Sockets were popular because tubes often had to be replaced in electronic equipment. Examples of seven- and eight-pin tube sockets are shown in Figure 3. Note that a nine-pin tube socket is configured similarly to the seven-pin socket shown.

Tubes were pushed into the sockets to make contact with the circuit. To replace a tube you simply pulled it out of the socket and pushed the replacement into the empty socket. There was a special tube socket called a loctal socket that was designed to hold the tube in the socket when the electronic system was exposed to vibration. To remove a tube from a loctal socket, it was necessary to apply a force on the side of the tube. The replacement tube would snap into place when inserted into the socket.

To prevent an accidental cross-connection, the tube sockets were designed so the tube could be inserted only one way. The space and the key in the examples of Figure 3 show how the sockets were aligned.

	Created by That Yeti Dog Person over 3 years ago

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