Adjustable electric outlet box

• US 4,634,015 A
• Filed: 07/15/1985
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerald M. Taylor
• Original Assignee: Jerald M. Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Jerald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US06/754,746
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.7, 220/3.3, 220/3.92, 220/8
• US Class Current: 220/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/121 in plain walls

Abstract

An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment for use on conventional electrical junction boxes includes a mounting plate dimensioned for mounting on a conventional electrical junction box, a collar open at the front and rear ends and disposed on the mounting plate about a central opening therein, a box frame mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly within the collar and to contact the sidewalls of the collar, and adjustment screws mounted within the box frame to connect the frame and either the collar or the mounting plate so that when the screw is rotated in one direction, the box frame is caused to move outwardly of the collar, and when rotated in the other direction, the box frame is caused to move toward the collar.

Claims

1. An adjustable electrical outlet box for mounting on conventional electrical junction boxes comprising

a mounting plate having a large central opening, and a plurality of smaller openings spaced about the central opening and adapted to receive fastening elements, said smaller openings being positioned to coincide with the threaded openings disposed about the perimeter of a conventional electrical junction box so that the mounting plate may be mounted on such conventional junction box,

collar means open at the front and rear ends and disposed on the mounting plate about the central opening, said collar means including sidewalls which project outwardly of the plate a predetermined distance to define a front lip,

frame means having sidewalls formed generally parallel and in slidable contact with the sidewalls of the collar means to move between a withdrawn position, where the front edge of the frame means is generally coincident with the front lip of the collar means, and an extended position where the front edge of the frame means is disposed a certain distance outwardly from the mounting plate beyond the front lip of the collar means, the height of the sidewalls of the frame means being generally same as or less than the height of the sidewalls of the collar means, and

at least one screw means mounted on the frame means, and on the collar means or mounting plate, and disposed within and at the rear of the frame means so that when rotated in one direction, the frame means is caused to move toward the withdrawn position, and when rotated in the other direction, the frame means is caused to move toward the extended position.

2. An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment as in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate is substantially rectangular, and wherein said plurality of openings are slots formed in the edges of the mounting plate.

3. An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment as in claim 2 wherein adjacent slots are formed to extend at about right angles with respect to one another.

4. An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment as in claim 1 wherein said collar means and frame means are generally rectangular, and wherein two screw means are provided, each in an opposite corner of the collar means and frame means, each of said screw means including

a tab extending inwardly from the interior wall of the frame means and having a threaded opening therein,

a screw threadably disposed in the opening of the tab, with the head of the screw projecting toward the front edge of the frame means, and

a tapped element extending inwardly from the collar means or mounting plate for receiving and holding the end of the screw to allow rotation of the screw while preventing longitudinal movement.

5. An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment as in claim 4 further including a pair of tabs extending inwardly from opposite front edges of the frame means, each including threaded openings and spaced to allow mounting thereon of a conventional electrical switch or plug.

6. An adjustable electrical outlet box attachment comprising

generally rectangular collar means open at both ends and including

slot means formed in first and second diagonally opposite corners of the collar means on the rear edges thereof to coincide generally with the threaded openings disposed about the perimeter of a conventional electrical junction box, and

tab means extending inwardly from third and fourth diagonally opposite corners of the collar means on the rear edges thereof, said tab means having openings therein,

frame means slidably mounted within said collar means to move between a withdrawn position within the collar means where the front edges of the collar means and frame means are generally coincident, and an extended position where the frame means projects a certain distance out from the collar means, said frame means including a pair of tabs extending inwardly from diagonally opposite corners of the frame means, said tabs having threaded openings which align with the openings of the tab means of said collar means, and

a pair of bolts threaded through respective openings in the tabs of said frame means, and disposed to rotate in the openings of the tab means of said collar means so that when the bolts are rotated in one direction the frame means is caused to move toward the withdrawn postion, and when rotated in the opposite direction, the frame means is caused to move toward the extended position.