Method and apparatus for a wiring system utilizing wiring devices

Claim 3

The method as recited in claim 1, and further including the steps of: providing an enclosure in encirclement around said electrical wiring device, and releasably latching said cover to said enclosure, thereby securing said cover in mounted position on said housing and yet allowing removal of said cover from said housing and from pressed engagement of said conductors.

Claim 4

The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said enclosure is electrically conductive, and further including the step of: mechanically and electrically contacting said enclosure with a selected one of said electrical terminals internally of said housing, thereby electrically grounding said enclosure to said selected one of said electrical terminals.

Claim 5

In the combination of a multi-conductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means for retaining the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the improvement comprising: longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath of said cable, medial portions of the individual conductors of said cable being exposed through said longitudinally sliced portions of the outer sheath of said cable, the medial portions of the individual conductors being spread apart together with said longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath remaining on said individual conductors, cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing receiving unsliced portions of said electrical cable, said housing internally receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath, electrical terminals in said housing projecting portions of said housing located between said wire receiving openings and initially retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired overlying positions with respect to said electrical terminals prior to and after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said unsliced portions of said electrical cable outer sheath being on either side of said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors and being received and retained in said cable receiving openings prior to an after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said separable cover including portions protruding toward said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and forcibly urging said medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath into engagement with said electrical terminals with said individual conductors being forcibly urged into electrical termination with said electrical terminals, and said releasable means releasably retaining said housing and said separable cover in assembled relationship, thereby enclosing said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors internally of said electrical wiring device.

Claim 6

In the combination of a multi-conductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means for retaining the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the improvement comprising: longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath of said cable, medial portions of the individual conductors of said cable being exposed through said longitudinally sliced portions of the outer sheath of said cable, the medial portions of the individual conductors being spread apart together with said longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath remaining on said individual conductors, cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing receiving unsliced portions of said electrical cable, said housing internally receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath, electrical terminals in said housing projecting portions of said housing located between said wire receiving openings and initially retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired overlying positions with respect to said electrical terminals prior to and after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said unsliced portions of said electrical cable outer sheath being on either side of said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors and being received and retained in said cable receiving openings prior to an after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said separable cover including portions protruding toward said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and forcibly urging said medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath into engagement with said electrical terminals with said individual conductors being forcibly urged into electrical termination with said electrical terminals, and said releasable means releasably retaining said housing and said separable cover in assembled relationship, thereby enclosing said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors internally of said electrical wiring device.

Claim 7

The structure as recited in claim 4 wherein said cable outer sheath includes longitudinally slitted portions exposing the medial portions of said individual conductors therethrough, said slitted portions of said outer sheath being retained generally in overlying relationship with respect to said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors and further being spread apart together with said medial portions of the individual conductors thereby defining said spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath.

Claim 8

The structure as recited in claim 4, wherein said cover cooperates with said housing to encircle and compressibly grip the unsliced portions of said outer sheath received in said cable receiving openings of said housing whereby said cable is anchored to said housing and said cooperating cover.

Claim 9

The structure as recited in claim 4 wherein said releasable means is electrically conductive in the form of an enclosure encircling and affixed to said housing and forming a unitary combination of an enclosure and a wiring device, the enclosure in mechanical and electrical engagement with a selected electrical terminal for electrical grounding thereto, and said enclosure releasably latching said cover in assembled relationship with said housing.

Claim 10

The structure as recited in claim 7, wherein said enclosure includes an integral mounting bracket portion for mounting said electrical wiring device removably within an opening provided in a wallboard.

Claim 11

The structure as recited in claim 8, wherein said mounting bracket portion includes protruding tabs and displaceable portions in spaced relationship with respect to said tabs, said tabs and said displaceable portions being adapted for receiving and gripping a wallboard therebetween.

Claim 12

In a method for the assembly of a multiconductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device of the type having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means to retain the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the steps comprising: exposing medial portions of the individual conductors through an outer sheath of said cable by slicing the outer sheath longitudinally to provide sliced portions of the outer sheath through which the individual conductors are visible, spreading apart the exposed medial portions of the individual conductors together with the sliced portions of said outer sheath remaining over said individual conductors, providing cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing for receiving said electrical cable, receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and the sliced portions of said outer sheath in said housing, said electrical cable adjacent said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors being initially received by said cable receiving openings so as to retain fixedly said electrical cable in position on said housing prior to assembly of said cover thereto, providing electrical contacts internally of said housing, providing projecting portions on said housing, looping the exposed medial portions of the individual conductors around said projecting portions and thereby fixedly retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired positions over the electrical contacts contained in said housing prior to assembly of said cover to said housing, assembling said cover over said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors, compressibly urging said cover against said individual conductors thereby force-fitting said individual conductors between the slicing edges of corresponding electrical contacts, said conductors thereby being electrically engaged on opposed sides thereof by the slicing edges of the corresponding electrical contacts, latchably securing said cover to said housing, maintaining said latchably secured cover in compressible overlying relationship against the medial portions of the individual conductors, thereby maintaining the individual conductors in force-fitted relationship between the slicing edges of the corresponding electrical contacts and thereby enclosing said individual conductors internally of said housing, and compressibly encircling said electrical cable by said cover and said cable receiving openings cooperating for encircably gripping said electrical cable to anchor the cable to the housing and to provide a cable strain relief.

Claim 13

In a method for the assembly of a multiconductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device of the type having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means to retain the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the steps comprising: exposing medial portions of the individual conductors through an outer sheath of said cable by slicing the outer sheath longitudinally to provide sliced portions of the outer sheath through which the individual conductors are visible, spreading apart the exposed medial portions of the individual conductors together with the sliced portions of said outer sheath remaining over said individual conductors, providing cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing for receiving said electrical cable, receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and the sliced portions of said outer sheath in said housing, said electrical cable adjacent said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors being initially received by said cable receiving openings so as to retain fixedly said electrical cable in position on said housing prior to assembly of said cover thereto, providing electrical contacts internally of said housing, providing projecting portions on said housing, looping the exposed medial portions of the individual conductors around said projecting portions and thereby fixedly retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired positions over the electrical contacts contained in said housing prior to assembly of said cover to said housing, assembling said cover over said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors, compressibly urging said cover against said individual conductors thereby force-fitting said individual conductors between the slicing edges of corresponding electrical contacts, said conductors thereby being electrically engaged on opposed sides thereof by the slicing edges of the corresponding electrical contacts, latchably securing said cover to said housing, maintaining said latchably secured cover in compressible overlying relationship against the medial portions of the individual conductors, thereby maintaining the individual conductors in force-fitted relationship between the slicing edges of the corresponding electrical contacts and thereby enclosing said individual conductors internally of said housing, and compressibly encircling said electrical cable by said cover and said cable receiving openings cooperating for encircably gripping said electrical cable to anchor the cable to the housing and to provide a cable strain relief.

Claim 14

In an electrical wiring device of the type including a housing, a separable cover, an enclosure having a bracket encircling said housing, a multi-conductor cable receiving opening provided in said housing and electrical terminals provided in said housing electrically terminated to individual conductors of the multi-conductor cable, the improvement comprising: latching means on said bracket for securing said separable cover in mounted position on said housing, a first portion of said bracket being laterally extensible beyond the profile of said housing for engagement on a first surface of a wallboard, second portions on said bracket being displaceable into engagement against a second surface of the wallboard, thereby gripping the wallboard across its thickness by the first and second portions of said bracket, said second portions of said bracket being exposed through openings provided in said bracket for allowing adjustable displacement of said bracket second portions into engagement against said wallboard second surface upon inserting a displacement producing tool through the openings provided in said bracket and forcibly displacing said bracket second portions with said tool.

Claim 15

In an electrical wiring device of the type including a housing, a separable cover, an enclosure having a bracket encircling said housing, a multi-conductor cable receiving opening provided in said housing and electrical terminals provided in said housing electrically terminated to individual conductors of the multi-conductor cable, the improvement comprising: latching means on said bracket for securing said separable cover in mounted position on said housing, a first portion of said bracket being laterally extensible beyond the profile of said housing for engagement on a first surface of a wallboard, second portions on said bracket being displaceable into engagement against a second surface of the wallboard, thereby gripping the wallboard across its thickness by the first and second portions of said bracket, said second portions of said bracket being exposed through openings provided in said bracket for allowing adjustable displacement of said bracket second portions into engagement against said wallboard second surface upon inserting a displacement producing tool through the openings provided in said bracket and forcibly displacing said bracket second portions with said tool.

Claim 16

The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein, said bracket further includes a tab portion extending internally of said electrical wiring device and in contact with a selected electrical terminal in said housing, thereby electrically grounding said bracket to one of the individual conductors electrically terminated in said selected electrical terminal.

Claim 17

The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein said second adjustable portion of said bracket includes a plurality of laterally outwardly displaceable portions on said bracket, each having an inclined surface in spaced opposed relationship with respect to the first portion of said bracket, said inclined surfaces each being displaceable adjustably into engagement against the wallboard second surface, whereby said adjustable outwardly portions are adjustably displaceable for gripping wallboards of various thicknesses.

Claim 18

The structure as recited in claim 11, and further including: flange means adjacent the first portion of said bracket for registration within the opening provided in the wallboard and for locating said electrical wiring device in registration within the opening of said wallboard.

Claim 19

The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein, said laterally outwardly adjustable portions of said bracket are defined by corresponding deformable portions on said bracket, said adjustable second portions of said bracket being adjustably displaceable by the degree of deformation imparted to said deformable portions of said bracket.

Claim 20

In the combination of an electrical wiring device having a housing, electrical terminals in the housing for electrical connectiOn to individual conductors of a multi-conductor electrical cable, a separable cover engaging the individual conductors and urging the individual conductors into electrical connection with the electrical terminals, the cover further enclosing the individual conductors internally of the housing, a bracket encircling the housing and latching the cover in mounted position on the housing, the improvement comprising: said bracket being fully insertable within an aperture provided in a wallboard, the bracket having portions displaceable outwardly to enlarge the profile of the wiring device, said displaceable portions being deformable outwardly to grip the wallboard, said displaceable portions being adjustably displaceable into engagement against said wallboard for gripping the wallboard across its thickness and whereby said electrical wiring device is mounted within the wallboard opening, said deformable portions being disengageable from gripping relationship on said wallboard by subsequent displacement thereof toward a reduction in the profile from its enlarged profile configuration to permit disengagement of the deformable portions from gripping engagement with the wallboard and to permit removal of the electrical wiring device from the wallboard opening.

Claim 21

In the combination of an electrical wiring device having a housing, electrical terminals in the housing for electrical connectiOn to individual conductors of a multi-conductor electrical cable, a separable cover engaging the individual conductors and urging the individual conductors into electrical connection with the electrical terminals, the cover further enclosing the individual conductors internally of the housing, a bracket encircling the housing and latching the cover in mounted position on the housing, the improvement comprising: said bracket being fully insertable within an aperture provided in a wallboard, the bracket having portions displaceable outwardly to enlarge the profile of the wiring device, said displaceable portions being deformable outwardly to grip the wallboard, said displaceable portions being adjustably displaceable into engagement against said wallboard for gripping the wallboard across its thickness and whereby said electrical wiring device is mounted within the wallboard opening, said deformable portions being disengageable from gripping relationship on said wallboard by subsequent displacement thereof toward a reduction in the profile from its enlarged profile configuration to permit disengagement of the deformable portions from gripping engagement with the wallboard and to permit removal of the electrical wiring device from the wallboard opening.

Claim 22

In the method for installing a wiring device and enclosure box within an opening provided in a wallboard, said enclosure box being affixed to said wiring device prior to termination of said wiring device to a multi-conductor electrical cable, the steps comprising: placing unsevered lengths of the individual conductors of the multi-conductor electrical cable over a plurality of terminals fixedly mounted in the interior of said wiring device, applying a separable cover over said individual conductors, forcibly pressing said cover against the individual conductors and urging the conductors into electrical and mechanical gripped engagement with said electrical terminals thereby terminating said individual conductors to said electrical terminals, removably latching said cover to said housing by latching portions provided on said box enclosure and removably engaging said cover, mounting said unitary combination of said wiring device and said box enclosure within an opening provided in a wallboard, electrically grounding said enclosure box to one of said electrical terminals by providing a tab portion on said box enclosure extending into said housing and in contact with said one electrical conductor, providing an integral mounting bracket portion on said enclosure box for mounting said unitary combination of said enclosure box and said wiring device in said wall-board opening subsequent to termination of said wiring device to said multi-conductor electrical cable, and adjustably urging said mounting bracket portion into gripping engagement across the thickness of said wallboard, thereby mounting said unitary combination of said enclosure box and said wiring device in said wallboard opening.

Claim 23

In the method for installing a wiring device and enclosure box within an opening provided in a wallboard, said enclosure box being affixed to said wiring device prior to termination of said wiring device to a multi-conductor electrical cable, the steps comprising: placing unsevered lengths of the individual conductors of the multi-conductor electrical cable over a plurality of terminals fixedly mounted in the interior of said wiring device, applying a separable cover over said individual conductors, forcibly pressing said cover against the individual conductors and urging the conductors into electrical and mechanical gripped engagement with said electrical terminals thereby terminating said individual conductors to said electrical terminals, removably latching said cover to said housing by latching portions provided on said box enclosure and removably engaging said cover, mounting said unitary combination of said wiring device and said box enclosure within an opening provided in a wallboard, electrically grounding said enclosure box to one of said electrical terminals by providing a tab portion on said box enclosure extending into said housing and in contact with said one electrical conductor, providing an integral mounting bracket portion on said enclosure box for mounting said unitary combination of said enclosure box and said wiring device in said wall-board opening subsequent to termination of said wiring device to said multi-conductor electrical cable, and adjustably urging said mounting bracket portion into gripping engagement across the thickness of said wallboard, thereby mounting said unitary combination of said enclosure box and said wiring device in said wallboard opening.

Claim 26

The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said enclosure second portions are deformable, and further including the steps of: deforming said enclosure second portions to displace said enclosure second portions outwardly beyond the profile of said enclosure, thereby expanding the profile of said enclosure, and engaging said enclosure second portions against the reverse surface of said wallboard.

Claim 27

The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said enclosure second portions are spaced about the periphery of said enclosure, said enclosure includes positioning means for positioning said enclosure in said wallboard opening, and further including the steps of: positioning said enclosure within said wallboard opening to expose at said wallboard opening said enclosure second portions about the periphery of said enclosure, inserting a tool selectively into said wallboard opening about the periphery of said enclosure, and prying said enclosure second portions toward outward displacement beyond the profile of said enclosure and into engagement with said wallboard reverse surface.

Claim 28

The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said enclosure second portions include wedge-shaped notches and further including the step of: receiving the margins of said wallboard encircling the wallboard opening into said wedgeshaped notches upon outward displacement of said enclosure second portions into engagement on the reverse surface of said wallboard.

Claim 29

In the combination of a multi-conductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means for retaining the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the improvement comprising: longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath of said cable, medial portions of the individual conductors of said cable being exposed through said longitudinally sliced portions of the outer sheath of said cable, the medial portions of the individual conductors being spread apart together with said longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath remaining on said individual conductor, cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing receiving unsliced portions of said electrical cable, said housing internally receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath, electrical terminals in said housing, projecting portions of said housing located between said wiring receiving openings and initially retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired or aligned positions with respect to said electrical terminals prior to aNd after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said unsliced portions of said electrical cable outer sheath being on either side of said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors and being received and retained in said cable receiving opening prior to and after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said separable cover including portions protruding toward said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and forcibly urging said medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath into engagement with said electrical terminals, with said individual conductors being forcibly urged into electrical termination with said electrical terminals, said releasable means releasably retaining said housing and said separable cover in assembled relationship, thereby enclosing said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors internally of said electrical wiring device, said releasable means including a mounting bracket portion integral with said releasable means for mounting said electrical wiring device to a wallboard.

Claim 30

In the combination of a multi-conductor electrical cable having the individual conductors thereof terminated in an electrical wiring device having a housing and a separable cover of insulation material and a releasable means for retaining the housing and cover in assembled relationship, the improvement comprising: longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath of said cable, medial portions of the individual conductors of said cable being exposed through said longitudinally sliced portions of the outer sheath of said cable, the medial portions of the individual conductors being spread apart together with said longitudinally sliced portions of an outer sheath remaining on said individual conductor, cable receiving openings in opposite sides of said housing receiving unsliced portions of said electrical cable, said housing internally receiving the spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath, electrical terminals in said housing, projecting portions of said housing located between said wiring receiving openings and initially retaining said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors in desired or aligned positions with respect to said electrical terminals prior to aNd after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said unsliced portions of said electrical cable outer sheath being on either side of said exposed medial portions of said individual conductors and being received and retained in said cable receiving opening prior to and after assembly of said separable cover to said housing, said separable cover including portions protruding toward said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors and forcibly urging said medial portions of the individual conductors together with the spread apart longitudinally sliced portions of said outer sheath into engagement with said electrical terminals, with said individual conductors being forcibly urged into electrical termination with said electrical terminals, said releasable means releasably retaining said housing and said separable cover in assembled relationship, thereby enclosing said spread apart medial portions of the individual conductors internally of said electrical wiring device, said releasable means including a mounting bracket portion integral with said releasable means for mounting said electrical wiring device to a wallboard.

Claim 31

In the unitary combination of an electrical wiring device and an enclosure box affixed to said wiring device, the combination being adapted for mounting on a wallboard, the combination comprising: a housing of insulation material provided with wire receiving openings at opposite ends of said housing, said enclosure box being affixed to said housing, said housing having an interior exposed through one side of said housing between said wire receiving openings, a separable cover of insulation material for covering one side of said housing, a plurality of electrical terminals of the insulation slicing and wire gripping type premounted in stationary positions within the interior of said housing and having electrical conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals oriented toward said exposed one side of said housing whereby plurality of unsevered lengths of electrical conductors may be placed across the interior of said housing from one wire receiving opening to the other and over the conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals and forcibly inserted into the conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals for electrical and mechanical gripped engagement with said electrical terminals, said enclosure box including integral mounting means thereon for releasable gripping engagement on a wallboard to mount said unitary combination removably in an opening in the wallboard.

Claim 32

In the unitary combination of an electrical wiring device and an enclosure box affixed to said wiring device, the combination being adapted for mounting on a wallboard, the combination comprising: a housing of insulation material provided with wire receiving openings at opposite ends of said housing, said enclosure box being affixed to said housing, said housing having an interior exposed through one side of said housing between said wire receiving openings, a separable cover of insulation material for covering one side of said housing, a plurality of electrical terminals of the insulation slicing and wire gripping type premounted in stationary positions within the interior of said housing and having electrical conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals oriented toward said exposed one side of said housing whereby plurality of unsevered lengths of electrical conductors may be placed across the interior of said housing from one wire receiving opening to the other and over the conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals and forcibly inserted into the conductor receiving openings of said electrical terminals for electrical and mechanical gripped engagement with said electrical terminals, said enclosure box including integral mounting means thereon for releasable gripping engagement on a wallboard to mount said unitary combination removably in an opening in the wallboard.

Claim 33

The structure as recited in claim 23, wherein, said mounting means includes first and second tab portions projecting from said enclosure box for engagement on an obverse surface of said wallboard of a wallboard, the formable portions integral with said enclosure box for deformation outwardly from said enclosure box into engagement on a reverse surface of a wallboard permitting releasable gripping engagement across the thickness of a wallboard by said tab portions and said deformable portions.

Claim 34

The structure as recited in claim 24, wherein, said tab portions are provided with projecting arm portions for registration within an opening of a wallboard with said tab portions and said deformable portions being in gripped engagement across the thickness of a wallboard.