Front mounting socket for a gas tube light

A method for securing a front mounting socket in a sign having a sign surface substrate with said substrate having at least one aperture, said method comprising:

• connecting an electrical wire to a wire terminal on a front mounting socket, said socket having two diametrically positioned retaining clips with each retaining clip comprising:
• a retainer member, and
• a screw member supported in a screw groove formed in the socket body and pivotly mounted in a pivot socket at one end of the screw groove, with the retainer member threadingly engaged on the screw member, the screw member extending from the top portion of the socket body to the mid-portion of the socket body;
• inserting the front mounting socket into the aperture in the sign surface substrate until the retaining surface, abuts the sign surface substrate;
• and,
• tightening each screw member until the retainer member abuts the sign substrate, thereby interposing the sign substrate between each retainer member and the retaining surface of the mounting surface which secures the socket to the sign.

A front mounting socket for a gas light tube, which socket is composed of dielectric material and is mounted in an aperture in a sign surface substrate, said socket comprising:

• a socket body having a top portion with a mounting rim a part of which form an annular mounting surface near the top portion of the socket body, with said mounting rim having a raised portion defining a retaining surface that engages the sign surface substrate, and a mid portion, and a bottom portion having a wire terminal with said wire terminal within a cavity in the socket body;
• a plurality of means for securing the socket to the sign substrate;
• and,
• an electrode contact spring positioned in the cavity of the socket body and in electrical contact with the wire terminal;
• wherein the plurality of means for securing is a pair of retaining clips positioned in the mounting rim, with each retaining clip comprising:
• a retainer member, and
• a screw member supported in a screw groove formed in the socket body and pivotly mounted in a pivot socket at one end of the screw groove, with the retainer member threadingly engaged on the screw member, the screw member extending from the top portion of the socket body to the mid-portion of the socket body.