Connecting plug for electrical switches and receptacles

• US 4,780,088 A
• Filed: 08/17/1987
• Issued: 10/25/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eugene E. Means
• Original Assignee: Eugene E. Means
• Inventors: Means, Eugene E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidenfeld, Gil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/086,425
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/59, 439/106, 439/107, 439/651, 439/652, 439/535-538, 439/92, 439/95-97, 439/569, 439/682, 439/685, 439/693
• US Class Current: 439/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/58 Electric connections to or between contacts; Terminals for high tension switches H01H33/025; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/14; for circuit breakers H01H71/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall

Abstract

A connecting plug for use in conjunction with standard electrical boxes and circuit components such as switches and receptacles. The connecting plug includes a insulator block attached by a grounding screw to the back panel of an electrical box. Rigid contact pins extend outwardly from the insulator block a predetermined distance so that they will be releasably received in the openings in the body sections of the circuit components. Standard wiring extends through a knock-out opening in the box and is connected to the grounding screw and the contact pins. Components are removed from one replaced into the box without disturbing the wiring connections.

Claims

1. A connecting plug for use in conjunction with a conventional electrical box and a plurality of conventional electrical circuit components, said conventional conductive electrical box having a back panel with at least one threaded opening, and side panels attached to said back panel to form an open box of predetermined depth;

said plurality of conventional electrical circuit components each including a body section of a predetermined thickness, and brackets attached to and extending longitudinally out from said body section, said brackets being disposed to engage the side panels of said electrical box for attachment thereto, said body section being disposed to extend into said electrical box when said brackets are securely attached to said box, said body section including at least two openings disposed to receive electrical conducting elements operably connected to an electrical circuit, the improvement consisting of;

said connecting plug comprising an insulator block disposed within said electrical box in contact with said back panel and secured thereto by a grounding screw;

wherein said insulator block includes an opening therethrough to receive said grounding screw, said grounding screw being received within said threaded opening in said back panel, said grounding screw further being disposed to receive and secure a ground wire of an electrical circuit;

a first said electrical conducting element comprising a first rigid contact pin secured to and extending out from said insulator block, said first pin being insulated from said box and disposed to extend outwardly from said back panel a predetermined distance to thereby be releasably received within one of said electrical circuit components body section openings when a selected one of the said plurality of components is securely attached to said box;

means for electrically connecting said first pin to a first conducting wire of an electrical circuit;

a second said electrical conducting element comprising a second rigid contact pin secured to and extending from said insulator block, said second pin being insulated from said box and disposed to extend outwardly from said back panel a predetermined distance to thereby be releasably received within the other of said electrical circuit component body openings when said component is securely attached to said box;

means for electrically connecting said second pin to a second conducting wire of an electrical circuit;

wherein said first pin and said second pin include an insulated section extending between said insulator block and the body section of the selected one of said plurality of conventional electrical circuit components; and

, wherein said first pin electrical connecting means and said second pin electrical connecting means includes a solder-less terminal lug secured to said insulator block.

2. The connecting plug of claim 1 wherein said body section of said electrical circuit component includes a third opening disposed to receive electrical conducting elements, and wherein said connecting plug further includes:

a third rigid contact pin secured to and extending from said insulator block, said third pin being insulated from said box and disposed to extend outwardly from said back panel a predetermined distance to thereby be releasably received with the third opening when said component is securely attached to said box; and

means for electrically connecting said third pin to a third conducting wire of an electrical circuit.

3. The connecting plug of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of conventional electrical circuit components is a two-way switch.

4. The connecting plug of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of conventional electrical circuit components is a duplex receptacle.

5. The connecting plug of claim 2 wherein one of said plurality of conventional electrical circuit components is a three-way switch.