Abstract: A lampholder for miniature light sets has a socket at one end to receive a lamp unit and a wireway at the opposite end which is covered by a snap-on cover. The socket receives two identical contact plates which are laterally reversible so that in one position they project by a respective insulation severing element into one portion of the wireway to engage a first wire, and in a second position the severing element projects into a second portion of the wireway to engage a second wire.

Abstract: An electric plug has registering housing shells which interlock when pressed together by way of flexible legs with locking feet on one of the shells which pass through passages in the other shell. These legs deflect while the feet pass through the passages whereupon the legs spring back causing the feet to snap into locking position. The housing shells present a wireway into which contact barbs and a cord piercing and spreading prong project to respectively make electrical contact with the wire leads in an insulated cord in the wireway and to pass through and clamp the cord against outwardly curved side wall portions of the wireway while the housing shells are being pressed together.

Abstract: A safety cover of simple and economical construction which will automatically return from an inactive position to a covering position responsive to removal of a plug from the related socket openings. This is accomplished by spring-leading the cover by a leaf spring element, preferably made integral at one of its ends with the cover. The leaf spring is anchored to the body of the end connector and extends at approximately a right angle to the cover. To move the cover from safety position to inactive position, it is pushed endwise in the direction of the leaf spring element, thereby bending and biasing the latter away from the end connector housing to which it remains attached. When the plug is later disconnected from the end connector, the biased leaf spring element returns the cover to the safety position.

Abstract: A series-parallel lighting string having a cord with three wires separated by insulation and a series of cutouts severing the center wire of the cord, and lampholders positioned at each of the cutouts to hold a miniature push-in type light bulb. Each of the lampholders has a pair of contact plates between which a bulb is inserted with its lead wires in contact with the plates. The contact plates are positioned within the housing of the lampholder, and the housing has a snap-fitting cap hingedly attached thereto to define a wireway. Each of the contact plates has an insulation-piercing contact finger positioned to engage one of the end portions of the severed wire to each side of the cutout in the cord. The first and last lampholders in each series set has a second cord-piercing contact finger which contacts one or the other of the outer non-severed wires. The cap or lampholder housing has an insulating divider which projects through the cutout to keep the severed end portions of the central wire separated.

Abstract: A decorative light assembly for Christmas trees or the like wherein a collar adapted to be mounted on the tree trunk near the top of the tree has a light string draping therefrom in loops. The collar comprises a ring-shaped container with slots in its outer wall through which the light string passes to form unlighted retained loops inside the container and outside lighted loops draping from the container. A lid covers most of the length of the slots and is applied after the light string has been passed through the slots.

Abstract: A decorative light assembly for Christmas trees wherein a collar adapted to be mounted at the top of the tree is formed with tabs over which the cord of a light string is hooked so that the string drapes from the collar in loops.

Abstract: An electric plug has registering housing shells which interlock when pressed together by way of flexible legs with locking feet on one of the shells which pass through passages in the other shell. These legs deflect while the feet pass through the passages whereupon the legs spring back causing the feet to snap into locking position. The housing shells present a wireway into which contact barbs and a cord piercing and spreading prong project to respectively make electrical contact with the wire leads in an insulated cord in the wireway and to pass through and clamp the cord against outwardly curved side wall portions of the wireway while the housing shells are being pressed together.

Abstract: An electric multiple-socket end connector has registering housing shells which present sets of openings for receiving plug blades and interlock when pressed together by way of flexible legs with locking feet on one of the shells which pass through passages in the other shell. These legs deflect while the feet pass through the passages whereupon the legs spring back causing the feet to snap into locking position. The housing shells present a central wireway between two conductor plates registering in the housing shells with sets of openings for receiving plug blades. These plates have extensions presenting cord piercing contact barbs to make electrical contact with the wire leads in an insulated cord held in the wireway when the housing shells are pressed together.

Abstract: A series-parallel lighting string having a cord with three wires separated by insulation and a series of cutouts severing the center wire of the cord, and lampholders positioned at each of the cutouts to hold a miniature push-in type light bulb. Each of the lampholders has a pair of contact plates between which a bulb is inserted with its lead wires in contact with the plates. The contact plates are positioned within a husk of the lampholder, and the husk has a snap-fitting cap hingedly attached thereto to define a wireway. The wireway is formed by corresponding semicircular grooves in each of the husk and the cap sized to receive the cord. Each of the contact plates has an insulation-piercing contact finger positioned to engage one of the end portions of the severed wire to each side of the cutout in the cord. The first and last lampholders in each series set has a second cord-piercing contact finger which contacts one or the other of the outer non-severed wires.

Abstract: A fused electrical plug assembly is provided having a plug body with a fuse socket open to one side to hold a push-in fuse unit. The fuse unit has one pair of active fuse elements between which there is a spare pair which can be used by removing the fuse unit, turning it ninety degrees and pushing it back into the fuse socket.

Abstract: A fused plug has a fuse cavity containing active and spare fuses which can be alternated between active and inactive positions. The fuses in turn preferably each have multiple fuse elements which can be alternatively placed in active position by changing the position of the fuse in the fuse cavity.

Abstract: A fused electrical plug assembly is provided having a plug body with a fuse socket between projecting prongs, and a push-in fuse unit is received in the fuse socket. The fuse unit has an exposed enlarged head for gripping to remove the unit and has one opposite pair of active fuse elements between which there is a spare pair which can be used by removing the fuse unit, turning it ninety degrees, and pushing it back into the fuse socket.

Abstract: A fused electrical plug assembly is provided having a plug body with a fuse socket between projecting prongs, and a push-in fuse unit is received in the fuse socket. The fuse unit has a pair of active fuse elements on one side and a spare pair on another side which can be used by removing the fuse unit, turning it to properly orient the spare pair, and pushing it back into the fuse socket.

Abstract: A fused electric plug has its housing made up by a pair of body shells and a slide door which can each be injection molded of a rigid thermoplastic material and yet will all snap-fit together and remain locked in position with a pair of conductor prongs held between the shells. Access to a pair of fuses in readily obtained after sliding the door to an open position whereat the door is held in operative position on the plug body.

Abstract: A fused electrical plug including a plug body having a pair of forwardly projecting conductor prongs for insertion into a socket. A pair of conductors entering the plug are connected to respective conductor prongs through fuses which are removable by opening an access door on a lateral face of the plug body. A locking plate slides along the prongs of the plug and locks the access door in its closed position when the locking plate abuts the forward end of the plug body. In a first and second embodiment the access door includes an access cover extending between two parallel side walls. The inside face of the access cover contains a pair of inwardly projecting fuse holders which insert the fuses in their proper position inside the fuse body when the access door is closed. In the first embodiment the access door pivots away from the plug body about a transverse edge of the access cover, while in a second embodiment the access door slides away from the plug body in a lateral direction.

Abstract: An electrical power plug having a fuse positioned within the plug housing. The fuse is formed from an elongated plastic fuse holder having a wire fuse element extending through each end. One end of the fuse holder contacts a planar contact plate which is connected to the electrical prong. An insulated wire entering the plug has a terminal secured to one end thereof, and means are provided for holding the terminal against the other end of the fuse wire. The fuse holder is readily removed from the plug for quick and inexpensive replacement of the fuse wire.

Abstract: A spray of optic fibers is plugged into the top of a housing having an electric light assembly and provision for ventilation. Transparent heat shields are provided to assist the ventilation in preventing overheating of the light-receiving ends of the optic fibers.