GB2223078A

GB2223078A - Pipe support

Info

Publication number: GB2223078A
Application number: GB8814531A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Wilkes
Original assignee: F H TOMKINS BUCKLE CO Ltd
Current assignee: F H TOMKINS BUCKLE CO Ltd
Priority date: 1988-06-18
Filing date: 1988-06-18
Publication date: 1990-03-28
Also published as: GB8814531D0

Abstract

A device for retaining elongate articles such as pipes or cable conduit comprises a base plate 10 and a bracket 12. The base plate 10 and bracket 12 may be assembled by sliding flanges 32 on the bracket 12 into slots at 28 formed by stamping the base plate 10. The base plate and bracket then form a collar around the pipe. Tabs 16 of metal are provided at the entry openings to the slots and can be deformed after the flanges 32 have entered the slots, to lock the bracket 12 to the base plate 10. <IMAGE>

Description

Device for Retaining Elongate Articles The present invention relates to devices for retaining elongate articles, such as pipes or cable conduits, for instance.

Such devices are commonly used when installing pipework, such as water or central heating pipes, or when installing electrical wiring housed in conduits.

Earlier proposals provide a device comprising a back plate and a front bracket. The back plate is fixed to the wall or another permanent structure by means of screws. The pipe or other article to be retained is then laid over the back plate. The front bracket is placed around the pipe and attached to the back plate by means of screws.

This previous proposal has been found to be unsatisfactory in some circumstances, principally because of the difficulty of attaching the bracket to the back plate. It is difficult to engage the securing screws in a situation where access or visibility is limited. It is also very common to drop and lose screws when access is difficult or when the device is being used above the head, for instance on the underside of a horizontal surface.

The present invention arises from an appreciation of the drawbacks of the previous proposal, and a desire to provide a device which is more convenient to install.

The invention provides a device for retaining elongate articles and comprising a back member and a front member which may be assembled to form a collar around an article, the back member being formed to allow its attachment to a permanent structure, and there being a permanently deformable locking member which may be deformed to lock the front member and the back member together in their assembled condition.

Preferably the said members are a sliding fit one with the other.

One of the said members may define a slot for receiving a portion of the other member, in the assembled condition. The back member preferably defines at least one slot for receiving a portion of the front member. The back member may define two slots for receiving flanged portions of the front member.

The flanged portions of the front member are preferably oppositely directed. The slots may have mouths which are opposed. The slots preferably have entry openings at one end thereof, through which the flanged portions may be introduced into the slots. The deformable locking member is preferably a portion of the slot wall. The deformable portion of the slot wall may be a portion at the entry opening which is deformable to block the entry opening.

Preferably the back member is a plate having at least one portion which is raised from the remainder of the plate to form a slot between the edge of the raised portion and the edge of the body of the plate.

Preferably the back member is metal and the raised portion or portions are formed by stamping.

The front member may comprise two oppositely directed flanges which are received in slots in the back member in the assembled condition, and a connecting web which is curved to follow the outline of an elongate article to be retained.

One embodiment of a device according to the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figs. 1A, 1B and 1C show the back member of the embodiment, Figs. 1B and 1C being sections of Fig. 1A, taken along the section lines B-B and C-C respectively; Figs. 2A and 2B show side and top views respectively of the front member of the embodiment; and Fig. 3 indicates how the back and front members are assembled for use.

The device according to the invention is for retaining elongate articles and comprises a back member or base plate 10 and a front member or bracket 12. The base plate 10 and bracket 12 may be assembled as will be described to form a collar around an article such as a pipe. The base plate 10 is pierced at 14 to allow its attachment to a permanent structure by means of a fixing screw. Permanently deformable locking members 16 in the form of metal tabs are provided and may be deformed to lock the bracket 12 and the base plate together in their assembled condition.

In more detail, the base plate 10 is generally rectangular, being formed from a stamped metal plate.

The plate 10 is given thickness by turning over its edges 18. The thickness allows the pierced aperture at 14 to be formed with sloping mouth walls 20 for receiving countersunk screws.

The stamping operation also raises two regions 22 from the main body 24 of the plate. An elongate slot 26 is thereby formed between the edge of each region 22 and the edge of the main body 24. The two slots 26 are opposed.

The stamping of the regions 22 also forms entry openings 28 at one end of each slot 26. The openings 28 are formed, like the slots 26, between the edges of the regions 22 and the edges of the main body 24. The entry openings 28 run generally perpendicular to the slots 26, and are relatively short.

A short way from the entry openings 28, a cut 30 is made in the regions 22, in a direction generally perpendicular to the slots 26 and generally parallel to the entry openings 28. The cuts 30 define the tabs 16 which are the portion of the regions 22 between the cuts 30 and the entry openings 28. The cuts 30 allow the tabs 16 to be bent back down towards the main body 24 to close the entry openings 28.

It is apparent from Fig. 1C that the slots 26 narrow away from the entry openings 28.

The bracket 12 consists of two oppositely directed flanges 32 and a connecting web 34. The web 34 is curved to follow the outline of an article to be retained by the device and may thus have a generally semi-circular profile. The bracket 12 is also formed from sheet metal and may have raised ribs 36 punched along the length of the web 34, for strengthening or decorative effect.

It is apparent from Fig. 2A that the flanges 32 are coplanar.

Fig. 3 indicates how the base plate 10 and bracket 12 described above may be used to form a device for retaining a pipe indicated at 38. The pipe may be carrying water or gas or another fluid, or may be an electrical conduit.

The bracket 12 is first attached firmly to a wall 40 or other permanent structure. If the pipe 38 is running vertically, the base plate 10 is preferably oriented with the entry openings 28 facing upwardly.

The pipe 38 is then laid over the base plate 10, between the regions 22, to cover the fixing screw at 14 and rest lightly against the base plate 10.

The bracket 12 is located over the pipe 38 away from the base plate 10, and slid towards the base plate 10 until the flanges 32 enter the entry openings 28.

This movement continues until the flanges 32 have passed wholly through the entry openings 28 and are located under the regions 22, the flanges 32 now extending out through the slots 26 to the web 34.

While the bracket 12 is being slid into position, the taper on the slot 26 pulls the bracket 12 slightly towards the base plate 10, therefore tightening the fit of the bracket 12 around the pipe 38 to ensure that the pipe 38 is securely held in position.

The overall length of the flanges in the direction of motion of the bracket 12 is slightly less than the length of the slot 26 between the cut 30 and the narrow end of the slot 26. Thus, when the bracket 12 is slid fully home, the flanges 32 are clear of the tabs 16.

The tabs 16 may therefore be bent down towards the main body 24 with a screwdriver, for instance. This closes the entry openings 28 and prevents the bracket 12 sliding back and becoming disconnected from the base plate 10. The collar formed by the base plate 10 and bracket 12 can therefore be securely assembled without the use of fixing screws between the base plate 10 and bracket 12. This greatly facilitates the installation of the device because the installer is merely required to deform the tabs 16 in order to secure the assembly.

It is not necessary to introduce and correctly thread fixing screws which could be lost if a tool slipped.

The tabs 16 cannot be lost even in the event of a tool slipping.

Many variations and modifications to the device described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The bracket 12 has been described as having two oppositely directed flanges 32. These could extend away from each other as shown in Fig. 2A, or could project towards each other, with a corresponding change to the design of the base plate.

A slot could be provided for only one of the flanges 32, the other flange having an aperture through which a tab from the base plate projects when the device is assembled, the tab then being bent over to retain the bracket in position. In this embodiment; entry openings for the slot would not be required, the flange being introduced into the single slot through the mouth of the slot.

Alternatively, both flanges could have openings for receiving tabs on the base, both tabs being bent over to hold their respective flange in position.

The sheet metal bracket could be replaced by a bracket formed from a length of wire bent to define the outline of the web section and flanges and this could be attached to the base plate by tabs on the base plate which are bent over to hold the wire, or by locating the ends of the wires in the vicinity of one of the notional flanges into receiving sockets formed in the base plate, or under notches formed in the edges 18 of the base plate.

The embodiments described above are all constructed from metal but other materials could be used.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A device for retaining elongate articles and comprising a back member and a front member which may be assembled to form a collar around an article, the back member being formed to allow its attachment to a permanent structure, and there being a permanently deformable locking member which may be deformed to lock the front member and the back member together in their assembled condition.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the said members are a sliding fit one with the other.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the said members defines a slot for receiving a portion of the other member, in the assembled condition.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the back member defines at least one slot for receiving a portion of the front member.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the back member defines two slots for receiving flanged portions of the front member.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the flanged portions of the front member are oppositely directed.

7. A device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the slots have mouths which are opposed.

8. A device according to any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the slot or slots have entry openings at one end thereof, through which the portion of the other member may be introduced.

9. A device according to any of claims 3 to 8, wherein the deformable locking member is a portion of the slot wall.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the deformable portion of the slot wall may be a portion at an entry opening to the slot and which is deformable to block the entry opening.

11. A device according to any of claims 3 to 10, wherein the back member is a plate having at least one portion which is raised from the remainder of the plate to form a slot between the edge of the raised portion and the edge of the body of the plate.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the back member is metal and the raised portion or portions are formed by stamping.

13. A device according to any of claims 3 to 12, wherein the front member comprises two oppositely directed flanges which are received in slots in the back member in the assembled condition, and a connecting web which is curved to follow the outline of an elongate article to be retained.

14. A device for retaining elongate articles, substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.