US1564609A - Adjustable fixture strap - Google Patents

Description

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J. MORGENSTERN Y ADJUSTABLE FI XTURE STRAP Filed Jan. 5, 1924 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

JOSEPH MORGENSTEBN, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE FIXTURE STRAP.

Application led January 5, 1924. Serial No. 684,527.

To all whom t may concern:

. Be it known that I, JOSEPH MORGEN- STERN, a citizen of the l United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Fixture Strapsfof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention, like that which constitutes the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 682,154, filed December 22, 1923, relates to improvements in fixture supporting devices of the kind commonly known as fixtures straps that are used for attaching electric light fixtures to outlet boxes or receptacles, and its objects are to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive device of this nature that is adjustable and by reason thereof is adaptable to receptacles or outlet boxes of different kinds and sizes, and to fixtures having attaching4 portions of different dimensions; and which is reversible to provide for different methods of installation of receptacles or outlet boxes, all of which will be readily understood from the following detail description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a central section through an outlet box and the adjacent portion of a fixture attached thereto by my improved adjustable strap; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1, with the fixture removed; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two members whereof the strap is composed, showing them separated.

My improved fixture .su porting device, or fixture stra y, is com ose of two members 1 and 2whic are a justably or telescopically connected together in the following manner: The member 1 has iianges 3 that are turned downwardly and inwardly from opposed portions of its lateral edges near its inner end to form channels 4; and the inner end of the. member 2 is frictionally engaged within said channels.

IThe members v1 and 2 are notched at their inner or overlapping ends to effect an opening 5, and beyond each end of said opening and in axial alignment therewith the respective members are provided with slots 6. This treatment of the members, besides Vaffording the opening 5 and slots 6 for purposes hereinafter to be ex lained', renders said members resilient in aateral direction.

The members are desirably. die stamped from sheet metal and are so formed that before they are interen aged the inner end of member 2 is somew at wider than the distance between the vertical walls of the opposed channels 4 so that when the end of member' 2 is inserted into the channels the parts willbe placed under tension thereby to cause enough friction to prevent too free relative movement between the members. Preferably, in the attainment of this end, the lateral edges of the member l normally converge toward the inner end of the member while the corresponding edges of member 2 diverge inwardly at about the same angle so that when the members are brought together both will yield about equally and the opposed lateral edges of the complete device will assume a substantially parallel relation.

The outer ends of the members 1 and 2 are offset with respect to the body portions of the members and are in planes parallel therewith and are provided with threaded apertures 7 An outlet box, designated 10, is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and according to one common method of installation the same may be setI within a wall, in which case the surface of the wall will be substantially flush with the open side of the box, as indicated by the dot-and-dash line a in Fig. 1; or according to another method of installation, the box may be placed against the wall, in which case the box would bearl the same relation to the wall as it does to the dot-and-dash line b in Fig...1. A fixture stud 12 is shown as secured, through its arms 13 and bolts 14, to the circular wall of the outlet box, and assumin that it is desired to attach a fixture to sai stud through the use of my im roved strap when the installation issuch t at the open side of the box is substantially Hush with the surface of the wall, the strap is applied to the stud, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, with the stud projecting through the opening 5, and a nut 15 is applied to the stud for drawing the opposite ends of the strap up against diametrically. opposed portions o the peripheral wall o the ox, or against the surface of the wall indicated b the dotand-dash line a should the o en side of the box be slightly inwardly o the plane of such surface, as sometimes occurs. For an is turned so that the ofset ends of the members 1 and 2 are spaced from the wall. The xture 17 (shown only in part) terminates at its upper end in a an e 18 which joins the body portion of the xture through a fiat annular part 19. In applying the lixture, the flange V18 is placed against the wall and screws 20 are passed through holes in the part 19 and are threaded into the apertures 7 of the members 1 and 2.

If the outlet box 10 is placed against the wall, as above described the fixture strap is inverted to bring its offset ends above the open side of the box and the ixture is applied as before. 1 This being such an obvious alternative, illustration is deemed unneces- Iii some cases the fixture stud 12 is omitted, and under these circumstances the lugs 21 of the outlet box are used for attachin the ixture strap. Screws are then engage through the slots 6 and threaded into the tapped apertures 22, of the lugs.

The length of the slots 6 provides for a wide range of sizes of outlet boxes, and the members 1 and 2 are adjusted toward and from each other to take care of different sizes of fixtures.

From the foregoing description it will be seen how readily my improved fixture strap may be adjusted and fixed in any adjusted position without the need of screws or the use of tools and that when it is in place it is securely held against disarrangement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An adjustable fixture strap comprising a receiving member and an entering member, the receiving member having flanges turned over and inwardly from its lateral edges to form channels into which the entering member is adapted to be inserted, the inner ends of the members having relatively deep notches which form an opening for a fixture stud when said members are assembled, each member having a slot beyond and in substantially axial alignment with said opening, the said members incorporating means for attaching a fixture to the strap.

2. An adjustable fixture strap com rising fiat overlapping members that are ormed at their overlapping portions to provide an opening for a fixture stud or like support, said members being slidably connected t0- gether exclusively by interergaging integral parts of the respective members, the outer ends of said members being offset from the plane of their body portions and provided with openings for fixture attaching screws.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my signature.

JOSEPH MORGENSTERN.

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