Electrical box mounting brackets

• US 7,036,782 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Team Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Team Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheatham, James F., Milne, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US10/763,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 248/298.1, 248/300, 248/906, 248/200.1
• US Class Current: 248/298.1
• 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

Electrical box mounting brackets for use in mounting electrical brackets between structural members in walls, floors or ceilings, such as, for example, between wall studs, ceiling joists or floor joists, and including brackets made of component sections that are fastened together in fixed relationship to each other, as well as brackets made of component parts in which the length sections are made to be in sliding relationship to each other, to provide an adjustable bracket that may be used between structural members separated by predetermined distances, such as 16 inches, 24 inches, or other distances.

Claims

1. An electrical box mounting bracket comprising:

a first substantially flat and elongated top rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a first end portion, a second end portion and having a length, width and thickness;

a second substantially flat and elongated top rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a first end portion, a second end portion and having length, width and thickness dimensions substantially the same as the corresponding dimensions of the first top rail;

a first substantially flat and elongated midsection rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a length, a first end, and a second end;

a second substantially flat and elongated midsection rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a length, a first end, and a second end;

a first substantially flat and elongated bottom rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a first end portion, a second end portion and having a length, width and thickness;

a second substantially flat and elongated bottom rail having at least one longitudinal edge, a first end portion, a second end portion and having length, width and thickness dimensions substantially the same as the corresponding dimensions of the first bottom rail;

a first crosstie having a first end portion and a second end portion and having a thickness substantially the same as said top rails and a length less than half the length of the first top rail;

a second crosstie having a first end portion and a second end portion and having substantially the same dimensions as the first crosstie;

the first top rail and the first crosstie fixedly joined at their respective first end portions such that their respective length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicular;

the second top rail fixedly joined at its first end portion to the second end portion of said first crosstie such that their respective length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicular and such that the length dimensions of the first top rail and the second top rail extend in the same direction and are parallel, to form a substantially “

U”

shaped structure;

the first bottom rail and the second crosstie fixedly joined at their respective first end portions such that their respective length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicular;

the second bottom rail fixedly joined at its first end portion to the second end portion of said second crosstie such that their respective length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicular and such that the length dimensions of the first bottom rail and the second bottom rail extend in the same direction and are parallel, to form a substantially “

U”

shaped structure;

a channel formed along said at least one longitudinal edge of the first midsection rail extending from said first end to said second end;

a channel formed along said at least one longitudinal edge of the second midsection rail extending from said first end to said second end;

said at least one longitudinal edge of said first top rail slidingly retained within said channel formed in the first midsection rail;

said at least one longitudinal edge of said second top rail slidingly retained within said channel formed in the second midsection rail;

said at least one longitudinal edge of said first bottom rail slidingly retained within said channel formed in the first midsection rail;

said at least one longitudinal edge of said second bottom rail slidingly retained within said channel formed in the second midsection rail;

said first crosstie, first top rail, first midsection rail, first bottom rail, second crosstie, second bottom rail, second midsection rail, and second top rail defining a substantially rectangular aperture of variable size;

at least one hole formed at a predetermined location in each of said first and second top rails;

at least one hole formed at a predetermined location in each of said first and second midsection rails;

at least one hole formed at a predetermined location in each of said first and second bottom rails;

said at least one hole in said rails defining at least one mounting location for attaching an electrical connection box to the bracket;

said at least one hole in said rails adapted to align with a fastener hole of an electrical connection box placed at said at least one mounting location; and

said at least one hole in said rails adapted to accommodate a fastener for attaching an electrical box to said bracket.

2. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein:

said bracket is continuously adjustable in length, to accommodate mounting between studs separated from about 16 inches to about 24 inches.

3. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 1 further including:

at least one flat tab formed integrally with at least one of said first top rail or said first midsection rail;

said at least one flat tab extending in the width dimension of at least one of said first top rail in a direction from said first top rail toward said second top rail, and extending along a portion of the length of said first top rail, or said at least one flat tab extending in the width dimension of at least one of said first midsection rail in a direction from said first midsection rail toward said second midsection rail, and extending along a portion of the length of said first midsection rail;

at least one hole formed in said at least one flat tab adapted to align with at least one fastener hole of an electrical box;

whereby an electrical box may be attached to the bracket by means of a fastener installed through said at least one hole formed in said at least one flat tab and an aligned electrical box fastener hole.

4. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 3 further including:

an adjustment slot formed in said at least one hole formed in said at least one flat tab.

5. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 3 or claim 4 wherein:

a said flat tab is adapted to be separated from a said rail along a score line.