Socket for fluorescent lamps

A lamp socket for a fluorescent lamp of the type which has a pair of parallel contact pins extending axially from opposite ends thereof, the lamp being adapted to be moved at a right angle to longitudinal axes of said pins into the socket, comprising:

• a socket housing having a guide groove centrally located between a pair of generally parallel slots for receiving the contact pins as the pins are moved into the slots in a direction generally perpendicular to the axes of the pins;
• a pair of terminals mounted in the socket housing respectively exposed in the slots for engagement by the contact pins;
• a one-piece lever pivotally mounted in the socket housing and including a guide rib movable within said guide groove, a pair of wings on opposite sides of the guide rib with the wings terminating in a pair of shoulders defining blocking portions aligned with the slots, the lever being pivotable between a first position wherein said blocking portions are removed from the slots to allow movement of the contact pins into the slots and a second position wherein said blocking portions block the slots to prevent movement of the contact pins out of the slots;
• and
• spring means for biasing the lever toward said second position.

A lamp socket for a fluorescent lamp of the type which has a pair of parallel contact pins extending axially from opposite ends thereof, the lamp being adapted to be moved at a right angle to longitudinal axes of said pins into the socket, comprising:

• a socket housing having a pair of generally parallel slots for receiving the contact pins as the pins are moved into the slots in a direction generally perpendicular to the axes of the pins;
• a pair of terminals mounted in the socket housing respectively exposed in the slots for engagement by the contact pins;
• a lever pivotally mounted in the socket housing and including at least one blocking portion, the lever being pivotable between a first position wherein said blocking portion allows movement of the lamp and contact pins into the socket and a second position wherein the blocking portion blocks movement of the lamp and pins into the socket, the lever including receiving means for receiving the contact pins in a preliminary position preparatory to moving the pins fully into the socket;
• and
• spring means for biasing the lever toward said second position.