Patents by Inventor Richard D. Swanson

Richard D. Swanson 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: 6209836
    Abstract: An improved mounting bracket is closed which can be used to selectively support both 4 inch square electric boxes and 4{fraction (11/16)} inch square electrical boxes such that vertical movement of either type of electrical box is limited. The mounting bracket is preferably a one-piece, unitary member stamped from sheet metal. The mounting bracket has a top support rail, a bottom support rail and a pair of mounting ends coupling the support rails together to define a large, elongated central cut-out portion. An electrical box and its associated cover may be mounted between two wall studs by first attaching the mounting bracket of the present invention to the wall studs. The open front end of the box is then placed flush against the rear surface of the bracket such that a top portion of the box contacts the bottom rail of the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6100469
    Abstract: An electrical box for supporting ceiling fans, the electrical box has a top portion and a side portion extending completely around the top portion and extending substantially perpendicularly to the top portion. The top portion has a substantially planar lower surface, and the side portion has two oppositely spaced tabs extending inwardly toward each other. Each of the tabs has an opening extending completely therethrough. At least one mounting hole is formed in either the top portion or the side portion or the corner formed between the top and side portions. The mounting hole or holes each have a hole axis inclined with respect to the lower surface of the top portion. Each mounting hole extends completely through the wall between an inner cavity of the electrical box and an area outside the wall. The electrical box can have various mounting brackets attached thereto for securing the electrical box to a support member such as a joist or a truss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert W. Jorgensen, Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6064009
    Abstract: A universal cable clamp for coupling a wide variety of electrical cables to an electrical box is capable of accepting metal or non-metallic sheathed cables. The cable clamp includes upper and lower clamping plates and a front wall having at least one opening for receiving the cable. The upper and lower clamping plates are coupled together by bendable coupling arms. A fastener extends through the upper and lower clamping plates and into the electrical box to deform the bendable coupling arms while the cable is clamped between the upper and lower clamping plates. The opening in the front wall in embodiments is oval-shaped and is dimensioned to allow a non-metallic sheathed cable to pass through, while preventing the metal sheath of a metal sheathed cable from passing through. The clamp provides a grounding connection of the metal cables and conduits. The cable clamp accommodates thick or thin steel and aluminum flex metal conduits, armored cable, metal clad cable and non-metallic cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert W. Jorgensen, Thomas E. Lewis, Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 5927667
    Abstract: An improved mounting bracket can be used to selectively support both 4 inch square electrical boxes and 411/16 inch square electrical boxes such that vertical movement of either type of electrical box is limited. The mounting bracket is preferably a one-piece, unitary member stamped from sheet metal. The mounting bracket has a top support rail, a bottom support rail and a pair of mounting ends coupling the support rails together to define a large, elongated central cut-out portion. An electrical box and its associated cover may be mounted between two wall studs by first attaching the mounting bracket of the present invention to the wall studs. The open front end of the box is then placed flush against the rear surface of the bracket such that a top portion of the box contacts the bottom rail of the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 5678799
    Abstract: A hanger assembly for mounting and supporting an electrical box or other fixture is formed from two identical complementary hanger support members. The support members are slidably coupled together for selectively adjusting the length of the assembly. Each of the support member is formed from a blank, and includes a body portion with a hook-shaped coupling member at one end for coupling the body portion of the complementary support member thereto and a mounting tab at the opposite end for coupling a structural support thereto. The support members also include a supporting flange along a lower longitudinal edge for coupling and supporting the electrical box or other fixture thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert W. Jorgensen, Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 5408045
    Abstract: An electrical box assembly including an electrical box and a mounting bracket rigidly coupled to the box for mounting the box onto a support member, such as a stud or a joist. The mounting bracket includes a base portion and a pair of leg portions resiliently coupled to the base portion to form a substantially U-shaped, three-sided bracket. The mounting bracket has inwardly extending arms for resiliently gripping the support member. The arms of the mounting bracket grip onto either side of a metal or wood support member to secure the electrical box to the support member and prevent relative movement between the electrical box and the support member. In one embodiment, the arms include teeth to improve the grip between the mounting bracket and a wood support member. In another embodiment, the mounting bracket is coupled to the box by clamping tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert W. Jorgensen, Thomas E. Lewis, Richard D. Swanson
  • Patent number: 4929899
    Abstract: A fluxgate magnetometer having wide temperature range accuracy, without adding temperature compensating components, is obtained by: (1) a fluxgate adjusted by aligning a permeable magnetic tape core relative to the secondary winding of the fluxgate so as to substantially equalize each of the pulses induced in the secondary winding by the transition from core saturation to unsaturation in both directions, and (2) increasing the fluxgate magnetometer primary drive current above what is normally considered saturation current to reduce sensitivity of the output to temperature and primary drive changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Boeing Company
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Weixelman, Richard D. Swanson