Self-contained electrical wiring device

An electrical wiring device adapted to be mounted through an opening in a supporting base, said wiring device comprising:

• a body portion having a front face and a wall assembly extending rearwardly therefrom, said wall assembly including at least a pair of oppositely disposed side wall members providing an opening along their rear edges, said side wall members including apertures therein generally near said front face;
• a cover adapted to be secured to said body portion generally adjacent said rear edges of said side wall members, said cover having a set of flexible legs extending therefrom, said flexible legs terminating in tabs which are adapted to be received in said apertures for securing said cover directly to said body yet permitting removal when desired by causing said tabs to be withdrawn from said apertures;
• a flange on said body for abutting the supporting base when said body is inserted through the opening therein;
• a mounting pawl having a screw receptor disposed along an axis of said pawl, said receptor being generally U-shaped;
• a screw passing through the flange on said body to mate with and be threadably received within the U-shaped portion of said receptor;
• a foot on said pawl disposed normally to said pawl axis for engaging the supporting base, said foot being joined to said receptor by a gusset;
• and
• a wall member on said body to limit rotation of said gusset, said gusset being rotatable about said screw through an angle of only approximately 90.degree., from a position generally adjacent and parallel to a portion of said body to a position generally perpendicular thereto, such that the wiring device can be mounted closely adjacent a support stud with the supporting base sandwiched between the flange and said mounting pawl.

A self-contained electrical wiring device for electrical termination to an insulated electrical power cable to provide an electrical switching or receptacle function, comprising:

• a housing member having a front portion and a wall structure projecting rearwardly therefrom, which includes a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls joined between a pair of oppositely disposed endwalls, and said housing having a generally open back;
• electrical terminal means supported within said housing by portions of said wall structure and portions of wall members upstanding from said front portion on its interior surface;
• electrical operation means electrically coupled to said electrical terminal means and accessible at said front portion from its exterior surface for providing an electrical function of said device;
• and
• a back cover adapted to releasably lockably engage said housing to close the back of the wiring device, said wiring device being adaptable to provide a desired electrical function by forming said front portion and said electrical operation means to carry out the desired electrical function, said wall structure, said electrical terminal means and said back cover being essentially the same for receptable devices and switch devices and said housing and back cover interlocking with each other to fully enclose said electrical terminal means and provide said electrical operation means in a two-piece enclosure.

An electrical wiring device adapted to be mounted through an opening in a wall, said wiring device comprising:

• a body portion having a front face and a wall assembly extending rearwardly therefrom, said wall assembly including oppositely disposed endwall portions and a pair of oppositely disposed side wall members providing an opening along their rear edges, said side wall members including apertures therein generally near said front face;
• a cover adapted to be secured to said body portion generally adjacent said rear edges of said side wall members, said cover having a set of flexible legs extending therefrom, said flexible legs terminating in tabs which are adapted to be received in said apertures for securing said cover directly to said body yet permitting removal when desired by causing said tabs to be withdrawn from said apertures;
• a flange on said body at each endwall portion for abutting the supporting base when said body is inserted through the opening therein;
• a relatively elongate screw received in a screw-receiving aperture formed at each flange, said screw having a head portion proportioned to abut the front of its corresponding flange when said screw is received in said aperture;
• a pawl member threadably engaging each said screw, said pawl member including a foot portion adapted to abut the back of the wall when said pawl is positioned in mounting configuration and a generally U-shaped receptor portion coupled to said foot portion to threadably engage said screw;
• and
• a wall portion formed on the wiring device generally adjacent each screw, said wall portion being generally co-extensive with a sidewall member of the wiring device body and projecting beyond the endwall portion of the device, such that prior to mounting the device, said pawl member lies generally against its corresponding endwall portion so as not to interfere with insertion of the device into an opening in the wall, and, after the device is positioned within the wall opening said screw is turned to draw said pawl member towards said flange and said pawl member is also rotated to project from the endwall portion, rotation of said pawl member being limited to about 90.degree. by said projecting wall portion to ensure that the mounting pawl member grasps the wall in vise-like manner, said pawl mounting member requiring only a single stop for operation.