| CPC H02G 3/123 (2013.01) [F16B 5/0225 (2013.01)] | 7 Claims |
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7. An electrical outlet mounting device for mounting an electrical outlet in drywall when an outlet opening in the drywall has been cut larger than necessary, said device comprising:
a bracket having a slidably adjustable arm such that said bracket has an adjustable width thereby facilitating said bracket to be positioned to extend laterally across an outlet opening having been cut into a drywall panel, said bracket including a fixed arm, said slidably adjustable arm having a foot and said fixed arm having a foot, said foot of said slidably adjustable arm and said foot of said fixed arm rests against said drywall panel when said bracket is positioned to extend laterally across said outlet opening thereby inhibiting said bracket from falling through said outlet opening;
wherein said bracket has a rear panel and a pair of perimeter panels each extending forwardly from said rear panel, each of said perimeter panels being perpendicularly oriented with said rear panel having each of said pair of perimeter panels being aligned with a respective one of an upper edge and a lower edge of said rear panel such that said bracket defines a U-shape, each of said pair of perimeter panels curving toward said rear panel at a point located adjacent to a distal edge of said perimeter panels thereby defining a slide space between said distal edge of each of said pair of perimeter panels and a forward surface of said rear panel, said bracket having a first slot extending through said forward surface and a rear surface of said rear panel, said first slot being elongated along an axis extending between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of said rear panel, said first slot being positioned closer to said first lateral edge than said second lateral edge, said bracket having a screw hole extending through said forward surface and said rear surface of said rear panel, said screw hole being positioned between said first slot and said first lateral edge of said rear panel;
wherein said slidably adjustable arm has a first end and a second end, said slidably adjustable arm being elongated between said first end and said second end, said slidably adjustable arm having a bend being positioned closer to said first end than said second end to define a leg and said foot each extending away from said slidably adjustable arm, said foot of said slidably adjustable arm being associated with said first end of said slidably adjustable arm, said slidably adjustable arm having a second slot extending through a front surface and back surface of said slidably adjustable arm, said second slot being elongated to extend substantially between said second end of said slidably adjustable arm and said bend in said slidably adjustable arm, said second end of said slidably adjustable arm being insertable into said slide space defined in said bracket adjacent to said first lateral edge of said rear panel of said bracket having said back surface of said slidably adjustable arm resting against said forward surface of said rear panel of said bracket, said second slot being aligned with said first slot in said rear panel of said bracket, said screw hole in said rear panel of said bracket being aligned with said second slot;
wherein said fixed arm extends away from said second lateral edge of said rear panel of said bracket, said fixed arm having a distal end with respect to said second lateral edge, said fixed arm having a bend being positioned closer to said second lateral edge than said distal end to define a leg and said foot each extending away from said fixed arm, said foot of said fixed arm being associated with said distal of said fixed arm;
wherein said leg defined on said slidably adjustable arm and said leg defined on said fixed arm is directed forwardly with respect to said bracket having said foot defined on said slidably adjustable arm and said foot defined on said fixed arm lying on a plane being oriented parallel to said rear panel of said bracket; and
a screw being extendable through said slidably adjustable arm and threadably engaging said bracket for retaining said slidably adjustable arm at a selected position in said bracket when said screw is tightened, said slidably adjustable arm being slidable in said bracket when said screw is loosened, said screw having a head and a shaft being threaded, said shaft being extendable through said second slot in said slidably adjustable arm, said shaft extending through said screw hole in said rear panel of said bracket having said shaft threadably engaging a bounding edge of said screw hole, said head compressing against said front surface of said slidably adjustable arm thereby compressing said back surface of said slidably adjustable arm against said forward surface of said rear panel of said bracket when said screw is tightened, said head decompressing from said front surface of said slidably adjustable arm when said screw is loosened, said slidably adjustable arm being slid outwardly from of said bracket until said leg defined on said slidably adjustable arm and said leg defined on said fixed arm abuts a respective one of a first lateral side and a second lateral side of a bounding edge of said outlet opening in said drywall panel when said screw is loosened; and
wherein a mounting screw of an electrical outlet is extendable through said slidably adjustable arm for attaching said electrical outlet to said bracket thereby facilitating said bracket to mount said electrical outlet in an electrical box that is surrounded by said outlet opening in said drywall panel, said mounting screw being extendable through said second slot in said slidably adjustable arm and said first slot in said rear panel of said bracket and a screw hole in a support bracket of said electrical outlet thereby facilitating said mounting screw to be threaded into a screw hole in said electrical box until said foot on said slidably adjustable arm and said foot on said fixed arm is compressed against an exposed surface of said drywall panel.
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