Dead-front electrical housing

A one-piece electrical housing of the dead-front type for housing electrical terminals and permitting electrical contact thereto through apertures in the dead-front, the housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• a base member constituting the dead-front of the housing and being disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis,
• electrical terminals mounted on said base member,
• said base member composed of electrical insulating material and having apertures therethrough for electrical connection from said terminals to external electrical circuitry,
• at least two side casings composed of electrical insulating material and having respective first and second ends,
• web hinge means joining the first end of each of said side casings to said base member to form a unitary structure and to permit pivoting movement of said casings from a closed position which is generally longitudinal and encloses said terminals to an open position which renders the terminals accessible for wiring, and
• a plurality of interlocking members, at least one of which is located on each of said side members adjacent the first end thereof, and at least a corresponding number of which are located on the base member, one on the base member being in cooperating relationship with each one on the side casings,
• said interlocking members removing both transverse and longitudinal stress from the web hinges when the side casings are closed and locking the side casings to said base member against relative displacements both transverse to and parallel to said longitudinal axis.

A housing with electrical terminals to which a conductor of an electrical cord may be electrically wired, the housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• a base member disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis,
• electrical terminals mounted on said base member and disposed within said housing,
• said base member being composed of insulating material and containing apertures for electrical connection between said terminals and external electrical circuits,
• at least two side casings composed of electrical insulating material for enclosing said terminals, each of said side casings having first and second ends,
• web hinge means joining the first end of each of said side casings to said base member to form a unitary structure and to permit pivoting of said side casings, about respective axes transverse to said longitudinal axis, from a closed generally longitudinal position enclosing said terminals to an open transverse position providing access to the terminals,
• locking means adjacent the first end of each of the side casings, exclusive of the web hinge means, for locking the side casings to said base member against relative displacement transverse to said longitudinal axis when the casings are closed,
• said locking means including interengaging locking members, one on the base member and one on a side casing, for each of the side casings,
• said interengaging locking members engaging one another when the respective side casing is closed, at a location inwardly of the web hinge associated with the side casing, and in substantially the same transverse plane as the web hinge, to inhibit transverse displacement of the side casing from the base member.

A housing for an electrical terminal to which an electrical cord may be wired, the housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• a base member constituting the front of the housing and being disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis,
• said base member being composed of an electrical insulating material and containing one or more apertures each for passage of a conductive contact member,
• at least two side casings integral with said base member and also composed of an electrical insulating material, each of said side casings having first and second ends,
• web hinge means joining the first end of at least one of said side casings to said base member to permit pivoting movement of said one casing about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, from a closed generally longitudinal position to an open transverse position,
• terminal mounting means fixed to said base member and within said housing, and
• locking means having at least a portion thereof adjacent the first end of said one side casing, exclusive of the web hinge means, for locking said one side casing to said base member at a locaion near the web hinge but inwardly thereof, said locking means inhibiting relative displacement both transverse to and parallel to said longitudinal axis when said one casing is closed.

A housing of the dead-front type enclosing electrical terminals to which conductors of an electrical cord may be electrically wired, the housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• a base member constituting the dead front of the housing and being disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis,
• electrical terminals mounted on said base member and disposed within said housing,
• said base member being composed of insulating material and containing apertures for passage of conductive contact members,
• at least two side casings integral with said base member and composed of the same electrical insulating material for enclosing said terminals, each of said side casings having first and second ends,
• web hinge means joining the first end of at least one of said side casings to said base member to permit pivoting movement of said one side casing about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, from a closed generally longitudinal position enclosing said terminals and to an open position providing access thereto,
• locking means adjacent the first end of said one side casing, exclusive of the web hinge means, for locking said one side casing to said base member when it is in a closed position,
• said locking means including first interengaging locking members, one on the base member and one on said one side casing,
• said first interengaging locking members engaging one another when said one side casing is closed, at a location inwardly of the web hinge means associated with said one side casing, and in substantially the same transverse plane as the web hinge means, to inhibit transverse displacement of the side casing from the base member, and
• said locking means also including second interengaging locking members, one on the base member and one on said one side casing,
• said second interengaging locking members engaging one another when the said one side casing is closed, to remove longitudinally directed stress from the web hinge to inhibit longitudinal displacement of said one side casing from the base member.