Patents by Inventor Lawrence J. Smith

Lawrence J. Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9787070
    Abstract: A raintight compression connector has a connector body with first and second portions and a bore extending therethrough for connection to a conduit. An upper sealing ring is dimensioned to contact the connector body to make sealing contact with a conduit. The upper sealing ring has first, second and third regions. The first region has a first sloping surface to contact a recess shoulder in the connector body and the third region has a third sloping surface to contact an inner surface of the connector body. Specific slopes for these sloping surfaces are disclosed. The upper sealing ring can also be used in a raintight compression coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. DeCesare, Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170256931
    Abstract: A cable armor stop for preventing cable sheathing of an electrical cable from passing the armor stop while allowing electrical conductors of the electrical cable to pass therethrough has a body with an outer shell, the body having an interior cavity formed by an interior surface of the body, the cavity extending through the body between a front side of the body and a rear side of the body, the cavity reduced by a radially protruding member extending inwardly such that a terminating end of the radially protruding member is spaced a distance from an opposite side of the interior surface closest to the terminating end, the distance being less than a minimum outside diameter of the cable sheathing of said electrical cable. An electrical connector including such a cable armor stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170201045
    Abstract: An insulated grounding hub locknut for securing a conduit connector or threaded conduit has a locknut and a snap-on insulator. The outer surface of the locknut has grounding-lug mounting pads and raised members, and the inner surface has internal threads for screwing onto threads of conduit connector or a threaded end of the electrical conduit. The snap-on insulator has an annular body with an end face, the outer side of which has a cylindrical surface arranged to snap onto the raised members of the locknut. The cylindrical surface has open slots to receive the mounting pads on the locknut. The end face also has an inner cylindrical sleeve arranged to be placed inside the throat of the first cylindrical member of conduit connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170201078
    Abstract: A slip conduit connector for use in installing electrical conduit between two fix locations, has a hollow cylindrical member, at least one threaded bore positioned near a first end of the cylindrical member, the bore for receipt of a fastener, a flange circumferentially extending around the cylindrical member inward from a second end of the cylindrical member, and an outer threaded region extending from the second end toward said flange, the threaded region dimensioned to receive a locknut; wherein a slot is formed through the cylindrical member between the flange and the bore closest to the second end, the slot dimensioned to allow viewing inside the cylindrical member to ensure entry of an electrical conduit past all of the bores, thereby ensuring mechanical and electrical securement of the electrical conduit to the slip conduit connector when the fastener is secured in the at least one bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9705296
    Abstract: A connector assembly including a connector body with a spring clip including a first free end for engaging an electrical cable received within the connector body and a second free end for engaging a side wall of an electrical box upon installation. During insertion of the connector body the second free end engages the knock-out hole perimeter and deforms so as to permit further insertion. Once the connector body is fully inserted, the spring clip cooperates with a lug on the connector body to hold the connector assembly onto the electrical box. A method of manufacturing a connector assembly via an orbital riveting process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9705295
    Abstract: A slip conduit connector for use in installing electrical conduit between two fix locations, has a hollow cylindrical member, at least one threaded bore positioned near a first end of the cylindrical member, the bore for receipt of a fastener, a flange circumferentially extending around the cylindrical member inward from a second end of the cylindrical member, and an outer threaded region extending from the second end toward said flange, the threaded region dimensioned to receive a locknut; wherein a slot is formed through the cylindrical member between the flange and the bore closest to the second end, the slot dimensioned to allow viewing inside the cylindrical member to ensure entry of an electrical conduit past all of the bores, thereby ensuring mechanical and electrical securement of the electrical conduit to the slip conduit connector when the fastener is secured in the at least one bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9705256
    Abstract: An insulated grounding hub locknut for securing a conduit connector or threaded conduit has a locknut and a snap-on insulator. The outer surface of the locknut has grounding-lug mounting pads and raised members, and the inner surface has internal threads for screwing onto threads of conduit connector or a threaded end of the electrical conduit. The snap-on insulator has an annular body with an end face, the outer side of which has a cylindrical surface arranged to snap onto the raised members of the locknut. The cylindrical surface has open slots to receive the mounting pads on the locknut. The end face also has an inner cylindrical sleeve arranged to be placed inside the throat of the first cylindrical member of conduit connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9640966
    Abstract: A duplex cable connector assembly including a connector body with an insert and spring clip including a first free end for engaging a side wall of an electrical box upon installation. The insert provides both a sleeve insulator at an end of the connector assembly and a cable divider portion to guide and separate cables. During insertion of the connector body the first free end is deformed so as to permit further insertion into the electrical box. Once the connector body is fully inserted, the spring clip cooperates with a lug on the connector body to hold the connector assembly onto the electrical box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9608417
    Abstract: An electrical fitting to secure multiple non-metallic electrical cables has a body having a first end for insertion into an electrical panel box or to receive conduit, and a second end having an opening with apertures formed near a periphery thereof, the body having a hollow interior for passage of cables, and a cable securing device having a plate dimensioned to mount to the body and clamping devices, each having a pair of resilient clamp fingers to secure at least one cable, each finger having a terminating end adjacent the terminating end of the other finger, a pair of squeezable arms extending to facilitate cable insertion and removal, and a pair of anchoring fingers extending from the first surface of the plate, each anchoring finger having a protruding member to snap into one of the apertures so as to secure the cable securing device especially when the arms are squeezed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170030489
    Abstract: A co-molded sealing ring for use in an electrical fitting has an uncompressed state and a compressed state and includes a first segment formed from thermoplastic elastomer and a second segment co-molded to the first segment, formed from a medium-density polyethylene material. A space formed between the first segment and an inner surface of an electrical fitting connector body when the ring is in the uncompressed state, is at least partially filled by a portion of the first segment when the ring is in the compressed state; the second segment having an end surface positioned away from the first segment, the end surface dimensioned for contact by a gland ring so as to urge the sealing ring into the compressed state so that the first segment forms a seal between the inner surface of the connector body and an outer surface of a conduit positioned within the connector body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher W. DeCesare, Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9490619
    Abstract: A liquidtight conduit fitting has a body with an end wall with an opening formed therein; a hollow threaded nipple attached to the end wall, for passage into an electrical box, the body having an outer shell extending from the end wall in a direction opposite the nipple, the outer shell defining an open-ended chamber; a ferrule positioned within the outer shell, a foam gasket positioned within the open-ended chamber adjacent the end wall and around the ferrule, and a conduit locking device having tabs protruding inwardly toward the outer surface of the ferrule so as to contact a conduit positioned around the ferrule, terminating ends of the tabs forming a helical-type pattern so that a conduit positioned around the ferrule is securely held in place by the tabs and so that the conduit can be removed from the conduit fitting by rotating the conduit fitting relative to the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160301146
    Abstract: An electrical fitting to secure multiple non-metallic electrical cables has a body having a first end for insertion into an electrical panel box or to receive conduit, and a second end having an opening with apertures formed near a periphery thereof, the body having a hollow interior for passage of cables, and a cable securing device having a plate dimensioned to mount to the body and clamping devices, each having a pair of resilient clamp fingers to secure at least one cable, each finger having a terminating end adjacent the terminating end of the other finger, a pair of squeezable arms extending to facilitate cable insertion and removal, and a pair of anchoring fingers extending from the first surface of the plate, each anchoring finger having a protruding member to snap into (received into) one of the apertures so as to secure the cable securing device especially when the arms are squeezed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventor: Lawrence J. SMITH
  • Patent number: 9444235
    Abstract: A connector assembly including a connector body with a spring clip including a first free end for engaging a side wall of an electrical box upon installation. During insertion of the connector body the first free end engages the knock-out hole perimeter and deforms so as to permit further insertion. Once the connector body is fully inserted, the spring clip cooperates with a lug on the connector body to hold the connector assembly onto the electrical box. The connector body includes one or more spiral indentations for engaging a convolution of a metal cable. The spring clip biases the cable toward engagement with the spiral indentation to yield improved performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J Smith
  • Patent number: D771569
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D775590
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D782621
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D787648
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D788043
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D792855
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D795814
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith