US2811574A - Adjustable electric floor receptacle - Google Patents

Description

. OC- 29, 1957 J. J. GUERRERO ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC FLOOR RECEPTACLE Filed June 5. 1955 Unid Siidg 2,811,574 ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC FLOOR RECEPTACLE John J. Guerrero, Los Alamos, N. Mex.

Application June 3, 1953, Serial No. 359,415 4 Claims. (Cl. 17 4-57) This invention relates to adjustable floor receptacles for electric or telephone connections, or the like and more particularly to such oor receptacles which may be adjusted for any thickness of floor in which they are employed. Still more particularly, this invention relates to adjustable oor receptacles having a telescopic portion which may be manually raised or lowered above or to the floor level and when in raised position provides for electrical or for telephone connections.

The adjustable loor receptacle of the present invention is intended primarily for use in buildings of cast concrete construction but may be used in all types of building construction including Wooden oored buildings. ln modern concrete construction it has become customary to provide conduits in the oors of the building over which concrete is poured to complete the floor. These conduits provide passages for electric wiring, telephone cables and the like. Outlets through the concrete floor are provided at desired positions and suitable xtures are mounted in the outlets to provide electric and telephone connections.

Heretofore these outlets usually comprise an opening in the floor to the conduit through which wires may be drawn and which may be provided with a cover plate when the outlet is not in use. Electric or telephone connections to such outlets can be made only by trained personnel and skilled labor is involved in connecting and disconnecting through such receptacles.

The present invention provides an adjustable oor receptacle which screws into a suitable opening in the conduit and is extensible or retractable to adapt the receptacle to any thickness of floor. A telescoping member is also provided having a permanent type electrical outlet or telephone jack mounted therein. The telescopmember is provided with a rotary and threaded cap which may be screwed into the top of the receptacle to form a llush closure. When the receptacle is to be used the top is unscrewed, the telescoping member is elevated to expose the electrical outlet or the telephone jack, as the case may be, and an electric cord or telephone cable is readily plugged into the outlet.

lt is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel adjustable floor receptacle which may be utilized by unskilled persons for connecting electric cords or telephone cables.

Another object is to provide such a receptacle which in telescoped position provides a flush continuation of the surface of the floor.

Another object is to provide such a receptacle which is adjustable for any thickness of oor in which it is used and which carries electrical outlets or telephone jacks in a manually actuated telescoping element which is raised above the surface of the floor when in use.

Another object is to provide such a receptacle which is cheap and easy to manufacture, easily installed in all types of building construction, and one which meets the safety requirements of building codes and fire underwriters.

ECC

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear from the following description thereof.

The adjustable floor receptacle of the present invention is capable of various mechanical embodiments, one of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, and is described hereinafter for purposes of illustration. The description of this illustrative embodiment of the present invention should in no way be construed as defining or limiting the invention and reference should be had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, Fig. 1 is a view of an illustrative embodiment of the adjustable receptacle of the present invention showing the same installed in a poured concrete licor, the concrete being cut away to show how the receptacle is mounted therein, and also nowing the telescoping element thereof in extended position to receive an electric cord;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of a part of the embodiment of Fig. 1 to show the cooperation of the several elements thereof and to show additional means for securing the same in the oor; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View of the embodiment of Fig. l in which the several elements are in telescoped position.

Referring now to the several figures, 10 is a conduit of the type usually found in cast concrete iloor construction to provide passages for electric wiring, telephone cables, and the like, and 11 designates a layer of concrete over the conduit 10 to provide a suitable oor surface 12. Conduit 10 is provided with a suitable aperture 13 to receive a threaded hollow nipple 14 depending from the bottom 15 of a suitable cylindrical receptacle base 16. Ease 16 is internally threaded at 17 to receive the threaded portion 18 of a cylindrical extension member 19. A set screw 16 may be provided in base 16 to lock extension member 19 in desired position. An internal annular shoulder Ztl is provided adjacent one end of member 19. Member 19 is also internally threaded at 21 adacent the end thereof next to shoulder 20. A hollow telescoping cylinder 22 is mounted within member 1) and is provided with an outwardly turned lower annular flange Z3. A ring gasket 24 is mounted between flange and the interior wall of member 19 to form a close therewith.

Telescoping cylinder 22 may be provided with longitudinal grooves 25 to receive extensions 26 of annular member 25B to prevent rotation of cylinder 22 with respeci to member 19.

Cylinder 22 may have suitable diametrically opposed frertures 27 to receive suitable electric outlets 28. As e shown, outlet 2S is formed of a block of dielectric 'crial which extends diametrically across telescoping member 22 to provide a pair of oppositely disposed outlets. A circular top 29 is provided for cylinder 22 and is held in position by suitable means such as set screws Si). Top Z9 is provided with extensions 31 which ll apertures 27 above outlet block 28 and assist in holding block 23 in position.

A circular closure plate 32 is threaded about its circumferential edge, is received in threads 21, and is provided with a slot 33 for rotating it. Closure 32 is also provided with a central cylindrical stud 34 which passes through a centrally disposed aperture 35 in top 29. A suitable lock washer 56 holds closure 32 in position for rotation with respect to top 29.

Electric wires 37 connect to outlet block 23 in the usual and conventional manner.

The adjustable receptacle of the present invention is screwed into the conduit 10 before the concrete floor is poured and extension member 19 is screwed into or out of the base 16 to provide an overall length for the receptacle equal to the desired thickness for the iloor. The concrete 12 is then poured about the receptacle and when the concrete hardens the receptacle is iirmly and securely fixed in position. If the ,receptacle is to be usedin a wooden floor or if positive means for .securing the vreceptacle in position are desiredv then extension member 19 may be provided with an outer annular flange 38 which will lie in the surface of the floor and flange 38 may be suitably bored at 39 to receive screws or other suitable fastening means 40.

The operation of the receptacle of the present invention should now be apparent. When the receptacle has been set up as above described andV mounted in the floor with electric or telephone connections made to block 28 the receptacle is ready for use. When the receptacle is to be used closure 32 is rotated to unscrew it from its position within extension member 19 by placing a suitable instrument, coin `or key in the slot 33 and turning. When closure 32 is clear of threads 21 it is raised suiiiciently to enable it to be grasped and lifted. Lifting closure 32 lifts with it the telescoping cylinder 22 and cylinder 22 is raised to its extended position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The friction provided by gasket 28 will hold cylinder 22 in elevated position. Rotation of cylinder 22 during movement is prevented by studs 26 engaging in grooves 25. With cylinder 22 in elevated position a suitable electric cordA or telephone jack or the like, generally indicated at 41, may then be plugged into the outlets provided in block 28.

When use of the receptacle is to be discontinued cord 41 is removed from block 28 and pressure is exerted upon closure 32 to telescope cylinder 22 into member 19. As soon as closure 32 engages threads 21 it is rotated to screw closurev 32 into member 19. The receptacle in telescoped position isshown in Fig. 3 and it is apparent that closure 32 then provides a smooth continuation of the surface 12 of the concrete oor.

It should now be apparent that the novel adjustable oor receptacle of the present invention in every Way meets the several objects described above.

Changes in or modifications to the above described illustrative embodiment of the invention may now be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the present inventive concept. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a oorreceptacle mounted on a conduit, a receptacle base, a nipple on said base mounted in the conduit, an extension member mounted in said base, a telescoping cylinder slidably mounted in said extension member, outlet means mounted in said cylinder, a closure plate mounted on the outer end of said cylinder and received in said extension member when said cylinder is in telescoped position, said extension member being .internally threaded adjacent its outer Vend and said closure plate being threaded for cooperation with. said threads of said extension member.

2. A oor'receptacle as described in claim 1 in which said closure plate is mounted for rotation on the end of said telescoping cylinder.

3. ln a oor receptacle mounted on a conduit, a receptacle base, a nipple on said base mounted in the con.

duit, an extension member mounted in said base, a telescoping cylinder slidably mounted in said extension member, outlet means mounted in said cylinder, a closure plate mounted on the outer end of said cylinder and received insaid extension member when said cylinder is in telescoped position and means on said closure plate cooperating with said extension member to lock said closure plate in said extension member.

4. A floor receptacle as described in claim 3 in which said closure plate is mounted forrotation on the end of said telescoping cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,308 Barry Apr. 3, 1888 681,416 Goehst et al. Aug. 27, 1901 1,023,246 Fountain et al. Apr. 16, 1912 1,136,929 Bonnell Apr. 27, 1915 1,254,641 Adam Jan. 22, 1918 1,693,682V Walker Dec. 4, 1928 2,196,842 Strazzabosco Apr. 9, 1940 2,445,244 Seaver July 13, 1948 2,623,917 Savitz Dec. 30, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 358,148Y Great Britain Oct. 8, 1931

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