Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-27
2004-06-15
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
active
06749162
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bracket having a removable portion for mounting two brackets adjacently on the same face of a support. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of attaching a first bracket and a second bracket to the same face of the support without overlapping portions of the two brackets on that face of the support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical boxes are often required to be mounted side by side on opposite sides of a steel stud. The electrical boxes are mounted on the stud with brackets, which are attached to the same face of the stud. Generally, the side of the stud to which the brackets are mounted is the side closest to where the drywall will be installed. Once a first bracket is secured to a face of the stud, portions of a second bracket secured to that same face of the stud overlap portions of the first bracket, thereby creating extra thickness on that face of the stud. When the drywall is installed, the extra thickness causes an unsightly and undesirable raised area at the sight where the brackets are attached to the stud. Elimination of the raised areas by the drywall installer requires special attention, which requires additional time and expense and hinders the construction process.
One prior solution to the problem of overlapping bracket portions is for the installer to manually cut and remove the overlapping portions of the bracket. The brackets are cut back such that the brackets meet near the center of the stud, thereby eliminating any overlapping portions of the brackets. However, this also greatly inconveniences the installer. First, the installer must find a tool capable of cutting the bracket material, and then the installer must estimate how much of the brackets must be trimmed so there will be no overlapping bracket portions. If the brackets are not trimmed enough, the installer must trim more of the brackets, thereby slowing the installation process even more. If the brackets are trimmed too much, the integrity of the attachment between the bracket and the stud may be compromised, thereby providing for weakly mounted electrical boxes.
For construction projects in which a large number of electrical boxes are to be installed, such as new condos and commercial buildings, extreme amounts of time are spent touching up raised drywall areas and trimming portions of brackets for the large number of electrical boxes mounted to studs in such projects. Furthermore, the extra time required to eliminate these problems greatly increases the cost of such projects.
A need exists for a bracket having an easily removable portion such that there is no overlap when mounting brackets side by side on the same face of a stud, thereby greatly reducing installation time and expense.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide brackets having relatively easily removable portions for mounting two brackets laterally adjacent on the same face of a support without bracket overlap.
Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a method of attaching two brackets laterally adjacent on the same face of a support without bracket overlap.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a bracket assembly that includes a first bracket adapted to be attached to a support having a face having a first width a, the first bracket having a first leg having a first removable portion and a first non-removable portion, the first leg having a second width b that is larger than one half of the first width; a second bracket adapted to be attached to the support, the second bracket having a second leg having a second removable portion and a second non-removable portion and also having a third width b′; and the first and second non-removable portions have fourth and fifth widths c and c′, respectively, which are less than one half of the first width a of the support for positioning the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket laterally adjacent the second non-removable portion of the second leg of the second bracket on the face of the support when the first and second removable portions have been separated from the first and second brackets.
The foregoing objects are also attained by providing a method of attaching brackets adjacent one another to a face of a support, including the steps of removing a first removable portion from a first non-removable portion of a first leg of a first bracket, the first leg of the first bracket having a second width b and the first non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket having a fourth width c less than one half of the first width a of the face of the support; attaching the first bracket to the support; removing a second removable portion from a second non-removable portion of a second leg of a second bracket, the second leg having a third width b′ and the second non-removable portion of the second bracket having a fifth width c′ less than one half of the first width a of the support; and attaching the second bracket to the support such that the second non-removable portion of the second leg of the second bracket is positioned laterally adjacent the fist non-removable portion of the first leg of the first bracket on the face of the support.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.
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Bourassa Alain
Nicolides Angelo S.
'Hubbell Incorporated
Braun Leslie A.
Goodman Alfred N.
Mickney Marcus R.
Wujciak, III A. Joseph
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