Electrical box support

• US 4,898,357 A
• Filed: 12/15/1988
• Issued: 02/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Robert W., Schnell, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/284,553
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/49, 174/53, 174/58, 52/221, 52/220, 52/27, 248/906, 248/221.4, 248/27.1, 220/3.3, 220/3.5, 220/3.9
• US Class Current: 52/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud

Abstract

A support structure for an electrical box includes an elongated support member which is fastened into a hole in the rear wall of the box, the depth of insertion being determined by a stop flange. The length of the support member can be adjusted to approximately match the distance between the rear wall of the box and the inner surface of a sheet of wall material behind the rear wall by breaking off portions of the support member at one of a plurality of weakened regions formed by a uniform sequence of annular recesses. The support, thus installed, limits motion of the unmounted end of the box.

Claims

1. A support structure for an electrical box of the type having a back wall, first and second generally parallel side walls, an open front and means for mounting the box with the first side wall against a stud and with the back wall extending away from the stud between two generally parallel sheets of wall material, the depth of said box in the direction perpendicular to said sheets of wall material being significantly less than the distance between the inner surfaces of said sheets of wall material, the support structure comprising

means defining a hole of preselected size through said back wall significantly closer to said second side wall than said first side wall;

and

a support member comprising

an elongated body of electrically nonconductive material having retainer means at one end dimensioned to be pushed into said hole in said back wall for holding said body on said box extending perpendicularly rearwardly therefrom,

a stop flange adjacent said retainer means for abutting an outer surface of said back wall of said box and establishing a depth to which said retainer means extends into said box, and

means defining a plurality of recesses substantially uniformly spaced along said body from the other end thereof to a location near said stop flange, said recesses forming weakened regions at which said body can be broken to remove a portion of said body of selected length and to thereby reduce the length of said support member to a length, measured between the remaining end thereof and said stop flange, which is substantially equal to the difference between the depth of the box and the distance between the inner surfaces of said sheets of wall material, thereby forming a support to restrict movement of said box between said sheets of wall material.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said body is generally cylindrical and tubular and includes a central passage extending into said body.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said retainer means comprises a knob having a generally circular cross-section, an outer diameter slightly greater than said preselected diameter of said hole and a generally diametral slot separating said knob into at least two axially protruding portions, said nonconductive material of said body being sufficiently resilient so that said protruding portions can be elastically bent toward each other to permit passage of said knob into said hole.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said recesses are annular recesses each defined by a generally flat surface lying in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said body and a generally conical surface intersecting said plane, each said flat surface facing away from said stop flange so that, when a portion of said body is removed, the remaining end is generally perpendicular to said axis.

5. A structure according to claim 4 wherein the distances between said flat surfaces defining said recesses are all substantially equal to 1/8 in.

6. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said retainer means comprises a knob having a generally circular cross-section, an outer diameter slightly greater than said preselected diameter of said hole, an annular groove adjacent said knob having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said hole and a diametral slot separating said knob into two axially protruding portions, said nonconductive material of said body being sufficiently resilient so that said protruding portions can be elastically bent toward each other to permit passage of said knob into said hole.

7. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said recesses are annular recesses each defined by a generally flat surface lying in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said body and a generally conical surface intersecting said plane, each said flat surface facing away from said stop flange so that, when a portion of said body is removed, the remaining end is generally perpendicular to said axis.