Universal low voltage box bracket

• US 7,549,549 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings Incorporated (NSI Industries, LLC)
• Inventors: Kiely, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/262,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.3, 220/3.7, 220/3.9, 220/4.02, 174/520, 174/542
• US Class Current: 220/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud

Abstract

A universal electric box bracket adapted for use in walls of various constructions having opposed side walls interconnected by opposed end walls to define a fully open ended rectangular box. The opposed side walls include outwardly extending flanges by which the box bracket may be secured to a stud or furring strip in variable orientated positions. The opposed end walls have connected thereto a pair of spaced apart rails for slidably receiving a support plate for supporting an electrical conduit. The support plate is constructed so that it can be detachably secured when supported between the rails. The respective end walls are also provided with spaced apart fastener supports for holding in place a fastener which can be driven into a supporting stud or framing of a wall structure as an alternate manner of attachment.

Claims

1. A universal low voltage electric box bracket adapted for use on various wall constructions:

a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls interconnected to said opposed side walls to define a rectangular box bracket having an opened front and back,

two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails connected on at least one of said end walls and extending substantially perpendicular to a back edge of the at least one of said end walls,

a conduit support to be detachably and slidably disposed between said two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails,

said conduit support having one end projecting laterally beyond said opened back of said box bracket when positioned between said two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails,

said projecting one end of said conduit support having a predetermined sized opening formed therein,

and means for detachably securing said conduit support on said one of said end walls.

2. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 1, where said means for securing said conduit support to said one end wall comprises:

an anchor pin projecting above the plane of said one end wall,

and a complementary slot formed in said conduit support,

said complementary slot having an enlarged opening intermediate the length of said slot forming a seat for receiving said anchor pin to detachably retain said conduit support on said one end wall.

3. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit support includes a frangible break away portion circumscribing said predetermined sized opening whereby said frangible break away portion is rendered readily removable to form an enlarged predetermined sized opening.

4. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 3 and including a pair of spaced apart and angularly offset fastener holder means projecting outwardly beyond the plane of at least one of said end walls for supporting a fastener therebetween,

each fastener holder means including a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending projections wherein the space defined between said pair of projections is slightly less than the diameter of a fastener to be received therebetween, and

one of said projections having a notch formed therein to define a seat for frictionally supporting a fastener between said extending projection.

5. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 1 and including a pair of spaced apart and angularly offset fastener holders project outwardly beyond the plane of each of said end walls,

each fastener holder means including a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending projections wherein the space defined between said pair of projections is slightly less than the diameter of a fastener to be received therebetween, and

one of said projections having a notch formed therein to define a seat for frictionally supporting a fastener between said extending projection.

6. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 5 and including:

a lateral flange connected to each of said side walls intermediately thereof and extending outwardly of said connected side wall for providing an alternate side mounting means for said box bracket.

7. A universal low voltage electric box as defined in claim 1 wherein said opposed end walls have a length sufficient to accommodate more than one electrical device between said side walls.

8. A universal low voltage electric box bracket for use on various wall constructions:

a pair of opposed side walls,

a pair of opposed end walls interconnected with said opposed side walls to define a rectangular box frame having an open front and back,

two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails forming a slideway on each of said opposed end walls,

said two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails extending substantially perpendicular to a back edge of its respective end wall,

a conduit support in the form of a plate slidably disposed between said two opposed parallel spaced apart slide rails,

said conduit support having a predetermined size hole formed therein,

a break away portion circumscribing said hole which is rendered readily removable to form an enlarged predetermined size opening,

securing means for detachably connecting said conduit support to its respective end wall,

a pair of transversely and laterally offset fastener holders mounted on each of said end walls,

each of said fastener holders include a pair of spaced apart projections extending beyond the outer surface of the corresponding end wall,

said spaced fastener support projection defining therebetween a space slightly less than the diameter of a fastener adapted to be received therebetween,

one of said support projections of each such pair having a notch to define a seat for a fastener supported therebetween,

a laterally outwardly extending flange connected to each of said side walls, and

opposed mounting bosses connected to the undersurface of said end walls adjacent the front of said box bracket, to which an electric device may be secured.

9. A universal low voltage box bracket as defined in claim 8 wherein said securing means includes:

an anchor pin projecting beyond the outer surface of each of said end walls,

a complementary slot formed in the end of said conduit support opposite said hole,

said slot having a width slightly less than the diameter of said anchor pin to provide a friction fit,

and said slot including an enlarged opening intermediate the length of said slot to provide a seat for said anchor pin in the assembled position to secure said conduit support to its corresponding end wall.

10. A universal low voltage electric box bracket as defined in claim 8 wherein said end walls have a length sufficient to accommodate more than one electric device within said box bracket.

11. A universal low voltage box bracket comprising:

a pair of opposed side walls,

a pair of opposed end walls interconnected between said side walls to define a rectangular bracket having an open front and back,

a pair of spaced apart slide rails extending transversely and substantially perpendicular to a back edge of said end walls to define a slideway on each of said end walls,

a conduit support arranged to be slidably disposed between said pair of spaced apart slide rails,

said conduit support having a predetermined sized opening adjacent one end thereof,

means whereby said opening may be readily enlarged at the option of the user,

means, placed between said pair of spaced apart slide rails, for detachably securing said conduit support to its associated end wall,

and a fastener holding means projecting outwardly of the respective end walls,

said fastener holding means including a pair of transversely, spaced apart and angularly offset fastener retainer relative to its respective end wall,

said fastener retainer including a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending projections wherein the space defined between each pair of said projections is slightly less than the diameter of the fastener supported therebetween,

said projections defining therebetween spaced fingers with a space having a width slightly less than the diameter of a fastener adapted to be received therein,

said projections being disposed immediately adjacent to each of said pair of spaced apart slide rails,

and one of said projections being formed with a notch to define a seat for retaining a fastener therein.