Electrical outlet attachment

May 5, 1964

I. S. BLONDER

3,131,985

ELECTRICAL OUTLET ATTACHMENT

Filed June 25, 1962

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INVENTOR

BY

ISAAC S. BLONDER

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ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

3,131,985

Patented May 5, 1964

131 985

ELECTRICAL OUTLET ATTACHMENT

Isaac S. Blonder, West Orange, NJ., assignor to BlonderTongue Electronics, Newark, N.J., a corporation of .New Jersey

Filed June 25,1962, Ser. No. 204,923

Claims. (CI. 339—37)

The present invention relates to an electrical outlet attachment and, more particularly, to an electrical outlet attachment which may he locked to prevent unauthorized use of the electrical outlet.

Due to the large and increasing use of television set installations -and other electrical equipment in public areas, such -as in schools and the like, there has arisen a need for means to prevent unauthorized use. Attachments with looking means have been proposed for mounting upon electrical outlet switch plates and the like to prevent such unauthorized use. Such attachments, however, require close and relatively costly manufacturing tolerances to prevent entrance of dust and -dirt and to prevent rattling as a result of building vibrations. Further, the devices proposed -are not as tamper-proof as might be desired.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved outlet attachment for mounting on electrical switch plates -and the like, which attachment is not subject to the before-mentioed shortcomings.

Another object is to provide a new and improved cover attachment of more general utility, -as well.

_ Still further objects will -become apparent in the description to follow and -will be more particularly pointed out in the -appended claims.

In summary, the objects of the present invention are attained in a locking attachment for mounting upon an electrical outlet plate and the like, having, in combination, a planar plate provided with -inwardly inclined side edges and means for securing the planar plate in juxtaposition with -an electrical switch plate and the like. A box-like cover is provided having side walls which incline to converge toward -its cover surface, .the incline being slightly greater than that of the said planar plate side edges to enable resilient-engaging closing action therebetween. A hinge disposed within -the -cover at the lower end of the planar plate enables closing of the cover -against the action of -gravity, -and the -hinge is sufficiently within the cover to prevent tampering. A lock disposed toward the upper end -of the cover is provided with an ecccntricaily-mounted cam rotatable in -a plane inter-secting the top side-wall of the co-ver at a region closer to the said cover surface than to -the planar plate when the -cover is closed .thereupon. The lower arm of -an L-shaped locking catch extends from the top edge of .the planar plate inward of the inclined top side-wall at an incline slightly less -than that of the top side-w-all further to permit a- resilient closing action before locking in cooperation with the said top side-wall, the length -of the said lower arm. of the L-shaped catch being sufficient to cause the substantially vertical arm of the L to extend in a plane slightly closer to the coyer surface than the cam· when the L-shaped catch is resiliently closed within -the cover in -order to enable -the cam rotatably to engage the inner surface of the vertical arm to secure the cover to the planar plate without substantial play.

The invention will now -be described in connection with the -drawing in which, । 'FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken -away to illustrate details of construction, showing a preferred form of the invention as applied to a wall outlet;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the attachment of FIG. 1 demounted from -the outlet and partially opened;

FIG. 3 -is -a partial view of upper portion of the -attachment; and

FIG. 4 is a section view taken upon the line 4—4 in FIG. 2, looking in -the direction of the arrows.

Referring -to FIG. 1, the locking attachment 1 is shown applied to -an electrical outlet plate 18. The -attachment 5 1 is provided with a box-like -cover 2 and a rear planar plate 3, apertured -at 17 to expose the electrical outlet, part of which is shown at 18', such as a -television antenna cable j-ack or other connector, with the plate 3 secured to -the outlet plate 18 as by screws 19. The planar plate 3 10 is also provided with inwardly inclined side edges 4 and 5, -and the cover 2 has corresponding ride walls 6 and 8 which incline co-nve-rgently toward the front surface of -the cover 2, with -the incline of the side walls 6 and 8 preferably slightly -greater than that of -the side edges 4 and 5 15 to enable -the illustrated resilient-engaging closing action therebetween. In this manner, when the cover 2 is closed, -i as in FIG. 1, -the ride walls 4—6 and 5—8 are overlapping engaged, eliminating rattling due to vibrations, preventing the influx -of dust and dirt, -and, further serving to discou-r2o age tampering since screw drivers and -the like cannot readily be inserted to enable forcing of the coyer.

Further to prevent tampering -with the locking -attachment -and to eliminate rattling, -an L-shaped locking catch 11 is employed, the -longer or upper -arm of which extends 25 outward from the top edge of the planar plate 3- at an incline slightly -less than that of -the top side, wall 7 of the cover 2, thus enabling a resilient overlapped closing action at the top, also.

A hinge 16 is secured -between the lower end of the 30 planar plate 3 -and the outer edge of the lower inclined side wall 9 of the coyer 2, enabling the cover 2 -to pivot to an open position, FIG. 2, under the action of gravity, and to be moved to the closed position of FIG. 1 against the action of gravity. The hinge 16 is actually prefer35 ably disposed within the cover 2, as shown, -thus concealing the same further to prevent tampering.

A lock 14, shown disposed toward the upper end of the cover 2, is provided with a key-movable eccentricallymounted cam arm 15, rotatable -in the -direction of the 40 -arrow, FIG. 1, in a plane intersecting the top side wall 7 of the cover 2 at -a region closer to the front cover surface 2 than to the rear planar .plate 3, -when the cover is closed thereupon, in order to eliminate the necessity for recessing the electrical outlet 18' or otherwise to prevent interfer45 ing with the electrical outlet or connectors associated therewith.

The length of the longer or upper or outwardly extending -arm of -the L-shaped locking catch 11 is sufficient to cause the -cam -arm 15 resiliently to engage the -inner sur50 face of the downwardly substantially vertically extending smaller arm 11' of the catch 11, as more particularly shown in FIG. 3. To this end, the substantially vertically extending arm 1-1' is positioned slightly closer to the cover surface 2 than -the plane of the cam -arm 15. As is clear55 est in FIG. 4, moreover, -the catch arm 11' is -itself preferably at an incline to the plane of the rear plate 3, being closer thereto at the right end thereof in FIG. 4, than at the left end, in order to increase -the engaging pressure between the cam -arm 15 -and the inner surface of the 60 catch -arm 11' as -the cam arm 15- is rotated toward -the locked position.

Modifications will, of course, occur to those skilled in -the art and all such are -considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended 55 claims.