Electrical fixture hanger

An extensible interjoist hanger support for spanning between a pair of spaced-apart, joists having opposed surfaces, said hanger support comprising:

• first and second telescopically extensible members moveable in opposing axial directions between a fully collapsed length and a fully extended length, each member having a free end carrying joist-engaging means for engaging said opposing surfaces of said joists;
• cooperative means attached to said first and second extensible members, said cooperative means being normally in threaded engagement such that rotation of either extensible member relative to the other results in axial movement between said fully collapsed length and said fully extended length;
• an aperture located on the free end of said second telescopically extensible member for achieving relative axial movement between said first and second extensible members in response to power-assisted rotational forces applied to said second extensible member through said aperture to rotate said second extensible member relative to said first extensible member;
• first and second spacers carried by said first and second extensible members, respectively, with said first spacer being slidably moveable to any position on said first extensible member and said second spacer being slidably moveable to any position on said second extensible member;
• a saddle bracket carried by said hanger support, said saddle bracket having a pair of outwardly extending flanges to which an electrical outlet box may be secured;
• and
• fastening means for securing said outlet box to said flanges.

A method of installing an interjoist hanger support between a pair of first and second ceiling joists comprising the steps of:

• extending a pair of first and second telescopically extensible members moveable in opposing axial directions between a fully collapsed length and a fully extended length with each member having a free end carrying joist-engaging means, by applying power-assisted rotational forces to an aperture located on the free end of said second telescopically extensible member;
• attaching first and second spacers to said first and second extensible members, respectively;
• engaging said joist-engaging means of said second extensible member with said second joist;
• rotating said first extensible member relative to said second extensible member until said joist-engaging means of said first extensible member engage said first joist;
• and
• adjusting the position of said first and second spacers on said first and second extensible members, respectively, by sliding said first and second spacers axially along said first and second extensible members.