Electrical fixture installation assist means

An elongate threaded attachment rod for use in assisting the installation of an electrical fixture to a structurally mounted electrical junction box having attachment tabs carrying threaded attachment holes and having electrical power lead wires extending from said electrical junction box, said electrical fixture carrying an electrical device and having a mounting surface carrying spaced mounting openings, said electrical device having electrical wires adapted to be coupled to said electrical power lead wires for effecting an electrical connection therebetween, said spaced mounting openings being alignable with said threaded attachment holes for receiving said elongate threaded attachment rod therethrough for threadable engagement therewith, and said elongate threaded attachment rod having one threaded end engagable with one of said threaded attachment holes and having a threaded opposite end;

• manually effectable separation means formed between said one threaded end and said threaded opposite end of said elongate threaded attachment rod at a selected location along the length thereof for separating a part of said elongate threaded attachment rod at a predetermined distance from said one threaded end thereof;
• a threaded remnant end portion of said elongate threaded attachment rod formed as a remainder of said one threaded end after separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection between said electrical wires of said electrical device carried by said electrical fixture and said electrical power lead wires of said electrical junction box, said threaded remnant portion being retained in engagement within said one of said threaded attachment holes;
• an upset portion formed on said elongate threaded attachment rod at a location between said threaded end thereof and said manually effectable separation means proximate said manually effectable separation means;
• said elongate threaded attachment rod being constructed and arranged to accommodate slidable movement of said electrical fixture along the length thereof in a direction toward said attachment tabs of said electrical junction box and past both said manually effectable separation means and said upset portion at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection but prior to said separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod;
• a fastener member engaged with said threaded opposite end of said elongate threaded attachment rod supporting said electrical fixture temporarily at a distance from said attachment tabs of said electrical junction box thereby to provide sufficient access to enable manipulation of said electrical wires and said electrical power lead wires effecting completion of said electrical connection, said fastener member being movable thereafter along the length of said elongate threaded attachment rod following said electrical fixture therealong at time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection but prior to separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod, said fastener member being forcably engagable with said upset portion so as to be jammed thereon at one of said threaded attachment holes preventing further movement of said fastening member therealong past said upset portion and yet said fastening member being capable of further rotation whereby to effect simultaneous rotation of said threaded remnant end portion causing withdrawal of said threaded remnant portion from excessive extension thereof from said mounting surface of said electrical fixture.

In an elongate threaded attachment rod for use in assisting the installation of an electrical fixture to a structurally mounted electrical junction box, said electrical fixture having a mounting surface and a mounting opening formed in said mounting surface, said electrical fixture carrying an electrical device having electrical wires;

• said electrical junction box having electrical power lead wires emanating therefrom and including attachment tabs carrying threaded attachment holes, at least one of said threaded attachment holes being alignable with said mounting opening;
• said elongate threaded attachment rod having threaded opposite ends, one of said threaded opposite ends being engagable within said one of said threaded attachment holes, the other one of said threaded opposite ends being engageable through said mounting opening;
• said electrical wires adapted to be coupled to said electrical power lead wires for effecting electrical connection therebetween;
• manually effectable separation means formed in said elongate threaded attachment rod between said threaded opposite ends thereof at a selected location along the length thereof for separating a part of said elongate threaded attachment rod at a location a predetermined distance from said one of said threaded opposite ends;
• a threaded remnant end portion formed as a remainder of said one of said threaded opposite ends after separation thereof from said elongate threaded attachment rod at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection, said threaded remnant end portion being retained in engagement with said one of said threaded attachment holes;
• said elongate threaded attachment rod being constructed and arranged to accommodate slidable movement of said electrical fixture along the length thereof past said manually effectable separation means at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection but prior to separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod, retaining means comprising a fastener member engaged with said other one of said threaded opposite ends of said elongate threaded attachment rod for supporting said electrical fixture temporarily at a distance spaced from said electrical junction box to provide access between said electrical junction box and said electrical fixture sufficient to enable manipulation of said electrical power lead wires and electrical wires so as to effect the completion of said electrical connection, said fastener member being movable along the length of said elongate attachment rod following movement of said electrical fixture at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection but prior to separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod so as both to reach a position past said manually effectable separation means at a time subsequent to completion of said electrical connection but prior to separation of said part of said elongate threaded attachment rod whereby said fastener member is capable of supporting said electrical fixture after separation of said elongate attachment rod;
• the improvement comprising:
• an upset portion formed in the threads along the length of said elongate threaded attachment rod at a location between said one of said threaded opposite ends thereof and said manually effectable separation means, said upset portion being included as a part of said threaded remnant end portion subsequent to said separation of said elongate threaded attachment rod with said fastener member engaged with said remnant end portion for movement therealong, said fastener member being engagable with said upset portion and jammed thereat, further rotation of said jammed fastener member simultaneously rotating said remnant end portion causing withdrawal of any excessive extension of said threaded remnant portion relative said mounting surface of said electrical fixture.