Outlet box bracket with adjustable stabilizer

• US 4,732,356 A
• Filed: 10/23/1986
• Issued: 03/22/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1986
• 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): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/922,894
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 248/27.1, 248/DIG. 6, 220/3.9, 220/3.92, 174/58
• 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 outlet box mounting bracket is formed with a right angle extension to stabilize the bracket. The right angle extension can be bent to reduce the effective size of the extension or can be secured to an auxiliary extension plate to increase the effective size of the extension. The auxiliary extension plate is also adapted to be bent for obtaining further variations in effective size of the extension.

Claims

1. An outlet box mounting assembly comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket formed from a unitary section of stiff sheet material including;

(i) a flat plate body portion having at least one relatively large central opening of a size and shape to register substantially with the interior chamber of an outlet box and end portions on opposite ends of said body portion forming extensions thereof, said flat plate body portion and end portions residing in offset substantially parallel planes separated by at least one defined offset formed in said bracket between said body portion and an end portion;

(ii) at least a pair of screw shank receiving slots formed through said flat plate body portion and disposed on a diagonal axis across said relatively large central opening; and

(iii) at least one right angular stabilizing rectangular plate extension disposed on one side of one of said end portions and extending outwardly therefrom, said plate extension terminating with at least one section of reduced width forming at least one leg portion having an outermost edge adapted to engage an opposing wall surface during use and being bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom enabling the size of said plate extension to be reduced.

2. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1 including an auxiliary extension plate adjustably mounted on said plate extension enabling the effective size of said plate extension to be increased without bending said leg portion.

3. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said section includes a slotted portion forming a pair of laterally-spaced, said leg portions, both of which are bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom.

4. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said auxiliary extension plate is formed with a slotted section forming laterally-spaced leg portions each having an outermost edge adapted to engage an opposing wall surface during use and being bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom enabling the size of said plate extension to be reduced.

5. An outlet box mounting assembly comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket formed from a unitary section of stiff sheet material including;

(i) a flat plate body portion having at least one end portion;

(ii) at least one right angular stabilizing rectangular plate extension disposed on one side of said end portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said plate extension terminating with at least one section of reduced width forming at least one leg portion having an outermost edge adapted to engage an opposing wall surface during use and being bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom enabling the size of said plate extension to be reduced.

6. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 5 including an auxiliary extension plate adjustably mounted on said plate extension enabling the effective size of said plate extension to be increased.

7. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said section includes a slotted portion forming a pair of laterally-spaced, said leg portions, both of which are bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom.

8. An outlet box mounting assembly comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket formed from a unitary section of stiff sheet material including;

(i) a flat plate body portion having at least one end portion;

(ii) at least one right angular stabilizing rectangular plate extension disposed on one side of said end portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said plate extension terminating with a slotted section forming a pair of laterally-spaced leg portions each having an outermost edge adapted to engage an opposing wall surface during use, both of which are bendable without breaking to reside in a plane substantially parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom enabling the size of said plate extension to be reduced; and

(iii) an auxiliary extension plate adjustably mounted on said plate extension enabling the effective size of said plate extension to be increased.

9. An outlet box mounting assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said auxiliary extension plate is formed with a slotted section forming laterally-spaced leg portions each having an outermost edge adapted to engage an opposing wall surface during use and both of which are bendable without breaking to reside in a plane parallel to said flat plate body portion and spaced a selected distance therefrom enabling the size of said plate extension to be reduced.