GB2433948A

GB2433948A - Anchor device

Info

Publication number: GB2433948A
Application number: GB0522686A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Greaves; Martin Robert-Jones
Original assignee: Access Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Access Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-07
Filing date: 2005-11-07
Publication date: 2007-07-11
Also published as: GB0522686D0

Abstract

An anchor device 10 for securing a supportable member 31 in the re-entrant groove of a support structure comprises two component parts 11, 12 inter-connected by a pivot 13, each component part having a location edge formation 19, 20 to engage with a respective side wall of the re-entrant groove and the two parts 11,12 being pivotable relative to one another between a first position in which they each engage a groove side wall and a second position in which the location edge formations 19, 20 lie closer together to allow the anchor device to be inserted within and removed from the groove, a first 11 of the parts supporting a locator formation 26 to receive and locate a locking member 31 and a second 12 of the parts comprising an abutment surface 27 engagable by the locking member 31 whereby movement of the locking member against the abutment surface causes the two parts 11,12 to pivot between the first and second positions and enables the two parts 11,12 to be secured firmly within the groove.

Description

2433948

1

ANCHOR DEVICE

This invention relates to an anchor device for use in particular, though not exclusively, for enabling a suspendable component to be suspended from or supported by an overhead support structure such as that of a ceiling or roof.

In the construction of multi-storey commercial and industrial buildings it is common to provide, between successive floors of a building, floor decking formed from slabs of reinforced concrete, or composite structures of pressed sheet metal and concrete. To enable service components such as those for electrical and air conditioning systems to be suspended from a downward facing surface of the decking it is well-known to provide that surface with elongate channels in the form of re-entrant grooves and to provide special anchor devices for location in the grooves and to which a suspendable component may be secured.

In addition to providing a means of suspension of a component, the use of an anchor device in an elongate re-entrant type groove may be employed additionally or alternatively to provide lateral, e.g. horizontal location, for example to provide location and or support to a side or upper edge of a wall panel the weight of which is supported by a floor structure on which a lower edge of the panel rests.

Difficulties which have been experienced with prior art anchor devices include that of the risk of dislocation under the effects of vibratory forces and also the difficulty of accommodating a wide tolerance variation between the dimensions of a re-entrant groove and an anchor device. Known anchor devices also have not been readily or economically adaptable for use with a range of differently sized grooves.

The present invention seeks to provide an anchor device, and an installation comprising an anchor device, in which the aforedescribed difficulties are mitigated or overcome.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an anchor device for securing a supportable member to a support which comprises an elongate re-entrant groove having a pair of profiled side walls and a base wall, said anchor device comprising two component parts and pivot means by which the two component parts are secured relative to one another for pivotal movement about a pivot axis, said two component parts each having a location edge formation to engage with a respective side wall of the re-entrant groove , and said pivot axis extending substantially parallel with the length direction of the elongate groove whereby said two component parts are pivotally movable relative to one another between a first position in which they each engage a respective side wall of a groove to resist removal of the anchor device from the groove and a second position in which the two location edge faces lie closer together to allow the location edges to be inserted within and removed from the groove, a first of said component parts providing support for a locator formation to receive and locate a locking member and a second of said component parts comprising an abutment surface engageable by a locking member whereby movement of the locking member facilitates pivotal movement of the two component parts between said first and second positions and enables the two component parts to be secured in said first position to resist removal from the groove.

The term "re-entrant groove" as used herein refers to an elongate groove which comprises, in cross-section, a pair of side walls, an interconnecting base wall which extends between the side walls and a mouth wherein the side walls have a spacing which is greater at a position nearer to the base wall than at a position nearer to the mouth region. The groove may be of a type in which each side wall provides a re-entrant feature, that is, as considered in cross-section of the groove and relative to a centre line which is perpendicular

to and bisects the base wall, each side wall is spaced from that plane by a greater amount nearer to the base than at a position nearer to the mouth region. The groove may be of a substantially symmetrical shape in cross-section as considered relative to said centre line, an example of a suitable such shape for use in conjunction with the anchor device of the present invention being that of a truncated isosceles triangle.

The locator formation may be an integral part of the first component part. In an alternative it may be comprised by a member which is separate from but, in use, supported by the first component part.

One or each component part may be provided with at least two pivot axis positions about which the two component parts may be pivotal relative to one another thereby to allow the same two component parts to be used to locate within grooves of at least two significantly different widths.

In one embodiment said first component part, which provides support for a locator formation, may be provided with at least two pivot axis positions. Said first component part may comprise at least two locator formations which may be integral with the first component part and which are positioned such that whichever of a plurality of pivot access positions is employed, a locking member received in one of said locator formations will be able to engage with the abutment surface of the second component part. Alternatively, if a locator formation is comprised by a location member which is separate from the first component part, the location member may comprise at least one locator formation which is selectively moveable to allow a locking member received in that locator formation to engage with the second component part whichever of the plurality of pivot axis positions is employed.

Said first component part may provide support for a locator formation which comprises a screw-threaded formation. The screw-threaded formation may be integral with the first component part or may be provided by another component. The screw-threaded formation may, for example, be provided by a nut which is non-rotatably secured in a recess formation of said first

component part. Alternatively it may be provided by a separate locator component, such as a plate-like member, which may be arranged to be slideable relative to the first component part. The locator component may comprise one or more screw-threaded apertures. It may comprise two or more screw-threaded apertures of different sizes, for example of sizes corresponding to the typical sizes of screw-threaded hangers.

If the locator formation is defined by a component such as a plate-like member which is slideable relative to the first component part, it may be arranged to be slideable in a direction parallel with the direction in which the respective location edges of the two component parts are moveable relative to one another or perpendicular thereto in a direction parallel with the length of the groove. A locator component which is moveable relative to the first component part may be notched or otherwise profiled to provide a retention formation operable in use to co-operate with the first or second component part to retain the locator component in a desired position subsequent to having been moved to a selected position relative to the first component part. The second component part may comprise a cam profile which, in use, is engageable with said retention formation, or other part of the locator component, to restrain movement of the locator component except when the two component parts have been moved to a retracted configuration.

The first component part may be of a channel type shape and each side wall may comprise a slot within which a locator component is slideable.

Said locator formation of said first component part may be employed to locate a locking member which is an integral part of a suspended component, such as an eye bolt hanger. Said first component part may comprise an external abutment surface against which a lock nut may be secured thereby to enable a screw-threaded locking member such as the screw-threaded part of an eye bolt, to be locked in position relative to the anchor device after the locking member has been positioned with the end thereof bearing against the abutment surface of the second component part in a position in which the

location edge formations of the anchor device bear against respective side walls of a groove.

A location edge formation of a component part may be comprised by a single edge length or by two or more aligned edge lengths. Thus, in the construction described in the preceding paragraph the side walls of the channel shape may each define one of a pair of longitudinally aligned location edge sections which together define a single location edge formation.

The pivot means may be provided wholly by said first and second component parts, or may comprise a pivot member such as a hinge pin which engages with the component parts.

The first component part may define a recess region into which at least a part of the second component part may be received when the two component parts are pivotally moved to said second position.

The first component part may comprise at least two location edges either of which may be selected in use to engage a side wall of a re-entrant groove. The first component part may comprise only a single pivot axis position and said two location edges may be provided at different spacings from the pivot axis thereby to allow the anchor device to locate with grooves of significantly different widths. Alternatively the first component part may comprise said at least two location edges provided in combination with at least two pivot axis positions. The two location edges may be arranged in a reversible type orientation, for example at substantially diametrically opposite positions relative to the pivot axis position(s) such that, in use, the one location edge not within the groove lies outside the groove to the same side of the pivot axis as the location edge of the second component part. If the first component part comprises slotted side walls to locate a slideable locator component, two said slots may be provided in each side wall, preferably positioned to lie

substantially co-planar with one another, and more preferably co-planar also with the pivot axis position(s).

In an alternative construction of an anchor device of the type having only a single pivot axis position, instead of one component part having two location edge formations at different spacings from the pivot axis position, it is to be understood that the invention teaches also that each component part may have only a single location edge formation. In that case the anchor device can be used with a groove of only one nominal width. However, the constructional features of the device nevertheless lead to an advantageous ability for the device readily to accommodate a wide tolerance variation between dimensions of a single nominal size groove and the anchor device.

The anchor device may comprise biasing means which normally urges the first and second component parts to lie in a preferred orientation relative to one another. That orientation may be one in which the respective location edges of the two component parts are urged apart by the biasing means, but are movable towards one another against the biasing force for insertion into or removal from a groove. Following insertion the location edges will lightly hold the anchor device in position in the groove whilst the locking means is tightened to prevent subsequent movement of the location edges towards one another and to firmly retain the anchor device in the groove, for example to support a suspended load. The biasing means may be a mechanical spring such as a spring steel torsion spring or a leaf spring.

If the first component part is of a type provided with at least two pivot positions, each pivot position may be defined by a pivot pin aperture and said two pivot pin apertures may be interconnected by a slot region such that a pivot pin, for example a pivot pin secured to the second component part, may be moved from one of said pivot pin aperture positions to the other without the need to remove the pivot pin from the second component part.

At least one or both of the second component parts may be formed from cast metal, such as cast steel, or from pressed metal such as pressed sheet steel.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an anchor device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the anchor device of Figure 1 positioned in a narrow type groove;

Figure 3 is a sectional view corresponding to that of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding respectively to that Figure 3 but with the anchor device in a groove of a larger width;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the assembly of Figure 4 during installation;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an anchor device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of part of the anchor device of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of another part of the anchor device of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an anchor device in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention in a first orientation;

Figure 10 shows the anchor device of Figure 9 in a second orientation;

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of part of the anchor device of Figure 9 in a cut away form, and

Figure 12 is a plan view of a component part of the anchor device of Figure 9. An anchor device 10 comprises two cast steel component parts 11,12, a main body part 11 and a jaw part 12 pivotally secured to one another by a hinge pin 13 which extends through aligned apertures 14,15,16 in the two component parts.

The main body part 11 comprises two side wall ribs 17 which, in use, lie generally transverse to the length of an elongate groove, and spaced apart in the direction of the length of the groove by an integrally formed centre section 18. The spaced apart ribs define therebetween a recess into which the jaw part may pivot, the width of the jaw part corresponding to the spacing of the side wall ribs.

Each rib 17 defines part of a location edge formation 19 which, in use, engages a side wall surface of a re-entrant groove.

A location edge formation 20 is also defined by the jaw part 12.

The hinge pin apertures 14,15,16 extend axially parallel with the location edge formations 19,20. Additionally the main body 12 is formed with a second pair of aligned apertures 21,22 thereby to provide an alternative location for the hinge pin 13 and jaw part 12.

The centre section 18 of the main body part 11 is provided with two apertures 23,24 spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the spacing between the hinge pin apertures 14,21; 15,22 of each rib 17. Each aperture 23, 24 extends, in use of the anchor device, in a direction perpendicular to the base of a groove, and each of the two apertures 23,24 has associated therewith a

9

hexagonal shape recess 25 to accommodate a locator component in the form of a retention nut 26.

The jaw part 12 has an abutment face 27 which is able to lie over one of the two apertures 23,24 depending on which of the two pivot positions 14,21 and 15,22 is employed to locate the hinge pin 13.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, for location of the anchor device in a narrow groove 30 the hinge pin 13 is fitted in the hinge pin apertures 21,22 of the main body 11 and aperture 16 of the jaw part 12.

In use to locate the anchor device in a re-entrant groove 30 the nut 26 is employed to receive the screw-threaded end of a hanger stud 31. As the stud 31 is rotated it bears against the abutment face 27 of the jaw part 12 to pivot the abutment face 27 upwards (from a position similar to that shown in Figure 5) to a position at which an upper face of the jaw is substantially parallel with the base surface of the groove 30. As the jaw part is pivoted upwards the two location edge formations 19,20 of the main body and jaw move apart such that they bear firmly against the side walls 32,33 of the groove 30 and thereby ensure that the anchor device is firmly located in the groove.

Figure 4 shows the same anchor device 10 as that of Figures 1 to 3, but with the hinge pin 13 extending through the hinge apertures 14,15 instead of the hinge apertures 21,22 thereby to enable attachment to a wider groove 40.

Whilst it has been described above that the jaw part 12 has an abutment face 27, it is to be understood that that abutment face does not necessarily make face to face contact with the end of a hanger stud 31 or like locking member in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thus, depending on the shape of the end of the locking member and also depending on the width of the groove within the specified tolerance allowance thereof, it may be that only line contact is made by the locking member either with the distal edge of the

n

10

abutment surface 27, or with a region of that abutment surface inwards from that distal end.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrated with reference to Figures 6 to 8, an anchor device 50 comprises a main body part 51 and a jaw part 52 each formed from pressed sheet steel.

The main body part 51 is substantially channel shaped and comprises a pair of side walls 53 separated by an interconnecting base 54. Each side wall defines part of a location edge 61.

Each side wall is formed with two pivot pin location positions 55, 56 interconnected by a slot region 57 whereby the pivot pin 70 may be moved from one location position to the other without the need to remove the pin from the jaw part 52. The pin may be secured relative to the jaw part by, for example, being an interference fit therewith or by the use of other techniques such as star lock washers in a manner known per se.

The jaw part 52 also is substantially channel shaped and comprises a pair of side walls 58 separated by an interconnecting portion 59 which defines a location edge 60.

The base 54 of the main body part 51 is provided with two apertures 62, 63 (see Figure 7) through each of which a locking member in the form of a screw-threaded end of a hanger stud 64 may extend. The two apertures are spaced in a direction of the length of the side wall slot 57 by a distance corresponding to the spacing of the pivot pin location positions 55, 56.

The base apertures 62, 63, may each be screw-threaded thereby directly to receive the stud 64 and support it as the end of the stud is screwed against an abutment face 65 defined by the face of the jaw part 52 lying between the side walls 58. However, more preferably, as illustrated with further reference to

11

Figures 7 and 8, the apertures 62, 63 are of an enlarged smooth bore type through which studs 64 of different diameters may freely extend to engage with a locator plate 66 (see Figure 8).

The locator plate 66 is slideable within the main body part in a direction parallel with the side wall slots 57 and is provided with three screw-threaded apertures 67, 68, 69 each of a size corresponding with the diameters of three commonly used studs. Thus the plate 66 can be slid to position any one of the three screw-threaded apertures 67, 68, 69 over either of the base apertures 62, 63.

In use of the anchor device 50, as the end of a screw-threaded hanger stud 64 is screwed through the plate 66 it comes into engagement with the abutment surface 65 of the jaw part. It thereby causes the two location edges 60, 61 to move apart into engagement with respective side walls of a groove. The reaction forces then acting on the locator plate are resisted by the main body part which provides support for that locator plate.

In a third embodiment of the invention, illustrated with reference to Figures 9 to 12, an anchor device 75 comprises a jaw part 76 corresponding substantially with that of the jaw part 52 of Figure 6 and having a location edge 80.

However the main body part 77 is of a substantially different construction compared to that of the second embodiment of the invention and comprises two sheet steel side wall members 78 maintained spaced apart by a pivot pin 79. The pin is arranged to inhibit separation of the two side wall members and also inhibit them rotating relative to one another about the axis of the pivot pin. The pin may, for example, be an interference fit or spun riveted in position,

with the jaw part 76 positioned between the side walls and freely pivotable about the pivot pin 79.

12

The two side walls are of identical construction. Each defines two location edges 81, 82 which lie at substantially diametrically opposite positions relative to the pin, with one edge 81 being spaced further from the pivot pin than the other 82.

Each side wall also comprises two slots 85, 86 which, optionally as in this embodiment of the invention, extend lengthwise in directions aligned with one another and aligned also with the pivot pin axis. Respective slots in the two side walls therefore are also aligned with one another such that a locator plate 83, corresponding substantially to the plate 66 of Figure 8, may extend through the respective aligned apertures and be supported by the side wall members of the main body part 77.

The locator plate 83 of this embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment by having four notches 87 (see Figure 12) provided along one edge thereof, each successive pair of notches being spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the spacing of the side walls of the jaw part 75.

Each notch has a width slightly greater than the wall thickness of each side wall of the jaw part. Each of the side walls of the jaw part defines a cam surface 84 which is eccentric about the axis of the pivot pin 79. The cam surfaces are profiled such that the side walls lie within a successive pair of notches at all rotational positions of the jaw part except for positions within a retracted range in which the jaw part has been pivoted to a position away from that in which it normally lies prior to or during insertion of the anchor device into a groove. Thus when the jaw part is at a position in the retracted position range the locator plate 83 may be slid within the slots such that a screw-threaded aperture 88, 89, 90 of the required size lies underneath the jaw part and also such that the locator plate 83 may be removed from one pair of aligned slots 86 and inserted into the other pair of aligned side wall slots 85 to enable the anchor device to be fitted to a groove of a different size.

13

A torsion spring, not shown, may be provide normally to bias the jaw part 76 to a position in which it bears lightly against the locator plate 83, or the end of a screw-threaded stud 91 extending through an aperture in the locator plate to maintain the location edge 80 of the jaw part biased towards one of the location edges 81, 82 of the main body part ready for insertion within a groove. The anchor device may then be secured within the groove by rotation of the screw-threaded hanger stud 91 in a manner corresponding to that described above in respect of the second embodiment of the invention.

In another embodiment an anchor device is constructed substantially as shown in figures 9 to 12 except that each side wall 78 is smaller and omits one of the slots 85,86 and one of the location edge sections 81,82. The resulting construction therefore can be used with only a single nominal size of groove, but otherwise functions in the same manner to locate within and secure to a groove.

An anchor device in accordance with the present invention combines the ability to locate within a groove of any width which lies within a permitted tolerance range for a nominal size of groove. In some embodiments it will additionally allow the same component parts to be employed for attachment to a groove of a different nominal size.

KKL34DE4

14

Claims

1. An anchor device for securing a supportable member to a support which comprises an elongate re-entrant groove having a pair of profiled side walls and a base wall, said anchor device comprising two component parts and pivot means by which the two component parts are secured relative to one another for pivotal movement about a pivot axis, said two component parts each having a location edge formation to engage with a respective side wall of the re-entrant groove , and said pivot axis extending substantially parallel with the length direction of the elongate groove whereby said two component parts are pivotally movable relative to one another between a first position in which they each engage a respective side wall of a groove to resist removal of the anchor device from the groove and a second position in which the two location edge faces lie closer together to allow the location edges to be inserted within and removed from the groove, a first of said component parts providing support for a locator formation to receive and locate a locking member and a second of said component parts comprising an abutment surface engageable by a locking member whereby movement of the locking member facilitates pivotal movement of the two component parts between said first and second positions and enables the two component parts to be secured in said first position to resist removal from the groove.

2. An anchor device according to claim 1 wherein at least one component part is provided with at least two pivot axis positions about each of which the two component parts may pivot relative to one another.

3. An anchor device according to claim 2 wherein said at least two pivot axis positions are provided by said first component part.

4. An anchor device according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said first component part comprises at least two locator formations positioned such that

15

whichever of a plurality of pivot axis positions is employed, a locking member received in one of said locator formations is able to engage with the abutment surface of the second component part.

5. An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a said locator formation is an integral part of the first component part.

6. An anchor device according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein a said locator formation is comprised by a location member which is separate from the first component part, said location member comprising at least one locator formation which is selectively moveable to allow a locking member received in the locator formation to engage with the second component part whichever of the plurality of pivot axis positions is employed.

7. An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first component part provides support for a locator formation which comprises a screw-threaded formation.

8. An anchor device according to claim 7 wherein said screw-threaded formation is provided by a nut which is non-rotatably secured in a recess formation of said first component part.

9. An anchor device according to claim 6 wherein the screw-threaded formation is provided by a locator component of a kind which is slideable relative to the first component part.

10. An anchor device according to claim 9 wherein the locator component comprises at least one screw-threaded aperture.

11. An anchor device according to claim 10 wherein the locator component comprises at least two screw-threaded apertures of different sizes.

16

12. An anchor device according to claim 6 or any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the locator formation is defined by a component which is slideable relative to the first component part in either a direction parallel with the direction in which the respective location edges of the two component parts are moveable relative to one another or in a direction perpendicular thereto and parallel with the length of the groove.

13. , An anchor device according to claim 12 wherein the locator component is profiled to provide a retention formation operable in use to co-operate with the first or second component part to retain the locator component in a desired position subsequent to having been moved to a selected position relative to the first component part.

14. An anchor device according to claim 13 wherein said second component part comprises a cam profile which, in use, is engagable with said retention formation or other part of the locator component to restrain movement of the locator component except when the two component parts have been moved to a retracted configuration.

15. An anchor device according to any one of claims 9 to 14 wherein said first component part comprises a channel shape having a pair of side walls which each comprise a slot within which a locator component is slideable.

16. An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a location edge formation of a component part is comprised by a single edge length.

17. An anchor device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein a location edge formation of a component part is comprised by two or more aligned edge lengths.

18. An anchor device according to claim 17 wherein the first component part is of a channel shape comprising a pair of side walls and said side walls each define one of a pair of longitudinally aligned location edge sections which together define a single location edge formation.

19. An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pivot means is provided wholly by said first and second component parts.

20. An anchor device according to any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the pivot means comprises a pivot member which engages with the component parts.

21 An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first component part defines a recess region into which at least a part of the second component part may be received when two component parts are pivotally moved to said second position.

22. An anchor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first component part comprises at least two location edges either of which may be selected in use to engage a side wall of a re-entrant groove.

23. An anchor device according to claim 22 wherein the first component part comprises only a single pivot axis position and said two location edges are provided at different spacings from the pivot axis.

24. An Anchor device according to claim 22 wherein the first component part comprises said at least two location edges and at least two pivot axis positions.

25. Ah anchor device according to any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein the two location edges lie in a reversible type orientation whereby, in use, the one

18

location edge not within the grooves lies outside the groove to the same side of the pivot axis as the location edge of the second component part.

26. An anchor device according to any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein the first component part comprises slotted side walls to locate a slideable locator component and two said slots are provided in each side wall.

27. An anchor device according to claim 23 wherein each of the two component parts comprises only a single location edge formation.

28. An anchor according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising biasing means which normally urges the first and second component parts to lie in a pre-seiected orientation relative to one another.

29. An anchor device according to claim 28 wherein the respective location edges of the two component parts are urged apart by the biasing means, and are moveable towards one another against the biasing force.

30. An anchor device according to claim 28 or claim 29 wherein the biasing means comprises a mechanical spring.

31. An anchor device according to any one of preceding claims and in which the first component part is of a type provided with at least two pivot positions, wherein each pivot position is defined by a pivot pin aperture and said two pivot pin apertures are inter-connected by a slot region within which a pivot pin may be moved from one of said pivot pin aperture positions to the other.

32. An anchor device according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described.

KKL34CL1