US1955106A - Connecter for electrical cabinet boxes - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1934. A. G. VON NORMANN GONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL CABINET BOXES Filed July 16, 1952 46 GUM M 4. M 0 m 1 m 517 P a 5 A LA m 9 6 m 4 4 m |v m 6 Q 5 u we 15 VI F B 4 l? 1 /77 1 my. a

INVENTOR fl/f/ea M912 lye/mam? c zaal q gggaw Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL CABINET B'OXES of Washington Application July 16, 1932, Serial No. 622,872

4. Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in connecters for electrical cabinet-boxes of the form commonly used for the reception of electric switches, fuses and like electrical apparatus, and the primary object of this invention is to provide a connecter for metal cabinet-boxes which is very cheap and simple in construction; which is easily and quickly applied to the cabinet-boxes thus making possible a saving of time; whichis reliable, efficient and durable in operation, and

which serves to mechanically connect and electrically bond two metal cabinet-boxes or like devices together and at the same time affords a smooth conduit between the boxes through which wires may easily and quickly be passed without cabinet-boxes and the washer-like members and spacer together.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. t

In connection with electric wiring it is often desirable to use two metal cabinet-boxes positioned close together, as alongsideof each other or one above the other, and to connect these two cabinet-boxes with each other mechanically and electrically by means which will form a conduit through which electrical conductors or wires may pass from one cabinet-box to the other. It has heretofore been common practice to use externally threaded pipe nipples and nuts or internally threaded bushings to connect two cabinetboxes together in this manner. When pipe nipples, nuts and threaded bushings are used in this manner the several parts required for making the connection are more expensive than the present invention and require much more time and labor to properly install.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to cheapen the cost of connecters of this na ture and reduce the time and labor required for installing the same.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is an edge elevation of a cabinet connecter constructed in accordance with my invention the several parts being separated a short distance from each other.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 showing the connecter cperatively installed in such a manner as to electrically and mechanically g. connect two cabinets and to form a conduit for circuit wires between said two cabinets.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, except that it is taken on a broken line 4-; of Fig. 3, which is substantially at right angles to the plane 5 of cross section of Fig. 3.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing 5 designates a substantially tubular spacer member very cheaply and easily 7@ formed by bending a strip of sheet metal into the shape of a ring. Two clamping members are provided in connection with each spaced member 5, each of said clamping members comprising a flat washer-like plate portion 6 having an open center '7 and having its internal edges around said open center curved inwardly as at 8 to fit within the end of the spacer member 5. At two or more points around the inside of the clamping members the flat portions 6 of said clamping members 89 are widened to form bolt receiving elements 9 which extend inwardly and are perforated as at 10 for the reception of bolts 11 which extend through the two clamping members 6 and through the inside of the spacer ring 5 and have 5 nuts 12 thereon. The inwardly extending edges 8 of the clamp members 6 are bent at slightly more than right angles so that they will not present any rough edges which insulated wires can contact when such wires are passed through the 9g connecter.

The type of cabinet-boxes with which this connecter is used are the usual sheet metal cabinetboxes having disc-like stamped sections known as knock out discs in their walls. In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown fragments of two cabinet-boxes 13 and 1c of this type as they may appear when they are op-eratively connected by this connecter.

The method of applying this connecter to the cabinet-boxes l3 and 14 is first to remove the 1 G knock out discs or sections from the cabinet boxes to form holes 15 at the locations where the connection is to be made, then to place the spacing ring between the two cabinet-boxes in registration with the holes 15 and to place the clamping members in the insides of the respective cabinetboxes with the flange portions 8 extending through the holes 15 and into the opposite ends of the spacer ring 5 thus placing those portions of the metal sides of the boxes which lie close fTl to the holes 15 between the end of the spacer ring 5 and the flat portions 6 of the clamping rings. The bolts 11 are then inserted through the perforations 10 and the nuts 12 are tightened on said bolts to securely clamp the sides of theboxes 13 and 14 between the ends of the spacer ring 5 and the flat portions 6 of the clamping members thus securely fastening the two cabinet-boxes together and at the same time forming an electrical bond between said two cabinet-boxes so that the electrical grounding of either of said cabinet-boxes will ground both of said boxes. The connecter also forms a closed conduit with a smooth interior through which electric circuit Wires may be passed from one cabinet box .to the other. The projection of the flanges 8 through the holes 15 and into the ends of thering 5, pre vents any relative sidewise displacement of the several parts.

This connecter is very cheap and simple to manufacture and is Very quicklyand easily installed in the manner above described, thus making-possible a saving in initial cost of manufacture and a saving in time and cost of installation over and aboveother apparatus commonly used for. this purpose. The bolts used may be of the relatively cheap form ordinarily used in sheet metal work. The connecter may be made in various sizes to :suit the requirements of the work and the length of the spacer ring may be varied to secure any required spacing between two cabinet-boxes. The bolts 11 extend-through the spacer ring in close proximity to said ring andform'a very eflicient clamping means. The

-- flange portions 8 are deep enough to afford ample strength and stiffness to the clamping members even though the several parts are made out of comparatively light sheet metal. The edges of the clamping members at the locations where the'flanges are bent over are rounded as at 16 so that insulated wires may be easily drawn through the connecter without danger of cutting, chafing or damaging the insulation on such wires. The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly discloses a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly. within the scope and spirit of thefol lowing .claims.

"I claim:

1. In a cabinet-box c-onnecter, a spacer member open from end to end, two clamping members.

havingfiat portions of larger over all dimensions than said spacer member, said clamping members having open central portions and having inwardly extending flanges which project into the ends of said spacer member and bolts connecting said two clamping members and extending through said spacer member.

2. In a cabinet-box connecter, a tubular spacer ring, two clamping members positioned at the respective ends of said spacer ring, each of said clamping members having a flat washer-like portion of external dimensions larger than the internal diameter of said spacer ring, a flange integral with the flat portion of each of said clamping members and extending into the adjacent end of said spacer ring in close proximity to the wall of said spacer ring, bolt receiving elements of greater width than said fiat portions of said clamping members disposed at intervals around said clamping members, and bolts extending through said spacer ring and through said bolt receiving elements of said clamping members.

3. In a cabinet-box connecter a tubular spacer ring, two clamping members positioned at the respective ends of said spacer ring, each of said clamping members having a flat washer-like portion of external dimensions larger than the internal. diameter of said clamping ring, the inner edge of each of said clamping members being bent inwardly on a smooth and gradual curve forming a flange which extends into the adjacent end of said spacer ring in close proximity to the wall of said spacer ring, two diametrically opposite perforated bolt receiving elements of greater width than said fiat portions of said clamping members, and bolts extending through said perforated'bolt receiving elements and said spacer ring whereby said clamping members and said spacer ring may be securely clamped together.

4. In' aconnecter for connecting together two metal cabinet-boxes which have holes in the Willlsthereof, a spacer ring of larger diameter than the holes interposed between the two cabinet-boxes at the location of the holes and holding said two cabinet-boxes in spaced apart relation, two clamping members having flat clamping portions of larger size than the interior of the spacer ring disposed'within the respective cabinet boxes,

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