"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article et,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
A '''pattress''' is

Possibly not a word. At least my Concise OED doesn't have it (the
online OED is subscription) niether do a couple of other online
dictionaries. There is a wikipedia entry but that is wikipedia, pass
the salt, thank you.

However I have used the word, so it does "exist" but I use it to mean a
multiple outlet flex mounted trailing socket. What this article
describes I would call a "back box".

Yes - go into any wholesaler in London and you'd get a blank look if
asking for a pattress. And from my spell checker. ;-)

My opinion is it was those wood plates older surface mounted switches
were fixed to. So the nearest modern equivalent would be those rare
spacers which go between backing box and fitting - sometimes called
mounting frames.

I'd stick to backing box - that qualified by the material, size and type
will get you what's needed anywhere
Like metal flush 35mm 2 gang backing box



The full OED defines pattress as "A wooden or plastic block attached to a
surface to receive a gas bracket, electric light switch, ceiling rose, etc.;
the base of a wall socket."

Dates back to 1886 according to the OED, when it was a block for mounting a
gas fitting. They quote 1969 A. J. COKER Electr. Wiring (ed. 7) v. 81
"Pattress boxes are also available to convert flush-type to surface
mounting"

I've certainly always believed a pattress was surface mounting and I've
never used the term to mean a flush mounting box. But then dictionaries
reflect usage they don't create it.