Abstract: A housing having a cavity is in sealing engagement with a glass jewel which also contains a cavity; these two cavities cooperate to form a closed chamber. A frame supporting terminal plates is mounted within the chamber. The frame also mounts a circuit board which in turn mounts a plurality of LEDs. An encapsulating material fills all of the spaces within the chamber.

Abstract: A pair of fixed contacts is associated with a pair of movable contacts. All of the contacts have circular contact faces. A U-shaped stainless steel arc shield is provided adjacent each set of movable and fixed contacts. The semi-circular bight portion of the arc shield forms part of an imaginary circle having its center concentric with the centers of the contacts. Thus, the outer arcuate portions of the contacts are in constant spaced relationship with the arcuate portion of the adjacent arc shield. The actuator for the contacts provides for sequential opening of the sets of movable and fixed contacts.

Abstract: A fuse shield plate is pivotally mounted over the fuses which are electrically associated with a disconnect switch. The switch operating lever is connected to an interlock rod which extends to a dead front receptacle. Interfitting elements on the fuse shield and the interlock rod prevent the fuse shield from being opened when the operating lever has been moved to close the switch contacts. When the fuse shield is opened to expose the fuses, the interfitting elements prevent the operating lever from being moved to close the switch contacts.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant hub with a metal insert and an elastomeric outer shell forms a coupling to join a conduit to an enclosure. The metal insert which serves as a grounding mechanism for the conduit comprises internal threads, located near the conduit receiving end of the insert, to connect the conduit to the hub, and external threads, located at the wire exiting end of the insert to connect the hub to the enclosure. A shell made of semi-rigid elastomeric material is molded onto the outer surface of the metal insert. The shell has an annular flange, a hexagonally shaped torquing section and a collar. The annular radial flange forms a reliable seal of the interface between the insert and the enclosure. The collar has a lip that forms a first seal of the junction between the conduit and the insert and internal threads that engage the conduit to provide a second seal of the junction between the conduit and the insert. The hub also has a bushing which is unitary with the shell via an aperture in the insert.

Abstract: An explosion proof drain for incorporation into an enclosed electrical system including a hollow housing with an opening at an upper end and an annular flange circumscribing a smaller opening at a lower end. A porous, metallic disk is force fitted into a bore in the housing and seated against the annular flange. A filling material is poured into the bore of the housing and is supported by the porous metallic disk. A second porous, metallic disk is force fitted into the opening in the upper end of the drain to ensure that the sand does not exit the drain.

Abstract: A light fixture for a double-ended lamp includes a first insulator containing a first electrical socket and a well in communication therewith and having a greater depth than the first socket. A second insulator has a second electrical socket and a slot in communication with the second socket and is biased by a spring into a first position. To install the lamp, a first end of the lamp is placed into the well and a second end of the lamp is then slid through the slot in the second insulator into contact with the second socket. The second insulator is then retracted into a second position to allow the first end of the lamp to slide from the well into the first socket. The second insulator is released to allow the bias of the spring to press upon the ends of the lamp to firmly secure each end into its respective socket.

Abstract: An electrical plug for an associated electrical device for use in hazardous locations, comprising a metal housing; a nonconductive plug base holding at least two conductive terminal prongs connected to conductor wires passing through the housing and connected at their other end to the electrical device; and a plastic sleeve for preventing contact between the conductor wires and the metal housing, providing a bearing surface for the plug base and an elastomeric gasket compressed therebetween, cooperating with a reversible clamp to mechanically grip the conductor wires and prevent their separation from the terminal prongs, and providing simple measurement of a predetermined length of wire between the clamp and each terminal. A rubber grommet provides a moisture-resistant seal along the back end of the plug housing. A label plate may be affixed to the exterior surface of the plug housing by means of peened over posts that do not interfere with the integrity of the plug housing.

Abstract: A non-arcing electrical switch is disclosed wherein a solid-state switching element is operated in response to current flow within an external circuit. The switch is particularly suitable for use within an auxiliary lighting circuit of a gaseous discharge lamp. Because the switch operates in response to the current drawn by the gaseous discharge lamp rather than a specific sensed voltage, it may be used with virtually any type of clamp or lamp operating circuit.

Abstract: An actuator means for an electrical switch concealed in a housing and operated by a handle externally mounted to the cover thereof, whereby, upon closing the cover, the actuator automatically moves in a rectilinear direction to locate the toggle operating lever of the switch and rotatably moves the externally viewed handle to preposition it to indicate the energization state of the switch. Alternatively, the actuator permits operation of the switch by rotating the externally accessible handle. This invention is especially suited to circuit breaker switches contained in explosion-proof or hazardous location-rated enclosures.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism operably associated with the plug receptacle of an explosion-proof housing whereby a plug may be inserted into or removed from the receptacle only when electrical current is not delivered to the receptacle. The interlock mechanism comprises a safety shaft for engaging a plug inserted into the receptacle, a reciprocating shaft operatively connected to a circuit breaker handle, and a locking pin for securing the safety shaft in a standby position, whereby the circuit breaker handle cannot be moved unless the safety shaft engages the plug casing, the safety shaft cannot be disengaged from the plug casing unless the circuit breaker handle has been moved to an off position, and the safety shaft will not engage the plug casing until it is released by the locking pin after the locking pin is biased to its disengaged position by the inserted plug.

Abstract: A connector for connecting a flexible, eccentrically dimensioned conduit to an electrical fixture comprising a connector cap and body portions. The connector cap has a threaded metal collar portion and a plastic floating sleeve with an extending wedging ring. The mating threaded metal connector body has a deflection ramp and an internally secured plastic sleeve support. The connector body is secured to an electrical fixture and the connector cap is loosely threadably engaged with the connector body. The conduit is inserted through an opening in the connector cap until it abuts the bottom of an annular cavity defined between the connector body upper wall and the sleeve support. The cap is then tightly screwed onto the body such that the wedging ring is cammed, by the deflection ramp, into engagement with the conduit to securely grip the conduit. This arrangement provides a liquid-tight seal.

Abstract: A plug (10) carries terminals (38) which also act as switch contacts and which insert into a receptacle (12) with essentially zero insertion force. The receptacle also carries terminals (84) which similarily double as switch contacts. After insertion of the plug into the receptacle, the plug terminals and receptacle terminals are electrically bridged by electrical bridges (68) driven forward by actuator means (62, 122) which also doubles as an integral part of an interlock arrangement. A first bayonet type of polarizing means ensures that the plug will only insert into the receptacle in a single orientation, whereas a second polarizing means permits keying a given plug to a given receptacle. The combining of switch and interlock into a minimum of parts provides simplicity and interlock protection as well as creates an exceptionally compact design.

Abstract: An electrical terminal for a receptacle or other electrical connector and the method of making it. The terminal is preferably a cylindrical screw machine part cross-slotted at one end for receiving a male blade terminal therein in either of two angularly different orientations. When the terminal is used in a combination receptacle and switch, the other end of the terminal, the end opposite the cross-slotted end, may include an integrally formed switch contact for direct interaction with another and mating contact inside the switch portion of the receptacle.

Abstract: A hinge construction particularly for pivotally connecting the housing and cover of an electrical enclosure together is preferably formed integrally as part of the lid and as part of the housing so as not to require separate fasteners or hinge pins, yet the hinge portions on both housing and cover are formed in a straight-draw die casting operation not requiring side cores. The housing includes two outwardly extending appendages, each carrying a laterally extending pin cantilevered in the same direction as the other pin and axially aligned therewith. One pin at its outer end carries an obstruction jutting transversely outwardly therefrom in a predetermined angular orientation. Hinge portions on the cover also include appendages, but in the form of a pair of outwardly lugs with a laterally extending hole in each which is axially aligned with the hole in the other lug.

Abstract: A stamped, sheetmetal fastener for attaching electrical boxes or the like to steel studs or the like includes a first portion designed for attachment to an electrical box and a second portion designed for attachment to one of the flanges of a metal stud. The electrical box attachment portion comprises a wide and flat strip of sheetmetal with its midportions struck out so as to form a leg parallel thereto that has teeth thereon for gripping the electrical box. The flat strip and its parallel leg together slip snugly over the edge of an electrical box sidewall, and the teeth on the leg bite into that sidewall to create a semi-permanent connection therewith.

Abstract: An electrical cable connector for use in a knockout opening of an electrical box or the like includes a cam element with a slot therein arranged to receive the tip of a screwdriver transverse of its rotational axis so as to permit the application of a significant torque on the cam with a minimal force to thereby securely wedge the cable in the connector body and prevent its removal. This connector features a tubular body with an enlarged inner end to permit its installation into a knockout opening from the inside of the box, an integrally molded pressure pad opposite the cam element to permit the connector to accommodate several sizes of cable, and snap locks designed to defeatably hold the cam element selectively either in its open or its locked positions.

Abstract: A hub extends into the top of a pole and has a central web. A carriage bolt extends through this web with its nut exposed on the top of the web and its head below the web within the pole. The central support of the toggle rests on and engages the bolt head. This support has a base and two sides. The two sides of two arms are in juxtaposition to the support sides and are pivotally secured thereto by pins. The arms extend at an angle toward the hub and are in contact therewith to be cammed outwardly by the hub as the support is drawn toward the hub by the bolt thereby causing the distal ends of the arms to engage the pole. A spring on the support base resiliently forces the arms into contact with the hub and, prior to the bolt being drawn up, holds the arms sufficiently close together to freely slip within the end of the pole.

Abstract: A track has spaced rails, each of which holds a plurality of clips, each clip being at a respective station. Thus, there are a pair of clips at each station. A multiple socket unit is mountable between the rails at each station or at adjacent stations. An electrical component, as for example a relay, can be plugged into each socket unit and when so plugged in is engaged by the clips which hold the component unit and the socket unit together and the combination of the two locked to the track at the station(s).

Abstract: An explosion-proof electrical enclosure has a body, switch mounted within the body, two threaded caps cooperatively engaging manually defeatable locking bolts in the body which prevent rotation of the caps and manually operated interlocking mechanism mounted in the body to actuate a switch and prevent unlocking of the bolts in the switch on position.

Abstract: A track has spaced rails, each of which holds a plurality of clips, each clip being at a respective station. Thus, there are a pair of clips at each station. A multiple socket unit is mountable between the rails at each station or at adjacent stations. An electrical component, as for example a relay, can be plugged into each socket unit and when so plugged in is engaged by the clips which hold the component unit and the socket unit together and the combination of the two locked to the track at the station(s).