US1613939A - Flush-type wall cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 11 1927.

A. H. .cooK

FLUSH TYPE WALL CABINET Filed March 16, 1925 V. "w 7 J 0a .6 I, 1/ M 2 4725 M Z 0 w 1 7 Z 4 a v w v w m H V 1 IEIFIIHH: 9 .i fl l2 f .T 5 Z Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR H. COOK, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FLUSH-TYPE WALL CABINET.

Application filed March 16, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in wall cabinets ot the flush type.

In the wiring of private residences and small apartments, a cabinet must always be provided for the main switch and both main and branch cutouts so as to guard against danger of fires. It is necessary, at times, to open these cabinets for the purpose of rc placing burned out fuses. As these cabinets or cutout boxes are intended to be employed in all dwellings, it is obvious that people who do not know anything about electricity will open these cabinets for the purpose of changing fuses. It has often happened that people were severely shocked by coming in contact with live terminals or that they carelessly caused short circuits to be formed by which they were seriously injured. To pre vent accidents of this type, cutout cabinets of this type should be so constructed that the cabinet could not be opened until the main switch had first been moved to open position, so that the contacts that may be reached. will all be dead whenever the cover is opened. A meter must also be provided at the entrance to a building and this must be protected by means of fuses and a switch. I-Ieretotore it has often happened that the meter has been mounted on the wall near the cabinet and connected to the terminals therein by means of wires that have been run exposed. This produces. a very unsightly appearance. Vhen the ordinary cutout. cabinets are used, the service company must disconnect the meter whenever a building is vacated. This causes a large amount of extra work.

It is the object of this invention to produce a cutout cabinet that shall be provided with some interlocking means between the (over and the main, switch which makes it 1i0i7t....l1 \j to move the switch to open position belorc the door to the cabinet can be opened. Another object is to produce a cabinet oi this flush type which shall be so rou-=lructcd that the meter may be attached directly to the front face of the casing and which shall permit the wires from the switch to the meter to be run concealed. A still Further object of this invent-ion is to pro duce a cutout cabinet that shall be so designed that the switch may be locked in open position by means of a suitable padlock or seal so that it will be unnecessary to remove the meter from vacant houses or apartments.

The above, and other objects that will be- Serial No. 15,808.

come apparent as the description proceeds, are attained by means of a construction that I will now proceed to describe in detail, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred form of my invention is illustrated and in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved. cabinet showing the door in open position and showing a part broken away to better disclose certain features of the construction.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, and shows the switch in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section also taken on line 22 Fig. 1 showing the switch in closed position.

My improved cabinet comprises a box having a bottom 1, ends 2 and sides 3. The top of the box is formed by a plate 4 whose outer dimensions are greater than the corresponding dimensions of the-cabinet so as to form an overhanging edge or trim which I have designated by numeral 5 in Fig. 2. The plate 4 has an opening 6 whose edges are pressed inwardly so as to form a rabbet 7 which receives and cooperates With the door 8 that is hinged to one side of the opening and can be opened in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the plate 4L is notched for the reception of the lower end of the meter support panel 9 whose lower end has a notch 10 which communicates with the interior of the cabinet. Vithin the cabinet and secured to the bottom 1 is a panel 11 of insulating material to which the switch contacts 12 and 13 are secured. These contacts form part of the main switch. I have not made any attempt to show the construction of the main switch in detail as the switch employed by me is bought on the open market and is not a part of this invention. I have, however, indicated the switch in a diagrammatic way as I have operatively associated with the switch means for locking and unlocking the door. A shaft id is supported by spaced brackets 15. Secured to the shaft 15 are two spaced members 16 which are preferably constructed of insulating material and are sector shaped. I'IZIIP dle portions 17 project radially from the sectors 16 and extend through openings 18 in the plate 4. The outer ends of these handles are connected by means of a bar 19. By grasping the bar the shaft 14 may be rotated to a limited extent in either direction. Secured to the shaft 14: and insulated from it are switch contacts 20 which have been shown as each being formed by an L shaped member of conducting material. These contacts are so proportioned that they can be rotated into contact with the electrical contacts 12 and 13 in the manner shown in Fig. 3 in which position the switch is closed, or into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position the switch is open. The meter has been indicated by dotted lines in 2 and has been designated by the letter M. The lower or bottom part of the meter abuts the upper edge of the trough 21 which is adjustably secured to the plate 9 by means of screws 22 that pass through slots 23. The wires by means of which the meter is connected to the circuit, pass through the slot 10 and are therefore concealed, thereby making a neat appearance. Vithin the cabinet the sectors 16 are connected by means of a rod 2% to which the upper end of the loci; ing bolt 25 is pivotally attached. The Other end of the locking bolt extends through a strap 26. When the switch is open the bolt 25 occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but when the switch is closed it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3. becured to the inside of the door near the upper end thereof is a strap 27 which forms an opening that is adapted to receive the lower end of the bolt 2:"; in the manner shown in Fig. 3. If the switch is closed before the door has been closed, the latter cannot then be closed for the reason that the strap 2? will hit the lower end of the bolt It is my intention that, after the door has been opened for any reason, it shall be moved to closed position while the switch is open. After the door has been closed the switch is closed. This looks the door in closed position. The door remains locked until the switch is opened which assures that the contacts will be dead whenever the door is opened which makes it perfectly safe for anyone to change fuses.

It sometimes happens that a house or an apartment is vacated for some time and that it is desirable to lock the main switch in open position. To accomplish this I have secured an angle 28 to the outside of the plate l. Adjacent this angle I have pivoted a turnhutton 29 so that it can be rotated about the pivot 30. This turnbutton has an angular portion 31 that is provided with an opening which is adapted to register with a corresponding opening in member 28. lVhen the switch is to be locked in open position it is, of course, first moved to open position after which the turnbutton 29 is moved into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and a padlock 82 inserted through the registering openings in members 28 and 29. iVhen thus arranged the switch will be locked in open position. The door is also provided with the usual turnbutton 33.

The cabinet above described is intended to be set into the wall whose face is designated by line in Fig. The meter when in place is accessible and can be connected to the circuit without having the wires exposed. Besides the neat appearance which my cabinet presents, it has the several safety features that I have already described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A cut out box and metering panel adapted to be set within a wall so as to have its open side fiush with the surface of the wall, a trim extending about the box, said trim being adapted to project out beyond the sides of the box and onto the surrounding wall SllifttCQ, the upper portion of the trim having a cut out portion extending from the upper edge thereof to a point be low the upper end wall of the box, whereby an. opening is formed that communicates with the interior of the box and permits wires to pass outwardly, a meter base piece having its lower end extending into the opening in the trim and projecting upwardly above the same, said base piece being adapted to support a meter and a trough-like member secured to the base piece so as to enclose the opening in the trim, the upper edge of the trough-like member being adapted to contact with the lower side of a meter whereby an enclosed passageway is formed for wires between the interior of the cut out box and the meter.

2. A combined cut out box and meter support comprising a box adapted to be set into and secured to a wall, said box having vertical sides and horizontal end walls, a trim secured to said box, and extending outwardly beyond the sides thereof, said trim having a cut out portion in its upper edge, a meter sul'iporting member having its lower end extending into said cut out portion, means for securing said member in place. said member having an opening cut out of its lower edge so to permit wires to pass outwardly from the box to a meter on tho StiPPOltiDg member and a trough-like mem ber secured to the supporting member so as to enclose said opening. the upper side of said trou,= =h-lii e member coming against the lower surface of a meter whereby an enclosed passageway for wire '55 formed.

in testimony where i my signature.

it. soon.

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