Wall outlet lock apparatus

• US 5,061,199 A
• Filed: 03/14/1991
• Issued: 10/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: McClead, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US07/670,136
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 439/133, 439/304, 439/346, 200/43.02, 200/43.04, 200/43.05, 200/43.07, 200/43.08, 200/43.09, 200/43.11, 200/43.12
• US Class Current: 439/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch

Abstract

A wall outlet lock apparatus for retaining an electrical appliance plug atn electrical outlet comprising at least one electrical plug receptacle for receiving the appliance plug; electrical switching means connected to the electrical plug receptacle for transferring electrical power from the wall outlet to the electrical plug receptacle and for disengaging the wall outlet from the electrical plug receptacle to prevent transfer of electrical power from the wall outlet to the electrical plug receptacle; means for securing the wall outlet lock apparatus to the wall outlet and locking means for preventing the unauthorized removal of the electrical appliance plug from the wall outlet lock apparatus.

Claims

1. A wall outlet lock apparatus for retaining an electrical appliance plug at an electrical wall outlet comprising:

a rectangular shaped housing having a removable face wall plate and a front plate;

means for securing said face wall plate over said electrical wall outlet;

a master electrical plug operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing, said master electrical plug having at least a pair of plug prongs operably disposed through the removable face wall plate for mechanically and electrically engaging said electrical wall outlet;

an electrical receptacle unit mounted on the front plate of said housing, said electrical receptacle unit having at least one electrical plug outlet for removably receiving at least one electrical appliance plug;

first key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing and having an electrical switch electrically coupled between said master electrical plug and said electrical receptacle unit;

said first key operated locking means being adapted to selectively close said electrical switch to complete an electrical circuit between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet and to selectively open said electrical switch and thereby break the circuit between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet so as to selectively electrically energize and deenergize said at least one electrical plug outlet to selectively allow for or prevent the transfer of electrical power between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet;

first light means mounted on said rectangular shaped housing for indicating that said electrical switch is closed and electrical power is being provided to said at least one electrical plug outlet;

second light means mounted on said rectangular housing shaped housing for indicating that said electrical switch is open and electrical power is not being provided to said at least one electrical plug outlet;

second key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing for fastening said removable face wall plate to said rectangular shaped housing so as to prevent the removal of said wall outlet lock apparatus from said electrical wall outlet;

engaging means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing for securing said electrical appliance plug to said at least one electrical plug outlet and thereby preventing the unauthorized removal of said electrical appliance plug from said at least one electrical plug outlet; and

third key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing, said third key operated locking means being operatively coupled to said engaging means so as to effectuate the securing of said electrical appliance plug to said at least one electrical plug outlet when said third key operated locking means is in a locked position and to allow for the removal of said electrical appliance plug from said at least one electrical plug outlet when said third key operated locking means is in an unlocked position.

2. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said face wall plate over said electrical wall outlet comprises at least one metallic screw.

3. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first light means comprises a green indicator light.

4. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second light means comprises a red indicator light.

5. A wall outlet lock apparatus for retaining an electrical appliance plug at an electrical wall outlet comprising:

a rectangular shaped housing having a removable face wall plate and a front plate, said face wall plate having a locking tab on one edge thereof;

means for securing said face wall plate over said electrical wall outlet;

a master electrical plug operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing, said master electrical plug having at least a pair of plug prongs operably disposed through the removable face wall plate for mechanically and electrically engaging said electrical wall outlet;

an electrical receptacle unit mounted on the front plate of said housing, said electrical receptacle unit having at least one electrical plug outlet for removably receiving at least one electrical appliance plug;

said electrical appliance plug having a pair of plug prongs, each plug prong having an aperture therein;

first key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing and having an electrical switch electrically coupled between said master electrical plug and said electrical receptacle unit;

said first key operated locking means being adapted to selectively close said electrical switch to complete an electrical circuit between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet and to selectively open said electrical switch and thereby break the circuit between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet so as to selectively electrically energize and deenergize said at least one electrical plug outlet to selectively allow for or prevent the transfer of electrical power between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet;

a first indicator light mounted on said rectangular shaped housing, said first indicator light being electrically coupled between said electrical switch and said at least one electrical plug outlet such that when said electrical switch is closed said first indicator light is on indicating electrical power is being supplied to said at least one electrical plug outlet;

a second indicator light mounted on said rectangular shaped housing, said second indicator light being electrically coupled between said master electrical plug and said at least one electrical plug outlet such that when said electrical switch is open said second indicator light is on indicating electrical power is not being supplied to said at least one electrical plug outlet;

second key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing for fastening said removable face wall plate to said rectangular shaped housing;

said second key operated locking having a locking lever rotatably connected thereto such that when said second key locking means is in a locked position said locking lever is in engagement with

said locking tab thereby preventing the removal of said wall outlet lock apparatus from said electrical wall outlet;

a rectangular shaped plate slidably positioned within said rectangular shaped housing, said rectangular shaped plate having at least one locking rod extending therefrom to an aperture within said electrical receptacle unit;

a rectangular shaped support plate fixedly mounted within said housing approximately parallel to said rectangular shaped plate, said rectangular shaped support plate having at least one aperture therein, said at least one locking rod being in slidable engagement with the at least one aperture in said support plate;

third key operated locking means operably disposed within said rectangular shaped housing, said third key operated locking means having a cam rotatably connected thereto, said cam having a curved portion which is in engagement with one face of said rectangular shaped plate such that when said third key operated locking means is in a locked positioned said at least one locking rod is extended through the at least one aperture in said electrical receptacle unit into the aperture in one of said prongs of said electrical appliance plug so as to effectuate the securing of said electrical appliance plug to said at least one electrical plug outlet; and

spring means positioned between said rectangular shaped plate and said rectangular shaped support plate for expanding said rectangular shaped plate away from said rectangular shaped support plate such that when said third key operated locking means is in an unlocked position said at least one locking rod is withdrawn from the apertures of said prongs of said electrical appliance plug so as to allow for the removal of said electrical appliance plug from said at least one electrical plug outlet.

6. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for securing said face wall plate over said electrical wall outlet comprises at least one metallic screw.

7. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first indicator light comprises a green indicator light.

8. The wall outlet lock apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second indicator light comprises a red indicator light.