Masonry box positioning support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9748752-B2
Application number	US-201715441580-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An electrical box support is provided for coupling to the side wall of an electrical box to support the electrical box in an opening formed in a hollow core building block. The support has a flange at the front edge and tab at a front edge that clips onto the side wall of the electrical box. A spring member extends from a rear side edge and curls toward the front edge. The spring member has an end that is directed toward the front edge and spaced from the flange a distance to contact the inner surface of the block while the flange contacts the outer surface of the block. The tab at the front edge of the support has a hook for engaging an inner edge of the electrical box to couple the support to the electrical box and to prevent sliding of the support on the electrical box.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical box support for mounting an electrical box in an opening in a building block, said support comprising:
a body having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a first side edge and a second side edge, said first side edge having a coupling member for coupling to an open end of the electrical box;
a flange coupled to said first side edge of said body and extending substantially perpendicular to a plane of said body and having a dimension to contact an outer surface of the block and to orient the outer edge of the electrical box at the outer surface of the block; and
a first spring member having a first end coupled to said second side edge of said body and having a first leg extending from said body and a contact end extending toward said flange, said first spring member having a first side edge and a second side edge, a first guide member extending from said first side edge an inclined away from said contact end and away from said flange in a first direction, and a second guide member extending from said second side edge of said spring member at an incline away from said contact end and away from said flange in a second direction, said contact end being spring biased toward said flange and positioned to contact an inner surface of the block and to capture the block between said flange and said second end of said spring member and support the electrical box in the hollow cavity of the block.

2. The support of claim 1 , wherein
a first tab and a second tab extending from said first side edge of said body and configured for coupling to a side wall at the open end of the electrical box to position said first side edge of said body adjacent the open outer edge of the electrical box.

3. The support of claim 2 , wherein
said first tab is positioned at a first longitudinal end of said first side edge; and
said support includes a second tab positioned at a second longitudinal end of said first side edge for coupling to said side wall of said electrical box.

4. The support of claim 3 , wherein
said first tab has a first hook positioned to hook onto an inner edge of the first end of the electrical box; and
said second tab at said second longitudinal end of said body has a second hook positioned to hook onto an inner edge of a second end of the electrical box.

5. The support of claim 1 , wherein
said first spring member is provided at a first longitudinal end of said first side edge of said body, and
a second spring member is provided at a second longitudinal end of said body, said second spring member having a first leg extending from said body and a contact end extending toward said flange and being spring biased and positioned to contact the inner surface of the block.

6. The support of claim 1 , wherein
said first spring member has a second leg extending from said first leg and defining said contact end, and said first guide member formed at an incline with respect to a plane of said second leg and extending away from said flange, and said second guide member formed at an incline with respect to said second leg and extending away from said flange.

7. The support of claim 6 , wherein
said second leg of said first spring is spring biased with respect to said first leg.

8. The support of claim 1 , wherein
said flange is coupled to said body by a frangible portion, and where said flange is removable from said body.

9. The support of claim 1 , wherein
said first spring has a second leg extending from said first leg, said second leg having a first contact arm to contact the inner surface of the block, said first contact arm having a first section extending at an incline with respect to said second leg toward said flange, said first section of said first contact arm having a distal end defining said contact end of said spring.

10. The support of claim 9 , wherein said first contact arm has a second section extending away from said contact end of said first section and defining a first guide surface, and
a second contact arm having a first section extending at an incline with respect to said second leg toward said flange and a second section extending away from said contact end of said first section and defining a second guide surface.

11. The support of claim 1 , further comprising
a spring biased tab coupled to said body and extending from a plane of said body for contacting a side surface of the opening in the building block, and being positioned between said flange and said contact the end of said first spring member.

12. An electrical box assembly comprising:
an electrical box having a first and a second side wall, a first and second end wall, and an open front;
an electrical box support having a body with a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a first side edge and a second side edge, said body being coupled to said first side wall of said electrical box;
a flange extending from said first side edge of said body and configured to engage an outer surface of a hollow core building block and positioning said electrical box in an opening in the building block; and
a spring member having a first end coupled to said body and a second end with a first side edge and a second side edge, a first arm on said first side edge of said spring member and extending toward said flange, and a second arm on said second side edge of said spring member and extending toward said flange, said first arm an second arm having a contact end, and where said contact ends are spring biased toward said first side edge and have a dimension to engage an inner surface of the building block.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , further comprising
a first tab having a substantially U-shape with a first end coupled to said first side edge of said body and a second end extending toward said second side edge of said body and configured for coupling to an open end of said electrical box.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein
said first tab has a side edge and a hook projecting outwardly with respect to said first longitudinal end for coupling with a first end of said electrical box.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising
a substantially U-shaped second tab having a first end coupled to said first side edge of said body at said second longitudinal end, and a second end extending toward said second side edge, said second tab having a side edge with a hook projecting outward with respect to said second longitudinal end for coupling to a second end of said electrical box.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein
said electrical box has a first inwardly extending flange coupled to said first end wall and where said first hook is oriented to couple with said first flange, and
a second inwardly extending flange coupled to said second end wall of said electrical box, and where said second hook is oriented to couple to said second flange.

17. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein
said first arm of said spring member has a second portion extending from said contact end of said first arm defining a first guide surface, and said second arm of said spring member extending from said contact end of said second arm and defining a second guide surface, said second portion of said first arm and said second portion of said second arm extending away from said respective contact end.

18. An electrical box support configured for supporting an electrical box in an opening of a hollow core building block, said electrical box support comprising:
a substantially planar body with a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Korcz Krzysztof W
• Johnson Steven J

Classifications

• F16B2/243

  internal, i.e. with spreading action · CPC title

• H02G3/121 Primary

  in plain walls · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• Y10T29/49872

  Confining elastic part in socket · CPC title

• H02G3/12

  for flush mounting · CPC title