Patent Publication Number: US-2003226944-A1

Title: Support bracket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] A. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention pertains to a support bracket and more particularly, to a support bracket that may be used on a construction site for a variety of purposes.  
       [0003] B. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] During construction of a home, for example, there is often need for a table or like work surface. A carpenter can assemble a work table on site by bringing in several saw horses and setting a panel across them or constructing a top to form a work table. Sometimes an assembled work table will be brought onto the site. To construct a work table on site is time consuming and costly in terms of material and manpower. Similarly, it is often costly or difficult to bring a previously constructed work table onto a construction site. At times, there is a need for a temporary holder or support for work materials, for example, water pipes for a plumber or electrical conduit for an electrician. When preparing a roof on a new home, there is often a need for a support for materials, such as plywood panels to be affixed to the roof rafters.  
       [0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a support bracket that can be used on a construction site for a variety of purposes, and which is relatively inexpensive to make and which is sturdy and can be used time and time again.  
       [0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support bracket that can be readily attached to and removed from a stud on a construction site and which can be used to provide a table or support on site.  
       [0007] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made more apparent hereinafter.  
       [0008] C. Summary of the Invention  
       [0009] The invention pertains to a support bracket comprising a channel like body and a support arm extending from the body. The body is adapted to be detachably secured in a desired position to a support on a construction site, for example, a wall stud. The body has a side wall, a front wall and a rear wall, with the front wall being spaced from the rear wall a predetermined dimension, such predetermined dimension being complementary to the predetermined width of the support. The lower edge of the rear wall is disposed above the upper edge of the front wall, thereby defining an opening by means of which the body is mounted on the support. The support arm extends forwardly from the front wall and can support material, for example, conduit or pipes, or work implements, such as a vise. Two or more support brackets can be used to support a large panel or long pipes or conduit. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
     [0010] There is shown in the attached drawing a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein like numerals in the various views refer to like elements, and wherein:  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of support brackets embodying the present invention in place on a pair of studs on a typical construction site, with a panel shown in phantom on the support brackets;  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is a side view of a support bracket of the present invention in place on a slanted roof rafter, illustrating the support bracket supporting roofing materials, such as studs or panels, which are shown in phantom;  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the initial alignment of the parts in the assembly of a support bracket embodying the present invention onto a vertically disposed stud;  
     [0014]FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the mounting of a support bracket on a vertically disposed stud, with the body of the support bracket engaging the stud;  
     [0015]FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a support bracket on a vertically disposed stud, with the support bracket moved into engaged position on the stud;  
     [0016]FIG. 6 is a cross section view taken generally along the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5;  
     [0017]FIG. 7 is a side view of the support bracket;  
     [0018]FIG. 8 is a top view of the support bracket;  
     [0019]FIG. 9 is an end view of the support bracket taken from the left end as viewed in FIG. 7; and  
     [0020]FIG. 10 is an end view taken from the right end as viewed in FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
     [0021] There is shown in FIG. 1 a typical construction site wherein a pair of support brackets  10  are mounted on vertically disposed studs  12  for supporting a panel or shelf  14 , which is shown in phantom. As will be explained hereinafter, the support brackets  10  can easily be mounted to support a panel or shelf  14  at any desired height on the stud  12  and can be readily assembled to the stud  12  and removed therefrom. In FIG. 2 there is shown a support bracket  10  mounted on a roof rafter or stud  16  for supporting roofing materials.  
     [0022] In FIGS.  3 - 6  there is shown the mounting of a support bracket  10  on a stud  12 . The support bracket  10  includes a body  18  and a support member or support arm  20 . The support bracket  10  is suitably made from a strong, rigid material, for example, aluminum or steel. The body  18  includes a front wall  22 , a rear wall  24  and a side wall  26  which connects the front wall  22  and the rear wall  24 . A projection  28  extends rearwardly from the front wall  22  and a projection  30  extends forwardly from the rear wall  30 . The body  18  is constructed and arranged to fit snugly upon a stud  12 . More particularly, the front wall  22  is spaced from the rear wall  24  a distance corresponding substantially to the width of the stud  12  with which the support bracket  10  is to be used. The width of the front wall  22  and the width of the rear wall  24  corresponds substantially to the height of the stud  10  with which the support bracket  10  is to be used. The projections  28  and  30  are each preferably slightly shorter than the overall length of the front wall  22  and the rear wall  24 , respectively. The projections  28  and  30  are relatively narrow. The extent of the projections  28  and  30  is not critical. They are sufficiently wide to provide rigidifying support on the stud  12  for the body  18  opposite the side wall  26 . The top edge of the body  18  and the lower edge of the body  18  are cut at an angle of about 45 degrees as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5.  
     [0023] The lower edge of the rear wall  24  is disposed above the upper edge of the front wall  22  so as to define an opening  32  in the body. The maximum dimension of the opening  32 , that is, the maximum dimension between the opposed edges of the front wall  22  and the rear wall  24 , is slightly larger than the width of the stud  12 , whereby, in assembly of the support bracket  10  upon the stud  12 , the body  18  is aligned with the stud  12  (FIG. 3) and the body  18  can pass over the stud  12  until the stud  12  abuts the side wall  26  of the body  18  (FIG. 4). Then the support bracket  10  can be rotated or moved from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5 to mount the support bracket  10  on the stud  12 .  
     [0024] The lower edge of the rear wall  24  is provided with an inwardly extending projection  34  (see FIGS.  5 , 8 , 9  and  10 ), which is adapted to firmly engage the contact surface of the stud  12  and to actually dig into the contact surface of the stud  12  if the stud  12  is of a softer material than the body  18 . For example, the studs  12  are commonly made of wood and the body  18  is normally made from a harder material, such as metal, and in such circumstance, the projection  34  would tend to bite into the associated contact surface of the stud  12  when the support bracket  10  is mounted on the stud  12 . The extent of the projection  34  or the width of the projection  34  from the rear wall  24  can be increased to increase the depth of penetration of the projection  34  into a stud  12  of a softer material than the support bracket  10 .  
     [0025] Security means in the form of one or more holes can be provided in the front wall  22  of the body  18  to enable the support bracket  10  to be secured to the stud  12 . See FIGS. 9 and 10. A screw or like fastener can be inserted through one or more holes  40  in the front wall  22  of the body  18  into the stud  12  to secure the support bracket  10  in a selected position. The support bracket  10  is constructed so that in use, the application of weight on the support arm  20  of the support bracket  10  will result in firmer engagement of the body  18  on the stud  12 . The inturned projection  34  on the body  18  will tend to engage more firmly or dig more firmly into the wooden stud  12 . As noted the extent of the projection  34  can be varied as desired, to increase the holding force when the support bracket  10  is positioned at a desired location on stud  12 . If the stud  12  is made from a hard material, for example, metal, the inturned projection  34  will tend to engage more firmly with the associated wall of the stud  12  to help hold the support bracket  10  in desired position. Essentially, as the support bracket  10  is positioned on a stud  12 , the inturned projection  34  will be flexed and apply a spring load to stud  12 . In the event that it is desired to more firmly fix the support bracket  10  in place on the stud  12 , security means can be employed as described above.  
     [0026] The support member or arm  20  as illustrated in FIGS.  1 , 3 , 7  and  8  may be fabricated from an angle member of a metal material, for example, aluminum or steel, that is welded or otherwise secured to the front wall  22  of the body  18  of the support bracket  10 . The end of the support arm  20  is upturned as indicated at  36 . The height of the upturned end  36  of the support arm  20  may be varied according to the application. Further, the length of the support arm  20  may be varied according to use and similarly, the top can be broader or wider, if desired. The support arm  20  can be constructed and arranged to support a panel  14  so as to form a work table on the construction site. The support arm  20  can be provided in standard lengths to accommodate the standard width of panels. The upturned end  36  will help to position and retain the panel on the support brackets  10 . In another application, water pipe or electrical conduit could be supported on the supports brackets  10 , in which case the upturned end  36  would help to retain the generally circular pipe or conduit on the support brackets  10 . In yet another application, the top of the support bracket  10  could be sturdier and used to provide a support for a vice or like implement. Thus, it is readily apparent to persons skilled in the art that the support bracket  10  could be used alone in certain applications or could be used in pairs or further multiples in other applications. The support bracket  10  is sturdy and can be easily assembled and removed from a stud. It can be used over and over again.  
     [0027] To mount the support bracket  10  on a stud  12  at any desired location, the support bracket  10  is positioned at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the stud  12 , as seen in FIG. 3. The opening  32  in the body  18  of the support bracket  10  is aligned with the stud  12  and the support bracket  10  is moved toward the stud  12  until the side wall  26  abuts the stud  12 . As seen in FIG. 5, the inturned projection of flange  34  engages firmly with the stud  12 . The support bracket  10  is then moved or rotated from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The front wall  22  is against one wall of the stud  12  and the rear wall  24  is against the opposite end of the stud  12 . The side wall  26  of the body  18  is in abutting relationship with the side of the stud  12 . As seen in FIG. 5, the inturned projection of flange  34  engages firmly with the stud  12 . The projections  28  and  30  extend over the edges of the stud  12  on the side opposite the surface of the stud  12  engaging the side wall  26 . The stud  12  is firmly engaged by the body  18  of the support bracket  10 , as seen in FIG. 6. The interior cross section of the body  18  is complementary in size and shape to the exterior cross section of the stud  12 . The interior of the body  18  is constructed and arranged to receive and fit closely with the exterior of the stud  12 , as best seen in FIG. 6. Preferably, the interior of the body  18  is dimensioned only slightly larger than the exterior of the stud  12 .  
     [0028] While I have shown a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.