Electrical cord hatch

Claim 2

In an electrical cord hatch including a housing having a side wall and an end wall, said side wall and end wall defining a chamber in said housing, said end wall having a cord receiving opening therein, a front opening into said chamber located in said housing oppositely of said end wall, a cover carried by said housing and having a slotted opening formed in its lower margin, means pivotally connecting said cover to said housing wherein said cover is shiftable between an open position fully exposing said chamber through said front opening and a closed position spanning and closing said front opening except at said slotted opening, door means shiftable over said slotted opening when said cover is in its closed position to close said slotted opening, the improvement wherein said cover pivot connection means includes aligned oppositely extending spaced hinge pintles carried at the upper edge of said cover, said cover including an upper edge portion extending between said pintles, said housing including an outer face forming a part of said side wall and defining said front opening into said chamber, a pair of hinge parts carried by said housing and protruding outwardly from said housing outer face near the upper edge of and located at opposite sides of said front opening, said pintles fitting pivotally within said hinge parts with said cover upper edge portion located between said hinge parts, said cover edge portion including securement means for contacting the outer face of said housing to releasably secure said cover in its open position.

Claim 3

The electrical cord hatch of claim 1 wherein said cover is swung at least 180* when shifted between its open and closed positions.

Claim 4

The electrical cord hatch of claim 1 wherein said securement means constitutes protruding rib means, said pintles having a common axis, said rib means projecting laterally to one side of said axis and contacting said housing outer face to form an overcenter lock when said cover is shifted into its open position.

Claim 5

The electrical cord hatch of claim 3 wherein said rib means causes said cover to be flexed against and in sealing contact with said housing outer face about said front opening when said cover is in its closed position.

Claim 6

The electrical cord hatch of claim 1 wherein said cord receiving opening in said housing end wall includes an upper opening part large enough to accommodate the plug of a cord and a generally V-shaped narrow opening part below said upper opening part large enough to accommodate only the insulated cable of said cord whereby said cord cable will fit in said narrow opening part with said plug located in said chamber abutting said end wall about said narrow opening part when said cover is in its closed position.

Claim 7

In an electrical cord hatch including a housing having a side wall and an end wall, said side wall and end wall defining a chamber in said housing, said end wall having a cord receiving opening therein, a front opening into said chamber located in said housing oppositely of said end wall, a cover carried by said housing and having a slotted opening formed in its lower margin, means pivotally connecting said cover to said housing wherein said cover is shiftable between an open position fully exposing said chamber through said front opening and a closed position spanning and closing said front opening except at said slotted opening, tab means shiftable over said slotted opening when said cover is in its closed position to close said slotted opening, the improvement wherein said cover pivot connection means includes aligned oppositely extending spaced hinge pintles carried at the upper edge of said cover, said cover including an upper edge portion extending between said pintles, said housing including an outer face forming a part of said side wall and defining said front opening into said chamber, a pair of hinge parts carried by said housing and protruding outwardly from said housing outer face near the upper edge of and located at opposite sides of said front opening, said pintles fitting pivotally within said hinge parts with said cover upper edge portion located between said hinge parts, means for releasably securing said cover in its open position, and means pivotally connecting said tab means to said housing outer face, said tab means being shiftable about its pivot connection between first, second and third positions, said tab means in its first position overlying said cover and slotted opening to secure said cover in its closed position and to close said slotted opening, said tab means in its second position overlying said cover to secure said cover in its closed position with said slotted opening being exposed, and said tab means in its third position being shifted free of said cover to allow said cover to be swung into its open position.

Claim 8

In an electrical cord hatch including a housing having a side wall and an end wall, said side wall and end wall defining a chamber in said housing, said end wall having a cord receiving opening therein, a front opening into said chamber located in said housing oppositely of said end wall, a cover carried by said housing and having a slotted opening formed in its lower margin, means pivotally connecting said cover to said housing wherein said cover is shiftable between an open position fully exposing said chamber through said front opening and a closed position spanning and closing said front opening except at said slotted opening, tab means shiftable over said slotted opening when said cover is in its closed position to close said slotted opening, the improvement wherein said cover pivot connection means includes aligned oppositely extending spaced hinge pintles carried at the upper edge of said cover, said cover including an upper edge portion extending between said pintles, said housing including an outer face forming a part of said side wall and defining said front opening into said chamber, a pair of hinge parts carried by said housing and protruding outwardly from said housing outer face near the upper edge of and located at opposite sides of said front opening, said pintles fitting pivotally within said hinge parts with said cover upper edge portion located between said hinge parts, means for releasably securing said cover in its open position, and means pivotally connecting said tab means to said housing outer face, said tab means being shiftable about its pivot connection between first, second and third positions, said tab means in its first position overlying said cover and slotted opening to secure said cover in its closed position and to close said slotted opening, said tab means in its second position overlying said cover to secure said cover in its closed position with said slotted opening being exposed, and said tab means in its third position being shifted free of said cover to allow said cover to be swung into its open position.