Multi-gang adjustable electrical box

• US 9,035,175 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Korcz, Krzysztof W., Ayrton, Mahran H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US13/632,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 439/535, 248/906, 220/4.02
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/083 Inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An electrical box assembly includes an electrical box having a removable partition plate that can be positioned between the ends of the electrical box or at the end of the electrical box when two or more of the electrical boxes are ganged together. The electrical box can include a mounting bracket having a body portion attached to a wall of the box for supporting the box during use. A support member is coupled to the mounting bracket and is extendable to a length to contact the opposing wall. The mounting and the support member are independently adjustable with respect to the box.

Claims

1. An electrical box assembly comprising:

a first electrical box having a rear wall, opposing side walls, and a removable end wall coupled to an end of said electrical box, each of said opposing side walls having an inwardly extending flange for supporting an electrical device; and

a second electrical box having a rear wall, opposing side walls, and a removable end wall coupled to an end of said second electrical box, each of said opposing side walls having an inwardly extending flange for supporting an electrical device;

said second electrical box coupled to said first electrical box to form said electrical box assembly, where said flanges of said first electrical box and flanges of said second electrical box are spaced apart a distance to define a slot between the respective flanges; and

a partition plate positioned in said slot between said flanges of said first electrical box and said second electrical box;

said opposing side walls of said first electrical box and said second electrical box each have a coupling tab receiving a coupling screw coupling said electrical boxes together; and

said partition plate has opposite side edges, each side edge having a removable tab oriented with respect to said coupling screw of the opposing side walls of said electrical boxes which can be removed to avoid interference with said coupling screws.

2. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, further comprising

a mounting bracket coupled to one of said end walls of said electrical box assembly, said mounting bracket being adjustable with respect to an open top end of said electrical box assembly, said mounting flange having a top end with a first outwardly extending flange for mounting to a support and positioning said electrical box assembly with respect to a first wall and a bottom end with a flange for contacting the surface of a second wall to support said electrical box assembly.

3. The electrical box assembly of claim 2, wherein

said mounting bracket includes a longitudinally extending slot adapted for receiving a coupling screw for adjusting the position of the mounting bracket with respect to said end wall of said electrical box assembly.

4. The electrical box assembly of claim 3, wherein

said mounting bracket includes a plurality of spaced-apart apertures for receiving a detent extending from said end wall to position said mounting bracket in selected positions with respect to said end wall.

5. The electrical box assembly of claim 2, further comprising

a support member coupled to said mounting bracket, said support member being adjustable with respect to said mounting bracket.

6. The electrical box assembly of claim 5, wherein

said support member has a distal end with a tab adapted for contacting said second wall to support said electrical box assembly.

7. The electrical box assembly of claim 5, wherein

said mounting bracket includes a body portion coupled to said end wall of said electrical box assembly, and a longitudinally extending leg extending from said body portion and being spaced from a plane of said body portion, and where said support is coupled to and slidably adjustable with respect to said leg.

8. The electrical box assembly of claim 7, wherein

said leg includes a detent to contact said end wall of said electrical box assembly and space said leg from said end wall.

9. The electrical box assembly of claim 8, wherein

said leg includes a longitudinal slot adapted for receiving a screw extending through said leg for adjusting the position of said support member with respect to said mounting bracket, and where said leg is spaced from said end wall a distance to prevent interference of said screw with said end wall.

10. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, wherein

said rear wall of said first electrical box has an offset tab for overlapping and mating with said rear wall of said second electrical box;

and

said partition plate has a bottom edge with a central recess for receiving said offset tab, and a coupling tab for coupling said partition plate to said rear wall of said first electrical box.

11. An electrical box assembly comprising:

a gangable electrical box having a rear wall, opposing side walls and opposing end walls, said opposing side walls having an inwardly extending flange adapted for supporting an electrical device;

a mounting bracket having a body portion coupled to said electrical box, said mounting bracket having a flange extending outward substantially perpendicular from a top end of said body portion and configured for mounting to a support and positioning said electrical box with respect to a first wall panel, and a leg extending a distance to contact a second wall panel when said second wall panel is spaced a first distance from said first wall panel; and

a removable support member coupled to said leg and being slidably adjustable with respect to said leg and said mounting bracket to contact said second wall panel when said second wall panel is spaced a second distance from said first wall panel.

12. The electrical box assembly of claim 11, wherein

said leg extends substantially parallel to said body portion and spaced outwardly from a plane of said body portion by a flange, and where said leg has an outer end with a flange for contacting the second wall spaced from the first wall the first distance.

13. The electrical box assembly of claim 12, wherein

said leg is spaced outwardly from said electrical box.

14. The electrical box assembly of claim 13, wherein

said support member is coupled to said leg by a fastener and where said leg is spaced from said electrical box a distance to prevent interference of said fastener with said electrical box.

15. The electrical box assembly of claim 14, wherein

one of said support member or said leg further comprises at least one detent, and the other of said support member and leg has at least one aperture for receiving said detent to position said support member in a selected position with respect to said leg.

16. The electrical box assembly of claim 15, wherein

said support member includes a longitudinally extending slot receiving a coupling screw received in a threaded aperture in said leg.

17. The electrical box assembly of claim 14, further comprising

a plurality of said detents on said leg for mating with a complementing aperture in said support member to position said support member at selected positions with respect to said mounting bracket.

18. The electrical box assembly of claim 13, wherein

said leg includes a detent for contacting said electrical box to space said leg outwardly from said electrical box.

19. The electrical box assembly of claim 11, wherein

said mounting bracket is adjustable with respect to said electrical box to position said electrical box at a selected position with respect to said first wall panel.

20. The electrical box assembly of claim 19, wherein

said body of said mounting bracket includes an elongated slot receiving a screw threaded into said electrical box for selectively positioning said mounting bracket on said electrical box, and

said body portion having a plurality of spaced apart apertures for receiving a detent on said electrical box to position said mounting bracket in selected locations.

21. The electrical box assembly of claim 20, wherein

said leg includes at least one outwardly extending detent, and

said support member includes a plurality of apertures for mating with said at least one detent to selectively position said support member with respect to said mounting bracket.

22. An electrical box assembly comprising:

an electrical box including a rear wall, opposing side walls and opposing first and second end walls;

a first mounting bracket having a body portion coupled to said first end wall, a second mounting bracket having a body portion coupled to said second end wall, each said mounting bracket having a leg, and a flange extending substantially perpendicular from a top end of said body portion and being configured for mounting to a support, each mounting bracket being independently adjustable with respect to said respective end wall to position said electrical box in a selected position with respect to the support, said leg having a length for contacting a first wall panel spaced a first distance from said flange; and

at least one support member coupled to said leg of said first mounting bracket coupled to said first end wall, said support member being slidably adjustable with respect to said first mounting bracket coupled to said first end wall to extend from said first mounting bracket a distance to contact a second wall panel spaced a second distance from said flange to support said electrical box.

23. The electrical box assembly of claim 22, wherein

said flange of said first mounting bracket has a dimension for attaching to a support member, and

said flange of said second mounting bracket has a dimension for contacting and supporting an inner face of a third wall panel, said support member being coupled to said second mounting member and being extendable with respect to said second mounting member to contact the wall panel spaced the second distance from the flange.

24. The electrical box assembly of claim 22, wherein

said first mounting bracket is adapted for mounting to a support member to support the electrical box, and to position an open top end of said electrical box a selected distance from the support member.

25. The electrical box assembly of claim 22, wherein

said body portion of said first mounting bracket includes a longitudinal slot receiving a screw threaded into an aperture in said side, and a plurality of spaced apart apertures for receiving a detent extending from the respective end wall, to locate the first mounting member in a selected position with respect to said electrical box.

26. The electrical box assembly of claim 25, wherein

said leg of said first mounting bracket has at least one outwardly extending detent and said support member has a plurality of spaced apart recesses for receiving said at least one detent.

27. The electrical box assembly of claim 26, wherein

said leg of said first mounting bracket has an inwardly extending detent to space said leg from the respective end wall.