Breakaway bracket assembly

• US 6,749,162 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Bourassa, Alain, Nicolides, Angelo S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wujciak, III, A. Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/256,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 248/906, 248/231.9, 248/219.4, 248/229.15, 248/229.25, 248/229.26, 248/228.6, 220/3.9, 220/3.2, 220/3.92, 220/3.6
• US Class Current: 248/231.9
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/105 in association with a plinth, channel, raceway or similar
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud

Abstract

A bracket assembly in which two brackets are attached laterally adjacent one another on a support. A first bracket is adapted to be attached to a support having a face that has a first width. A first leg of the first bracket has a first removable portion and a first non-removable portion. The first leg has a second width that is larger than one half of the first width. A second bracket is adapted to be attached to the support laterally adjacent the first bracket. A second leg of the second bracket has a second removable portion and a second non-removable portion and also has a third width that is larger than one half of the first width. The first and second non-removable portions have fourth and fifth widths, respectively, which are each less than one half of the first width of the support for positioning the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket laterally adjacent the second non-removable portion of the second leg of the second bracket on the face of the support when the first and second removable portions have been separated from the first and second brackets.

Claims

1. A bracket assembly, comprising:

a first bracket attached to a support having a face having a first width (a), said first bracket having a first unitarily formed leg having a first removable portion and a first non-removable portion and having a second width (b) that is larger than one half of the first width (a), said first removable portion being removable from said first non-removable portion;

a second bracket attached to the support, said second bracket having a second unitarily formed leg having a second removable portion and a second non-removable portion and also having a third width (b′

) that is larger than one half of the first width (a), said second removable portion being removable from said second non-removable portion; and

said first and second non-removable portions having fourth and fifth widths (c) and (c′

), respectively, that are less than one half of the first width (a) of the support for positioning said first non-removable portion of said first leg of said first bracket laterally adjacent said second non-removable portion of said second leg of said second bracket on the face of the support when said first and second removable portions have been separated from said first and second brackets.

2. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

each of said first and second brackets are comprised of steel.

3. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

each of said first and second non-removable portions has at least one fastener hole.

4. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

a third leg extends substantially perpendicularly from said first leg;

and

a fourth leg extends substantially perpendicularly from said second leg.

5. The bracket assembly according to claim 4, wherein

second width (b) is substantially equal to third width (b′

); and

fourth width (c) is substantially equal to fifth width (c′

).

6. The bracket assembly according to claim 5, wherein

each of said first and second non-removable portions has at least one first fastener hole for receiving a first fastener for securing each of said brackets to the support.

7. The bracket assembly according to claim 6, wherein

each of said third and fourth legs has at least one second fastener hole for receiving a second fastener for securing each of said brackets to the support.

8. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

each of said removable portions is removably attached to each of said non-removable portions by a perforated line, a score line or a plurality of tabs.

9. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

a member extends substantially perpendicularly from each of said first and second removable portions for mounting each of said first and second brackets to the support.

10. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

an arm extends substantially perpendicularly from each of said third and fourth legs of each of said first and second brackets.

11. The bracket assembly according to claim 10, wherein

said arm is movable between a first position flush with each of said third and fourth legs and a second position perpendicular to each of said third and fourth legs.

12. The bracket assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said arm has at least one fastener hole for receiving a fastener for securing said bracket to the stud.

13. The bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein

each of said first and second brackets is made of a flexible material.

14. A bracket assembly, comprising:

a first bracket including

a first leg having removable and non-removable portions and said first leg having a second width (b), said non-removable portion having a third width (c), said removable portion being removable from said non-removable portion;

a third leg extending substantially perpendicularly from said first leg;

a first arm unitarily formed with and pivotally attached to said third leg and movable between first and second positions, said first position being flush with said third leg and said second position being substantially perpendicular to said third leg; and

at least one first fastener hole in said first leg for receiving a first fastener for securing said bracket to a support having a first width (a); and

whereby said second width (b) is larger than one half of the first width (a) and said third width (c) is less than one half of the first width a such that a second bracket is attachable to the support laterally adjacent said first bracket after separating said removable portion from the first bracket.

15. The bracket assembly according to claim 14, wherein

said third leg has an outer perimeter within which said first arm is positioned when in said first position.

16. The bracket assembly according to claim 14, wherein

a first member extends substantially perpendicularly from said first leg to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

17. The bracket according to claim 14, wherein

said third leg has at least one second fastener hole for receiving a second fastener for securing said bracket to the support.

18. The bracket according to claim 14, wherein

said bracket is comprised of steel.

19. The bracket according to claim 14, wherein

said bracket is made of a flexible material.

20. The bracket according to claim 14, wherein

said removable portion of said first leg is attached to said non-removable portion by a perforated line, a score line or a plurality of tabs.

21. The bracket according to claim 14, wherein

said first arm has at least one third fastener hole for receiving a third fastener for securing said bracket to the support.

22. The bracket assembly according to claim 14, wherein

a second bracket attachable laterally adjacent said first bracket, said second bracket including

a second leg having removable and non-removable portions and having a third width (b′

), said non-removable portion having a fifth width (c′

);

a fourth leg extending substantially perpendicularly from said first leg;

a second arm pivotally attached to said fourth leg and movable between first and second positions, said first position being flush with said fourth leg and said second position being substantially perpendicular to said fourth leg; and

at least one first fastener hole in said second leg for receiving a first fastener for securing said bracket to a support having a first width a laterally adjacent said first bracket.

23. The bracket assembly according to claim 22, wherein

second width (b) is substantially equal to third width (b′

); and

fourth width (c) is substantially equal to fifth width (c′

).

24. A method of attaching brackets adjacent one another to a face of a support, comprising the steps of:

removing a first removable portion from a first non-removable portion of a first unitarily formed leg of a first bracket, the first leg of the first bracket having a second width (b) and the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket having a fourth width (c) less than one half of a first width (a) of the face of the support;

attaching the first bracket to the support;

removing a second removable portion from a second non-removable portion of a second leg of a second bracket, the second leg having a third width (b′

) and the second non-removable portion of the second bracket having a fifth width (c′

) less than one half of the first width (a) of the face of the support; and

attaching the second bracket to the support such that the second non-removable portion of the second leg of the second bracket is positioned laterally adjacent the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket on the face of the support.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising

wrapping a third leg of the first bracket around the support; and

wrapping a fourth leg of the second bracket around the support.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein

attaching the first bracket to the support comprises attaching the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket to the face of the support;

and

attaching the second bracket to the support comprises attaching the second non-removable portion of the second leg of the second bracket to the face of the support.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein

the second width (b) is substantially equal to third width (b′

); and

the fourth width (c) is substantially equal to fifth width (c′

).