Electrical box with recessed faceplate

Abstract

An electrical box with recessed faceplate having a one-piece recessed faceplate and adapted to accommodate a two-piece recessed faceplate. A rear portion contains channels on the top, bottom, and sides. A connecting wall attaches the rear portion to the front portion. The connecting wall extends beyond the rear portion and preferably contains one or more apertures to accommodate releasable fasteners such as screws. These apertures and the channels assure that no screws or analogous components of another type of releasable fastener are not exposed within the box. The two-piece recessed faceplate has an inner portion and an outer portion which slide along each other in order to enable the box to be mounted at different distances from the mounting surface. Optionally, a removable cover extends across the mouth of the faceplate. An extender is also available for converting traditional electrical boxes into a box that can accommodate a recessed faceplate. And an alternative electrical box holds switches and is L-shaped.

1 . An Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate, which comprises: 
 a faceplate comprising: 
 a rear wall with a perimeter and a cross-sectional shape, the rear wall containing one or more instrumentality apertures and having a means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said faceplate to an electrical instrumentality;  
 a flange; and  
 an interior surface projecting generally forward from the rear wall and connecting the rear wall to the flange; and  
   a box comprising: 
 a rear wall having a perimeter;  
 a lateral surface, having a first end attached to and projecting generally forward from the perimeter of the rear wall and having a top containing a channel, a bottom containing a channel, and sides each containing a channel, with each channel having an interior end;  
 a connecting wall having a first end attached to a second end of the lateral surface, the connecting wall having sides and a second end and said connecting wall extending generally outward from the lateral surface; and  
 a front portion having a first end attached to and projecting generally forward from the sides and the second end of the connecting wall, the front portion containing the interior ends of the channels, the front portion having a second end forming an open mouth, the front portion having substantially the same cross-sectional shape as does the rear wall of said faceplate, and the front portion having dimensions such that the flange of the faceplate extends from the interior surface to a position laterally beyond the front of the mouth; and  
 a means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said box to an electrical instrumentality.  
   
   
   
       2 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said faceplate to an electrical instrumentality which means comprises part of the faceplate is one or more apertures in the faceplate as well as one or more apertures in the connecting wall when the fastener for attaching said faceplate to an electrical instrumentality is a screw; and    the means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said box to an electrical instrumentality is a covered interior end having a threaded aperture for the channel on the top of the lateral surface of the box and a covered interior end having a threaded aperture for the channel on the bottom of the lateral surface of the box.    
   
   
       3 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said faceplate and said box each have a rectangular cross section.    
   
   
       4 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a cover having a front surface, a top connected to the front surface, two sides each of which is connected to the front surface, and longitudinal tabs extending inward from each side; and    wherein said flange has sides, each side containing a channel running, along an edge of said flange to accommodate the longitudinal tabs of said cover.    
   
   
       5 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said faceplate and said box each have a rectangular cross section.    
   
   
       6 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a cover having a front surface, a top connected to the front surface, two sides each of which is connected to the front surface, and longitudinal tabs extending inward from each side; and    wherein said flange has sides, each side containing a channel running, along an edge of said flange to accommodate the longitudinal tabs of said cover.    
   
   
       7 . An Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate, which comprises: 
 a faceplate comprising: 
 a rear wall with a perimeter and a cross-sectional shape, the rear wall containing one or more instrumentality apertures and having a means for accommodating a fastener for attaching said faceplate to an electrical instrumentality as well as a means for accommodating a releasable fastener;  
 a flange; and  
 an interior surface projecting generally forward from the rear wall and connecting the rear wall to the flange; and  
   a box comprising: 
 a rear wall having a perimeter;  
 a lateral surface, having a first end attached to and projecting generally forward from the perimeter of the rear wall and having a top containing a channel, a bottom containing a channel, and sides each containing a channel, with each channel having an interior end;  
 a connecting wall having a first end attached to a second end of the lateral surface, the connecting wall having sides and a second end and said connecting wall extending generally outward from the lateral surface; and  
 a front portion having a first end attached to and projecting generally forward from the sides and the second end of the connecting wall, the front portion containing the interior ends of the channels, the front portion having a second end forming an open mouth, the front portion having substantially the same cross-sectional shape as does the rear wall of said faceplate, and the front portion having dimensions such that the flange of the faceplate extends from the interior surface to a position laterally beyond the front of the mouth; and  
 a means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said box to said faceplate.  
   
   
   
       8 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the means for accommodating a fastener in the rear wall of the faceplate is one or more apertures in the rear wall of the faceplate when the releasable fastener is a screw; and    the means for accommodating a releasable fastener for attaching said box to said faceplate is a covered interior end having a threaded aperture for the channel on the top of the lateral surface of the box and a covered interior end having a threaded aperture for the channel on the bottom of the lateral surface of the box when the releasable fastener is a screw that will pass through the aperture in the rear wall of the faceplate.    
   
   
       9 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said faceplate and said box each have a rectangular cross section.    
   
   
       10 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a cover having a front surface, a top connected to the front surface, two sides each of which is connected to the front surface, and longitudinal tabs extending inward from each side; and    wherein said flange has sides, each side containing a channel running, along an edge of said flange to accommodate the longitudinal tabs of said cover.    
   
   
       11 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said faceplate and said box each have a rectangular cross section.    
   
   
       12 . The Electrical Box with Recessed Faceplate as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a cover having a front surface, a top connected to the front surface, two sides each of which is connected to the front surface, and longitudinal tabs extending inward from each side; and    wherein said flange has sides, each side containing a channel running, along an edge of said flange to accommodate the longitudinal tabs of said cover.