US2957598A

US2957598A - Outlet box

Info

Publication number: US2957598A
Application number: US727322A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lawrence H Menkee
Original assignee: CLARA JEAN PAULINE MENKEE FRED
Current assignee: CLARA JEAN PAULINE MENKEE FRED; CLARA JEAN PAULINE MENKEE FREDRIKSEN
Priority date: 1958-04-09
Filing date: 1958-04-09
Publication date: 1960-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-25

Description

Oct. 25, 1960 L. H. MENKEE OUTLET BOX Filed April 9, 1958 M m 8 s 2 2= q 8 It! 8 w W m W M m m @744 r 8 PVC f M m a e m m m m United States Patent OUTLET BOX Lawrence H. Menkee, 1551 3rd St., Manhattan Beach, Cahf., assrgnor of one-fourth to Clara Jean Pauline Menkee Fredriksen, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Filed Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,322

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-3.6)

The present invention relates to certain new anduseful improvements in an electric outlet box.

A general object of the instant endeavor is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly constructed and performing prior art outlet boxes and, in doing so, to provide a simple, practical and efiicient adaptation in which manufacturers will find their manufacturing requirements and economies met and electricians and other users will find their needs effectually satisfied.

Novelty is predicated on the adoption and use of a structurally distinct box, particularly the components thereof which are such that they make for installation with a minimum of efiort and reduce requirements for alteration and repair, after installation, to an appreciable minimum. The fact is that the construction is such that the hole in the wall required to accommodate the box is approximately the width of the box and only a fraction of an inch longer than the height of the box so as to in this manner provide a close fitting association between the walls of the box and the marginal edges of the hole in which the installation is made. With such a construction all that is necessary is to set the box against the wall at the desired location, scribe around the ex terior of the same and then carefully cut at side lines leaving the line and then cut the top and bottom taking the line also. One need then only prepare the desired knockout, cut and skin a piece of wire, insert the wire through the face plate holes and bend into hook form so as to avoid dropping the box within the wall. Provided with novel clamping means the box may be quickly clamped and anchored in position.

Stated somewhat more explicitly, the top and bottom Walls of the box are provided with elongated slots. Each slot serves to accommodatingly receive an attaching and adjusting ear provided on an adjustable box clamping device. In addition, openings may also be provided in said top and bottom Walls to facilitate attachment of angle-shaped cleats which are employed to provide holding means for the outer ends of said top and bottom walls.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a front view with portions broken away and showing a fragmentary portion of a wall or support with the improved box and how it is constructed and mounted;

Fig. 2 is a section on the irregular line 2-2' of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Fig. l with the cover plate appearing in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamping devices; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the aforementioned retainers or cleats.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper front portion of the box; and

" ice 2 I Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in section on the line 7-7 of Fig, 3. v Referring now to the drawing in detail the wall 7 r other stationary support is denoted by the reference nu.- meral 8 and the hole which is cut therein to accommodate the improved box 10 is denoted at 12. It will be noticed in this connection that the box is such in con.- struction that a snug-fitting association with the hole 12 is assured. Yet, the box remains securely once it is positioned and clamped in the manner illustrated. So far as the cover plate 14 is concerned, this is purely ornamental and has no real function in the mechanical connection between the box 10 and the Wall or support 8. The cover, it will be noticed is held in place by a single screw or equivalent fastening 16. The fixture which is to be mounted is the dual receptacle unit and this is denoted at 18'and provided with selectively usable receptacles 20. In most boxes commonly seen on the market the upper and lower walls have laterally bent apertured lugs such as for example the lugs 26 seen in the Windsheimer patent, 2,357,787. In the instant invention the lower horizontal wall 22 has an upstanding inturneddug 24 to which the end of the attaching strap 26 is adjustably and removably secured as at 28. A-similar connection for the upper end of the strap 30 as at 32 is provided between the upperwall 34 and thedepending lug 36. So far as the walls of the box are concerned they are not unusual. That is to say, the rear wall 38 has a knockout 40 therein and the top and side walls 42 have knockouts 44 therein. The top and bottom walls 34 and respectively, are distinct in that they are each provided with an elongatedslot 49. At the left hand or inward end (Figure 2) of the slot there is an inturned lug 48 which is apertured to provide a bearing for a reduced journal 50 on the cooperating end'of a horizontal feed screw 52. The outer end of the screw is provided with a head 54 having a kerf therein and the shank of the screw is screwed through a screw threaded hole provided in a lateral ear 56. This ear is an integral part of the adjustable anchoring or clamping device 58. As seen in Fig. 4 the ear has a screw threaded hole 60 connected by a reduced neck 62 to the edge 64 of the lower flange '66 of the U-shaped part of the clamp. The bight portion is denoted at 68 and the upper narrower flange at 70 and this is serrated to provide sawlike clamping teeth 72 adapted to be embedded in the support 8 in the manner perhaps best shown inFigs. 2 and 3. There is an L-shaped member also provided and the short arm 74 of this is welded or otherwise secured to the bight portion and the long arm 76 is coplanar with the flange 66 and serves as a shield to cover the cooperating portion of the slot 49. The U-shaped member and L-shaped member and the ear 56 constitutes an entity which is adjustable by way of the shank 52 of the feedscrew. That is, say, the feed-screw has one end journaled in the bearing of the lug 48 and the other end adjustable in the screw threaded hole 60 making it possible to shift the clamping device 58 back and forth relative to the wall 8 in an obvious manner.

Reference is now made to the retaining and finishing cleats. There are two of these cleats and each is the same in construction and even though one is upper and the other one is lowerthey can be each referred to as an angle-like cleat 78 (Fig-5) having a vertical flange 80, a horizontal flange 82' and a suitable key 84 oflfset at 86 and having separable but keyed or interlocking connection with the adjacent suitably constructed and located slot. a. Your applicant has found it best when using the improved box to set the same against the wall at a desired location and then scribe around the margins after which it is desirable to carefully cut out at the side lines lea-v ing the line of course and then cut the top and bottom areas of the opening following the scribed lines. As before mentioned one may then. prepare the desiredknockout, cut and skin a piece of wire about 8 inches long after which he may insert the wire through the face plate holes and bend the terminal portion into a sortof a hook 'so as to avoid. dropping the box in between the wall components. Then all that is necessary is to release the clamping devices to allow the box to face through the wall opening andto allow one to insertangle-like cleats or dog portions 84 in their respective slots.

It is known to your applicant that there are similar prior art boxes but none wherein the novel clamping device of Fig. 4 is provided and cooperates with the slotted top or bottom wall as the case may be and is adjusted by way of a bolt 52 cooperating with the lug 48 at one end and an adjusting depending ear 56 at the other end. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the stabilizing and mounting cleats 78. Considered collectively these components go to make up a highly practical and advantageous box construction. I

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de- "scribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in a hole in a wall the dimensions of which are predetermined and restricted, an outlet box of general rectangular form embodying horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side walls, a back wall and an open front and providing a receptacle portion, said box being of a transverse cross-sectionjjust slightly less than the width of the hole in said wall and the exterior surfaces of the side walls being free of obstructions to provide for a snug fit of the box, each of the side walls being capable of use as a templet in scribing the hole in the wall, said top and bottom walls each having a longitudinal slot extending from the open front toward the rear wall and provided at the rear end with a depending lug, said lug depending into the receptacle portion of the box and having an aperture constituting a bearing, a pair of duplicate box mounting and clamping devices separate from the box and exteriorly located in respect to the cooperating exterior surfaces of the top and bottom walls, respectively, there being a clamping device for each slot and said clamping device embodying a U-shaped portion having upper and lower spaced parallel flanges with the lower flange in sliding contact with the cooperating surface of the box wall, said U-shaped portion being situated within the marginal confines of the cooperating wall and the longitudinal edges of the flanges facing outwardly toward said hole, the edge of the upper flange being serrated and providing anchoring teeth, the lower flange being provided on a median .part thereof with a lateral ear, said ear being disposed on the interior of the box and being joined to the flange by a reduced neck, said neck being slidably keyed'in the cooperating slot, and a feed screw operating in the receptacle portion of the box and having a headed outer end which is accessible for operation at the open front of the box, the inner end of said feed screw being reduced in cross-section and providing a shouldered portion and a journal extending beyond the shouldered portion, said journal mounted for rotation in the bearing in the cooperating lug, the'thread- "ed portion of said shank being threaded through the hole in the cooperating ear.

2. An outlet box capable of being fitted snugly but removably in an accurately scribed opening provided therefor in a relatively stationarysupport for said box, said box being open only atits front and having'a back wall, top and bottom walls and side walls, said top and bottom walls having laterally bent inturned lugs, said lugs being coplanar and aligned with each other and apertured to provide bearings, said top and bottom walls having slots aligned with their respective lugs, a clamp ing device on the exterior side of each top or bottom wall, each clamping device having a lateral ear slidably keyed in the cooperating slot, said ear provided with a screw threaded hole, a feed-screw having a headed outer end, the inner end journaled for rotation in the bearing in the cooperating lug, the threaded shank being threaded through the hole in the companion ear, each device having a toothed flange the teeth of which are adapted to be embedded in a surface of the support, and an L-shaped member, the long arm of which is horizontal and parallel to the cooperating exterior surface of the adjacent wall and which constitutes a shield and serves as a partial cover for a cooperating end portion of the associated slot.

3. For use in a hole in a Wall the dimensions of which are predetermined and restricted, an outlet box of general rectangular form embodying horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side walls, a back wall and an open front and providing a receptacle portion, said box being of a transverse cross-section just slightly less than the width of the hole in said wall and the exterior surfaces of the side walls being free of obstructions to provide for a snug fit of the box, each of the side walls being capable of use as a templet in scribing the hole in the wall, said top and bottom walls each having a longitudinal slot extending from the open front toward the rear wall and provided at the rear end with a depending lug, said lug depending into the receptacle portion ofthe box and having an aperture constituting a hearing, a pair of duplicate box mounting and clamping devices separate from the box and exteriorly located in respect to the cooperating exterior surfaces of the top and bottom walls, respectively, there being a clamping device for each slot and said clamping device embodying a U-shaped portion having upper and lower spaced parallel flanges with the lower flange in sliding contact with the cooperating surface of the box wall, said U-shaped portion being situated within the marginal confines of the cooperating wall and the longitudinal edges of the. flanges facing outwardly .toward said hole, the edge of the upper flange being serrated and providing anchoring teeth, the lower flange being provided on a median part thereof with a lateral ear, said earbeing disposed on the interior of the box and being joined to the flange by a reduced neck, said neck being slidably keyed in the cooperating slot, and a feed screw operating in the receptacle portion of the box and having a headed outer end which is accessible for operation at the open front of the box, the inner end of said feed screw being reduced in cross-section and providing a shouldered portion and a journal extending beyond the shouldered portion, said journal mounted for rotation in the bearing in the cooperating lug, the threaded portion of said shank being threaded through the hole in the cooperating ear, said clamping devices being adapted to engage interior surfaces of the support for said box, and means carried by the marginal edge of each top and bottom wall and adapted to engage exterior surfaces of the box support, the means in each instance comprising a cleat which is angle-shaped in cross-section and includes a vertical-flange adapted to abut a cooperating surface of the support, that. is, thesurface thereof facing into the room, having a horizontal flange adapted to telescope into the aforementioned hole, said horizontal flange being provided with a pair of offset keying and anchoring members detachably fastened to the cooperating box wall by way of openings provided therefor in said wall.

4. For use in a hole in a wall the dimensions of which are predetermined and restricted, an outlet box of gen eral rectangular form embodying horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side walls, a back wall and an open front and providing a receptacle portion, said box being of a transverse cross-section just slightly less than the width of the hole in said wall and the exterior surfaces of the side walls being free of obstructions to provide for a snug fi-t of the box, each of the side walls being capable of use as a templet in scribing the hole in the wall, said top and bottom walls each having a longitudinal slot extending from the open front toward the rear wall and provided at the rear end with a depending lug, said lug depending into the receptacle portion of the box and having an aperture constituting a hearing, a pair of duplicate box mounting and clamping devices separate from the box and exteriorly located in respect to the cooperating exterior surfaces of the top and bottom walls, respectively, there being a clamping device for each slot and said clamping device embodying a U-shaped portion having upper and lower spaced parallel flanges with the lower flange in sliding contact with the cooperating surface of the box wall, said U-shaped portion being situated within the marginal confines of the cooperating wall and the longitudinal edges of the flanges facing outwardly toward said hole, the edge of the upper flange being serrated and providing anchoring teeth, the lower flange being provided on a 25 median part thereof with a lateral ear, said car being disposed on the interior of the box and being joined to the flange by a reduced neck, said neck being slidably keyed in the cooperating slot, and a feed screw operating in the receptacle portion of the box and having a headed outer end which is accessible for operation at the open front of the box, the inner end of said feed screw being reduced in cross-section and providing a shouldered portion and a journal extending beyond the shouldered portion, said journal mounted for rotation in the bearing in the cooperating lug, the threaded portion of said shank being threaded through the hole in the cooperating ear, retaining cleats angular in cross-section having offset keying and interlocking members separably connectible with holes provided therefor in the top and bottom walls, said U-shaped member extending crosswise of the slot with which it cooperates, and an L-shaped member for each U-shaped member including a long arm and a short arm, the long arm having sliding contact with an exterior surface of the adjacent wall and covering the slot and providing a shield to prevent mortar and the like from getting into the box by way of the slot, the short arm being superimposed upon and secured to the bight portion of the U-shaped portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,189 Hancock et a1. Jan. 26, 1943 2,357,787 Windsheimer Sept. 5, 1944 2,870,931 Buckels Jan. 27, 1959