Quick-connect fitting for electrical junction box

• US 5,171,164 A
• Filed: 12/04/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gretz, Thomas J., Stark, Thomas S., O'Neil, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESMOND, EUGENE
• Application Number:
  US07/802,368
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 439/95, 439/58, 439/101, 439/552, 174/65 R, 285/158, 285/162, 29/868
• US Class Current: 439/552
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/745 separate from the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0625 with means for preventing disengagement of conductors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

A spring steel adaptor (20) that improves the ease of use and reduces the time involved in securing electrical connectors to electrical junction boxes (34). Several embodiments are disclosed which require the use of a zinc die-cast connector (26) having a smooth central section (32) to accommodate the spring steel adaptor (20). A separate embodiment employs a spring steel adaptor (20) that is designed to be used in conjunction with any of the standard size threaded electrical connectors that are presently in use in the electrical industry.

Claims

1. A quick connect fitting for an electrical junction box comprising:

a hollow electrical connector through which an electrical conductor may be inserted having a leading end thereof for insertion in a hole in an electrical junction box;

a circular spring metal adaptor surrounding said leading end of said electrical connector which also has a leading end, a trailing end, and an intermediate body, said circular spring metal adaptor being less than a complete circle when on the electrical connector and when separated from said electrical connector has a relaxed diameter, less than the diameter of the portion of the connector which it surrounds;

at least two spring locking members carried by said metal adaptor that spring inward to a retracted position to permit said adaptor and locking member to be inserted in a hole in an electrical junction box and spring outward to lock said electrical connector from being withdrawn through the hole; and

an arrangement on said connector for limiting the distance said connector can be inserted into the hole in the junction box.

2. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 which further includes:

at least two outwardly sprung members carried by said metal adaptor near said trailing end of said adaptor which engage the side walls of the hole in the junction box into which said adaptor is inserted.

3. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 wherein:

said circular spring metal adaptor has an opening in the circumference of said circular spring metal adaptor that extends through the entire length which permits the said adaptor to be expanded to a larger diameter.

4. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 wherein said spring locking members are integral with and lanced out of said circular spring metal adaptor.

5. The quick connect fitting of claim 4 wherein said connector has a flange and shoulder with smooth intermediate portion there between with said adaptor carried on said intermediate portion and held in position by said flange and shoulder.

6. The quick connect fitting of claim 4 wherein there are a series of spring locking members spaced longitudinally along said adaptor so as to enable the adaptor to be inserted in a hole in an electrical junction box having different wall thicknesses.

7. The quick connect fitting of claim 6 wherein said connector has a flange and shoulder with smooth intermediate portion there between with said adaptor carried on said intermediate portion and held in position by said flange and shoulder.

8. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 wherein said connector has a flange and shoulder with intermediate portion there between with said adaptor carried on said intermediate portion and held in position by said flange and shoulder.

9. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 wherein said connector has a flange and shoulder with smooth intermediate portion there between with said adaptor carried on said intermediate portion and held in position by said flange and shoulder.

10. The quick connect fitting of claim 1 which further includes:

a series of inward-bent tensioner/threading tangs lanced from said circular spring adaptor that are staggered to coincide with threads on a standard electrical connector to permit the threading thereon of said adaptor.

11. The quick connect fitting of claim 10 wherein said tensioner/threading tangs are in the shape of triangles that dig in to resist the unthreading thereof.

13. The split circular spring metal adaptor of claim 11 wherein said tensioner/threading tangs are in the shape of triangles that dig in to resist the unthreading thereof.

12. A split circular spring metal adaptor for utilization with a standard hollow electrical connector for permitting a quick connect fitting of said connector in an electrical junction box with said connector having an arrangement for limiting the distance said connector can be inserted into the hole in the junction box comprising:

a split circular spring metal adaptor having a diameter smaller than a hole in an electrical junction box into which it is to be inserted; and

a series of inward tensioner/threading tangs lanced from said adaptor that are staggered to coincide with threads on a standard electrical connector to permit the threading thereon of said adaptor.

14. A method for quickly connecting fittings to electrical junction boxes comprising:

providing an electrical junction box with a hole;

providing an electrical connector having a leading end for insertion in said hole;

providing a circular spring metal adaptor surrounding said leading end of said electrical connector with said spring metal adaptor having a divided circumference of less than a complete circle when placed on said electrical connector and when separated from said electrical connector having a relaxed diameter of less than the diameter of the portion of electrical connector which said adaptor surrounds;

providing at least two spring locking members on said spring metal adaptor that have a relaxed outer dimension greater than the diameter of said hole; and

inserting said spring metal adaptor and electrical connector into said hole until said spring locking members have gone entirely through said hole and spring back to a locking position to prevent said adaptor and electrical connector from being withdrawn.

15. The method of claim 14 which further includes the steps of:

providing a threaded section on said electrical connector leading end;

providing inward-bent tensioner/threading tangs lanced from said adaptor that are staggered to coincide with the said threads; and

threading said adaptor onto leading edge of said connector.