AU2016200696A1

AU2016200696A1 - Pipe Hanger

Info

Publication number: AU2016200696A1
Application number: AU2016200696A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Patrick John Crowley
Original assignee: Crowley Ola Krystyna
Current assignee: Crowley Ola Krystyna
Priority date: 2015-02-20
Filing date: 2016-02-03
Publication date: 2016-09-08

Abstract

Abstract A pipe hanger 10 for hanging one or more pipes on a wall of an underground mine, the wall being fitted with wire mesh 20 to inhibit rock fall, the hanger comprising a vertically extending, elongate shank 12 with a plurality of support hooks 14 provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the 10 shank, each support hook being vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook and adapted to support one or more pipes therein. The pipe hanger 10 also comprises a suspending means 16 provided at a top end of the shank 12 for suspending the shank from the wire mesh 20; and, an engaging means 18 provided proximate a bottom end 30 of the shank 12 15 for engaging with the wire mesh 20 wherein, in use, the shank can be secured to the wire mesh 20 to provide a stable support for the pipes on the wall of the mine shaft. Figure to accompany Abstract: Figure 2 'NN 'NJ 20 id; :22o

Description

“PIPE HANGER”

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to pipe hangers for hanging one or more pipes along the walls of an underground mine.

Background to the Invention

In underground mining it is common to run multiple pipe lines along the walls of the mine shaft for carrying various fluids and or electrical cables into the underground mine. Prior art pipe hangers typically comprise a vertically extending, elongate shank with a plurality of support hooks attached at spaced intervals to the shank. At the top end of the shank a loop was typically provided for suspending the shank from an L-pin fixed into a wall of the mine shaft.

There are several problems with the prior art pipe hangers. Firstly the hangers require an L-pin to be fixed into the wall of the mine shaft. Secondly, the hangers tend to swing around on the L-pin and do not provide a stable support for the pipes on the wall of the mine shaft. Thirdly the loop provided at the top end of the shank does not lend itself to be readily attached to the wire mesh used to inhibit rock fall from the walls of the mine shaft.

The present invention was developed with a view to providing an improved pipe hanger that is less susceptible to one or more of the above-noted problems with the prior art pipe hangers.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pipe hanger for hanging one or more pipes on a wall of an underground mine, the wall being fitted with wire mesh to inhibit rock fall, the hanger comprising: a vertically extending, elongate shank with a plurality of support hooks provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the shank, each support hook being vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook and adapted to support one or more pipes therein; a suspending means provided at a top end of the shank for suspending the shank from the wire mesh; and, an engaging means provided proximate a bottom end of the shank for engaging with the wire mesh wherein, in use, the shank can be secured to the wire mesh to provide a stable support for the pipes on the wall of the mine shaft.

Preferably the engaging means comprises a dog leg shaped bend provided adjacent to the bottom end of the shank, so that the bottom end of the shank is displaced from a longitudinal axis of the shank in a direction opposite to the front edge of the shank wherein, in use, the bottom end can be received behind a first horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh.

Preferably the suspending means comprises a hook member shaped to form a horizontally extending groove wherein, in use, the hook member can be attached to the wire mesh with a second horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh received in the groove. Typically the hook member is formed from a planar member folded so that the horizontally extending groove is substantially linear in extent wherein, in use, when a horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh is received in the groove the hook member provides additional stability for the hanger.

Preferably the hook member is manufactured from an elongate strip of steel plate, one end of the strip of steel plate being folded over itself, almost in half, so that it faces a short lip formed at the other end of the strip and extending at right angles to a main body of the hook member. Preferably a gap formed between the two ends is large enough to receive the second horizontally extending wire there through when securing the pipe hanger to the wire mesh.

Advantageously a fastening means is provided in connection with the hook member at the top end of the pipe hanger to prevent the hook member, and consequently the pipe hanger, from accidently becoming disengaged from the wire mesh. In one embodiment the fastening means is in the form of a bolt, which passes through first and second apertures provided in respective front and rear facing portions of hook member, and is secured to the hook member by a lock nut.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Likewise the word “preferably” or variations such as “preferred”, will be understood to imply that a stated integer or group of integers is desirable but not essential to the working of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of several specific embodiments of a pipe hanger, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a pipe hanger according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a pipe hanger according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is front elevation of the pipe hanger of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is side elevation of the pipe hanger of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlargement of the top end of a third embodiment of a pipe hanger according to the present invention; and,

Figure 6 shows a plurality of the pipe hanger of Figure 2 with some pipes supported on the hangers.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments A first embodiment of pipe hanger 10 in accordance with the invention, as illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a vertically extending, elongate shank 12 with a plurality of support hooks 14 provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the shank 12. Each support hook 14 is vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook 14 and is adapted to support one or more pipes (not shown) therein. A suspending means 16 is provided at a top end of the shank 12 for suspending the shank from a wire mesh 20.

An engaging means 18 is provided proximate a bottom end 30 of the shank 12 for engaging with the wire mesh 20 wherein, in use, the shank can be secured to the wire mesh 20 to provide a stable support for the pipes on a wall of the mine shaft. Typically a plurality of the pipe hangers 10 are suspended at spaced intervals along the wall of the mine shaft to support the pipes.

Preferably the engaging means 18 comprises a dog leg shaped bend provided adjacent to the bottom end 30 of the shank 12, so that the bottom end 30 of the shank 12 is displaced from a longitudinal axis of the shank in a direction opposite to the front edge of the shank wherein, in use, the bottom end 30 can be received behind a first horizontally extending wire 22a of the wire mesh 20. The wire mesh 20 comprises both horizontally extending wires and vertically extending wires welded together in a rectangular array.

In this embodiment of the pipe hanger 10 the suspending means 16 comprises a loop bend provided in the top end of the shank 12, which adapted to be received around a vertically extending wire 24a of the wire mesh 20. In use, the top end of the shank 12 is manoeuvred so that the loop bend 16 is received about the vertically extending wire 24a, and then the bottom end 30 of the shank is hooked over the horizontally extending wire 22a. The whole hanger 10 is then pulled down until the loop bend 16 rests on a second horizontally extending wire 22b.

Figures 2 to 4 illustrate a second embodiment of a pipe hanger 40 in accordance with the invention, for hanging one or more pipes (not shown) on the wall of an underground mine, the wall being fitted with wire mesh 20 to inhibit rock fall. This embodiment of the pipe hanger 40 is similar to the first embodiment 10, and therefore the similar parts will be identified by the like reference numerals and will not be described again in detail.

As with the first embodiment 10, the pipe hanger 40 comprises a vertically extending, elongate shank 12 with a plurality of support hooks 14 provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the shank 12. Each support hook 14 is vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook 14 and is adapted to support one or more pipes (not shown) therein. A suspending means 16 is provided at a top end of the shank 12 for suspending the shank from a wire mesh 20.

An engaging means 18 is provided proximate a bottom end 30 of the shank 12 for engaging with the wire mesh 20 wherein, in use, the shank can be secured to the wire mesh 20 to provide a stable support for the pipes on a wall of the mine shaft.

As can be seen most clearly in Figure 4, the engaging means 18 comprises a dog leg shaped bend provided adjacent to the bottom end 30 of the shank 12, so that the bottom end 30 of the shank 12 is displaced from a longitudinal axis X-X of the shank in a direction opposite to the front edge of the shank. In this embodiment the shaft 12 is approximately 660mm in length, and the bottom end 30 of the shank is displaced from the longitudinal axis X-X by about 50mm. The shank 12 is manufactured from a 24mm diameter steel rod, and has three support hooks 14 welded to a front edge thereof. Each support hook is manufactured from a 16mm diameter steel rod, bent into the shape of a semicircular hook with a radius of approximately 32mm.

In this embodiment the suspending means 16 comprises a hook member 46 shaped to form a horizontally extending groove 48 wherein, in use, the hook member 46 can be attached to the wire mesh 20 with a second horizontally extending wire 22b of the wire mesh received in the groove 48, as shown n Figure 2. Typically the hook member 46 is formed from a planar member folded so that the horizontally extending groove 48 is substantially linear in extent wherein, in use, when the second horizontally extending wire 22b of the wire mesh 20 is received in the groove 48 the hook member provides additional stability for the hanger 40.

As can be seen most clearly in Figures 2 and 4, the hook member 46 is manufactured from a strip of 5mm thick steel plate, 50mm wide and approximately 100mm in length. One end 50 of the strip of steel plate is folded over itself, almost in half, so that it faces a short lip approximately 10mm in length, formed at the other end 52 of the strip and extending at right angles to a main body of the hook member 46. A gap formed between the two ends 50, 52 is large enough to receive the second horizontally extending wire 22b there through when securing the pipe hanger to the wire mesh 20.

With this embodiment the process of securing the pipe hanger 40 to the wire mesh 20 is somewhat easier than with the first embodiment 10. Typically the bottom end 30 is first inserted behind the first horizontally extending wire 22a and simultaneously the second horizontally extending wire 22b is inserted through the gap between the end 50, 52 of the hook member 46. The whole hanger 40 is then pulled down until the groove 48 within the hook member 46 rests on a second horizontally extending wire 22b, as shown in Figure 2.

Preferably the entire pipe hanger 10 or 40 is coated with a plastic coating to provide corrosion protection, and also to provide for easier manual handling and minimising of frictional wear between the support hooks 14 of the hanger and a pipe.

Figure 5 illustrates a third embodiment of a pipe hanger 60 in accordance with the invention, for hanging one or more pipes (not shown) on the wall of an underground mine, the wall being fitted with wire mesh 20 to inhibit rock fall. This embodiment of the pipe hanger 60 is virtually identical to the second embodiment 40, and therefore the similar parts will be identified by the like reference numerals and will not be described again in detail.

As with the second embodiment 40, the pipe hanger 60 comprises a vertically extending, elongate shank 12 with a plurality of support hooks 14 provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the shank 12. Each support hook 14 is vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook 14 and is adapted to support one or more pipes (not shown) therein. A suspending means 16 is provided at a top end of the shank 12 for suspending the shank from the wire mesh 20. Only the top end of the shank is visible in Figure 5.

The principal difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is the addition of a fastening means 62 in connection with the suspending means 16 at the top end of the pipe hanger 60. In this embodiment the fastening means is in the form of a bolt 64, which passes through first and second apertures provided in respective front and rear facing portions of hook member 46. The bolt 64 is secured to the hook member 46 by a lock nut 66. The fastening means 62 is secured to the hook member 46 subsequent to attachment of the pipe hanger 60 to the wire mesh 20, and is designed to prevent the hook member 46, and consequently the pipe hanger 60, from accidently becoming disengaged from the wire mesh 20.

Figure 6 illustrates a plurality of the pipe hangers 40 or 60 attached to a wire mesh 20, and supporting several pipes 70 thereon. It can be clearly seen how the pipes 70 are supported on the support hooks 14 of the respective hangers 40 or 60 suspended at spaced intervals along the wire mesh 20. Advantageously, a chain 72 is shown in this embodiment, welded to the top end of one of the pipe hangers 40 or 60, and suspended down over the fronts of the pipes 70 held in the support hooks 14. Chain 72 provides additional security and is intended to prevent the pipes 70 from being accidently dislodged from within the support hooks 14. The lower end of the chain 72 may be attached to the bottom end of the pipe hanger or the wire mesh.

Now that several embodiments of the pipe hanger have been described in detail, it will be apparent that the described embodiments provide a number of advantages over the prior art, including the following: (i) The hanger does not require an L-pin or other fastener to attach it the wall of the mine shaft, but can be simply attached to the wire mesh already provided on the wall of the mine shaft. (ii) The hanger is more securely and stably supported on the wall of the mine shaft and will not swing about. (iii) The dog leg shaped bend adjacent the bottom end of the shank also helps to support the weight of the pipes supported on the hanger.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, the number and shape of the support hooks on the shank may vary significantly from that illustrated. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described.

Claims

The Claims defining the Invention are as follows:

1. A pipe hanger for hanging one or more pipes on a wall of an underground mine, the wall being fitted with wire mesh to inhibit rock fall, the hanger comprising: a vertically extending, elongate shank with a plurality of support hooks provided at spaced intervals along a front edge of the shank, each support hook being vertically aligned with an adjacent support hook and adapted to support one or more pipes therein; a suspending means provided at a top end of the shank for suspending the shank from the wire mesh; and, an engaging means provided proximate a bottom end of the shank for engaging with the wire mesh wherein, in use, the shank can be secured to the wire mesh to provide a stable support for the pipes on the wall of the mine shaft.
2. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein the engaging means comprises a dog leg shaped bend provided adjacent to the bottom end of the shank, so that the bottom end of the shank is displaced from a longitudinal axis of the shank in a direction opposite to the front edge of the shank wherein, in use, the bottom end can be received behind a first horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh.
3. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending means comprises a hook member shaped to form a horizontally extending groove wherein, in use, the hook member can be attached to the wire mesh with a second horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh received in the groove.
4. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 3, wherein the hook member is formed from a planar member folded so that the horizontally extending groove is substantially linear in extent wherein, in use, when a horizontally extending wire of the wire mesh is received in the groove the hook member provides additional stability for the hanger.
5. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 4, wherein the hook member is manufactured from an elongate strip of steel plate, one end of the strip of steel plate being folded over itself, almost in half, so that it faces a short lip formed at the other end of the strip and extending at right angles to a main body of the hook member.
6. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 5, wherein a gap formed between the two ends is large enough to receive the second horizontally extending wire there through when securing the pipe hanger to the wire mesh.
7. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 5, wherein a fastening means is provided in connection with the hook member at the top end of the pipe hanger to prevent the hook member, and consequently the pipe hanger, from accidently becoming disengaged from the wire mesh.
8. A pipe hanger as defined in claim 7, wherein the fastening means is in the form of a bolt, which passes through first and second apertures provided in respective front and rear facing portions of the hook member, and is secured to the hook member by a lock nut.