GB2491893A

GB2491893A - Mounting clip

Info

Publication number: GB2491893A
Application number: GB201110281A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Clegg
Original assignee: FALCON TRUNKING SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: FALCON TRUNKING SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2011-06-17
Filing date: 2011-06-17
Publication date: 2012-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-17
Also published as: GB201110281D0; GB2491893B

Abstract

A mounting clip for mounting an elongate member to a surface is described, the mounting clip comprising a base 1 intended to be fastened to the surface and at least one clip 2 for receiving an elongate member. The clip is movably mounted to the base to enable adjustment of the position of the clip relative to the surface after the base has been fastened to the surface. An installation is also described comprising at least one such mounting clip mounted on a surface, an elongate member received into at least one clip 2 of the or each mounting clip, and a single cover 3 engaged with the base of the or each mounting clip. There may be more than on clip of at least two different sizes.

Description

I

MOUNTING CLIP

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mounting clip for mounting an elongate member to a surface, and particularly but not exclusively to a pipe clip.

Background to the Invention

Where pipes, such as water supply or central heating pipes or conduits for electrical cables, are mounted to a surface they are supported in pipe clips which are fastened to the surface. It is routine to conceal surface mounted pipes with a cover, known as trunking.

Tn one existing arrangement individual pipe clips are fastened to a surface using screws, each clip defining an opening into which a pipe can be received. The individual clips comprise mutually cooperating formations which enable them to be fastened to each other side by side where it is desired to mount pipes running parallel to each other, The clips also comprise formations which engage with trunking so than trunking can be fitted over and engage with the clips. In another existing arrangement a double pipe clip is provided with a single fixing hole via which it is screwed to a surface and the clip is provided with formations which engage with trunking.

A difficulty arises on installation of these existing arrangements where pipe clips are mounted to support a pipe at spaced intervals along its length. There is then a need to accurately position the clips relative to one another, and the pipe to be received into the clips, so that the trunking can be fitted onto the clips over the pipe. In practice it is all too easy to incorrectly position an individual pipe clip, and to correct this it is necessary to remove and remount the clip. This is time consuming and leads to damage of the surface on which the clip is mounted owing to the need to form a second screw hole to re-position the clip.

Embodiments of the present invention have been made in consideration of this problem.

Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting clip for mounting an elongate member to a surface, the mounting clip comprising a base intended to be fastened to the surface and at least one clip for receiving an elongate member, wherein the clip is movably mounted to the base to enable adjustment of the position of the clip relative to the surface after the base has been fastened to the surface.

The clip can thus be moved to compensate for incorrect positioning of the base and so overcome the need to unfasten and refasten the base to a surface when minor repositioning is required. This facilitates installation of clips. In addition, a clip can move to accommodate movement in the member it is used to support, such as, for example, that caused by thermal expansion and contraction of a pipe network.

The base may comprise a mounting plate. The base may comprise one or more elongate slots through which a fastener, such as a screw, may be passed to secure the plate to a surface. Provision of an elongate slot allows for repositioning of the base relative to a fastener which extends through the slot into the surface, The base may comprise one or more formations intended to engage with a cover.

The or each clip may be slidably mounted to the base. In one embodiment the or each clip is slidably mounted between two substantially parallel sides of an aperture through the base. The or each clip may be, alternatively or additionally, rotataby mounted to the base.

The or each clip may be a pipe clip. Clips of a variety of different sizes, arranged to accommodate elongate members of different sizes, may be mounted on a single size of base.

A cover may be provided, intended to extend over the clips and engage with the base, thereby to conceal the clips and any elongate member received into the clips. As a single size of base can accommodate different sizes of clip, the different sizes of clip can all be covered by a single size of cover. This compares favourably with prior art arrangements where different sizes of clip require different sizes of cover.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an installation comprising at least one mounting clip as defined above mounted to a surface, an elongate member received into at least one clip of the or each mounting clip and a single cover engaged with the base of the or each mounting clip.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mounting plate; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a first pipe clip in an open state; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second pipe clip in a closed state; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cover; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the plate of figure 1, with the clips of figures 2 and 3 and the cover of figure 4 mounted thereto; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pipe installation.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a mounting clip which comprises a mounting plate I to which two pipe clips 2 may be slidably mounted. A cover 3 may be fitted to the plate to conceal the mounting clip and any pipe mounted thereon.

The mounting plate I is moulded from a substantially rigid, yet resiliently flexible, plastics material such as Nylon. The plate 1 is generally rectangular in shape and has two upstanding sidewalls 4 along opposite substantially parallel edges of the plate 1.

Teeth are formed on the opposed surfaces of the sidewalls 4 and extend along the length of the sidewalls.

Two elongate, substantially rectangular, spaced apart and substantially parallel apertures 5 are formed in the plate 1 with their long sides extending approximately from one sidewall 4 to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls 4.

Spaced evenly between the two apertures 5 is a third aperture in the form of an elongate slot 6, the long substantially parallel sides of which are substantially parallel to the long sides of the rectangular apertures 5. The ends of the elongate slot 6 are rounded, Extending around the elongate slot is an upstanding sidewall 7, projecting from the same side of the plate 1 as the sidewalls 4. The sidewall 7 around the elongate slot 6 is shaped to conform to the underside of the head of a countersunk screw.

Ribs 8 are fonried adjacent but slightly spaced apart from the long edges of the rectangular apertures 5. The ribs extend along about the length of the edges of the rectangular apertures 5 and serve to strengthen the plate 1.

The opposite side of the plate to that on which the sidewalls and ribs are formed is substantially flat.

The pipe clips 2 are moulded from the same material as the plate 1, but could be moulded from a different material. Suitable materials include Nylon and polypropylene.

The pipe clips are of generally conventional form in that they comprise two resilient arms 9 shaped to receive a pipe and a hinged cap 10 pivotally connected to the free end of one arm and releasably engageable with the free end of the other arm to hold the arms together and secure a pipe to the clip. If the clip were moulded from a sufficiently rigid material the hinged cap might be omitted. The underside (in the orientation illustrated) of the base of the clip, from which the two arms extend, is substantially rectangular in shape. Where the clip differs from conventional clips is that a flange 11 projects from the long edges of its base flush with the underside of the base. On opposite sides of each arm 9 elongate wedges 12 are formed. The sloping sides of the wedges 12 arc directed towards the free ends of the arms. The opposite sides of the wedges 12 are spaced from and extend parallel to the flange 11 defining a channel with the flange. The width of the channel is sufficient to accommodate an edge of the plate 1 forming a long edge of one of the substantially rectangular apertures S in the plate with a close sliding fit. The arms 9 and main body of each clip 2 will pass through one of the rectangular apertures 5 in the plate, but the flanges ii will not.

A range of clips having different sized arms, to accommodate different sized pipes, but with the same sized base, so they will all engage with the same size of * mounting plate, may be provided. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate clips designed to receive smaller and larger pipes respectively.

In use, a respective clip is passed through each rectangular aperture 5 in the plate 1, with the free ends of the arms 9 of the clip passing first through the aperture from the flat side of the plate. The wedges t2 are urged past the long edges of the aperture 5, the resilience of the plastic material forming the clip and plate allowing them to do so, so that the edges of the aperture 5 are received into the channel defined between the flange 11 and the wedges 12. This mounts the clip to the plate as shown in figures 5 and 6 and allows the clip to slide relative to the plate along the rectangular aperture 5 in the plate.

The cover 3 is extruded from a suitable plastics material, such as UPVC (unpiasticised poly vinyl chloride). The cover is generally U-shaped in cross-section with two substantially parallel side walls 13 depending from opposite sides of an intermediate portion 14. Towards the free ends of the opposed faces of the side walls 13 an inner side wall 15 extends away from the sidewall, and turns through approximately ninety degrees so that it extends substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the side wall and terminates in a free end just short of the free end of the side wall 13. At the free end of F each inner side wall 15 a projection 16 is formed on the surface of the inner side wall facing the adjacent side wall.

The cover 3 is sized so that, when it is placed over a mounting plate 1 the side walls 7 of the mounting plate are received between the inner side walls 15 and side walls 13 of the cover and the projection 16 on the inner side walls engages with the teeth on the side walls of the mounting plate thereby to secure the cover 3 onto the mounting plate.

In use, where is it desired to mount a pipe, or other suitable elongate member, to a surface, mounting plates 1 are fastened to the surface along the intended path of the pipe by passing a single countersunk screw through the elongate slot 6 in the plate and into the surface. The position of each mounting plate on the surface may be adjusted by sliding and rotating the mounting plate relative to the single screw until a desired position is achieved. Mounting plates which are intended to be covered by the same cover should be aligned so that their side walls 4 lie substantially on the same line.

When the mounting plates I are correctly aligned the screw may be fhrther tightened to prevent relative movement of the mounting plate on the surface and a second screw may also be passed through the elongate slot 6 in the plate and driven into the surface to prevent rotation of the plate.

Pipes 17 may then be introduced into the pipe clips 2 on the mounting plates 1 and when doing so the position of the clips in the mounting plates may be adjusted as necessary by sliding the clips relative to the plates to accommodate the pipes. The caps on the clips (where provided) may then be closed to secure the clips relative to the pipes, When the pipes are installed a cover 3 is placed over the pipes and engaged with the mounting plates to conceal the pipes.

Provision of the elongate slot in the mounting plates, and slidably mounting the pipe clips to the mounting plates, allows for considerable adjustment of the position of the both the mounting plates and pipe clips during installation. This facilitates installation and significantly reduces the need to remove and reinstall clips and the like during installation in order to allow for incorrect positioning.

As the clips continue to be relatively moveable relative to the pipes they can accommodate any subsequent movement of the pipes, for example due to expansion or contraction of thc pipes so that this does not damage the clips, mounting base or cover.

The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A mounting clip for mounting an elongate member to a surface, the mounting clip comprising a base intended to be fastened to the surface and at least one clip for receiving an elongate member, wherein the clip is movably mounted to the base to enable adjustment of the position of the clip relative to the surface after the base has been fastened to the surface.
2. A mounting clip according to claim 1 wherein the base comprises a mounting plate.
3. A mounting clip according to claim 2 wherein the base comprises one or more C\j 10 elongate slots through which a fastener may be passed to secure the plate to a surface. rcc
4. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim wherein the base comprises one or more formations intended to engage with a cover. Co5. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim wherein the or each clip is slidably mounted to the base.6. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim wherein the or each clip is slidably mounted between two substantially parallel sides ofan aperture through the base.7. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim wherein the or each clip is rotataby mounted to the base.8. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim wherein the or each clip is a pipe clip.9. A mounting clip according to anypreeeding claim comprising a plurality of said clips of at least two different sizes.10. A mounting clip according to any preceding claim comprising a cover intended to extend over the clips and engage with the base, thereby to conceal the clips and any elongate member received into the clips.11. A mounting clip substantially as herein described with reference to the appended figures.12. An installation comprising at least one mounting clip according to any preceding claim mounted on a surface, an elongate member received into at least one clip ofthe or each mounting clip, and a single cover engaged with the base of the or each mounting clip.13. A mounting clip installation substantially as herein described with reference to r (0 the appended figures. Co r