AIR AND MOISTURE BARRIER FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLET BOXES

BARRIERE CONTRE L'AIR ET L'HUMIDITE POUR LES BOITES DE SORTIE ELECTRIQUES

English Abstract

A B S T R A C T
This invention consists of a transparent non- inflam-
mable plastic container the purpose of which is to enclose an
electrical outlet box to prevent air and water or moisture from
entering into or passing through such box. The container is in
the form of a rectangular box for use with rectangular outlet
boxes, and is round for use with round or octagonal outlet boxes.
Each of the containers is provided with a flange around the open
rim of it, and said flange extends outwardly and at a small angle
to the wall of the container.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-
sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. A container made of a transparent, flexible, non-
inflammable plastic material, so that its contents is visible
at all times, for enclosing therein an electrical outlet box,
comprising a box-shaped container of a size to fit freely over
and enclose a standard electrical outlet box, which is installed
by nailing said container and its contained outlet box, simulta-
neously, to the woodwork of a building, by the same nails; said
container having one open side for the insertion of said outlet
box therein; and said open side having a narrow flange around
its perimeter extending outwardly and at a small upward angle
to the walls of said container, so that when said container
is pressed tightly against said woodwork, by the nailing
action, the flange bendsbackwardly to form an air tight seal
flush with the woodwork, because of its flexibility.
2. A container such as described in claim 1, which is
rectangular in shape to fit standard rectangular electrical
outlet boxes.
3. A container such as described in claim 1 which is of
a round shape to fit standard round or polygonal shaped electri-
cal outlet boxes.

Description

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S P E C I F I C A T I 0 N
This invention con~ists of a container which is used
to cover electrical outlet boxes, for the purpose of preventing
cold air from entering, and heated air from escaping , from the
interior of buldings in which such boxes are installed~ and to
prevent water or moisture from entering such boxes.
The present method of installing outlet boxes allows
air which is activated by winds to enter the building from the
outside and permits the escape of warm air from the building
through these boxes. Furthermore, many building fires and electro-
cutions are caused by short circuits originating in these outletboxes because moisture can enter into them quite easily,
It is therefore the primary object of this invention
to provide a means for making electrical outlet boxes as air and
moisture proof as possible without the necessity of redesigning
such boxes nor radically changing the established method of in-
stallation.
This is accomplished by the invention by providing
a cover for the outlet box, which is air and water proof for all
practical purposes, and which can be installed concurrently with
the installation of the outlet box.
In describing the invention reference will be made to
the attached drawings in which,-
Figure 1 is an isometric view of the invention,
Figure 2 shows the method of installing the inven-
tion, and
Figure 3 shows a variation in the shape of the in-
vention.
In the drawings the invention is shown consisting of a
rectangular, transparent plastic container 1 having an open top,
the rim of which is provided with a flange 2 which slants upward-
ly or away from the box 1 at a small angle.
-1-

~53~;'90
The container 1 is made large enough to fit freely over
a standard electrical outlet box 4, and this outlet box together
with its plastic cover 1 is nailed to a building stud 3, in the
usual manner of installation, with nails 5, 5. The insulated
electrical wires 6,6, are led from the box 4 through punched
holes in the container 1. These holes can be made small enough
to provide a tight fit for the insulated wires 6, to prevent any
air or moisture from entering into the container 1. If required,
and as a further precaution, a sealing compound can be pasted
10 around the said wires at their exit from the container 1.
In Figure 3 is shown a variation 7 in which the con-
tainer 1 is changed to a round shape in order to conform with
electrical outlet boxes which are round or octagonal in shape.
The installation of the outlet box with its container
is shown in Figure 2. The box 4 is placed into the container 1 or
7, as the case may be, so that the open face of the outlet box 4
is flush with the fa~e of the interior wall of a building; the
flange 2 or 8 of the container 1 or 7, respectively, is pressed
tightly against the said building wallS and both the outlet box
and its container are nailed to a stud 3. By pressing the flanges
o~ the said containers against the wall before nailing, the said
flanges assume a position almost at rightangles to the container
walls, and thereby ~orm a tight seal which stops air or moisture
to pass through the container and into the outlet box.
It is preferable to fabricate the containers 1 or 7
out of a transparent plastic material, and particularly of a
plastic which is fireproof or fire retarding, so that the in-
terior can be observed and so that any flash due to a short
circuit occuring within the container will be prevented from
igniting any adjacent structural wood.