DECORATIVE MIDGET LIGHT STRING

• US 3,609,643 A
• Filed: 02/25/1970
• Issued: 09/28/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxwell H. Connan
• Original Assignee: Maxwell H. Connan
• Inventors: Connan, Maxwell H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leppink, James A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US05/014,108
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 339/95,97-99,157,176
• US Class Current: 439/419
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/422 Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, e.g. by friction; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means

Abstract

A string of decorative miniature light bulbs arranged in a series connection, and predeterminately spaced along a piece of standard parallel insulated electric conductor wire, in which the bulb sockets clamp upon the wire, make solderless connection therewith, and disengageably receive the bulbs; and methods for fabricating the same.

Claims

1. In a decorative light string, including a plurality of sockets interconnected by a power cord serving to maintain said sockets in spaced relation, and supply power thereto, the improvement comprising:

each of said sockets having first and second socket body elements, each having a power-cord-clamping portion, a sleeve element constructed and arranged to hold said body elements in juxtaposed position with said cord held in said power-cord-clamping portion;

each of said first and second socket body elements having a principal longitudinal axis and an inner surface thereof, there being a plurality of longitudinally arranged grooves therein communicating with said surface, and elongated contact members slideably disposed in each of said grooves and frictionally retained therein, each of said contact members having a wire-engaging point on one end thereof adjacent said power-cord-clamping portion, said grooves exposing elongated side segments of said contact members;

said power cord including first and second electrical conductors, insulation surrounding said conductors and maintaining them in parallel mutually insulated relation;

said cord being severed at periodic intervals with respect to one of said conductors to form a hiatus, said first and second socket-forming elements enclosing said power cord in the area of said hiatus, whereby said contact members complete a circuit through said socket, the other of said conductors passing in insulateD relation through said socket, whereby a plurality of sockets may be interconnected for series current supply to a source of power.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, in which said socket includes a wedge-shaped member adapted to be projected into said hiatus upon engagement of said socket forming elements upon said power cord to enlarge said hiatus, whereby the hiatus may be formed solely by a single cut of one of the conductors.