Abstract:
A bracket for holding conductors at a selected distance from the surface of a wall board to be mounted to a building stud. The bracket has a channel formed between a pair of plates and a bendable strap for closing the channel. The strap has an angularly oriented return to engage a side wall and a locking tab to hold the strap in closed position. The channel width is adjustable to accommodate different sized conductors. One of the plates has a bend line for adjusting the total width of the bracket for mounting on a narrower stud.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of wiring support devices for use in building construction, and more particularly to a bracket for positioning one or more conductors at a predetermined distance from a wall surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that electrical wires and cables mounted within a wall structure must be at least one-and-one-quarter (1.25) inches behind the inner surface of the wall board. This code provision is intended to reduce the likelihood that a nail or other sharp implement would penetrate or damage the conductor insulation and potentially cause an electrical fire. The NEC further requires that a cable is secured at the 1.25 inch offset within 12 inches of an electrical junction box or other fitting, and at intervals of not more than 4.5 feet along a wire run. 
     A number of devices have been developed to implement the NEC requirement for a 1.25 inch offset, as described in the following exemplary patents: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,677 to Miceli is for a Wire Harness. This device is to be mounted on the face of a wall stud for holding a number of wires between the surfaces of a wall. The device has one arm for mounting to a stud and a second arm for attaching wires. A series of clips are placed along the second arm for receiving and holding wires. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,185 to Rumbold et al. is for a Wiring Clip. This patent discloses a clip having an L-shaped portion to be secured to a stud and a strut and hinged arm remote from the L-shaped portion, the arm is adapted for being folded and locked around several wires. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,555 to Rinderer is for a Conductor Holding Device. This conductor holder has a support member having two perpendicular arms, one arm for being affixed to a stud and the other arm being formed with one or more holes. A clamp having a leg and a head is mounted with the leg through the one hole in the arm and the head holding the conductor at a fixed distance from a wall surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,371,540, U.S. Pat. No. 8,387,927 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,746,633 to the present inventor are each for Cable Positioning Brackets. These three patents represent earlier inventions of brackets for holding a series of conductors at a selected distance from a wall surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,496,211 to Rinderer is for a Self-Correcting Conductor Positioning Bracket. This bracket includes a mounting portion shaped to permit fastening to a wall stud and an angularly oriented support portion for contacting the wall stud to resist displacement of the bracket. The conductor is placed in an aperture between a retainer plate and a positioning plate, the aperture being closed by a closing member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a stabilized bracket for holding conductors a fixed distance from a wall surface. The bracket has an anchor plate for attachment to a first surface of a building stud and a foot plate to brace against a second surface of the building stud, the foot plate being perpendicular to the anchor plate for stabilizing the bracket against being twisted relative to the stud. The conductors are held in a channel running perpendicular to the second surface of the stud between a fixed barrier and a moveable jaw. A first end of the channel terminates at the foot plate braced against the stud and a second end of the channel is closeable with a bendable strap. The strap has a stabilizing return and a slot for engaging a locking tab at an outer end, the return and the tab effectively locking the bracket into a stabilized conductor support. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is best understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like elements are identified by similar reference numerals and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bracket of the present invention mounted to a building stud. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the bracket of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the bracket of the present invention with a conductor mounted thereby. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the bracket of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the stabilized bracket  10  of the present invention is shown in perspective as mounted to a building stud  12 . As used herein, the term “stabilized” means being relatively rigid and resistant to bending or other distortion. A first plate  20  is oriented substantially horizontally at a first side of bracket  10  and a second plate  22  on a second side, first plate  20  and second plate  22  being connected by a bridge  21 . First plate  20 , bridge  21  and second plate  22  are substantially coplanar. A wall  30  extends upwardly from second plate  22  with an anchor plate  30 ′ extending from wall  30  to overlap a portion of stud  12 . A fastener F is inserted through a hole in anchor plate  30 ′ to securely hold bracket  10  to the narrow side of stud  12 . A planar foot  36  extends downwardly from second plate  22 , bridge  21  and a portion of first plate  20  to brace against stud  12 . As illustrated, with anchor plate  30 ′ secured to the narrow surface of stud  12  and foot  36  braced against the broad surface of stud  12 , bracket  10  is securely supported in substantially horizontal orientation and is highly resistant to being moved or distorted. Optionally, a second fastener can be inserted into the wide surface of stud  12  through a hole  38  provided through foot  36 . Whereas bracket  10  is shown being mounted to stud  12  with anchor plate  30 ′ upward and foot  36  downward of first plate  20  and second plate  22 , it is understood that mounting bracket  10  in a different orientation, e.g. with anchor plate  30 ′ facing down and foot  36  facing up would not depart from the spirit and objectives of the invention. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 1 , a vertically oriented barrier  24  is formed at an edge of second plate  22  opposite to the position of wall  30  and substantially parallel thereto. A jaw member  34  is flexibly mounted to an edge of first plate  20  in a position opposite to barrier  24 , defining a channel  44  between barrier  24  and jaw member  34 . Channel  44  is configured for receiving and holding one or more conductors  14  between barrier  24  and jaw  34  as will be discussed further below. While conductor  14  is illustrated as the type of cable having an extruded plastic jacket, the present invention is equally adapted to support conductors of the type having a helical metallic jacket. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 1 , a strap  40  is fixedly connected at one end to first plate  20 . Strap  40  extends across the open end of channel  44 . A slot  46  is formed through the second end of strap  40  and a return  42  is formed to reside at an angle to the length of strap  40  at a position beyond slot  46 . According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, return  42  is oriented at a 90° angle to the length of strap  40 . When strap  40  is closed across channel  44 , return  42  is in contact with the outer surface of wall  30 . A locking tab  50  passes through slot  46  and is bent to retain strap  40  in closed condition. While locking tab  50  is shown bent along the length of strap  40 , it will be understood that the same resultant securing of strap  40  is accomplished if locking tab  50  were bent to lie along the outer surface of wall  30 . Bracket  10  is formed with a horizontal width substantially equal to the width W of stud  12 , providing further stabilization to bracket  10  when sheet rock wall board is attached on both sides of stud  12  to be in contact with bracket  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , bracket  10  is shown in front elevation view and top plan view, respectively. As illustrated, strap  40  has been bent outwardly to open channel  44 , and locking tab  50  has been bent to be in position to interlock with slot  46  when strap  40  is closed. At this stage one or more electrical conductors may be inserted into channel  44 . The portion of strap  40  extending vertically upward from first plate  20  is relatively wide in the vertical direction, and the portion of strap  40  extending horizontally across the open end of channel  44  is relatively narrow. By forming the second portion relatively narrow, the second portion is easily bent to open and close channel  44 . With the bend being along a curve as shown, the potential for metal bending fatigue and fracture is minimized. Barrier  24  and jaw  34  are seen in parallel relation and each in vertical orientation. The spacing between barrier  24  and jaw  34 , i.e. channel  44 , is sufficient to accommodate only a relatively small diameter conductor. Jaw  34  is connected to first plate  20  by a pair of strips  56  and  58  that are narrow enough to be bent around a curve to raise jaw  34  and thereby increase the space between barrier  24  and jaw  34  as will be described below. An opening  60  is formed between jaw  34 , strips  56 ,  58 , and first plate  20 . 
     Continuing with  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a bend line  54  is formed in first plate  20  oriented parallel to the outer edge (right edge as shown) of first plate  20 , and positioned a distance w from wall  30 . Bend line  54  serves to divide first plate  20  into a first area and a second area. As seen in  FIG. 1 , bracket  10  has a width W that is substantially equal to the width W of stud  12 , typically being 3.5 inches. However, certain studs may be narrower, on the order of 2.5 inches wide. When first plate  20  is bent along bend line  54  in the direction indicated by arrow A ( FIG. 2 ), the resultant width w of bracket  10  is substantially 2.5 inches, thereby reconfiguring bracket  10  to accommodate a narrower stud and allowing the sheet rock wall surface to be mounted to the studs in close engagement and securely holding bracket  10 . Bend line  54  may be formed by a series of linear score marks, a row of small punched holes through first plate  20  or other linear impressions able to ensure a reasonably clean linear bend. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , bracket  10  is shown in front elevation view and top plan view respectively. A conductor  14  has been inserted into channel  44  and strap  40  has been straightened to reside across the open end of channel  44 . Return  42  snugly overlaps the adjacent edge of wall  30  with locking tab  50  passing through slot  46  and bent into a locking configuration. The engagement of return  42  with wall  30  and the engagement of locking tab  50  with slot  46  significantly enhances the rigidity and stability of bracket  10  as installed on a building stud by locking two intersecting vertical members to each other. 
     Referring further to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , it is seen that conductor  14  has a diameter larger than the initial spacing between barrier  24  and jaw  34  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In order to accommodate the diameter of conductor  14 , strips  56  and  58  have been bent to curve upwardly and position jaw  34  further from barrier  24 . As will be understood, the relatively narrow width of strips  56  and  58  allow ready positioning of jaw  34 , while the malleable nature of the sheet steel used to form bracket  10  causes jaw  34  to remain in the position to which it is placed. With jaw  34  positioned to bear against conductor  14 , additional conductors may be placed and held within channel  44  prior to closing and locking strap  40 . Conductor  14  and any additional conductors held in channel  44  are therefore positioned a fixed distance from the inner surface of a wall board to be mounted to a stud adjacent to bracket  10 , the fixed distance being in compliance with the NEC regulations noted above. 
     Bracket  10  is preferably formed of galvanized sheet metal approximately 0.025 inch thick, i.e. 24 gauge. It is to be understood that alternate materials and thickness that satisfy the features described herein are usable. 
     While the description above discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is contemplated that numerous variations and modifications of the invention are possible and are considered to be within the scope of the claims that follow.