Mounting arrangement for electrical outlet boxes

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said legs have terminal end portions extending outwardly from said clamping portions and terminating at terminal ends, said terminal end portions having opposite notches therein and including notch bottoms and notch sides, and said spacer means being defined by said terminal end portions between said notch bottoms and said clamping portions.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein said terminal end portions of said legs extend generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said clamping portions extend generally perpendicular to said legs.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 wherein said notches extend from said terminal ends toward said clamping portions over a distance substantially less than the entire distance between said terminal ends and said clamping portions.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein said clamping portions are yieldably deformable toward said base.

Claim 8

A mounting arrangement for clamping a member to a support, said member having a wall with a hole therethrough and a predetermined wall thickness around said hole, a generally U-shaped clip having a longitudinal axis, a base extending generally perpendicular to said axis and having a fastener receiving aperture therethrough, opposite legs diverging outwardly from said base at included angles with said base greater than 90° and substantially less than 180° and being yieldably deformable toward said axis, said legs having inwardly extending clamping portions spaced outwardly from said base and intersecting said legs at corners, spacer means on said legs outwardly of said clamping portions for maintaining said corners spaced from said support a distance not less than said predetermined wall thickness during deformation of said legs toward said axis, said clip being positioned with said spacer means located adjacent said support and said base located in outwardly-spaced relationship to said support, and fastener means extending through said aperture and being adjustably secured to said support for selectively moving said clip toward or away from said support, whereby when said fastener is loose said member is positionable with said hole therein aligned with said clip and force applied to said member for moving same toward said support causes inward deformation of said legs by engagement with the periphery of said hole until said wall passes said corners and said legs spring outwardly to trap said wall around the periphery of said hole between said support and said clamping portions so that tightening of said fastener firmly clamps said member against said support.

Claim 9

A mounting arrangement for clamping a member to a support, said member having a wall with a hole therethrough and a predetermined wall thickness around said hole, a generally U-shaped clip having a longitudinal axis, a base extending generally perpendicular to said axis and having a fastener receiving aperture therethrough, opposite legs diverging outwardly from said base at included angles with said base greater than 90° and substantially less than 180° and being yieldably deformable toward said axis, said legs having inwardly extending clamping portions spaced outwardly from said base and intersecting said legs at corners, spacer means on said legs outwardly of said clamping portions for maintaining said corners spaced from said support a distance not less than said predetermined wall thickness during deformation of said legs toward said axis, said clip being positioned with said spacer means located adjacent said support and said base located in outwardly-spaced relationship to said support, and fastener means extending through said aperture and being adjustably secured to said support for selectively moving said clip toward or away from said support, whereby when said fastener is loose said member is positionable with said hole therein aligned with said clip and force applied to said member for moving same toward said support causes inward deformation of said legs by engagement with the periphery of said hole until said wall passes said corners and said legs spring outwardly to trap said wall around the periphery of said hole between said support and said clamping portions so that tightening of said fastener firmly clamps said member against said support.

Claim 10

The mounting arrangement of claim 7 wherein said support comprises a channel having a longitudinal slot between opposed flanges extending toward one another, said clip legs having terminal end portions received in said slot, said spacer means being located between said terminal end portions and said clamping portions for engaging the outer surfaces of said flanges on opposite sides of said slot.

Claim 11

The mounting arrangement of claim 7 wherein said clamping portions are yieldably deformable toward said base upon tightening of said fastener.

Claim 12

In combination; a support having an outer support surface, an electrical outlet box or the like having a hole therein of a predetermined diameter, a generally U-shaped clip having a longitudinal axis and a generally flat base extending substantially perpendicular to said axis, a substantially centrally located fastener receiving aperture through said base receiving a fastener which is adjustably secured to said support, opposite legs diverging outwardly from said base at included angles with said base greater than 90° and substantially less than 180° and being yieldably deformable toward said axis, said legs having inwardly extending clamping portions adjacent the terminal end portions thereof, said box being positioned with the peripheral portion thereof around said hole lying between said support and said clamping portions, spacer means extending outwardly from said clamping portions for spacing said clamping portions from a support when said legs are deformed toward said axis, and said legs of said clip including terminal end portions having opposite edges lying generally on the circumference of a circle having a diameter generally the same as said predetermined diameter of said hole in said box.

Claim 13

In combination; a support having an outer support surface, an electrical outlet box or the like having a hole therein of a predetermined diameter, a generally U-shaped clip having a longitudinal axis and a generally flat base extending substantially perpendicular to said axis, a substantially centrally located fastener receiving aperture through said base receiving a fastener which is adjustably secured to said support, opposite legs diverging outwardly from said base at included angles with said base greater than 90° and substantially less than 180° and being yieldably deformable toward said axis, said legs having inwardly extending clamping portions adjacent the terminal end portions thereof, said box being positioned with the peripheral portion thereof around said hole lying between said support and said clamping portions, spacer means extending outwardly from said clamping portions for spacing said clamping portions from a support when said legs are deformed toward said axis, and said legs of said clip including terminal end portions having opposite edges lying generally on the circumference of a circle having a diameter generally the same as said predetermined diameter of said hole in said box.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10 wherein said peripheral portion of said box around said hole has a thickness greater than the length of said terminal end portions.

Claim 15

The device of claim 10 wherein said support comprises at least one channel member having a slot therein and said terminal end portions of said clip have opposite notches therein to define leg terminal ends having a width less than the width of said legs, said leg terminal ends being received in said slot, and said terminal end portions between said clamping portions and said notches having a length parallel to said axis which is less than the thickness of said box around the peripheral portion of said hole.