Electrical box knock-out tool
View Patent ↗The invention disclosed is a tool for the removal of knock-outs from electrical boxes. The tool may include a handle connected to an elongate member such as a rod, the elongate member having a bend between the handle and a termina end that is bent back or forms a hook. The terminal end may include a flattened end and a slot opened at the end to allow the user to engage the edge of a knock-out. The tool may also include a groove in the radius or bend of the hook, also to allow the user to engage the edge of a knock-out. The tool also includes notches on the elongate member to allow the user to engage the edge of a an electrical box to manipulate or rotate the tool about the engagement to dislodge or displace the knock-out from the electrical box with the tip of the terminal end.
1 . A tool for removing knockouts from an electrical box, the tool including a rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod extending from a handle, the rod being thinner than the handle, the rod including a first bend and a second bend, the second bend being a continuous bend, the first bend located between the first end and the second bend, the second bend located between the first bend and the second end, the second bend having an outside angle in the range of 270 to 350 degrees to thereby form a hook, the rod having a central primary axis between the first bend and the second bend, a notch formed in the rod, the notch located between the first bend and the second bend, the notch being open to the hook, the notch spaced from the second end to be engaged with a perimeter edge of the electrical box when the second end is in contact with a knockout and the tool is pivoted to break a web holding the knockout to the electrical box.
2 . The tool of claim 1 , further including a groove in the rod, the groove located at the second bend, the groove oriented in a plane of the central primary axis.
3 . The tool of claim 2 , wherein the groove is on an outside radius of the second bend.
4 . The tool of claim 2 , wherein the groove has a widest width less than 0.1 inch and the groove is widest at the top of the groove.
5 . The tool of claim 2 , wherein the groove has walls that are not parallel to each other.
6 . The tool of claim 2 , wherein the first bend, the second bend, and the groove all lie in a same plane.
7 . The tool of claim 1 , the tool including a slot in a portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end, the slot being in the same plane as the second bend, the portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end being straight.
8 . The tool of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end includes a tapered blade, the slot located in the tapered blade.
9 . The tool of claim 8 , further including a second notch and a third notch, the tapered blade including a tip, the tip terminating even with the second notch.
10 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the first end of the rod includes a second central primary axis along its length, the portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end not intersecting the second central primary axis.
11 . The tool of claim 1 , further including a plurality of notches formed in the rod, the notches located between the first bend and the second bend.
12 . The tool of claim 11 , wherein the notches are each defined by two walls, the walls extending towards the central primary axis.
13 . The tool of claim 12 , wherein the tool includes a slot in a portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end, the slot being in the same plane as the second bend, the portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end being straight, wherein each notch includes at least one of the walls being perpendicular to the central primary axis and at least one of the walls being perpendicular to the portion of the rod between the second bend and the second end.
14 . A tool for removing knockouts from an electrical box, the tool including an elongate shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end of the shaft having a handle, the shaft being thinner than the handle, the shaft having a first bend and a second bend, the first bend located between the handle and the second bend, the second bend located between the first bend and the second end, the second bend being uninterrupted, defining a single interior vertex, and having an outside angle ranging from 270 to 350 degrees to thereby form a hook, the shaft having a first central primary axis at the first end and a second primary central axis between the first bend and the second bend, the second end including a tapered blade, the tapered blade including a slot, the slot having tapered walls, the slot, first bend, and second bend all being in a first plane, the first central primary axis not intersecting the tapered blade.
15 . The tool of claim 14 , further including a groove, the groove oriented in a plane of the second central primary axis, the groove being located at the second bend.
16 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the shaft is generally round in cross section.
17 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the handle extends outward from the shaft.
18 . The tool of claim 14 , further including a notch, the notch having a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being perpendicular to the second central primary axis of the shaft and the second wall being at an angle to the second central primary axis of the shaft, the first wall and the second wall meeting at a notch vertex, the notch vertex being in a second plane different from the first plane.
19 . A tool for removing knockouts from an electrical box, the tool including a rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod including a handle, the rod including a first bend and a second bend, the first bend located between the first end and the second bend, the second bend located between the first bend and the second end, the second bend being greater than 90 degrees to thereby form a hook, a plurality of notches located between the first bend and the second bend, the notches being open to the hook, at least one notch having a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being perpendicular to a central primary axis of the rod and the second wall being at an angle to the central primary axis of the rod, a groove located at an outside radius of the second bend, the groove having spaced apart walls, the second end terminating in a tapered blade, the tapered blade including a slot, the slot including tapered walls, the slot and the groove lying in a first plane.
20 . The tool of claim 19 , wherein the first wall and the second wall meet at a notch vertex, the notch vertex being in a second plane different from the first plane.