Patent US3728470A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3728470A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical outlet box with cable connectors
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-09-27
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Granted: 1973-04-17
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Expires: 1991-09-27
Abstract
Abstract An extruded box body with open ends has a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, with opposing channels formed at the inside of the side walls. A pair of separate box ends are provided with keeper members which are received and frictionally held in the channels. One of the side walls has an external mounting flange for securing the box to a supporting stud, and a keeper rib on the bottom wall of the box body is supportably engaged by a special fastener driven into the side of the stud. The box ends have knock-out plugs which when removed, leave openings to receive cable connectors. The openings have diametrically opposed recesses and the connectors have lugs which pass through the recesses and then hold the connectors in place when the latter are turned through 90*.
Inventors
- 👤 W Maier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 07:04
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02G; H02G3/00; H02G3/02; H02G3/08; H02G3/12; H02G3/123; H02G3/126; H02G3/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
An electrical outlet box comprising a box body having an open top and open ends and including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, opposing channels formed integrally at the inside of said side walls, a pair of box ends separate from said box body and closing said open ends of the body, and inturned keeper members provided at opposite side edges of said box ends, said keeper members being inserted and frictionally retained in said channels whereby to hold the box body and box ends in assembled relation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
An electrical outlet box comprising a box body having an open top and open ends and including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, opposing channels formed integrally at the inside of said side walls, a pair of box ends separate from said box body and closing said open ends of the body, and inturned keeper members provided at opposite side edges of said box ends, said keeper members being inserted and frictionally retained in said channels whereby to hold the box body and box ends in assembled relation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device as defined in claim 1 together with wedge elements formed integrally on said keeper members and frictionally engaging said side walls when the keeper members are inserted in said channels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The device as defined in claim 2 which is further characterized in that said box body and said box ends are formed from metal, the metal of the body being softer than that of the ends whereby to facilitate biting of said wedge elements into the side walls of the body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The device as defined in claim 1 together with additional means for retaining said box body and ends in assembled relation, said additional retaining means comprising a grooved rib formed integrally with and extending longitudinally on the bottom wall of the body, and screw-threaded fasteners extending through the box ends into the groove of said rib.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device as defined in claim 1 together with a laterally projecting box mounting flange formed integrally with and extending longitudinally on the outer surface of one of said side walls, said flange being apertured to receive fasteners for securing the box to supporting structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device as defined in claim 1 together with a keeper rib formed integrally with and extending longitudinally on the outer surface of said bottom wall of the box body, said rib being adapted to be supportably engaged by a special fastener applied to a supporting structure for the box.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The outlet box set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said box ends is provided with a substantially circular Opening and with diametrically opposed arcuate recesses in the edge of said opening for receiving a cable connector in interlocking engagement with said box and surrounding said opening and a knock-out plug integrally connected to said box end and closing said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The outlet box set forth in claim 7 wherein a sharp notch is provided in the edge of said opening at a point between said recesses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
The combination of an electrical outlet box, a supporting stud therefor, said box including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, one of the side walls being juxtaposed to said stud, a laterally projecting mounting flange formed integrally with said one side wall and overlying the stud, fasteners extending through said flange into the stud, a keeper rib formed integrally on the outer surface of said bottom wall, and a special fastener driven into the side of the stud, said fastener including an integral laterally projecting leg which supportably engages said keeper rib.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
The combination of an electrical outlet box, a supporting stud therefor, said box including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, one of the side walls being juxtaposed to said stud, a laterally projecting mounting flange formed integrally with said one side wall and overlying the stud, fasteners extending through said flange into the stud, a keeper rib formed integrally on the outer surface of said bottom wall, and a special fastener driven into the side of the stud, said fastener including an integral laterally projecting leg which supportably engages said keeper rib.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination as defined in claim 9 wherein said leg of said special fastener extends diagonally with respect to the plane of said bottom wall, said keeper rib being laterally slanted to form a channel at one side of the rib in which the end of said leg is received.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
153 words
The combination of an electrical outlet box having a wall provided with a substantially circular opening and with diametrically opposed arcuate recesses in the edge of said opening, a cable connector rotatably received in said opening, an annular shoulder provided on said connector for abutting the outer surface of the box wall, and a pair of arcuate lugs provided at diametrically opposite sides of the connector for passage through said recesses when the connector is inserted in the opening, the connector being rotatable in the opening to a fastened position wherein said lugs abut the inner surface of the box wall to retain the connector and box in assembled relation, portions of said connector between said shoulder and said lugs being raised to exceed the diameter of said opening in the box wall, said raised portions becoming wedged against the edge of the opening when the connector is rotated to its fastened position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
153 words
The combination of an electrical outlet box having a wall provided with a substantially circular opening and with diametrically opposed arcuate recesses in the edge of said opening, a cable connector rotatably received in said opening, an annular shoulder provided on said connector for abutting the outer surface of the box wall, and a pair of arcuate lugs provided at diametrically opposite sides of the connector for passage through said recesses when the connector is inserted in the opening, the connector being rotatable in the opening to a fastened position wherein said lugs abut the inner surface of the box wall to retain the connector and box in assembled relation, portions of said connector between said shoulder and said lugs being raised to exceed the diameter of said opening in the box wall, said raised portions becoming wedged against the edge of the opening when the connector is rotated to its fastened position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination as defined in claim 11 which is further characterized in that said box wall and said connector are made of metal, the metal of the connector being softer than that of the box wall whereby to facilitate wedging of the raised portions of the connector against the edge of said opening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination as defined in claim 12 in which a sharp notch is provided in the edge of said opening at a point between said recesses, said notch having sharp corners biting into the raised portions of said connector when the latter is rotated to its fastened position, whereby to prevent rotation of the connector in the opposite direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said connector is tubular and includes an inner end portion which extends inside said box and an outer end portion which projects outside said box when said connector is fastened in assembled relationship with said box.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein there is at least one longitudinally extending rib integrally formed on the outside surface of said outer end portion which provides an abutment for a spanner wrench whereby said connector may be rotated to its fastened position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein said outer end portion is open ended for receiving a cable and is provided with a lateral boss through which a screw may be threaded to wedge said cable against the inside surface of said tubular connector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said arcuate lugs are provided on the outer surface of said inner end portion, said lugs being beveled along their inner edge to provide a cam surface to facilitate insertion of said connector in said knock-out opening.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electrical outlet box including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, a laterally projecTing mounting flange extending from one of said side walls, and a keeper rib formed integrally on the outer surface of said bottom wall, said rib being laterally slanted to form a channel at one side of the rib in which the leg of a special fastener may be engaged for diagonally bracing said back wall with respect to a support juxtaposed against one side wall of said outlet box.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electrical outlet box including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, a laterally projecTing mounting flange extending from one of said side walls, and a keeper rib formed integrally on the outer surface of said bottom wall, said rib being laterally slanted to form a channel at one side of the rib in which the leg of a special fastener may be engaged for diagonally bracing said back wall with respect to a support juxtaposed against one side wall of said outlet box.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-16 | 1976-10-16 | 1977-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-16 | 1980-10-16 | 1981-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-16 | 1984-10-16 | 1985-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |