Electrical outlet box

• US 5,550,322 A
• Filed: 08/05/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Tynan
• Original Assignee: Joseph Tynan
• Inventors: Tynan, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORNELISON, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/211,756
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/58, 220/3.2-3.6
• US Class Current: 174/502
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls

Abstract

An electrical outlet box, for mounting in an opening of a panel, includes holding members that are rotatably and slidably mounted upon a cylindrical pin fixed to the base of the housing and extending towards the open front thereof. The holding members are rotatable from an inoperative position wherein the holding member is substantially inside the housing to an operative position wherein the holding member projects through an aperture in the housing sidewall. Each holding member is slidable forwardly upon its respective pin to bear against the back side of the panel. Retention elements allow forward movement of the holding member but resist rearward movement, and guide elements guide the holding member during forward movement.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box for mounting in an opening of a panel, including a housing having a base and sidewall(s) defining an open front to the housing with means at said open front for bearing against the surface of the panel surrounding the opening, the electrical outlet box further including at least two holding members in the housing each comprising a body portion rotatably mounted upon a respective cylindrical pin fixed to the base of the housing and extending towards the open front thereof and a retaining flange extending sideways from the body substantially parallel to the open front of the housing, each member being rotatable about the axis of the respective pin from an inoperative position wherein the respective retaining flange is substantially inside the housing to an operative position wherein the retaining flange projects through a respective aperture in the housing sidewall, each holding member being slidable forwardly on its respective pin towards the open front of the housing when in the operative position.

2. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has a linear guide which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of its respective holding member, and each of the holding member has a guide means which is brought into alignment with the linear guide by rotation of the member into the operative position and which engages the linear guide during forward sliding of the member.

3. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 2, wherein the linear guide comprises an edge of the respective aperture and wherein the guide means comprises a hook.

4. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 3, wherein each holding member has means for cooperation with the housing which permits forward sliding movement of the member but resists rearward sliding movement of the member.

5. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for cooperation comprises at least one wedge-shaped projection which cooperates with said edge of the respective aperture.

6. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is substantially rectangular, the apertures are provided in respective opposite sidewalls of the housing and the pins are located adjacent opposite diagonal corners of the housing, wherein each of the holding members may be rotated from the inoperable position, wherein the body portion lies along the inside surface of the respective sidewall at a right angle to one of the other sidewalls containing one of the apertures, to the operative position, wherein the body portion lies along the inside surface of one of the respective sidewalls containing one of the aperture with the flange projecting through said one of the apertures.

7. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 6 wherein each holding member has a pair of mutually outwardly directed hooks on the same side of the body portion as the flange, and wherein each aperture has opposite parallel edges which are substantially perpendicular to the open front of the housing but spaced apart less than the distance between the furthest extremities of the hooks, each aperture further having mutually outwardly directed portions remote from the open front of the housing to permit the hooks to pass through said one of the respective sidewalls containing said one of the apertures when the member is rotated from the inoperative position to the operative position with the hooks aligned with the outwardly directed portions, the hooks engaging the parallel edges of the respective aperture during forward sliding of the member.

8. An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 7, wherein each holding member has at least one wedge-shaped projection on the same side of the body as the flange and the at least one projection cooperates with a lower edge of the respective aperture to permit forward sliding movement of the member but resist rearward sliding of the member.