Extension bracket for mounting electrical outlet box

• US 4,603,789 A
• Filed: 12/24/1985
• Issued: 08/05/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lewis B. Medlin Jr
• Original Assignee: Lewis B. Medlin Jr
• Inventors: Medlin, Lewis B. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US06/813,258
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.9, 220/3.3, 220/3.4, 220/3.5, 220/3.6, 220/3.7
• US Class Current: 220/3.9
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame

Abstract

An outlet box (the term "outlet box" is also intended to encompass a junction box) mounting bracket useful for mounting an outlet box has slots to accept the shanks of outlet box mounting screws to eliminate the necessity of removing the screws when assembling the outlet box to one side of the bracket and a dry wall ring to the opposite side of the bracket. The bracket has an L-shape with right angled plate portions at one end, one of which plate portions is adapted to serve as a stiffening arm between the walls. At the opposite end, another flat plate portion is adapted to be secured to an extension plate in turn secured to a stud. In one embodiment, a recessed plate portion between the ends of the bracket contains the mentioned slots around an opening which registers with the interior chamber of the box and brings the outer surface of a dry wall ring in the same plane as the front outermost plane of the bracket. The extension plate has sets of holes enabling the bracket and thus the outlet box to be adjustably offset from the stud.

Claims

1. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly, comprising:

(a) a square outlet box having integrally joined base and sidewalls formed with a selected number and size of knock-out discs and on the outer edge of each sidewall of one opposed pair of said sidewalls having at least one inwardly-directed, laterally-spaced screw receiving tab with a threaded hole and positioned to provide at least one pair of diagonally opposite said tabs overlying an interior chamber formed by said box;

(b) a dry wall ring having a central opening and a peripheral plate flange with screw clearance openings arranged for being mated to said tab threaded holes;

(c) a mounting bracket comprising an L-shaped unitary mounting bracket formed of a single piece of stiff sheet material, including;

(i) first and second contiguous rectangular plate portions in right angular relation at a first end of said bracket, said first plate portion being sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed to thereby serve as a stiffening member for said bracket; and

(ii) a plate body portion extending outwardly from said second plate portion having;

(aa) at an outer end a third rectangular flat plate end portion in the same plane as the plane of said second plate portion, said third plate end portion being adapted for securement to one end surface of an extension plate and having a pair of holes formed therein for receiving a mating pair of fasteners to effect said securement;

(bb) between said third plate portion and second plate portion having a fourth rectangular plate portion in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(cc) an opening in said fourth plate portion substantially defined by opposed straight parallel upper and lower and opposed straight parallel right and left side edges and corner edges formed in said fourth plate portion around said opening, said opening being sized to register with the interior chamber of said box with the width of said opening being substantially equal to the spacing between a tab on one of said sidewalls and the opposite tab on another of said sidewalls;

(dd) a first pair of laterally spaced screw slots matable with at least one of said tabs located adjacent a selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening;

(ee) a second pair of laterally spaced screw slots matable with at least one other of said tabs extending from a second selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening opposite said first selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening, said second slots having a depth sufficient for at least limited box mounting adjustment on said bracket in the direction in which said slots are oriented and being positioned opposite to said first pair of slots; and

(ff) a flange ring turning surface established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof and formed such that when a selected screw clearance opening on said dry wall ring rotates around a screw installed in a selected one of said tab threaded holes as another diagonally opposite selected said screw clearance opening is positioned to engage another diagonally opposite screw in another diagonally opposite said tab threaded hole, the bottom surface of said dry wall ring is able to slide on said fourth plate portion;

(d) a plurality of screws adapted for being loosely fitted in said slots and for being secured in said tab threaded holes; and

(e) a rectangular extension plate formed of a single piece of flat stiff sheet material with a stiffening arm at one end in right angular relation and sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed and having a plurality of sets of pairs of holes spaced lengthwise thereof located and adapted for receiving fasteners to secure an opposite end of said plate to the front surface of a stud utilizing one selected pair of said holes to establish the distance by which said bracket is offset from said stud and to secure said one end to said bracket third plate portion utilizing another selected pair of said holes in said plate mating a pair of holes in said bracket third plate portion,

whereby when a said bracket has the third plate portion thereof secured to said one end of said extension plate and the opposite end of the extension plate is in turn secured to the front surface of a construction stud and fasteners are installed to perfect the securement and an electric outlet box is positioned adjacent the inner side of said fourth plate portion of said bracket in position with respect thereto so that the interior of said respective electric outlet box is accessible through the respective said fourth plate portion opening adjacent thereto and a dry wall ring is fixed to the other side of said fourth plate portion, said first plate portion tend to stiffen said bracket, said stiffening arm tends to stiffen said plate and said slots enable said outlet box, bracket and dry wall ring to be held in operative position with screws passed through said slots and secured in said tab-threaded holes with said tabs being oriented to mate with selected edges surrounding the respective said opening adjacent said box and whereby the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

2. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly, comprising:

(a) a square outlet box having integrally joined base and sidewalls formed with a selected number and size of knock-out discs and on the outer edge of each sidewall of one opposed pair of said sidewalls having a pair of inwardly-directed, laterally-spaced screw receiving tabs with threaded holes and overlaying an interior chamber formed by said box with the pair of tabs on one said sidewall opposing and being laterally spaced apart the same distance as the pair of tabs on the opposite said sidewall;

(b) a dry wall ring having a central opening and a peripheral plate flange with screw clearance openings arranged for being mated to said tab threaded holes;

(c) a mounting bracket comprising an L-shaped unitary mounting bracket formed of a single piece of stiff sheet material, including;

(i) first and second contiguous rectangular plate portions in right angular relation at a first end of said bracket, said first plate portion being sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed to thereby serve as a stiffening member for said bracket; and

(ii) a plate body portion extending outwardly from said second plate portion having;

(aa) at an outer end a third rectangular flat plate end portion in the same plane as the plane of said second plate portion, said third plate end portion being adapted for securement to one end surface of an extension plate and having a pair of holes formed therein for receiving a mating pair of fasteners to effect said securement;

(bb) between said third plate portion and second plate portion having a fourth rectangular plate portion in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(cc) a substantially square opening in said fourth plate portion substantially defined by opposed straight parallel upper and lower and opposed straight parallel right and left side edges and corner edges formed in said fourth plate portion around said opening, said right and left edges being parallel to said offsets and said opening being sized to register with the interior chamber of said box with the width of said opening being substantially equal to the spacing between a tab on one of said sidewalls and the opposite tab on another of said sidewalls;

(dd) a first pair of laterally spaced screw slots extending from the said upper edge of said fourth plate portion opening, said slot lateral spacing being equal to the lateral spacing between the threaded holes in each of said pair of tabs;

(ee) a second pair of laterally spaced screw slots extending from the said lower edge of said fourth plate portion opening, said second pair of slots having a depth compared to the depth of said first pair of slots sufficient for at least limited vertical box mounting adjustment on said bracket and being positioned opposite to said first pair of slots, said lateral spacing between said second pair of slots also being equal to the lateral spacing between the threaded holes in each of said pair of tabs;

(ff) a third pair of laterally spaced screw slots extending from the left edge of said fourth plate portion opening and having a lateral spacing substantially equal to the lateral spacing of said first and second pair of slots;

(gg) a fourth pair of laterally spaced screw slots extending from the right edge of said fourth plate portion opening, said fourth pair of slots being positioned opposite to the position of said third pair of slots and having a lateral spacing equal thereto and a depth compared to the depth of said first, second and third pair of slots enabling horizontal box mounting adjustment on said bracket;

(hh) a flange ring turning surface established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof and formed such that when a selected screw clearance opening on said dry wall ring rotates around a screw installed in a selected one of said tab threaded holes as another diagonally opposite selected said screw clearance opening is positioned to engage another diagonally opposite screw in another diagonally opposite said tab threaded hole, the bottom surface of said dry wall ring is able to slide on said fourth plate portion; and

(ii) between each pair of slots at the corners of said opening an outwardly curved edge serving as a continuation of the slot edge on either side thereof;

(d) a plurality of screws adapted for being loosely fitted in said slots and for being secured in said tab threaded holes,

(e) a rectangular extension plate formed of a single piece of flat stiff sheet material with a stiffening arm at one end in right angular relation and sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed and having a plurality of sets of pairs of holes spaced lengthwise thereof located and adapted for receiving fasteners to secure an opposite end of said plate to the front surface of a stud utilizing one selected pair of said holes to establish the distance by which said bracket is offset from said stud and to secure said one end to said bracket third plate portion utilizing another selected pair of said holes in said plate mating a pair of holes in said bracket third plate portion,

whereby when a said bracket has the third plate portion thereof secured to said one end of said extension plate and the opposite end of the extension plate is in turn secured to the front surface of a construction stud and fasteners are installed to perfect the securement and an electric outlet box is positioned adjacent the inner side of said fourth plate portion of said bracket in position with respect thereto so that the interior of said respective electric outlet box is accessible through the respective said fourth plate portion opening adjacent thereto and a dry wall ring is fixed to the other side of said fourth plate portion, said first plate portion tend to stiffen said bracket, said stiffening arm tends to stiffen said plate and said slots enable said outlet box, bracket and dry wall ring to be held in operative position with screws passed through said slots and secured in said tab-threaded holes with said tabs being oriented to mate with selected edges surrounding the respective said opening adjacent said box and whereby the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

3. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly, comprising:

(a) a square outlet box having integrally joined base and sidewalls formed with a selected number and size of knock-out discs and on the outer edge of each sidewall of one opposed pair of said sidewalls having at least one inwardly-directed, laterally-spaced screw receiving tab with a threaded hole and positioned to provide at least one pair of diagonally opposite said tabs overlying an interior chamber formed by said box;

(b) a dry wall ring having a central opening and a peripheral plate flange with screw clearance openings arranged for being mated to said tab threaded holes;

(c) a unitary mounting bracket formed of a single piece of stiff sheet material, including;

(i) first and second contiguous rectangular plate portions in right angular relation at a first end of said bracket, said first plate portion being sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed to thereby serve as a stiffening member for said bracket; and

(ii) a plate body portion extending outwardly from said second plate portion having;

(aa) at an outer end a third rectangular flat plate end portion in the same plane as the plane of said second plate portion;

(bb) between said third plate portion and second plate portion having a fourth rectangular plate portion;

(cc) an opening in said fourth plate portion substantially defined by opposed straight parallel upper and lower and opposed straight parallel right and left side edges and corner edges formed in said fourth plate portion around said opening, said opening being sized to register with the interior chamber of said box with the width of said opening being substantially equal to the spacing between a tab on one of said sidewalls and the opposite tab on another of said sidewalls;

(dd) a first pair of laterally spaced screw slots matable with at least one of said tabs located adjacent a selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening;

(ee) a second pair of laterally spaced screw slots matable with at least one other of said tabs extending from a second selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening opposite said first selected edge of said fourth plate portion opening, said second slots having a depth sufficient for at least limited box mounting adjustment on said bracket in the direction in which said slots are oriented and being positioned opposite to said first pair of slots; and

(ff) a flange ring turning surface established and formed such that when a selected screw clearance opening on said dry wall ring rotates around a screw installed in a selected one of said tab threaded holes as another diagonally opposite selected said screw clearance opening is positioned to engage another diagonally opposite screw in another diagonally opposite said tab threaded hole, the bottom surface of said dry wall ring is able to slide on said fourth plate portion;

(d) a plurality of screws adapted for being loosely fitted in said slots and for being secured in said tab threaded holes; and

(e) a rectangular extension plate having one end secured to and extending from said third plate portion and formed of a single piece of flat stiff sheet material and having a plurality of sets of pairs of holes spaced lengthwise thereof located and adapted for receiving fasteners to secure an opposite end of said plate to the front surface of a stud utilizing one selected pair of said holes to establish the distance by which said bracket is offset from said stud,

whereby when a said bracket has the third plate portion thereof secured to said one end of said extension plate and the opposite end of the extension plate is in turn secured to the front surface of a construction stud and fasteners are installed to perfect the securement and an electric outlet box is positioned adjacent the inner side of said fourth plate portion of said bracket in position with respect thereto so that the interior of said respective electric outlet box is accessible through the respective said fourth plate portion opening adjacent thereto and a dry wall ring is fixed to the other side of said fourth plate portion, said first plate portion tends to stiffen said bracket and said slots enable said outlet box, bracket and dry wall ring to be held in operative position with screws passed through said slots and secured in said tab-threaded holes with said tabs being oriented to mate with selected edges surrounding the respective said opening adjacent said box.

4. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said mounting bracket and extension plate are formed of a single piece of sheet metal as a unitary structure.

5. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said third plate end portion is adapted for securement to one end surface of an extension plate and has a pair of holes formed therein for receiving a mating pair of fasteners to effect said securement;

(b) said fourth rectangular plate portion is in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(c) said flange ring turning surface is established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof;

(d) said extension plate is formed with a stiffening arm at one end in right angular relation and sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed;

(e) said extension plate is secured to said third plate portion utilizing mating holes formed in each; and

(f) the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

6. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said fourth rectangular plate portion resides in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(b) said flange ring turning surface is established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof; and

(c) the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

7. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said mounting bracket is U-shaped and includes a fifth plate portion in right angular relation to said third plate portion and being sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed to thereby serve as a stiffening member for said bracket; and

(b) said extension plate comprises a flat sheet metal plate secured to said third plate portion.

8. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said extension plate includes a stiffening arm formed of a metal strip secured at one edge to an opening in the body of said plate and bent therefrom in perpendicular relation thereto.

9. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said extension plate includes a stiffening arm formed of a metal strip secured at one edge to an opening in the body of said plate and bent therefrom in perpendicular relation thereto;

(b) said mounting bracket and extension plate are formed of a single piece of sheet metal as a unitary structure;

(c) said fourth rectangular plate portion is in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion; and

(d) said flange ring turning surface is established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof.

10. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein;

(a) said third plate end portion is adapted for securement to one end surface of an extension plate and has a pair of holes formed therein for receiving a mating pair of fasteners to effect said securement;

(b) said fourth rectangular plate portion is in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(c) said flange ring turning surface is established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof;

(d) the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

(e) said mounting bracket is U-shaped and includes a fifth plate portion in right angular relation to said third plate portion and being sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed to thereby serve as a stiffening member for said bracket; and

(f) said extension plate comprises a flat sheet metal plate secured to said third plate portion.

11. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said mounting bracket and extension plate are formed of a single piece of sheet metal as a unitary structure;

(b) said extension plate includes a stiffening arm formed of a metal strip secured at one edge to an opening in the body of said plate and bent therefrom in perpendicular relation thereto; and

(c) said fourth rectangular plate portion is bounded by at least one offset formed on one side thereof.

12. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said extension plate includes a stiffening arm formed of a metal strip secured at one edge to an opening in the body of said plate and bent therefrom in perpendicular relation thereto; and

(b) said mounting bracket and extension plate are formed of a single piece of sheet metal as a unitary structure.

13. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said extension plate comprises a flat sheet metal plate secured to said third plate portion;

(b) said mounting bracket and extension plate are formed of a single piece of sheet metal as a unitary structure;

(c) said fourth rectangular plate portion resides in a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said second and third plate portions by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of a said dry wall ring flange, said fourth plate portion plane being established by parallel offsets formed on both sides of said fourth plate portion;

(d) said flange ring turning surface is established by the spacing of said right and left edges of said opening from the said respective offsets on either side thereof; and

(e) the outer surface of the flange of said ring is maintained when said screws are tightened in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of said second and third plate portions of said bracket on which said ring is mounted.

14. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said third plate end portion is adapted for securement to one end surface of an extension plate and has a pair of holes formed therein for receiving a mating pair of fasteners to effect said securement;

(b) said fourth rectangular plate portion is bounded by at least one offset formed on one side thereof.

(c) said extension plate is formed with a stiffening arm at one end in right angular relation and sufficiently wide to substantially equal the width of the interior space of the wall on which said bracket is installed; and

(d) said extension plate is secured to said third plate portion utilizing mating holes formed in each; and

15. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mountig assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said extension plate stiffening arm includes a hole passing therethrough for passage of electrical conduit and the like.

16. A single electrical outlet box stud offset mounting asembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first plate portion includes a hole passing therethrough for passage of electrical conduit and the like.