Patent ID: 8205394

Claim:
A device for leveling and supporting a bathtub on a horizontally disposed ledger stud, said ledger stud having a bottom planar surface and a rear planar surface, such bathtub of the type having an upwardly extending rim, comprising: an elongated, vertically disposed ledger strap having a top and a bottom defining a length therebetween, a center defined along said length, a width, a front face and a rear face, said ledger strap having three portions defined on its front face from top to bottom being a top lift tab, a mid portion and a lower ledger stud support; a plurality of upper perforations defined in said ledger strap separating said top lift tab from said mid portion, said upper perforations disposed perpendicular to said length of said ledger strap; a plurality of lower perforations defined in said ledger strap separating said mid portion from said lower ledger stud support, said lower perforations disposed perpendicular to said length of said ledger strap; at least one lift slot defined within said top lift tab; an elongated tub attachment slot defined within said midportion, said tub attachment slot extending parallel to said length of said ledger strap; an elongated tightening screw slot having first and second sides, a top and a bottom, said tightening screw slot defined in said ledger strap within said midportion and disposed above said tub attachment slot; at least one attachment aperture defined in said mid portion below said upper perforations and disposed near said tightening screw slot; attachment means for retaining said ledger strap to said ledger stud, said lower ledger stud support being bent upwards along said lower perforations towards said front face of said ledger strap at approximately a 90 degree angle, said front face of said lower ledger stud support positioned against said bottom planar surface of said ledger stud and with said rear planar surface of said ledger stud positioned against said front face of said mid portion of said ledger strap, said ledger strap attached by said attachment means to said ledger stud; said top lift tab being bent downwards at approximately 30 degree angle toward said front face of said ledger strap along said upper perforations, said top lift tab for grasping and manually adjusting the height of said ledger stud after said ledger strap is releasably retained to said wall stud; a screw passing through said tightening screw slot into said wall stud, said screw retaining said ledger stud at a desired height and level; at least one attachment screw for passing through said at least one attachment aperture for attaching said ledger strap to said wall stud when said ledger stud is at said desired height and level; and said screw in said tightening screw slot being removable after said at least one attachment screw is engaged through said at least one attachment aperture and into said wall stud and said top lift tab adapted to be being broken away along said upper perforations.