US2000241A - Electric fixture-supporting and connecting device - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1935.

J. MANGIN ELECTRIC FIXTURE SUPPORTING AND CONNECTING DEVICE File d May 27, 1951 Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC FIXTURE-SUPPORTING AND CONNECTING DEVICE JamesMangin, New Brunswick, N. J assignor to New Brunswick Electric Supply Company, New Brunswick, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 2'1, 1931, Serial No. 540,407

SClaims.

The present invention relates to devices for supporting and electrically connecting fixtures to outlet boxes, the principal object of the invention being to provide a device of this nature I which enables ready and easy mounting of a fixture without the use of screws, bolts or other auxiliary fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which is simple in construction andwhich readily lends itself to economical commercial manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class specified which may be used by any unskilled person.

An important feature of the invention is the novel fixture-supporting member which may be formed from a single piece of material and which is provided with portions adapted to interlock with a wall of the outlet box for attachment to the same without the use of auxiliary fastening means.

A further feature of the invention is the specially designed receptacle and plug combination which serves to electrically connect the fixture to the conductors leading to the outlet box. These elements are constructed so as to prevent their engagement in any except one relation so that correct polarity is assured in cases where polarity is important or essential.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanyin drawing, in which Fig. l is a front view of an outlet box having the elements constituting the invention assoelated therewith; the cover plate or strap of the box being removed for clarity of illustration; Fig. 2. is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the cover plate indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fixturesupporting member of the device;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the fixture-supporting member after it is stamped or cut from a single piece of material and before forming the same by means of a suitable die;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the plug of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of the device.

vReferring to the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 a standard outlet box I having the usual apertured lugs 2 and the usual knock-out opening 3 in the rear wall thereof. As is well known, the purpose of lugs 2 is to enable the attachment to the box of its cover plate or strap (shown in broken lines in Figs. 2 and 3). In accordance with the present invention, I provide a novellyconstructed fixture support 4 which is adapted for mounting upon the rear wall 01' the box in a manner to be fully explained hereinafter. In further accordance with the invention, I provide a specially designed receptacle 5 which may be supported from the cover plate of the box as will be clearly set forth hereinafter. 1

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the fixturesupporting member is clearly illustrated and comprises a flat face '6, a, pair of legs 1 and 8 extending therefrom, and threaded arcuate opposite sides 9 and Ill extending transversely between the legs. As illustrated in Fig. 5, this member is preferably formed by first stamping or punching it from a piece of suitable sheet metal. By means. of this operation a centrally disposed aperture II is cut and the peripheral edge 20 (see Figs. 2 and 3) is pressed down. Slot i2 is also cut in the member, the slot being disposed adjacent one end of the piece. At the same time a spreader arm I3 is cut out adjacent the other end, the side tabs 9 and III are shaped and the threads pressed therein, and pairs of notches H and ii are cut adjacent the ends to provide suitable feet l8 and II. It will also be noted that the central portion of this member is restricted in width to provide pairs of shoulders I8 and I9, the purpose of which will be clearly set forth later. It is to be understood that the member as illustrated in Fig. 5 may be formed in a single operation.

'After the supporting member has been formed, as illustrated, it may be properly bent to the form shown in Fig. '4 in a second operation. In this operation, the stamped piece is bent along the broken lines of Fig. 5. The internal surface provided by inturned edge 20 may be threaded before or after this operation. It will be apparent then that by means of a few simple operations, this member of the device may be completely formed. This is an important feature of the invention and enhances its value from a commercial standpoint since it may be economically utilized.

As illustrated clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the fixture-supporting member is adapted to co-act with the knock-out opening in the rear wall of the box in such manner that the member and rear wall are interlocking. Since the supportiii ing member is made of suitable sheet metal, legs 1 and 8 thereof are resilient and may be pressed toward each other. The member is so constructed that the normal spacing of the lower ends of the legs is such that the feet thereof can only be inserted through opening 3 of the box by pressing the legs toward each other. When this is done, the feet may be easily inserted through the opening of the box by inclining the member in the proper position relative to the box wall. Feet l6 and I! of the member are shaped to conform with the opening of. the-box, and when inserted therethrough they extend behind the rear wall of the box and engage the surface thereof immediately adjacent the opening. At this time, the releasing of'the legs of. the supporting member allows them to resiliently spring away from each other. and. the edge of the box wall about opening 3 enters notches I4 and I5 to lock the member to the box wall. The purpose of spreader arm I3 is to prevent subsequent loosening of the supporting member. This arm is now bent so as to extend between the legs of the member with its restricted end extending through slot I2 of leg 8 (see Fig. 4). The-restricted end of the spreader arm enters slot l2 and the shoulders of the arm engage the inner surface of leg 8 on each side of the slot. When the spreader arm is sooperatively positioned, it will stay in such position and will at all times function to press the legs apart and keep the feet and. notches thereof in proper interlocking position With respect to the outlet box.

In attaching the supporting member to the box, it is only necessary to insert the member through the opening in the rear wall of the box as described above, and then tap the spreader arm by means of a screw driver or other instrument which may be inserted into the box from the front thereof. Thus, it is an easy matter for anyone installing the device of the invention to properly attach the supporting member to the box without the use of auxiliary fastening devices and their attending inconvenience. The advantage of the construction illustrated becomes apparent when it is considered that in using such devices a very small amount of space is available for the manipulation of the respective elements and any attaching screws or the like which may be necessary. By eliminating the necessity for such auxiliary attaching means, the present invention provides a device of great value.

After the supporting member has been mounted upon the box, a fixture or fixture fitting. may be properly screwed upon the threaded surface of sides 9 and Hi to firmly attach the fixture to the supporting member. Previous to this, however, it will be understood that the cover plate of the box will have been attached thereto in the usual manner. In the present instance, such cover plate will be provided with a centrally disposed aperture through which the end of the supporting member will extend, and shoulders l8 and 19 of such member will abut against the rear surface of the cover plate (see Figs. 2 and 3). Thus, the cover plate will serve the additional functions of supporting the fixture-supporting member and preventing longitudinal forward motion of the member, and will thus cooperate with the previously discussed spreader arm and notches of this member to maintain it rigidly within the box.

The internal threaded surface of edge 20 is also adapted to receive a fixture fitting. Thus the supporting member is provided with both internal and external threaded portions which are adapted to receive externally and internally threaded fixture fittings respectively of different sizes. This construction widens the range of use of the device and permits of its use with different fixture fittings.

The present invention also contemplates the use with the above-described novel fixture-supporting member of the specially designed receptacle 5 previously mentioned. Such receptacle may be suitably riveted or otherwise attached to asnpporting bracket 2| (see Fig. 2) which is bent as illustrated to provide a foot portion 22. This assembly may be mounted upon the cover plate of the box by welding or otherwise attaching foot portion 22 of the bracket to the inside surface of the cover plate. The cover plate is provided with a second opening which conforms in shape with the front portion of the receptacle so as to allow this portion to extend through the plate. The receptacle is provided with the usual sockets 23 which are adapted to. receive prongs 24 of plug 25 (see Fig. 6). As a feature of the invention, I provide an integral extension 26 on the outer face of the receptacle and a recess 21 on the face of the plug. When these members are operatively associated with each other, the extension 26 seats itself within recess 21, provided the proper relation of the members exists. Should one attempt, however, to associate the plug with the receptacle in a different manner, extension 2 will abut against the face of the plug to prevent complete insertion of the prongs within the sockets. In this manner, correct polarity is insured in cases where it is important. While I prefer to have the fixture-supporting member and receptacle in the relative positions shown,

it will be apparent that any other relative 130- i sitioning of these members may be utilized.

In Fig. 7, there is shown a modified form of the device in which the rear wall of the outlet box is specially formed to co-act with the fixture-supporting member. Instead of utilizing the usual knock-out opening in the rear wall of the box, as described above, this modification of the invention contemplates the provision of raised strips 28 and 29 on the rear wall of the outlet box on each side of the opening. In other words, pairs of parallel slits may be cut in the rear wall of the box on each side of the opening and the strip of material between such slits may be raised. In this manner, the raised portions 28 and 29 may be made to serve as straps under which the feet of the fixture-supporting member may be inserted. The supporting member may take the same form as in the preferred embodiment and the raised portions of the box may be suitably shaped to properly co-act with the member. It will be apparent, however, that the elements of the device may be modified in the details of construction. In this embodiment, the supporting member is associated with the box in a manner similar to that already described, the only difference being that the feet of the member are inserted beneath the straps instead of through the opening of the box. While this form of the invention is constructed in accordance with the principles thereof, it will be apparent that it has the disadvantage that the box must be slightly modified from its standard form to coact with the fixture-supporting member.

From the foregoing description, it will be apto mount a fixture-supporting member on the rear wall of an outlet box, but in prior art devices, such mounting necessitates the use of auxiliary locking members, such as lock washers and the like, to firmly attach the elements together.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, having a pair of resilient legs adapted when pressed toward each other for cooperative association with a wall of said box and to thereafter move outwardly and engage portions of said wall, whereby said device may be attached to said wall, and means for preventing movement of said legs toward each other, said means comprising an aperture in one of said legs and a spreader arm carried by and integral with the other of said legs, said spreader arm having arestricted free end and adapted to be positioned laterally between said legs to force its free end into said aperture.

2. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, comprising a member formed of sheet metal having a flat face, a pair of spaced coextensive legs extending from said face and having attaching feet, arcuate threaded sides extending transversely between said legs adjacent said face, and a spreader arm carried by one of said legs and adapted to be positioned laterally between said legs.

3. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, comprising a member formed of sheet metal having a fiat face with a threaded opening therein for receiving a fixtin'e fitting, a pair of spaced coextensive legs extending from said face and having shoulders, spaced from said face, and attaching feet, and arcuate threaded sides between said face and said shoulders and extending transversely between said legs, whereby the threaded end of said member may extend through a box cover with said shoulders abutting said cover.

4. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, comprising a member having a pair of spaced coextensive resilient legs, which by virtue of their resiliency may be pressed toward each other for cooperative association with a wall of said box, and which spring outward under the influence of their resiliency when released to engage portions of said wall and a spreader arm struck-out from one of said legs and bendable to a position laterally between said legs to maintain them in outward positions.

5. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, comprising a member formed of sheet metal having a pair of spaced coextensive resilient legs, which by virtue of their resiliency may be pressed toward each other for cooperative association with a wall of said box, and which spring outward under the influence of their resiliency when released to engage portions of said wall, and a spreader arm struck-out from one of said legs and bendable to a position laterally between said legs to maintain them in outward positions.

6. A device for supporting a fixture from an outlet box, having a pair of resilient legs adapted when pressed toward each other for cooperative association with a wall of said box and to thereafter move outwardly and engage portions of said wall, whereby said device may be attached to said wall, and means for preventing movement of said legs toward each other, said means comprising a spreader arm carried by one of said legs and bendable to a position laterally between said legs.

JAMES MANGIN.

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