Wiring-device mounting structure

Claim 1

A wiring device mounting structure comprising a mounting frame on which a wiring device is mounted for installation in a construction member, a laying plate interposed between said mounting frame and a mounting surface of said construction member, and a decorative plate having an opening therein for exposing a portion of said wiring device to the exterior, said mounting frame disposed between said laying plate and said decorative plate, said decorative plate covering a front face of said laying plate, said laying plate including support surface means facing an inner surface of said decorative plate, said mounting frame supported on said support surface means, said laying plate including raised portions disposed inside of an outer periphery of said laying plate and extending toward said inner surface of said decorative plate, said raised portions forming immovably rigid locking surfaces facing away from said inner surface and cam surfaces disposed in front of respective locking surfaces, the distance between said locking surfaces and said inner surface being less than the distance between said support surface means and said inner surface, a plurality of short locking projections disposed on said inner surface and extending toward said laying plate, free ends of said projections forming hooks and being engageable with said cam surfaces to be flexed sidewardly thereby until said hooks pass rearwardly beyond said locking surfaces and rebound to become superimposed behind said locking surfaces in manner requiring that said hooks be displaced sidewardly by a tool in order to remove said decorative plate forwardly from said laying plate, an outer edge of said laying plate including a recess arranged to receive a tool inserted between said outer edge and an outer edge of said decorative plate for flexing said decorative plate in a manner displacing adjacently disposed ones of said hooks sidewardly and out of superimposed relationship with said locking surfaces.