# US 4,395,082 A · Obturator

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- Number: US 4,395,082 A
- Document ID: US4395082A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/153,523
- Filed: 1980-05-27
- Granted: 1983-07-26
- Earliest claimed: 1979-06-01
- Inventors: Clive S. Rumble
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395082A

## CPC

- H01R 13/4532: {Rotating shutter}
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

An obturator for closing an opening, especially of use in an electrical plug socket adaptor, the obturator comprising in combination three apertured plates in which the apertures are able to be aligned so that entry from the apertures of the first plate to the apertures of the third plate via the apertures of the second plate is only possible by movement of the second plate; in the natural condition of the obturator entrance to the apertures of the third plate is obstructed by the second plate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An obturator, comprising:
an outer housing having an inner surface with a key means extending inwardly of said inner surface;
an outer first plate rotatably disposed in said housing, having a first arcuate keyway for cooperating with said key means to allow limited rotation of said first plate with respect to said housing, two apertures for accepting prongs, and first means for anchoring a spring;
a second plate rotatably disposed in said housing adjacent said first plate, having a second arcuate keyway for cooperating with said key means to allow limited rotation of said second plate with respect to said housing, two apertures for accepting prongs capable of alignment with the apertures of said first plate, and second means for anchoring a spring;
spring means cooperating with said first and second means for anchoring for rotatably urging said first and second plates to a first position in which the apertures of said first and second plates are not aligned;
an inner third plate fixed with respect to said housing adjacent said second plate, having a first pair of apertures for accepting prongs capable of alignment with the apertures of said second plate but being unaligned with the apertures of said second plate when said second plate is in said first position; and
two reciprocating detents extending from the surface of said third plate, each having a first end which extends into one of the apertures of said second plate when said second plate is in said first position, to prevent rotation of said second plate, whereby said first plate may be rotated against the bias of said spring means by prongs situated in the apertures of said first plate so that the apertures of said first plate become aligned with the apertures of said second plate, whereupon the ends of said reciprocal detents may be moved toward said third plate by the prongs and said first and second plates may be rotated with respect to said third plate by the prongs so that the apertures of said second plate are aligned with said first pair of apertures of said third plate, relative rotation between said second and third plates being prevented unless each of said detents is moved.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An obturator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third plate is provided with a second pair of apertures aligned with the apertures of said second plate when said second plate is in said first position, with said detents extending through said second pair of apertures and being resiliently urged by springs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An obturator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first plate is provided with a spigot which extends from the surface of said first plate and said second and third plates are each provided with a central aperture for accepting said spigot, and said spring means is a spring coiled around said spigot.