Electrical wiring box arrangement

• US 4,447,030 A
• Filed: 03/30/1981
• Issued: 05/08/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commander Electrical Materials, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Commander Electrical Materials, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Nattel, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Application Number:
  US06/248,933
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 248/205.1, 248/DIG. 6, 248/27.1, 174/58, 220/3.9
• US Class Current: 248/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An electrical wiring box arrangement particularly adapted for mounting on a metal support structure such as a U-shaped or I-shaped metal dry-wall stud includes an L-shaped mounting bracket with deformable leg portions and a wiring box. The wall structure of the box is provided with attachment tabs and the bracket with a number of correspondingly positioned tab-receiving openings which permit flush mounting of the wiring box arrangement with a variety of thicknesses of dry-wall panel.

The legs of the mounting bracket are easily deformed by hand around the flanges of the metal stud permitting the mounting of the wiring box arrangement to either side of the stud and to metal studs of a variety of depths.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring box arrangement for mounting on a metal supporting structure of the type having substantially parallel first and second flange portions and a web portion disposed therebetween, said flange portions each having first and second corner regions, the wiring box arrangement comprising:

an electrical wiring box having front-to-rear walls and a rear wall therebetween defining a chamber with a forward opening adapted to receive a wiring device; and

a mounting bracket for attachment to said wiring box and for mounting to said metal supporting structure, said mounting bracket having first and second deformable leg portions disposed to form a substantially right angle with one another;

said first leg portion having a plurality of sets of spaced apart openings adapted to coact with attachment means disposed in said front-to-rear wall structure of said wiring box to attach said wiring box to said mounting bracket with the plane of said forward opening of said box spaced apart and projecting forward of the plane of said second leg portion of said mounting bracket by a selected one of a like plurality of distances;

said second leg portion adapted to be positioned against said first flange portion of said metal supporting structure between said first and second corner regions thereof in preparation for mounting said bracket to the supporting structure, said second leg portion arranged initially to extend past said first corner region of said first flange portion of said metal supporting structure and, when deformed, to conform generally to the configuration of and embrace said first corner region of said first flange portion;

said first leg portion adapted to be positioned against said second corner region of said first flange portion and against said second corner region of said second flange portion, said first leg portion thus positioned to lie between said first and said second flange portions substantially parallel with said web portion, said first leg portion arranged initially to extend past said second corner region of said second flange portion of said metal supporting structure and, when deformed, to conform generally to the configuration of said second corner region of said second flange portion;

the balance of the length of said first leg portion of said mounting bracket thus being positioned against said second flange portion of said supporting structure between said first and said second corner regions thereof, the balance of said first leg portion arranged initially to extend past said first corner region of said second flange portion and, when deformed, to conform generally to the configuration of and embrace said first corner region of said second flange portion of said supporting structure;

whereby said wiring box arrangement is caused to be firmly mounted to said supporting structure with the plane of said forward opening of said wiring box projecting and spaced apart from the plane of said first flange portion of said supporting structure.

2. An electrical wiring box arrangement in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of set of openings in said first leg portion consists of three spaced apart triads of openings in said first leg portion positioned to coact with said attachment means disposed in the wall structure of said box to attach said box to said mounting bracket with the plane of said forward opening of said box projecting forward of the plane of said second leg portion of said bracket by any one of three predetermined distances.

3. An electrical wiring box arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein said predetermined distances are about 5/8 inch, 1/2 inch, and 5/8 inch.

4. An electrical wiring box arrangement in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first leg portion of said bracket is between about 51/2 inches to about 61/2 inches in length.

5. An electrical wiring box arrangement in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second leg portion of said bracket is between about 2 inches to about 3 inches in length.