US3597526A

US3597526A - Flush box for plug receptacles

Info

Publication number: US3597526A
Application number: US865914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel J Boatwright; Lloyd T Hatcher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-10-13
Filing date: 1969-10-13
Publication date: 1971-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-03

Abstract

A flush box for plug receptacles, comprising a box means including an open face at one side thereof. A cover element is mounted on the open face of the box means and comprises a plate element having a door element pivotally mounted therein. The door element cooperates with the plate element to form the external peripheral shape of the cover element. The plate element and door element each have a semicircular access opening formed therein opposite to each other and complementary therewith so as to define a circular access opening when the door element is in its closed position. A flexible conduit extends through the circular access opening into the box means and has a first plug element secured thereto which matingly engages a second plug element in the box means. The first plug element is smaller in size than the door element to permit the first plug element to be easily inserted into the box means or withdrawn therefrom when the door element is in its open position. Means is also provided to yieldably maintain the door in its open position. The cover element also includes means to maintain the door element in its proper closed position.

Description

United States Patent Primary Examiner-Lewis H. Myers Assistant ExaminerD. A. Tone Lloyd T. Hatcher, 2729 59th 81., both of Attorney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte Des Moines, Iowa 50322 Appl. No. 865,914 Fil d ABSTRACT: A flush box for plug receptacles, comprising a box means including an open face at one side thereof. A cover element is mounted on the open face of the box means and comprises a plate element having a door element pivotally mounted therein. The door element cooperates with the plate element to form the external peripheral shape of the cover elelnventors Daniel J. Boatwright 26l6 62nd St.;

Oct. 13, 1969 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 l l I [54] FLUSH BOX FOR PLUG RECEPTACLES schlmssnnwmg Flgs' ment. The plate element and door element each have a semicircular access opening formed therein opposite to each 220/243 H02g3/l4 other and complementary therewith so as to define a circular [51] [50] Field access opening when the door element is in its closed position.

6 A flexible conduit extends through the circular access opening 1 3 3 I23 into the box means and has a first plug element secured thereto which matingly engages a second plug element in the References Cited box means. The first plug element is smaller in size than the a 1! F, r 1 3 7 m .v a M r 4 Z /k al door element to permit the first plug element to be easily inserted into the box means or withdrawn therefrom when the door element is in its open position. Means is also provided to yieldably maintain the door in its open position. The cover element also includes means to maintain the door element in its proper closed position.

339/44 X 220/24 3 220/243 220/243 l74/66 X S m m m l I .l|l-i lF I-7 A u E n .lirll. I T m 2 wllllllll lli L 3 A u m 44 Z P Tmm m l? E mm m T w mno. 3 A O n m mm 7 W 1h @KCMRM 0775 Noili 99999 /HHH 2 86 53208 55983 J W526oo 4 38 113 r it Conventional plug receptacle boxes such as those used for telephone plug receptacles extend outwardly from the wall and do not present an aesthetic appearance. Further, the boxes are difficult to service since the covers thereof must be completely removed to provide access to the plug elements therein.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a flush box for plug receptacles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles especially adapted for use with telephone plug receptacles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles including a pivotal door element which provides easy ingress and egress with respect to the box means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles wherein a pivotal door element and plate element cooperate to define the external peripheral shape of a cover element mounted on a box means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles including a pivotal door element and means to maintain the same in its open and closed position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles including a cover element having a circular access opening formed therein which is defined by complementary semicircular access openings formed in cooperating plate and door elements.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush box for plug receptacles which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cover plate taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4 but with the door element of the cover plate in an open condition.

The flush box is generally referredto by the reference numeral l0 and is ideally suited for use in a wall or the like such as indicated by 11 in FIGS. I and 2. The flush box of this invention generally comprises a box means 13 having an open face 15 which is flush with the exterior surface of the wall 11 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Box means 13 also includes a backwall 17 having an opening I9 formed therein through which extends a flexible conduit 21. A plug element 23 is secured to conduit 21 in the interior of box means 13 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Box means 13 is secured to the wall 11 by any convenient means such as screws 25 for example.

The numeral 27 refers to a bracket which extends over the open face of the box means as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and which is secured to the wall 11 by means of screws 29 and 31 extending through its upper and lower ends respectively and into the wall 11 as shown in FIG. 2. Bracket 27 also includes threaded

openings

33 and 35 formed therein adapted to receive

screws

37 and 39 respectively. Bracket 27 includes a semicircular-shaped portion 41 as shown in FIG. 1.

A cover element 43 comprising a plate element 45 and a pivotal door element 47 is mounted on the box means 13 by means of the

screws

37 and 39 extending through

openings

49 and 51 respectively in cover element 43 and being threadably received by the

openings

33 and 35 in the bracket 27. Door element 47 is pivotally or hingedly secured to the plate element 45 by means of a hinge pin 53 extending through

cooperating hinge barrels

55 and 57 extending from the door element 47 and plate element 45 as illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, a leaf spring 59 is secured to the inner surface of plate element 45 and extends over one of the hinge barrels 55 secured to door element 47. The hinge barrel 55 has a pair of spaced-

apart protrusions

61 and 63 which extend outwardly therefrom and which are engageable by the arcuate portion 65 of the leaf spring 59. As shown in FIG. 4, the engagement of the arcuate portion 65 of spring 59 with the protrusion 61 yieldably maintains the door element 47 in a closed position. When the door element 47 is pivoted to its outward or open position as illustrated in FIG. 5, arcuate portion 55 of spring 59 engages the protrusion 63 to yieldably maintain the door element 47 in its open position so that the door element will be maintained in its open position to prevent the door from closing and interfering with the servicing of the components within the box means.

The plate element 45 has a semicircular access opening 65 formed therein which is complementary to the semicircular access opening 67 formed in door element 47.

Openings

65 and 67 cooperate to form a circular access opening 69 when the door element 47 is in its closed position. As shown in FIG. 3, the numeral 70 refers to an abutment bracket or stop pin which is secured to the inside surface of plate element 45 and which extends downwardly into the pivotal path of the door element 47 to limit the inward pivotal movement of the door element 47 with respect to the plate element 45. A flexible conduit 71 extends through the access opening 69 and into. the interior of the box means 13 as shown in FIG. 2. Plug element 73 is secured to the inner end of the conduit 71 and matingly engages the plug element 23. Conduit 71 would be connected at its other end to the telephone or the like.

The box means 13 would normally be installed in the wall 11 as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the conduit 21 being secured to the plug element 23 and extending through the wall in conventional fashion. When it is desired to connect the plug element 73 to the plug element 23, it is simply necessary to remove the screw 39 and pivot the door element 47 outwardly to the position of FIG. 5 and will be maintained in the position of FIG. 5 by the spring 59 as discussed hereinbefore. Plug element 73 is then inserted into the interior of box means I3 and connected to the plug element 23. The flexible conduit 71 is positioned in the semicircular opening 65 and the door element 47 is pivoted to its closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1. When the door element 47 is in its closed position, the flexible conduit 71 extends outwardly through the circular access opening 69. Screw means 39 is then inserted through the opening 51 and threadly tightened into the threaded opening 35 in the bracket 27 to maintain the door element 47 in its closed position. Stop pin 70 limits the inward movement of the door element 47 so that the exterior surface of door element 47 will be flush with the exterior surface of the plate element 45. As seen in the drawings, the cover element 43 includes curved or tapered edges to provide an aesthetically attractive appearance and to permit the positioning of the bracket 27 on the exterior surface of the wall Ill. The door element 47 cooperates with the plate element 45 to form the external peripheral shape of the cover element 43 as illustrated in the drawings.

The plug element 73 is smaller in size than the door element 47 to permit easy ingress and egress thereof with respect to the box means 13 when the door element 47 is pivoted outwardly to its position of FIG. 5 thereby separating the semicircular access opening 65 and b7 and also exposing a portion of the open face of the box means. The relationship of the door element 47 with respect to the plate element 45 permits the plug elements to be easily connected, disconnected or serviced without removing the entire cover element 43 from the wall. It is simply necessary to remove a single screw and to pivot the door outwardly to the position of FIG. 5. When a door is in its closed position, the door element 47 and plate 45 cooperate to form an attractive and unobtrusive cover element 43. Thus it can be seen that the flush box of this invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

We claim:

1. In a flush box for plug receptacles,

a box means having at least one open face,

a first plug element in said box means,

a cover element on the open face of said box means, comprising a plate element, means securing said plate element to said box means, a single door element pivotally secured to said plate element, said door element cooperating with said plate element to form a portion of the external peripheral shape of said cover element, a semicircular access opening in said plate element at a position adjacent said door element, a complementary semicircular access opening in said door element opposite said access opening in said plate element,

a flexible conduit extending through the adjacent access openings in said cover element and said door element and into said box means,

and a second plug element on said conduit within said box means and matingly engaged with said first'plug element,

said second plug element being smaller than said door element to permit easy ingress and egress thereof with respect to said box means when said door element is pivoted outwardly with respect to said plate element to separate said semicircular access openings and to open a portion of the open face of said box means,

a first bracket extending over said open face of said box means, said bracket having a portion intermediate its ends which is offset to one side of said access opening so as to leave the opposite side of said access opening free from obstruction, and

said door element having a first screw member extending therethrough which is threadably received by said first bracket to maintain said door element in a closed position to permit said door element to cooperate with said plate element to form the external peripheral shape of said cover element. 2. A flush box according to claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion of said bracket is approximately semicircular in shape.

3. A flush box according to claim 2 wherein said bracket has opposite ends which are aligned in approximate vertical alignment with said access opening.

4. The box of claim 1 wherein said cover element has an abutment bracket means secured thereto which is engageable with said door element to limit the inward pivotal movement of said door element with respect to said box means so that said external peripheral shape is maintained when said screw member draws said door element into its closed position.

5. The box of claim 1 wherein said cover element includes means for selectively maintaining said door eleme t in its outwardly pivoted position. I

6. The box of claim 5 wherein said door eleme t is hingedly secured to said plate element by means of pin eans extending through cooperating hinge barrels extendi g from said door element and said plate element, said means' for selectively maintaining said door element in its outwardly pivoted position comprising, a leaf spring secured to said plate structure and extending over one of the hinge barrels of said door element, said one hinge barrel having a protrusion extending therefrom which engages said leaf spring when said door element is in its outwardly pivoted position to permit said door element to be yieldably maintained in said position.

7. The box of claim 1 wherein said cover element includes upper and lower ends, and opposite sides, said access openings forming a circular opening at the center of said cover element, said door element being positioned below the center of said cover element, said cover element having a vertical hinge means provided below its center inwardly of one side thereof, said door element being hingedly secured to said hinge means.

8. The box of claim 1 wherein a second screw member extends through said plate element above said first screw member, said second screw member being threadably received by said first bracket.

Claims

1. In a flush box for plug receptacles, a box means having at least one open face, a first plug element in said box means, a cover element on the open face of said box means, comprising a plate element, means securing said plate element to said box means, a single door element pivotally secured to said plate element, said door element cooperating with said plate element to form a portion of the external peripheral shape of said cover element, a semicircular access opening in said plate element at a position adjacent said door element, a complementary semicircular access opening in said door element opposite said access opening in said plate element, a flexible conduit extending through the adjacent access openings in said cover element and said door element and into said box means, and a second plug element on said conduit within said box means and matingly engaged with said first plug element, said second plug element being smaller than said door element to permit easy ingress and egress thereof with respect to said box means when said door element is pivoted outwardly with respect to said plate element to separate said semicircular access openings and to open a portion of the open face of said box means, a first bracket extending over said open face of said box means, said bracket having a portion intermediate its ends which is offset to one side of said access opening so as to leave the opposite side of said access opening free from obstruction, and said door element having a first screw member extending therethrough which is threadably received by said first bracket to maintain said door element in a closed position to permit said door element to cooperate with said plate element to form the external peripheral shape of said cover element.

2. A flush box according to claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion of said bracket is approximateLy semicircular in shape.

5. The box of claim 1 wherein said cover element includes means for selectively maintaining said door element in its outwardly pivoted position.

6. The box of claim 5 wherein said door element is hingedly secured to said plate element by means of pin means extending through cooperating hinge barrels extending from said door element and said plate element, said means for selectively maintaining said door element in its outwardly pivoted position comprising, a leaf spring secured to said plate structure and extending over one of the hinge barrels of said door element, said one hinge barrel having a protrusion extending therefrom which engages said leaf spring when said door element is in its outwardly pivoted position to permit said door element to be yieldably maintained in said position.