Name Brand on Floor Pocket?

EWCguy

Active Member
I'm looking to replace our floor pockets -- the lighting connectors inside need to be replaced and I'm doubtful the lid will survive removal of the flange, there's so much black floor paint and varnish in the screws. Lid looks to be cast aluminum with textured top surface and logo/brand in center.

I'd like to replace with the same gear, installed 1982, but because of the paint, I can't read the US manufacturer/brand off the lid. Perhaps someone can think of brands from that period. A photo won't do much good, I can't even get a rubbing.

Pocket Details
  • 3-gang stage pin, lid has 3 cable slots.
  • Lid/flange measurement: 10½ x 9 inches.
  • Box opening roughly 7¼ x 5½ inches, could be 8x6 inch box.
  • Connector plate is at an angle.
Brand Name
  • Appears to be two words, all caps, italic
  • Box with angled sides (matching the italic lettering) surrounds the two words
  • Best guess is 4-letter word then 6-7-letter word
  • First word guesses: TRIM, KRIM, RHIM...
  • Second word guesses: CLIMNS, SI_MNG, SI_NRG...
Of course, I realize that the manufacturer may no longer exist. In that intance, who do you suggest I turn to for similar floor pockets. I'd rather not make a larger hole for them in the floor (Whirlwind has 2- and 4-gang options). I've looked at Ace Backstage, Leviton (CTP-6-7203 [Colortran] looks to be close at retailers though not listed by Leviton itself), and Altman 450 series.

Thanks for your advice!
 
Picture? Basic ubiquitous cast iron lid or something else?

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This is ETCs.
 
I'm looking to replace our floor pockets -- the lighting connectors inside need to be replaced and I'm doubtful the lid will survive removal of the flange, there's so much black floor paint and varnish in the screws. Lid looks to be cast aluminum with textured top surface and logo/brand in center.

I'd like to replace with the same gear, installed 1982, but because of the paint, I can't read the US manufacturer/brand off the lid. Perhaps someone can think of brands from that period. A photo won't do much good, I can't even get a rubbing.

Pocket Details
  • 3-gang stage pin, lid has 3 cable slots.
  • Lid/flange measurement: 10½ x 9 inches.
  • Box opening roughly 7¼ x 5½ inches, could be 8x6 inch box.
  • Connector plate is at an angle.
Brand Name
  • Appears to be two words, all caps, italic
  • Box with angled sides (matching the italic lettering) surrounds the two words
  • Best guess is 4-letter word then 6-7-letter word
  • First word guesses: TRIM, KRIM, RHIM...
  • Second word guesses: CLIMNS, SI_MNG, SI_NRG...
Of course, I realize that the manufacturer may no longer exist. In that intance, who do you suggest I turn to for similar floor pockets. I'd rather not make a larger hole for them in the floor (Whirlwind has 2- and 4-gang options). I've looked at Ace Backstage, Leviton (CTP-6-7203 [Colortran] looks to be close at retailers though not listed by Leviton itself), and Altman 450 series.

Thanks for your advice!
@EWCguy
Consider centre-punching the head of each screw or bolt, carefully drilling into the centre of each screw or bolt with a drill appreciably smaller in diameter taking care NOT to drill through the sides of the screws or bolts. Borrow or purchase a suitable screw extractor and thread it down into the screw or bolt. Most extractors are designed to rotate and tap into the screw or bolt with reverse rotation, their intent is to eventually get a grip on the screw or bolt from within rather than attempting to drive / extract via their original head be it slot, Phillips, Allen hex, Pozi-drive or whatever.

If / when you manage to remove the screws or bolts, take the lids and their surrounding flanges to a sand blasting shop and they'll make reasonably quick work of stripping ALL of the paint off, likely including any original rust proof coatings.

If you have difficulty locating a sand blasting shop nearby, try speaking with tombstone providers, many / most tombstone providers are used to doing precision sand blasting to carve names and dates into granite and / or marble. (They may find your application an entertaining diversion from the normally very precise work that usually occupies their days.)

Bolt extractors are often available from Home Depot and commonly used by auto mechanics and machinists.
Bolt extractors are extremely hard but VERY brittle and easily snapped if the least amount of side pressure is applied.
PATIENCE is definitely required, you don't want to try centre-tapping, drilling and extracting a snapped off screw extractor.
Patience and a good two or four handled tap wrench are definite requirements.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Check out SSRC as well:
 
Check out SSRC as well:
@EWCguy In particular, check SSRC's FP Floor Pocket series; various sizes, quantities and ampacities of circuits, Stage pin, Twist and Parallell blade connectors, custom engraved circuit identification numbers and 1/4" lids with hinged entry.
On line, they appear a great place to deal with.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Paint thinner and denatured alcohol and a tooth brush and a lot of elbow grease.

You could try the tombstone scratching technique on the letters to see if you can get something readable.
 
In the usual design or at least most I've seen the cast lid and flange "float" and are not anchored to the box below. The flange turns down and kind of creates a short telescopic condition.

If you have to replace, remove a lid. It shouldn't take long to cut the paint seam around the perimeter and clean the screws enough to remove. Since the cast lid looks in good condition other than paint, you might be able to replace the box and reuse the lid.
 
I just threw a few of these away a couple months ago... not that they were in particularly good shape. Bill is correct that these float on the floor, and the connectors are mounted in a piece of bent sheet metal that attaches to the bottom of the cover. Replacing that plate (if necessary for new connectors) and reusing the covers is going to be your best bet if you want to avoid cutting the floor to match a new box.
 
I'm looking to replace our floor pockets -- the lighting connectors inside need to be replaced and I'm doubtful the lid will survive removal of the flange, there's so much black floor paint and varnish in the screws. Lid looks to be cast aluminum with textured top surface and logo/brand in center.

I'd like to replace with the same gear, installed 1982, but because of the paint, I can't read the US manufacturer/brand off the lid. Perhaps someone can think of brands from that period. A photo won't do much good, I can't even get a rubbing.

Pocket Details
  • 3-gang stage pin, lid has 3 cable slots.
  • Lid/flange measurement: 10½ x 9 inches.
  • Box opening roughly 7¼ x 5½ inches, could be 8x6 inch box.
  • Connector plate is at an angle.
Brand Name
  • Appears to be two words, all caps, italic
  • Box with angled sides (matching the italic lettering) surrounds the two words
  • Best guess is 4-letter word then 6-7-letter word
  • First word guesses: TRIM, KRIM, RHIM...
  • Second word guesses: CLIMNS, SI_MNG, SI_NRG...
Of course, I realize that the manufacturer may no longer exist. In that intance, who do you suggest I turn to for similar floor pockets. I'd rather not make a larger hole for them in the floor (Whirlwind has 2- and 4-gang options). I've looked at Ace Backstage, Leviton (CTP-6-7203 [Colortran] looks to be close at retailers though not listed by Leviton itself), and Altman 450 series.

Thanks for your advice!
The insert that holds the receptacles is removable. No need to damage the lid or back box. Remove the insert via 4 screws you will find on the surface of the insert. You can have the insert replicated at a metal shop if need be. Prepare to do a drawing showing punch sizes for new receptacles
 
OMG! I did a little more searching on Google images for Electro-controls floor pocket and found this: https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/ariel-and-davis.39300/

ARIEL DAVIS

You folks are amazing.

The National Labor Relations Board says Ariel Davis Manufacturing became a division of Electro Controls. [B]@derekleffew, you rock![/B]
@EWCguy
You've been a poster for more than 10 years, has it REALLY taken you this long to arrive at your recent assessment of the depth and honesty of both the Control Booth forum AND more than 1 or 2 of it's posters??
@dvsDave
: Yet another HIGHLY APPRECIATIVE post attesting to the extreme value of YOUR site; (BTW; Let me add my personal thanks as well.)
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
The National Labor Relations Board says Ariel Davis Manufacturing became a division of Electro Controls.
NLRB is a source I certainly wasn't expecting. But, IIRC, it was more a hostile takeover than "became a division of..."
https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/ariel-davis-manufacturing-company.25269/#post-222543 , and somewhere on CB is more to the story.

BTW, since your floor pockets were installed in 1982, and not prior to 1964, I'm certain they say ELECTRO CONTROLS, not ARIEL DAVIS. I thought perhaps you also had their (in)famous "Channel Mount" connector strips as well.
 

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