Electrical plug support bracket

• US 3,915,476 A
• Filed: 01/16/1975
• Issued: 10/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Burkle
• Original Assignee: Robert Burkle
• Inventors: Burkle, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Application Number:
  US05/541,399
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 280/422,421 339/13R,13M,75P,10,43,44R,44M
• US Class Current: 280/422
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/64 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62 Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement

Abstract

A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket is provided for supporting an electrical plug which is detachably mounted in a receptacle therefor on a vehicular body such as the wall of a trailer of a tractor-trailer vehicle. The plastic plug support bracket includes a base portion and a plug supporting portion pivotally connected thereto. The base portion includes a substantially V-shaped base plate which is secured through holes therein to a receptacle for the electrical plug. The base portion further includes, at the bottom of the plate, a pair of spaced parallel pivot brackets which extend from and are perpendicular to one face of the base plate. The plug supporting portion includes an elongated arm and a substantially semi-circular band connected, at the mid-point of its periphery, integrally to one end of said arm with the interior of the band facing away from the arm. The interior of the band is shaped to conform to an axially extending portion of the lower semi-circular half of the electrical plug which is substantially circular in cross-section. The other end of the arm is pivotally connected to and between the pivot brackets. The other end of the arm is substantially rectangular in cross-section and includes a face on each side thereof which frictionally abuts a face of a respective one of said pair of pivot brackets to frictionally hold the plug supporting portion against free pivotal movement relative to the base portion. The base portion also includes a spacer member, adjacent the bottom of the base plate, which extends from the other face of the base plate. The spacer member fills a portion of the space between the plug support bracket and the panel of the vehicle when the plug support bracket is connected to the receptacle to thereby provide additional support for the plug support bracket.

Claims

1. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket adapted to support an electrical plug detachably mounted in a receptacle therefor on a vehicular body, said bracket comprising:

a base portion, said base portion comprising a base plate, adapted to lie in a vertical plane when secured to a receptacle and, at the bottom of said plate, a pair of spaced parallel pivot brackets extending from and substantially perpendicular to one face of said base plate, and a plug supporting portion comprising an elongated arm and a substantially semi-circular band connected, at the mid-point of its periphery, integrally to one end of said arm with the interior of said band facing away from said arm, the substantially semi-circular interior surface of said band being shaped to conform to an axially extending portion of the lower semi-circular half of an electrical plug, substantially circular in cross-section, which the plug supporting portion is adapted to support, the other end of said arm being pivotally connected to and between said pivot brackets, said end of said arm having a transverse dimension substantially equal to the space between said pivot brackets so that said plug supporting portion is frictionally held against free pivotal movement relative to the base portion by the frictional interface between the one end of said arm and said pivot brackets.

2. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the one end of said arm is substantially rectangular in cross-section to provide a face on each side thereof which frictionally abuts a face of a respective one of said pair of pivot brackets to frictionally hold said plug supporting portion against free pivotal movement relative to the base portion.

3. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

means defining an aperture in each of said pivot brackets, means defining an aperture in said one end of said arm, said pivot bracket apertures and said arm aperture being aligned, and a pin force fitted in and extending through the aperture in said arm and into the aperture in each of said pivot brackets whereby said arm is pivotable about the axis of said pin.

4. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket as claimed in claim 3, wherein said base plate is substantially V-shaped in cross-section with the upper edge thereof being substantially semi-circular so as to be positioned around the lower half of a substantially circular plug receiving portion of a receptacle to which the base portion is adapted to be secured, and means defining an aperture in the upper end portion of each leg of the V-shaped base plate through which a securing means may be inserted to secure the base portion to a receptacle.

5. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said base portion further comprises, adjacent the bottom of said base plate, a spacer member which extends from the other face of said base plate, said spacer member being adapted to abut a vehicular body and thereby provide additional support for the plug support bracket when secured to a receptacle therefor on a vehicular body.

6. A substantially rigid plastic plug support bracket as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the plug support bracket is substantially impact-proof, impervious to gas, oil, grease, ultraviolet rays and ozone and remains stable at temperatures from -75*F to +400*F.

7. An elEctrical plug and receptacle assembly comprising a receptacle having a cylindrical plug receiving means and a flange adapted to be fastened to a wall of a tractor or trailer of a tractor-trailer vehicle and a cylindrical plug insertable in said receptacle to connect electrically a power source on the tractor with an electrical circuit of a trailer, and means for supporting the plug in the receptacle comprising a molded rigid plastic bracket having a generally V-shaped plate member detachably secured to the said flange on the receptacle with its legs straddling the plug receiving means and its base disposed below the plug receiving means, a pair of laterally spaced plate members integral with the base of said plate member and projecting outwardly therefrom below said plug receiving means, a plug support member having a base portion pivotally secured between said laterally spaced plate members and frictionally engaging them to retard pivoting movement of the plug support member therebetween, said plug support member having a semi-circular member disposed about said cylindrical plug and pressing the plug upwardly against the inner wall of the receptacle and an elongated arm portion integral at one end to said base portion and at the other end to said semi-circular member, the length of said plug support member between its pivot point and its supporting semi-circular surface being greater than the distance between the pivot point and the underside of the cylindrical plug when the said cylindrical plug and receptacle are coaxial whereby said plug support member exerts a pressure against the said plug and causes it to become bound in the receptacle.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the said plug support member has a strengthening rib extending along each side of the arm portion and said semi-circular member, the width of the ribs plus the width of the arm being substantially equal to the width of the base portion.