GB2218270A

GB2218270A - Electrical accessory box outlet

Info

Publication number: GB2218270A
Application number: GB8802608A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Harold Ferguson
Original assignee: Grawater Ltd
Current assignee: Grawater Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-05
Filing date: 1988-02-05
Publication date: 1989-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-05
Also published as: GB2218270B; GB8802608D0

Abstract

An accessory box is formed of plastics material with upstanding walls having pre-formed apertures (20, 23) into which snap-fit closures (Figs 3a, 3b) are placed. The walls are provided with a selection of rectangular and circular apertures so as to enable conduit or trunking to be connected to the box. An aperture may have a peripheral shoulder. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRICAL ACCESSORY BOXES The present invention relates to electrical accessory boxes, more particularly, but not exclusively for accessories such as sockets, roses and junction boxes.

It is known to provide electrical accessory boxes such as sockets with pre-weakened areas in the sides and/or base which require to be cut out in order to insert wires and the like into the box. Regulations now require the use of circular cross-section conduit or rectangular section trunking which requires to be joined to the boxes. This has resulted in either special boxes being form for either conduit or trunking which is costly or for the conduit or trunking to be cut off short of the box and simply butted against the outside of the box which is unsightly and unsafe since it allows the ingress of material.

The present invention provides an electrical accessory box which is pre-formed with a plurality of apertures, and the apertures are provided with snap fit closures.

Preferably at least one of the apertures is circular and one other is rectangular. It is particularly preferred for each of the apertures to be provided with internal shoulders arranged to abut the end of a piece of conduit or trunking inserted into a respective aperture.

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a plan view, partly in section of a box according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the box shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 3a and 3b shows forms of closures for use with the box shown in Fig. 1.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a rectangular plastics box for an electrical socket, the upstanding side walls of the box being preformed with rectangular and/or circular holes which can be closed by means of pres-fit covers. Each of the holes is provided with an internal shoulder so that a piece of conduit or trunking inserted into the hole will abut the shoulder and be securely located therein. If desired, the conduit or trunking can be secured in the hole using adhesive.

Referring now to Figure 1, this shows a plan view, partly on section of a square box for receiving an electrical socket. The box comprises a back wall 10 and upstanding side walls 11, 12, 13 and 14. The side walls or selected side walls are provided with one or more apertures 20-26. These apertures are formed in any convenient manner and have any desired cross-sectional shape. In this instance, the apertures 20, 21 and 22 are circular and all of the same diameter. It is of course possible to have the apertures 20, 21 and 22 of different diameters. The apertures 23-26 are square as is more clearly seen from Figure 2.

Figures 3a and 3b show circular and rectangular closures which are designed to be a snap fit in the apertures 20-26.

Figure 1 shows that the back wall 10 of the box is also provided with an aperture closed by a circular closure. This aperture permits access to the back of the box and enables the box to be surface mounted and used with recessed cable.

Each of the apertures is provided with a shoulder. The shoulder is best shown in relation to aperture 23 which is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The aperture 23 is rectangular and is designed to receive square trunking. The aperture is provided with an external section 23/ of dimensions similar to the outside dimensions of the trunking to be fitted and an inner section 23// of reduced dimensions. The junction between the sections 23/ and 23// forms the shoulder which receives the end of the trunking.

Although the specific description refers to a square aperture it is of course equally applicable to a circular or some other shape.

It is to be understood that while the box has been referred to as being for receiving a socket, it could equally receive a switch or simply be a junction box.

The above box has circular apertures in and adjacent the wall 12 with square apertures in and adjacent the wall 13. This enables the box to be used for T-junctions using either circular conduit or square trunking. The box could alternatively be made with exclusively circular apertures or exclusively square apertures and again the apertures need not all be of the same size.

The advantage of the preformed holes with separate snap fit covers is that the appearance and fit is much improved over traditional boxes which have cut outs simply marked on the walls and back of the box.

This renders the box much more suitable for DIY proposes. Further, the provision of a shoulder in each aperture has the advantage that it definitely locates conduit or trunking inserted into the aperture and thus prevents dirt or other contaminating materials entering the interior of the box.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An electrical accessory box comprising a base and upstanding walls, at least one of the walls being pre-formed with an aperture and the aperture being provided with a snap-fit closure.

2. A box according to claim 1, wherein said at least one wall is provided with a plurality of apertures at least one of which is of circular cross-section and the other of which is of rectangular cross-section.

3. A box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the exterior of the said at least one wall is provided with a recess around the or each aperture whereby to form a shoulder.

4. A box according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein all the walls are provided with preformed apertures.

5. A box according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one wall is provided with a plurality of apertures of the same shaft but different cross-sectional areas.

6. An electrical accessory box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.