Gangable electrical box and leveling assembly

• US 8,710,367 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Korcz, Krzysztof W., Ayrton, Mahran H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US13/118,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/559, 174/50, 220/3.92, 439/535, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/53
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/085 including knock-out or tear-out sections
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes

Abstract

A gangable electrical box includes an adjustment assembly for adjusting the position and angle of an electrical device mounted in the box. The adjustment assembly includes independently adjustable leveling members coupled to opposite end walls of the box. A side member is slidably coupled to a side wall and extends between the end walls. The side wall engages the leveling members and is adjustable with the adjustment of the leveling members.

Claims

1. A gangable electrical box comprising:

a back wall, a first end wall, a second end wall, an open front, first and second side edges and a side wall;

a first leveling member having a mounting flange for supporting an electrical device, said mounting flange extending inwardly with respect to said electrical box, said first leveling member being coupled to said first end wall and being adjustable with respect to said first end wall in a linear direction with respect to said first end wall for adjusting the position of the first end of the electrical device relative to the electrical box;

a second leveling member having a mounting flange for supporting the electrical device, said flange extending inwardly with respect to said electrical box, said second leveling member being coupled to said second end wall and being adjustable with respect to said second end wall in a linear direction with respect to said second end wall for adjusting the position of the second end of the electrical device relative to the electrical box, said first leveling member and said second leveling member being adjustable independently of each other; and

a side member extending between said first and second leveling members and having a top edge with a tab at longitudinal ends engaging the leveling members so that adjustment of the leveling members adjust the position of the side member.

2. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein

said electrical box is a multi-gang unit adapted for supporting a plurality of electrical devices, and where said electrical box is adapted for coupling to a second electrical box to form a multi-gang electrical box.

3. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein

said side member is separable from said first and second leveling members.

4. The electrical box of claim 3, wherein

said side member is slidably coupled to said side wall.

5. The electrical box of claim 4, wherein

said side member is slidably connected to said side wall.

6. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein

said first and second leveling members each have a side wall slidably coupled to said respective end wall.

7. The electrical box of claim 6, wherein

said first and second end walls have a top edge with an inwardly extending flange, said inwardly extending flange having a threaded mounting hole for receiving a mounting screw of said electrical device, and where said mounting flange of each leveling member has an aperture aligned with said threaded mounting hole to allow the mounting screw to pass through.

8. The electrical box of claim 7, wherein

each said mounting flange has an aperture receiving an adjustment screw and where said inwardly extending flange of said respective end wall has a screw hole for said adjustment screw to adjust the position of said respective leveling member relative to the end wall.

9. The electrical box of claim 6, further comprising

a divider plate extending between said first and second end walls.

10. The electrical box of claim 9, wherein

each of said mounting flanges has a slot adapted for receiving said divider plate.

11. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein

each said end wall has a top edge with an inwardly extending flange having a slot adapted for receiving said divider plate and resisting lateral movement of said divider plate.

12. A gangable electrical box comprising:

a back wall, a first end wall with a flange extending inwardly and having a first longitudinal end with a first threaded hole with a first adjustment screw, and a second longitudinal end with a second threaded hole with a second adjustment screw, a second end wall and first and second side edges;

a first leveling member coupled to said first end wall, said first leveling member having a mounting flange extending inwardly with respect to the electrical box for supporting an electrical device in said electrical box, said first leveling member having a first longitudinal end with a screw hole receiving said first adjustment screw and a second longitudinal end with a screw hole receiving said second adjustment screw to enable the longitudinal ends of said first leveling member to be independently adjusted; and

a removable side wall coupled to said first side edge of said electrical box, and where said electrical box can be coupled to a second gangable electrical box.

13. The electrical box of claim 12, further comprising

a flange extending inwardly from said second end wall,

a second leveling member coupled to said second end wall, said second leveling member having a mounting flange extending inwardly with respect to said electrical box for supporting the electrical device and being independently adjustable with respect to said first leveling member.

14. The electrical box of claim 13, further comprising

a side member extending between said first and second end walls and being coupled to said first leveling member and second leveling member and being adjustable with respect to said electrical box by adjustment of said first leveling member and second leveling member.

15. The electrical box of claim 14, wherein

said side member has a top edge with a tab at a first end engaging the top edge of said first leveling member and a tab at a second end engaging said second leveling member.

16. The electrical box of claim 15, wherein

said side member is slidably connected to a side wall of said electrical box.

17. The electrical box of claim 13, wherein

said flange extending inwardly from said second end wall has a first longitudinal end with a first threaded hole receiving a first adjustment screw, and a second longitudinal end with a second threaded hole receiving a second adjustment screw, and

a second leveling member having a first longitudinal end with a screw hole receiving said first adjustment screw and a second longitudinal end with a screw hole receiving said second adjustment screw, said adjustment screws enabling said longitudinal ends of said second leveling member to be independently adjusted.

18. The electrical box of claim 17, wherein

each of said adjustment screws have a head and a lock washer to capture said adjustment screw to the respective mounting flange.

19. The electrical box of claim 12, wherein

said first leveling member further includes a side wall slidably coupled to said first end wall.

20. The electrical box of claim 12, further comprising

a mounting bracket coupled to said side wall and being adjustable with respect to a top edge of said side wall.

21. An electrical box comprising:

a first end wall having an inwardly extending flange with a threaded hole for receiving a mounting screw and a second end wall having an inwardly extending flange with a threaded hole for receiving a mounting screw;

a first leveling member coupled to said first end wall of said electrical box; and

a second leveling member coupled to said second end wall of said electrical box;

said first leveling member having a mounting flange extending inwardly for supporting an electrical device and having a guide hole to receive the mounting screw and being aligned with said threaded hole in said flange of said first end wall and said second leveling member having a mounting flange extending inwardly for supporting the electrical device and having a guide hole to receive the mounting screw aligned with said threaded hole in said flange of said second end wall, each said leveling member being independently adjustable with respect to each other.

22. The electrical box of claim 21, wherein

said electrical box is gangable and has a first open side edge, and a second open side edge, said electrical box being adapted for coupling to a second electrical box;

and

said electrical box further comprising at least one side wall coupled to said first or second open side edge.

23. The electrical box of claim 21, further comprising

an adjustment member extending between each of said mounting flange and respective flange.

24. The electrical box of claim 23, wherein

said adjustment member is a screw, and said mounting flange includes an aperture receiving said screw where said screw is axially fixed and rotatable in said aperture;

and

said flange includes a threaded aperture receiving said screw for adjusting the position of said leveling member relative to said electrical box.

25. The electrical box of claim 21, further comprising

a side member extending between said first and second leveling members, said side member being coupled to said leveling members.

26. The electrical box of claim 25, further comprising

a side wall coupled to said first and second side walls, and where said side member is slidably coupled to said side wall.