Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~80199
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SUPPORT BRACKET FOR AN ELECTRICAL BOX
The present invention relates to a support
bracket for supporting an electrical box recessed in a
hollow wall structure. More specifically, the present
invention provides a bracket that can be adapted to hold
electrical boxes of most standard sizes and fit recessed
in hollow wall structures of different depths.
Most interior non-combustible wall structures
are hollow and consist of a steel stud skeleton with wall
board coverings. The steel studs are made of thin sheet
metal which by itself is flexible, however, when the
studs are attached to the stiff wall boards, then the
rigidity of the wall is achieved.
Electrical boxes for outlets, switches and the
like are attached to the steel studs directly or by means
of brackets. In either case, the boxes require some
additional means of support from the wallboards to
achieve rigid mounting. In the past, this has been
achieved by attaching additional supports to the box at
the side opposite from the stud. In some cases, short
pieces of steel studs or wood are attached by screws to
the box and to the wall board. This method offers good
support, but is relatively expensive as the parts are
usually prepared at the job site and are time consuming
to assembly in place.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide
a support bracket that attaches to an electrical box and
holds it rigidly recessed within the wall structure.
Thus the box is generally flush with the inside surface
of the wall board. The box is generally supported
against the steel stud.
It is another aim of the present invention to
provide a support bracket that can be adapted to fit most
sizes of electrical boxes and can also be adapted to fit
within different depths of hollow wall structure and
support the box recessed within the wall structure.
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The present invention provides a support bracket
for attaching an electrical box recessed in a hollow wall
structure of different depths, the wall structure being
formed of a plurality of studs spaced apart with a wall
board covering, the bracket comprising a flat elongate
strip of sheet material, one end of the strip having hook
means to engage a side wall of an electrical box, the
other end of the strip having a flange bent perpendicular
to the strip, and at least one bend line across the
strip, such that a portion of the strip may be bent
perpendicular to the strip to accommodate a shallower
depth of hollow wall structure.
In other embodiments, a further flange may be
provided at the one end of the strip adjacent the hook
means, the further flange being bent perpendicular to the
strip and adapted to rest on the inside surface of the
wall board. In a further embodiment a plurality of
locking tongues are provided spaced apart at intervals on
each side of the strip, each of the tongues having a
locking tongue bend line such that at least one of the
tongues may be bent to lock the strip to an electrical
box of a certain size.
Referring now to the drawings:
FIG 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a
support bracket;
FIG 2 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG
1 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure;
FIG 3 is an isometric view of the bracket shown
in FIG 1 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure;
FIG 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of a
support bracket;
FIG 5 iS a side view of the bracket shown in FIG
4 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure;
FIG 6 i~ an isometric view of the bracket shown
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in FIG 4 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure;
FIG 7 is a plan view of a further embodiment of
a support bracket;
FIG 8 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG
7 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure.
FIG 9 is an isometric view of the bracket shown
in FIG 7 positioning an electrical box recessed in a wall
structure.
FIGS 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of a
support bracket 10 formed from sheet metal and having a
flat elongate strip 12 which at one end has a pair of
hooks 14 to fit over an open side of an electrical box
16. The hooks 14 hold the box and while two hooks 14 are
shown, one long hook without a gap 18 between the hooks
may be provided.
At the other end of the strip 12, a flange 20
extends perpendicular from the end of the strip 12. A
bend line 22 extends across the strip 12 and is spaced
down from the flange 20. The bend line 22 has an opening
24 in the approximate center of the strip 12 to help
ensure that the bend occurs on the bend line 22.
There are generally two sizes of studs or
channels 40 used in the construction of a wall structure
as shown in FIGS 2 and 3. A 3 5/8th inch stud is
identified as dimension A and a 2 1/2 inch stud is
identified as dimension B. It will be apparent that
brackets may be made with more than one bend line 22 to
take into account different depths of wall structures if
required. The bracket 10 is designed to fit in wall
structures having either size of stud. As shown in FIG 2
and 3, the hooks 14 fit over an open side of an
electrical box 16 and a box cover 42 is then attached to
the box 16 so that the hooks are held and the bracket is
securely held to the box 16. The cover 42 has a raised
portion 44 which extends to the outside surface of an
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outer wall board 46. The flange 20 on the end of the strip
12 rests against the inside surface of the inner wall board
48 when dimension A represents the depth of wall
structure. For the dimension B depth of wall structure,
the strip 12 is bent about bend line 22 so that the surface
of the bent portion of the strip 12 rests against the
surface of the inner wall board 48.
Another embodiment of a bracket 10 is shown in
FIGS 4, 5 and 6 wherein an arm 50 is located within the gap
18 having a flange 52 which is adapted to rest on the inner
surface of the outer wall board 46. The arm 50 and flange
52 provide increased support which in certain circumstances
may be required.
FIGS 7, 8 and 9 show a further embodiment of a
bracket 10 which has a plurality of locking tongues 60 for
locking the bracket 10 to an electrical box 16. As
illustrated, one tongue 60 on each side of the strip 12
forms a pair, and the lower tongues 60 are shown bent
inwards to lock the bracket 10 to the box 16. Each locking
tongue has a bend line 62 at a slight angle to the strip 12
such that when a tongue 60 is bent about its bend line 62,
it bends closer towards the box 16 so that the box 16 is
locked between the tongue 60 and the hooks 14. The locking
tongue bend line 62 may be an imaginary line where the bend
occurs, a scored or detented line, or an opening or hole in
the approximate center of the bend line to ensure the bend
occurs on the bend line 62 By bending towards the box, the
tongue 50 compensates for minor variations in the depth of
the box 16. The positions for the pairs of tongues are
such that they suit two standard sizes of boxes 16.
Whereas only two pairs of tongues 60 are illustrated, in
some brackets tongues may be provided to suit many sizes of
boxes, in certain cases, only one tongue is required to
engage and lock a single box size, this allows more tongues
and more variations of box size to be held by the bracket
10. The tongues 60 are used to hold a box 16 when the box
cover 42 is not provided.
A reinforcing rib 70 is shown in the approximate
center of the strip 12 extending substantially from the
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qap 18 to the bend line 22. There may be an additional
reinforcing rib extending from the bend line 22 to the
flange 20 at the end of the strip 12. The reinforcing
ribs provide greater rigidity for the bracket allowing
thinner sheet material to be used.
The bend lines as described herein may all be
scored in the metal to ensure ease of bending and ensure
that the location of the bend occurs along the desired
line.
Various changes may be made to the embodiments
shown herein without departing from the scope of the
present invention which is limited only by the following
claims.
