Electrical fixture mounting assembly

A bracket for an electrical box mounting assembly, comprising:

• a substantially U-shaped portion adapted to receive a brace, said U-shaped portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, first and second legs, and first and second ends;
• a protrusion on said inner surface of each of said first and second legs of said substantially U-shaped portion for retaining the brace within said bracket;
• first and second flanges extending from said first and second ends of said substantially U-shaped portion, respectively;
• and
• a fastener hole in each of said first and second flanges corresponding to an opening in an electrical box for receiving fasteners to secure said bracket to the electrical box with the brace retained therebetween.

An electrical fixture mounting assembly, comprising:

• an electrical box having an upper wall, said wall having a plurality of openings therein;
• a brace;
• a bracket for attaching said electrical box to said brace, said bracket, including
• a substantially U-shaped portion adapted to receive said brace, said substantially U-shaped portion having an inner and an outer surface and first and second legs;
• a protrusion on said inner surface of each of said first and second legs of said substantially U-shaped portion for retaining said brace within said bracket;
• first and second flanges extending from said first and second legs, respectively, each of said flanges having a fastener hole therein corresponding to one of said plurality of openings in said electrical box upper wall;
• first and second tabs extending from said first and second flanges, respectively, each of said first and second tabs adapted to engage one of said plurality of openings in said electrical box upper wall to align said box and said bracket;
• and
• fasteners extending through said plurality of openings in said electrical box into said flange fastener holes to secure said electrical box to said bracket with said brace secured therebetween.

A method of mounting an electrical box to a brace, comprising the steps of

• inserting an adjustable brace having first and second ends through an opening in a ceiling between first and second joists;
• adjusting the brace until the first and second brace ends contact the first and second joists creating a tight fit between the brace and the joists;
• inserting a bracket through the ceiling opening and snap-fitting the bracket onto the brace;
• inserting an electrical box through the ceiling opening and aligning and engaging the electrical box with the bracket;
• and
• inserting fasteners through electrical box fastener holes and through corresponding bracket fastener holes to secure the electrical box to the brace.