Patent ID: 8544807

Claim:
An apparatus for mounting a recessed electric fixture in a hole in a support surface having a front side and a back side, the electric fixture having a housing and a flange perpendicular to the housing with apertures adapted to receive a tightening member, said apparatus comprising: a flexible member having first and second ends and corresponding surfaces; a first spring clip attached to said first end of said flexible member; and a second spring clip attached to said second end of said flexible member; said flexible member connected to said first and second spring clips by only a single fastener; said first and second spring clips having a tightening section for receiving a tightening member, a surface-bearing section for bearing against the back side of the support surface, and a connecting section connecting the tightening section and the surface-bearing section at corresponding intersections, the corresponding surfaces of said first and second ends of said flexible member positioned against the intersection of said connecting section and said surface-bearing section, whereby when tightening members are inserted through the apertures in the flange and received in said threaded section of said first and second spring clips, inward pressure applied to the tightening members causes said flexible member to bend so that said first and second spring cups are moved inwardly towards the center of the housing so that said first and second spring clips and said flexible member can pass through the hole and whereby said flexible member unbends when the pressure on the tightening members is removed causing said first and second spring clips to move outwardly away from the center of the housing so said surface-bearing section bears against the back side of the support surface to retain the electric fixture in the support surface hole.