초록 ▼

A two-way cover for protecting electrical devices in either horizontally or vertically oriented exterior electrical junction boxes. The two-way cover includes an assembly comprised of a base member, middle member, and outer member. An arrangement is included for securing the base member to an electr

A two-way cover for protecting electrical devices in either horizontally or vertically oriented exterior electrical junction boxes. The two-way cover includes an assembly comprised of a base member, middle member, and outer member. An arrangement is included for securing the base member to an electrical box. The outer member is rotatably attached to the assembly to form a first rotational cover unit. The middle member is also rotatably attached to the assembly such that the outer member and the middle member form a second rotational cover unit. The first rotational cover unit is capable of rotation in a first direction with respect to the assembly and the second rotational cover unit is capable of rotation in a second direction with respect to the assembly. When the assembly is secured to a vertically oriented junction box, the first rotational cover unit may be opened and closed to provide access to the box. When the assembly is secured to a horizontally oriented junction box, the second rotational cover unit may be opened and closed to provide access to the box. The two-way cover therefore provides a simple and convenient assembly for covering an outdoor electrical box oriented either vertically or horizontally without the need for separate inserts or removable tabs and hinges to accommodate the separate orientations.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A two-way electrical box cover comprising:an assembly including a base member, a middle member, and an outer member;a securement arrangement for securing said base member to an electrical box;said middle member rotatably attached to said assembly, said outer member rotatably attached to said asse

1. A two-way electrical box cover comprising:an assembly including a base member, a middle member, and an outer member;a securement arrangement for securing said base member to an electrical box;said middle member rotatably attached to said assembly, said outer member rotatably attached to said assembly to form a first rotational cover unit;said outer member and said middle member forming a second rotational cover unit;said first rotational cover unit capable of rotation in a first direction with respect to said assembly; andsaid second rotational cover unit capable of rotation in a second direction with respect to said assembly. 2. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 1 wherein said base member includes a back wall, a continuous peripheral side wall, apertures in said back wall, a latch-receiving tab, a locking bar, and two posts on said continuous peripheral side wall. 3. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 2 wherein said middle member includes a continuous peripheral side wall. 4. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 3 wherein said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member includes a latch, a latch-receiving tab, two cord openings, two integral posts, and two post engaging extensions having post apertures therein. 5. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 4 wherein said outer member includes a continuous peripheral side wall. 6. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 5 wherein said continuous peripheral side wall of said outer member includes a latch, a locking bar, two cord openings, and two post engaging extensions having post apertures therein. 7. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 2 wherein said electrical box includes a mounting plate having apertures therein and said apertures in said back wall of said base member are in an alignment to match said apertures in said mounting plate. 8. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 6 further including tab inserts, said tab inserts including a channel thereon for engaging said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member and said continuous peripheral side wall of said outer member, said tab inserts capable of closing said cord openings in said middle member and said cord openings of said outer member. 9. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 8 further including:tabs on said tab inserts, said tabs extending into said channel; andcavities in said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member and said continuous peripheral side wall of said outer member whereby said cavities are capable of accepting said tabs of said tab inserts when said tab inserts are fully inserted into said cord openings. 10. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 6 wherein said posts of said middle member extend through said post apertures of said post-engaging extensions of said outer member thereby making said middle member rotatably attached to said assembly. 11. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 4 wherein said posts of said base member extend through said post apertures of said post-engaging extensions of said middle member thereby making said outer member and said middle member rotatably attached to said assembly. 12. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 1 wherein said base member, said middle member, and said outer member are molded in one piece of plastic. 13. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 12 wherein said plastic is polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, polystryrene, or acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene. 14. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 1 wherein said base member, said middle member, and said outer member arc generally of rectangular shape. 15. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 4 wherein said latch of said middle member is capable of engaging said latch-receiving tab of said base member to lock said middle member to said base member. 16. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 6 wherein said latch of said outer member is capable of engaging said latch-receiving tab of said middle member to lo ck said middle member to said base member. 17. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 4 wherein said second rotational cover unit is secured in a closed position bya locking tab extending from said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member;an aperture on said locking tab;an aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said base member; anda fastener inserted through said aperture in said locking tab and into said aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said base member. 18. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 5 wherein said first rotational cover unit is secured in a closed position byan aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said outer member;an aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member; anda fastener inserted through said aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said outer member and into said aperture in said continuous peripheral side wall of said middle member. 19. The two-way electrical box cover of claim 6 further includingan aperture in said locking bar of said outer member;an aperture in said locking bar of said base member, said apertures in said locking bars being in alignment when said first rotational cover unit and said second rotational cover unit are in a closed position; anda locking member inserted into said apertures in alignment to hold said first and said second rotational cover units in a closed position. 20. A method of covering an electrical junction box including the steps of:providing an assembly including a base member, a middle member having a side wall, an outer member having a side wall, a securement arrangement for securing said base member to an electrical box with apertures therein, said securement arrangement including apertures in said base member and fasteners, said outer member rotatably attached to said assembly to form a first rotational cover unit capable of rotation in a first direction with respect to said assembly, said outer member and said middle member attached rotatably to said assembly to form a second rotational cover unit capable of rotation in a second direction with respect to said assembly, a first latching arrangement for latching said middle member to said base member; and a second latching arrangement for latching said outer member to said middle member; cord openings in said side wall of said outer member; cord openings in said side wall of said middle member; and tab inserts for closing off said cord openings;determining if said electrical box is oriented vertically or horizontally;if box is oriented vertically:aligning said apertures in said base member with said apertures in said vertically oriented electrical box, said apertures in alignment thereby positioning said cord openings in said side wall of said outer member on the bottom side of said vertically oriented electrical box;securing said assembly to said electrical box with said fasteners through said apertures of said base member into said apertures of said vertically oriented electrical box;sliding said tab inserts into said cord openings in said side wall of said middle member; andlatching said middle member to said base member with said first latching arrangement to enable said first rotational cover unit to rotate from a closed to an open position while said middle and said base members remain latched together and secured to said vertically oriented electrical box;if box is oriented horizontally:aligning said apertures in said base member with said apertures in said horizontally oriented electrical box, said apertures in alignment thereby positioning said cord openings in said side wall of said middle member on the bottom side of said horizontally oriented electrical box;securing said assembly to said electrical box with said fasteners through said apertures of said base member into said apertures of said horizontally oriented electrical box;sliding said tab inserts into said cord openings in said side wall of said outer member; andlatching said outer member to said middle member with said second latching arrangement to enable said second rotational cover unit to rotate from a closed to an open position while said base member remains secured to said horizontally oriented electrical box and said cord openings in said middle member are located at the bottom end of said assembly.