Mounting bracket for electrical boxes

Claim 1

An electrical box including peripheral and rear walls defining a cavity having an opening with a peripheral edge, opposite bosses extending outwardly from said peripheral wall adjacent said peripheral edge, bracket mounting screw receiving holes through said bosses extending along screw axes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said opening, said bosses having front surfaces facing in the same direction as said opening and oppositely facing rear surfaces, said bosses having opposite side surfaces extending between said front and rear surfaces, a mounting bracket positioned adjacent each said boss for mounting said box within an opening in a wall, each said bracket including a base positioned adjacent said rear surface and having a screw receiving opening aligned with said bracket mounting screw receiving hole, a deformable portion extending from said base generally along a portion of said peripheral wall toward said rear wall and having a flange with a screw receiving bore aligned with said hole and opening, a screw extending freely through said hole and opening and being threaded into said bore so that tightening of same moves said flange toward said base and deforms said deformable portion outwardly away from said peripheral wall, said screw also holding said bracket to said box by extending through said hole and opening and being threaded into said bore, spaced-apart opposite legs extending from said base along said opposite sides of said boss closely adjacent thereto, wings extending outwardly from said legs adjacent said peripheral edge of said opening, said peripheral wall of said box having shoulders on the outer surface thereof at least on opposite sides of said bosses and spaced toward said rear wall from said opening, and hook portions extending rearwardly closely adjacent said outer surface of said box peripheral wall from the edges of said wings located closest to said outer surface of said box peripheral wall and terminating in hooks engaged over said shoulders to hold said bracket against rocking about said boss and to stiffen said wings against bending outwardly of said box relative to said legs.