US1593412A - Outlet box - Google Patents

Description

OUTLET BOX Filed Deo. 3l, 1923 Inventor: A Hner G. Knodm'er,

Y MMW Patented July 20, 1926.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER G. KNODERER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMQANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

OUTLET BOX.

Application mea December' s1, 192s. serial Hamam.

The present invention relates to electric wiring ot houses and more especially to outlet boxes for use therewith.

lt is the usual practice to install the wir- 6 ing conduits and outlet boxes in the walls of houses before the plaster is applied, and as a lgeneral proposition the face of the plaster when finished is found to be considerably in advance of the front of the box. The elec- 10 tric switch or other device is usually attached to the front edge of the boxand its flush plate is designed to rest Vagainst the t'ace of the plaster, and in order that the device and its plate may be brought into proper relation thereto it is a common practice to introduce shims or other adjusting means between the attachment lugs of the device and the front of the box. Such blocking out of the device is a troublesome and vexations operation and when done an objectionable gap is left between the front of the b ox and the cover plate which leaves the device more or less unprotected by the box The object of my invention is to provide 5 an improved outlet or switch box which may be easily and quickly brought to adjusted position and positively secured by thesan'ie` attachment means by which the electrlc device is secured to the box.

One enibodin'ient of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an outlet box, switch and tace plate secured together and to a plastered wall; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the box.r switch and face plate with a portion ot the latter broken away, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box showing the construction of its wall lug.

The box 1, shown in the drawing, is made of punched up sheet steel with integral edge lugs 2 bent outwardly from the opposite enfle thereof and provided with tapped holes Ll. lach end of the box has mounted thereon, some distance from the front edge, an angle iron wall bracket 5 provided at its ends with a pair of outstanding wall lugs 6, and centrally between them with a tapped hole 7 in alignment with the tapped hole L1 in tbe correspoi'iding edge lug 2, while the 5" portion ot' the bracket lying against the box is provided with parallel guide Slots 8 for the reception ot' holding ears 9lpunched outwardly lroni the box end 3 and each provided with a lip l0, which, after the bracket is assembled thereon, is bent at right angles My improved box is installed in place by means of screws 16 passed through the wall lugs 6 and into the framework 17 of the wall. After the plastering 18 has been linished, the switch 11 is disposed within the box with the ends of its bridge piece 12 in direct contact with the edge lugs 2 ofthe box and both box and switch moved in or out into desired relation to the face of the plaster 18 and a holding screw 19 is entered through each end of the bridge piece 12 and the tapped holes 4 and 7 in the adjacent edge lu 2 and bracket 5 and screwed home with t e end of the bridge piece 12 bound between lug 2 and the head of the screw 19. The box 1 is thus ositively positioned relative to the face ofp the plaster 18 by the threaded engagement, the screw with the respective tapped holes in the edge lug 2 and in the bracket 5, and it is positively prevented from transverse movement by the two pairs of holding ears 9 engaging the sides of the guide slots 8 in the wall brackets 5, and the switch is always entered in and surrounded by the box to the fullest extent and is firmly supported thereon. Upon attaching the face plate 15 by screws 14, the installation isv com leted permanently.

While I have s own and described the best embodiment of the invention known to me, I do not desire to be restricted thereto.

What I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An outlet box for electric wiring devices having adjustable means for attachment to a wall, and means for securing an electric device to said box and concurrently fixing the said box relative to its adjustable attachment means.

2. An outlet box for electric wiring devices having laterally extending lugs, each provided w1th a screw-threaded hole, wallrackets, each having a screw-threaded hole and wall-attaching means, said box and bracket including means for fastening the bracket to the box with the serer threaded holes in alignment and permitting relative movement between said box and bracket maintaining such alignment, and headed screws adapted to pass through an electric Wiring device and engage the aligned holes in said lugs and brackets for concurrently securing said device in position and said boxand bracket in a fixed relation. y

3. An outlet box having lugs, each provi'ded with a tapped hole, Wall brackets, each provided with Wall-attaching means and a ta ped hole, means for movably securing sald brackets .to the box and maintaining alignment of the tapped holes thereof with the tapped holes in said lugs, and holding screws adapted to engage the respective tapped holes in said lugs and said brackets. 4An outlet box having at each end thereof a fixed edge lug provided with a tapped hole, a Wall bracket mounted on each box end and provided with Wall-attaching means and a tapped hole,- means for Inovably securing said brackets to the box and maintaining alignment of the tapped holes thereof With the tapped holes in said lugs, and holding screws adapted to engage the respective tapped holes in said lugs and said brackets.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of December, 1923. HOMER G. KNODERER.

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