Electrical outlet box positioning device

Abstract

Apparatus for use by electricians in mounting switch boxes on the studs of buildings under construction, so that they are all at a desired height and all project the required amount to be flush with later applied plasterboard of known thickness. It consists of a saddle slidable with respect to a pair of graduated rods which may extend beyond the saddle in opposite directions, and having a guide plate to be pressed against the edge of the stud to the face of which the box is to be secured. One of the set of spacing members is attached to the guide plate to project beyond it at a particular distance from it, which distance determines the correct projection of the box, and the spacing members have lips located further apart than the length of a switch box to determine the correct height of the box. The duplication of rods and lips makes it possible to set a box on either face of a stud simply by placing the tool so that one rod or the other touches the floor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of electrician's tools, and comprises a tool for use in the initial part of a house wiring job where the necessary boxes for holding switches and outlets are being installed throughout the house. It is customary for all switches to be mounted at a standard height above the floor. Convenience outlets are mounted much lower, but for the sake of appearance should all be at the same height. Boxes are available for ready attachment for the face of wall studs, conventionally "two-by-fours", but it has been the practice to measure with a ruler and mark for the location of each box. The boxes are installed before the plasterboard, and their open faces must be flush with the outer surface of the plasterboard when installed. Heretofore this has been done "by eye" or has required a separate measuring procedure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention comprises a simple tool by the use of which switch boxes may be installed quickly and readily at a desired height, on either the left-hand or the right-hand face of the studs, to project the correct amount for any contemplated plasterboard. It comprises in effect an adjustable template, constructed to have a height adjustment, a guide plate for positioning against the edge of the desired stud, and a spacing member having a surface against which the open face of the box is positioned and a lip on which the box rests, with one side against the stud. By providing duplicate height adjustments and duplicate lips it is possible to properly position a box on either face of the stud.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a new and improved electrician's tool. Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for use in setting switch boxes at desired heights and with desired projections. A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a tool which is adapted to be used for installing boxes on either the left-hand or the right-hand face of the stud.

Various other objects, advantages, and features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows my improved tool in use;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of my tool;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 shows a set of spacing members for use in my improved tool.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows my tool in use, and set up for positioning boxes at switch height on the right-hand face of studs and at a selected lesser height on the left-hand face of the studs. By way of illustration a building stud 10 is shown as resting on a plate 11 secured to the floor 12 of the building. The guide plate 13 of a saddle indicated generally by the reference numeral 14 has an inner surface 18 and an outer surface 19 in the form of a plane which is positioned to bear against the edge 15 of the stud with an edge 16 of the guide plate aligned with the corner between edge 15 and the right-hand face 20 of the stud where the box is to be secured. Plate 13 is secured as by welding to a sleeve 21, to which a second sleeve 22 is welded in parallel relation, the axes of both sleeves being parallel to edge 16 and hence aligned with edge 16 and with the plane of surface 19. A pair of graduated rods 23 and 24 are slidable in sleeves 21 and 22, and can be secured in any positions by thumbscrews 25 and 26, all respectively. One end 27 of rod 24 is shown to extend past the like end of rod 23 and to rest on the floor.

A pair of studs 30 extend from the outer face of plate 13 for cooperating with a pair of wingnuts 31 to secure to the plate a spacing member 32 having holes 33 to pass the studs. A knob 34 may be secured to member 32 by a machine screw 35. To make my tool of general utility regardless of what thickness of plasterboard is to be used in the building, I provide a set of spacing members as shown at 32a through 32e in FIG. 5. As indicated on member 32c, each member includes a rectangular plate portion 40, a pair of lips 41, 42 at the ends of one long side of the plate portion, and a spacing rim 43 extending around three edges of the plate from lip 41 to lip 42. Lips 41 and 42 are further apart than the length of a box, and the thicknesses of the rims are different, and are the same as the thicknesses of plasterboard which are to be encountered. Member 35e, for use when the front of the box is to be minimally spaced from the edge of the studs, may be said to have a spacing rim of zero thickness.

It will be seen that a box 50 of the type having a nailing plate 51 secured to or incorporated in one of its sides, is positioned with its bottom resting on lip 42, and one edge of its open face pressed against plate portion 40. The box is now positioned correctly in height and projection, and can readily be secured to the studs by points 52 and struck out of plate 51, or other means such as nails.

If it is desired to secure a box to the left-hand face of the stud, the tool is simply inverted, so that the end 54 of rod 23 rests on the floor. The box in this case is rested on lip 41 rather than lip 42, and the height of the box is determined as before by the position of saddle 14, this time with respect to rod 23.

Numerous objects and advantages of my invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An outlet box setting apparatus for positioning an outlet box on studs of buildings under construction, comprising in combination:

a mounting rod;

a saddle slidable along said rod;

means for securing said saddle at any position along said rod;

said saddle including a guide plate for guiding said saddle along a stud, said guide plate having an outer surface facing said stud which defines a first plane in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of said rod, and having an edge remote from said saddle and also in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of said rod said guide plate further having an inner surface parallel to said outer surface;

a spacing member secured to the inner surface of said guide plate to project laterally therefrom and beyond said edge thereof, said member defining a plane spaced inwardly from said first plane;

and a support lip on said spacing member extending toward said guide plate;

so that when said rod is rested vertically on a floor, said saddle is set at a desired position along said rod, said outer face of said guide plate is placed against a building stud with said edge aligned with an edge thereof, and an electrical outlet box is rested on said lip with its open end against said spacing member, and then secured to the face of the stud, said box will be located at a standard height from the floor and will project to the front line of a plasterboard panel to be secured to said stud.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a pair of aligned mounting rods with respect to which the saddle is separately slidable.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said spacing member includes a pair of said support lips spaced in the direction of alignment of said mounting rod by a distance greater than the length of an outlet box.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said spacing member includes a pair of said support lips spaced in the direction of alignment of said mounting rid by a distance greater than the length of an outlet box.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said spacing member comprises a rectangular plate portion, and a pair of lips projecting from adjacent corners of said plate portion.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said spacing member comprises a rectangular plate portion, a pair of lips projecting from adjacent corners of said plate portion, and a spacing rim extending around three edges of said plate portion from one of said lips to the other.