GB2237150A

GB2237150A - Guard for an electrical fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2237150A
Application number: GB8917821A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lisa Godden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-08-03
Filing date: 1989-08-03
Publication date: 1991-04-24
Also published as: GB8917821D0

Abstract

A guard 10 for an electrical socket or switch has left and right hand body parts 12, 14 and a cover member (not shown). The body pans 12, 14 have walls 16, 24, 20, 28, 18, 26 and flanges 22, 30. The body parts 12, 14 can be joined together by clasps 32, 34 which engage apertures 36, 38. The cover member has tongues which are received in apertures 40 and releasable clasps which are received in apertures 42. In use, the cover plate or body of a socket or switch is partially unscrewed without disconnecting any wires, flanges 22, 30 are positioned behind it, the two body parts are united, and the cover screws are tightened. Plugs may then be mounted on the socket with their leads received in recess 44. The cover member may then be placed in position to impede access by children to the socket. <IMAGE>

Description

GUARD FOR AN ELECTRICAL FITTING This invention relates to a guard for an electrical fitting.

There are many occasions where it is desirable to provide a guard for an electrical fitting so as to impede access thereto. For example, in the home, it is desirable to impede access by children to electrical sockets in view of the danger that such sockets present to small children.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new or improved guard for an electrial fitting.

According to this invention, there is provided a guard for an electrical fitting comprising a first body part, a second body part, means for securing the two body parts together to form a united body member, said united body member having at least one inwardly directed flange, and a cover member releasably mountable on the united body member and arranged to impede access to the electrical fitting.

The guard of this invention may be readily assembled onto an electrical fitting. In order to do so, a part of the electrical fitting, for example the cover plate of an electrical socket, is loosened.

The first and second body parts are then mounted on the electrical fitting so that said at least one flange is trapped behind the loosened part. The two body parts are then secured together and the cover member may then be mounted in position.

Preferably, the united body member is provided with a wall structure, said at least one flange extending inwardly from said wall structure.

In the preferred arrangement, each body part comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and a side wall, and a flange extending inwardly from said walls, in the united body member said upper walls, lower walls and side walls cooperating to form said wall structure.

Conveniently, the means for securing the body parts together comprises a first clasp and a first clasp retaining means arranged to secure the two upper walls together, and a second clasp and a second clasp retaining means arranged to secure the two lower walls together.

Conveniently, in the united body member, the two flanges cooperate to define an opening having a substantially continuous edge.

Desirably, the cover member is mounted on the wall structure of the united body member.

The electrical fitting may be an electrical socket.

This invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a body member forming part of a guard embodying this invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the body member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of a cover associated with the body member of Figure 1; Figure 4. is a side view of the cover of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a front view of an electrical socket having the body member of Figure 1 assembled thereon.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a body member 10 of a guard for a double domestic electrical socket. The body member 10 comprises a first or left hand body part 12 and a second or right hand body part 14. In Figures 1 and 2, the body parts 12 and 14 are shown in a disassembled condition.

The left hand body part 12 comprises an upper wall 16, a left hand wall 18, a lower wall 20 and a flange 22 extending inwardly from the rear edge of walls 16, 18 and 20. The right hand body part 14, which is generally complementary to the left hand body part 12, comprises an upper wall 24, a right hand wall 26 and a lower wall 28. A flange 30 extends inwardly from walls 24, 26 and 28. In order to secure the body parts 12 and 14 together, the inner edges of the lower wall 20 of the left hand body part 12 and the upper wall 24 of the right hand body part 14 are provided, respectively, with clasps 32 and 34. The inner edges of the lower wall 28 of the right hand body part 14 and the upper wall 16 of the left hand body part 12 have formed therein, respectively, elongate rectangular apertures 36 and 38.The apertures 36 and 38 receive and retain the clasps 32 and 34 when the two body parts 12 and 14 are united together. For a purpose that will be described, each of the lower walls 20, 28 has formed therein an elongate rectangular aperture 40 extending parallel to its front edge. Similarly, each of the upper walls 16 and 24 has formed therein an elongate rectangular aperture 42 extending along its front edge. Each of the lower walls 20, 28 has a rectangular recess 44.

When the two body parts 12, 14 are united together, the flanges 22 and 30 together define a central opening. In the united body member, the walls 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28 define a wall structure having a rectangular shape.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown a cover member 46 which, together with the body member 10, forms the guard. The cover member 46 has a front panel 48 and a pair of tongues 50 extend downwardly from the bottom edge of the inner surface of this panel member 48. In the upper part of panel member 48, there are provided a pair of tabs 52, each of which is arranged to be pivoted about an associated hinge line 54. Each of the tabs 52 is provided with a clasp 56. The rectangular shape of panel member 48 is complementary to the rectangular shape of the wall structure of the body member 10.

The body member 10 and the cover member 46 are formed from a plastics material.

In use, the guard comprising the body member 10 and the cover 46 may be mounted on a double domestic electrical socket, which itself is mounted on the wall of a house. The preferred method of mounting the guard on such a socket will be described with reference to Figure 5. This figure shows the body member 10 mounted on an electrical socket 60.

The electrical socket 60 includes a cover plate 62, a pair of switches 64 and 66, a set of three holes 68 associated with the switch 64 for receiving the three pins of a plug, three holes 70 associated with the switch 66 for receiving the three pins of another plug, and four screws 72 for holding the cover plate 62 onto the body of the socket 60.

In order to mount the body member 10 in position, the four screws 72 are partially unscrewed and the cover plate 62 is pulled slightly forwards.

The left and right hand body parts 12, 14 are then positioned so that the flanges 22 and 30 are located partly behind the cover plate 62. The screws 72 may then be tightened so that the flanges 22 and 30 are trapped in position. At this stage, the body member 10 will be mounted in position as shown in Figure 5.

After the body member 10 has been mounted in position, and if required, one or two plugs may be mounted on the socket 60. The leads for such plugs are fed through the rectangular recesses 44 of the body member 10. The cover member 46 is then placed in position by engaging the tongues 50 in the apertures 40 of the body member 10 and then engaging the clasps 56 in the apertures 42. With the cover 46 in position, access to the socket 60 and any associated plugs is impeded. Thus, the risk of children injuring themselves by gaining access to the socket 60 and plugs is greatly reduced. In order to remove to cover 46, the tabs 52 are depressed thereby releasing the clasps 56 from apertures 42.

As may be appreciated, the body member 10 can be mounted on the electrical socket 60 without disconnecting any wires from terminals on the cover plate 62.

In an alternative method of mounting the body member on an electrical socket, the screws retaining the body of the electrical socket in position are partially unscrewed and the body of the electrical socket is pulled forwards.

The body member 10 is then mounted in position with the flanges 22 and 30 trapped behind the body of the electrical socket.

Although the guard which has been described above is suitable for a double domestic socket, by changing the dimensions of the body member and cover, it could be used for a single socket or another type of electrical fitting, for example a switch.

Claims

1. A guard for an electrical fitting comprising a first body part, a second body part, means for securing the two body parts together to form a united body member, said united body having at least one inwardly directed flange, and a cover member releasably mountable on the united body member and arranged to impede access to the electrical fitting.

2. A guard as claimed in Claim 1, in which the united body member is provided with a wall structure, said at least one flange extending inwardly from said wall structure.

3. A guard as claimed in Claim 2, in which each body part comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and a side wall, and a flange extending inwardly from said walls, in the united body member said upper walls, lower walls and side walls cooperating to form said wall structure.

4. A guard as claimed in Claim 7, in which the means for securing the body parts together comprises a first clasp and a first clasp retaining means arranged to secure the two upper walls together, and a second clasp and a second clasp retaining means arranged to secure the two lower walls together.

5. A guard as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim A, in which, in the united body member, the two flanges cooperate to define an opening having a substantially continuous edge.

6. A guard as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which the cover member is mounted on the wall structure of the united body member.

7. A guard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the electrical fitting is an electrical socket.

8. A guard for an electrical fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.