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US 4,096,964 AGranted
Universal electrical outlet box and method of installing
OwnerEarl Glickinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerEarl Glickinventor
Estimating the term…
An electrical outlet box having a center threaded post is fastened solidly to a wall stud at a prescribed elevation above floor level. A section of dry wall is brought into position and a dry wall penetrating means temporarily telescoped with said post is employed to produce a locator opening through the dry wall section coaxially with the outlet box. A cutter means centered on the locator opening is employed to remove a plug of dry wall to thereby form a dry wall opening in registration with the mouth of the outlet box. The dry wall penetrating means is separated from the outlet box post and a unit for switches and/or receptacles including a cover plate is introduced through the dry wall opening into the mouth of the outlet box and secured by engagement of a single center screw fastener with the threaded post.
A method of installing an electrical outlet box in a building wall in relation to a dry wall panel comprising the steps of firmly attaching a substantially circular cross section outlet box to a wall frame member, the outlet box having a forward mouth facing a dry wall panel and a center screw-threaded post fixed therein, temporarily engaging a dry wall panel penetrating means with said post to position the penetrating means for producing a locater opening through a dry wall panel, placing a dry wall panel in an installed position on said wall and substantially simultaneously causing movement of the penetrating means relative to the dry wall panel to produce a locator opening through the dry wall panel, centering a rotary cutter means on the locator opening and rotating the cutter means to form a larger opening through the dry wall panel in substantial registration with the mouth of the outlet box, separating said rotary cutter means and said penetrating means from the outlet box, inserting a switch and/or receptacle unit through said larger opening into the mouth of the outlet box, and engaging a screw-threaded fastener for said unit with said threaded post.
An electrical outlet box and installation means comprising a substantially cylindrical outlet box body having an open forward end and a flat annular flange adjacent the open forward end, the box body having a rear wall, a central threaded axial post on the rear wall and extending forwardly thereof in the box body, a mounting bracket means on the box body including a forward end apertured attaching web adapted for securement to a wall stud, a dry wall panel penetrating means temporarily telescopically engaged with said threaded post and extending axially forwardly of the post and being readily separable from the post after usage, and a rotary cutter means adapted to be centered on the penetrating means for producing a dry wall panel opening in substantial registry with said open forward end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.