US1481117A

US1481117A - Reenforcing plate and template for switch boxes

Info

Publication number: US1481117A
Application number: US404002A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ball Esar-Haddon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-08-16
Filing date: 1920-08-16
Publication date: 1924-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 1941-01-15

Description

Jan. 15, 1924. 1,481,117

ESAR-HADDON BALL REENFORCING PLATE AND TEMPLATE FOR SWITCH BOXES Filed Aug. 16 1920 fizz/e12 70;; ZIMr-fi 04 0 012 3:; Z/

' AZZar/z/y 4 Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

ESAR-HADDON BALL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

BEENFORCING PLATE AND TEMPLATE FOR SWITCH BOXES.

Application filed August 16, 1920. Serial 1T0. 403,002.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ESAR-HADDON BALL, a citizen of the. United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reenforcing Plates and Templates for Switch Boxes, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to templates for laying out openings to be cut through the lath and plaster of a wall to receive a switch box commonly used in wiring houses for electric lighting systems. It also relates to methods of reenforcing the plaster adjacent the space where the opening is to be cut or sawed thus preliminarily and permanently clamping the lath and plaster together so that in the process of sawing the opening the lath will not become detached from the plaster. Ordinarily the openings are laid out by measurement, the plaster and lath being removed with a key hole saw. This method results in separating the plaster from the lath, the teeth of the saw pushing the latter back into the space between the studding so that when the switch box is secured to the lath it is very unstable, being easily moved by the hand.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which will at once serve as a pattern and guide in the process of cutting the opening and serve as a permanent reenforcing member which need not be dis- {Jurbed in the process of hanging the switch Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of the class described which may be profitably used for both old and new work, the device being adapted to fit standard makes of switch boxes now generally in use. one of the novel features being .its complete concealment by the wall plate of standard make. To secure these advantages and others to be hereinafter pointed out,'the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front view of the invention showing it applied to a section of a wall.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fi re 1.

igure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1. s

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ordinary switch box, the switch not being shown.

igure 5.is a perspective view of the switch alone. i

F igu're6 is a perspective view of an ordinar wall plate.

igure 7 is a front view of the invention screwed in position on the wall preparatory to the removal of the lath and plaster.

Figure 8 is a front view of the invention secured to the wall, the hole having been outi and the switch box secured in position, an

Figure!) is a front view showing the wall plate finally positioned.

In the drawings A designates an ordinary comparatively long open top switch box, having at each end flush with the edge of the opening an outstanding integral lug 1 with a suitably tapped screw hole 2. Adjustably mounted by means of the screws 3 on the end walls 4 of the box so as to be movable up and down thereon, are the brackets 5, the latter being cut away centrally to loosely surround the lugs 1. Each of the bra kets is provided with screw holes 6. B designates the switch adapted to fit loosely into the interior of the box a part thereof extending over the lugs 1, said part having laterally elongated holes 6' spaced to register with the holes 2 wherebv it may be firmly screwed in position, the elongated holes permitting the switch to be shifted laterally to facilitate plumbing the same. The switch is also provided with tapped screw holes 7, which register with the screw holes 8 in the wall or cover plate C whereby the latter is firmly secured thereto, the plate being of the usual elongated rectangular type with parallel side edges. Centrally it is provided with the usual openings to loosely receive the usual finger buttons 9 of the switch. Thus the wall plate is. supported solely by the switch and the latter solely by the box. As the wall plate is fastened to the switch. the latter must be shifted by means of its elongated holes '6' until the wall plate assumes a perfectly plumb position. This must be done by trial. as the screws holding the. switch are not accessible when the wall plate is secured thereto. The ordinary wall plate shown, is made of thin metal with a downturned surrounding edge to effect, exteriorly, a beveled appearance thereby also forming a space between the wall and the plate. In the ordinary process of mounting a box, this spacecontains the outstanding flanges of the brackets 5, as the flanges rest with their under surfaces against the smooth surface of the plaster. If found necessary the brackets may be adjusted so that the lugs will be sunk deeper to give the wall plate screws a better purchase. i

Having now. described the ordinary process of hanging a wall box, I will describe my invention which comprises a comparatively thin preferably one piece steel reenforcing template or supporting frame D suitably rounded at the corners, and formed to loosely fit bodily in the hollow of the wall plate C so that it may be rotated flatwise slightly therein about an imaginary axis located in the center of the frame. This is essential to permit the wall plate to be shifted to render it plumb. To render the switch box shiftable, as described, the inner edges of each of the side rails 11 slant slightly inward from a point midway between the ends of the frame, each of said side members having a screw hole 12' adjacent said point. The opening 13 of the frame is formed to loosely receive at said 1 midway point the wall box or the like, each end thereof being cut away at 14 to clear the lugs 1 thereof. The flanges of the brackets 5rest against the outer face of the ends 15 of the frame,,the latter having spaced elongated screw holes 16 in register with the holes 6 of the brackets 5 to receive suitable screws, whereby the frame may be secured to the upper and lower lath of the three laths shown. To avoid having two thicknesses of metal above the surface of the plaster (to be contained in the hollow of the wall plate) I recess or offset the'end portions 15 of the frame by means of crimps 17, the plaster being slightly scraped away to accommodate said offsets. The respective brackets 5 rest in said offsets and are thereby rendered flush with the exposed face of the frame.

After locating the laths in the wall, the

' frame is held against the latter and outlined with a pencil. The plaster is then gently scraped top and bottom if desired to accommodate the offset ends of the frame.

The frame is then firmly screwed, by means of screws 17 projected through the plaster, to the respective laths 18, thereby firmly binding the lath, plaster and frame together. The plaster within the opening 13 is now easily removed, the edge of the opening serving as a guide or template and preventing the plaster from crumbling and breaking out beyond the area covered by the wall plate. In the process of wiring old houses crumbling of the plaster is a constant menace, the wall paper also frazzling out beyond repair. The lath may now be safely sawed away, as the frame serves as a permanent reenforcing member. The screws in the holes 16 are now backed out. The box is now positioned and screwed to the lath as shown in Figure 2. The switch and plate may then be screwed into position as explained in the foregoing. By adapting the frame to be fastened to three laths, as shown, the Weight of the wall box is distributed over all of the screws. As the upper and lower lath, shown, are not in practice completely severed but only partly removed, the center screws alone may be used to hold the frame positioned when cutting the hole.

I claim:

1. The combination with a switch box adapted to be projected into an opening in a wall, said box carrying flanges overlapping the edges of the opening, a template frame secured to the wall around said opening, said template frame being formed with a central opening to receive said switch box, the inner edges of the frame constituting said opening being directed inwardly toward the center of the frame to centrally narrow the width of the opening, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a switch box adapted to be projected into an openin in a wall, said box carrying flanges over apping edges of the opening, a template frame secured to the wall around said opening,

said template frame being formed with a central opening to receive said switch box, the inner edges of the frame constituting said opening being directed inwardly toward the center of the frame to centrally narrow the width of the opening; and said template frame being formed with recesses to receive the flanges of said switch box to permit said flanges to lie flush with the main portion of said frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-,

ture.

ESAR-HADDON BALL.