Adjustable electrical box for flush or offset mounting of electrical devices on brick or stone walls

• US 7,462,775 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gretz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/893,695
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/57, 174/64, 174/63, 174/135, 220/3.6, 220/3.9, 220/3.92, 220/3.5, 439/535, 248/906, 335/28, 361/600
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/10 for surface mounting on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/16 structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An adjustable electrical box assembly for mounting an electrical device on a stone wall either flush with the wall or at a desired offset. The assembly includes a base member, anchoring members, an electrical box, and an optional base extender. For a wall constructed of narrow depth stones, the base member is mounted directly to the substrate using the anchoring members. For a wall constructed of thick stones, the base member and base extender are secured together with the anchoring members and the assembly is secured to the substrate. The offset of the electrical box from the wall surface is set by adjusting the position of attachment of the anchoring members with respect to the sidewalls of the base member and base extender. The electrical box is adapted to receive a light fixture or similar electrical device.

Claims

1. An adjustable electrical box assembly for mounting an electrical device on a wall having a substrate and a wall covering thereon comprising:

a base member including sidewalls having a base edge, a top wall, and a circular lip extending from said top wall;

an electrical box secured to said base member, said electrical box including sidewalls, a back wall, and a peripheral flange;

one or more L-shaped anchoring members, said anchoring members including a short leg and a long leg;

an optional base extender for extending said electrical box and base member farther from said substrate when said base member alone is not sufficient to extend said peripheral flange of said electrical box beyond said wall covering; and

said anchoring members for adjusting the distance of said base extender with respect to said substrate.

2. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein said base extender includes

a frame member including an open top, an open bottom, and sidewalls having a top edge;

a plurality of apertures in said sidewalls of said base extender, said apertures aligned longitudinally along said sidewalls of said extender; and

a peripheral lip extending from said top edge of said sidewalls.

3. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 2 including a second mounting arrangement of said assembly wherein

said sidewalls of said base member include a height;

said height of said sidewalls of said base member is less than the thickness of the wall covering;

said base edge of said sidewalls of said base member is telescopically received on said peripheral lip of said base extender;

said long leg of said anchoring member is secured to said sidewall of said base member and to said sidewall of said base extender; and

said short leg of said anchoring member is secured to the substrate.

4. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 2 including a plurality of tabs extending outward from said sidewalls of said base extender.

5. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 4 wherein

said tabs are aligned in columns along said sidewalls of said base extender;

and

said base extender includes a longitudinal gap along said sidewalls of said base extender between said columns of tabs.

6. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 5 wherein

said short leg of said anchoring member is slideable within said longitudinal gap between said tabs of said base member;

and

the position of said short leg with respect to said sidewalls of said base member is selected to arrange for the desired offset of said electrical box from the wall.

7. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 including a first mounting arrangement of said assembly wherein

said sidewalls of said base member include a height;

said height of said sidewalls of said base member is greater than the thickness of the wall covering

said short leg of said anchoring member is secured to said sidewall of said base member; and

said long leg of said anchoring member is secured to the substrate.

8. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 including

a plurality of apertures in said sidewalls of said base member, said apertures aligned longitudinally along said sidewalls of said base member;

and

a plurality of tabs extending outward from said sidewalls of said base member.

9. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 8 wherein

said tabs are aligned in columns along said sidewalls of said base member;

and

said base member includes a longitudinal gap along said sidewalls between said columns of tabs.

10. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 including

an inner periphery on said lip of said base member;

one or more bosses integral with said lip of said base member; and

said bosses arranged around said inner periphery of said lip.

11. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 10 including a bore in each of said bosses.

12. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 10 including apertures in said back wall of said electrical box.

13. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 12 wherein

said sidewalls of said electrical box are telescopically received within said lip of said base member;

and

fastening of said electrical box to said base member includes securing fasteners through said apertures in said back wall of said electrical box into said bosses of said base member.

14. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 13 wherein said peripheral flange of said electrical box extends laterally substantially beyond said sidewalls of said base member when said electrical box is secured to said base member.

15. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein said anchoring member includes

a slot arranged longitudinally in said long leg;

and

a slot arranged longitudinally in said short leg.

16. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein said electrical box includes

a plurality of bosses integral with and extending from said sidewalls of said electrical box;

bores in said bosses; and

one or more removable wall sections in said back wall of said electrical box, said removable wall sections forming knockouts in said back wall of said electrical box.

17. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 16 wherein said bores in said bosses of said electrical box are capable of receiving fasteners there through from the bracket of an electrical fixture for securing the electrical fixture to said adjustable electrical box assembly.

18. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 including

an apron integral with and extending rearward from said peripheral flange of said electrical box;

and

an electrical enclosure defined by said sidewalls and said back wall.

19. The adjustable electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said base member is molded in one piece of plastic;

said electrical box is molded in one piece of plastic; and

said anchoring member is formed in one piece of plastic or metal.