Electrical fitting and safety cover and method of using same

Abstract

A method of connecting and using a safety cover for a socket that includes a front plate connected to a rear box using one or more screw-headed bolts includes the steps of loosening, but not removing, the one or more screw-headed bolts connecting the front plate to the rear box, moving the front plate outward away from the rear box so that a frame included with the safety cover can be slid onto the front plate, sliding the frame onto the front plate so that a lip included with the frame is disposed between the front plate and the rear box, and tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts so that the front plate is connected to the rear box with the lip from the frame gripped between the front plate and the rear box.

Claims

1. A method of connecting and using a safety cover for a socket including a front plate connected to a rear box using one or more screw-headed bolts, comprising the steps of: loosening, but not removing, the one or more screw-headed bolts connecting the front plate to the rear box; moving the front plate outward away from the rear box so that a frame included with the safety cover can be slid onto the front plate; sliding the frame onto the front plate so that a lip included with the frame is disposed between the front plate and the rear box; and tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts so that the front plate is connected to the rear box with the lip from the frame gripped between the front plate and the rear box; wherein the frame is U-shaped and includes an upper portion and two side portions, the upper portion and two side portions forming a plate opening sized so that the front plate may be disposed therein; and the lip is disposed within the plate opening adjacent to a rear portion of the frame and extends inward with respect to the frame from the upper portion and two side portions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the step of sliding the frame includes the step of sliding the frame downward onto the front plate so that the lip is disposed between three edges of the front plate and the rear box; and the step of tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts including the step of tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts so that the lip is gripped between the three edges of the front plate and the rear box.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: the safety cover includes a recess defined in a front portion of the frame and a cover panel hingedly secured like a door to the frame, the cover panel including a pair of latch pins or barbed indents and being swingable from a closed position and an open position, the cover panel being biased to spring open when released from the closed position and sized to be disposed within the recess when the cover panel is in the closed position; and the method further includes the step of closing the cover panel so that the socket is covered by and enclosed by the safety cover, the cover panel and the frame forming a flush front surface that has no protruding edges when the cover panel is in the closed position.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein: the safety cover includes a latch means disposed within the frame for holding the cover panel in the closed position; and the step of closing the cover panel includes the step of engaging the latch means with the pair of latch pins or barbed detents when the cover panel is in the closed position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the frame includes keyholes and the safety cover includes a key having at least two side prongs; and the method further includes the step of inserting the at least two side prongs of the key through the keyholes to disengage the latch means from the pair of latch pins or barbed detents and release the cover panel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein: the latch means includes an inner lip that engages with the pair of latch pins or barbed detents when the cover panel is in the closed position; and the at least two side prongs engage with and move the latch pins or barbed detents away from engagement with the inner lip when the at least two side prongs are inserted through the keyholes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the latch pins or barbed detents operate independently and when only one of the latch pins or barbed detents is moved away from engagement with the inner lip, the other barbed detent remains engaged with the inner lip.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein: the safety cover includes a shutter covering the keyholes in the frame when the cover is closed; the key further includes a center prong, the center prong having a center prong length and the two side prongs having a side prong length that is less than the center prong length; and the method further includes the step of inserting the center prong through the keyholes to displace the shutter so that the side prongs of the key can be inserted through the keyholes to disengage the latch means from the pair of latch pins or barbed detents and release the cover panel.

9. A method of connecting a safety cover to a socket including a front plate connected to a rear box using one or more screw-headed bolts, comprising the steps of: loosening, but not removing, the one or more screw-headed bolts connecting the front plate to the rear box; moving the front plate outward away from the rear box so that a frame included with the safety cover can be slid onto the front plate, the frame being u-shaped and including an upper portion and two side portions, the upper portion and two side portions forming a plate opening sized so that the front plate may be disposed therein; sliding the frame onto the front plate so that a lip included with the frame is disposed between the front plate and the rear box, the lip extending inward with respect to the frame from an inner surface of a rear portion of the upper portion and two side portions forming the plate opening; tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts so that the front plate is connected to the rear box with the lip from the frame gripped between the front plate and the rear box; and closing a cover panel included with the safety cover and hingedly connected to the frame like a door so that the socket is covered by and enclosed by the safety cover, the cover panel and the frame forming a flush front surface that has no protruding edges when the cover panel is in the closed position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the frame further includes keyholes defined in a side surface of one of the two side portions and latch pin openings defined in a front surface of one of the two side portions, the latch pin openings and the keyholes being defined in the same side portion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the frame includes a recess defined in a front surface of the upper portion and two side portions and hinge pin holes defined in an upper portion and lower portion of one of the two side portions, the hinge pin holes and the keyholes being defined in different side portions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cover panel is sized to fit the recess defined in the upper portion and two side portions, is rectangular in shape, and includes notched corners and a central domed portion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cover panel includes hinge pins extending vertically outward from two of the notched corners and latch pins extending horizontally outward from an inner surface of the cover panel midway between two of the notched corners, the latch pins and hinge pins being located on opposite edges of the cover panel, the hinge pins being disposed within the hinge pin openings defined in the frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: the frame includes a latch means disposed within the frame adjacent to the keyholes and the latch pin openings; and the step of closing the cover panel includes the step of closing the cover panel so that the latch pins included with the cover panel pass through the latch pin openings defined in the frame and engage with the latch means.

15. A method of connecting a safety cover to a socket including a front plate connected to a rear box using one or more screw-headed bolts, comprising the steps of: loosening, but not removing, the one or more screw-headed bolts connecting the front plate to the rear box; moving the front plate outward away from the rear box so that a frame included with the safety cover can be slid onto the front plate, the frame being u-shaped and including an upper portion and two side portions, the upper portion and two side portions forming a plate opening sized so that the front plate may be disposed therein; sliding the frame onto the front plate so that a lip included with the frame is disposed between the front plate and the rear box, the lip extending inward from an inner surface of a rear portion of the upper portion and two side portions forming the plate opening; and tightening the one or more screw-headed bolts so that the front plate is connected to the rear box with the lip from the frame gripped between the front plate and the rear box.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the frame includes keyholes defined in a side surface of one of the two side portions and latch pin openings defined in a front surface of one of the two side portions, the latch pin openings and the keyholes being defined in the same side portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the frame includes a recess defined in a front surface of the upper and two side portions and hinge pin holes defined in an upper and lower portion of one of the two side portions, the hinge pin holes and the keyholes being defined in different side portions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the safety cover includes a cover panel hingedly connected to the frame like a door, the cover panel sized to fit the recess defined in the upper and two side portions, having a rectangular shape, and including notched comers and a central domed portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cover panel includes hinge pins extending vertically outward from two of the notched comers and latch pins extending horizontally outward from an inner surface of the cover panel midway between two of the notched corners, the latch pins and hinge pins being located on opposite edges of the cover panel, the hinge pins being disposed within the hinge pin openings defined in the frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a conventional electric plug, socket box and plate mounted in a wall;

(2) FIGS. 2A & B side views, partially in see-through, of the plug/box combination of FIG. 1, first exploded and then together;

(3) FIGS. 3A & B show side views, like that of FIG. 2B, with a cover of the invention in place, and of the cover alone;

(4) FIGS. 4A & B show top plan views corresponding to those of FIGS. 3A & B, with the cover of the invention in place, and of the cover alone;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a front elevation of the frame of a cover of the invention in place on a socket, but without the cover panel itself;

(6) FIGS. 6A & B show perspective views of the cover frame (of FIG. 5) and of the cover panel separate therefrom;

(7) FIGS. 7 & 8 show details of a locking mechanism for use with a cover of the invention;

(8) FIGS. 9A & B show details of a double socket cover of the invention, with its locking mechanism;

(9) FIGS. 10A-D show details of the locking mechanism used in the cover of FIGS. 9A & B;

(10) FIGS. 11A-C show details of an alternative locking mechanism for use in a cover like that of FIGS. 9A & B;

(11) FIGS. 12A & B, show perspective views of an alternative cover design, in both closed and open states; and

(12) FIG. 13 shows a selection of socket/plug types used around the world.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) The plug/socket combination shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is quite conventional (to avoid confusing complexity, the Figures do not show any of the wires leading to the socket, nor do they show the details of the internal structure of the terminals). Mounted in a hole in the wall (11) is a metal socket box (12) with an inwardly directed front flange (13) onto which is affixed, by screw-headed bolts (14) engaging with threaded holes (15), the socket plate (17). The socket plate 17 contains the usual plug pin holes (18: earth/ground, live, neutral) into which fit the pins of the plug (19).

(14) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the cover of the inventionboth on its own (FIGS. 3B,4B) and in place over a socket/plug combination (FIGS. 3A,4A). The socket/plug combination is effectively the same as that shown in FIG. 2B). Details of the cover can perhaps more clearly be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.

(15) Briefly, the cover of the invention is the combination of a frame (21) and a lockable domed cover panel (22). The frame is mountable to the wall 11 around, and extending behind, the socket plate 17, and thus between the plate 17 and the socket box 12; for this purpose it has a lip (23) that fits behind the plate 17 and is gripped between the plate and the box flange 13 when the plate is screwed into place.

(16) When in place, the cover panel 22 shrouds the plug 19 and the socket-aperture 18 (not separately shown in FIG. 3). The panel is hingedly secured (by a hinge pin/socket arrangement [24]), like a door to the frame, and is swingable between a closed position, where it completely covers and encloses the socket and any plug therein, and an open position, where it is clear therefrom, allowing access thereto. The hinged mechanism is biased (in a manner not shown here) so that when the panel latch is released the panel will spring open by itself.

(17) In the embodiment shown, the frame 21 is quite bulky, and on the side distant from the hinge pin/socket 24 contains therewithin part of the latch means (25; and see FIG. 7) for holding the cover panel 22 closed. As is described hereinafter, the latch means 25 incorporate key-operated locking means enabling the cover panel 22 to be secured, against opening, when in the closed position.

(18) As will be clear from FIG. 6, the frame 21 and the cover panel 22 are shaped (especially at the corners [61]) to fit one to the other so as to form a flush front surface that has no protruding edges for a child's finger nails to get under in an attempt to prise the two apart. As can also perhaps best be seen from FIG. 6, the cover panel 22 has at one side edge top and bottom hinge pins (62) that fit into corresponding hinge-pin holes (63) in the outwardly-projecting portion of the front surface of the frame. And at the other side edge the panel has projecting latch pins (64) that pass into the frame 21 via corresponding latch holes (65) to engage with internal latching means (see FIG. 7) until released therefrom when the double-pronged key to the associated locking mechanism is inserted into the two keyholes (66) in the side of the frame.

(19) FIGS. 7 and 8 show details of one form of latching and locking system.

(20) The frame 21 has in it a pair of latch holes 65 (in the front surface) and a pair of keyholes 66 (in the side surface). The frame is hollow, and inside it there is mounted (by means not fully shown, but including pivot pins [71] and a spring-bias [72])adjacent and aligned to the latch holes 65, a latch-pin detent (73) with a sear (76). The detent may be pushed back, against the bias 71, by a T-bar plunger pin (74: the mounting for this is not shown) bearing against the short lip (75) protruding from the detente's base.

(21) As will be clear (from FIG. 4, as well), when the cover panel 22 is shut the latch pins 25/64 projecting for near the edge of the panel pass through the latch holes 65 in the frame and engage with the detent 73, thus being prevented from pulling back (and thus the panel is kept closed). However, if the plunger pin 74 is pushed in onto the lip 75, so forcing the detent to rotate against the bias 71, and thereby moving the sear of the detent away from the latch-pin end and thus releasing the latch-pin (and so releasing the cover panel, and allowing it to spring open).

(22) The combination of the bias 71 and the detent 73 locks the cover panel 22 closed. The plunger pin 74 will cause the detent to withdraw, and so releaseunlockthe panel once actuated. However, to actuate the plunger pin the key (77) must be inserted into the side of the frame 21 by way of the keyholes 66. And to make it essentially impossible for such actuation to be effected using a common or garden implement like a sewing pin, or a knitting needle, the T-bar plunger pin 74 is given a pivotable top-bar (78), and the keyholes 66 are offset so that they align with one or other side of this bar, as a result, if a single pin-like object is pushed into either keyhole 66 all that happens is that the bar is pivoted down, like a seesaw, but the plunger does not operate to withdraw the detente.

(23) The proper key 77 has two spaced prong-like operating members (79); these fit simultaneously into the two correspondingly-spaced keyholes 66, and so push both arms of the seesaw bar 78 together. As a result, the plunger 74 moves in against the bias 71 to withdraw the detent 73, and the cover panel 22 springs open, as required.

(24) FIGS. 9A & B show details of a double socket cover (generally 90) of the invention, with its locking mechanism.

(25) The double socket (generally 91), which is a switched socket, has a socket plate (92) bearing two sets of socket holes (not visible) in each of which is a standard plug (as 93) with its attached cable (as 93A), and is mounted (by screw-headed bolts, not shown) on a socket box (not visible) itself mounted in a recess in the wall (not shown). Surrounding the socket plate 92 is the frame (94) of the cover. The frame has an inwardly-directed lip (not visible) which is trapped behind the plate 92, between the plate and the socket box/wall, and so is retained thereby, and cannot be removed without first loosening off the plate-mounting bolts. The frame has an upstanding wall (96), which is apertured to allow the plug cables 93A to pass therethrough, and is a snug fit to the plate 92 by reason of the web portions (97) around the inner surface of the wall.

(26) The cover has a socket/plug-shrouding cover panel (98) hinged by a pin/socket mechanism (99) to the upper (as viewed) edge of the socket plate 92. The hinged is sprung (901: best seen in FIG. 9B) to be biased open.

(27) Outstanding from the left (as viewed) portion of the frame's perimeter wall 96 is a lock mechanism (902) into which a three-pronged key device (903) can be inserted via suitably-shaped apertures (as 904). The mechanism 902, shown in section in FIGS. 10A-D, co-operates with two barbed detents (as 905) depending from the underside of the cover panel 98; the operation of these is shown in FIG. 10.

(28) The sections of FIG. 10 show how the detents 905 hold the cover panel 98 shut, against the bias of the sprung hinge 901, until the key 903 is used to release it. First, the detents' barbs (111) hook under an inner lip (112) (see FIG. 10C). Then, as the key device 903 is inserted into the locking mechanism's apertures 904 the centre, longer prong (906) force down a spring-loaded sliding shutter (113) previously blocking all the apertures 904, and so revealing the mechanism per se. As the key penetrates further so the two side prongs (as 114) move on through the now unguarded gap into contact with the tip of the barbed detents (905, 111), and push them away from the lip 112, thus allowing the bias to drive open the cover panel 98.

(29) If the key 903 is then removed, then, when the panel 98 is pushed shut, the detents 111 click into place under the lip 112, and the panel is held securely closed. The sliding shutter 113 then slides shut, blocking off the keyhole apertures 904.

(30) FIGS. 11A-C show details of an alternative locking mechanism for use in a cover like that of FIGS. 9A & B.

(31) The three parts FIG. 11 show how the detents 205 hold the cover panel shut, against the bias of the sprung hinge, until the key 903 is used to release it. FirstFIG. 11Athe detents' barbs (211) hook under an inner lip (212). Then, as the key device 903 is inserted (at a slightly downwards angle, as viewed) into the locking mechanism's apertures the centre, longer prong (906) force down a spring-loaded sliding shutter (213) previously blocking all the apertures (not shown separately here), and so revealing the mechanism per se. As the key penetrates furtherFIG. 11BSO the two side prongs (as 214) move on through the now unguarded gap into contact with the tip of the barbed detents (205, 211), andFIG. 11Cpush them away from the lip 212, thus allowing the bias to drive open the cover panel 98.

(32) Though not shown here, the two detents 205 are independent, and biased to the lip-engage position, so even if one of them is pushed all the way back the other still engages the lip 212, and keeps the cover shut.

(33) If the key 903 is then removed, then, when the panel is pushed shut, the detents 211 click into place under the lip 212, and the panel is held securely closed. The sliding shutter 213 then slides shut, blocking off the keyhole apertures.

(34) FIGS. 12A,B show an alternative cover design, in both closed and open states. Though visually somewhat different, conceptually it is much like the design of the previous Figuresand particularly that of FIGS. 9A,Band needs no further description at this time.

(35) FIG. 13 shows a selection of socket/plug aperture/pin layouts as used around the world.

(36) The separate Figures show, in this order:

(37) a) the 2-round-pin recessed devices used over most of continental Europe and Russia;

(38) b) the 2-flat-strip US ones;

(39) c) the present-day UK triangle 3-square-pin ones;

(40) d) the triangle 3-round-pin Indian ones;

(41) e) the 3-in-a-line-round-pin Italian ones;

(42) f) the triangle 2-strip-one-round Japanese ones;

(43) g) the proud triangle 3-angled-strip-pin sockets used in Argentina, Australia and China.