Recessed outlet box with breakaway cover
AssigneeArlington Industries, Inc.
InventorThomas J. Gretz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A recessed electrical box with a breakaway cover. The cover member is rotatably attached to the electrical box and will slip off the box, without any damage to the electrical box or the cover member, if an excessive force is applied to the cover member while it is in the open position. Use of the recessed electrical box positions an electrical device substantially behind the surface of any structure. One or more flanges may be included on the exterior of the electrical box to enable easy positioning with respect to the structure's exterior surface. The flanges may be removable to facilitate installation in a retrofit situation on a finished building.
Claims9
An electrical box comprising:
- a box member having an open front, side walls, and a back wall defining an enclosure therein;
- integral pins extending from said side walls;
- a cover member rotatably attached to said pins;
- said cover member including apertures therein;
- said pin including a longitudinal axis, a base portion, and a tip portion;
- said base portion of said pin including a non-cylindrical surface having an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis;
- said tip portion of said pin having a rounded surface;
- a front edge at said open front of said side walls;
- at least one flange integral with and extending outwardly and orthogonally from said side walls;
- and
- a securement arrangement within said box member capable of accepting an electrical device, said securement arrangement a substantial distance behind said front edge.
An electrical box with a firmly attached rotatable cover comprising:
- a box member having an open front, a top, a bottom and two side walls defining an enclosure therein;
- a cover member rotatably and firmly attached to said box member;
- two pin and socket arrangements in line with one another on opposite sides of said two side walls;
- each of said pin and socket arrangements including a pin adapted to mate with a corresponding socket for enabling said cover member to be rotatably and firmly attached to said box member;
- said pin of said pin and socket arrangement having a longitudinal axis, a base portion, and a tip portion;
- said socket of said pin and socket arrangement adapted to receive said pin;
- said base portion of said pin including a conical surface having an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- said tip portion of said pin having a rounded surface that permits said socket to be forced off of said pin when an excessive force is applied thereto to said cover member before destroying said pin and socket arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.