Re: What is the purpose of the large and small prong on 2-pronged plugs

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#1051

From: Tony Wingo
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:42

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In article <1992Nov18.033022.4518@bbxrbk>, russ@bbxrbk (Russ Kepler) wrote:
rew to attach the "common" wire is silver-colored.
> 
> Ahh, but the *real* question is why the prongs have holes in the tips...

Back when these plugs were first standardized, manufacturers did not have
access to corrosion-free spring alloys to make the socket contacts out of,
so the sockets had spring-loaded detents that engaged the holes in the plug
contacts, to guarentee a good contact.  The holes became part of the
specification for the plug, so they are still there even though they
haven't been necessary for a long, long time.

-tony

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<dlphknob.721926598@cs1.bradley.edu> <1e8g31INNgmo@gap.caltech.edu> <BxvKLE.1Fo@javelin.sim.es.com> <1992Nov18.033022.4518@bbxrbk>

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!agate!apple!mumbo.apple.com!wingosmac.apple.com!user
From: wingo@apple.com (Tony Wingo)
Subject: Re: What is the purpose of the large and small prong on 2-pronged plugs
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Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:42:53 GMT
References: <dlphknob.721926598@cs1.bradley.edu> <1e8g31INNgmo@gap.caltech.edu> <BxvKLE.1Fo@javelin.sim.es.com> <1992Nov18.033022.4518@bbxrbk>
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