"News You can Use around Your Home".  The receptacle is as common as the cold.
This little invention paved the way for easy access to one of our most "taken-for-granted" utilities. If you ever wondered why they look like they do, this month's article will explain it.
I hope you have been "plugging In" to this great summer!
Terry Carman |
| The First Receptacle | |
Electricity was first introduced into homes in the 1880's but every lamp or appliance had to be "hard-wired" into the wall by an electrician.
While walking in New York City, Harvey Hubbell (a Connecticut inventor) happened upon a penny arcade which had just closed for the day. The arcade had been equipped with several electrically operated games, including one where two boxers, maneuvered along slots in the floor of the miniature boxing ring, threw right or left uppercuts at each other with the touch of the proper button. While a favorite with customers, the boxers and other electrical games caused problems for the arcade's staff.
 Looking through the window, Hubbell watched as an exasperated janitor struggled to detach each of the power supply wires from separate post terminals extending outward from the wall. After moving the game to one side and sweeping the floor, the janitor faced the even more tedious task of identifying each wire and its proper terminal post, making each of the reconnections, and checking each terminal once more to preclude an inadvertent short circuit.
Harvey knew there had to be a better - not to mention safer - way to detach and reattach wires to walls and set about to figure it out.
After experimenting with metal protected by wood (which served as an insulator before plastic came into use), he came up with a two-pronged plug-and-socket system for appliances that is the direct descendant of our modern electrical receptacle. |
The ground pin on the appliance plug is connected inside the appliance to the outer casing of an appliance. If the appliance malfunctions and the exterior of the appliance becomes electrified, the ground pin will instantly drain the electricity through the round hole in the receptacle into a safe ground so that the appliance user is not electrocuted. 
If you have a question about the health of your electrical system or just wondering about a little "plastic surgery", ask the doctor: Just click below and send your question to 
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