Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02802928 2013-01-16
INTEGRAL NAIL BAR HANGER FOR RECESSED LUMINAIRE
This application is a divisional application of Canadian Patent File No.
2,561,459 filed
September 28, 2006.
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention is directed to a bar hanger for supporting a
recessed
luminaire and lighting fixture to ceiling joists and to a T-bar support of a
suspended
ceiling. The invention is particularly directed to a bar hanger that can be
adapted for
mounting to either a ceiling joist or to a T-bar support of a suspended
ceiling.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Recessed luminaires and lighting fixtures for installation in wood
construction
typically include bar hangers that are coupled to the luminaire and including
mounting
ends for attachment to adjacent ceiling joists. Bar hangers commonly include a
barbed or
hooked nailer that is integrally formed from the bar hanger material blank.
The bar
hanger head is placed against the joist and a hammer is used to drive the
nailer into the
wood to fix the bar hanger to the joist. Once the nailer is driven into the
joists, the wood
and the nailer are permanently deformed and are not easily removed. This
limits the
ability to adjust the position of the bar hanger and luminaire once attached
to the ceiling
joist. Generally, a secondary fastener such as a nail or screw is added by the
installer to
ensure that the bar hanger is securely mounted to the ceiling joist.
[0003] Various support devices have been developed to support luminaires and
other
lighting fixtures in ceilings. The support devices can be a conventional bar
hanger for
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attaching to ceiling joists or for attachment to a T-bar support rail for
suspended ceilings.
The bar hangers generally include a two-piece assembly having a pair of rails
that are
slidably connected together. The rails can be extended or retracted to fit
between
adjacent ceiling joists. One example of a bar hanger support for a recessed
lighting
fixture is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,505,419 to Gabrius. In this device,
the end
portion of the bar hanger is provided with a bridge supporting a nail for
attaching the bar
hanger to the ceiling joist. A similar device is also disclosed in U.S. Patent
No.
5,222,800 to Chan et al.
[0004] Other lighting fixtures and lighting supports are able to attach to
ceiling joists
or to a T-bar of a suspended ceiling. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,957,574
to Hentz et
al. discloses a lighting assembly having adjustable nailing plates at each
end. A recess is
formed in the edge of the frame to mount to a T-bar support. A similar device
is also
disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,004,011 to Sieczkowski.
[0005] While the above-noted bar hanger supports are generally suitable for
their
intended use, there is a continuing need for improved support members.
Summary of the Invention
[0006] The present invention is directed to a bar hanger assembly for
supporting a
recessed luminaire and lighting fixture. The invention is particularly
directed to a bar
hanger assembly that can be mounted to a ceiling joist or to a T-bar support
of a
suspended ceiling.
[0007] The bar hanger of the invention is suitable for use in mounting
electrical
devices such as a lighting fixture to be recessed in a ceiling. The bar hanger
includes
sliding arms for adjusting the length of the bar hanger assembly to fit
between adjacent
joists. The ends of the arm include a mounting plate for attachment to the
side surfaces
of the ceiling joist. An attachment tab extends from the mounting plate along
the bottom
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edge which is positioned along the bottom edge of the ceiling joist to
position the bar
hanger a predetermined distance from the bottom edge of the ceiling joist.
[0008] Another aspect of the invention is to provide a bar hanger assembly
that can
be modified for use with either ceiling joists or a T-bar support of a
suspended ceiling. In
one embodiment, the bar hanger includes a detent or hook-like member for
attaching the
bar hanger to the T-bar support.
[00091 A further aspect of the invention is to provide a bar hanger assembly
having a
tab that can be attached to a bottom surface of a ceiling joist where the tab
can be bent to
a position for attaching to a T-bar support.
[0010] A further aspect of the invention is to provide a bar hanger assembly
having a
tab that can be attached to a ceiling joist and bent to a different position
for coupling with
a T-bar support.
[00111 The various aspects of the invention are basically attained by
providing a bar
hanger for supporting a recessed electrical device on a ceiling support. The
bar hanger
has first and second telescoping support arms slidably connected together.
Each support
arm comprises an elongated support body having a first end and a second end. A
mounting plate is coupled to the first end of the body and extends
substantially
perpendicular to a plane of the support body. The mounting plate has at least
one
aperture for receiving a fastener. An attachment member is coupled to a bottom
edge of
the mounting plate along a fold line. The attachment member has a
substantially planar
first side and an opposite second side, and a detent extending from the second
side. The
attachment member is bendable from a first position where the attachment plate
extends
substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate for contacting a bottom
surface of a
ceiling joist to a second position substantially parallel to the mounting
plate for attaching
to a T-bar support.
[0012] The aspects of the invention are further attained by providing a bar
hanger for
supporting a recessed electrical device to a ceiling support. The bar hanger
has first and
second telescoping support arms coupled together for sliding movement in a
longitudinal
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direction. Each support arm comprises a support body having a longitudinal
dimension
with a first end, a second end, a top edge and a bottom edge. The bottom edge
has a
recess at the first end with a dimension to receive a T-bar support. A
mounting plate is
coupled to the first end of the support body and extends substantially
perpendicular to a
plane of the support body. The mounting plate has at least one aperture for
receiving a
fastener for attaching the mounting plate to a ceiling joist. A first
attachment member
and a second attachment member is coupled to a bottom edge of the mounting
plate and
extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate for
attaching to a
bottom side of a ceiling joist. The first attachment member has a detent
extending in a
direction from a bottom side where the first attachment member is bendable
from a first
position perpendicular to the mounting plate to a second position
substantially parallel to
the mounting plate for contacting a bottom surface of the T-bar support.
[0013] The aspects of the invention are also attained by providing a bar
hanger for
supporting a recessed electrical device. The bar hanger has first and second
telescoping
support arms coupled together for sliding movement in a longitudinal
direction. Each
support arm comprises a support body having a longitudinal dimension with a
first end
and a second end, a top edge and bottom edge. A mounting plate is coupled to
the first
end of the support body and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular
to the
longitudinal dimension of the support body. An attachment member extends from
a
bottom edge of the mounting plate for contacting a bottom edge of a ceiling
joist. The
mounting plate has an aperture for receiving a fastener and a raised bridge
integrally
formed with the mounting plate and has a center portion spaced from the
mounting plate
to define an opening between the center portion and the mounting plate. A
fastener
extends through and couples to the bridge. The bridge has a longitudinal
dimension
extending at an acute angle with respect to a plane of the attachment member
to enable a
tool to be inserted into the opening and apply leverage against the ceiling
joist.
[0014] These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the
following detailed description and the annexed drawings which disclose various
embodiments of the invention.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0015] The following is a brief description of the drawings in which:
[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bar hanger in a first embodiment
of the
invention showing the bar hanger attached to a ceiling joist and a T-bar
support;
[0017] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bar hanger of Figure 1;
[0018] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mounting end of the bar hanger;
[0019] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an inside face of the mounting plate
of the
bar hanger;
[0020] Figure 5 is a side view of the mounting plate of the bar hanger showing
the
nailing bridge;
[0021] Figure 6 is an elevational view showing a tool inserted into the bridge
for
removing a fastener;
[0022] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a tool inserted into an opening
of the
coupling tab for bending the coupling tab;
[0023] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the coupling tab bent to a
second
position;
[0024] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the mounting end of the bar
hanger
coupled to a T-bar support;
[0025] Figure 10 is an elevational side view showing the bar hanger mounted on
a T-
bar support;
[0026] Figure 11 is a top view showing two adjacent bar hangers coupled
together;
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[0027] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a bar hanger in a second embodiment
of the
invention;
[0028] Figure 13 is a perspective view of an inner face of the mounting plate
of the
bar hanger of Figure 12;
[0029] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the inner face of the mounting plate
having
a removable tab separated from the mounting plate;
[0030] Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the body of a bar hanger
extending
through an opening formed in the mounting plate of the bar hanger;
[0031] Figure 16 is a perspective view of a bar hanger in a third embodiment
of the
invention;
[0032] Figure 17 is a side elevational view showing the bar hanger of Figure
16
mounted to a ceiling joist;
[0033] Figure 18 is a perspective view showing a coupling tab bent to a
position for
engaging a T-bar hanger;
[0034] Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the bar hanger assembly mounted
on
a T-bar support;
[0035] Figure 20 is a perspective end view showing the bar hanger attached to
a T-
bar support;
[0036] Figure 21 is a side elevational view showing the bar hanger attached to
a T-
bar support;
[0037] Figure 22 is a perspective view showing the end of the bar hanger with
the
attachment tab removed;
[0038] Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the bar hanger attached to a T-
bar
support; and
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[0039] Figure 24 is a side elevational view showing the bar hanger attached to
a T-
bar support.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0040] The present invention is directed to a bar hanger for supporting a
recessed
electrical device, such as a luminaire and lighting fixture, to the ceiling
joists or the T-bar
of a suspended ceiling. The invention is particularly directed to a bar hanger
that can be
mounted to either a conventional ceiling joist or to a T-bar of a suspended
ceiling.
[0041] Referring to the drawings, the invention in one embodiment is directed
to a
bar hanger 10 for supporting an electrical device. In the embodiments
illustrated, the
electrical device is a recessed luminaire and lighting fixture 12 that is
attached to a
support member 14. Support member 14 is attached to bar hanger 10 for
positioning
lighting fixture 12 in a recessed position with respect to the ceiling. As
shown in Figure
1, support member 14 is attached to a pair of bar hangers 10 with each bar
hanger 10
extending between ceiling joists.
[0042] In the embodiment of Figures 1-11, bar hanger 10 includes support arms
16
that are coupled together in a sliding manner so that the length of bar hanger
10 can be
adjusted to the appropriate width between ceiling joists.
[0043] Support arms 16 have a longitudinal dimension and have a longitudinal
channel 18 to allow each support arm 16 to slide with respect to each other.
In this
embodiment the channel 18 includes an elongated slot 20 for receiving a
coupling
member 22 for the coupling the support arms together while allowing
longitudinal sliding
movement. In other embodiments the support arm can be constructed in a
telescoping
arrangement where one arm forms a channel so that one support arm slides
within the
channel. Coupling member 22 include a pair of tabs 24 having enlarged heads 26
that
are inserted through slots 22 for coupling support arms 16 together.
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[0044] Support arms 16 have a first end 28 and a second end 30 with a top edge
32
and a bottom edge 34. As shown in Figure 3, bottom edge 34 has a notch formed
at first
end 28. As discussed hereinafter, notch 36 has a dimension to receive a T-bar
support
commonly used in suspended ceilings so that the bar hanger can be attached to
and
suspended by a T-bar ceiling support.
[0045] In one embodiment, support arm 16 includes a plurality of spaced-apart
score
lines 38 with apertures. Score lines 38 are preferably spaced-apart a distance
to reduce
the longitudinal length of bar hanger 10 when needed to fit between narrow
ceiling joists.
[0046] Referring to Figures 3-6, a mounting plate 40 is coupled to first end
28 of
support arm 16 for attaching bar hanger 10 to a ceiling joist or other
vertical support.
Preferably, mounting plate 40 is integrally formed with support arm 16 and is
bent
substantially 90 with respect to the plane of support arm 16. In the
embodiment shown,
an embossed area 42 is formed that extends from first end 28 of support arm 16
and along
mounting plate 40 to strengthen the corner portion of the connection between
mounting
plate 40 and support arm 16. The embossed area 42 projects away from the
nailing
surface of mounting plate 40 so as not to interfere with the attachment member
of the bar
hanger to a joist.
[0047] Mounting plate 40 has a dimension to attach to a ceiling joist and
includes one
or more holes 44 for receiving a fastener (not shown) for permanently
attaching mounting
plate 40 and support arm 16 to the ceiling joist. Mounting plate 40 has an
outer face 46
for contacting the ceiling joist and an opposite inner face 48. As shown in
Figure 4, an
embossed cut-out forms a bridge 50 that extends from inner face 48. In the
embodiment
illustrated, bridge 50 includes a pair of legs 52 extending from mounting
plate 40 to a
center portion 54. In one embodiment center portion 54 and legs 52 of bridge
50 form a
curved arch shape. Preferably, bridge 50 is integrally formed with mounting
plate 40 and
is cut and punched from the material of mounting plate 40. Center portion 54
is spaced
from the plane of inner face 48 of mounting plate 40 to form an opening 56.
Raised
center portion 54 includes a centrally located aperture 58 for receiving a
fastener 60.
Preferably, aperture 58 has an internal dimension to capture fastener 60 so
that fastener
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60 remains coupled to bridge 50 during assembly. As shown in Figure 5,
fastener 60 is
initially inserted into aperture 58 a distance to be captured by aperture 58
without
extending beyond mounting plate 40.
[0048] In preferred embodiments, bridge 50 is formed at a diagonal with
respect to
the longitudinal dimension of mounting plate 40 and at an acute angle with
respect to a
bottom edge 62 of mounting plate 40. Opening 56 has a dimension and is
oriented in a
position so that a tool, such as a claw hammer 64 as shown in Figure 6, can be
inserted
into opening 56 to apply leverage against the ceiling joist or other support
surface to
allow removal of mounting plate 40 from a ceiling joist. Preferably the bridge
50 is
oriented so that the worker can easily insert the claw of a hammer or other
tool into the
opening and apply sufficient leverage to remove the bar hanger. In one
embodiment the
bridge is oriented at about a 45 degree angle with respect to the bottom edge
of mounting
plate 40.
[0049] An attachment member 66 is coupled to mounting 40 as shown in Figure 3.
Attachment member 66 has a substantially planar configuration and extends in a
direction
perpendicular from outer face 46 of mounting plate 40 along bottom edge 62.
Attachment member 66 preferably has a dimension to contact a bottom face of a
ceiling
joist to position bar hanger 10 and the associated lighting fixture 12 in an
appropriate
position with respect to the ceiling and ceiling joist. In this manner
attachment member
66 serves as an alignment tab.
[0050] In the embodiment of Figures 1-11, attachment member 66 includes a
first
attachment tab 68 and a second attachment tab 70. First attachment tab 68 has
a
substantially rectangular configuration and is attached to mounting plate 40
along bottom
edge 62 by a fold line 72. First attachment tab 68 includes a circular cutout
74 with an
aperture 76. The ends of center portion 74 are formed with detents or barbs in
the form of
coupling tabs 78 that are folded in a generally downward direction at an
incline with
respect to the plane of center portion 74 with respect to the orientation
shown in Figure 3.
Coupling tabs 78 have a straight edge 80 and an arcuate edge 72 extending from
straight
edge 80 to an outer side edge 82 of center portion 74.
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[00511 Second attachment tab 70 has a generally U-shaped configuration
surrounding
first attachment tab 68. Second attachment tab 70 includes a pair of legs 86
coupled to
bottom edge 62 of mounting plate 40 and a main body portion 88 extending
between legs
66. Body portion 88 in the embodiment illustrated has a circular hole 90 for
receiving a
fastener and an elongated hole 92. Elongated hole 92 is provided to allow
adjustment and
positioning of hanger bar 10 with respect to a ceiling joist.
[0052] In use, bar hanger 10 is attached to lighting fixture 12 and the
resulting
assembly is positioned between ceiling joists or ceiling supports. Bar hanger
10 is
adaptable for mounting to a standard ceiling joist or to a T-bar support for
suspended
ceilings. As shown in Figure 1, bar hanger 10 is attached to a standard
ceiling joist 94 by
positioning bar hanger 10 so that attachment member 66 abuts a bottom edge of
ceiling
joist 94 and mounting plate 40 abuts a side surface of ceiling joist 94.
Attachment
member 66 aligns and positions support arm 16 with respect to a bottom edge of
ceiling
joist 94 so that lighting fixture 12 is recessed a correct distance with
respect to the
ceiling. Typically, lighting fixture 12 is recessed a distance with respect to
the ceiling
material that is attached to the ceiling joist 94.
[0053] Bar hanger 10 can be mounted between a pair of spaced-apart ceiling
joists
94. Bar hanger 10 is positioned in the desired location and fastener 60 is
hammered to
penetrate ceiling joist 94 to hold bar hanger 10 in the desired position. In
the event
further adjustment is needed, a claw hammer or other prying tool can be
inserted into the
opening under bridge 50 so that fastener 60 can be removed to reposition bar
hanger 10.
As shown in Figure 6, the prying tool can be inserted under bridge 50 in a
direction
substantially parallel to the bottom edge of ceiling joist 94 so that leverage
can be applied
against the ceiling joist to remove fastener 60.
[0054] Alternatively, bar hanger can mounted to ceiling joists by positioning
the bar
hanger and attaching by fasteners extending through elongated slot 92. This
provides
some adjustment of the bar hanger to a desired position. The fastener captured
by the
bridge can then be hammered into the joist. Additional fasteners are generally
added to
secure the bar hanger in place
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[0055] Bar hanger 10 is also adaptable to mount directly to a T-bar ceiling
support 96
as shown in Figures 1, 9 and 10. In the embodiment illustrated, T-bar support
96 is a
standard ceiling support for suspended ceiling tiles and includes a body
portion 98 with a
reinforcing top edge 100 and outwardly extending flanges 102 along a bottom
edge for
supporting ceiling tiles. The top edge 100 typically has an enlarged portion
defining a
longitudinal channel. In the embodiment shown, the top edge 100 of the T-bar
supports
have hollow channels with inclined upper surfaces and a flat bottom edge
extending
perpendicular to the plane of the body 98 to define a lip 106. Bar hanger 10
is adaptable
for mounting directly to T-bar support 96 by bending first attachment tab 68
from the
position perpendicular to the plane of mounting plate 40 to a position
substantially
parallel to mounting plate 40 as shown in Figure 8. Aperture 76 in first
attachment tab 68
has a dimension to receive a tool such as a screw driver 104 to bend
attachment tab 68 to
the position shown in Figure 8. A cutout 77 is provided along the bend line
between
attachment plate 68 and mounting plate 40 to assist in bending. In the
position shown in
Figure 8, first attachment tab 68 is oriented so that coupling tabs 78 extend
inwardly with
respect to inner face 48 of mounting plate 40.
[0056] Bar hanger 10 is mounted to T-bar support by positioning top edge 100
of T-
bar support 96 within notch 36 in support arm 16. As shown in Figure 10,
coupling tabs
78 are able to engage the bottom edge of lip 106 along the top edge of T-bar
support 96.
In this manner, bar hanger 10 essentially snaps onto T-bar support 96.
Typically, a
fastener 108 such as a threaded screw, is inserted through hole 44 in mounting
plate 40
for permanently securing bar hanger 10 to T-bar support 98.
[0057] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, second attachment plate 70 can remain
attached to mounting plate 40 in its original position perpendicular to the
plane of
mounting plate 40 and extending outwardly from T-bar support 96. Second
attachment
tab 70 has a dimension and structure for coupling with an attachment member of
an
adjacent bar hanger when it is desirable to mount two lighting fixtures
adjacent to each
other. As shown in Figure 11, two bar hangers and the respective attachment
members
can be superimposed and coupled together by a screw 110 or other fastener. In
this
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fashion one end of the bar hanger can be attached to and supported by the
adjacent bar
hanger.
[0058] A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 12-15. The bar
hanger 112 is similar to the previous embodiment and includes support arms 114
coupled
together for sliding movement, a mounting plate 116 coupled to a first end of
the
respective support arm 114 and an attachment member 118.
[0059] Attachment member 118 has a substantially planar configuration
extending
perpendicular to the plane of the respective support arm 114. A bridge 120 is
formed to
capture a fastener 122 for attaching bar hanger to a ceiling joist as in the
previous
embodiment. In the previous embodiment, the length of the bar hanger 112 can
be
shortened only by the length of the respective support arms since the ends of
the support
arms contact the mounting plate. A removable tab is provided which can be
removed in
the field to allow the support arm or channel to pass beyond the mounting
plate. In the
embodiment shown in Figure 13, mounting plate 116 includes a first vertical
slot 124 and
a second horizontal slot 126 adjacent the support arm 114 and notch 128 for
receiving the
T-bar support. Slots 124 and 126 define break lines so that a section of
mounting plate
116 can be removed as shown in Figure 14. The section 130 of mounting plate
116 can
be removed by inserting a tool into the slots 124 and 126 to pry or break the
section 130
from mounting plate 116.
[0060] The section 130 can be bent perpendicular to the plane of mounting
plate 116
or completely removed to define an opening 122 as shown in Figure 14. In this
manner,
the length of bar hanger 112 and the distance between the mounting plates 116
can be
reduced by allowing the ends of the support arms to extend through opening 132
past the
respective mounting plate 116 as shown in Figure 15. Bar hanger 112 can be
attached to
a ceiling joist as in the previous embodiment. Support arms 114 can be cut or
broken
along frangible lines so that the ends of support arms 114 do not extend past
mounting
plate 116. In this manner, mounting plate 116 can be attached to a ceiling
joist as in the
previous embodiment.
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[0061] Attachment member 118, as shown in Figure 12, extends substantially
perpendicular to the plane of mounting plate 116 at line 138. Preferably,
attachment
member 118 includes an elongated hole 134 and a circular hole 136 for
receiving
fasteners to attach bar hanger 112 to a ceiling joist. A coupling tab 140 is
formed in an
opening 142 in the attachment member 116 with an outer edge 144. A circular
hole 146
is formed in the attachment member 118 for a fastener.
[0062] A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 16-24. As in
the
previous embodiments, bar hanger 160 is adaptable for use in attaching to a
ceiling joist
or to a T-bar ceiling support. Bar hanger 160 includes support arms 162 having
a
longitudinal dimension with a first end 164 coupled to a mounting plate 166.
Support
arm 162 includes a notch 168 along a bottom edge 170 adjacent mounting plate
166 for
receiving a T-bar.
[0063] Mounting plate 166 has a substantially planar configuration extending
perpendicular to the plane of support arm 62 and includes a plurality of holes
172 for
receiving fasteners to attach mounting plate 166 to a ceiling joist. A nailing
bridge 174
for supporting a fastener is also provided as in the previous embodiments.
[0064] An attachment member 176 extends from a bottom edge 178 of mounting
plate 166. Attachment member 176 has a substantially planar configuration and
extends
substantially perpendicular to the plane of mounting plate 166. Attachment
member 176
is formed with an angled edge as shown to receive a tool to assist in removing
attachment
member 176 from a joist.
[0065] As shown in Figure 16, attachment member 176 includes a first tab 180
and a
second tab 182. Second tab 182 is provided with an elongated slot 184 and a
circular
hole 186 for receiving fasteners to attach attachment member 176 to the bottom
surface
of a ceiling joist. First tab 180 includes a barb or coupling tab 188 that is
bent in a
downward direction at an incline with respect to the plane of first tab 180.
First tab 180
also includes a hole 190 for receiving a fastener.
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[0066] In use, bar hanger 160 is attached to a lighting fixture 192 shown in
Figure 19.
As shown in Figure 17, bar hanger 160 can be attached to a ceiling joist 194
by
positioning attachment member 176 against a bottom edge and positioning
mounting
plate 166 against a side edge of joist 194. The fastener attached to nailing
bridge 174 is
then articulated to penetrate joist 194 to secure bar hanger 160 in position.
[0067] The bar hanger 160 is also adaptable for use in a T-bar support in a
manner
similar to the previous embodiments. When the bar hanger 160 is used with a T-
bar
support, the first tab 180 is bent away from second tab 182 and mounting plate
166 to the
position shown in Figure 18 where second tab 182 is substantially parallel to
and in the
same plane as mounting plate 166. In this position, coupling tab 188 extends
at an incline
in a generally upward direction toward the top end of mounting plate 166 and
toward
notch 168. Bar hanger 160 fits onto the T-bar support 196 so that the top end
of T-bar
196 is received in notch 168 as shown in Figure 19. Coupling tab 188 is
positioned
below the lip of the top end of T-bar 196 as shown in Figure 21 to limit
vertical
movement of bar hanger 160 with respect to T-bar 196. With tab 188 in a
primarily
parallel orientation relative to mounting plate 166, hole 190 is positioned to
allow a
secondary fastener such as a screw to driven below the top of a T-bar support.
Referring
to Figure 24, ceiling tile 200 can be lifted upwardly and removed without
interference
from second tab 182.
[0068] Referring to Figure 20, second tab 182 is retained in its original
position and
extends perpendicular to the plane of mounting plate 166. In a manner similar
to the
embodiment shown in Figure 11, second tab 182 can be coupled to an adjoining
tab of a
bar hanger by a suitable fastener. First tab 180 is secured to T-bar 196 by
the fastener
198. In one embodiment, second tab 182 can interfere with the removal of
ceiling tiles
200 as shown in Figure 21 when the ceiling tiles are lifted in an upward
direction for
removal or assembly. Second tab 182 can be removed by breaking along the fold
lines
connecting second tab 182 to mounting plate 166. A slot 202 is provided along
the
connection between second tab 182 and mounting plate 166 so that second tab
182 is
coupled to mounting plate 166 by a pair of legs 204. Second tab 182 can be
bent to break
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connecting legs 204 so that second tab 182 can be removed as shown in Figure
22. Bar
hanger 160 is then coupled to the ceiling joist as shown in Figures 23 and 24.
100691 While various embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention,
it
will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
