WO1998023888A1

WO1998023888A1 - Hose mounting bracket

Info

Publication number: WO1998023888A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000805
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Andrew John May
Original assignee: Peter Andrew John May
Priority date: 1996-11-29
Filing date: 1997-11-28
Publication date: 1998-06-04
Also published as: AUPO394896A0

Abstract

Mounting bracket (10) includes a body (12), tensioning means and support means. Body (12) includes attachment means (18), first end (20), a second end and at least one connecting member connecting first end (20) to the second end. The tensioning means may be engaged by attaching a spanner to engagement means (34) and rotating a displacement member from a first position shown in Figure 4 to a second position shown in Figure 5. The tensioning means is inoperative in the first position and operative in the second position. Rotation of engagement means (34) from the first position to the second position causes a greater length of strap (42) to be held within the body (12) of the mounting bracket (10) as seen in Figures 4 and 5. The increase in length of strap (42) held within the body (12) of the mounting bracket (10) causes increased tension to be applied to a portion of strap (42) that extends circumferentially of line protector (40). This reduction in length of the loop of strap (42) causes a corresponding increase in tension in strap (42) and thus assists in the securing of line protector (40). A line protector (40) of any diameter can be held securely using the mounting bracket by way of adjustment means (44). Therefore a single size and type of mounting bracket (10) can be used for a wide variety of line protector (40) sizes or any number of conduits.

Description

TITLE

"Hose Mounting Bracket" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved mounting bracket. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Existing mounting brackets, in particular those used in the mounting of hydraulic hoses and lines, have consisted of devices such as C clamps. These clamps, usually made from metal, were difficult to tighten quickly and easily and had a tendency to rub against the hydraulic lines or wrapping. Hydraulic lines and wrappings are commonly made from a plastics or rubber material and premature wear to the lines and wrapping was caused by the use of these clamps. Further, previously known clamps had only a limited adjustability and therefore a variety of sizes of the known clamps were needed. The present invention seeks to alleviate some, if not all, of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket characterised by including a tensioning means, the tensioning means includes a displacement member arranged to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein in use, a strap extending around a conduit passes over the displacement member, such that an increased tension is applied to the strap when the displacement member is moved from the first position to the second position. In a preferred embodiment the mounting bracket of the present invention includes at least one curved support surface. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a side view of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an upper perspective view of the mounting bracket as seen in Figure

1;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the mounting bracket in use;

Figure 4 shows a schematic end view of the mounting bracket of the present invention with a tensioning member disengaged; and Figure 5 shows a schematic end view of the mounting bracket of the present invention with a tensioning member engaged.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a mounting bracket 10. The mounting bracket 10 includes a body 12, tensioning means 14 and support means 16. The body 12 includes an attachment means 18, a first end 20, a second end 22 and at least one connecting member 24, connecting the first end 20 to the second end 22.

The tensioning means 14 includes an offset displacement member 30, a plurality of radius arms 32 and at least one engagement means 34. The displacement member 30 is attached to the radius arms 32 of the tensioning means 14. The radius arms 32 are attached to the engagement means 34 by shafts (not shown) which protrude through apertures (not shown) in the first end 20 and second end 22 of the body 12 as seen in

Figure 1. The shafts act as an axis of rotation of the radius arms 32, the displacement member 30 and the engagement means 34.

SUBSΉTUTE SHEET (Rule 26) The radius arms 32 and thus the tensioning means 14 rotate from a first position 37 to a second position 38 as seen in Figures 4 and 5. The rotation of the tensioning means 14 is limited by at least one stop means 36 situated on the inside of the first end 20 and/or the second end 22. Preferably the stop means 36 is in an over-centre position whereby the displacement member 30 is retained in the second position due to the over - centre relationship with the axis of rotation of the displacement member 30 unless the displacement member 30 is manually caused to move to the first position. The support means 16 are preferably rounded or curved at the ends, as can be seen in Figure 1. The body 12 of the mounting bracket 10, the tensioning means 14 and the support means 16 are made from, for example a metal such as steel.

In Figure 3 there is shown the mounting bracket 10 in use. The mounting bracket 10 is attached to a conduit by a strap 42. The conduit may be in the form of a line protector 40 as shown. The strap 42 includes a free end 46 and is fixedly attached at the other end to an adjustment mechanism 44. The adjustment mechanism 44 includes apertures (not shown) to allow the strap 42 to pass around the line protector 40 and loop over part of the adjustment mechanism 44 so that the length of the strap 42 around the line protector 40 is fixed as seen in Figure 3. The strap 42 may be made from, for example a webbing material that is flexible. The adjustment means 44 may further include a strap 50 located on a side of the adjustment means 44.

In Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a schematic end view of the mounting bracket 10 showing a non-engaged first position 37 of the tensioning means 14 in Figure 4 and an engaged second position 38 of the tensioning means 14 in Figure 5.

SUBSΉTUTE SHEET (Rule 26 When in the non-engaged first position 37 as seen in Figure 4, the displacement member 30 is situated close to the line protector 40 providing only a small displacement of the strap 42 from the outer surface of the line protector 40. When the tensioning means 14 is engaged, that is rotated to its second position 38 as seen in Figure 5, the strap 42 is forced into a larger displacement form the outer surface of the line protector 40 by the displacement member 30. The method of use of the preferred embodiment of the mounting bracket of the present invention will now be described. The mounting bracket 10 is used to group a number of hydraulic lines, cables, hoses or other similar items and locate them securely with respect to a support structure. The hydraulic lines, cables, hoses or similar items may be encased in a line protector 40 as seen in Figure 3. The term conduit is used to broadly refer to hydraulic lines, hoses, cables, protectors, looms and the like or groups or bunches of the aforementioned. The mounting bracket 10 attaches to and locates one or more conduits hereafter referred to, by way of example, as a line protector 40.

The free end 46 of the strap 42 is passed through the mounting bracket 10 by passing the free end 46 under a first support member 16, over the offset displacement member 30 in its first position 37 and back under a second support member 16, as can be seen in Figure 4. The free end 46 of the strap 42 is then passed around the line protector 40 and inserted into the adjustment means 44 through an aperture and then looped back out of the adjustment means 44 through the aforesaid aperture, as can be seen in Figure 3.

The strap 42 may then be initially tightened by pulling the free end 46 of the strap 42 in a direction substantially tangential to the circumference of the line protector 40 and pulling the strap 50 in a substantially opposite direction. The tension in the strap 42 is maintained by the adjustment means 44 which only allows the strap 42 to move freely in one direction when engaged. This initial tightening of the strap 42 can be insufficient and additional tightening is often required to stop excess movement of the line protector 40 with respect to the mounting bracket 10. Movement between the mounting bracket 10 and the line protector 40 leads to premature wear of the line protector 40. Further, another problem is that the line protector 40, which is commonly made from a spiral piece of plastics material, is compressible and can be difficult to tighten adequately with the straps 42 and 50 alone. Still further, where line protector 40 is not used, the strap 42 of the mounting bracket 10 can be used to group and support a number of other conduits, such as hydraulic lines. The hydraulic lines may move relative to one another while within the strap 42 causing a rearrangement of the hydraulic lines which can reduce the tension in the strap 42. To accomplish the required additional tightening so that the aforementioned problems are reduced, the tensioning means 14 is employed.

The tensioning means 14 may be engaged by attaching, for example a spanner to the engagement means 24 and rotating the displacement member 30 from the first position 37 shown in Figure 4 to the second position 38 shown in Figure 5. The tensioning means 14 is inoperative in the first position 37 and operative in the second position 38. The rotation of the engagement means 30 from the first position 37 to the second position 38 causes a greater length of the strap 42 to be held within the body 12 of the mounting bracket 10 as seen in Figures 4 and 5. The increase in length of the strap 42 held within the body 12 of the mounting bracket 10 causes increased tension to be applied to a portion of the strap 42 that extends circumferentially of the line protector 40. This reduction in length of the loop of the strap 42 causes a corresponding increase in tension in the strap 42 and thus assists in the securing of the line protector 40. It can be seen that a line protector 40 of any diameter can be held securely using the mounting bracket of the present invention, as the size of the loop of the strap 42 is able to be adjusted through a wide range of sizes. Therefore a single size and type of mounting bracket 10 can be used for a wide variety of line protector 40 sizes or any number of conduits. It is considered within the scope of the present invention if the mounting bracket 10 is used to apply tension to a load for a lifting device, for example a crane or hoist. It is considered within the scope of this invention if, for example, a cam is used instead of a radius arm. In this case, the cam is connected to a shaft which acts as an axis of rotation of the cam and the displacement member. The cam engages with and provides the displacement member with movement towards or away from the axis of rotation when the shaft and thus the cam are rotated.

Further, the attachment means 18 may be any known means of attaching the mounting bracket 10 to a support. Further still, the strap 42 can be any flexible material used singularly or in layers as can be seen in Figure 3.

Further still the displacement member may be arranged to be closer to the shaft in the second position than in when the displacement member is in the first position. Also further still, it should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention if there are a plurality of tensioning means used to progressively tension the

StJBSTTTUTE SHEET (Rule 26) strap as each tensioning means is moved from a respective first position to a respective second position.

Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket characterised by including a tensioning means, the tensioning means includes a displacement member arranged to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein in use, a strap extending around a conduit passes over the displacement member, such that an increased tension is applied to the strap when the displacement member is moved from the first position to the second position.

2. A hose mounting bracket in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the mounting bracket includes at least one curved support surface.

3. A mounting bracket in accordance with either claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the mounting bracket includes a body which includes an attachment means, a first end, a second end and at least one connecting member connecting the first end to the second end.

4. A mounting bracket in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the displacement member is attached to a plurality of radius arms which in turn are connected to shaft means which act as an axis of rotation of the radius arms and the displacement member.

5. A mounting bracket in accordance with claim 4, wherein characterised in that rotation of the displacement means is limited by at least one stop means.

6. A mounting bracket in accordance with claim 5, characterised in that the stop means is located in an over-centre position whereby when the displacement member is moved to the second position, the displacement member remains, in the second position unless it is manually returned to the first position.

7. A mounting bracket in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the displacement member engages with cam means which is in turn connected to shaft means wherein, in use, rotation of the shaft means the cam means causes the displacement member to move towards or away from the shaft means when the shaft means is rotated.

8. A mounting bracket in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the shafts means, may be rotated by one or more engagement means.

9. A mounting bracket in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 8, characterised in that the position of the displacement member at the second position is further from the shaft than when the displacement member is at the first position.

10. A mounting bracket in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 8, characterised in that the positioning of the displacement member at the second position is closer to the shaft than when the displacement member is at the first position .

SUBSΗTUTE SHEET Rule 26