Appliance plug

It was common in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

[citation needed] On some models of the classical ceramic electric jug, the appliance plug prevents the lid from being raised while the connector is inserted.

The third connection, earth, is a large metal contact on each side of the plug body which makes contact with the sides of the plug receptacle, grounding the appliance body.

Some appliances using these connectors incorporate a spring and plunger mechanism with a temperature-sensitive release system; if the temperature rises significantly above a preset limit - for example, if a kettle boils dry - the spring is released and (if all goes well) the plunger pushes the plug and socket apart.

It must then be allowed to cool and then reset manually by forcing the connector back into the appliance.