GB2060120A

GB2060120A - Supporting and Insulating Pipework

Info

Publication number: GB2060120A
Application number: GB8002160A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-10-12
Filing date: 1980-01-22
Publication date: 1981-04-29

Abstract

An arrangement for supporting and insulating pipework at intervals along its length and which can be used with pipework of substantially differing diameter is described comprises a flexible strip 1 having a plurality of generally similar substantially rigid members 2 formed of a material which is a poor heat conductor mounted sequentially therealong. Each member extends across the strip on one side of it. The members are contiguous with their neighbours. Each member includes a portion 5 extending in a direction away from the strip. To allow for the pipe supporting and insulating means to be usable with pipes of substantially differing diameters the extending portions of neighbouring members are disposed in staggered relation to allow overlap therebetween circumferentially of a pipe. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Supporting and Insulating Pipework This invention is concerned with supporting and insulating pipework.

Pipework must be supported at intervals.

Difficulties arise whenever pipes are intended to carry fluids at temperature substantially differing from ambient. Care must be taken that the support does not act as a heat conduction path to or from the pipe. The conventional practice heretofore has been to employ timber rings to take the weight of the filled pipe or ducting. Such rings are expensive, heavy and limited as to the temperature at which they can safely be used.

Previous attempts to overcome these difficulties (such as that described in British Patent Specification No 1424322) have not been wholly satisfactory. I have found that the main drawback of arrangements such as those described in the aforementioned British specification lies in the need for accurate moulding if butting edges are to meet and if the curved surfaces are accurately to follow the external circumference of the pipe.

Either the supports must be produced on a oneoff basis, or the piping engineer must carry a substantial stock of pipe supports for different diameter pipes.

I have sought to devise a greatly improved means for supporting and insulating pipework which is readily adaptable for insulating support of pipework of greatly varying diameter, and moreover is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide means for supporting and insulating pipework, comprising: an elongate flexible strip, and a plurality of generally similar substantially rigid members formed of a material which is a poor heat conductor and mounted sequentially along the strip, each member extending thereacross on one side thereof and being contiguous with its neighbour(s) on said strip, each member including a portion thereof extending in a direction away from said one side of the strip, and the edges of neighbouring members being bevelled where they meet so that a length of the strip carrying a plurality of the said members may be circumlocated about a pipe with the extending portions inwardly disposed in contact with the external surface of the pipe, and the extending portions of neighbouring members being disposed in staggered relation to allow overlap therebetween circumferentially of the pipe, whereby each such pipe supporting and insulating means is adapted for use with pipes of substantially differing diameters.

The said members each have a base surface, which is suitably flat, but may be curved, and which is mounted on the strip by means of adhesive. In a preferred arrangement the strip comprises self adhesive aluminium foil.

Since air is a poor conductor of heat, the distal ends of the said extending portions are preferably small in area in relation to the area of said base surfaces so that a substantial void is defined between the pipe and the strip in use of the said means. To provide adequate structural strength, combined with light weight and adequate heat insulation, together with ease of manufacture, the members may be moulded from a suitable plastics material (such as nylon) filled with lass or a ceramic material.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of insulating pipework support means in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the support means of Fig. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows Il- II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an end view of the pipe support means of Figs. 1 and 2 as seen in the direction of the arrows Ill-Ill in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows a sectional view through a pipe illustrating how the support means of Figs. 1 to 3 is employed in practice; Fig. 5 is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 of an alternative embodiment of pipe support means in accordance with the present invention;; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the pipe support means of Fig. 5 as seen in the direction of the arrows VI-VI in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a view generally similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the employment of a pipe support means in accordance with the present invention for supporting a pipe of substantially smaller diameter than the pipe of Fig. 4.

The pipe support means of Figs. 1 to 3 comprises an elongate flexible strip 1 suitably formed of self-adhesive aluminium foil. I have found that a convenient width of foil is 2 inches.

Mounted in sequence along the strip 1 on one side thereof are a plurality of substantially rigid members 2, each extending across the strip. The members 2 are formed of a material which is a poor heat conductor. I have found that the members can readily be moulded from a suitable plastics material filled with glass or a ceramic material. The preferred members 2 are formed of nylon filled with glass.

It will be seen from the drawings that the members 2 are each contiguous with their respective neighbours in sequence along the strip and that adjacent edges are bevelled where they meet (as at 3) for a purpose to be explained.

Upstanding from base portions 4 of the members 2 are posts 5 arranged as is clear from Fig. 2 in a staggered fashion, again for a reason to be explained.

Fig. 4 shows how the insulating pipe support means of Figs. 1 to 3 may be used in practice. A length of the strip 1 with the members 2 on its inner side is circumlocated about a pipe 6 with the distal ends 7 of the posts 5 in contact with the external surface of the pipe. The pipe support means may be conveniently provided as a long length and the piping engineer need only sever the aluminium foil strip 1 between two adjacent members 2 to provide the lengths of strip needed to encircle a particular diameter pipe. To complete the support, a clamp (not shown) may be mounted in position outwardly of strip 1.

It will be appreciated from a consideration of Figs. 2 and 4 in particular that by forming the members 2 with upstanding posts 5, a substantial void is defined inwardly of strip 1 when the insulating pipe support means is in use about a pipe. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, this results in better insulation.

By forming the portions extending upwardly from base portions 4 of the members 2 as relatively thin ribs 8, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, rather than as posts 5, the volume of air effectively entrapped may be increased. By forming the ribs with a substantial area in the elevational view shown in Fig. 6, the void defined internally of the insulating pipe support means about the pipe is more enclosed, to thereby reduce the possibility of air circulating within the void, again enhancing the insulating effect. This effect is further enhanced when utilising the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 with a pipe 6a of a diameter substantially less than that of the pipe 6 of Fig. 4. The staggered arrangement of the ribs 8 ensures that they do not foul each other and can readily overlap as shown in Fig. 7.This substantially increases the range of pipe diameters with which a particular embodiment of the insulating pipe support means may be used.

Although I have said that a convenient width for my strip 1 is 2 inches, situations will arise where a strip of somewhat less width or of somewhat greater width would be more suitable for the purpose. In preferred embodiments of my insulating pipe support means, insulating pipe supports of 1 inch and of 3 or more inches can be produced without having to maintain a stock of strips of different widths. As is clear from Figs. 2, 3 and 5, my preferred embodiments of insulating pipe support means have members 2 formed with a median dividing line 9 effectively dividing each member 2 into two smaller members, one 2a of which has a post adjacent an edge of the strip, and the other 2b of which has a post positioned inwardly away from the adjacent edge of the strip.

By cutting the foil 1 along the median line 9, there results two strips, each of one inch in width.

On the contrary, if a wider rather than a narrower strip is required, then a strip such as that shown in Fig. 2 may be linked to an adjacent strip mounted alongside by means of a plurality of connecting links which are fitted over the posts 5, as shown in phantom at 10. Thus, if a strip such as that of Fig. 2 is linked to an adjacent full strip, a composite strip of width 4 inches results.

Alternatively, the strip such as that shown in Fig.

2 may be linked to a half strip formed by dividing a strip such as that of Fig. 2 along the median line 9 and linking the full strip with the half strip.

There results, as will be appreciated, a composite strip of width 3 inches.

Thus, it will be seen that strips of 1, 2, 3 or 4 inches in width can be produced very readily as required on site from a single length of uniform width strip.

Claims

1. Means for supporting and insulating pipework, comprising: an elongate flexible strip, and a plurality of generally similar substantially rigid members formed of a material which is a poor heat conductor and mounted sequentially along the strip, each member extending thereacross on one side thereof and being contiguous with its neighbour(s) on said strip, each member including a portion thereof extending in a direction away from said one side of the strip, and the edges of neighbouring members being bevelled where they meet so that a length of the strip carrying a plurality of the said members may be circumlocated about a pipe with the extending portions inwardly disposed in contact with the external surface of the pipe, and the extending portions of neighbouring members being disposed in staggered relation to allow overlap therebetween circumferentially of the pipe, whereby each such pipe supporting and insulating means is adapted for use with pipes of substantially differing diameters.

2. Means according to Claim 1, wherein the strip comprises self adhesive aluminium foil, and each said member has a flat base surface which is adhered to said strip.

3. Means according to Claim 1, wherein the strip comprises self adhesive aluminium foil, and wherein each said member has a curved base surface adhered to said strip.

4. Means according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the distal ends of the said extending portions are small in area in relation to said base surfaces so that a substantial void is defined between a pipe and the strip in use.

5. Means according to any preceding Claim, wherein the said members are moulded from a plastics material including glass or a ceramic material as a filler.

6. Forsupportingand insulating pipework, means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.