Plug and receptacle with separable switch contactors

In a power plug and receptacle combination having a switching capability, each of said plug and receptacle including a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said plug terminals being prearranged to electrically connect with a specific receptacle terminal to form a plurality of pairs of connectable plug and receptacle terminals, the improvement comprising:

• structural means forming an integral part of said receptacle for unobstructedly and fully receiving the plug therein with essentially no resistance to the plug's full insertion, portions of each of the plug's terminals being fully contained within the receptacle after said full insertion;
• an electrical bridge for each plug and receptacle terminal pair, each bridge being contained within the receptacle proximate a specific pair, one bridge interacting with each pair when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle,
• actuator means for substantially simultaneously effecting an electrical connection between all terminal pairs, said actuator means carrying said electrical bridges therewith;
• and means for moving said actuator means to selectively engage and disengage said bridges.

An explosion proof plug and receptacle comprising:

• a plug having a housing defining a front end and a rear end, said front end carrying polarizing means, said plug also including a plurality of male terminals, each projecting forwardly therefrom to a distal end defined by a butt contact;
• a receptacle having a housing with a plug receiving end having polarizing means for interacting with the plug polarizing means, said receptacle also including a front insulation block and a rear insulation block defining a switching void therebetween, said front insulation block having holes therethrough providing passages for the plug butt contacts to enter into said switching void;
• a plurality of receptacle terminals carried by the rear insulation block, each terminal extending into said void and carrying a butt contact thereon;
• actuator means carried in the receptacle having a moveable subassembly both for electrically connecting plug terminals with receptable terminals and for interlocking plug and receptacle when the plug terminals and receptacle terminals are electrically connected, said moveable subassembly carrying a conductive bridging element for each plug terminal and receptacle terminal to be electrically connected, each bridging element including two butt contacts of which one engages a plug terminal butt contact and the other generally simultaneously engages a receptacle terminal butt contact when the subassembly is moved from an "off" position to an "on" position, this simultaneous engagement effecting a double-make electrical connection;
• said actuator means also including biasing means for exerting a force on said subassembly and cause it to respond quickly and achieve a quick-break electrical connection to hold down are degradation of the butt contacts.