US2522741A - Box hole closure - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1950 M. D. BERGAN 2,522,741

BOX HOLE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 8, 1945 INVENTOR MAR-Fl N D. BEREAN BY 2WMQQ ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1950 BOX HQLE CLOSURE Martin Bergan, Westfield, N. J., assignor to The Thomas & Betts 00., Elizabeth, N. .L, a. corporation of New Jersey Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,588

The invention relates to a device capable of functioning as a closure for an aperture in the wall of electric equipment, such as cabinets, junction boxes and the like. 1

The primary object of the invention is to provide an aperture closure of the least possible amount of material; preferably of thin sheet metal, which will effectively seal and close the aperture.

The requirement to use the least amount of metal in the closure Suggests the use of extremely thin sheet metal stock of the character which is so thin that it must be corrugated or embossed to supply the necessary structural strength and resistance to distortion, and at the same time to provide sufficient elasticity in its peripheral edge portions so as to be free to distort itself automatically and sufficiently to conform to any out of plane irregularities in the portion of-the Wall outlining the aperture to which it is applied.

The invention also contemplates the assembling of the thin embossed sheet metal closures in pairs clamping the wall therebetween and arranging them in such abutting relation that they will mutually reinforce one another.

Broadly this aspect of the invention is obtained by providing identical thin preformed plates or discs, radially embossed and with the bosses of each plate spaced apart, and locating the embossments from one plate nested in the spaces formed between the embossments of the other plate and incidentally utilizing both sets of embossments collectively so that when so internested they coact to center the assembly of two discs in its associated wall aperture.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following par" ticular description of one form of device embodying the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of one side of a closure disc constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side or edge elevation of the same, looking at the disc from the right side and from the plane marked 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the reverse side of the disc shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on 1 Claim. (01. 220-) the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and across a diameter of 55 the disc; in"

. 2 Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of two of the discs shown in Fig. 1 with their centers punched out and thus enlarged to form a pair of mounting washers; and showing in full and dash lines the relative arran ements of the embossments in relatively nested arrangement ready to receive a cable or conduit intruded or introduced into the aligned and enlarged center openings; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View such as would be shown on the line 6-6 of. Fig. 4 of the two nested discs of Fig. 1 when forming a. closure and before having their centers enlarged as in Fig. 5.

In the drawings there is disclosed a junction box of conventional designrepresented by one of its upstanding walls I! and with one or more of the usual circular blanks outlined by one, or by a plurality ofconcentric weakened lines arranged so that by selectively punching the area defined by one of the weakened lines an aperture M of the desired diameter may he had, all as is well known in the prior art.

Referring to the complete closure l9, it is seen that it is made up of two identical closure discs 2c and 2! secured together at their centers bya readily separabl connector specifically shown as a short bolt. 22 and nut 2'3. passed through the two bolt holes 24 which are initially formed of small diameter at the center of each ticularly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

As the closure discs are identical, the description of one will fit the other. Each disc is simply a stamping of relatively th n sheet metal, preferably steel, having such a degree of flexibility and spring as will permit its per meter or outlining flat ring-like edge portion 25 to conform to and snugly fit the portion 26 0f the wall outlining the aperture 14 even in those cases where imperfection in manufacture or subse uent warping of the wall H forces the wall portions 26 out of a true plane.

Each disc is provided with a plurality, in this case shown to be four, pan-like segmental embossments or bosses 27 arranged to give strength to what otherwise would be a too frail form of closure disc. The bosses are each of segmental form with rounded corners and d s osed radially, and with their axis circumferentially placed apart de rees, and with the blank spaces 28 therebetween of slightly greater arc length than the bosses simi arly measured in order to permit the nesting of the bosses one between the other two as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The outer rims or edges 29 of the bosses are equidistantly spaced apart and form arcs of a circle whose diameter is substantially the same disc as parof the Wall and the other disc is located on'th'e opposite side of the wall, incidentally being reenatered by their rims 29 fitted in the aperture M: A and the bolt 22 is passed loosely through the? bolt holes 24 so aligned by reasonof the center. ing of the discs. The discs are relatively rotated, if necessary, until the bosses 2'! on ons. disc are nested into tharspaces 28 of the other disc asindicated by the fullv and. dotteddine' arrangement shown. in .Fig=.- 5, and as ishownsin. section. Fig. 6 In I the case-of. the. four. .einbossments in. :eachdisc, the alternate.- embossments are 4.5 .degreesapart as. indicated in Fig... 5...

Thenut 23 isthentig-htened .to draw thediscs together at -.their'.centers andthuscause .the. perimeters .or .edg-e.--portions.. 25. -to-bear firmly and resiliently on. the. outliningwall portion. 26'

with whatever incidental spring of..the discs. as.

maybe. imposed .the-reon by the. portion. 26 of. the walL.

In Figs. 1 and 3 there is shown a series of can? centriclines .30.-spaced apart equidistantly. and which may beconsidered as definingthe. perim' eters of. .the. punched. out areas to -..p1:ovide the requisite size. of. openings desired lforany ,particula1:.situation-...' The opening 24' of. Fig. .5 .for instance.- .was'. formedv .by punching. out the .ma-. terialof. the. disc -zalongeone of .the intermediate.- lines .36 .ot..Figs. l and 3.. While. .the lines -30 as shown have no physical existence on..the discs,

it. is. .suggestedthatthe. lines .30 be fine grooves outlining weakenedportions. to facilitate punchingirom. the. closure. discsthe necessary amount. of. materialto fomnthe enlarged openings 24 so that in..such cases. the-original closure discs 20' and 2.1. become. mounting. washers with; any size opening. 24 within the. dimension of the-stock disc used.

I .claim:

A .wall provided with. an opening of circular 4 outline, a pair of identical discs for closing the opening, one disc disposed on one side and the other on the opposite side of the wall, each of said discs provided with the same number of raised bosses arranged radially and circumferentially spaced apart distances at least equal to their circumferential dimensiom'the a'bosses of each disc projecting towards each otlier, fitting into the spaces formed by the bosses of the ld rlother disc and coacting to form a substantially closed circle of bosses, the outer edges of the bosses forming parts of the same circle having aradius substantiallyequal to that of the opening whereby'the bosses of each disc coact to center *its associated disc in the opening and bolt-like.--means.:passing through the discs at the centers thereof and operating to secure the discs in their positions centered in the opening with the wall clamped ibetween the peripheral portions: of the two discs which lie externally ofxfthe associated bosses and each. of saididiscs": beingfsolid between :its periphery and the abolte like means at its center. MARTIN D. BER-GAN:

REFERENCES CITED The following references' are -'of' record infith" file of this patent:

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FQ'REIGN PATENTS Number Country Date

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