Gangable plastic box for electrical outlets

• US 5,509,560 A
• Filed: 06/01/1995
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Nash
• Original Assignee: William L. Nash
• Inventors: Nash, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US08/457,020
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.2, 220/3.9, 220/3.92, 220/3.94, 174/53, 174/57
• US Class Current: 220/3.9
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/08 Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes

Abstract

A multi-gangable outlet box is assembled from one or more main housing elements and two lateral members, which close off the sides of the outlet box. The individual members are connected to one another by engaging snap latches with corresponding receiving slots. The snap latches and the slots are disposed diagonally across one another on the main housing element. If the main housing member is rotated by 180°, therefore, the same configuration of tabs and slots results.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box assembly, comprising:

a main housing member and a lateral member adapted to be connected to said main housing member;

said main housing member being formed of a generally flat, rectangular backplate with relatively longer sides and relatively shorter sides;

a mounting tab connected to said backplate in a substantially coplanar relationship therewith;

first sidewalls respectively formed on each of said relatively shorter sides of said backplate and orthogonally extending away from said backplate;

drywall support surfaces respectively formed on each of said first sidewalls distally from said backplate and extending substantially parallel to said backplate;

second side walls respectively formed on each of said support surfaces distally from and extending substantially parallel to said first sidewall; and

support flanges respectively formed on each of said second sidewalls and having mounting holes formed therein for mounting an electrical device;

said lateral member having a backwall, first sidewalls, and additional walls corresponding to said main housing member such that, when said lateral member is placed laterally against one of said longer sides of said main housing member,

said main housing member and said lateral member together define an electrical outlet box with a forward opening for receiving an electrical device;

each of said first sidewalls of said main housing component having a snap latch receiving slot formed therein diagonally across from one another as seen relative to said rectangular backplate, and a snap latch molded thereon diagonally across from one another and opposite said snap latch receiving slot; and

one of said first sidewalls of said lateral member having a snap latch formed thereon for mating with one of said snap latch receiving slots of said main housing component, and the other of said first sidewalls of said lateral member having a snap latch receiving slot formed therein for mating with one of said snap latches of said main housing member when said main housing member and said lateral member are placed against one another.

2. The outlet box according to claim 1, wherein said mounting tab is integrally formed with said backplate.

3. The outlet box according to claim 1, wherein said main housing member is integrally formed of injection-molded PVC.

4. The outlet box according to claim 1, wherein said lateral member is integrally formed of injection-molded PVC.

5. The outlet box according to claim 1, wherein said first sidewalls of said main housing member and of said lateral member have butteryfly tabs formed thereon for selectively introducing electrical wire into the outlet box.

6. The outlet box according to claim 1, wherein the outlet box is adapted to be placed on concrete block between furring strips used for spacing drywall finish from the concrete block, and the outlet box has a given depth defined from said backplate to said support flange, said given depth corresponding to a sum of a thickness of the furring strips and of the drywall finish.