초록 ▼

An electrical switch device adapted to be secured to an electrical outlet box mounted behind a wall member, having elongated, non-metallic mounting straps formed integrally with the device cover, and an improved grounding system adapted to automatically ground a metallic wall plate intended for use

An electrical switch device adapted to be secured to an electrical outlet box mounted behind a wall member, having elongated, non-metallic mounting straps formed integrally with the device cover, and an improved grounding system adapted to automatically ground a metallic wall plate intended for use with the device without using the usual metal mounting strap. The mounting straps are proportioned to the maximum possible dimensions to fit under the wall plate to abut the wall member so as to substantially reduce the chance of a floating installation. Grounding means affixed to the cover adjacent one of the mounting screw apertures is adapted to engage a mounting screw inserted through the aperture so as to provide good electrical communication therebetween. The grounding means is formed with a contact aperture alignable with a wall plate mounting hole formed in the device and proportioned such that the portions of the grounding means defining the aperture engage a wall plate mounting screw inserted through the mounting hole so as to provide a continuous electrically conductive ground path from the outlet box to the wall plate. The grounding means is further adapted to permit direct termination of a ground conductor in an electrical power cable to the switch as an alternate means for grounding the wall plate when grounding is not carried out through the device mounting screw.

대표청구항 ▼

An electrical switch device adapted to be secured to an electrical outlet box mounted behind a wall member, and having a pair of opposed mounting holes adapted to threadably receive the mounting screws of a wall plate intended for use with the device, comprising: a receptacle body member adapted to

An electrical switch device adapted to be secured to an electrical outlet box mounted behind a wall member, and having a pair of opposed mounting holes adapted to threadably receive the mounting screws of a wall plate intended for use with the device, comprising: a receptacle body member adapted to receive and retain electrical terminal assemblies which are adapted to be terminated to the conductors of an electrical power cable; a cover member adapted to be mated with said body member and fixedly connected thereto to form a housing substantially enclosing said electrical terminal assemblies; a pair of non-metallic mounting strap elements formed integrally with said cover member and projecting from opposite ends thereof, each of said pair of mounting strap elements having a mounting screw aperture therethrough and elongated to the maximum possible length to fit under the wall plate, such that when said switch assembly is secured to the outlet box, the probability that the mounting strap elements will abut the wall member is maximized so as to substantially reduce the chance of having a “floating”installation; grounding means secured to said cover member adjacent one of said mounting screw apertures, said grounding means adapted to engage a device mounting screw inserted through said one mounting screw aperture so as to provide good electrical communication therebetween, said grounding means further adapted to electrically engage a wall plate mounting screw inserted into one of said wall plate mounting holes, such that when said switch device is secured to a pre-grounded electrical outlet box with the wall plate affixed thereto, a continuous electrically conductive ground path is provided from the outlet box through the device mounting screw, through said grounding means, thence through the wall plate mounting screw for automatically grounding the wall plate; attaching means adapted to fixedly attach said grounding means to said cover member; and connecting means adapted to fixedly connect said mated cover and body members.