Deck post
AssigneeArlington Industries, Inc.
InventorThomas J. Gretz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mounting device that provides a stable platform and an enclosed junction box for securing an electrical fixture or any standard wall-mounted electrical device to an outdoor structure. The mounting device includes a base member and a post member. The base member is secured to the outdoor structure and the post member secured to the base to create a weatherproof housing. The junction box includes an access port that allows pulling of cable and space for completing wiring connections within the box. Any standard wall-mounted electrical device may be installed in the junction box. After installing the electrical device, the standard faceplate for the installed device is used to close the access port and thereby seal the electrical device from rain and moisture. The post member will also accept a standard electrical fixture such as a light.
Claims3
An electrical enclosure and fixture mounting device for outdoor use, comprising:
- a base member;
- a hollow post member with walls having an interior surface and a top wall;
- said base member including a bottom end, side walls, and a top end;
- said bottom end including bosses for accepting fasteners;
- said base side walls having inner and outer surfaces;
- said outer surfaces of said base side walls sloped such that the top of said base side walls are of a smaller dimension than the dimension at the bottom of said base side walls;
- said hollow post member having said walls shaped to conform to the shape of said base side walls with said interior walls of said post member of a size to slip easily over the top of said side walls of said base and fit the bottom of said side walls of said base;
- an access port on said post member;
- and
- a shelf secured to said post member by:
- a. flanges on the outer edge of said shelf;
- b. bosses on the interior of said shelf;
- c. apertures in said flanges in alignment with apertures in said bosses;
- d. a thin-walled section on said walls of said post member at said bottom of said access port;
- e. apertures in said thin-walled section;
- and
- f. a channel between said flanges and said bosses with said channel slightly greater in size than said thin-walled section;
- such that said channel of said shelf may be fitted upon said thin-walled section with said aligned apertures in said flanges and said bosses in alignment with said apertures in said thin-walled sections whereby fasteners may be secured through said apertures and into said bosses.
An electrical enclosure and fixture mounting device for outdoor use, comprising:
- a base member;
- a hollow post member with walls having an interior surface and a top wall;
- said base member including a bottom end, side walls, and a top end;
- said bottom end including bosses for accepting fasteners;
- said base side walls having inner and outer surfaces;
- said outer surfaces of said base side walls sloped such that the top of said base side walls are of a smaller dimension than the dimension at the bottom of said base side walls;
- said hollow post member having said walls shaped to conform to the shape of said base side walls with said interior walls of said post member of a size to slip easily over the top of said side walls of said base and fit the bottom of said side walls of said base;
- and
- an access port on said post member;
- a fastening arrangement for securing said base member to said post member;
- an aperture in said top wall;
- an electrically conductive bushing secured in said aperture in said top wall;
- said bushing threaded interiorly and exteriorly and secured to said top wall by a correspondingly mated nut on the interior of said hollow post member;
- a shelf secured to said post member at the bottom of said access port to form an enclosure;
- said enclosure of a size to accept standard wall-mounted electrical devices including ground fault circuit interrupters;
- a cover secured to said post member over said access port;
- and
- a gasket secured between said cover and said post member whereby a standard wall-mounted electrical device may be secured within said enclosure and an electrical fixture may be secured to said bushing.
A method of providing a platform for the mounting of an electrical fixture and an enclosure for the mounting of electrical devices comprising the steps of:
- providing a base member including a bottom, side walls, an open top, an opening in said bottom, and two or more bosses with through bores in said bottom for accepting fasteners;
- securing said base member to a deck or similar structure with fasteners through said bosses with through bores;
- providing a hollow post member having walls shaped to conform to the shape of said base side walls with the interior of said post member of a size to slip easily over the top of said side walls of said base and snugly fit the bottom of said side walls of said base in a water tight fit;
- providing said post member with a closed top end having an aperture therein and a bushing secured thereto;
- providing an access port on said post member;
- securing a shelf within said post member at the bottom of said access port to form an enclosure;
- providing knockout areas in said shelf;
- drilling a hole through said structure, said hole aligned within said opening in said bottom of said base member;
- removing one of said knockouts to create an opening in said shelf;
- running an electrical feed wire through said hole in said structure, through said opening in said bottom of said base, into the bottom of said post member, and through said opening in said shelf;
- securing said post member to said base member by inserting fasteners through said walls of said post member and into said side walls of said base member;
- securing an electrical fixture to said bushing;
- securing a wall-mounted electrical device within said enclosure;
- and securing a gasket and cover member over said access port in said post member to seal said electrical device in a watertight fit within said enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.