GUIDE FOR TRIMMING WALL COVERINGS

GABARIT DE DECOUPAGE DES PAPIERS-PEINTS

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A guide for trimming wall coverings about an electrical
outlet box has a plate like body with openings through it shaped
to fit an electrical component within the outlet box. Edges of
the body define two guiding edges of the shape of the portion of
the wall covering to be trimmed and the guide is supported in
trimming position by engagement with the electrical component
within the outlet box in such a way that the open front of the
outlet box is obturated and the trimming knife cannot come into
contact with wiring or terminals within the box.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A guide for use in trimming wall coverings in the region of
an outlet box containing an electrical component and having an
open front, comprising a generally plate-like member defining a
tool guiding edge of the shape of a portion of the wall covering
to be trimmed, said guiding edge being raised relative to the
remainder of said plate-like member and means for engagement
with the electrical component within the outlet box to locate
the guide in a guiding position in which said guide obturates
the open front of the outlet box.
2. A guide as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guiding edge
comprises a marginal edge of said plate-like member.
3. A guide as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for
engagement cooperate with the electrical component and comprise
marginal edges of an opening in said plate-like member for
engagement with said electrical component.
4. A guide as claimed in claim 3 wherein the perimeter of said
tool guiding edge corresponds to the perimeter of the open front
of said outlet box.
5. A guide as claimed in any of claims 1 through 3 wherein said
plate-like member has connecting means for cooperation with
matching connecting means of another guide for releasably
securing said plate-like member to said other guide.
6. A guide as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plate-like member
has connecting means for cooperation with matching connecting
means of another guide for releasably securing said plate-like




member to said other guide.
7. A set of guides for use in trimming wall coverings in the
regions of outlet boxes containing differently shaped electrical
components and having open fronts, each guide comprising a
generally plate-like member defining a tool guiding edge of the
shape of a portion of the wall covering to be trimmed said tool
guiding edge being raised relative to the remainder of said
plate-like member, one of said guides having means for
engagement with an electrical component of one shape within an
outlet box to locate the guide in a guiding position in which
said guide substantially obturates the open front of an outlet
box and the other of the guides having means for engagement with
a differently shaped electrical component to locate the guide in
a guiding position in which said other guide substantially
obturates the open front of an outlet box, said guides having
matching connecting means by which they may be releasably
secured one to the other.

Description

3~

This invention ls concerned with a guide for use in
trimming wall paper and other wall coverings. It is
particularly concerned with trimming such wall coverings around
electrical outlets and switch receptacles.
A common wall construction comprises a frame of wooden
or metal studs to which a covering of gypsum board is applied.
Electrical wiring is disposed within the frame and is connected
to switches or power outlets at outlet boxes. The outlet boxes
are generally rectangular sectioned, open fronted boxes of
galvanized steel having lugs by which they are secured to the
marginal edges of openings cut in the gypsum board so that the
open fronts of the boxes are flush with the exposed surface of
the gypsum board. The boxes have support elements by which an
electrical component such as an outlet socket or a switch are
mounted. The components have exposed terminals to which the
electrical wiring is connected. The assembly is closed by a
cover plate which is secured either to the outlet box or to the
electrical component by one or more screws, the cover plate
extending beyond the marginal edges of the opening cut in the
gypsum board.
When applying a wall covering it is usual to remove the
cover plate and apply the wall covering directly over the open
front of the outlet box. Thereafter the wall covering
overlapping the outlet box is trimmed using a sharp knife. In
that process there is a very substantial risk that the knife may
come into contact with the electrical wiring or with the exposed
terminals of the electrical component resulting in a painful


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shock or worse to the wielder of the knife.
The present invention seeks to provide a simple and
convenient yuide for use in trimming wall coverings in the
regions of an outlet box which prevents a trimming tool from
coming into contact with the wiring or terminals within the box.
According to one aspect of this invention, there is
provided a guide for use in trimming wall coverings in the
region of an outlet box which comprises a generally plate-like
member defining a tool guiding edge of the shape of a portion of
the wall covering to be trimmed said guiding edge being raised
relative to the remainder of said plate-like member and means
for engaging with the electrical component within the outlet box
to locate the guide in a guiding position in which said guide
substantially obturates the open front of the outlet box.
In use the guide is located in guiding position after
the cover plate of the outlet box is removed, the wall covering
is applied over the guide, trimmed with a knife applied to the
guiding edge of the plate like member and thereafter the guide
is removed and the cover plate once more secured to the outlet
box.
In a prefered embodiment the plate like member has an
opening formed to engage the sides of the electrical component.
Where the electrical component comprises a double socket outle-t
the plate-like member may have a pair of openings to ~it about
the sockets.



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w


It i5 desirable to provide guides which can be used
both with outlets and with switches. To this end a pair of
guides are provided one of which is shaped to cooperate with a
switching outlet block while the other is shaped to cooperate
with a power socket outlet box, the two guides having connecting
means by which they may releasably secured, one to the other.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an outlet box
and guide.
Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front of the
guide of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 2 and
Figure 4 shows a pair of guide elements according to
this invention.
The outlet box 10 i.s secured within an opening 12 of a
gypsum board 14 by means of lugs 16 and 18. Mounted within the
outlet box in conventional fashion is an electrical component 20
having a pair of power outlet sockets 22 and 24 each of which
has a generally oval marginal portion 26.
The guide indicated generally at 30 comprises a
plate-like number 32 having a rectangular tool guiding edge 32
which is slightly larger than the open front of the outlet box
10. The central portion of the member 32 is recessed as at 36
so that by pressing the wall covering into that recess the edge
34 is brought clearly into sight for fast accurate




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trimming.
Within the central portion 36 of the plate like member
are a pair of generallY oval openings 38 and 40 adapted to fit
on the surfaces 26 of the sockets 22 and 24 to support the gulde
in the tool guiding position.
On the rear face of the guide i.e. that ~ace presented
~o ~he interior of the outlet box are a pair of male elements 42
as can be seen in Figure 4 cooperate with fema~e elements 44
formed on the corresponding surface of a guide 30' which is
shaped to cooperate with an outlet box housing a switch. By the
matching elements 42 and 44 the set of guides constituted by
guides 30 and 30' can be~snapped together and slipped into a
pocket for use as and when required.
As an alternative arrangement, the openings 38, 40 may
be formed as recesses in the rear surface of sufficient depth to
accommodate the outlet 22, 24. In this manner the power outlets
are also shielded from the knife blade. It is also possible for
the edge 34 to be formed with a groove extending around the
periphery of tbe guide 30. This groove is dimensioned to
provide a positive guide for a knife blade and prefera~ly this
has a flared cross section to provide a lead in for the knife
blade.

Although the male and female elements 42, 44 have ~een
a~
shown as interengaging plug ~ sockets it is of course possible
,., ~.
to utilise other forms of connection. E'or exan1ple a through
hole could be provided instead of the socket 44 and could be
made of keyhole shape to allow head of plug 42 tv pass through
without deformation.
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