Abstract: A modular receptacle includes opposing contacts as well as receiving portions. The receptacle slidably receiving a switch or plug therein. The switch or plug having opposing contacts which contact the opposing contacts on the receptacle and also having indented and protruding portions which cooperate with the receiving portions in the receptacle. Thus, switches or plugs can be selectively removed or inserted from the modular receptacle without the need to remove the receptacle from a wall on which the receptacle is mounted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new device for protecting wires and tubes that must be placed thru the apertures in building panels or studs made of steel or the like. The protection device disclosed herein includes a single piece, plastic body having a wall surface which is bowed on opposing sides and flanged along its periphery. On opposing sides of the outer surface of the body's wall is arranged a single protruding ridge or a plurality of protruding, angled pins or male nubs which securely hold, in the gap formed between the wall flange and the ridge/male nubs, the opposing rims of an aperture in a metal stud that this device is designed to be securely attached to. The body of this device can be of any size or shape, including but not limited to square, rectangular, oval or cathedral shaped.

Abstract: A partition for dividing an electrical or telecommunications device box having a substantially planar dividing member with at least one retaining member extending therefrom for cooperating with a mounting post on the base member of the box to support the dividing member substantially perpendicularly to the base member. The partition is removably retained in the box by the retaining member frictionally engaging the post. The retaining member has a specific amount of interference to cause the spring action in the material and to create gripping forces around the mounting post.

Abstract: A floor box wiring fitting incorporating a novel carpet flange possessing a self-closing flap cover assembly, whereby the fitting is adapted to be cast into a concrete floor of a building for the conductance of electrical power or telecommunication signals between the work spaces of buildings. The self-closing action of the flap covers which are hingedly connected to the flap cover plate structure, the latter of which consists of a carpet flange, is essentially implemented through an angular operative contacting relationship between the wall surfaces of the openings receiving the hinging portion of the flap covers and the contiguous or adjacent wall surface of the flap cover which, in effect, will inhibit the flap covers from being opened or swing upwardly from a closed horizontal position to an acute opening angle greater than about 85.degree..

Abstract: An electrical distribution system comprising one or more tracks having current-carrying conductors and ground conductor for mounting on wall surfaces. The tracks are slidingly received in connecting slots of electrical connector housings to connect the tracks to electrical outlets, or to interconnect sections of tracks together. More particularly, with the present invention it is not necessary to strip the ends of the tracks to expose connector ends to interconnect them with terminals in the connector housings. An end portion of the track is merely slid within a connecting slot of the housing. Electrical receptacles are also connected at any desired location along the track. The electrical distribution track can also be incorporated in an extruded baseboard together with a telephone line track to permit connection thereto of electrical receptacles as well as alarm systems, telephone jacks, fire detectors, surge protectors, etc.

Abstract: A panel for free access to a signal cable and a power cable is installed on the floor of an office room and forms a network of signal cables in an office. The posts of this panel are mounted on the floor. A floor plate is secured to the upper ends of the posts. A rack plate is arranged between the floor plate and the floor, and the rack plate is secured to the posts. The height of the floor plate and the rack plate is adjusted by adjusting the engaging position by rotating a leg to be engaged with the threaded holes of the posts. The floor plates are composed of a plate made of glass, reinforced cement mixed with foamable styrol or an aluminum honeycomb structure. The rack plate is composed of a transparent polypropylene plate. Further, the surface of the floor plate is covered with a surface material such as a carpet. The signal cables are arranged in the space between the floor plates and the rack plates. The power cables are arranged in the space between the rack plates and the floor.

Abstract: A junction box is disclosed including a flexible plastic casing, two metal mounting tabs fastened to the casing at the top at two opposite locations through plug joints, and a rigid cover board detachably covered on the casing in a flush manner to protect the casing against deformation during its installation. Each metal mounting tab has an outward wing which is embedded in concrete after the installation, so that the casing is fixed in place.

Abstract: A low and high voltage electrical routing system for the power, telephone and data transmission requirements in modular office partitioning. These modular partition systems frequently have lower horizontal baseline frames for electrical receptacles and conductor routing, and a vertical frame for higher mounted(beltline) additional electrical receptacles, and connectors for telephone and data transmission systems. The present routing system includes a junction box in the baseline frame aligned with the vertical frame, a "vertical" box positionable at a standard height in the vertical frame having an enclosed receptacle portion along one side, and an enclosed rigid raceway connecting the junction box and the enclosed portion of the vertical box. The vertical box can be mounted on either side of the panel by rotating it 180 degrees about a horizontal axis so the enclosed portion remains aligned with the raceway.

Abstract: Lighting fixture has a self-contained triangular junction box that mounts in the corner of a room or space with the box cover secured as a permanent part of the shade-like lamp housing. The lamp housing has a back panel with a cut-out that slips over the corner mounted junction box, the box cover extending into the housing for registration with the open side of the box when the housing is in place. A single screw joins the box cover to the box and thereby secures the lamp housing thereto. An electrical device mounting system employs various adapter structures that mount in the corner of a room and by means of which various junction boxes, or other electrical components, can be fastened in the corner of a room catercorner thereto. A series of structures are illustrated for corner mounting of telephone equipment such as jacks, wall mountable instruments, and the like.

Abstract: A gasketless weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly includes a cover plate with a top wall and an aperture for exposing an electrical device and a door having a top wall which is hingedly connected to the cover plate top wall. The hinged connection includes at least one hook projecting up from the cover plate top wall, each hook having a slot extending into the space under the hook. The hinge connection also includes at least one laterally extending hinge pin on the door for pivotal engagement in the space under a hook on the cover plate through the slot therein so that the door can swing between a closed position wherein the cover covers the aperture in the cover plate to an open position wherein the door is swung away from the cover plate to expose that aperture.

Abstract: A housing assembly for covering an electrical cord extending from a source of electrical supply to a fixture or appliance in which the assembly includes at least one mounting bracket and a cover and wherein portions of the bracket bite into the opposite sidewalls of the cover to thereby retain the cover in fixed position over the electrical cord.

Abstract: A box extender has movable gates for providing a first set of threaded holes for attaching a receptacle or other electrical device to the extender when the movable gates are in a "closed" position, and for swinging to an "open" position to facilitate access to a second set of holes for attaching the extender to an electrical box. The movable gates are in the form of flat plates that extend nearly all the way across the housing when they are in the closed position. The housing of the extender provides a device for defeatable retaining the movable gates in the closed position.

Abstract: In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, a paint shield that covers all exposed surfaces of an electrical outlet or switch assembly and its cover plate includes a front wall having top, bottom and side walls extending rearward thereof, and devices such as a pair of prongs or a suction cup which temporarily attach the shield to the assembly with the rear edge sections of the top, bottom and side walls positioned tightly against the adjacent side surfaces of the cover plate. The shield has a handling tab on the front wall that is longitudinally aligned with the prongs or suction cup.

Abstract: A plastic load center box economically provided by duplicate molded end sections joined by an intermediate section of uniform cross-section which is readily provided in selected lengths in either molded or extruded form. End walls receive metal inserts electrically interconnected to provide grounding when attached to grounded conduit, or plastic inserts where the load center application does not require grounded conduit. Molded end sections have formed knockouts and wire clamping tabs. A metal cover for the box is grounded to the metal inserts or to the interconnection. Additional plastic inserts in the end walls provide forwardly open pockets in which cable may be laid, and closing inserts overlying the pockets to grip the cable and retain it in the pockets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a grounding ring which may be used in grd adapters. The grounding ring has a structure resembling a miniature box girder with an irregular hexagonal cross section and is bent into a toroidal configuration. The grounding ring is characterized by increased wall areas for establishing electrical contact between a surface of a conductor and a surface of a stuffing tube, grounding conduit, or shield grounding fitting. The grounding ring provides improved EM performance and better capacitive coupling.

Abstract: An in-floor multiple-service wiring device and, more particularly, a poke-through wiring fitting incorporating a novel flap cover assembly, and which fitting is adapted to be positioned in a floor aperture of a concrete building floor for the conductance of electrical power and telecommunication signals between the work spaces of multi-storied buildings. The flap cover assembly incorporates an upper cover plate consisting of metallic material, preferably such as brass or the like, and a lower cover plate, preferably constituted from a rigid molded plastic material and which is fastened to the upper plate member in surface contact with the rear face thereof.

Abstract: A floor box partition panel made from a square plate and fastened in a square floor box for electric wiring, said floor box partition panel having a square hole at the center for fastening a plug switch, and projecting strips symmetrically projecting from the peripheral edge thereof in two opposite directions so that two separate spaces are defined inside said floor box for inserting high tension cables and low tension cables separately.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a clamping element for holding electronic boards inserted in parallel to one another into an electronic rack. The arrangement removes waste heat from the electronic boards to the rack housing by heat conduction and via heat exchangers. A clamping element is proposed for this purpose, which substantially reduces the thermal resistance and consequently the temperature difference caused by heat conduction between the electronic board and the housing rack, and which also permits variable, defined adjustable clamping forces, and which is designed as an optical clamping control indicator.

Abstract: An enclosure for an electrical terminal block includes a housing having a back wall and projecting side walls extending thereabout to form a bounded chamber. One side wall includes an opening formed therethrough for permitting passage of an electrical cable into the bounded chamber. A barrier member is supported by the side wall adjacent the opening. The barrier member includes a barrier wall at least partially surrounding the opening about a periphery thereof. The barrier member includes a pair of elongate oppositely directed deflectable fingers projecting inwardly from the barrier wall. Distal ends of the fingers include slitted portions thereat for engaging and deforming around the electrical cable upon passage thereof through an opening in the side wall.

Abstract: An electrical junction box for supporting a hanging load includes a base plate and a sidewall extending from it. The base plate has a pair of square bolts holes at opposite positions next to the sidewall. The sidewall has a pair of tabs bent inward, each tab having a bolt hole aligned with one of the square bolt holes. A square necked carriage bolt extends through each square bolt hole and its aligned tab bolt hole, with a lock nut on each of the bolts for supporting the hanging load. A spacer sleeve surrounds each of the bolts, between the base plate and the tabs, forming a rigid structure when the nuts are tightened. The sidewall further includes mounting holes for side mounting of the junction box for a supporting structure, permitting flush mounting of the box relative to a ceiling.