U.S. patent application number 10/800562 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-25 for universal bracket.
Invention is credited to Espenes, Johnny, Wilhelmsen, Leif.
Application Number | 20040232290 10/800562 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32072590 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040232290 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wilhelmsen, Leif ; et
al. |
November 25, 2004 |
Universal bracket
Abstract
There is described a universal bracket for securing between stud
partitions, timberwork or the like for the installation equipment,
fixtures and fittings, plasterboard and similar elements or
materials, which bracket consists of two elongate elements of
substantially the same profile, made of a sheet material in such
manner that each element has a relatively broad central part which
is defined by longitudinally flanged edge portions, and wherein at
the opposite free ends of said respective elements there is
provided an end piece, the said two elements being dimensioned and
adapted so that they fit into each other and can be displaced in
the longitudinal direction, thus providing a telescopically
adjustable "beam" that is torsion-proof and can readily be adapted
to the width between wooden or steel studs, steel frames or
timberwork and can easily be fastened thereto by fasteners provided
in the said end pieces.
Inventors: |
Wilhelmsen, Leif; (Tomter,
NO) ; Espenes, Johnny; (Spydeberg, NO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VOLPE AND KOENIG, P.C.
UNITED PLAZA, SUITE 1600
30 SOUTH 17TH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
32072590 |
Appl. No.: |
10/800562 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/200.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04C 3/005 20130101;
E04C 3/07 20130101; E04B 2002/7485 20130101; E04B 2/7457
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/200.1 |
International
Class: |
E04G 025/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 24, 2003 |
NO |
20031342 |
Feb 13, 2004 |
NO |
20040647 |
Claims
1. A universal bracket for securing between stud partitions,
timberwork or the like for the installation of equipment, fixtures
and fittings, plasterboard and similar elements or materials,
comprising two elongate elements having substantially the same
profile, made of a sheet material in such manner that each of said
elements has a relatively broad central part which is defined by
longitudinally flanged edge portions, and wherein at the opposite
free ends of said respective elements there is provided an end
piece, the said two elements being dimensioned and adapted so that
they fit into each other and can be displaced in the longitudinal
direction, thus providing a telescopically adjustable "beam" that
is torsion-proof and can readily be adapted to the width between
wooden or steel studs, steel frames or timberwork and can easily be
fastened thereto by fasteners provided in the said end pieces.
2. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein the flanging of said
edge portions is provided in that the respective central parts of
said sheet material are bent inwards at the edge areas as a first
outward-projecting portion that forms a substantial right angle
with the surface plane of said central parts, which first portion
passes into a second portion that is substantially parallel to the
said surface plane.
3. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein said end piece is
provided with a suitably dimensioned upward bend of said sheet
material of said elements.
4. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein said end pieces and/or
said central parts of the elements there are provided with
relatively small holes for fastening means, for example,
screws.
5. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein said end pieces and/or
said central parts of the elements are provided with holes or
cut-outs adapted to receive preferably flexible electrical tubing,
optionally for connections/feedthroughs etc.
6. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein said bracket is so
dimensioned that it has a longitudinal displacement from about 480
mm to about 600 mm.
7. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein the said elements have a
different thickness.
8. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein the said elements have a
different length.
9. A bracket according to claim 8, wherein the longest of said
elements has a thickness of about 0.7 mm, and the shortest of said
elements a thickness of about 0.9 mm.
10. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein said sheet material is
galvanised steel or a material with similar properties.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The subject invention relates to a universal bracket for
securing between stud partitions, timberwork or the like for the
installation of equipment, fixtures and fittings, plasterboard and
similar components or materials.
[0002] When, for example, connection boxes for concealed wiring,
so-called recessed boxes, are to be mounted behind plasterboard or
a panelled ceiling, the installation engineer will often resort to
the use of pieces of board or the like that are placed between the
studs or beams and are used as a "nailing strip" in order to secure
the box. This is time-consuming and by no means an effective
method.
[0003] Plaster walls and walls of some other materials have a
limited and inadequate load-bearing capacity for reliable
attachment when fairly heavy articles such as, for instance,
kitchen units and/or bathroom fittings are to be mounted directly
on the wall without being secured to load-bearing structures. In
such cases, more provisional solutions such as pieces of board or
the like are used to spread the load. Direct attachment to the
plaster wall alone will at best only provide a highly temporary
"solution" which in all probability will result in problems at a
subsequent point in time.
[0004] Plaster walls are generally constructed using standard 240
cm high boards mounted on a stud partition of steel sections. When
the wall is to be higher than the standard height, the boards must
be lengthened in height. Today, this is usually done using of steel
bands. However, a single steel band has little torsional rigidity,
and moreover screws or nails or similar fasteners may well result
in unsightly bulges in the wall surface. As stated above, there
exists a clear need for fastening/connecting devices that can be
used in connection with plaster walls and similar walls, which
solve the problems and remedy the deficiencies of the prior
art.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to alleviate the
shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This object above is achieved with a universal bracket of
the type mentioned in the introduction comprising two elongate
elements having substantially the same profile, made of a sheet
material in such manner that each of said elements has a relatively
broad central part which is defined by longitudinally flanged edge
portions, and wherein at the opposite free ends of said respective
elements there is provided an end piece, said two elements being
dimensioned and adapted so that they fit into each other and can be
displaced in the longitudinal direction, thus providing a
telescopically adjustable "beam" that is torsion-proof and can
readily be adapted to the width between wooden or steel studs,
steel frames or timberwork and can easily be fastened thereto by
fasteners provided in said end pieces.
[0007] In one embodiment of the invention is the flanging of said
edge portions provided in that said respective central part of said
sheet material are bent inwards at the edge as as a first
outward-projecting portion that forms a substantial right angle
with the surface plane of said central part, which first portion
passes into a second portion that is substantially parallel to said
surface plane.
[0008] In another embodiment of the invention is said end piece
provided with a suitably dimensioned upward bend of said sheet
material of said elements.
[0009] In still another embodiment of the invention are said end
pieces and/or said central parts of the elements there provided
relatively small holes for fastening means, for example,
screws.
[0010] In still another embodiment of the invention, are said end
pieces and/or said central parts of said elements provided with
holes or cut-outs adapted to receive preferably flexible electrical
tubing, optionally for connections/feedthroughs etc.
[0011] In still another embodiment of the invention is said bracket
so dimensioned that it has a longitudinal displacement from about
480 mm to about 600 mm.
[0012] In still another embodiment of the invention have said
elements a different thickness. said elements have a different
thickness.
[0013] In still another embodiment of the invention have said
elements a different length.
[0014] In still another embodiment of the invention has the longest
of said elements a thickness of about 0.7 mm, and the shortest of
said elements a thickness of about 0.9 mm.
[0015] In still another embodiment of the invention is said sheet
material galvanised steel or a material with similar
properties.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The advantages and features of the disclosed invention will
readily be appreciated by persons skilled in the art from the
following detailed description when read in conjunction with the
drawing, wherein:
[0017] FIGS. 1 and 2 are side views of two exemplary embodiments of
the bracket according to the invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the bracket and end
piece taken along the lines A-A and B-B in FIG. 1 respectively.
[0019] The bracket according to the invention consists of two
elongate elements 1 and 2 having substantially the same profile,
made of a sheet material in such manner that each element 1 and 2
has a relatively broad central part, 3 and 4 respectively, which is
defined by longitudinally flanged edge portions 6. The flanging of
the edge portions 6 is provided in that the respective central
parts 3 and 4 of the sheet material are bent inwards at the edge
areas as a first outward-projecting portion that forms a
substantial right angle with the surface plane of the central part
3, 4, which first portion passes into a second portion that is
substantially parallel to the said surface plane, as can be seen
clearly from FIGS. 2 and 3. An end piece 5 is provided at the
opposite free ends of the respective elements 1 and 2. This end
piece 5 may, for example, consist of a suitably dimensioned upward
bend of the sheet material. The two elements 1 and 2 are
dimensioned and adapted so that they fit into each other and can be
displaced in the longitudinal direction. In this way, a
telescopically adjustable "beam" is obtained that is torsion-proof
and can readily be adapted to the width between wooden or steel
studs, steel frames or timberwork and can by means of screws or
other suitable fasteners provided in the end pieces 5 easily be
fastened thereto. Screws holes, indicated by the reference numeral
7, are provided for such fastening.
[0020] Screw holes 7 may also be provided in the respective central
parts 3 and 4 for installation boxes and/or other equipment or
material that is to be installed. In both the end pieces 5 and the
central parts 3 and 4 there may also be provided larger holes 8
adapted to flexible electrical tubing for connection/feedthrough
etc. The elements 1 and 2 may be of different lengths and
thickness. At the end pieces 5, a cut-out 9 may be provided in the
bent portions 6, as indicated in FIG. 2. The cut-out has a width
equivalent to the flange width of a steel stud and is adapted to
receive such a stud or the like.
[0021] As a concrete example of the dimensions and materials
selection for an embodiment of the universal bracket according to
the invention, the bracket had a longitudinal displacement from 480
mm to 600 mm and more. It was made of galvanised steel having a
thickness of 0.7 mm in the longest element 1 and 0.9 mm in the
shortest element 2, which may also be used as an independent
bracket. Both elements were provided with 3 mm holes spaced 114 mm
apart for the attachment of ceiling boxes. The longest element 1
was also provided with four 25 mm holes for the feedthrough of
flexitubing. Each end piece 5 was provided as a 35 mm upward bend
with two 5 mm holes for attachment to timberwork. The bracket
according to the invention is not limited to the said materials
selection and embodiments as the patent protection is defined by
the following patent claims which must also be interpreted as
comprising all relevant equivalents.
* * * * *