WO2001004529A1

WO2001004529A1 - A clamp device for clamping of tubes or the like

Info

Publication number: WO2001004529A1
Application number: PCT/NO2000/000232
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eilif Elvegaard
Original assignee: Eilif Elvegaard
Priority date: 1999-07-09
Filing date: 2000-07-07
Publication date: 2001-01-18
Also published as: AU7459700A; NO993405D0; NO317002B1; NO993405L

Abstract

A clamp device for clamping of at least one tube or the like to a support, comprising a base member (1) having an abutment portion (4) for supporting the tube (10), a top plate (9) and a holding means (7, 8) for clamping of the tube (10) between the base member (1) and the top plate (9). The base member (1) is a bracket in the form of an angle-bent plate having a bottom portion (2) and a raised portion (3) formed with a V-shaped abutment portion (4) for the tube (10). The raised portion (3) is provided with said holding means which is arranged to retain the top plate and press it against the tube (10), and the bottom portion is adapted for attachment to the support (11) by means of a screw means or by welding.

Description

A clamp device for clamping of tubes or the like .

The invention relates to a clamp device for clamping of at least one tube or the like to a support, comprising a base member having an abutment portion for supporting the tube, a top plate and a holding means for clamping of the tube between the base member and the top plate.

There are previously known various variants of clamp devices of the above- mentioned type. In these known clamp devices, the components of the device consist of separate loose parts which have to be assembled to each other or loosened completely from each other in mounting and dismounting, respectively, of the clamp device, so that some of the parts may be dropped and possibly be lost.

There are also known clamp devices wherein the components are assembled as a completely preassembled, ready-to-mount unit without any loose parts, see Norwegian patent No. 174 402. The drawback of these clamps is that they consist of many parts which have to be assembled, something which makes the product more expensive.

Clamp devices which are common to several dimensions, are also known, see for example Norwegian patent No. 176 370. The drawback is that the abutment portion for the tube is not equally suitable for the different tube dimensions, something which causes that damage of the tube may arise. These clamps are also dependent on special holes or hole patterns in the support to which they are to be attached. Another drawback when several tubes are mounted next to each other, is that additional lateral space is required in order to release the clamps from the support.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a clamp device which is fully assembled and ready for mounting - without any loose parts, at the same time as the clamp is common to several dimensions of tubes within a certain region.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamp device which may be fastened to a support with only one screw, and thereby be independent of a perforation pattern in the support (e.g. cableways). A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp device making it possible that one and the same clamp without any modification may be equipped with clamp jaws, or be used without such ones.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clamp device giving the possibility for mounting of several clamps on top of each other, without any additional elements of any kind.

For the achievement of the above-mentioned objects there is provided a clamp device of the introductorily stated type which, according to the invention, is characterized in that the base member is a bracket in the form of an angle-bent plate having a bottom portion and a raised portion formed with a V-shaped abutment portion for the tube, the raised portion being provided with said holding means which is arranged to retain the top plate and press it against the tube, and the bottom portion constituting an attachment member adapted for attachment to the support by a screw means or by welding. An advantageous embodiment of the clamp device according to the invention is characterized in that the holding means comprises a pair of screws threaded into respective threaded holes in the raised portion at either side of the abutment portion, the top plate being essentially planar and being provided with a pair of corresponding holes for passing of respective screws. In this embodiment it is advantageous that one hole in the top plate is constituted by an outwardly open notch and the other hole is an elongated hole, so that the top plate is displaceable and pivotable about the screw through the elongated hole, to expose the abutment portion and allow the introduction of a tube which is to be clamped.

In the above-mentioned embodiment it is advantageous that the raised portion of the base member is generally inverted U-shaped, the attachment member being projecting from the lower end of one leg of the U in the longitudinal direction of a clamped tube. In this embodiment it is also advantageous that the attachment member has a width which is less than the distance between the holes in the raised portion, preferably so that the attachment member of a second clamp may be introduced between the screws and under the top plate of a first clamp, in order to allow mounting of several clamps on top of each other.

Another advantageous embodiment of the clamp device according to the invention is characterized in that the holding means comprises a generally U-shaped holding stirrup, the legs of the stirrup being adapted for placing on either side of a tube to be clamped, and is arranged for adjustable engagement with holding portions on the raised portion of the base member, and an adjustable screw means being arranged at the web part of the stirrup, for retention of the top plate in abutment against the tube.

With this embodiment one obtains the advantage that the clamp device may be made relatively narrow transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tube to be clamped, the legs of the holding stirrup occupying little space on either side of the tube. This may be a substantial advantage in places where there is a limited space in the lateral direction.

By means of the clamp device according to the invention there is obtained several advantages which may be summarized as follows: 1) The clamp may be fully assembled and ready for mounting, without any loose parts. This is achieved in that the holding means for the tube is preassembled in the bracket, and in that the top plate is designed for example as stated above. 2) The clamp is common to several tube dimensions within a certain region. This is achieved, inter alia, in that the abutment portion for the tube is V-shaped, and in that the top plate is planar, and possibly formed as described above, so that a three-point abutment is provided which is equally suitable for the different tube dimensions. Said

₅ advantage is also obtained in that the clamp may be equipped with clamp jaws for different tube sizes, and in that the clamp bracket has a raised portion giving space for varying lengths of the screw member projecting downwards below the threaded portion when clamping varying tube sizes.

3) The clamp is space-saving when mounting several clamps next to each other. o This is achieved in that the attachment member projects laterally from the raised portion of the bracket and is made narrower than this portion. By mounting the clamps alternately turned in the opposite direction next to each other, only a width equal to the width of the attachment member is required for each clamp.

4) The clamp may be attached to a support with only one screw and thereby be s independent of the perforation pattern of the support. This is achieved in that the attachment member of the clamp is laterally spaced from that part of the clamp which retains the tube to the clamp, and further is provided with a hole for a through-going screw. The clamp then may be attached to different types of supports, such as tree, concrete, steel etc., with common screws suitable therefore, without any intermediate o element with special holes, and also to a perforated support, for example cableways or a C profile, with preassembled T screws of a known type.

5) Several clamps can be mounted on top of each other, without any additional elements of any type. This is achieved in that the top plate is planar, or approximately planar, and adapted to the attachment member of the clamp. In this embodiment also 5 several tubes which are mounted on top of each other, may be loosened collectively from the support by loosening only the lowermost clamp.

6) The clamp has a design making it possible that one and the same clamp without ceremony may be used with or without clamp jaws of synthetic material. By the use of clamp jaws one may retain the same center distance from the mounted tube to the 0 support, even with different tube dimensions. Further, the clamp may be common to high and low temperatures, the clamp - if desired - being able to be used with clamp jaws at lower temperatures, and without clamp jaws at higher temperatures. With the use of clamp jaws, e.g. of plastics, there is additionally achieved a clamp which is noise- suppressing. 5 The invention will be further described below in connection with exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein

Figs. 1A-C show a front view, a side view and a plan view, respectively, of a first embodiment of the bracket member of a clamp device according to the invention; Figs. 2A-C show a front view, a side view and a plan view, respectively, of an embodiment of the top plate for the embodiment according to Fig. 1 ;

Figs. 3A-C show a front view, a side view and a plan view, respectively, of a complete clamp device with a clamped tube, and with a bracket member and a top plate according to Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 4 A and B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of the clamp device according to Fig. 3, wherein the clamp is also equipped with clamp jaws and is mounted on a support in the form of a C profile;

Fig. 5 shows a side view of a pair of equal clamp devices (according to Fig. 3) which are mounted on top of each other and which clamp respective tubes;

Fig. 6 shows a view corresponding to Fig. 5, but wherein the uppermost clamp has a lower bracket member, so save place in the height direction;

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of several clamp devices according to Fig. 4, wherein the clamps are mounted next to each other on a single C profile; Figs. 8 A and B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of a second embodiment of a base member of a clamp device according to the invention;

Figs. 9A-C show a front view, a side view and a plan view, respectively, of a third embodiment of a base member of a clamp device according to the invention;

Figs. 10A-C show a front view, a side view and plan view, respectively, of a base member with appurtenant clamp members according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 11 A-C show a front view, a side view and a plan view, respectively, of a clamp jaw of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4;

Figs. 12A and 12B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of a clamp device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 12C shows a plan view of the base member bracket in the embodiment of Figs. 12A and B, and a section through the holding stirrup above the bracket; and

Fig. 13 shows a front view of the embodiment according to Fig. 12, wherein the holding means is pivoted aside to give space for introducing a tube into the clamp device, transversely to the longiradinal axis of the tube.

A complete clamp device according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 3, whereas Figs. 1 and 2 show the base member and the top plate, respectively, forming part of this embodiment of the clamp device.

As a appears from Fig. 1, the base member 1 is a bracket in the form of an angle- bent plate having a bottom portion 2 and a raised portion 3 which is formed with a V- shaped abutment portion 4 for a tube or pipe to be clamped (see Fig. 3). The raised portion is provided with a threaded hole 5 and 6, respectively, on each side of the abutment portion 4, for receiving a respective fastening element in the form of a head screw 7 and 8, respectively, which is adapted to retain the top plate 9 of the clamp and press it against the tube 10 when tightening the screws, as shown in Figs. 3A-C. The bottom portion 2 of the bracket 1 constitutes an attachment member projecting from the raised portion 3 in the longitudinal direction of the clamped tube 10. As shown, the raised portion 3 is approximately inverted U-shaped, having a web part and downwardly projecting legs, the attachment member 2 projecting outwards from the lower end of one leg of the U.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the base member or bracket is provided with only one attachment member. It is to be noted, however, that it may also be provided with two attachment members, i.e. with an additional attachment member projecting in the opposite direction from the lower end of the other leg of the U, if an extra stable clamp is wanted. Such a modification may be used also in connection with the embodiments according to Figs. 8 and 9.

The attachment member 2 is adapted for attachment to the relevant support 11, and in the illustrated embodiment is provided with a hole 12 for a through-going screw or bolt 13 for attachment of the clamp device to the support. Further, the attachment member is shown to be provided with a bent-up end flange 2a serving for stable retention of an additional clamp when mounting such a clamp on an underlying clamp, as shown in Fig. 5, the width of the attachment member being adapted to the width of the top plate. The design of the top plate 9 is further shown in Figs. 2A-C. As shown, the top plate is substantially planar and is provided with a pair of holes or openings 14 and 15 for passing of the screws 7, 8 which are threaded into the holes 5, 6 of the base member. In the illustrated embodiment, one hole 14 is constituted by an outwardly open cut-out in one end edge of the plate, whereas the other hole 15 has an elongated shape in the longitudinal direction of the plate, so that the plate is displaceable and pivotable about the screw 8 through the elongated hole, to expose the abutment portion 4 and allow introduction of a tube 10 which is to be clamped.

The top plate is also shown to be provided with upwards projecting side flanges 16, to increase the rigidity of the plate proper and for stable retention of the attachment member of a corresponding clamp device when two clamps are mounted on top of each other, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

As appears from Fig. 1, the raised portion 3 of the base member 1 is also shown to be provided with a pair of upwardly open cut-outs 17 and 18 of which each is adapted to receive a corresponding, suitably shaped clamp jaw 19, as appears from Figs. 4 A and B. The shape of the clamp jaw is further shown in Figs. 11 A-C.

It is here to be remarked that the top plate may also have a slight V-shape for abutment against the tube. In addition, the top plate may also be equipped with a clamp jaw, e.g. of plastic, having a corresponding V-shaped abutment or rest against the tube. Such a clamp jaw may be shaped with suitable side flanges to be snapped onto the top plate, or to be introduced laterally thereon.

Figs. 4A and B show the clamp device according to Fig. 3, wherein the clamp, as mentioned above, is also provided with clamp jaws 19 for support of the tube 10, and wherein the clamp is mounted on a support in the form of a C profile 20. The fastening element for the clamp here is a preassembled T screw 21 of a known type.

As mentioned above, the use of clamp jaws makes it possible to have the same centre distance between the tube and the support for different tube dimensions. The clamp device may be used without any modifications with or without such clamp jaws.

As appears from Figs. 1C and 3C, the attachment member 2 has a width which is less than the distance between the holes 5 and 6 in the raised portion 3. This feature implies in the first place that the attachment member 2 of a second clamp may be introduced between the screws 7, 8 and below the top plate 9 of a first clamp, to allow mounting of two or more clamps on top of each other, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The embodiment in Fig. 6 corresponds to the embodiment in Fig. 5 except that the raised portion 3 of the base member of the first clamp in Fig. 6 is lower than the corresponding portion in Fig. 5, to save space in the height. This is allowable as the clamping screws in the upper clamp may project downwards at the sides of the clamped tube in the lower clamp. The above-mentioned feature, viz. that the width of the attachment member 2 is less than the distance between the holes 5 and 6, in the second place implies that one may save space in the width when mounting several clamps next to each other. By mounting the clamps alternately turned the opposite way next to each other, there is then required only a width equal to the width of the attachment member. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 7 wherein six clamp devices are mounted next to each other on a single C profile corresponding to the C profile 20 in Fig. 4.

Figs. 8 A and B show a second embodiment of a base member or bracket member 22 of a clamp device according to the invention. This base member is provided with a pair of V-shaped abutment portions 4, for the support of two tubes (not shown). In the same manner as in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the base member has an attachment member 23 which is projecting outwards from a raised portion 24. The raised portion is provided with a threaded hole 25 and 26, respectively, on either side of the abutment portions, for the receipt of respective clamping screws. Alternatively, the base member may be provided with only one central hole, for the receipt of a corresponding clamping screw.

Figs. 9A-C show a third embodiment of a base member 27 of a clamp device according to the invention. In this embodiment the base member is formed from an essentially C-shaped profile member, the attachment member 28 being constituted by an extension of the lower part of the raised portion 29 of the profile member. It will be seen that the abutment portion 4 for a tube to be clamped here is oriented in the opposite direction in relation to the abutment portion 4 in Fig. 1. This may be an appropriate design to increase the strength of the bracket, as the supporting and fastening portion for the tube here will have a smaller distance from the fastening of the clamp to the support. The design of the base member in other respects essentially corresponds to the design in Fig. 1. Among other things, the base member has an upwards open cut-out 30 for the receipt of a clamp jaw, in a manner corresponding to Fig. 1.

A fourth embodiment of the clamp device according to the invention is shown in Figs. lOA-C. As in the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 3, also the embodiment according to Fig. 10 comprises a base member 31 having an essentially planar attachment member 32 projecting in the longitudinal direction of the tube from a raised portion 33 which is approximately inverted U-shaped, the attachment member projecting from the lower end of one leg of the U. In this embodiment, however, each of the legs of the U is provided with a laterally open cut-out 34 for lateral introduction and receipt of a tube 35 to be clamped. At the lower edge of the cut-out 34 there is formed a V-shaped abutment portion 36 for the tube, in that the edge portion is bent out and forms a pair of flanges forming the V-shape, as appears from Figs. lOA-lOC. Further, the uppermost part or web part of the U, which is also here a planar plate portion, is provided with a single threaded hole 37 for the receipt of a screw or screw bolt 38 which is intended to rest against a top plate 39 with its lower end, to press the top plate against the tube 35 to be clamped, by suitable tightening of the screw 38. The top plate 39 here is placed between the legs of the U and is provided with a pair of grooves 40 for engagement with corresponding guide flanges 41 formed on the legs of the U. In this manner the top plate is kept in place in the base member in the preassembled clamp, at the same time as the guide arrangement contributes to stability in clamping of the tube.

The attachment member 32 also here is provided with a hole 42 for a through- going screw or bolt (not shown) for attachment of the clamp device to the support.

Also this design of the base member of the clamp enables mounting or assembly of several clamps on top of each other, as in the preceding embodiments. For this purpose, the attachment member 32 of the base member 31 is provided with a pair of grooves 43 corresponding to the grooves 40 in the top plate 39, so that the attachment member of the base member of a second clamp may be placed between the screw 38 and the top plate of a first clamp, when mounting the second clamp on the first clamp. Possibly, the top plate may be omitted with such an addition.

As regards the attachment of the clamp device to the support, it is to be noted that this may also take place by welding. With this attachment method, the attachment member of the clamp may be relatively short, or possibly be completely omitted, so that the base member in the embodiments according to Figs. 1, 8, 10 then becomes generally U-shaped. One or both of the lower ends of the U-shaped bracket then may be fastened by welding. In the embodiment according to Fig. 9, the entire lower part of the C profile bracket then may be omitted, so that the bracket gets a generally inverted L-shape. Figs. 11A-C show an example of the design of a clamp jaw 19, such as it is also shown in Figs. 4A and B. As appears, the clamp jaw has an upper semi-circular recess 44 generally corresponding to the curvature of the tube to be clamped. Further, the side edges of the clamp jaw are provided with guide grooves 45 for receiving corresponding guide edges of the upwardly open cut-out 18 of the base member 1 , when placing the clamp jaw in the base member, as shown in Fig. 4. The clamp jaws suitably may be made of plastic. The various remaining components of the clamp device usually will consist of a metallic material, preferably steel of a suitable type.

Figs. 12 A-C show a fifth embodiment of the clamp device according to the invention. In a corresponding manner as in the preceding embodiments, this embodiment has a base member 47 having a generally planar attachment member 47 and a raised portion 48 which is approximately inverted U-shaped and has a web part 49 and legs 50, 51 projecting downwards therefrom, the attachment member 47 projecting sideways from the lower end of one leg of the U, in the longitudinal direction of a tube 52 which is to be clamped. In this embodiment the holding means 53 comprises a holding stirrup 54 in the form of an angle-bent plate element which is generally U-shaped and has a web part 55 and legs 56, 57 projecting downwards therefrom and adapted to be placed on either side of the tube to be clamped, the legs being arranged for adjustable engangement with cooperating holding portions on the raised portion 48 of the base member 46.

As appears from Figs. 12A and B, the legs 56, 57 of the holding stirrup 54 at each of their free ends are shaped with a pair of laterally projecting holding portions 58 and 59, respectively, for engangement with cooperating pairs of holding lugs 60 and 61, respectively, formed along opposite side edges of each of the legs 50, 51 of the raised portion 48 of the base member 46. In the illustrated embodiment, three holding lugs 60 and 61, respectively, are shown to be arranged along each of the opposite side edges of each of the legs 50, 51, with a view to clamping of the tubes within a relatively large dimensional region, in cooperation with the later described screw means 62.

In an alternative, non-illustrated embodiment of the holding means, the legs of the holding stirrup may be adapted to be passed through respective suitable holes in the web part of the base bracket, and to be provided with a number of lugs for engangement with a side edge of the holes in the web part.

As best shown in Fig. 12C, the web part 49 of the base member 46 in its corner regions is provided with laterally projecting, parallel projections 63, so that a guide 64 and 65, respectively, for the relevant legs 56 and 57, respectively, of the holding stirrup 54 is formed between the two projections on each side of the base member. The guide- foirning projections 63 on one side of the base member, more specifically on the left side in Fig. 12C, at their outer ends are provided with hook portions 66 directed towards each other and securing that the leg 56 of the holding stirrup is kept in place in the guide 64 and cannot be moved sideways out of this after the leg is introduced in the guide. In order to allow mounting of the leg 56 in the guide 64, the leg is provided with a pair of notches or cuts 67 in its side edges at a distance inside of the holding portions 58, as best shown in Fig. 12B. The cuts 67 have a depth allowing passing of the hook portions 66, so that the leg 56 may be introduced sideways directly into the guide. Thus, by means of the hook portions 66, one leg 56 of the holding stirrup 54 is prevented from being released from the base member 46 in the different positions of use. The other leg 57 of the stirrup, however, may be released from its guide 65 by being moved sideways therefrom by elastic deformation of the stirrup. The stirrup then can be placed in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 13, so that a tube may be introduced sideways or laterally into the clamp device, transversally to the longitadinal axis of the tube. The stirrup 54 then will "hang" in the base member 46, but may be released therefrom by moving the leg 56 somewhat into the guide 64, so that the hook portions 66 may pass through the cuts 67.

In connection with the web part 55 of the holding stirrup 54 there is arranged an adjustable screw means 62 for retention of the top plate 68 of the clamp device in abutment against the clamped tube 52. The screw means is shown to consist of a screw bolt 69 which is passed through a clearance hole in the web part 55 and is threaded into a pressure plate 70 between the web part and the top plate. The pressure plate 70 as well as the top plate 68 are kept in place in the holding stirrup in that the end portions of the plates are placed in appurtenant guide openings 71 in the legs 56, 57 of the holding stirrup.

In a corresponding manner as in the embodiment according to Fig. 1, the raised portion 48 of the base member 46 is provided with a pair of upwardly open cut-outs 72, 73 of which each is adapted to receive a suitable clamp jaw for the support of a tube. The clamp jaw may be of a design similar to that shown in Figs. 1 1 A-C.

As shown in Fig. 12C, the attachment member 47 of the clamp device is provided with an elongated hole 74 for a through-going screw or bolt for attachment of the clamp device to a support. A characteristic feature of the hole is that there may be used a T screw with a nut threaded thereon in advance. The T screw then must be passed into a corresponding hole in the support, or into a C profile. Since the hole 74 is elongated in the lateral direction, this also contributes to a sideways adjustment possibility for the clamp.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. A clamp device for clamping of at least one tube or the like to a support, comprising a base member (1) having an abutment portion (4) for supporting the tube (10), a top plate (9) and a holding means (7, 8) for clamping of the tube (10) between the base member (1) and the top plate (9), characterized in that the base member (1) is a bracket in the form of an angle-bent plate having a bottom portion (2) and a raised portion (3) formed with a V-shaped abutment portion (9) for the tube (10), the raised portion (3) being provided with said holding means (7, 8) which is arranged to retain the top plate (9) and press it against the tube (10), and the bottom portion (2) constituting an attachment member adapted for attachment to the support (1 1) by a screw means or by welding.

2. A clamp device according to claim 1, characterized in that the raised portion (3) of the base member (1) is generally inverted U-shaped, the attachment member (2) projecting outwards from the lower end of one leg of the U in the longitudinal direction of a clamped tube (10).

3. A clamp device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base member (27) is formed as a generally C-shaped profile member, the attachment member (28) being constituted by an extension of the lower part of the profile member.

4. A clamp device according to one of the claim 1-3, characterized in that the holding means comprises a pair of screws (7, 8) threaded into respective threaded holes (5, 6) in the raised portion (3) on each side of the abutment portion (4), the top plate (9) being substantially planar and being provided with a pair of corresponding holes (14, 15) for passing of respective screws (7, 8).

5. A clamp device according to claim 4, characterized in that one hole in the top plate (9) is constituted by an outwardly open cut-out (14), and the other hole is an elongated hole (15), so that the top plate (9) is displaceable and pivotable about the screw (8) through the elongated hole (15), to expose the abutment portion (4) and allow introduction of a tube (10) which is to be clamped. 6. A clamp device according to claim 2 and claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the plate-shaped attachment member (2) has a width which is less than the distance between the holes (5,

6) in the raised portion (3), so that the attachment member (2) of a second clamp may be introduced between the screws (7, 8) and below the top plate (9) on a first clamp, to allow assembly of several clamps on top of each other.

7. A clamp device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding means comprises a generally U-shaped holding stirrup (54), the legs (56, 57) of the stirrup being adapted to be placed on either side of a tube (52) to be clamped and are arranged for adjustable engangement with holding portions (60, 61) on the raised portion (48) of the base member (46), and an adjustable screw means (62) for clamping of the tube (52) via the top plate (68) being arranged at the web part (55) of the stirrup (54).

8. A clamp device according to claim 2 and 7, characterized in that the legs (56, 57) of the holding stirrup (54) at their free ends are formed with holding portions (58, 59) for adjustable engangement with cooperating holdings lugs (60, 61) formed along the side edges of the legs (50, 51) of the raised portion (48).

9. A clamp device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the raised portion (3) of the base member (1) is provided with at least one upwards open cut-out (17 resp. 18) which is adapted to receive a separate clamp jaw (19) for the support of a tube (10).

10. A clamp device according to claim 2, characterized in that each leg of the U is provided with a laterally open cut-out (34) for the receipt of a tube (35) to be clamped, and that the web part of the U is provided with a threaded hole (37) for receiving a screw (38) for abutment against the top plate (39) with one end thereof, the top plate (39) being placed between the legs of the U and is provided with grooves (40) for engangement with guide flanges (49) formed on the legs of the U.

11. A clamp device according to claim 8, characterized in that the attachment member (32) has a length which is larger than the distance between the legs of the U, and further is provided with grooves (43) corresponding to the grooves (40) of the top plate (39), so that the attachment member (32) of a second clamp may be introduced laterally between the legs of the U and between the screw (38) and the top plate (39) on a first clamp, when assembling several clamps on top of each other.

12. A clamp device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the attachment member (2; 32) is provided with a hole (12; 42) for a through-going screw ( 13 ) for attachment of the clamp device to the support (11).