Abstract:
An adjustable mounting assembly for hanging a light fixture, fan, or other electrical device from a cathedral ceiling. The adjustable mounting assembly allows an installer to easily mount an electrical device in any location along the apex of a cathedral ceiling. The adjustable mounting assembly includes a central bracket, adjustable mounting bars, and an arrangement for securing an electrical box to the assembly. All the hardware required for securing the mounting assembly to the rafters and for securing the electrical device thereto is included with the assembly for easily accessibility by the installer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to mounting assemblies for electrical boxes and specifically to an adjustable mounting assembly for mounting a fan or light fixture to a cathedral ceiling. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Builders or homeowners frequently hang electrical devices, such as fans or lighting fixtures, from cathedral ceilings. Typically the electrical devices are hung from the rafters that support the cathedral ceiling. 
   Several devices have been proposed for installing electrical devices on cathedral ceilings. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,592,788 and 5,806,269 to Corridon and U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,359 to Patterson propose various devices for mounting electrical devices on cathedral ceilings. Corridon&#39;s mounting system includes a cathedral ceiling fixture mount with a central bore. Screws pass through the mounting plate of the electrical device and through the central bore to engage a standard ceiling workbox. Patterson&#39;s mounting box is simply a covering device that obscures the 2×4 studs that are mounted between adjacent ceiling rafters for supporting the electrical device. 
   Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned prior art mounting devices require the installation of a separate device, such as a workbox or studs, to support the mounting box. Additionally, use of the prior art mounting devices limits the choice of location for hanging an electrical device, as the workbox of Corridon&#39;s mounting system must be secured to a rafter unless a support structure such as studs are installed between the rafters. 
   Prior art mounting devices therefore exhibit several limitations in for the installation of fans or fixtures on cathedral ceilings. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is an adjustable mounting assembly for hanging a light fixture, fan, or other electrical device from a cathedral ceiling. The adjustable mounting assembly allows an installer to easily mount an electrical device in any location along the apex of a cathedral ceiling. The adjustable mounting assembly includes a central bracket, adjustable mounting bars, and an arrangement for securing an electrical box to the assembly. All the hardware required for securing the mounting assembly to the rafters and for securing the electrical device thereto is included with the assembly to be easily accessible to the installer. 
   OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
   The adjustable mounting assembly of the present invention provides a complete mounting assembly for mounting an electrical device to a cathedral ceiling, including all of the required fastening hardware. All of the installation hardware that is required to complete the task is provided as a part of the mounting assembly. 
   An additional advantage is that the required fasteners are held securely in the adjustable mounting assembly in temporary storage receptacles. The temporary storage receptacles provide an advantage in that the fasteners are held securely in the assembly until they are ready to be used. The required fastening hardware is therefore on hand for installation at the time it is required. By freeing up an installer&#39;s hands, the task of mounting an electrical device to a ceiling is therefore greatly simplified and the installation time greatly reduced. Additionally, by having all of the required fastening hardware on hand, the installer is not burdened by the task of locating appropriate fasteners at the appropriate time. 
   The adjustable mounting assembly also provides the advantage that the entire load of the electrical device is supported by the mounting assembly, and not by the electrical box itself. 
   The adjustable mounting assembly enables easy adjustments to the location of the supported electrical device, as the electrical device can be easily adjusted to any position between the adjacent rafters it is secured to. 
   As a further advantage, the adjustable mounting assembly eliminates the need for installing a standard workbox or supporting studs. No workbox or studs are required for installation of the adjustable mounting assembly of the present invention. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description along with reference to the drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an adjustable mounting assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a mounting bracket that comprises a portion of the adjustable mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the mounting bracket taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the mounting bracket taken along line  5 — 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of a blank that will be formed into the mounting bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of an adjustable mounting bar that comprises a portion of the adjustable mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7A  is a view of the flange portion of the adjustable mounting bar taken along line  7 A— 7 A of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 7B  is a sectional view of the flange portion taken along line  7 B— 7 B of  FIG. 7A . 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the adjustable mounting bar taken along line  8 — 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an electrical box that comprises a portion of the adjustable mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of the electrical box of  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the electrical box taken along line  11 — 11  of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the electrical box taken along line  12 — 12  of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the electrical box of  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 14  is a conceptual sectional view depicting one end of the adjustable mounting assembly secured to a rafter. 
       FIG. 15  is a side view depicting the adjustable mounting assembly secured to two adjacent rafters. 
       FIG. 16  is a sectional view of the adjustable mounting assembly taken along line  16 — 16  of  FIG. 15 . 
   

   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               Table of Nomenclature 
             
             
               27) The following is a listing of part numbers used in the drawings along 
             
             
               with a brief description: 
             
           
        
         
             
               Part Number 
               Description 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               20 
               adjustable mounting assembly 
             
             
               22 
               mounting bracket 
             
             
               24 
               adjustable mounting bars 
             
             
               26 
               securing arrangement 
             
             
               28 
               electrical box 
             
             
               30 
               center bar 
             
             
               32 
               end portion 
             
             
               34 
               U-shaped cross section of mounting bracket 
             
             
               36 
               bottom portion of U-shaped cross section 
             
             
               38 
               first plane 
             
             
               40 
               second plane 
             
             
               42 
               bore in mounting bracket 
             
             
               44 
               U-shaped top 
             
             
               46 
               aperture in end portion 
             
             
               48 
               outer tubular member 
             
             
               50 
               inner tubular member 
             
             
               52 
               inner end 
             
             
               54 
               outer end 
             
             
               56 
               flange 
             
             
               58 
               aperture in flange 
             
             
               60 
               temporary storage receptacle in tubular member 
             
             
               62 
               bar fastener 
             
             
               64 
               integral nail 
             
             
               66 
               inward bent portion 
             
             
               68 
               sharpened point 
             
             
               70 
               locking arrangement 
             
             
               72 
               bottom side of tubular member 
             
             
               76 
               elongated slot 
             
             
               78 
               slide member 
             
             
               80 
               fastener 
             
             
               82 
               longitudinal wall of electrical box 
             
             
               84 
               lateral wall of electrical box 
             
             
               86 
               inverted V-shaped top edge 
             
             
               88 
               level top edge 
             
             
               90 
               first set of sidewalls 
             
             
               92 
               second set of sidewalls 
             
             
               94 
               top wall of electrical box 
             
             
               96 
               inner cavity 
             
             
               98 
               knockout 
             
             
               100 
               box fastener 
             
             
               102 
               boss 
             
             
               104 
               fastener storage receptacle 
             
             
               106 
               load bearing fastener 
             
             
               108 
               box fastening arrangement 
             
             
               110 
               opening 
             
             
               112 
               blank 
             
             
               114 
               bend line 
             
             
               116 
               rafter 
             
             
               118 
               rafter 
             
             
               120 
               mounting plate 
             
             
               122 
               electrical fixture 
             
             
               124 
               aperture in mounting plate 
             
             
               126 
               sheetrock 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is an adjustable mounting assembly for securing an electrical device, such as a fan or a fixture, to a cathedral ceiling. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment is shown of an adjustable mounting assembly  20  including a mounting bracket  22 , adjustable mounting bars  24 , an electrical box  28 , and a securing arrangement  26  for securing an electrical device such as a fan or fixture (not shown) to the adjustable mounting assembly  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the mounting bracket  22  includes a center bar  30  and two end portions  32 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , the center bar  30  of the mounting bracket  22  includes a substantially U-shaped cross section  34 . The U-shaped center bar  30  includes a bottom portion  36 . The end portions  32  of the mounting bracket  22  are in a first plane  38  and the bottom portion  36  is in a second plane  40 . This arrangement, with the bottom portion  36  in a lower plane  40  than the first plane  38  of the end portions  32 , will enable easy positioning of the later installed electrical device (not shown) with respect to the ceiling covering, such as sheet rock, for those installations in which the ceiling rafters are covered. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , one or more bores  42  are included therein in the mounting bracket  22 . The end portions  32  of the mounting bracket  22  include U-shaped tops  44  and apertures  46  therein. 
   With reference to  FIG. 7 , the adjustable mounting bars  24  include an outer tubular member  48  and an inner tubular member  50 . Each tubular member  48  and  50  includes an inner end  52  and an outer end  54 . At their inner ends  52 , the inner tubular member  50  is received within the outer tubular member  48 , thereby making the inner tubular member  50  slideable with respect to the outer tubular member  48 . At the cross section shown in  FIG. 8 , the inner tubular member  50  is disposed within the outer tubular member  48  and the adjustable mounting bars  24  are therefore capable of being adjusted in length. 
   With further reference to  FIG. 7 , a flange  56  is included on the outer end  54  of each of the tubular members  48  and  50 . The flanges  56  are substantially orthogonal to the elongated tubular members  48  and  50 . The flanges  56 , as shown in  FIG. 7A , further include apertures  58  therein. 
   The tubular members  48  and  50  further include temporary storage receptacles  60  proximate their outer ends  54  and one or more bar fastener  62  secured therein. The temporary storage receptacles  60  provide a temporary storage location for the bar fasteners  62  thereby making them easily accessible to an installer at the time that they will be needed. When securing the adjustable mounting assembly to two adjacent rafters in a cathedral ceiling, the bar fasteners  62  are removed from the temporary storage receptacles  60  and inserted through the apertures  58  in the flanges  56 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 7B , the flanges  56  further include an integral nail  64 . The integral nail  64  includes an inward bent portion  66  of the flange  56  and an outward facing sharpened point  68  enabling the tubular members  48  and  50  to be initially secured to the rafters by hammering the nails into the rafters (not shown). 
   Referring to  FIG. 16 , the adjustable mounting bars  24  further include a locking arrangement  70  for locking the length of the adjustable mounting bars to a desired length. The tubular members  48  and  50  each include a bottom side  72 . The bottom side  72  of the tubular members  48  and  50  are received within the U-shaped top  44  of the end portions  32 . The locking arrangement  70  includes an elongated slot  76  on the bottom side  72  of each of the tubular members  48  and  50 , a slide member  78  disposed within the tubular members, and a fastener  80  disposed through the end portions  32  of the mounting bracket  22 , thence through the elongated slots  76 , and into the slide member  78 . The fastener  80  in a loosened state enables the mounting bracket  22  to slide with respect to the tubular members  48  and  50  and the fastener  80  in a tightened state locks the mounting bracket  22  with respect to the tubular members  48  and  50 . 
     FIG. 9  depicts the preferred embodiment of an electrical box  28  for use with the adjustable mounting assembly  20  of the present invention. The electrical box  28  includes four outer sidewalls  82  and  84 , including longitudinal walls  82  and lateral walls  84 . The longitudinal walls  82  include an inverted V-shaped top edge  86  and the lateral walls  84  include a level top edge  88 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 14 , the lateral walls  84  comprise a first set  90  of outer sidewalls, which are parallel to the adjustable mounting bars  24 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the longitudinal walls  82  comprise a second set  92  of outer sidewalls, which are orthogonal to the adjustable mounting bars  24 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 13 , the electrical box  28  includes a top wall  94 , an inner cavity  96 , knockouts  98 , and box fasteners  100  held within bosses  102  extending into the inner cavity  96  from the top wall  94 . Fastener storage receptacles  104  are provided extending upwards from the top wall  94  and includes load bearing fasteners  106  frictionally held therein. The fastener storage receptacles  104  provide temporary storage of the load bearing fasteners  106  until they are removed therefrom and used to secure the electrical box  28  to the adjustable mounting assembly  20 . Openings  110  are also provide in the top wall  94 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the adjustable mounting assembly  20  further includes a box fastening arrangement  108  for securing the electrical box  28  to the mounting assembly  20 . The box fasteners  100  secure the electrical box  28  to the mounting bracket  22  and align the openings  110  with the bores  42  in the mounting bracket  22 . 
   The securing arrangement  26  includes the openings  110  in the electrical box  28  that are capable of being axially aligned with the bores  42 , visible behind the cutaway portion of the electrical box  28 , in the mounting bracket  22 . The securing arrangement  26  further includes the load bearing fasteners  106  which have an outer diameter smaller than the openings  110  in the electrical box  28 . To secure an electrical device (not shown) to the adjustable mounting assembly  20  using the securing arrangement  26 , the each load bearing fastener  106  is removed from the fastener storage receptacles  104  and then passed through the opening  110  in the electrical box  28  and tightened into the respective bores  42  in the mounting bracket  22  to secure the electrical box  28  thereto. 
   The mounting bracket  22  of the present invention is preferably constructed of metal, such as steel. The mounting bracket  22  may be constructed from a flat metal blank  112  such as that shown in  FIG. 6 . The dashed lines represent bend lines  114  along which the flat metal blank is bent to form the mounting bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
   The tubular members  48  and  50  that form the adjustable mounting bars  24  of the present invention are also preferably constructed of metal. The mounting bracket and adjustable mounting bars, being constructed of metal, are therefore capable of supporting the heavy load of a ceiling fan or electrical fixture, which may weigh up to 80 pounds. 
   The electrical box  28  shown in  FIG. 9  may be molded of plastic in one piece or may be constructed of metal. Although a specific embodiment of an electrical box is shown herein for use with the adjustable mounting assembly, it should be understood that a wide range of electrical boxes could be used with the mounting assembly. Since the electrical box does not support the load of the fan or fixture, many standard electrical boxes would be acceptable, as long as apertures were provided in the electrical box at the same spacing as the bores in the mounting bracket, thereby allowing axial alignment of the apertures in the electrical box with the bores in the mounting bracket. 
   The reader is referred to  FIG. 15  for an understanding of the operation of the adjustable mounting assembly  20  of the present invention. The adjustable mounting assembly  20  is first located, as shown in  FIG. 15 , between two adjacent sets of rafters  116  and  118  at which it is desired to hang a fan or fixture  122 . The length of the adjustable mounting bars  24  are then set to the proper length to span between the rafters  116  and  118  and the fasteners  80  of the locking arrangement  70  tightened to lock the adjustable mounting bars  24  to the desired length. The adjustable mounting assembly  20  is leveled and the integral nails  64  on each end of the adjustable bars  24  are hammered into the rafters  116  and  118  to temporarily hold the mounting assembly  20  in place. The bar fasteners  62  are then removed from the temporary storage receptacles  60  and driven through the apertures  58  in the flange  56  and into the rafters  116  and  118  to permanently secure the adjustable mounting assembly  20  to the rafters. 
   At this point the adjustable mounting assembly  20  is securely mounted to the rafters  116  and  118  and the electrical box  28  is fixed with respect to the adjustable mounting bars  24  by the tightened locking arrangement  70 . If any adjustments are required in the position of the electrical box  28  with respect to the mounting assembly  20 , the locking arrangement  70  can easily be unlocked by loosening fasteners  80 . The mounting bracket  22  and the electrical box  28  can then be slid to the newly desired position and the locking arrangement  70  retightened to lock it into place. 
   With the electrical box  28  secured to the mounting assembly and the mounting assembly  20  secured to the rafters  116  and  118 , the securing arrangement  26  can then be used to secure an electrical fan or fixture to the electrical box  28  and mounting assembly  20 . The load bearing fasteners  106 , one of which is visible in  FIG. 15 , are removed from the fastener storage receptacles  104  within the inner cavity of the electrical box  28 . The mounting plate  120  of the electrical fixture  122  is then placed in close proximity to the electrical box  28  and the apertures  124  of the mounting plate  120  aligned axially with the openings  110  of the electrical box  28  which in turn are in alignment with the bores  42  in the mounting bracket  22 . The bores  42  in the mounting bracket  22  preferably include threads to match the threads of the load bearing fasteners  106 . The load bearing fasteners  106  are then tightened into the bores  42  of the mounting bracket  22  to secure the electrical fixture  122  to the adjustable mounting assembly  20 . The dashed lines with arrows in the figure signify the path of one of the load bearing fasteners  106 , which are removed from the fastener storage receptacles  104  and placed through the apertures  124  in the mounting plate  120  of the electrical fixture  122  and into the bores  42  in the mounting bracket  22 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 14 , the inverted V-shaped top edges  86  of the longitudinal walls  82  provide an attractive fan or fixture mount for a covered ceiling. If sheetrock  126  or other wall covering material is attached to the rafters  118   a  and  118   b , the adjustable mounting assembly  20  can be secured to the rafters at a height to bring the V-shaped top edges  86  of the longitudinal walls  82  and the level top edges  88  of the lateral walls  84  flush with the bottom surface of the sheetrock  126 . This makes for an attractive fan or fixture mount and eliminates any gaps between the ceiling and the electrical box  28 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 15 , a distinct advantage of the adjustable mounting assembly  20  is that it can be moved if desired. If, for example, a homeowner wished to change the location of the fan or fixture, the bar fasteners  62  would be removed and the locking arrangement  70  loosened to permit a reduction in length of the adjustable mounting bars  24 . With the adjustable mounting bars  24  reduced in length, the adjustable mounting assembly  20  could be moved to a new location. The electrical wiring connections would of course need to be removed and then reattached at the new location. 
   Having thus described the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited by the description herein but is defined as follows by the appended claims.