Switch plate assembly

• US 5,998,747 A
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francis Frederick Kelso, James Patrick Reilly
• Original Assignee: Francis Frederick Kelso, James Patrick Reilly
• Inventors: Reilly, James Patrick, Kelso, Francis Fredrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/072,826
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 200/294, 200/296, 200/297, 200/329, 200/331, 200/332.1, 200/330, 200/333, 220/241, 220/242
• US Class Current: 200/331
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/148 actuated by superimposed sliding element H01H23/141 takes precedence

Abstract

In the present invention, a switch plate cover for an electrical toggle switch comprises three components. The first is a face plate which has an orifice and two standard screw holes for mounting to the switch. The second is a shaped toggle actuator cover which fits over the toggle actuator of the switch and partially through the orifice. The third is a base plate with a rectangular orifice for passage of the toggle switch/dimmer actuator to the toggle actuator cover. The combined components of the switch plate cover are mounted onto the toggle actuator of an electrical switch by placing the orifice of the third component and the hollow vertical second component directly on top of the toggle actuator and then affixing the combined face plate assembly to the switch plate with screws. In operation, the second component is slid up or down, such that the above-mentioned rectilinear displacement causes the actuator to move from one of its positions to the other of its positions.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for an electrical box containing at least one switch having a toggle actuator and a plurality of first screw holes;

said cover assembly having at least two second screw holes for fastening said cover assembly to said switch;

said toggle actuator having at least two selectable positions, the cover assembly comprising;

outer covering means having a substantially rectangular orifice and a guiding mean;

said outer covering means covering said switch, said at least two second screw holes corresponding to at least two of said plurality of first screw holes in the switch;

pushing means having a hollow component which is received by said substantially rectangular orifice in said outer covering means and which receives at least part of the toggle actuator, wherein said pushing means further comprises a base and two extension means extending from opposite sides of said base transverse to the direction of motion of said base which slidably engage with said guiding means, such that said pushing means is slidable to move the toggle actuator between said at least two selectable positions; and

switch plate covering means, having a substantially rectangular orifice through which the toggle actuator moves between said at least two selectable positions.

2. A cover assembly for covering at least a part of an electrical switch having a toggle actuator, said cover assembly comprising:

a. a base plate having a rectangular hole for permitting at least a part of said toggle actuator to extend through said base plate;

b. a toggle actuator cover in slidable engagement with said base plate, having a recess receiving and operatively engaging a part of said toggle actuator which extends through said base plate, said toggle actuator cover having a plurality of extensions on opposite sides of said toggle actuator cover; and

c. an assembly cover plate for receiving said base plate, said assembly cover plate having fastener holes for mounting said assembly cover plate and having a generally rectangular hole with at least two recesses disposed in opposite sides thereof adjacent said base plate, said recesses maintaining slidable engagement along a surface of at least two of said extensions of said toggle actuator cover.

3. A cover assembly as described in claim 2 wherein said assembly cover plate further comprises:

a. a plurality of retainer posts adjacent said recesses for removably engaging said base plate in a fixed position relative to said assembly cover plate.

4. A cover assembly for covering at least one electrical switch having a toggle actuator, mounted in an electrical box, said cover assembly comprising:

a. a generally rectangular base plate having a plurality of spacers mounted along a longitudinal axis of said base plate for engaging a surface of said switch, said base plate having a central rectangular hole for permitting at least part of said toggle actuator to extend through said base plate;

b. a toggle actuator cover in slidable engagement with said base plate, having a recess receiving and operatively engaging a part of said toggle actuator which extends through said base plate, said toggle actuator cover having a plurality of extensions on opposite sides of said toggle actuator cover; and

c. an assembly cover plate for fixedly receiving said base plate, said assembly cover plate having fastener holes for mounting said assembly cover plate and having a generally rectangular hole with at least two recesses disposed in opposite sides thereof adjacent said base plate maintaining slidable engagement with a surface of at least two of said extensions of said toggle actuator cover, said assembly cover plate further comprising a plurality of retainer posts adjacent said recesses for removably engaging said base plate in a fixed position relative to said assembly cover plate.

5. A cover assembly for covering at least part of an electrical switch having a toggle actuator having an "on" position and an "off" position, mounted, said cover assembly comprising:

a. a generally rectangular base plate having a plurality of spacers mounted along a longitudinal axis of said base plate for engaging a surface of said switch, said base plate having a central rectangular hole for permitting at least part of said toggle actuator to extend through said base plate;

b. a toggle actuator cover in slidable engagement with said base plate, having a recess receiving and operatively engaging a part of said toggle actuator which extends through said base plate for operation between said "on" position and said "off" position, said toggle actuator cover having a plurality of extensions on opposite sides of said toggle actuator cover; and

c. an assembly cover plate for fixedly receiving said base plate, said assembly cover plate having fastener holes for mounting said assembly cover plate and having a generally rectangular hole with at least two recesses disposed in opposite sides thereof adjacent said base plate maintaining slidable engagement with a surface of at least two of said extensions of said toggle actuator cover.

6. A cover assembly as described in claim 5 wherein said assembly cover plate further comprises:

a. a plurality of retainer posts adjacent said recesses for removably engaging said base plate in a fixed position relative to said assembly cover plate.

7. A cover assembly for covering an electrical switch having a toggle actuator having an "on" position and an "off" position, said cover assembly comprising:

a. a generally rectangular base plate having a plurality of spacers mounted along a longitudinal axes of said base plate for engaging a surface of said switch, said base plate for engaging the surface of said switch, said base plate having a central rectangular hole for permitting at least part of said toggle actuator to extend through said base plate;

b. a toggle actuator cover in slidable engagement with said base plate, having a recess receiving and operative engaging a part of said toggle actuator which extends through said base plate for operation between said "on" position and said "off" position, said toggle actuator cover having a plurality of extensions on opposite sides of said toggle actuator cover; and

c. an assembly cover plate for fixedly receiving said base plate, said assembly cover plate having fastener holes for mounting said assembly cover plate and having a generally rectangular access hole with at least two recesses disposed in opposite sides thereof adjacent said base plate maintaining slidable engagement with substantially a surface of at least two of said extensions of said toggle actuator cover, said assembly cover plate further comprising a plurality of retainer posts adjacent said recesses for removably engaging said base plate in a fixed position relative to said assembly cover plate.

8. A cover assembly as described in claim 7 wherein said assembly cover plate further comprises:

a plurality of recesses on opposite sides of the assembly cover plate adjacent said toggle actuator cover plate for slideably receiving said toggle actuator cover plate.