Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02471804 2004-06-21
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
EXPRESS MOUNT FOR ELECTRICAL FIXTURE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for quickly mounting and
grounding electrical fixtures with respect to flush mounted junction boxes,
for
example, in ceilings or walls of buildings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, such fixtures, including a base on which are a light bulb
socket or sockets, and appropriate wiring so that the fixture may be connected
to the
building's electrical circuitry, are mounted to a mount bracket, in the form
of a plate
with a plurality of apertures. With the mount bracket secured in position
across the
junction box, the live and neutral wires from the fixture are secured to
corresponding
wires within the junction box and the ground wire is secured to either the
mount
bracket or a mounting terminal within the junction box. The fixture base is
then
secured to the mount bracket, flushly with the support surface, by screws
passing
through apertures of the base into aligned, threaded apertures of the mount
bracket.
A light transmitting cover is then secured, for instance to a post which is
secured to
the base or in some other fashion to the base, in a conventional fashion.
This system for mounting electrical fixtures to flush mounted junction
boxes is both time consuming and awkward, requiring a considerable amount of
dexterity if one person is carrying out the task, or a second person to
facilitate it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide and improve the
system for quickly mounting and grounding electrical fixtures to such flushly
mounted
junction boxes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a system for quickly mounting
and grounding an electrical fixture with respect to an electrical junction box
which is
mounted flushly within a support surface is provided. The system comprises an
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electrically conductive mount bracket for releasably securing on and across
the
junction box. A ground wire to be secured to the electrical fixture is secured
to the
mount bracket so as to support the weight of the electrical fixture when
secured
thereto and suspended from the mount bracket by the ground wire. An anchor
post
is centrally secured to the mount bracket so as to extend outwardly away from
the
junction box when the mount bracket is in a secured position on the junction
box. An
extension post is provided together with means to releasably secure the
extension
post to the anchor post so that the electrical fixture is releasably supported
in
operative position on the extension post.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchor post is
externally threaded and an internally threaded sleeve is secured to an end of
the
extension post for releasable threaded attachment of the extension post to the
anchor post and support of the electrical fixture in operative position.
In another embodiment of the invention, the system additionally
includes the fixture to which an end of the grounding wire is secured so as to
support
the weight of the electrical fixture when suspended from the mount bracket by
the
grounding wire.
The system according to the present invention permits one person
quickly and easily to secure an electrical fixture in position on a flush
mounted
junction box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon
reading the following detailed description and upon referring to the drawings
in
which:-
FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the system according to
the present invention, showing the components and their interrelationship;
FIGURES 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e and 2f are sequential views illustrating the
steps of mounting an electrical fixture using a conventional system; and
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FIGURES 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are sequential views illustrating the steps
of mounting an electrical fixture using the system of the present invention.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with an illustrated
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the
invention to such
an embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives,
modifications
and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the
invention as
defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been
given similar reference numerals.
As can be seen in Figure1, the components for a system for quickly
mounting and grounding an electrical fixture to a junction box 2 are
illustrated in
exploded fashion. Appropriate live and neutral wires 4 and 6 respectively are
already
in place, as illustrated, in junction box 2. That junction box is of the type
which is
flushly mounted within support surface 8, which is preferably a ceiling of a
building
(but which might also be a wall), in the sense that the peripheral edges 10 of
junction
box 2 are more or less at the same level as the support surface 8 itself.
The system according to the present invention includes an electrically
conductive mount bracket 12 for flushly and releasably securing on and across
junction box 2 using conventional mounting screws 14. A grounding wire 16 is
secured at one end to the mount bracket 12 and at the other end to the
electrical
fixture 18 18 on the back of its base 20 for example by rivet 21, so as to
support the
weight of fixture 18 when suspended from the mount bracket. Sockets 22 for
bulbs
24 are provided on the other side of base 20. Appropriate live and neutral
wires 26
and 28 respectively are associated with sockets 22, these wires to be
connected
respectively to wires 4 and 6 within junction box 2 when mounting fixture 18.
An
extension post 30 is centrally secured to mount bracket 12 to extend
outwardly, as
illustrated, from the junction box 2 when mount bracket 12 is in secured
position with
respect to the junction box 2. Anchor post 30 is provided with externally
threaded
free end 32. An extension post 34 is provided, having secured at one end a
sleeve
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36 with internal screw threads mateably engagable with the external screw
threads of
anchor post 30. At the other end of extension post 34 are external screw
threads 38.
Anchor post 30, when mount bracket is secured in position across
junction box 2, extends through aperture 40 in base 20, from the side opposite
the
side on which sockets 22 are mounted, and sleeve 36 of extension post 34 is
then
threadably engaged onto end 32 of anchor post 30. Sleeve 36 has a
circumference
which extends beyond the edges of aperture 40, so as to support base 20 when
extension post 34 is thus secured to anchor post 30. A light transmitting
cover 42, is
provided, illustrated as being a translucent hemisphere, having a top 44 and
circular
base 46 with an aperture 47 centrally positioned in its top 44 to receive
threaded end
38 of extension post 34 so that this end extends beyond cover 42. In this
manner,
when washer 48 and lock nut 50 are fitted on threaded end 38 and tightened,
cover
42 is secured in position for example with its circular base 46 bearing
against
peripheral portions of base 20.
It will be understood that the system according to the present invention
simplifies the mounting of electrical fixtures on flush mounted junction boxes
2.
Previously, as illustrated in Figures 2a to 2f, it was conventional first to
secure a
mounting bracket 12 in position on junction box 2 using screws 14 (Figure 2a),
then
to mount a support post 52 by threadabiy or otherwise securing it to the base
54 on
the same side as sockets 22 (Figure 2b), to secure ground wire 16 to a
terminal
connection 56 on mount bracket 12 (Figure 2c), to connect the live and neutral
wires
from the fixture to those in the junction box (Figure 2d), to secure base 54
to mount
bracket 12 by means of screws 58 so that base 54 is secured in position on the
supporting surface (Figure 2e)-these last three steps are extremely difficult
for an
individual to carry out using only two hands since the fixture must be somehow
supported during these steps-and, after the bulbs have been inserted in
sockets 22,
to place cover 42 in position over base 54 by securing washer 48 and nut 50
over
threaded end 60 of extension post 52, which threaded end 60 extends through an
aperture in cover 42 (Figure 2f).
To mount an electrical fixture using the system of the present invention,
as illustrated in Figures 3a to 3d, the mount bracket 12, with anchor post 30
and
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secured ground wire 16, is secured in position across flushly mounted junction
box 2,
by means of screws 14 (Figure 3a). Because anchor post 30 is already in proper
position and base 20 is already attached to mount bracket 12 by means of
ground
wire 16, which ground wire is secured to both bracket 12 and fixture base 20
so as to
support the weight of that base and associated sockets 22, the person
installing the
electrical fixture can use both hands for securing mount bracket 12 in
position and
does not have simultaneously to support the fixture. As well, ground wire 16
does
not have to be connected as a separate step as was conventionally the case.
Next,
the live and neutral wires 26 and 28 are connected to corresponding wires 4
and 6 in
junction box 2 (Figure 3b), extension post 34 is secured to anchor post 30 by
threading sleeve 36 over the threaded end 32 of post 30 extending through
aperture
40 in fixture base 20 (Figure 3c), base 20 being then supported by sleeve 36
in
position adjacent the ceiling surface and, after bulbs have been inserted in
sockets
22, cover 42 is secured in position over base 20 by tightening washer 48 and
nut 50
on threaded end 38 of extension post 34, which threaded end extends through
the
aperture in the top of cover 42 (Figure 3d).
The system according to the present invention provides for a faster,
more efficient mounting of electrical fixtures over conventional systems,
requiring
fewer steps, many of which steps are simpler to carry out.
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the
invention an flush mount system for electrical fixtures that fully satisfies
the objects,
aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in
conjunction with illustrated embodiments thereof, it is evident that many
alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in
light of the
foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such
alternatives,
modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
invention.
