Universal bracket assembly

Claim 1

A universal mounting bracket assembly for mounting an exhaust pipe to a vehicle, said assembly comprising: an elongated support plate having opposed first and second ends and a pair of support rails extending along opposed sides thereof between the first and second ends, said elongated support plate further including a circular aperture generally adjacent to the first end and a pair of elongated cut outs disposed intermediate the circular aperture and the second end of said elongated support plate, said elongated cut outs and said circular aperture being generally collinearly with one another; a support base mounted to said elongated support plate adjacent the elongated cut outs therein, said support base including an arcuate support surface for engaging the pipe; a U-bolt dimensioned to engage the pipe, said U-bolt including a pair of generally parallel threaded ends, said threaded ends of said U-bolt extending through said support base and through the elongated cut outs of said support plate; a pair of clamping nuts threadably mounted to the ends of said U-bolt; a formed support rod having opposed first and second ends and being characterized by an array of external threads extending from the first end thereof to a point intermediate said first and second ends, said second end of said formed support rod being mountable to the vehicle, the first end of said formed support rod extending through said circular aperture in said elongated support plate; first and second support nuts threadably mounted to said formed support rod, said first and second support nuts being disposed on opposite sides of said elongated support plate, whereby the U-bolt and the formed support rod can be moved relative to the elongated support plate to effect the secure adjustable mounting of the pipe to the vehicle.