Mysterious Plug Pin Holes, We're Being Lied To!

a reply to: JIMC5499

I don't think they were designed for lock out, but it does work, as I said workers have found other uses for the holes it seems.

a reply to: strongfp

I've put screws through the holes so that they can't be plugged in. I usually use some anti-tamper screws that I have so they can't be easily removed. It is against out Company LOTO policy to do it. I play around Voltages and Amperages that scare the crap out of most people, including me.

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: strongfp

They are not for lockout or else there would be locks that fit through the holes. I work quite a bit with Lock Out Tag Out and we have a hinged cover we put over the plug of a device to lock it out.

www.mcmaster.com...

That what is this?
www.carltonbates.com...
I have never seen one like that except in a catalog but I have used many of the can ones. The can ones fit the bigger industrial plugs also.

most likely reason for the holes today come from a patent filed in 1915 and granted in 1920. the hole are for the wipers/ contacts in the socket to lock into, and has been carried on.

second shown post with patent diagram of the filing

A small quote: "When the terminals (4) and (5) reach final position these projections spring into openings (25) in said terminals and positively lock the cap and shell and prevent accidental separation thereof."

NEMA 5-15P blade holes

and the patent on google patent search if you click the blue links in the text links it will show the diagram.

US patent 1352817 Separable attachment-plug Inventor John J Kenney

originally posted by: gb540

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: saint4God
Most antique lamps/electronics that have original plugs have no holes in the plugs. I had one recently. I am going to watch this video though as now I am curious why the holes appeared.
Ok watched it. The holes are strictly optional and for efficient manufacturing purposes only. I had a feeling, but thanks for confirming it.

The holes also function as detent locks to help keep the plug, plugged.

Antique radios liked to use resistor power cords and were aptly nicknamed "curtain burners". I suppose a side effect of not having the holes, is one probably wanted the plug to fall out if someone wasn't in the room watching for fire!

That's exactly what I was thinking.

It just makes sense.

originally posted by: gb540
Antique radios liked to use resistor power cords and were aptly nicknamed "curtain burners".

What do you mean by "resistor power cords"?

originally posted by: ArMaP

originally posted by: gb540
Antique radios liked to use resistor power cords and were aptly nicknamed "curtain burners".

What do you mean by "resistor power cords"?

Discussed at ez.analog.com...

Also,

Curtain-burner cord, heater cord, and resistance line cord all describe a type of AC line cord used to supply household current to many transformerless radios during the 1930s. These cords had a resistance wire built into them that was wired in series with the radio's tube filaments to bring the total voltage drop of the filament circuit up to the full 120 volts supplied at the plug. The resistance wire was quite warm during operation which probably contributed to these old AC cords becoming very brittle and unsafe over the years.

at this site

Cheers

Fascinating!

a reply to: saint4God

Obviously the openings are there for additional electro magnetic fields to interfere with human brainwave activity.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

Thanks.

originally posted by: F2d5thCavv2

originally posted by: ArMaP

originally posted by: gb540
Antique radios liked to use resistor power cords and were aptly nicknamed "curtain burners".

What do you mean by "resistor power cords"?

Discussed at ez.analog.com...

Also,

Curtain-burner cord, heater cord, and resistance line cord all describe a type of AC line cord used to supply household current to many transformerless radios during the 1930s. These cords had a resistance wire built into them that was wired in series with the radio's tube filaments to bring the total voltage drop of the filament circuit up to the full 120 volts supplied at the plug. The resistance wire was quite warm during operation which probably contributed to these old AC cords becoming very brittle and unsafe over the years.

at this site

Cheers

Its amazing the whole generation wasnt wiped out, what with that and asbestos everywhere, then nuclear tests

a reply to: saint4God
At the risk of it being said that I'm derailing the thread because I'm making an exact comment about the thread, I'll follow through with my thoughts on this particular topic which is indicative of ATS seems to reside today.

How insane is it that there are now 30 replies to a top that could, maybe, handle half a dozen insight posts? How important to everyone's lives in the US, let alone the entire world that the topic gets dragged into obtuse areas of politics, government, secrecy and conspiracy?

I see a comparison with this inane, blameless and harmless topic to the many, many post and threads dealing with whether the UFOs, congress or individuals are ever going to recognized as ...somethings or not.

That one topic is probably the greatest question, puzzle or logical concern we should have and should be discussing to the best of our abilities at the present. That topic is the apparent overwhelming evidence that we are being visited by intelligent beings or machines from other domains outside of our understanding and heretofore acceptance.

So, my relevant reply to this topic is that many of you should be trying some forward thinking about what our destiny means beyond babbling about innocent holes in electrical plugs. As a UFO abductee, I can tell you the universe is far more complex than we have allowed ourselves to believe. In truth, most of are scared helpless, incapable of facing the stark reality of our very immediate future. 'Sorry if I'm pissing on your parade, but we really have a more important situation to address.

a reply to: saint4God

Not many more than 24 YT videos about it. Now then, what part of the receptacle has the gizmo to form the hook to attach the wires? In most places it is a code violation to use the push in holes.

a reply to: Observer19

We must continue as nothing is expected. If we talk of your subject too much then they will find out that we know they are coming. Camouflage in plain sight, you see. Loose lips sink ships and all that. They will change their plans.

Now, to continue the ruse. Recepticle, photo galvinometer, pocket relay, gravity battery, Daniels cell, blue vitrol, etc...

originally posted by: billxam
a reply to: saint4God

Not many more than 24 YT videos about it. Now then, what part of the receptacle has the gizmo to form the hook to attach the wires? In most places it is a code violation to use the push in holes.

Aha! History holds the past to the answers of our present that will hopefully change our future.

I had a personal hypothesis that electricians and/or consumers requested these in order to 'fish' the plug through difficult spaces with like a string or something. So...debunked that one I suppose, but fun thought nonetheless.

a reply to: beyondknowledge2

Right! Cognitive Dissonance at its finest.

The Holes are there to prevent someone from plugging in a Machine that's being repaired
usually a cable lock is passed through the holes to prevent that from happening.

a reply to: saint4God

I don't have one single device in the home that has holes in the connectors .
Many years ago , yes .
My theory ?
Old fashioned outlets had "bumps" inside the outlet that provided a weak sort of lock in mechanism .
I will try to lo0cate one and verify .

a reply to: saint4God

20 minutes of my life wasted......

I have some hospital grade Industrial 20 amp outlets in my house, including one GFI. I took one apart that was broken to see why the cords are so hard to pull out. It had bumps in it. I have them in the kitchen of the house and one in the upstairs bathroom, they hold the plug very well in the socket. Except that it is really hard to pull the hair dryer cord out of the upstairs bathroom outlets...never thought of that when I put them in. The toaster and coffee pot and other kitchen appliances that stay plugged in most times, they are great to have these type outlets in. They snap in and out and the contacts are very strong too.

Maybe because all of the things we buy could be used in a Hospital setting, they have to comply. I do not know if the outlets are still made this way, my outlets are thirty three years old. I need to find another one for the kitchen outlet, if I get another I will take it apart and post a picture of it here. I like it in the kitchen, not so much in the bathroom though because you are unplugging the plug every time you use the toothbrush or razor and they are hard to pull out without damaging the cord on the hairdryer. I did have one hairdryer cord go bad because of that outlet.

I bought those outlets from a commercial electrical supply company, you will not find those at the hardware stores. The brass bump on those is not just pressed in, it is thickened where the dimple is in it somehow.

I am guessing on why the cords all have holes, if you plug a cord in without holes, the contact area will be much smaller so it makes sense that holes are required for safety in areas where these were required. Like I said, I have no clue if the outlets are still like that. It was back in the eighties when I built my house. I also have one of those in my garage where I plug in some power tools. They are not unplugged as often as the one I plug the bread machine in and the bathroom outlet so they are not worn much. I suppose if you had something short out, that little hump would make it almost impossible to pull out the cord since things sort of get welded in there if that happens.

Now I am reminded I need to change that kitchen outlet. Remembering back to what caused that to get week....It was a big cake beater that shorted out and heated up the outlet, there are little brown marks around that plug so we don't plug in the top holes anymore. When the microwave caught fire near the fridge, it did not damage the outlet, just smoked up the whole house. We never bought another microwave, that was the second microwave we had catch fire. But the first one was at another house we owned...had to replace the outlet there.

This thread is bringing up memories of things that happened in the past, have had to change a half dozen outlets because of shorting appliances in the past.