Electrical service disconnect boxes for conveying power to adjacent electrical appliances such as air conditioners

• US 5,932,939 A
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anita D. Elliott, Dale Foshee, Daniel T. Clarke, Dominick J. Gibino, Lawrence R. Ashbrook, Luther L. Foshee, Richard A. Elliott, Vernell Aboytes
• Original Assignee: Dominick J. Gibino, Jeffrey S. Houk
• Inventors: Simmons, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLEPP, EDWIN D
• Application Number:
  US09/120,281
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 307/326, 307/328, 307/38, 307/80, 307/85, 361/641-648
• US Class Current: 307/326
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/50 Pedestal- or pad-mounted casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

This invention provides a device which facilitates electrical wiring and equipment costs for electricians installing disconnect boxes, typically in the vicinity of an outside air conditioner unit. Thus, an improved disconnect box for protection of an electrician who is servicing an electrical appliance such as an outside air conditioner is provided which incorporates an integrally mounted auxiliary electric socket accessory giving the electrician a source of power for use while the electrician is safely assured that there is no power connected to the electrical appliance being serviced. The auxiliary electrical socket accessory may optionally be connected to a power line source as a full time electric plug outlet or one only accessible when the disconnect box is conditioned to disconnect power from the electrical appliance. Provisions are made for protection of the electrical socket accessory with fusing or circuit breaker protection and ground fault protected electrical input wiring to the electrical socket. The disconnect box is preferably weatherproofed for outside use to serve as a common housing for waterproofing the electrical socket. By provision of the improved disconnect box, the electrician can more efficiently install an auxiliary access socket for use of the electrician when the electrical appliance is disconnected either in retrofit or initial installations.

Claims

1. In a weather protected electric service disconnect box for outside use with a protective access cover and internally disposed electrical circuit conduit means for conveying current from incoming electrical supply wires to output wires for powering an adjacent electrical appliance and further comprising manual disconnect means for manually disconnecting the internal electrical circuit for ascertaining that power cannot be connected to the electrical appliance while being serviced, the improvement comprising in combination:

said incoming electrical supply wires comprising ground fault protected wiring lines,

an electrical socket accessory connected to said ground fault protected wiring lines internally disposed in said disconnect box and mounted stably upon the disconnect box for use of an electrician servicing the electrical appliance, to thereby afford an on-site electric service outlet for said service appliance at the disconnect box, and

circuit breaker means connected with and located upon said electrical socket accessory to fuse output power available from the electrical socket accessory.

2. In a weather protected electric service disconnect box for outside use with a protective access cover and internally disposed electrical circuit conduit means for conveying current from incoming electrical supply wires to output wires for powering an adjacent electrical appliance and further comprising manual disconnect means for manually disconnecting the internal electrical circuit for ascertaining that Power cannot be connected to the electrical appliance while being serviced, the improvement comprising in combination:

said incoming electrical supply wires comprising around fault protected wiring lines,

an electrical socket accessory connected to said around fault protected wiring lines internally disposed in said disconnect box and mounted stably upon the disconnect box for use of an electrician servicing the electrical appliance, to thereby afford an on-site electric service outlet for said service appliance at the disconnect box, and

electrical connections within the disconnect box to connect electrical wiring to power the electrical socket accessory from said incoming electrical wiring for said electrical appliance.

3. The improvement of claim 2 further comprising an electrical switch connected in said electrical connections between the incoming electrical wiring for said electrical appliance and the electrical socket accessory to connect electrical power to said electrical socket accessory only when the manual disconnect means is operable to disconnect power from the electrical appliance.

4. An improved weather protected electric service disconnect box for use in an outside atmosphere to disconnect electric power from an adjacent electrical appliance when servicing that appliance, comprising in combination:

a weatherproof housing for outdoor locations having a protective access cover manually accessible for internal access,

around fault connected internally disposed electrical circuit conduit means for conveying current from incoming electrical supply wires to output wires for powering a separately located electrical appliance,

manual disconnect means for manually disconnecting the internal electrical circuit for ascertaining that power cannot be connected to the electrical appliance while being serviced,

an electrical socket accessory mounted stably upon the disconnect box for use of an electrician servicing the electrical appliance and connected to said around fault connected incoming power lines by wiring internally disposed in said disconnect box, and

circuit breaker means connected with and located on said electrical socket accessory to fuse output power available from the electrical socket accessory.

5. An improved weather protected electric service disconnect box for use in an outside atmosphere to disconnect electric power from an adjacent electrical appliance when servicing that appliance, comprising in combination:

a weatherproof housing for outdoor locations having a protective access cover manually accessible for internal access,

ground fault connected internally disposed electrical circuit conduit means for conveying current from incoming electrical supply wires to output wires for powering a separately located electrical appliance,

manual disconnect means for manually disconnecting the internal electrical circuit for ascertaining that power cannot be connected to the electrical appliance while being serviced,

an electrical socket accessory mounted stably upon the disconnect box for on-site use of an electrician servicing the electrical appliance and connected to said ground fault connected incoming power lines by wiring internally disposed in said disconnect box, and

electrical connections within the disconnect box to connect electrical wiring to power the electrical socket accessory from said incoming wiring for said electrical appliance.

6. The disconnect box of claim 5 further comprising an electrical switch connected in said electrical connections between the incoming electrical wiring for said electrical appliance and the electrical socket accessory to connect electrical power to said electrical socket accessory only when the manual disconnect means is operable to disconnect power from the electrical appliance.