Electric box extension
First Claim
1. An electrical box extension comprising:
- a) a generally tubular body having at least one wall and a first open face and a second open face, the body being sized to receive an electrical device and to be received within an electrical box having an open face and at least one wall, the at least one wall extending proximate to and generally parallel to the at least one wall of the electrical box, the body having at least two flanges extending outwardly from at least one wall proximate the first open face, each flange including at least one additional aperture for mounting the electrical device and at least two additional apertures;
b) at least two attachment bars for mounting the electrical box extension on an existing electrical box, each attachment bar including an aperture for screwing the bar to a flange extending from the existing electrical box, each attachment bar further including at least two additional apertures, the additional apertures of the attachment bars being aligned with the additional apertures of the body flanges; and
c) a plurality of parallel screw depth adjustment means extending between the body flanges and the attachment bars, each depth adjustment means having a thread-free upper portion and a threaded lower portion, each depth adjustment means being rotatably mounted in one of the apertures of the flanges, and extending through a respective one of the additional apertures of an attachment bar, such that like rotation of each of the depth adjustment means causes the body to move uniformly in or out of an electrical box on which the electric box extension is mounted by a uniform distance proportional to the extent of rotation, the first open face of the box extension being alignable with an existing surface,the thread-free upper portion and the threaded lower portion of the depth adjustment means being generally cylindrical, the diameter of the upper portion being smaller than the diameter of the threaded lower portion, the flanges having at least two slots extending to respective ones of the additional apertures to receive the thread-free upper portion of a respective depth adjustment means when the electrical box extension is assembled, the diameter of the at least two additional apertures of said at least two flanges of said body being smaller than the head and the diameter of the threaded lower protion of said depth adjustment means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved electrical box extension can be used to easily and securely mount an electrical device, such as a switch or electric outlet, flush with a new surface installed over an existing surface, using an existing electrical box which is fixed within the existing surface. The electrical box extension comprises a generally tubular body sized to receive an electrical device, and to be received within an existing electrical box. The body has flanges extending outwardly, and depth adjustment screws extend between the flanges and attachment bars mounting the electrical box extension on the existing electrical box. The box and adjustment screws can be used with an electrical box having integral attachment bars.
152 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An electrical box extension comprising:
-
a) a generally tubular body having at least one wall and a first open face and a second open face, the body being sized to receive an electrical device and to be received within an electrical box having an open face and at least one wall, the at least one wall extending proximate to and generally parallel to the at least one wall of the electrical box, the body having at least two flanges extending outwardly from at least one wall proximate the first open face, each flange including at least one additional aperture for mounting the electrical device and at least two additional apertures; b) at least two attachment bars for mounting the electrical box extension on an existing electrical box, each attachment bar including an aperture for screwing the bar to a flange extending from the existing electrical box, each attachment bar further including at least two additional apertures, the additional apertures of the attachment bars being aligned with the additional apertures of the body flanges; and c) a plurality of parallel screw depth adjustment means extending between the body flanges and the attachment bars, each depth adjustment means having a thread-free upper portion and a threaded lower portion, each depth adjustment means being rotatably mounted in one of the apertures of the flanges, and extending through a respective one of the additional apertures of an attachment bar, such that like rotation of each of the depth adjustment means causes the body to move uniformly in or out of an electrical box on which the electric box extension is mounted by a uniform distance proportional to the extent of rotation, the first open face of the box extension being alignable with an existing surface, the thread-free upper portion and the threaded lower portion of the depth adjustment means being generally cylindrical, the diameter of the upper portion being smaller than the diameter of the threaded lower portion, the flanges having at least two slots extending to respective ones of the additional apertures to receive the thread-free upper portion of a respective depth adjustment means when the electrical box extension is assembled, the diameter of the at least two additional apertures of said at least two flanges of said body being smaller than the head and the diameter of the threaded lower protion of said depth adjustment means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. In combination, an electrical box and an electrical box extension, the electrical box comprising at least two attachment portions for mounting the electrical box extension comprising:
-
a) a generally tubular body having at least one wall and a first open face, the body being sized to receive an electrical device and to be received within an electrical box having an open face and at least one wall, the at least one wall extending proximate to and generally parallel to the at least one wall proximate the open face, each flange including at least one additional aperture for mounting the electrical device ad at least two additional apertures; b) at least two attachment bars for mounting the electrical box extension on an existing electrical box, each attachment bar including an aperture for screwing the bar to a flange extending from the existing electrical box, each attachment bar further including at least two additional apertures, the additional apertures of the attachment bars being aligned with the additional apertures of the body flanges; and c) a plurality of parallel screw depth adjustment means extending between the body flanges and the attachment bars, each depth adjustment means having a head, a thread-free upper portion, and a threaded lower portion, each depth adjustment means being rotatably mounted in one of the apertures of the flanges, and extending through a respective one of the additional apertures of the attachment bar, such that like rotation of each of the depth adjustment means causes the body to move in or out of the electrical box on which the electrical box extension is mounted by a uniform distance proportional to the extent of rotation, the first open face of the box extension being alignable with an existing surface, the thread free upper portion and the threaded lower portion of the depth adjustment means being generally cylindrical, the diameter of the upper portion being smaller than the diameter of the threaded lower portion, the flanges having at least two slots extending to respective ones of the additional apertures to receive the thread free upper portion of a respective depth adjustment means when the electrical box extension is assembled, the diameter of the at least two additional apertures of said at least two flanges of said body being smaller than the head and the diameter of the threaded lower portion of said depth adjustment means.
-
Specification