Unitary electrical receptacles

Claim 2

A pre-assembled electrical receptacle suitable for installation in light-frame building constructions, comprising: internal electrical conductors; a housing portion for said internal electrical conductors; a cover plate portion whose edges comprise flanges overhanging the sides of said housing portion; said housing and cover plate portions comprising electrically insulating material substantially surrounding said internal electrical conductors, said cover plate having openings therein to receive the prongs of electrical plugs for contacting said prongs with said internal conductors and said housing portion having at least one opening therein for receiving the end of an electrical distribution cable, including holes extending from said opening for contacting the wires of said cable to said internal conductors; and at least one through-hole extending from the front surface of the cover plate portion through said receptacle for attaching said receptacle to a structural member in light-frame building constructions.

Claim 3

The receptacle of claim 1 additionally comprising a wedge-shaped key insert of electrically insulating material and a corresponding opening in the housing portion of said receptacle for said key which opening intersects the opening for receiving the end of said cable, for firmly attaching said receptacle to an electrical distribution cable.

Claim 4

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said through-hole extends in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the cover plate portion of the receptacle.

Claim 5

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said through-hole extends in a direction oblique to the front surface of the cover plate portion, said oblique through-hole emerging through the housing portion of said receptacle for attachment of said receptacle to a surface adjacent the side of said housing portion.

Claim 6

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the housing portion thereof has a rectilinear channel extending across its wiDth for mounting on a structural member in light-frame building constructions.

Claim 7

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating housing portion and cover plate portion are a single, integral structure.

Claim 8

The receptacle of claim 5 wherein said receptacle has two through-holes therein, one through-hole extending perpendicularly from the front surface of the cover plate portion through the receptacle, and another through-hole extending obliquely from the front surface of the cover plate portion emerging through the housing portion of said receptacle for attachment of said receptacle to a surface adjacent the side of said housing portion.

Claim 9

The receptacle of claim 5, wherein said channel divides the back of said housing portion of said receptacle into two parts, said openings for receiving the end of an electrical distribution cable including holes for contacting the wires of said cable being in one of said parts, and a second opening for receiving the end of an electrical distribution cable, including second holes for contacting the wires of said cable to said internal conductors, being in the second of said parts.

Claim 10

The receptacle of claim 8, wherein said receptacle has two through-holes therein, one through-hole extending perpendicularly from the front surface of the cover plate portion through the receptacle, and another through-hole extending obliquely from the front surface of the cover plate portion emerging through the housing portion of said receptacle for attachment of said receptacle to a surface adjacent the side of said housing portion.

Claim 11

A method for installing the pre-assembled electrical receptacle of claim 4, comprising: pre-cutting a hole in the surfacing material of a light-frame building construction, said hole being slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the housing portion of said receptacle and smaller than the area of the cover plate portion of said receptacle, one edge of said hole being substantially coplanar with a side of the structural member in said light-frame constructions; bringing the end of a distribution cable, which is located within the light frame construction, out of said hole, preparing the end of said cable for insertion into said receptacle, inserting the end of said cable into the opening in the housing portion of said receptacle, including inserting the wires of said cable into said hole thereby contacting said wires to the internal conductors of said receptacle; inserting the housing portion of said receptacle into said pre-cut hole so that the flanges of the cover plate portion thereof are flat against the outer surface of said surfacing material; and securing said receptacle to said structural member by driving an elongate fastening member through the oblique through-hole into the side of said structural member.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10, wherein receptacle additionally comprises a wedge-shaped key insert of electrically insulating material and a corresponding opening in the housing portion of said receptacle for said key which opening intersects the opening for receiving the end of said cable, and after inserting the end of said cable into its opening, inserting said key into said corresponding opening thereby compressing the end of said cable between the key and the housing portion of the receptacle, for firmly attaching said receptacle to said distribution cable.

Claim 13

A method for installing a pre-assembled electrical receptacle of claim 5, comprising: pre-cutting a hole in the surfacing material of a light-frame building construction, said hole being slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the housing portion of said receptacle and smaller than the area of the cover plate portion of said receptacle, said hole positioned over a structural member in said light-frame construction, the ends of said hole being spaced from the sides of said structural member, bringing the end of a distribution cable, which is located within the light-framE construction, out of said hole, preparing the end of said cable for insertion into said receptacle, inserting the end of said cable into the opening in the housing portion of said receptacle, including inserting the wires of said cable into said holes, thereby contacting said wire to the internal conductors of said receptacle, inserting the housing portion of said receptacle into said pre-cut hole so that the housing portion straddles said structural member which fits into the channel in the housing portion of said receptacle, the flanges of the cover plate portion of the receptacle lying flat against the outer surface of said surfacing material, and securing said receptacle to said structural member by driving an elongate fastening member through the through-hole into said structural member.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12, wherein said receptacle additionally comprises a wedge-shaped key insert of electrically insulating material and a corresponding opening in the housing portion for said key, which opening intersects the opening for receiving the end of said cable, and after inserting the end of said cable into its opening, inserting said key into said corresponding opening thereby compressing the end of said cable between the key and the housing portion of the receptacle for firmly attaching said receptacle to said distribution cable.

Claim 15

A pre-assembled electrical switch apparatus suitable for installation in light-frame building constructions, comprising: internal electrical switching means; a housing portion for said internal electrical switching means; a cover plate portion whose edges comprise flanges overhanging the sides of said housing portion; said housing and cover plate portions comprising electrically insulating material substantially surrounding said internal electrical switching means, said cover plate having at least one opening therein for passage of a member for operating said switching means, and said housing portion having at least one opening therein for receiving the end of an electrical distribution cable, including holes extending from said opening for contacting said internal electrical switching means; and at least one through-hole extending from the front surface of the cover plate portion through said switch apparatus for attaching said switch apparatus to a structural member in light-frame building constructions.

Claim 16

A pre-assembled electrical switch apparatus suitable for installation in light-frame building constructions, comprising: internal electrical switching means; a housing portion for said internal electrical switching means; a cover plate portion whose edges comprise flanges overhanging the sides of said housing portion; said housing and cover plate portions comprising electrically insulating material substantially surrounding said internal electrical switching means, said cover plate having at least one opening therein for passage of a member for operating said switching means, and said housing portion having at least one opening therein for receiving the end of an electrical distribution cable, including holes extending from said opening for contacting said internal electrical switching means; and at least one through-hole extending from the front surface of the cover plate portion through said switch apparatus for attaching said switch apparatus to a structural member in light-frame building constructions.