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).

  • Publication number: 20150031231
    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 is deformed 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150013156
    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. Clamp mechanisms are provided to securing the connector assembly to a cable end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: LAWRENCE J. SMITH
  • Patent number: 8882517
    Abstract: A split electrical grounding bushing having adjacent bushing portions with insulating bushing portions having guard tabs covering a gap formed between the insulating bushing portions creating a continuous insulating ring. The bushing portions are connected by a hinge permitting the bushing to be placed over electrical conductors or wires after being installed. Gaps in the insulating bushing portion are covered by attached guard tabs improving the safety of a split electrical bushing. Locking tabs and openings are used to securely hold the insulating bushing portions onto the bushing portions. The split electrical bushing is placed on a distal end of an electrical conduit. The split bushing may be an electrical grounding bushing providing an electrical ground connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fitting, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Smith, Joseph M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8839594
    Abstract: A concrete exclusion structure is formed by a housing having a shell, end walls, and one or more score lines of reduced wall thickness. The housing defines an interior void that is dimensioned to enclose a coupler assembly. Knockouts in the end walls or knockout cones allow passage of tubes associated with the coupler assembly. The exclusion structure prevents uncured concrete from contacting the coupler assembly. The structure can fracture after the concrete has cured thereby allowing portions of the coupler assembly to move relative to each other. Such fracture is typically about one of the score lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140265321
    Abstract: A raintight compression connector has a connector body with first and second portions and a bore extending therethrough. The first portion is dimensioned for receipt of an EMT or RMC conduit. A gland nut threads onto the first portion and a split compression ring contacts the gland nut so as to secure the connector body to the conduit. An upper sealing ring makes sealing contact with the conduit; and a wedge-shaped sealing ring is positioned in the bore of first portion against a shoulder formed in the first portion. The sealing ring contacts a terminating face of the conduit so as to pliably deform around the face so as to form a watertight seal. The second portion is securable to an enclosure. A coupler with two portions similar to the first portion of the connector has corresponding components to form a watertight seal with two conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. DeCesare, Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8791374
    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. Clamp mechanisms are provided to securing the connector assembly to a cable end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140117660
    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: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8708374
    Abstract: A sealing ring having a flexible ring body and a front and rear seal separated by a channel and a set screw recess adjacent one end. The sealing ring is placed on the end of a set screw electrical fitting or connector and forms a seal between the body of the set screw electrical fitting or connector and the exterior surface of an electrical conduit. The sealing ring prevents concrete from entering a gap formed between the body of the set screw electrical fitting or connector and an electrical conduit during pouring of concrete. Concrete entering the gap may interfere with electrical connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8690194
    Abstract: A transition coupler for coupling a flexible metal conduit (FMC) to an electrical metallic tubing (EMT) or rigid conduit comprises a housing with a hollow cylinder having an aperture passing therethrough, the aperture for receipt of an EMT or a rigid conduit. The cylinder includes an extension with recesses. The first shell member is secured to the extension and is shaped to support an FMC. The shell member has first and second flanges, the first flange having apertures and the second flange having an elongated groove. A second shell member has first and second flanges, the second flange having an extending projection for passage through the elongated groove of the first shell member, thereby providing for securement of the FMC to the transition coupler upon receipt of screws through the first and second shell members. A ring having tabs is inserted within the recesses of the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8487197
    Abstract: An electrical fitting having a gripping device with a plurality of gripping tabs forming a helix or spiral. The gripping tabs have a twist creating increased pullout resistance and easier disassembly. The electrical fitting permits electrical metallic tubing or EMT to be quickly attached to and removed from the electrical fitting without disassembling the fitting or cutting the tubing. A body with a locking end having a plurality of griping tabs receives an end of the tubing pushed into the fitting. The gripping tabs securely hold the tubing preventing loosening or removal. The helix or spiral and twist formation of the griping tabs permits easy removal of the tubing by rotating the tubing counter-clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8474877
    Abstract: An electrical fitting in the form of a connector or coupler for connecting an electrical metallic tube or EMT to an electrical box or panel or to one another. A unidirectional locking device is disposed in an outermost chamber and an O-ring is disposed in an intermediate chamber. The unidirectional locking device has gripping tangs. The intermediate chamber and gripping tangs are sized so as to prevent the gripping tangs from contacting the O-ring. A contact shoulder is used on one end of the fitting to prevent excessive compression of a sealing washer. Internal longitudinal radially increasing ribs are formed in the fitting body improving continuity and support for the EMT. A tube support may also be provided to prohibit any undesirable bending movement of the EMT connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8449308
    Abstract: An adjustable ground clamp for easy positioning onto electric conduits of different diameters and grounding multiple electrical devices. A first and a second jaw are pivotally connected and have differently angled jaw surfaces. A distal end of the first jaw has an elongated hole and a distal end of the second jaw has a curved fork having a slot for receiving a bolt with a cylindrical nut. A fastener connects a ground conductor or wire to the ground clamp. A terminal block accepts ground conductors from multiple different electrical devices. The jaws may be easily separated for placement of an electrical conduit without separating or detaching any parts from the ground clamp, making attachment to an electrical conduit quick, easy, and secure. The terminal block permits different electrical devices to be grounded with a single ground clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8419449
    Abstract: A split electrical grounding bushing having adjacent bushing portions with insulating bushing portions having guard tabs covering a gap formed between the insulating bushing portions creating a continuous insulating ring. The bushing portions are connected by a hinge permitting the bushing to be placed over electrical conductors or wires after being installed. Gaps in the insulating bushing portion are covered by attached guard tabs improving the safety of a split electrical bushing. The split electrical bushing is placed on a distal end of an electrical conduit. The split bushing may be an electrical grounding bushing providing an electrical ground connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D689026
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D690657
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D691963
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D699195
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D702542
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D703519
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik G. Senseney, Lawrence J. Smith
  • Patent number: D721652
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Smith