Electrical metallic tube, coupling, and connector apparatus and method

• US 7,005,581 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Maneely Company
• Original Assignee: John Maneely Company
• Inventors: Burnette, David Ruffin
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/910,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20050006121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 174/65.R, 174/68.1, 174/48, 174/49, 174/64, 174/68.3, 174/135, 174/96, 174/97, 174/72.A, 138/172, 138/177, 138/178, 138/DIG.11, 285/80, 285/987, 248/49, 248/56, 248/68.1, 248/74.1, 248/62, 248/74
• US Class Current: 174/68.3
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0683 with bolts operating in a direction transverse to the conductors

Abstract

A labor saving system, method, and apparatus for connecting or coupling lengths of electric metallic tubing (“EMT”). The invention uses couplings/connectors that have barbs that are designed to engage corresponding indentations on EMT to ensure proper installation. In one aspect, the invention is an EMT having: an EMT inner surface forming an EMT cavity; an EMT outer surface; an EMT first end; and at least one indentation in the EMT outer surface at or near the EMT first end, the indentation adapted to receive a corresponding barb from a sleeve device. In another aspect, the invention is a sleeve device comprising; a sleeve inner surface forming a sleeve cavity adapted to receive an end of an EMT; a sleeve outer surface; a first sleeve end; at least one barb on the sleeve inner surface at or near the first sleeve end, the barb adapted to engage a corresponding indentation on the EMT.

Claims

1. An electrical metallic tube (“

EMT”

) having;

an EMT inner surface forming an EMT cavity;

an EMT outer surface;

an EMT first end; and

at least one indentation in the EMT outer surface at or near the EMT first end, the indentation adapted to receive a corresponding barb from a sleeve device,

wherein the indentation(s) are pre-manufactured and, when viewed from the outer surface, are either of a D-shape or are of a linear shape, the linear shape being parallel to the first end.

2. The EMT of claim 1 comprising four of the indentations at or near the EMT first end.

3. The EMT of claim 1 further comprising an EMT second end having the same indentation arrangement as the EMT first end.

4. The EMT of claim 3 comprising four of the indentations at each of the first and second EMT ends;

wherein the indentations are D-shaped dimples;

wherein the dimples are pre-formed by pressing or punching the EMT outer surface during the manufacture of the EMT.

5. The EMT of claim 1 wherein the indentation is a distance from the first end that is substantially equal to a distance from a barb of a sleeve device to a stop of the sleeve device.