FLANGED PIPE SUPPORT BRACKET

A unitary steel bracket has an arced portion and a hanger appendage extending perpendicularly from a convex perimeter of the arced portion. The arced portion has two opposed planar surfaces with parallel mount holes through each end. The hanger appendage has two opposed planar surfaces coplanar with the arced portion planar surfaces. A portion of the hanger appendage is bent at a 90-degree angle and has a support mount hole perpendicular to the parallel mount holes. the bracket is prefabricated to a predetermined bracket size corresponding to a predetermined pipe flange size. A method of hanging joined flanged includes providing the bracket; aligning the parallel mount holes with holes on a pipe flange; inserting connection bolts through the holes; threading nuts onto the bolts to a predetermined torque; and attaching the support mount hole to a building structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mechanical piping supports for flanged piping and, more particularly, to a bracket therefor.

Hanging and supporting flanged piping systems is difficult and the piping systems are time consuming to service. Serviceability is cumbersome and can be unsafe. Current mechanical piping supports for flanged piping are fabricated manually on the job site, which is labor intensive and time consuming. Moreover, manually fabricated hangers are not accurate nor consistent in dimension or style.

As can be seen, there is a need for a prefabricated piping support that is consistent, accurate, and safe, making piping systems faster and easier to service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a unitary steel bracket operative to support flanged pipes is provided, comprising: an arced portion having two opposed substantially planar surfaces with parallel mount holes therethrough at each end thereof; a hanger appendage extending perpendicularly from a convex perimeter of the arced portion, said hanger appendage having two opposed substantially planar surfaces coplanar with the opposed substantially planar surfaces of the arced portion; wherein a portion of the hanger appendage is bent at a 90-degree angle with a support mount hole formed through the portion, said support mount hole being perpendicular to the parallel mount holes; and wherein the bracket is prefabricated to a predetermined bracket size corresponding to a predetermined pipe flange size.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of hanging joined flanged pipes is provided, comprising providing the unitary steel bracket; aligning the parallel mount holes with holes on a pipe flange; inserting connection bolts through the parallel mount holes and the pipe flange holes; threading nuts onto the connection bolts to a predetermined torque; inserting an attachment component through the support mount hole; and attaching the attachment component to a building structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a unitary steel bracket operative to support flanged pipes. The bracket is prefabricated to a predetermined flange size with a hanger appendage having a bent portion bent at a 90-degree angle.

The inventive bracket utilizes the existing bolts of a flanged pipe connection to support the section. The inventive bracket is a quick, serviceable, and safe means to hang flanged pipe and fittings. It reduces labor time, increases productivity, and improves serviceability and safety of future repairs, e.g., when the connection or fitting needs to be removed from the piping system.

The inventive flange may be used as follows. When assembling flanged piping components, the large holes in the hanging bracket may be lined up with the holes on the flange. Connection bolts may be inserted through the bracket and flanges. Nuts may be threaded onto the bolts and torqued according to the manufacturer's specs. The upper hole of the bracket may connect the bracket to the building structure using means known in the plumbing industry, such as a threaded rod inserted through a corresponding aligned hole in the building structure.

In some embodiments, an adjustable riser plate with slots and bolts may be provided in case a piping component needs to be installed in a specific angle or location.

In some embodiments, a support gusset may be welded onto the brackets to safely support heavier material.

The bracket is generally manufactured from steel and is otherwise not particularly limited. The bracket may be manufactured, for example, from ¼″ A30 plate steel or ¼″ A36 hot rolled steel.

The inventive bracket may be cut to a predetermined size using a computer numerical control (CNC) plasma table. A press break may be used to bend a 90-degree angle in the bracket to provide a hanger connection point to a building's structure.

Referring toFIGS.1through5,FIG.2shows a bracket10according to an embodiment of the present invention having a straight portion extending perpendicularly from the perimeter of a flattened arced portion which has pipe flange mount holes12at each rounded end. The opposite end of the straight portion is bent at a 90° angle perpendicular to a flattened face of the arced portion, with a support mount hole14formed at the rounded end. As shown inFIG.1, bolts20passed through the pipe flange mount holes12secure the bracket10to the flanges18of a coupled pair of pipes16. A threaded rod24passed through the support mount hole may be secured in place on both ends with nuts22and washers26, as shown inFIGS.1,3, and4. Alternatively, the bracket10may be bolted20to a solid mount28, as seen inFIG.5. A washer26may be placed between the bolt20and the bracket10around the support mount hole14.