Gte Sylvania Wiring Devices, Inc.

Challenger Circle F, Inc.

Gte Products Corporation

Julius F Tibolla

James M Wittes

John Fiumefreddo

Voltage surge protector or the like

A wiring device may be mounted to sheet metal three ways and in two orientations. The device includes a flange for screw mounting, barbs for snap-in mounting, and a switched prong and leg arrangement for sliding the device on a punched notch and locking the device to the metal by the prongs engaging a hole in the sheet metal.

Wiring device for mounting on sheet metal

A lampholder includes a thermal protector for disconnecting the lamp from electrical power if the lampholder is overheated. The thermal protector is a packaged device and is held by a keeper. The keeper may be one piece with a contact to the lamp. Keepers for both glass and metal packaged thermal protectors are described.

Lampholder having thermal protector

An electrical switch has an operating handle which snaps onto a housing assembly, and when so attached is rockably mounted in engagement with a switch actuator projecting forwardly from the face of the assembly. The handle is formed with tapered projections at opposite sides, which resiliently yield upon insertion of the handle through the opening of a conventional wall plate and engage in back of the wall plate immediately prior to movement of the switch into its pivotal mounting on the housing assembly, to deter those who would casually and without authorization detach the handle from the housing assembly assembly. Removal of the wall plate permits the handle to be detached, to facilitate selection and interchangeability of handles according to a particular room decor or other aesthetic considerations.

Mounting means for interchangeable switch handles

A device for suppressing transient voltage surges is mountable at the end of a branch circuit in place of a conventional duplex receptacle. When so mounted, the device in external configuration duplicates the duplex receptacle exactly, except for omission of one of the two sets of slots normally provided for receiving the prongs of attachment plugs. The device, when mounted in a conventional outlet box, receives a conventional duplex receptacle wall plate, and being of the external configuration matching that of a conventional duplex receptacle, provides no projection beyond the wall plate greater than the projection defined by the raised portions of an ordinary duplex receptacle as heretofore known. Use of completely conventional duplex receptacle components, modified either not at all or only slightly, is permitted. The cover of the device is modified only to the extent of omitting the prong receiving slots at one end, and providing an internal recess for engaging the suppressor element and holding the same in proper position within the body of the device. The body of the device is modified only to the extent of providing a continuous, transverse suppressor element compartment at one end instead of the separate compartments normally provided of the receptacle contacts. Receptacle contact strips are utilized, modified only in that at one end thereof, two of the contact leaves normally provided are omitted, and the remaining leaf is adapted to constitute a wire lead terminal to which is connectable the ends of the suppressor element.

Transient voltage surge suppressing device

A terminal collar for electrically connecting a contact element includes a yoke of strip metal in the shape of a closed loop. End portions of the strip overlap, one being formed with a clearance opening and the other having a swaged boss engaging in the opening to prevent relative lateral deviation of the end portions. Side walls of the yoke define reentrant angles. Upon advancement of a screw through threads formed in the boss the contact element and conductor are clamped within the yoke. The side walls are stressed resiliently, and accommodate themselves to contraction or expansion of the wire, while at all times remaining within their elastic limits.

Growing community of inventors

Yardley, PA, United States of America

Julius F Tibolla