
The Sherman U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,658 is directed to an electrical lock having a housing carrying a pair of prongs to be mounted in a conventional wall socket. It has a key operated cam in the housing that makes and breaks one of the contacts and latching means carried by that contact that mechanically locks onto the plug prong. The Solomon U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,410 is directed to a security attachment for an electrical plug that is effective to prevent unauthorized use and to readily permit authorized use.
The Windsor Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,874 is directed to a rotatable electrical connector arrangement for the secure snag free interlocking of the socket female end member of an electrical power extension cord, to the plug or male end member of an electrical power implement, or to any related device having a male plug member fixed to its power cord. The Torok U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,301 is directed to a locking electrical cord connector that securely attaches at both the male and female ends.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that can be installed on the end of the electrical cord of an electrical device.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that will prevent accidental disconnection.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that will prevent downtime previously caused by the electrical connections pulling apart.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that will reduce the cost of labor caused by downtime delays.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that is easy and fast to install.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that is inexpensive to manufacture and market.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that is safer since it prevents partial disconnection and exposed contacts.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel lockable electrical cord connector unit that will prevent the possibility of an electrical short that could cause a fire.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The lockable electrical cord connector unit has been designed with a basic component, an elongated cylindrical connector housing having a front wall structured as a female electrical terminal or as a male electrical terminal. The rear wall of the connector housing can have either a bore hole for receiving the end of an extension cord or it can be structured as a male electrical terminal. A substantially semi-circular groove extends around the outside of the bottom half of the connector housing to opposing positions near its mid point. A cylindrical bore extends inwardly from the front wall of the connector housing and extends a substantial portion of the length of the connector housing and in some cases its entire length. A ground cylinder is telescopically received in the cylindrical bore. An eccentric control pin has its front end connected to the ground cylinder and its rear end is connected to a control pin guide that is attached to the inner surface of a locking control ring that telescopes over the connector housing. The locking control ring can be rotated through a range of approximately 180 degrees which would cause the ground cylinder to rotate at the same time. When the connector housing has the mating male and female wedge structure incorporated in its interior, a male electrical plug that has been inserted into the front end of the connector housing can be locked in its female socket by the rotation of the locking control ring in one direction and it may be released by rotation in the opposite direction. Where a male electrical structure is either extending from the front wall or the rear wall of the connector housing, the rotation of the locking control ring will cause the ground pin to be rotated in such a manner that it will lock into a ground receptacle into which it has been inserted.
Utilizing the basic connector housing structure and the locking control ring, one embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit can have its rear end connected to an extension cord and its front end structured as a female receptacle for a male electrical terminal plug. Using the same basic connector housing and the locking control ring structure, a second embodiment can be assembled with an extension cord connected to its rear end and its front end can be structured with projecting male conductor blades and a ground pin. A third embodiment using the same basic connector housing structure and the locking control ring can be produced in the form of an adaptor having a female front end and a male rear end. The exact manner in which the different embodiments function is fully described later in the specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded front perspective view of the novel lockable electrical cord connector unit showing an embodiment having a female receptacle in the front wall of the connector housing;
FIG. 1A
is a rear elevation view of the ground tube inserted into the rear end of the ground cylinder;
FIG. 1B
is a vertical cross section taken along lines
1
B—
1
B of
FIG. 1A
;
FIG. 2
is a horizontal cross sectional view taken through the connector housing and also showing an extension cord attached thereto;
FIGS. 3A-3C
are schematic front elevation views of the connector housing showing how the lobe of the cam member travels to raise and lower the male wedge as it travels from an unlocked position to a fully locked position;
FIG. 4
is an exploded front perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit having male electrical terminal members extending from the front wall of the connector housing;
FIG. 5
is a side elevation view of the eccentric locking ground pin and the ground pin cylinder with portions broken away for clarity;
FIGS. 5A-5C
schematically show the eccentric locking ground pin as it travels between its unlocked position and its locked position;
FIG. 6
is a horizontal cross sectional view through an adaptor embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit;
FIG. 7
is a vertical cross section view taken along lines
7
—
7
of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 8
is an end elevation view taken along lines
8
—
8
of
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 9
is a cross sectional view taken along lines
9
—
9
of
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 10
is a cross sectional view taken along lines
10
—
10
of
FIG. 7
; and
FIG. 11
is a rear end elevation view taken along lines
11
—
11
of
FIG. 7
, respective sockets.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The first embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit will now be described by referring to
FIGS. 1-3
of the drawings. The lockable electrical cord connector unit is generally designated numeral
16
and it has as its primary component connector housing
18
having a longitudinally extending X-axis.
Connector housing
18
has a front wall
20
, a rear wall
21
, a top side
22
, a left side
23
, a right side
24
and a bottom side
25
. A cavity or chamber
27
is formed in the interior of connector housing
18
. A pair of laterally spaced sockets
29
and
30
are formed in front wall
20
for removably receiving the male prongs of an electrical plug. A first pair of elongated electrical terminal members
32
and
33
are supported in cavity
27
with their respective front ends adjacent the rear ends of the respective sockets
29
and
30
so that they would be placed in electrical contact with the laterally spaced male prongs of an electrical connector when the male prongs are inserted into the respective sockets.
An extension cord
35
has a male electrical plug
37
connected on its rear end. The front end of extension cord
35
passes through an aperture
38
in rear wall
21
. Electrical conductor wires
40
and
42
along with a ground wire
41
pass through the length of extension cord
35
. Electrical conductor wires
40
and
42
are soldered or otherwise connected to the rear ends of electrical terminal members
32
and
33
. Ground wire
41
is connected by a ground clip terminal
43
to an annular ground clip channel
44
on the rear end of cylinder ground tube
45
. Ground tube
45
has a bore hole
46
having a L-axis.
Part of cavity
27
in connector housing
18
forms an open space
47
immediately forward of support platform
48
that is formed in the interior of connector housing
18
. Male wedge
49
reciprocally telescopes up into and retracts from female wedge
50
and both captured in open space
47
. An opening
52
is formed in top surface
22
for removably receiving wedge assembly retaining cover
53
. When in its assembled position, wedge assembly retainer cover
53
presses downwardly upon spring
54
to keep a downward pressure on female wedge
50
. As male wedge
49
is pushed upwardly, it causes the legs of female wedge
50
to be spread apart with a sufficient force that they press outwardly upon the respective electrical terminal members
32
and
33
and rigidly lock the male prongs of an electrical plug that has been inserted through the respective sockets
29
and
30
. A pair of screws
56
pass through the respective apertures
57
in wedge assembly retainer cover
53
and are locked into the threaded bore holes
58
in support platform
48
.
Connector housing
18
has an eccentric control pin slot
60
in its outer surface that has an arc of approximately 180 degrees. An eccentrically located bore hole
62
having a K-axis extends through front wall
20
and through at least most of the length of connector housing
18
. Bore hole
62
communicates with the inner edge of slot
60
. Ground cylinder
64
is telescopically received into bore hole
62
and cam member
65
that is formed on the front end thereof aligns with the bottom of open space
47
immediately beneath male wedge
49
. Ground cylinder
64
has an eccentric L-axis that receives ground tube
45
. This structure is best described by referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B
.
FIG. 1A
is a rear elevation view of ground cylinder
64
that has a concentric K-axis and ground tube
45
that has an eccentric L-axis. The front end of bore hole
62
has an enlarged aperture
66
which allows cam member
65
to pass inwardly therethrough. Outer disk
61
has a bore hole
63
having a L-axis and a transversely extending threaded bore
66
for receiving threaded screw
67
. Bore hole
63
aligns with a bore hole in ground cylinder
64
and bore hole
46
in ground tube
45
for receiving the ground pin of a male electrical plug.
A threaded bore hole
74
receives the top end of an eccentric control pin
75
whose bottom end is connected to control pin sleeve
76
. Control pin
75
and control pin sleeve
76
are positioned in slot
60
so that they may travel through a range of approximately 180 degrees as ground cylinder
64
is rotated. Locking control ring
78
has an eccentric control pin guide recess
77
formed on its inner surface. A pair of longitudinally aligned bore holes
79
align with aperture
80
in control pin sleeve
76
for receiving pin
81
. When locking control ring
78
is telescopically received on connector housing
18
at its proper position and connected to pin
81
, a 180-degree rotation of locking control pin
75
will be possible due to the arcuate configuration of slot
60
. This will cause eccentric ground cylinder
64
to rotate through the same number of degrees thereby causing male cam member
65
to push upwardly on male wedge
49
into the spreadable legs of female wedge
50
. This will lock the male prongs of a male connector plug rigidly within connector housing
18
.
FIGS. 3A-3C
illustrates the manner in which cam member
65
travels and ground tube bore hole
46
travels. A reverse rotation of locking control ring
78
will lower male wedge cam
65
and disengage female wedge
50
and male wedge
49
from locking engagement with the inner surface of electrical terminal members
32
and
33
. The ground pin of a male connector plug that is inserted into bore hole
46
will also be rigidly locked to connector housing
18
when locking control ring
78
is rotated approximately 180 degrees. A rear cover ring
83
telescopes over the rear end of connector housing
18
and is secured in position by a set screw
84
that passes through the respective threaded aperture
85
and threaded bore
86
. Front cover ring
88
telescopes over the front end of connector housing
18
and is secured in position by set screw
89
that passes through the respective threaded apertures
90
and
91
.
A first alternative embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit is illustrated in FIGS.
4
and
5
-
5
C and it is generally designated numeral
100
. It has a cylindrical connector housing
102
made of electrical non-conductive material having a front end
103
, a rear end
104
, a top surface
105
, a left side
106
, a right side
107
and a bottom surface
108
. A cavity
110
is formed in connector housing
102
and an aperture
112
is formed in top surface
105
for removably receiving a removable assembly cover
114
. The interior of cavity
110
would have a support platform with a pair of longitudinally spaced threaded bore holes such as illustrated in FIG.
2
. Screws
116
passing through threaded apertures
117
would secure the assembly cover to housing
102
.
An extension cord
120
could have its rear end connected to a power tool, a male electrical plug or a female electrical plug. The front end of extension cord
120
passes through an aperture
122
in rear wall
104
. Extension cord
120
has electrical conductor wires
124
and
125
and a ground wire
126
. Front wall
103
has a pair of laterally spaced sockets through which pass electrical terminal members or blades
128
and
129
. A bore hole
131
in front wall
103
having an eccentric K-axis extends inwardly at least most of the length of connector housing
102
for receiving eccentric ground pin cylinder
132
. An arcuate slot
134
extends approximately 180 degrees around the bottom of connector housing
102
with its inner end in communication with bore hole
131
.
Eccentric ground pin cylinder
132
has a longitudinally extending bore
134
having a K-axis. An elongated conductor rod
135
has a locking ground pin
136
formed on its one end and it has an annular ground clip channel
138
formed on its other end. A rotating ground clip terminal
139
is connected to the end of ground wire
126
and it is detachably secured onto ground clip channel
138
. A threaded bore hole
141
is formed in the bottom surface of ground pin cylinder
132
for receiving the eccentric control pin
142
. The bottom end of control pin
142
is connected in the top end of control pin sleeve
143
. A control sleeve set pin
144
passes through bore hole
145
of control pin sleeve
143
. Eccentric locking ground pin
136
has a flat surface
147
along its one side. When eccentric locking ground pin
136
is inserted into a mating female electrical socket, flat surface
147
faces downwardly. When it is rotated approximately a half rotation, the eccentric locking ground pin rotates off center and locks itself in the socket thus preventing the disconnecting of the connector housing therefrom.
FIGS. 5A-5C
schematically show how the eccentric locking ground pin travels first from its completely unlocked position in
FIG. 5A
to its completely locked position in FIG.
5
C.
A locking control ring
155
has a recessed control pin guide
157
formed on its inner surface for receiving the bottom end of control pin sleeve
143
. Control sleeve set pin
144
passes through the longitudinally aligned bore holes
158
to lock control pin sleeve
143
therein. Rotation of locking control ring
155
through approximately 180 degrees causes control pin sleeve
143
to travel radially throughout that same angulation and cause ground pin cylinder
132
to rotate about its K-axis. In one extreme position of locking control ring
155
, locking ground pin
136
will be free to enter or be removed from its appropriate female socket. At the other end of the rotation of locking control ring
155
, locking ground pin
136
will be locked so tightly in the receptacle socket that connector housing
102
cannot be removed. A rear cover ring
160
has a set screw
161
that is threaded into aperture
162
and threaded bore hole
163
. A front cover ring
165
has a set screw
166
that is threaded into a bore hole
167
and threaded bore hole
168
.
A second alternative embodiment of the lockable electrical cord connector unit is illustrated in
FIGS. 6-11
. It is an adaptor connector unit that has a female receptacle structure on its front end and male connector structure on its rear end. These respective locking structures function exactly the same as the two previously discussed embodiments. The locking adaptor unit is generally designated numeral
172
. It has a connector housing
174
having a front wall
175
, a rear wall
176
, a top surface
177
and a bottom surface
178
. A pair of laterally spaced sockets
180
are formed in front wall
175
. A first pair of electrical terminal members or blades
182
are mounted in the top surface of support platform
183
. Their front ends are aligned with the sockets
180
to receive the prongs of a male electrical connector. Rear wall
176
has a laterally spaced pair of bore holes
185
. A second pair of electrical terminal members or blades
187
have their front end connected to the rear end of the respective first pair of electrical terminal members
182
. The rear ends of the second set of electrical terminal members
187
pass through the respective bore holes
185
. A cavity
190
is formed in front of support platform
183
for receiving male wedge
192
, female wedge
193
and the lobe of cam member
194
. Connector housing
174
has an X-axis around which the locking control ring
196
rotates. Rear cover ring
197
and front cover ring
198
are rigidly secured to the outer surface of connector housing
174
in the same manner as described with the first two embodiments.
As seen in
FIG. 7
, a bore hole
200
extends inwardly from rear wall
176
and it has a longitudinally extending K-axis. An eccentric ground cylinder
202
having an eccentric locking ground pin
203
extending from its rear end is received in bore hole
200
. Ground pin
203
has an eccentric L-axis. The front end of ground cylinder
202
has a bore hole
210
for receiving the ground terminal of a male electrical plug. Spaced forwardly of ground cylinder
202
is cam member
194
having its aligned bore hole and a cap plug
212
also having an aligned bore hole through which the ground pin of a male electrical can pass.
A retainer cap
214
is received in an aperture in the top surface of connector housing
174
and it is secured in place by screws
216
that are threaded into bore holes
217
in the support platform
183
. Connector housing
174
has a radial slot
220
that extends for about 180 degrees and through which passes eccentric control pin sleeve
222
. Control pin sleeve
222
is connected by pin
224
to the control pin guide on the inner surface of locking control ring
196
. The control pin extending upwardly from control pin sleeve
222
is screwed into the bottom surface of ground pin cylinder
202
. Rotation of locking control ring
196
provides a locking action simultaneously to each end of the electrical cord connector unit
172
. In one sequence, the rear end of the unit has the ground pin
203
rotated in the socket in which it is inserted. Because it is eccentric, it locks in its uppermost position to form a locked tight connection. With the same rotation of ground pin cylinder
202
, cam member
194
drives male wedge
192
up into female wedge
193
causing its arms to spread tightly against the inner surface of the electrical terminal members or blades
182
which then grabs the male blades of a male connector sufficiently tight enough that they cannot be removed from the connector housing
174
.
FIG. 8
is a rear elevation view showing the eccentric L-axis of bore hole
213
.
FIG. 9
shows how cam member
194
forces male wedge
192
up into female wedge
193
to force the inner sides of electrical terminal members
182
outwardly and lockingly grip the prongs of a male electrical plug.
FIG. 10
shows how locking ring
196
rotates eccentric ground cylinder
202
.
FIG. 11
is a rear elevation view showing eccentric locking ground pin
203
.
Claims
- 1. A lockable electrical cord connector unit comprising:a connector housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side and a right side; said connector housing being made of electrically non-conductive material; said connector housing having a longitudinally extending X-axis; a cavity formed in said connector housing; a first pair of laterally spaced sockets formed in said front wall of said connector housing for removably receiving the male prongs of an electrical plug; a first pair of elongated electrical terminal members each having a front end and a rear end; means for supporting said respective first pair of elongated electrical terminal members with their respective said front ends adjacent said respective sockets so they would be placed in electrical contact with the laterally spaced male prongs of an electrical connector when the male prongs are inserted into said first pair of sockets; wedge means reciprocally mounted in said cavity so that said wedge means can travel back and forth between said first pair of elongated terminal members from a first position in which the male prongs of an electrical plug are free to travel in and out of said pair of laterally spaced sockets and a second position that locks the respective male prongs of an electrical connector against said respective first pair of electrical terminal members; and means for actuating movement of said wedge means between said first position and said second position comprising a locking control ring having a front end, a rear end and an inner surface; said locking control ring being telescopically mounted over said connector housing so that it may be rotated with respect to said connector housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.
- 2. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 further comprising an electrical extension cord having at least two electrical conductor wires each having a front end and a rear end; a male electrical plug is connected to said rear end of said electrical conductor wires; said front end of said electrical extension cord passing through an aperture in said rear wall of said connector housing and said two respective electrical conductor wires being connected to said respective rear ends of said first pair of elongated electrical terminal members.
- 3. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 2 wherein said electrical extension cord has a ground wire having a front end and a rear end; said front wall of said connector housing having an electrical ground terminal socket formed in said front wall of said connector housing; first electrical ground connector means located in said connector housing for electrically connecting said front end of said ground wire of said electrical extension cord to said electrical ground terminal socket.
- 4. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said inner surface of said locking ring has a recessed eccentric control pin guide.
- 5. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means further comprises a cylindrical bore hole having a longitudinal K-axis extending inwardly from said front wall of said connector housing; an eccentric cam ground cylinder having a front end, a rear end and an outer surface is rotatably mounted in said cylindrical bore hole.
- 6. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 5 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means further comprises a radially oriented control pin having an inner end and an outer end; said inner end being captured in said outer surface of said cam ground cylinder and said outer end having means fixedly connecting said outer end in said eccentric control pin guide in said inner surface of said locking ring; said outer surface of said connector housing having an arcuate control pin slot that communicates with said cylindrical bore hole and said eccentric control pin passes through said control pin slot during arcuate travel of said control pin.
- 7. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said wedge means comprises a male wedge member aligned to reciprocally enter and withdraw from a female wedge member in response to rotation of said locking ring around said connector housing.
- 8. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said top surface of said connector housing has a wedge retainer cover aperture formed therein that communicates with said cavity in which said wedge means is mounted; a wedge retainer cover is removably mounted in said wedge retainer cover aperture.
- 9. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a front cover ring and a rear cover ring that are telescopically mounted over said connector housing respectively in front of and behind said locking control ring; and means for securing said front ring cover and said rear cover ring to said connector housing to prevent rotation with respect to said connector housing.
- 10. A lockable electrical cord connector unit comprising:a connector housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side and a right side; said connector housing being made of electrically non-conductive material; said connector housing having a longitudinally extending X-axis; a cavity formed in said connector housing; an aperture formed in said rear wall of said connector housing; an electrical extension cord having two electrical conductor wires and an electrical ground wire and each of said wires having front ends that extend in through said aperture formed in said rear wall of said connector housing and into said cavity in said connector housing; a first pair of laterally spaced apertures formed in said front wall of said connector housing; a first pair of elongated electrical terminal members each having a front end and a rear end; said respective front ends of said electrical terminal members extending forwardly through said respective first pair of laterally spaced apertures; means connecting said rear ends of said respective electrical terminal members to said respective front ends of said two electrical conductor wires within said cavity in said connector housing; a ground pin having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinally extending K-axis; said front end of said ground pin extending forwardly from said front wall of said connector housing; means connecting said rear end of said ground pin to said front end of said ground wire within said connector housing; and means for rotating said ground pin about said K-axis once said ground pin has been inserted into the ground socket of a female electrical receptacle.
- 11. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 10 wherein said top surface of said connector housing has a wedge retainer cover aperture formed therein that communicates with said cavity in said connector housing; a wedge retainer cover is removably mounted in said wedge retainer cover aperture.
- 12. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for rotating said ground pin comprises a locking control ring having a front end, a rear end and an inner surface; said locking control ring being telescopically mounted over said connector housing so that it may be rotated with respect to said connector housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.
- 13. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 12 further comprising a front cover ring and a rear cover ring that are telescopically mounted over said connector housing respectively in front of and behind said locking control ring; and means for securing said front ring cover and said rear cover ring to said connector housing to prevent rotation with respect to said connector housing.
- 14. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 12 wherein said inner surface of said locking ring has a recessed eccentric control pin guide.
- 15. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 14 wherein said means for rotating said ground pin further comprises a cylindrical bore hole having a longitudinal K-axis extending inwardly from said front end of said connector housing and an eccentric ground pin cylinder having a front end, a rear end and an outer surface is rotatably mounted in said cylindrical bore hole.
- 16. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 15 wherein said rear end of said ground pin is mounted in said front end of said ground pin cylinder.
- 17. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 16 wherein said means for rotating said ground pin further comprises a radially oriented control pin having an inner end and an outer end; said inner end being captured in said outer surface of said ground pin cylinder and said outer end having means for fixedly connecting said outer end in an eccentric control pin guide in said inner surface of said locking ring; said outer surface of said connector housing having an arcuate control pin slot that communicates with said cylindrical bore hole and said eccentric control pin passes through said control pin slot during arcuate travel of said control pin.
- 18. The lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second pair of laterally spaced apertures formed in said rear wall of said connector housing; a second pair of elongated electrical terminal members each having a front end and a rear end; said respective front ends of said second pair of elongated electrical terminal members extending forwardly through said respective second pair of laterally spaced apertures; means connecting said rear ends of said respective second pair of electrical terminal members to said respective rear ends of said first pair of elongated electrical terminal members; a ground pin having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinally extending L-axis; said front end of said ground pin extending forwardly from said rear wall of said connector housing.
- 19. The lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 18 wherein said front wall of said connector housing has an electrical ground terminal socket formed therein.
- 20. The lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 19 further comprising means connecting said rear end of said ground pin to said electrical ground terminal socket formed in said front wall of said connector housing.
- 21. The lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 20 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means between said first position and said second position also functions to rotate said ground pin extending from said rear wall about said L-axis once said ground pin has been inserted into the ground socket of a conventional female electrical receptacle.
- 22. The lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 21 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means comprises a locking control ring having a front end, a rear end and an inner surface; said locking control ring being telescopically mounted over said connector housing so that it may be rotated with respect to said connector housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.
- 23. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 22 wherein said wedge means comprises a male wedge member aligned to reciprocally enter and withdraw from a female wedge member in response to rotation of said locking ring around said connector housing.
- 24. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 22 wherein said inner surface of said locking ring has a recessed eccentric control pin guide.
- 25. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 24 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means further comprises a cylindrical bore hole having a longitudinal K-axis extending inwardly from said front wall of said connector housing; an eccentric cam ground cylinder having a front end, a rear end and an outer surface is rotatably mounted in said cylindrical bore hole.
- 26. A lockable electrical cord connector unit as recited in claim 25 wherein said means for actuating movement of said wedge means further comprises a radially oriented control pin having an inner end and an outer end; said inner end being captured in said outer surface of said cam ground cylinder and said outer end having means fixedly connecting said outer end in said eccentric control pin guide in said inner surface of said locking ring; said outer surface of said connector housing having an arcuate control pin slot that communicates with said cylindrical bore hole and said eccentric control pin passes through said control pin slot during arcuate travel of said control pin.
US Referenced Citations (10)