GB2227892A

GB2227892A - Decorative covers for domestic electrical accessories

Info

Publication number: GB2227892A
Application number: GB8911559A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Arthur Leeson; Graham George Leeson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-02-02
Filing date: 1989-05-19
Publication date: 1990-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-19
Also published as: GB2227892B; GB8902242D0; GB8911559D0

Abstract

A decorative cover for a domestic light switch or other domestic electrical accessory comprises a recessed plate 10 shaped to fit over and enclose the accessory body. The plate has an opening through which the switch rockers, sockets etc. are exposed and fixing holes which are in use aligned with those in the accessory body. In use, the accessory body is clamped to a fixing surface and the cover plate is clamped to the accessory body by the same fixing screws. <IMAGE>

Description

DECORATIVE COVERS FOR DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES This invention relates to decorative covers for domestic electrical accessories such as light switches, switched and unswitched 13 amp socket outlets, co-axial connector wall sockets, fused spur units and dimmer switches and has as an object to provide such covers in a simple and economical form.

A decorative cover in accordance with the invention comprises a recessed plate shaped to fit over an electrical accessory to be covered so as to conceal at least the marginal portions of the accessory, and having an opening therein to expose switch actuating elements, sockets and the like provided on the accessory, said plate being formed with fixing holes on opposite sides of said opening and spaced apart by the same distance as the conventional fixing screw spacing used for domestic electrical accessories.

The invention also provides the combination of (a) an electrical accessory having a front plate, fixing holes in said front plate and a socket, switch actuating element or the like on the front plate between said fixing holes, with (b) a decorative cover comprising a recessed plate fitted over and surrounding the front plate and formed with an opening exposing the socket, switch actuating element or the like and with fixing holes on opposite sides of said opening and aligned with the fixing holes in the body so that the cover and the accessory can be mounted using the same fixing screws.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a front elevation of an example of a decorative cover in accordance with the invention in position on a domestic electrical accessory in the form of a two-gang light switch, Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a front elevation of another example.

In the example shown, the decorative cover 10 is formed as a pressing from light gauge brass sheet and is in the form of a rectangular plate integral with sidewalls l0a, lOb which provide a recess large enough to house the electrical accessory 11 to be covered. The plate is formed with a rectangular central opening 12 with a drawhlip lOc surrounding it. Furthermore, the plate is formed with two fixing holes 14 which are recessed so as to be capable of receiving countersunk head fixing screws.

The spacing of the fixing holes 14 is identical to the standard fixing screw spacing used for domestic electrical accessories and the plaster-depth boxes on which these are usually mounted.

The cover described can readily be added to an existing domestic electrical accessory by removing the fixing screws, inserting these (or brass screws) through the fixing holes in the cover superposed on the body of the accessory and tightening the screws. The screws clamp the accessory against its co-acting mounting surface and also clamp the cover to the accessory body.

The cover enclose the margins of the accessory body, but leaves exposed the central area of the accessory body from which the switch rockers protrude.

Whilst the provision of a drawn lip surrounding the opening in the cover plate is desirable decoratively, as it gives the cover the appearance of a heavy, cast brass plate, it may be omitted in the case of some accessories, such as 13 amp socket outlets where it would have the effect of limiting the depth to which a coacting plug could be inserted. The cover plate and the opening therein need not necessarily be rectangular, but could be circular or any other desired shape.

Although a brass pressing is used as the cover in the example described above, the material of the cover could alternatively be stainless steel, bronze, copper or other metal. Alternatively the cover could be formed from glass or pottery.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the plate 100 is formed with three openings, namely a central rectangular opening 101 to expose two side-by-side switch rockers on the accessory and two inverted T-shaped openings 102 to exposed two 13 amp sockets.

Claims

1. A decorative cover for a domestic electrical accessory comprising a recessed plate shaped to fit over an electrical accessory to be covered so as to conceal at least the marginal portions of the accessory, and having an opening therein to expose switch actuating elements, sockets and the like provided on the accessory, said plate being formed with fixing holes on opposite sides of said opening and spaced apart by the same distance as the conventional fixing screw spacing used for domestic electrical accessories.

2. A decorative cover as claimed in Claim 1 in which the plate is formed of pressed metal sheet with side walls around its periphery.

3. A decorative cover as claimed in Claim 2 in which the fixing holes are recessed to receive fixing screwheads.

4. A decorative cover as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the opening is surrounded by a lip.

5. The combination of a domestic electrical accessory having a front plate, fixing holes in said front plate and a socket, switch actuating element or the like on the front plate between said fixing holes, with (b) a decorative cover comprising a recessed plate fitted over and surrounding the front plate and formed with an opening exposing the socket, switch actuating element or the like and with fixing holes on opposite sides of said opening and aligned with the fixing holes in the body so that the cover and the accessory can be mounted using the same fixing screws.

6. A decorative cover for a domestic electrical accessory substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.