A lamp base and mating socket locking to prevent axial separation. A lamp base
has a locking bridge with arms extending between pairs of contact pins spaced a
distance from a surface of the lamp base forming a gap. The contact pins and locking
bridge extend through an opening in the socket. Upon rotating the lamp base relative
to the socket, locking lands extend under the arms of the locking bridge in the
gap preventing unintentional axial separation between the lamp base and the socket.
In one embodiment, a key notch is formed in one of the arms of the locking bridge
and a mating key pin is formed on the lamp base. The present invention is particularly
suited to environments susceptible to vibration or movement; for example, in the
treatment of wastewater.
