GB1586736A - Pipe clip - Google Patents

Description

(54) PIPE CLIP (71) We, L. A. MODELPORM APS, a Danish body corporate, of Wilders Plads 10, DK-1403 Copenhagen K, Denmark, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described, in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a pipe clip which comprises a non-metallic bracket having at least one through opening provided with support means for guiding a pipe, and which is divided into two or more sections along a surface or surfaces intersecting the or each opening and is provided with means for clamping the sections together.

When media having a high temperature are carried by pipes, temperature differences result in a considerable elongation of the pipes, and if the pipes are suspended from metallic pipe clips this longitudinal movement may cause such a vigorous generation of heat that inflammable gases may be ignited. Such conditions are present for example in the holds of tankers, and itis believed that some of the explosions in tankers have arisen in the above manner.

The danger of explosions can be obviated by producing in a known manner pipe clips of a non-metallic material, such as resin, which furthermore has the advantage that they require no maintenance. The applicable non-metallic materials have, however, the drawback that they do not withstand high temperature, which arise for example in.conveying 200"C hot steam through the pipes. However, a particularly heat-resisting resin is available which is relatively expensive, but this can only be produced in dimensions much smaller than those required for a pipe clip.

A pipe clip of the type having a bush between a bracket and the pipe to be supported is known from the German Offenlegungsschrift No. 21 62 662, where the bush serves to.dampen the transmission of sound from the pipe to the wall carrying the clip. The known bush extends over the entire width of the pipe clip and is difficult to produce from a resin having a great resistance to heat, partly because of the di; mension and partly because of the price.

In the known construction the bracket or the support bush cannot be produced from an inexpensive resin having a relatively poor heat resistance because the known construction does not allow a sufficient liberation of heat by convection and radiation in the proximity of the pipe clip.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a non-metallic pipe clip that is capable of withstanding high temperatures.

The invention provides a pipe clip comprising a non-metallic bracket which has at least one through opening provided with support means for guiding a pipe, and which is divided into two or more sections along a surface or surfaces intersecting the or each opening, means being provided for clamping the sections together, wherein the extent of the support means in, the longitudinal axial direction of the associated through opening is small in relation to the extent of the bracket in the same direction, and the support means consists of a nonmetallic material having a greater resistance to heat than the material of the bracket, the or each through opening having an hourglass-shaped internal surface which at the narrowest point is recessed to receive the support means.

The heat-resisting support means serves to keep a sufficient gap between the pipe and the bracket, produced from a cheaper and less heat-resisting material (e.g. a resin), and also to prevent a heat-insulating effect around the pipe, as the support means is narrow and as the hourglassshaped (i.e. convergent-divergent) through opening allows free convection and radiation around the pipe so that the surface temperature thereof is diminished. This shape of the or each opening also results in a reduced radiant heat transmission to the bracket and furthermore it makes it easier to clean the pipe clip, which for example must be done in the hold of the tanker when another type of cargo is to be loaded. Moreover, a narrow support means, such as a bush, is both easy and simple to produce.

Preferably the support means defines the external cross-sectional contour of the pipe, offset downwards so that the gap between the pipe and the bracket in the mounted position is bigger at the top of the associated through opening than at the bottom.

This produces a further reduction in the heat stress on the bracket because the hot pipe is offset downwardly in relation to the bracket when this is mounted in a preferred position.

Between the support means and the bracket there may be a small radial clearance so that radial thermal expansion of pipe and bush does not affect the bracket.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the pipe clip, having only two said sections, in which the bracket has an opening on either side of a through bore disposed substan- tially perpendicularly to the mating surfaces of the sections and which is adapted to receive a bolt for clamping the two bracket sections together, the free ends of the bracket may work unconstrained so that the pipe is effectively secured under all temperature conditions. This obviates clattering of the pipe clip when the pipe is cold and is exposed to vibrations for example in a ship.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a section taken along the line I-I in Figure 2, showing an embodiment of the pipe clip according to the invention for supporting two pipes; and Figure 2 is a section taken along the line Il-Il in, Figure 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the pipe clip 1 comprises two like halves 2 and 3 produced from a resin capable of withstanding temperatures of up to about 120"C. Each of the halves 2 and 3 has two semi-circular cutouts which, when the halves are engaged as shown in the figures, define two openings 7, one of which can be seen in Figure 1, for receiving re spective pipes to be supported by the pipe clip 1. The halves 2 and 3 are clamped against each other by means of a bolt (not shown) extending through a bore 4 through both halves and are guided into the correct position by means of pins 5, 6 on the respective halves 2 and 3, each extending into a corresponding bore in the other half.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the openings 7 each have an hourglass-shaped internal surface. The smallest inside diameter of the openings 7 is bigger than the otuside diameter of the pipe or pipes to be supported by the pipe clip 1, and adjacent the smallest diameter of the openings 7 the halves 2, 3 have recesses 8 for receiving support means for the pipe extending through the respective opening 7 in the pipe clip 1. In the embodiment shown, the suport means constitute a substantially continuous, circular bush or ring 9, 10 when the halves 2, 3 are mounted correctly in relation to each other.

Each ring is constituted by two semi-circular segments, of which one segment 11 belonging to the ring 10 is shown in Figure 1.

The inside diameter of the rings 9, 10 is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the pipes to be supported by the pipe clip, and the rings 9, 10 are narrow measured in the longitudinal direction of the pipes. The rings 9, 10 are produced from a particularly heat-resisting resin and thus, in conjunction with the shape mentioned above, means that the clip 1 is able to support pipes adapted for conveying media having a temperature of up to 200"C. This is achieved in that the rings 9, 10 keep the hot pipes at a distance from the halves 2, 3 produced from an inexpensive and less heat-resisting resin. Owing to the narrowness of the rings 9, 10 effective heat liberation around the hot pipes is achieved, whereby their surface temperatures are reduced so much that the heat stress on the halves 2, 3 does not exceed a maximum permissible value. The air circulation around the hot pipes is enhanced by making the openings 7 hourglass-shaped as shown in Figure 1 at the sloping walls 12.

Though the support means for the pipes are shown as continuous rings 9, 10 in the embodiment shown, it will be understood that the support means can also be shaped in another manner. For example, three pins of a heat-resisting resin projecting towards the centre of each opening 7 will be sufficient to keep the associated pipe at a suitable distance from the less heat-resisting resin from which the halves 2, 3 are produced. The only prerequisite is that the contact area of the pins against the associated pipe must prevent the pins from becoming overloaded mechanically. By shaping the support means as three or more separate pins the air circulation around the pipes will be further improved. Owing to convection the upper half 2 is subjected to the strongest heat stress, for which reason the support means may be shaped eccentrically so that the associated pipe is spaced more from the half 2 than from the half 3.

The support means, shaped either as a continuous ring or separate supports, then defines the circle 13 shown in Figure 2 in broken line.

In addition to the effective heat.liberated from the surface of the pipes so that the halves 2, 3 may be produced from a cheap resin, the invention also has the advantage that the pipe clip can easily be cleaned. This is necessary for example in holds used as stowing space for various raw materials, such as crude oil, ore, or alcohol. The pipe clip is therefore particularly advantageous for use for example in tankers, also because it requires no maintenance in re spect of corrosion.

As will be seen in the Figures each half 2, 3 is provided with a recess 14 and 15, respectively, disposed symmetrically in relation to the bore 4 in which the bolt is placed for securing the pipe clip 1. These recesses allow several pipe clips to be stacked one upon another on a common, elongated bolt, the pipe clips being secured against relative turning around the bolt by placing guide blocks in the adjacent recesses 14, 15.

The recesses also have the advantage that they can serve as a bed for a sealing compound around the bolt head or the associated nut so that these metal parts are protected against corrosion.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A pipe clip comprising a non-metallic bracket which has at least one through opening provided with support means for guiding a pipe, and which is divided into two or more sections along a surface or surfaces intersecting the or each opening, means being provided for clamping the sections together, wherein the extent of the support means in the longitudinal axial direction of the associated through opening is small in relation to the extent of the bracket in the same direction, and the support means consists of a non-metallic material having a greater resistance to heat than the material of the bracket, the or each through opening having an hourglassshaped internal surface which at the narrowest point is recessed to receive the support means.

2. A pipe clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means defines a contour whose axis is offset from that of the associated opening.

3. A pipe clip as claimed in claim 1 or 2, having only two said bracket sections, wherein the bracket has one said opening on either side of a through bore which is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the mating surfaces of the sections and which is adapted to receive a bolt for clamping the two bracket sections together.

4. A pipe clip substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. is necessary for example in holds used as stowing space for various raw materials, such as crude oil, ore, or alcohol. The pipe clip is therefore particularly advantageous for use for example in tankers, also because it requires no maintenance in re spect of corrosion. As will be seen in the Figures each half 2, 3 is provided with a recess 14 and 15, respectively, disposed symmetrically in relation to the bore 4 in which the bolt is placed for securing the pipe clip 1. These recesses allow several pipe clips to be stacked one upon another on a common, elongated bolt, the pipe clips being secured against relative turning around the bolt by placing guide blocks in the adjacent recesses 14, 15. The recesses also have the advantage that they can serve as a bed for a sealing compound around the bolt head or the associated nut so that these metal parts are protected against corrosion. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A pipe clip comprising a non-metallic bracket which has at least one through opening provided with support means for guiding a pipe, and which is divided into two or more sections along a surface or surfaces intersecting the or each opening, means being provided for clamping the sections together, wherein the extent of the support means in the longitudinal axial direction of the associated through opening is small in relation to the extent of the bracket in the same direction, and the support means consists of a non-metallic material having a greater resistance to heat than the material of the bracket, the or each through opening having an hourglassshaped internal surface which at the narrowest point is recessed to receive the support means.

2. A pipe clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means defines a contour whose axis is offset from that of the associated opening.

3. A pipe clip as claimed in claim 1 or 2, having only two said bracket sections, wherein the bracket has one said opening on either side of a through bore which is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the mating surfaces of the sections and which is adapted to receive a bolt for clamping the two bracket sections together.

4. A pipe clip substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.