US1906197A - Adjustable crossbar or strap for electric fixtures - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1933. J MANGlN 1,906.197

ADJUSTABLE CROSSBAR OR STRAP FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES Filed March 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /6' /4 A5. Z2 2/ A4 j 72 7/ A5, /4 46 92 Z6 Z6 K f 25 /2 /6 6 K A? 4 l I I J! \L L KZJWQJ an pd April 25, 1933. MANGIN 1,906,197

ADJUSTABLE CROSSBAR 0R STRAP FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURESv Filed March 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ll ////l 1/ 6 I a 9 9 I 27 I a a I I Z 0 Q I I 5 Q I Z6 2 ,4

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April 25; 1933. i J MANGlN 1,906,197

ADJUSTABLE CROSSBAR OR STRAP FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES Filed March 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J I 63 f 77776 Patented Apr. 2 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT o rricE JAMES MANGIN, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 NEV BRUNSWICK ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY ADJUSTABLE CROSSBAR OR STRAP FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES Application filed March 6,

The present invention relates to devices adapted for use as accessories in attaching electric fixtures in cooperative relation to outlet boxes to which the fixtures may be electricaly connected and particularly refers to cross bars or straps adapted to be fastened to an outlet box for supporting an electric fixture.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which may be readily adjusted to support hanging fixtures having bell closures of various diameters.

Another object is to provide a device of the above-referred-to type comprising two relatively movable e ements which, when combined, may be adapted for use with the round type of outlet box for supporting hanging fixtures from a ceiling and when used singly may be adapted for use with the rectangular type of outlet box for supporting wall fixtures.

A further object is to provide an adjustable cross bar or strap which is of relatively simple construction yet durable and may be easily manufactured in large quantities at relatively small cost by virtue of the fact that the elements of the strap are exactly alike and may be stamped or pressed out of single pieces of material withthe use of a single die.

Other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the adjustable strap attached to a ceiling outlet box which is not provided with a fixture stud;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the strap;

Fig. 4; is a modification in which the yoke is provided with struck-out portions instead of the channels or guide fingers shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the brackets used in attaching the strap to an outlet box which is not provided with a stud as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the strap attached to a ceiling outlet box 1930. Serial No. 133,715.

which is provided with a stud and shows how a ceiling fixture is supported by the strap;

Fig. 7 shows a hanging fixture supported by the strap; and

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective View showing one of the elements of the strap used singly. for supporting a wall fixture from a wall outlet box.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 and 5 and 6, the strap of my invention comprises a pair of elements 10, each of which is provided with a yoke 11 and extensions 12. Each element is provided with an elongated aperture or slot 13 which extends between an aperture lt and a relatively small elongated aperture 15 which are adapted to permit passage of fastening elements therethrough, such screws or bolts, for attaching each of the elements to a wall outlet box when using it singly as indicated in Fig. 8, which will be explained more fully hereinafter. Adjacent each of the apertures 14 a threaded hole 16 is provided for receiving a screw by means of which the bell of an electric fixture may be attached to each of the elements, as shown in F i e. 6 and 7. Each yoke 11, is provided with a pair of channels or guide fingers 17 which are adapted to engage in slidable relation the corresponding extensions 12 of the elements. The slots 13 are arranged so that, when the elements are in slidable engagement with each other, the slots overlap to form an aperture 18 through which is adapted to pass a standard stud 19 which may be from one-eihth to three-eighths of an inch: in diameter and the slot being of suflicient width to receive a stud of the largest diameter, as shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 1, the outlet box 20 is not provided with the usual fixture stud and, therefore, the strap is attached to the box by means of the brackets 21 and the screws 22. Each bracket is provided with an aperture 23 of a diameter large enough to permit the head of the screws 22 to pass therethrough and terminating in a slot 2% which extends through half the length of the bracket and is of sufiicient width to receive the stem of the screw. The bracket is further provided with a small portion 25 bent at right angles to the main body portion of the bracket and adapted to bear against the edge of each of the elements 10 when placed in position, as shown in Fig. 1. The screws 22 are fastened to projections 26 of the outlet box 20.

From this description, it will be apparent that by sliding the extensions 12 through the yokes 11, the strap may be adjusted to any desired length to accommodate a fixture bell of any diameter within certain limits which are determined by the lengths of the extensions which may be made of any dimensions suitable to practice for use with the different types of electric fixtures now on the market.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the outlet box 20 is shown provided with a fixture stud 27. ll hen such a stud is provided, a strap is fastened to the outlet box by means of an auxiliary stud 19 which threads into the stud 27 and the strap is att ched to the box by means of the nut 28. The screws 22 and the brackets 21 are not required to support the strap, although they may be used in combination with the stud 19, if desired. The fixture bell 29 is attached in the smne manner to the strap by means of the screws T he bell 29 is shown of the ceiling type, while in Fig. '7, the bell 29 is adapted to support a suspension fixture 31 by means of the usual chain In Fig. 4; is shown a modified embodimentof the strap in wnich the yolzes 11 comprise struck-out portions 17 wl ch form. a slit instead of the guide tinge s 17, shown in Fig. 1, and the exte. "ions is are adapted to slide through the slits so that the length of the strap may he varied. Each struck-out portion 17 is drilled to provide apertures 15 in place of the elongated apertures 15 shown in Fig. 1. The remaining details of construction are similar to those in the embodiment shown in Fi 1.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated the application of one of the strap elements 10 for use by itself with a wall outlet box The strap element 10 is adapted to be attached to the outlet box by means of screws which pass through the apertures 15 and 14 and are fastened to the projections on the outlet box 33. T he auxiliary stud 19 is secured to the element 10 by means of the nuts 36, one located on each side of the element 10. The auxiliary stud 19 may be positioned anywhere along the l ngth of the stud so that it may be aligned with the aperture 19 on the fixture plate 37 of the fixture 38 which is shown as of the wall type. After the auxiliary stud 19 is secured to the element 10, the elementis then fastened to the outlet box and the fixture plate 37 placed against the outlet box with the stud 19 projecting through the aperture 19 to receive the fixture nut 39.

t will be apparent that by the use of my improved fixture strap, the number of accessory elements required will be reduced in that my strap elements are exactly alike and,

when used in combination, form an adjustable strap for supporting ceiling fixtures and, when used singly, provide a wall box strap for supporting wall fixtures. Because of the simplicity of construction, the strap elements may be easily manufactured and sold at a much lower cost than the straps now generally used and the elements may be sold singly.

While I have shown only two modifications of my invention for the purposes of illustration and description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention and I, therefore, desire to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable fixture strap comprising two similar e ements, each provided with a yoke and an extension, each of said yokes comprising a struck-(mt raised strap-like portion forming a slit with the yoke body through which the extension of the other element is. adapted to slidably extend, each f said elements having apertures adapted to receive fastening elements for attaching said strap to an outlet box and for attaching a fixture to said strap. 7

2-. An adjustable fixture strap comprising two similar elements, each provided with a yoke and an extension, each of said yolces comprising a struck-out raised strap-like portion forming a slit with the yoke body through which the extension of the other e ement is adapted to slidably extend, each of said elements having an aperture adapted to receive fastening elements for attaching a fixture to said strap and an elongated aperture. said last-mentioned apertures being adapted to overlap to permit passage through said elements of fastening elements for attaching said strap to an outlet box.

JAMES MANGDT.

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