WO1999047844A1

WO1999047844A1 - Clamp

Info

Publication number: WO1999047844A1
Application number: PCT/NO1999/000090
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thor Gunnar Pettersen
Original assignee: Thor Gunnar Pettersen
Priority date: 1998-03-19
Filing date: 1999-03-17
Publication date: 1999-09-23
Also published as: SE0003212L; NO981231L; SE515451C2; SE0003212D0; AU2964799A; NO306363B1; NO981231D0

Abstract

Fastener for attaching or suspending objects, such as electrical wires and cables, pipes and the like, to a supporting surface, comprising a hoding part (1) adapted to cooperate with the object, wires, cables and the like concerned, and two pin members (2, 3) adapted to be flexed somewhat away from each other when driven into the supporting surface. Preferably centrally between the two bendable pin members (2, 3) there is provided a relatively rigid and straight guide pin (4).

Description

1

CLAMP

This invention relates to a fastener for attaching or suspending objects, such as electrical wires and cables, pipes and the like, to a supporting surface, in particular for the purpose of surfaces that can represent problems with respect to a good attachment. Gypsum panels is an example of supporting bases or surfaces being of interest in this connection.

Previously there are known fastener designs for such purposes, comprising a holding part adapted to engaged electrical wires, cables and the like, and two pin members adapted to be flexed somewhat away from each other when driven into the supporting surface. In its simplest and original form such fastening means can be cramps formed by bending metal wire into a U-shape.

From Norwegian patent No. 158.477 there is known a fastener based upon a typical cramp shape with two nail-like legs or pins for attachment to a base. The patent specification however, is not concerned with how the pins penetrate into the base, but rather with a particular design of a head or holding part in view of cooperation with a tool for driving the fastener into a base.

Norwegian patent No. 104.880 relates to fastener means for electrical cables, pipes and the like, manufactured from sheet material and having two legs adapted to be flexed away from each other when driven into a supporting base or surface. Here a certain flexibility of the sheet material in the legs is utilized, in particular for obtaining a good fastening effect in loose or porous materials. Finally Danish patent No. 76.359 relates to a staplelike device for a corresponding purpose as discussed above. This known design has a band or plate shape with two pins or legs at either side. The legs are designed to be bent away from each other when driven into a base. It is common to the known designs discussed above, that it can be difficult to drive these into a base while maintaining a good control or directional guidance, as it is known from the traditional, simple cramps. Besides they are poorly suited for rational driving-in by means of tools based on receiving a number of fasteners in a form of magazine .

Thus with a fastener as stated in the introduction above, the novel and specific features according to the invention consist therein that preferably centrally between the two bendable pin members there is provided a relatively rigid and straight guide pin.

With such a guide pin it will be easy to drive the fastener into a base or surface in a secure manner and with the desired alignment or direction, whereby the base can be wood materials of varying character, gypsum panels and the like. In that respect the fastener according to the invention has properties corresponding to the well known fasteners having only one pin or nail member.

In the following description the invention will be more closely explained with reference to the drawing, showing two exemplary embodiments of the fastener. Fig. 1 in perspective view shows an embodiment of the fastener according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows the fastener of Fig. 1 driven into a sup- porting surface or base for attachment of an electrical wire, and Fig. 3 shows another example for the purpose of suspending other types of objects than wires, cables, pipes and the like. In the example of a fastener according to the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, it appears that a holding part 1 as known per se has a more or less arcuate shape in order to completely or partially clamp around a wire, cable or a pipe to be mounted on a base. At an edge or transition portion 9 of the holding part 1 there are provided three pins 2, 3 and

4, of which the intermediate or central pin 4 is a guide pin that has a higher rigidity than the two other pins 2 and 3. Pin members 2 and 3 are bendable when driven into a base, so that they will diverge more from each other and in relation to the guide pin 4. This is illustrated in Fig. 2. As it is seen from the drawing it is an advantage that the three pins 2, 3 and 4 lie substantially in the same plane, that also continues somewhat into the holding part 1 from the transition portion 9. This, among other things, has apparent advantages as regards production. The flexing of the pin members 2 and 3 normally takes place in this same plane.

In view of the intended function and flexing, the two bendable pin member 2 and 3 are designed with a certain curvature away from the guide pin 4 , and besides they are dimensioned or weakened at portions 6 and 7 so that the desired flexing during driving-in, can take place by being initiated at these weakened portions. In this connection it is an advantage that the two pin members 2 and 3 at the transition portion or edge 9 have some spacing from the guide pin 4. This guide pin 4 in turn has larger dimensions and has a straight shape in view of its guiding or control function. It is a practical advantage that the guide pin 4 is approximately equally long as the two bendable pin members 2 and 3. Fig. 3 shows another embodiment wherein the holding part 11 is designed so as to project from a wall 10 or the like, so that an object such as a picture or a painting can be suspended in a usual way on the holding part 11. The shape of the holding part 11 in this example corresponds quite closely to a right-angled hook. Pin members 12, 13 and 14 , that correspond to the above described pins 2 , 3 and 4 , are driven into an anchored in the base or surface, being here represented by the wall 10.

Claims

4 C l a i m s

1. Fastener for attaching or suspending objects, such as electrical wires and cables, pipes and the like, to a supporting surface, comprising a holding part (1,11) adapted to cooperate with the object, wires, cables and the like concerned, and two pin members (2,3,12,13) adapted to be flexed somewhat away from each other when driven into the supporting surface, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that preferably centrally between the two bendable pin members (2,3,12,13) there is provided a relatively rigid and straight guide pin (4,14) .

2. Fastener according to claim 1, made from metal sheet material, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the two bendable pin members (2,3,12,13) and the guide pin (4,14) lie substantially in the same plane and that the pin members (2,3,12,13) are adapted to be normally flexed out in this same plane when driven into the surface.

3. Fastener according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the two bendable pin members (2,3) have a weakening (6,7) at a transition portion

(9) to the holding part (1) , in order to facilitate the flexing.

4. Fastener according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the two bendable pin members (2,3,12,13) have a certain curvature with the convex side facing the guide pin (4,14) .

5. Fastener according to any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the two bendable pin members (2,3,12,13) and the guide pin (4,14) are of approximately equal length.

6. Fastener according to any one of claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the two bendable pin members (2,3) at the transition portion (9) to the holding 5 part (1) have a certain spacing from the guide pin (4) .

7. Fastener according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the holding part (11) has a hook-like shape for suspending pictures and the like, such as on a wall (10) .