Sealed electrical connector for securing conduits to junction boxes

Claim 1

A connector for securing one end of an unthreaded flexible electrical cable to a sidewall of an outlet box or the like, with the cable end extending through a knockout opening in the box which is relatively larger than said cable, comprising, in combination: a relatively thick-walled, hollow, bushing adapted to fit into the knockout opening and slidably receive the cable therein, said bushing having a longitudinally split rear portion and one or more external longitudinal slots, said one or more slots and said split rear portion being generally equally spaced around the circumference thereof, each of said one or more slots and said split rear portion containing a rubber-like deformable material therein for substantially prohibiting the passage of fluid therethrough, said bushing having a radially inwardly projecting conduit stop abutment on the inner end thereof, the outer end of said bushing having a reduced diameter smooth cylindrical portion and external threads intermediate the ends of the bushing, a radially enlarged annular head at the inner end thereof, said head having an annular surface radially inwardly inclined toward the outer end thereof, a clamping nut internAlly threaded to fit on the external threads of said bushing from the direction of the outer end thereof, the inner end of said nut defining an annular surface adapted to abut against the sidewall of the box for forcing said head into engagement with the sidewall edges defining said opening to constrict said bushing for clamping the conduit, the constriction of said bushing occurring by reducing the spacing of the bushing at said split portion, said one or more slots providing a reduced bushing wall thickness enabling bending thereof during constriction and thereby providing generally uniform clamping around the conduit, said nut having an inwardly depending radial flange which engages the reduced diameter portion of said bushing for lending support against rocking of the bushing.