Versatile paddle fan and ceiling electrical box

• US 20060016948A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Madison Electric Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Greg Herth
• Inventors: Herth, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 7,518,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/318
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/03 Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses F21V21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A deep truncated cylindrical electrical box with angled molded-in internal mounting brackets on the flat side surface is mounted to the side of a wooden or metal beam. This internal mounting feature is especially of interest in old work to minimize the size of drywall cutout by limiting it to the outer contour of the electrical box. Any device, such as a paddle fan, will be directly supported by an exterior supportive L-bracket, not by the molded box itself. Replacing the L-bracket with a heavy-duty cold rolled steel bar bracket permits fastening between two beams. An alternate embodiment for the electrical box itself supports lighter loads by the electrical box itself.

Claims

1. A ceiling mounted electrical box for supporting light and paddle fan fixtures comprising:

an extra deep cylindrical electrical box with a truncated flat side for attachment to a side wall of a ceiling beam;

said electrical box having a top wall and a bottom open end;

an angle mounted bracket within said box integral with said flat side for accommodating screws through said bracket into said side wall of said ceiling beam;

apertures in said top wall having push-in clamping covers for accommodating wiring from different directions;

mounting brackets along an inside surface of the cylindrical wall of said box terminating at a lower edge of said box to accommodate fixture plates of said supporting light and paddle fan fixtures; and

bottom surfaces of said mounting brackets having multiple threaded holes for alignment with hole spaces in said fixture plates.

2. The electrical box of claim 1 in which said top wall has an offset oval reinforcing ridge surrounding a screw hole to accommodate a ring lug of a grounding pigtail.

3. The electrical box of claim 1 having an accessory L-bracket for supporting heavy loads.

4. The electrical box of claim 3 in which said L-bracket has a flat vertical extension which is mounted between said flat side of said box and said side wall of said ceiling beam, said vertical section having holes in registration with emerging holes of said angled bracket within said box.

5. The electrical box of claim 4 in which said L-bracket has a horizontal section at right angles to said vertical extension for engaging a top surface of said top wall of said box.

6. The electrical box of claim 5 in which said horizontal section of said L-bracket has square holes in registration with holes in brackets along the inner surface of the wall of said box to accommodate carriage bolts to permit nuts on said carriage bolts to be torqued from the bottom to retain the electrical fixture in place.

7. The electrical box of claim 6 in which the outer top surface of said top wall of said box and said horizontal section of said L-bracket have adjoining physical features which allow said top surface and said horizontal section to be flush with each other when mounted.

8. The electrical box of claim 1 having accessories to allow said electrical box to be mounted between two ceiling beams.

9. The electrical box of claim 8 in which said accessories include a telescoping bar spanning said two ceiling beams and a bracket for attaching said electrical box to said bar between said ceiling beams.

10. The electrical box of claim 9 in which said bracket is adjustable along said telescoping bar to allow said electrical box to be positioned where desired between said ceiling beams.

11. The electrical box of claim 10 in which said bracket comprises wings and a footing for attachment to the top wall of said electrical box and a U-shaped section surrounding said telescoping bar, said wings, footing and U-shaped section being an integral member.

12. The electrical box of claim 11 in which said wings of said bracket have square holes in registration with holes in brackets along the inner surface of the wall of said box to accommodate carriage bolts to permit nuts on said carriage bolts to be torqued from the bottom to support the electrical fixture.

13. The electrical box of claim 11 in which the outer top surface of said top wall if said box and said wings and footing of said bracket have adjoining physical features which allow said top surface and said wings and footing of said bracket to be flush with each other when mounted.

14. A ceiling mounted electrical box for supporting light and paddle fan fixtures comprising:

an extra deep cylindrical electrical box with a truncated flat side for attachment to a side wall of a ceiling beam;

said electrical box having a top wall and a bottom open end;

an angle mounted bracket within said box integral with said flat side for accommodating screws through said bracket into said side wall of said ceiling beam;

apertures in said top wall having push-in clamping covers for accommodating wiring from different directions; and

,

mounting brackets along an inside surface of the cylindrical wall of said box terminating at a lower edge of said box to accommodate fixture plates.