Adjustable supporting means

1,855,751

April 26, 1932.

S. N. BUCHANAN

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS

Filed July 24, 1926'

<img file="US1855751A_D0001.tif" />

INVENTOR

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN

ATTORNEV

Patented Apr. 26, 1932

1355,751

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN, OF NEW YOBK, N. Υ.» ASSIGNOB TO THE THOKAS Λ BETTS CO, OP ELIZABETH, NEW JEBSEY, A COBPOBATION OF NEW JEBSEY

ADJUSTABLE SUPPOBTING KEANS

Application Hied July 24, 1928. Serial No. 124,587.

This invention relates to adjustable supporting means for various articles, such as conduit or outlet boxes, used in electric light wiring of buildings, conduits carrying elecS trie light wires, signal wires, water, gas etc.

In tiie construction of fireproof buildings, the window and door frames are usually made of steel, the door frames being referred to, in the vernacular of the trade, as 10 steel door “bucks”. These door frames or “bucks” are at the present time, usually made of steel formed into a hollow channel shape, the lower end of the “buck” being fastened to some steel framework of the building, or 15 set in concrete.

In order to provide a mounting for an outlet box or a conduit, it has been and is the Eractice so far as I am aware, to cut a wooden lock of a length to fit tightly into the inte20 rior of the specific “buck” used. The block must be put in edgewise, and then turned over into position, and hammered into place. If the block is not the right length, another one must be cut, until the proper fit is se²⁸ cured. The openings in the door “bucks” vary in width, so that much time is lost in fitting the wood block in position. After the block has been hammered to a tight fit, in the “buck” then an iron strap, is fitted to ³⁰ it and the strap drilled in the exact spot, so it will receive an outlet box at the desired distance from the door “buck”. It will be seen that this procedure which is illustrative of the present practice is slow and more or ⁰ less expensive.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide improved supporting means, by which a workman can make all the ₄₀ necessary attachments and adjustments in a very small fraction of the time required by the old method above set forth. '

My improvement will be best understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which 15 Figure 1, shows on a reduced scale an elevation of a door frame, or “buck”.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on a re50 duced scale, through one side of the door “buck” showing somewhat diagrammatically a pair of outlet boxes mounted in position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a small portion of a door “buck” looking from the left of Figure 4. 55

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my adjustable supporting means having means for carrying or securing a conduit in position rather than an outlet box.

Referring how to the details, 1, is a door 80 frame preferably of steel, which is set or carried by any suitable foundation, as by con- Crete 2. The door frame or “buck” is channel shaped having an opening 3, on its outside substantially all the way around its pe- 85 riphery, although it is to be understood that the channel may be closed the major part of the distance, leaving only openings on the sides and at the top; the fram®· is preferably made with a projection 4, to act as a stop for ⁷⁰the door.

It will be appreciated that in order to get the outlet box mounted at the proper height, tne attachment means must be provided with means for attaching it to the door “buck” ⁷⁸so that it may be quickly adjusted in a vertical direction, likewise the member carrying the outlet boxes must have an adjustment substantially parallel to the axis of the member engaging the door “buck” so that when ⁸⁰the tile and plaster is put on, they will be properly positioned with respect to the cover plate, likewise means must be provided on the supporting member so that the outlet boxes may be set at the desired distance from the ^eedge of the door “buck”. These adjustments are provided in the following instrumentalities : comprising a carrier 5, preferably in the form of a bar adapted to be quickly inserted _Mthrough the opening in the door “buck”. The bar 5, is provided with a lug 6, preferably punched outward from the material itself, to a position where it will properly engage the edge 7 of the “buck” 1. The bar 5, is slot- 95 ted at 8, and adjustably positioned on the bar 5, is a lug 9, attached thereto by means of a screw (not shown) passing through the slot 8, which lug is adapted to engage the edge 10 of the “buck” 1. ¹⁰*

1,855,751

It is thus seen that the bar 5, may be adjusted to any height desired, and quickly fastened in position. The bar δ, is adapted to carry a supporting member 11, which has ₅ one end 12, bent substantially at right angles to the main.portion 11, and is attached to the bar 5, by means of a screw or bolt (not shown) which passes through the slot 8, thereby providing an adjustment with the member 11, on the bar in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said bar.

The support member 11, is slotted at 14, to receive the screws or bolts 15, passing through the outlet boxes 16. In Figure 5, 15 only one wall of the outlet box is shown in order that the parts may be more clearly shown in the drawings.

Likewise certain of the fastening screws or bolts are not shown for the purpose of clarity.

This arrangement provides an adjustment in a direction parallel to the axis of the support member 11.

From what has been said it will be seen that the outlet boxes may be quickly brought into >5 proper vertical and horizontal positions so that the cover plate 18, will always come in exact position with, respect to the box and the plaster finish line 17.

In Figure 6,1 have shown a clamp 19, ad30 justably carried on the member 11, so that a conduit for any purpose may be supported in any desired position.

While I have shown certain supporting means, it will be apparent that the details > may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.