GB2338531A

GB2338531A - Pipe clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2338531A
Application number: GB9909845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colm Joseph Mcmanus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-05
Filing date: 1999-04-30
Publication date: 1999-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-30
Also published as: GB9909845D0; IES980339A2; GB2338531B; IES81182B2

Abstract

A pipe clamp 1 is used to squeeze a squeezable pipe (not shown), e.g. to stop the flow within the pipe. The clamp 1 preferably has a stationary clamping member 2 and a movable clamping member 3, the clamping members having curved surfaces to protect the integrity of the pipe being clamped. The clamp 1 may include a guide bar 4 welded to the stationary clamping member 2, and may also include a grub screw 8 to retain a space between the two clamping members 2,3. The movable clamping member 3 is preferably adjusted by a screw 16, which may be actuated using an Allen key.

Description

1 "A pipe clamp" 2338531 This invention relates to a clamp and in

particular to a clamp for pluming, central and underfloor heating pipes.

Heretofore, plumbing, central and underfloor heating pipes have been formed from solid metal materials such as copper. More recently, plumbing, central and underfloor heating pipes have been formed from flexible plastics materials such as cross-linked polyethylene. Such piping may also be formed from polybutylene.

However, difficulties exist in servicing and installing plumbing, central and underfloor heating systems using such pipes. More particularly, difficulties arise where it is desired to isolate a system formed from such plastics pipes. For example, where it is necessary to replace a radiator valve or the like, it is usually necessary to drain the system prior to servicing. Typically, such an operation is time consuming and can take up to three hours where it is necessary for a radiator or the like to be drained prior to effecting maintenance to the radiator.

Clearly, in a building where many radiators or the 2 like exist such deaiay results in increased costs and resource requirements to effect maintenance operations.

Similar problems exist with wash hand basins and the like where it is necessary to isolate the basin proper from hot andlor cold pipes leading to the basin i order to effect maintenance to the basin e.g. replacing taps or washers.

Accordingly, generally, the prior art relays on the concept of switching off water flow so that the maintenance operation may be carried out.

Alternatively or in addition, it is known to effect a freezing operation to a pipe in order to form an ice plug within the pipe to facilitate maintenance to a plumbing or heating unit located beyond the ice plug. However, the use of ice plugs also suffers from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the equipment to form the ice plug can be costly and requires some skill in its application. In addition, even where ice plugs are employed, it is necessary to isolate the unit to be maintained from the water system. In addition, ice plugs formed at each radiator can thaw unexpectedly with the danger of leaks. In addition, formation of the ice plug can be time consuming. It 3 is estimated that a period of ten to twelve minutes is required to form a single ice plug in a pipe using the ice forming apparatus of the known art.

An object of the invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided a clamp for a squeezable pipe comprising a clamping member engageable with a pipe to squeeze the pipe wherein the clamping member comprises a curved surface for squeezing the pipe.

Preferably, the clamping member is moveable between a first position in which the clamp can receive a pipe and a second position in which the clamp can squeeze a pipe.

More preferably, the clamping member comprises a first moveable member moveable towards a second stationary member in the second position. Advantageously, the moveable member comprises a round bar mounted on a screw means for moving the moveable member. Preferably, the stationary member comprises a stationary round bar disposed parallel to the moveable member.

4 More preferably, the moveable member and the stationary member are mounted on a transverse guide bar extending between the stationary member and the moveable member.

Suitably, the moveable member comprises a hole for receiving the guide member.

Suitably, the screw means comprises an alien screw and the moveable member comprises a threaded hole fore engaging the alien screw.

Preferably, the alien screw extends between the stationary member and the moveable member parallel to the guide member.

Suitably, the stationary member comprises a hole for receiving the alien screw.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a spacer means is mounted between the stationary member and the moveable member to maintain the stationary member parallel with the moveable member in the second position. Suitably, the spacer member comprises a screw mounted in the stationary member The invention also extends to a method of preventing flow of a fluid in a squeezable pipe comprising clamping the pipe between two non-sharp surfaces. Preferably, the non-sharp surfaces comprise curved surfaces.

Preferably, the curved surfaces are defined on two round bars adapted to squeeze the piping therebetween.

The invention will now be described by way of example only having regard to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial cross section through a clamp in accordance with the invention.

As shown in the drawings, a clamp in accordance with the invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The clamp 1 is made up of a bottom transverse clamping bar 2 and a top transverse clamping bar 3 connected by a vertical guide bar 4.

The bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 are formed from round bars or alternatively from substantially tubular-shaped metal bars. Similarly, 6 the guide bar 4 is formed from a round bar which typically has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3.

The bottom clamping bar 2 is provided with a bottom surface 12 and a top surface 13 while the top clamping bar 3 is also provided with a bottom surface 14 and a top surface 15. Accordingly, as shown in the drawing, the top surface 13 of the bottom clamping bar 2 faces towards the bottom surface 14 of the top clamping bar 3.

The bottom clamping bar 2 is provided with a guide bar mounting hole 5 which terminates at the mouth 27 defined in the top surface 13 of the bottom clamping bar 2. The guide bar 4 is inserted and fixed, typically by welding in the guide bar mounting hole 5 of the bottom clamping bar 2 through the mouth 27 at its bottom end.

Similarly, the top clamping bar 3 is provided with a through hole 6 for receiving the guide bar 4. The through hole 6 is provided with a bottom mouth 7 in the bottom surface 14 of the top bar 2 and a top mouth 28 in the top surface 15 of the top bar 2 through which the guide bar 4 exits the through hole 6.

A spacer grub screw 8 is mounted in a threaded channel 7 9 between the guide bar 4 and a first end of the bottom clamping bar 2. The longitudinal axis defined by the spacer grub screw 8 and the threaded channel 9 is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis defined by the guide bar 4.

The threaded channel 9 is provided with a top mouth 10 and a bottom mouth 11 in the top surface 13 and bottom surface 12 respectively of the bottom clamping bar 2 through which the spacer grub screw 8 is passed. A tip 29 of the spacer grub screw 8 stands proud of the top mouth 10 to maintain the top clamping bar 3 parallel with the bottom clamping bar 2 during clamping as shall be explained more fully below.

The clamp 1 in accordance with the invention is provided with an adjusting screw generally indicated by the reference numeral 16 for moving the top clamping bar 3 on the guide bar 4 towards and away from the bottom clamping bar 2.

As shown in the drawing, the adjusting screw 16 is mounted between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 in a top clamping bar screw hole 18 and a bottom clamping bar screw hole 23 respectively. The screw hole 18 is provided with internal threads 19 for receiving the adjusting screw 16. The top clamping 1 8 bar screw hole 18 is provided with a top mouth 30 and bottom mouth 31 defined in the top surface 15 and bottom surface 14 of the top clamping bar 3 respectively. Similarly, the screw hole 23 in the bottom clamping bar 2 is provided with a top mouth 24 and a bottom mouth 25 defined in the top surface 13 and bottom surface 14 of the bottom clamping bar 2.

The adjusting screw 16 is provided with a left hand turned screw shaft 17 which extends between the top surface 13 of the bottom clamping bar 2 and an alien screw head 20 mounted at the free end of the screw shaft 17 which emerges from the top mouth 30 of the screw hole 18 in the top clamping bar 3. The alien screw head 20 is provided with an alien key opening 21 for receiving an alien key as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

An advantage of a left hand screw is that right-handed people can tighten the clamp 1 of the invention by rotating the screw 16 in a clockwise direction. However, as will appreciated by those skilled in the art of right hand screw could also be used.

The adjusting screw 16 is provided with an unthreaded portion 22 on the screw shaft 17 located in the screw hole 23 of the bottom clamping bar 2. The unthreaded 9 portion 22 is provided with a stop washer 26 at its free end adjacent the bottom surface 12 of the bottom clamping bar 2.

In use, the alien screw head 20 is engageable with an alien key at the alien key opening 21 so that the alien screw head 20 and accordingly the adjusting screw 16 can be screwed or unscrewed to effect movement of the top clamping bar 3 on the guide bar 4 towards and away from the bottom clamping bar 2 so that an article such as the plastics piping hereinbefore described may be clamped between the top clamping bar 3 and the bottom clamping bar 2 to prevent flow of water and the likle through the plastics piping.

Accordingly, the clamp 1 of the invention can be located within a plumbing, central or underfloor heating system to isolate or prevent water flow thereby facilitating maintenance of the plumbing, central or underfloor heating system without requiring the use of ice plugs or the draining down of the water supply in central heating, underfloor heating or plumbing systems and the like.

The piping can be located between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 by simply placing the piping between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 and adjusting the adjus ting screw 16 as required to effect a squeezing operation to the pipe between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3. In the clamping or second position, the pipe is squeezed between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 to urge the wall of the pipe closed to prevent fluid flow. Generally, a space, X, corresponding to approximately double the wall thickness of the piping is defined between the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 in the clamping or second position. Accordingly, the grub screw 8 is usually adjusted so that the tip 29 of the grub screw is spaced apart from the top surface 13 of the bottom clamping bar 2 a distance sufficient to abut the top clamping bar 3 in the clamping position and, therefore maintain the top clamping bar parallel to the bottom clamping bar 2 to prevent misalignment of the clamping bars 2, 3 by the squeezed piping in the second or clamped position.

The clamp device of the invention can be sized or adapted for use with many forms and sizes of plastics piping such as half inch, three quarter inch or one inch diameter piping.

The top and bottom clamping bars 3,2 can be formed 1 from 20 millimetre diameter round bars typically 100 millimetres in length. The adjusting screw 16 can be provided with a tapped 10 millimetre left hand turn screw while the spacer grub screw 8 can be provided also with a 10 millimetre right hand tapped screw thread.

In order to demonstrate that the clamp device of the invention does not result in significant damage to plastics pipe hereinbefore described, the tests described below are carried out to monitor the pressure capable of being withstood by such plastics piping following use of the clamp 1 in accordance with the invention:

Test No. 1:

The test subject was a 50Omm length of half-inch diameter Qual-PEX (Trade Mark) piping having a maximum working pressure of approximately 12 bar The piping was tested up to 400 PSI, 65 bar whereupon the piping burst thereby indicating that the clamp had had not compromised the structural integrity of the piping.

Test No. 2:

The test subject was a three quarter-inch, 50Omm length Qaui-PEX pipe having a maximum working pressure of approximately 12 bar. The pipe was tested 12 up to 500 PSI, and the clamp removed. The pipe burst at 800 PSI, 55 bar again indicating that the structural integrity of the piping was not compromised by the clamp.

Test No. 3:

The test subject was one-inch diameter, 50Omm length Qual-PEX pipe having a maximum working pressure of approximately 12 bar. The pipe was tested up to 600 PSI and the clamp removed. The pipe burst at 800 PSI, 55 bar.

Test No. 4:

The test subject was a half-inch, heavy gauge Hydrodare (Trade Mark) pipe having a working pressure of approximately 12 bar. The pipe was tested up to 500 PSI and the clamp removed. The pipe was then tested for strength and withstood 1000 PSI thereby indicating that the structural integrity of the pipe had not been compromised.

Test No. 5: --(Hot) Test subject was a half-inch Qual-PEX piping having a maximum working pressure of 12 bar. The water temperature was set at 600C. The pipe was tested at 5 PSI. No visible damage was done to pipe. The present test provides an indication of the utility of the 13 invention e.g. in basins with a leaking tap.

The advantages of the invention are many. The dimensions of the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3 are selected to optimise closure of the piping to which the clamp of the invention is to be applied yet to minimise damage to the piping.

The clamp one of the invention can be used in generally inaccessible locations for preventing and stopping water flow in plumbing, central and underfloor heating systems. In addition, due to the curved/round nature of the bottom clamping bar 2 and the top clamping bar 3, plastics pipe is not damaged or excessively pinched by the clamp 1 of the invention. Moreover, the elastic memory effect in plastics piping is exploited so that the structural integrity of the plastics piping is not compromised following use of the clamping device 1 of the invention.

For example, where such plastics piping is simply bent to prevent flow of fluid through the piping, permanent structural damage can be caused to the piping at the location of the bend.

A further advantage of the clamp 1 of the invention is 14 that due to the flexibility and user friendly nature of the clamp 1, the clamp 1 may be located as closely as is desired to the plumbing, or heating device to be maintained to minimise the risk of air locks being formed in the central or underfloor heating or plumbing system of the invention.

An example of the piping in which the device of the invention has particular utility is Qual-PEX (Trade Mark) plumbing, central and underfloor heating piping or Hydrodare (Trade Mark) piping. The QualPEX piping is formed form cross-linked polyethylene while the Hydrodare piping is formed from polyethylene.

The present invention also finds application with other piping such as Acorn (Trade Mark) piping formed from polybutylene.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

F.F. GORMAN & CO.

is- A Pipe Clamp Irish short Term Patent Application No, S98 0339 Filed 5.5.98 Allen Key. 1 Cap Head Screw. 2 Guide Bar. 3 Top Bar. 4 Grub Screw. 5, Bottom Ban 6 Stop Washer. 7 The tool is comprised of six individual parts detailed as follows. 2 x 20mm mild steel bars 1 0Omm long, drilled and tapped to take 1 x M 1 Ox 90 Cap Head Screw(with 1 x 1 21myn stop washer attached), lxM10x25 Slot Head Grub Screw and 1x12mm mild steel guide bar. The 12mm guide bar is fitted into a hole drilled in the bottom bar 21 nun centres from the end and welded into position. Adjacent to this is an adjustable grub screw which ensures that the clamp closes parallel. The top bar has a 12mm hole, which lines up with the hole in the bottom bar that holds the guide bar. The 1 Omm. cap head screw which is threaded fiffly, has the bottom 3 6mm reduced to 8. 5mm, is threaded through the top bar 42mm centres from the same end as the guide bar and passes through an 8.5nun hole in the bottom bar. The end of the screw then has the stop washer welded into place to prevent the screw from passing through the bottom bar when the tool is in use. The tool is operated by placing a standard 8mm Allen Key in the cap head screw which can be either right or left hand thread Turning the Allen Key closes the clamp which squeezes the PEX pipe and stops the flow of water. The 20mm round bar ensures the that no darnage is caused to the pipe during the squeezing operation due to the fact that there are no hard edges.

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Claims

CLAIMS. Irish short Term Patent Application No, S98 0339 Filed 5.5.98 There has always been a need for some method of cutting off the flow of water in plumbing and heating pipes for maintenance and repair. Prior to this invention this was achieved by fitting valves at points in the system during installation.

1. This new pipe clamp is in fact a portable valve designed for use on any plumbing or heating system with flexible pipes such as PEX.

2. Using this clamp considerable time savings can be made over methods such as closing off a section of a system when in fact all that is needed is to close off 1 unit

3. For example to change a radiator valve on a domestic heating system would involve draining down the system and refilling on completion which would take approximately three hours. By contrast using the pipe clamp the job would take about five minutes