Electrical continuity and voltage testing device having a pair of probes spaced for insertion into an electrical socket

• US 4,259,635 A
• Filed: 06/08/1979
• Issued: 03/31/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William R. Triplett
• Original Assignee: William R. Triplett
• Inventors: Triplett, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Application Number:
  US06/046,854
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 324/51, 324/72.5, 324/133, 324/149, 324/156
• US Class Current: 324/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/155 Indicating the presence of voltage

Abstract

An electrical instrument that includes two probes extending therefrom for contacting various points of other electrical devices being checked; the instrument including a case containing an electrical circuit between the probes, the circuit including a battery, switch and indicator lamp, and one of the probes being on an extension cord that winds up around the case for storage and in which position the probes align adjacent to each other for fitting in an electric outlet socket and the like.

Claims

1. An electrical testing device, comprising in combination, a case, an electrical circuit inside said case, said circuit extending between a pair of exterior probes, a first of said probes being rigidly affixed to said case, and a second of said probes being on an end of a flexible uncoiled extension cord extending from said case, a groove extending around an outer side of said case, said extension cord fitting into said groove when wound around said case, receiving means on said case for inflexibly holding said probe to said case in an operational position parallel to said first probe and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the spacing of the contacts of an electrical socket, whereby said testing device can be used both with the cord wound and the second probe held to the case as well as with the cord unwound and the second probe extended from the cord, said second probe including a rigid elongated handle, said receiving means comprising an elongated groove formed along one side of the case, the mouth of the groove being slightly narrower than the handle to provide a snap fit of the handle in the elongated groove, so as to maintain the handle rigidly positioned parallel to the case and to prevent flexible movement of the handle when in said elongated groove, said handle including a shoulder portion which abuts against the case when the handle is positioned in the elongated groove and is located at a position on said handle such that the second probe extends substantially the same distance from the case as said first probe for maintaining the proper positioning of the second probe with respect to the first probe, and wherein said uncoiled extension cord is of such a length that when wound around said case groove, the entire length of the cord is utilized without any unused slack portion and without disturbing the locating of the shoulder portion on the case.