GB2399697A - Attaching a cover to a wall box - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical outlet device such as a switch or socket comprises a cover 1 and a back box, the back box having one or more anchors 14 (e.g. fixing screws) which project from the box opening adjacent a side wall of the box. The cover has a top plate 2 and may have an edging wall 3 substantially perpendicular to the top plate. The cover is attached to the back box by moving a fastener 7, for example through a slot 4 in the edging wall, so as to engage with the anchor.

Description

À: be- À . À . - À À À Improvements in electrical outlet device assemblies

This invention relates to electrical outlet devices, and in particular, but not exclusively, to electrical switches and sockets.

Nowadays, electrical switches and sockets tend to be square or rectangular cover plates which are connected to back boxes which are either recessed into or fixed onto a wall. The wall receives an open- fronted back box into which the cables lead, and has lugs or bores on the inside walls of the box to receive screws fastening a relatively shallow front cover plate. Alternatively, the back box may be surface-mounted on the wall.

It is believed that an easier way of securing the cover plate onto the back box of e.g. switch and socket arrangements would be welcome so as to reduce the installation time when carrying out the second fix installation in premises, as well as providing new means of securing which are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

In this specification the term 'cover' is used broadly to mean any cover plate such as single or double electrical sockets, light switches, dimmer units, aerial sockets, satellite sockets, and indeed any item intended to be connected to a back box. The term back box is intended to mean boxes of metal, plastics or any other suitable material for being secured to or into a wall or other suitable building element to carry electrical equipment. The term includes but is not limited to pattresses for being secured in a recess in a wall, dry-lining boxes, and surface mounted boxes.

British Patent Specification No. GB-A-1390758 discloses an arrangement in which a wall box is mounted in a recess in the wall, or wall plate or bracket is À it: .. :# ::. 1

then secured to the wall box by screws, and then a face plate is secured to the wall plate by screws. Although this arrangement does not use the conventional twin screw attachment of a face plate to a wall box, it requires the use of a separate, intermediate wall plate, between the wall box and the face plate, and this is expensive both in terms of manufacturing costs but also in terms of installation costs. Also the device makes use of grub screws or the like in the edges of the face plate; such an arrangement is fiddly and cumbersome and impractical if access to one side of the face plate is limited.

Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides an electrical outlet assembly comprising an anchorage element for being secured in use into or onto a building member, the anchorage element including at least one projecting element, the assembly further comprising a cover for being securely connected to said anchorage element, said cover including at least one attachment element moveable from a free position, in which said cover may be moved relative to said anchorage element, to a locked position, in which said attachment element engages said anchorage element and said cover is securely retained.

It will be noted that, in this arrangement, attachment between the anchorage element and the plate is by means of an attachment element moveable from a locked position to a free position, rather than by screws. Also the cover is attached directly to the anchorage element, rather than by means of an intermediate element. These features assist rapid installation of the electrical outlet assembly.

a: ece.. À es. .. eee. ce.e t. .e cece Preferably, the or each attachment means is reversibly moveable between said locked and free positions. This allows the cover to be removed to provide access for maintenance or repair of the internal components.

The anchorage element conveniently comprises a back box, with the at least one projecting element comprising two spaced projecting elements. The projecting elements conveniently each comprise elongate shafts with enlarged tapered heads, which increase in cross-section in the direction towards said cover. Each projecting element may conveniently comprise a screw which engages a correspondingly threaded bore associated with said anchorage 1 0 element.

In order to position each projecting element in relation to the anchorage element for secure attachment of the cover, the anchorage element conveniently includes setting means associated with each of said project elements for assisting setting thereof in use, such that the tapered head is at a preset location relative to the remainder of said anchorage element.

Depending on the nature of the installation and the particular type of anchorage element used, the setting means may take various forms.

In applications where, in use, the periphery of the cover abuts a wall surface in which said anchorage element is recessed, the setting means may comprise a template or the like which cooperates with the wall surface to allow the projecting elements to be adjusted relative to the wall surface as a datum. In these arrangements the main concern is to ensure that the cover in use is located in secure abutment with the wall surface rather than with a part of the anchorage element itself.

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In other arrangements, for example where the anchorage element is a surface mounted box or a dry-lining box, the setting means may comprise a collar element with a bore adapted to receive the elongate shaft of a respective projecting element and an abutment for engaging in use a peripheral wall portion of said anchorage element. In this arrangement therefore the head of the projecting element is set at a required location, using the peripheral wail portion as a datum.

The or each attachment element is preferably slideable between said locked and free positions; although rotary or compound sliding movements are not excluded, it is preferred for the or each attachment to be linearly slideable between said positions.

Preferably, the or each attachment element is slideable in a complementary recess or slot in said cover, and is preferably captive in said recess or slot. The or each attachment element preferably includes an externally accessible portion which may be engaged to assist moving from the locked to the free position.

Preferably, said attachment means includes a resiliently deformable clip region adapted in use to clip around said projecting element, to retain said cover. The clip region is preferably part circular, leaving a neck portion through which the shaft of the project element may be resiliently introduced and withdrawn. The clip region in use preferably co-acts with the tapered region of the projecting element in use to tend to resiliently draw said cover towards said anchorage element, thereby providing a resilient clamping effect.

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The cover may include one or more legs adapted to engage a facing surface of the anchorage element.

The anchorage element may take many forms and is preferably in the form of a back box comprising a back wall and one or more surrounding side walls. The back box may comprise a plastic or metal pattress or the like intended to be recessed in a building wall, or it may comprise a surface mount box adapted to be mounted on the surface of the wall, or it may comprise a dry-lining box to be recessed in a dry-lined wall.

The invention extends to a cover per se for use in the electrical outlet assemblies described above.

In another aspect, this invention provides a cover for use in an assembly as described above, said cover including at least one attachment element moveable from a free position in which in use said cover may be removed relative to an anchorage element, to a locked position in which in use said cover plate is securely retained with respect to said anchorage element.

The invention also extends to all other novel components of the electrical outlet assembly. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention extends to a setting device or template for use in the assembly, said template comprising a strip and having a notch therein to assist location and positioning of a projecting element associated with said anchorage element, to facilitate secure retention of said cover in use. The template may include tooth means for being used to engage said attachment means in use to assist movement thereof from a locked position to a free position. The invention also extends to kits comprising a cover and a template as described above.

: ce eec À #e a. À À À À In another aspect, this invention provides an electrical outlet assembly comprising a cover and a back box, the back box having one or more side walls, a back wall, an opening opposite the back wall and an anchor element which projects adjacent a side wall, the cover having a top plate wherein the cover is attached to the back box by inserting a fastener through a hole in the cover so as to engage the anchor element.

In another aspect, this invention provides a cover for an electrical outlet assembly, the cover comprising a top plate having a hole through which a fastener capable of engaging with an anchor present in a back box can be 1 0 inserted.

In yet another aspect, this invention provides a kit comprising a cover for an electrical outlet assembly, the cover comprising a hole through which a fastener can be inserted, and a fastener which, when inserted through the hole, is capable of engaging with an anchor present in a back box so as to secure the cover to the back box.

In conventional electrical outlet boxes such as switches and sockets, the cover is secured to the back box using screws which pass through the top plate of the cover. The screws are typically small-headed, fine-threaded and relatively long which can make them awkward to handle and insert. The method of attachment provided by preferred embodiments of this invention provides a simpler, quicker means by which the cover may be fixed to, and preferably also released from, the back box. Although the method of attachment provided by this invention can utilise screws, it is not necessary to use them and when they are used, their use is simplified.

: ce te. À A. '' ce. . .e e. Ie's This invention also removes the need for screws to pass through the top plate, the fastener advantageously passing through a side wall in the cover.

This provides a more aesthetic looking cover.

The fastener and anchor should complement each other in order to engage and securely attach the cover to the back box. Once attached, the cover should have relatively little lateral, vertical and horizontal movement relative to the back box. Preferably, the fastener releasably engages with the anchor so as to allow the cover to be detached from the back box and then reattached. However, for safety reasons, it is preferred that the cover only be detachable upon specific actuation of the fastener, anchor or both.

Suitable complementary fastener/anchor combinations (i.e. engaging mechanisms) will be clear to the skilled person. A preferred engaging mechanism of this invention comprises a fastener with resiliently flexible arms which engage with a part of the anchor, for example a shaft on the anchor. The space between the arms at rest may be less than the diameter of the shaft causing the arms to flex outwardly as they are pushed over the shaft. Suitable depressions provided on the inside of the arms can then receive the shaft, thus allowing the arms to clamp around the shaft. The fastener can be released from the anchor by simply pulling the fastener and thus the arms away from the shaft.

The fastener preferably stays in contact with the hole in the cover after it engages with the anchor. The fastener and hole may be designed so that after engagement, there is little or no movement of the fastener within the hole.

Alternatively, it may be desirable to have some movement of the fastener within |: dec ec' À Hi. À.

the hole so that the cover can be moved small amounts so as, for example, to correctly position it.

The fastener may contain features which aid its removal from the hole and/or disengagement from the anchor. For example, a recess or hole may be provided near the end of the fastener opposite the engaging end which can be accessed via the hole in the edging wall by a suitable tool. Insertion of the tool into the hole or recess then enables the fastener to be pulled or levered away from the anchor and through the hole.

The fastener may also be designed so that it cannot be readily removed from the hole in order to prevent loss. For example, a fastener may be slideable within a hole between a position where it engages with the anchor and a non engaging position. Suitable stopping members which prevent the fastener being removed from the hole will be known to the skilled person and include for example, flanges, ribs, collars etc. The anchor is suitably adjustable within the back box so as to alter the extent to which it projects from the opening. For example, the anchor could be adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the anchor, or adjusting a screw which on control the position of the anchor, in the back box. This allows the anchor to be positioned to provide optimal engagement with the fastener and minimise any movement of the fastener relative to the anchor.

In a preferred embodiment, the anchor is a screw and the fastener engages with the screw shaft, preferably just below the screw head so that the screw head abutting the fastener prevents movement of the fastener along the shaft in the direction of the head. Also where the head of the screw is tapered, : :' j the combination of the resilience in the fastener and the taper of the head can provide a sprung biass tending to pull the cover towards the back box.

This invention has particular application in existing conventional back boxes, where the anchor may be an existing component of the box. For example, the anchor may be the standard screw screwed into an existing threaded bore formed in a side wall or a lug projecting from a side wall of the back box. This invention therefore has particular application in the replacement of covers, which may be necessitated by the cover being scratched, chipped or cracked, or simply by the wish to change the appearance, e.g. colour, of the cover. In such cases, the original screws used to attach the original cover can be employed to attach the new cover. The extent to which the screws project from the opening may need to be adjusted by screwing/unscrewing within the existing bores so as to ensure secure engagement of the fasteners and thus attachment of the cover.

The hole in the cover should be shaped to complement the fastener. The hole can be substantially square or rectangular in cross-section. This is more likely to be the case where a fastener of the type with resiliently flexible arms is employed. Of course the hole may also be more elaborately shaped depending on the fastener design and/or the method by which the fastener can be released.

For example, an access space may be provided into which a tool may be inserted adjacent the fastener to actuate on the fastener and/or anchor so as to disengage it from the anchor.

The electrical outlet device may be recessed into walls or floors, with the top of the back box lying flush with or slightly proud of the wall or floor. r Àr

t. 8 rr l i, r r F I r 8 8 1 Alternatively, the outlet device may be fixed onto the exterior surface of walls or floors. Furthermore, the back box and cover may be of any suitable shape, including round, oval, square and rectangular. However, the invention has been found to be particularly useful in connecting square and rectangular cover/back box combinations, and especially those recessed into walls.

The cover may have an edging wall around the top plate. Suitably, the edging wall does not extend very far from the top plate. For example, it preferably extends no more than 5, more preferably no more than 4 and yet more preferably no more than 3 cm. Evidently, where a hole is required for the fastener, the edging wall should be of suitable dimensions to accommodate the hole.

In the preferred embodiments, the top plate and edging wall(s) of the cover are of such dimensions that they enclose the outlet device once the cover is attached to the back box. They can be of such dimensions that they only just fit over the opening, in which case the bottom of the edging wall(s) abut(s) the top of the side wall(s) of the back box. Alternatively, the cover may be slightly larger than the opening. Where the cover is larger than the opening, the edging walls which contain the fasteners should be in close proximity to the respective side walls of the back box containing the anchors.

Suitably, the electrical outlet device is attached at at least two points, i.e. there are two fasteners engaging with two anchors. Preferably, there are two, three or four attachment points. Where there are two attachment points, the points of attachment are preferably on opposite sides of the cover. In the case of a round or oval device, this means the points of attachment are diametrically 1. r

opposite. Where there are three or four points of attachment, each point of attachment is preferably on a separate side of the cover. In the case of a round or oval cover, each point of attachment is preferably at least 90 from the next point of attachment.

The fasteners and/or anchors can be made from any suitable material(s).

Preferred materials include plastic or metal.

In a further aspect, this invention provides an electrical outlet device comprising a cover plate, and a back box, the cover plate having a front face, the back box having an opening and defining a cavity for receiving electrical wiring and/or at least part of the back of the cover plate, the cover plate being secured in use to the back box by means of one or more fastener elements slidable generally laterally with respect to the front face of the cover plate to cooperate with the back box or one or items connected thereto, thereby to secure the cover plate to said back box.

Although the invention has been defined above, it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combinations of the features set out above or in the

following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described and illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a cover for a two plug electrical socket; Figure 2 is a perspective view of cover in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a magnified side view of part of the cover of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fastener; .:. :: ce. '.- :: ce: Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cover in Figure 1 with the fastener of Figure 4 inserted; Figure 6 is a bottom view of the cover of Figure 1 with the fastener of Figure 4 engaging with an anchor, Figure 7 is a rear view of a further embodiment of cover plate; Figures 8(a), (b), (c) and (d) are front, side end and perspective views respectively of a template for use in the embodiments of Figures 1 to 7; Figures 9(a), (b) and (c) are side, underneath and end views respectively on a setting clip for particular use in an assembly using a dry-lining box; Figure 10 is a schematic view showing the setting clip of Figure 9 in use on a drylining box, and Figure 11 is a schematic view of the interaction between the screw head and the fastener in various embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a cover 1 for a two plug electrical socket. The cover 1 has a top plate 2, which is rectangular in shape, and a peripheral edging wall 3 around the entire top plate 2. In this embodiment the top plate is intended for use with a back box having two projecting screws, each of which serves as an anchor which is engaged by an attachment clip.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the cover 1 in which a slot 4 for insertion of a fastener is shown in a short side of the edging wall 3.

Figure 3 shows a magnified side view of the slot 4 depicted in Figure 2.

The slot 4 consists of two parts, a wider bottom through slot part 5 and a narrower but deeper upper slot blind part 6, both cut into the edging wall 3.

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Figure 4 depicts a fastener 7 in the form of a flat clip. The fastener 7 has a body portion 8 from which two resiliently flexible arms 9,10 extend. The arms 9,10 have depressions 11,12 on their insides to provide a resilient part- circular clamping region for receiving and resiliently clamping around a shaft region of a fixing screw projection from the back box, otherwise referred to as an anchor 14.

The body portion 8 has a slot 13 cut out near the end of the fastener 7. Slot 13 is used to remove the fastener 7 from the slot 4 when releasing the fastener 7 from an anchor and thus the cover 1 from a back box. The slot 13 can be a groove or a hole through the body portion 8 of the fastener.

Figure 5 shows the cover of Figure 2 with the fastener 7 inserted into slot in hole 4 in the edging wall 3. Part of the anchor 14 with which the fastener 7 is engaging is shown projecting from the bottom of the cover 1. The fastener 7 can be released from the anchor 14 and the slot 4 by inserting a tool such as a screwdriver into the slot 13 via the upper slot part 5 and levering the fastener out. Of course other means of releasing the fastener can be used and will be evident to the person skilled in the art.

Figure 6 is a view of the cover 1 attached to a back box viewed from below with the back box cut away. The arms 9,10 of the fastener 7 are firmly clamped around the shaft 15 of the anchor 14, the shaft 15 sitting within the depressions 11,12 in the arms 9,10. Suitably, the anchor is a screw and the arms 9,10 are abutting the lower surface of the screw head 16. The screw is screwed into a threaded bore or lug (not shown) in the back box (not shown).

The threaded bore or lug can be that present in a conventional back box in :. 'lel: 'te:. . . a'.

which the cover is ordinarily attached by screwing through the top plate of the cover.

In Figure 6, there are two points of attachment, which are on opposite sides of the cover.

Figure 7 illustrates an improvement to devices shown above, wherein the rear of the cover for a two plug socket is modified by the provision of two blind bores 30 on the rearside thereof. Each blind bore is designed to receive the head of the anchor 14 which is secured to the back box to which the cover is to be attached. It will be appreciated that, in many instances, the anchor 14 will be a screw which is screwed into a threaded lug which is provided in the side of the back box. Each blind bore receives and locates the head of the screw ready for engagement by the fastener 7 of the arrangement previously described. In addition to the blind bores 30, the cover is also included with rearward extending lugs 32 and 34 which are designed to extend rearwardly and to engage the back of the back box to assist stable engagement of the plate.

Figures 8(a) to (d) show a template or tool 40 designed to help the installer to position the head 16 of the anchor 14 just proud of the surface to which the cover plate is to be attached so that the screw heads are in the correct fore and aft position relative to the back box to be securely engaged by the fastener 7. It will of course be appreciated that, in some instances, the back box may not be fully square with the plaster or plasterboard surface, or it may be sunken thereto and so it is useful to have a tool to set the head 16 of the anchor at the appropriate height. The tool 40 is long enough to span the vertical dimension of a recess in a wall continuing a back box, and has at its mid- point a :.. te*: ec. :.. . . cse.

notch 42 designed to receive with slight clearance the shaft of a fixing screw or similar in the back box. In use, the installer positions the tool 40 so that it straddles the recess, contacting the wall portions above and below the recess.

He then locates the notch 42 against the screw shaft and runs the screw into the fixing until the head engages the tool. The screw is then at the correct position.

The tool 40 may conveniently include a tooth 44 or the like for engaging the fastener 7 to release it when the cover is to be removed.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, there is illustrated a setting clip intended for applications where the cover plate is to be used on a drylining box.

In a standard arrangement using a conventional cover plate and a conventional dry-lining box, the two fixing screws perform a dual function of both securing the cover plate to the dry-lining box and also pulling respective laterally-projecting flanges upwards to clamp the dry- lining around the periphery of the recess. Thus in these arrangements, the back box is not securely located to the dry-lining until the cover has been fitted and the screws tightened.

Figures 9(a) to (c) are views of a setting clip which is designed to be fitted in a dry-lining box, to allow the screws to be tightened to firmly clamp the box against the dry-lining and to position the heads of the screws ready for the cover to be clipped on as in the earlier embodiments.

The setting clip 50 comprises a main body portion 52 of generally rectangular form, having a cylindrical bore 54 extending therethrough. A setting flange 56 projects laterally from the main body portion 52. Upstanding from the top surface of the body portion 52 is a setting lug which lies adjacent the bore 54 and serves to locate the head of a screw 58 (shown in dotted lines) precisely :.. etee: Àe:.e. .e relative to the main body portion 52. The setting lug 56 has a slanted setting surface 60 which engages an outwardly tapered portion of the screw head.

Referring to Figure 10, there is shown the side 62 of a dry-lining box 64.

The upper part of the dry-lining box carries a peripheral flange 64 which in use engages the border of an aperture formed in dry-lining such as plasterboard, to prevent the dry-lining box passing through the aperture. A clamping element 66 is designed to engage the peripheral region behind the aperture so that the dry- lining or plasterboard is clamped securely between the flange 64 and the clamping element 66 to secure the back box 64 relative to the plasterboard. The clamping element 66 is slideably mounted in the side wall 62 of the box and a ratchet may be provided between the two. In previous conventional use, the dry- lining box has a similar arrangement at the other end of the box, and the box is inserted into an aperture provided in the plasterboard and the clamping elements inserted and pulled by hand lightly to grip the plasterboard. Thereafter the cover is applied and the screws passed through the holes in the cover to engage a threaded bore in the clamping element and the screw is then tightened which both pulls the cover plate tightly against the exposed surface of the flange 64 and also pulls the clamping element 66 tightly in to engage the plasterboard.

In the present arrangement, however, the setting clip 50 is positioned as shown in Figure 10 with the transverse flange 56 of the setting clip overlying the flange 64 of the dry-liner box and a side of the main body portion abutting the side wall 62 so as to prevent rotation of the main body portion 50. The screw 14 engages the clamp 66 as previously. For assembly, the dry-liner box is inserted into the aperture as before and the clamping elements 66 pulled loosely to À: .e A. e ce. . . e. e located the box. The screws 14 are then passed through the setting clips 50 and tightened so that the clamping element tightly clamps the plasterboard and the head of the screw engages the setting surface 60 on the setting clips 50. In this position, the head is at the precise height ready for the cover plate to be applied and securely located in position by means of the attachments 7.

Referring to Figure 11, this illustrates one of the important features of the embodiments illustrated herein. It will be seen that the arms 9 and 10 of the fastener 7 cooperate with the tapered surface of the head of the screw, such that the resilient bless tending to draw the arms 9 and 10 together is converted by the tapered surface into a force tending to pullthe cover plate against the back box in use, thereby to provide a resilient clamping effect.

Claims (37)

1. : f e lte Claims 1. An electrical outlet assembly comprising an anchorage

   element for being secured in use into or onto a building member, the anchorage element including at least one projecting element, the assembly furniture comprising a cover for being securely connected to said anchorage element, said cover including at least one attachment element moveable from a free position, in which said cover may be moved relative to said anchorage element, to a locked position, in which said attachment element engages said anchorage element and said cover is securely retained.
2. 2. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 1, where the or each attachment means is reversibly moveable between said locked and free positions.
3. 3. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claims 1 and 2, wherein said anchorage element comprises a back box, and the least one projecting element comprises two spaced projecting elements.
4. 4. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 3, wherein said projecting elements each comprise elongate shafts with enlarged tapered heads, which increase in cross-section in the direction towards said cover.
5. 5. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 4, wherein each projecting element comprises a screw which engages a correspondingly threaded bore associated with said anchorage element.
6. 6. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 5, wherein said anchorage element includes setting means associated with each of said : ce. À . : ce # :# , :. I # # :. . À . projecting elements for assisting setting thereof in use such that the tapered head is at a preset location relating to the remainder of said anchorage element.
7. 7. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 6, wherein said setting means comprises a collar element with a bore adapted to receive the elongate shaft of a respective projecting element, and an abutment for engaging in use a peripheral wall portion of said anchorage element.
8. 8. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each attachment element is slideable between said locked and free positions.

   to
9. 9. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 8, wherein the or each attachment element is slideable in a complementary recess or slot in said cover.
10. 10. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 9, the or each attachment element is captive in said slot.
11. 11. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of Claims 8 to 10, wherein said attachment means includes a resiliently deformable clip region adapted in use to clip around said projecting element, to retain said cover.
12. 1 2. An electrical outlet assembly according to Claim 11 when dependent on Claim 4, wherein said clip region in use co-acts with said tapered region to tend to resiliently draw said cover towards said anchorage element.
13. 13. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said cover includes at least one leg adapted to engage a facing surface of said anchorage element.

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14. 14. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said anchorage element comprises a back box.
15. 15. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said anchorage element comprises a surface mount box.
16. 16. An electrical outlet assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 14, wherein said anchorage element comprises a dry-lining box.
17. 17. A cover for use in an assembly according to any of the preceding Claims, said cover including at least one attachment element moveable from a free position in which in use said cover may be moved in relation to an anchorage element, to a locked position in which in use said cover plate is securely retained with respect to said anchorage element.
18. 18. A template for use in the assembly of Claims 1 to 16, comprising a strip having a notch therein to assist location and positioning of a projecting element associated with said anchorage element to facilitate secure retention of said cover in use.
19. 19. A template according to Claim 18, including tooth means for being used to engage said attachment means in use to assist movement thereof from a locked position to a free position.
20. 20. An electrical outlet assembly comprising a cover and a back box, the back box having one or more side walls, a back wall, an opening opposite the back wall and at least one anchor element which projects adjacent a side wall, the cover having a top plate wherein the cover is attached to the back box by inserting a fastener through a hole in the cover so as to engage the anchor element. r

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21. 21. An outlet assembly according to Claim 20, in which the fastener releasably engages with the anchor.
22. 22. An outlet assembly according to Claim 20 or Claim 21, in which the i anchor is adjustable within the back box so as to alter the extent to which the anchor projects from the opening.
23. 23. An outlet device according to claim 23, in which the extent of projection of the anchor is adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the anchor within the back box.
24. 24. An outlet device according to any preceding claim, in which the anchor is attached to an existing component of a conventional back box.
25. 25. An outlet device according to claim 24, in which the anchor is attached by means of screwing into an existing threaded bore within a conventional back box.
26. 26. An outlet device according to any preceding claim, in which the anchor is a screw.
27. 27. An outlet device according to claim 27, in which the fastener engages with the screw shaft immediately below the screw head.
28. 28. An outlet device according to any preceding claim, in which the fastener has resiliently flexible arms which engage with the anchor.
29. 29. An outlet device according to any one of claims 20 to 25, in which the fastener is a threaded screw and engages with a threaded bore in the anchor.
30. 30. An outlet device according to any preceding claim, in which the hole includes an access space into which a tool may be inserted adjacent the À :.. ce se. :.. .e.e ce.

    fastener to actuate on the fastener and/or anchor so as to disengage the fastener from the anchor.
31. 31. An outlet device according to any preceding claim, in which the cover has an edging wall along the entire edge of the top plate.
32. 32. An outlet device according to any preceding claim which is an electrical switch or socket.
33. 33. An outlet device according to any preceding claim which is attached at at least two points.
34. 34. An outlet device according to claim 33, in which the points of l O attachment are on opposites side of the cover.
35. 35. A cover for an electrical output device, the cover comprising a top plate along at least one edge of which is an edging wall standing substantially perpendicular to the top plate, the edging wall having a hole through which a fastener capable of engaging with an anchor present in a back box can be 1 5 inserted.
36. 36. An electrical output device as described herein with reference to and as shown in the drawings.
37. 37. A cover for an electrical output device as described herein with reference to and as shown in the drawings.