Adjustable bracket for securing an electrical box to a stud

• US 7,073,757 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven J., Jorgensen, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US10/731,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 248/205.1, 248/906, 248/300, 248/343, 248/222.12, 248/229.16, 248/229.26, 248/221.11, 248/222.11, 248/222.13, 174/58, 220/3.9
• US Class Current: 248/205.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An electrical box bracket has an adjustable member to facilitate securing the bracket to supports of varying sizes. The bracket has first and second legs that are connected by a third leg. A cut-out extends from the first leg onto the third leg. The adjustable member is formed by the cut-out to facilitate securing the bracket to the support. A centerline on the third leg of the bracket is adapted to be aligned with corresponding indicia on the support. The support indicia is visible through the cut-out to facilitate positioning the bracket on the support. A plurality of weld projections on the second leg facilitate securing a variety of different electrical boxes to the electrical box bracket.

Claims

1. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support, comprising:

a first leg;

a second leg;

a third leg connecting said first leg to said second leg and having at least one fastener hole to facilitate securing said bracket to the support, said first and second legs extending in substantially the same direction from said third leg;

a cut-out extending from said first leg onto said third leg; and

an adjustable member formed by said cut-out to facilitate securing said bracket to the support, said adjustable member having a fixed proximal end and a free distal end.

2. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said second leg is substantially parallel to said first leg.

3. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said cut-out is substantially U-shaped.

4. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said adjustable member has an end on said first leg of said bracket.

5. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 4, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a plurality of weld projections to facilitate securing the electrical box to said bracket.

6. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a bent distal end.

7. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 6, wherein

said bent distal end of said second leg extends at an angle of substantially 45 degrees.

8. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a step to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

9. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said third leg is substantially perpendicular to said first and second legs.

10. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

said bracket is made of steel.

11. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 1, wherein

a centerline is marked on said third leg of said bracket adjacent an end of said cut-out, said centerline being alignable with corresponding indicia on the support visible through said cut-out.

12. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 11, wherein

said centerline is stamped in said third leg of said bracket.

13. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support, comprising:

a first leg having first and second ends;

a second leg having third and fourth ends, said second leg being substantially parallel to said first leg;

a third leg having fifth and sixth ends, said fifth end of said third leg being connected to said second end of said first leg and said sixth end of said third leg being connected to said fourth end of said second leg;

a cut-out extending from said first leg onto said third leg;

an adjustable member formed by said cut-out to facilitate securing said bracket to the support; and

a bent distal end extending outwardly at said third end of said second leg.

14. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said third leg is substantially perpendicular to said first and second legs.

15. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said bent distal end extends at an angle of substantially 45 degrees from the second leg.

16. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said cut-out is substantially U-shaped.

17. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said adjustable member has an end on said first leg of said bracket.

18. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a plurality of weld projections to facilitate securing the electrical box to said bracket.

19. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a step to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

20. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said bracket is made of steel.

21. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

said third leg of said bracket has at least one fastener hole to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

22. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 13, wherein

a centerline is marked on said third leg of said bracket adjacent an end of said cut-out, said centerline being alignable with corresponding indicia on the support visible through said cut-out.

23. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 22, wherein

said centerline is stamped in said third leg of said bracket.

24. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support, comprising:

a first leg having first and second ends;

a second leg having third and fourth ends, said second leg being substantially parallel to said first leg;

a third leg having fifth and sixth ends, said fifth end of said third leg being connected to said second end of said first leg and said sixth end of said third leg being connected to said fourth end of said second leg, said third leg being substantially perpendicular to said first and second legs;

a substantially U-shaped cut-out extending from a fixed end on said first leg onto said third leg;

an adjustable member formed by said cut-out to facilitate securing said bracket to the support;

a bent distal end extending outwardly at said third end of said second leg;

a plurality of weld projections on said second leg to facilitate attaching said bracket to the electrical box; and

at least one fastener hole on said third leg to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

25. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 24, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a step to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

26. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 24, wherein

said bracket is made of steel.

27. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 24, wherein

said bent distal end extends at an angle of substantially 45 degrees from said second leg.

28. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 24, wherein

a centerline is marked on said third leg of said bracket adjacent an end of said cut-out, said centerline being alignable with corresponding indicia on the support visible through said cut-out.

29. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 28, wherein

said centerline is stamped in said third leg of said bracket.

30. A method of securing a bracket to a support, comprising the steps of securing an electrical box to the bracket,

bending an adjustable member formed by the cut-out in the bracket to engage the support to which the bracket is being secured,

aligning a centerline on the bracket with indicia on the support, the indicia being visible through a cut-out in the bracket,

positioning the bracket on the support, and

securing the bracket to the support.

31. A method of securing a bracket to a support according to claim 30, wherein

the step of securing the bracket to the support comprises inserting fasteners through fastener holes in the bracket and into the support.

32. A method of securing a bracket to a support according to claim 30, wherein

the step of securing the electrical box to the bracket comprises welding weld projections on the bracket to the electrical box.

33. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support, comprising:

a first leg;

a second leg having a plurality of weld projections to facilitate securing the electrical box to said bracket;

a third leg connecting said first leg to said second leg, said first and second legs extending in substantially the same direction from said third leg;

a cut-out extending from said first leg onto said third leg; and

an adjustable member formed by said cut-out to facilitate securing said bracket to the support, said adjustable member having a fixed proximal end and a free distal end, said fixed end being connected to said first leg.

34. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 33, wherein

said second leg is substantially parallel to said first leg.

35. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 33, wherein

said cut-out is substantially U-shaped.

36. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 33, wherein

said second leg of said bracket has a step to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.

37. A bracket for securing an electrical box to a support according to claim 33, wherein

said third leg of said bracket has at least one fastener hole to facilitate securing said bracket to the support.