A PIPE FASTENER

Abstract: A pipe fastener for securing a pipe relative to a support structure includes a cradle (7) which is intended to form a spacer element between a pipe (9) and the support structure (6), and further includes an attachment yoke (2, 3) which can be secured to the support structure and which has a yoke arm (3) that extends over the cradle and a pipe possibly carried thereby. The cradle (7) can be pivoted in relation to the attachment yoke (2, 3) between a pipe receiving position in which a pipe (9) can be inserted between the cradle and the attachment yoke, and a pipe retaining position in which a pipe is held firmly between the cradle and the attachment yoke. The cradle (7) and the attachment yoke (2, 3) can be formed integrally with one another and mutually joined by a flexible material bridge (10) forming a pivot axis for the cradle.

Description: A pipe fastener The present invention relates. to a pipe fastener for securing pipes in relation to a support structure, primarily in water supply and sewerage installations and in hydraulic installa¬ tions, the fastener including a cradle which is intended to form a spacer element between a pipe and the support struc¬ ture, and further including an attachment yoke which can be secured to the support structure and which has a yoke arm which extends over the cradle and also over any pipe located in the cradle. The object of the invention is to provide a novel and im¬ proved pipe fastener which will enable pipes and like cylindrical objects to be secured readily to a support structure, such as a wall structure or ceiling structure. To this end it is proposed in accordance with the inven¬ tion that the cradle of the aforedescribed pipe fastener is arranged for pivotal movement in relation to the at¬ tachment yoke between a pipe receiving position which per¬ mits a pipe to be inserted between the cradle and the at¬ tachment yoke, and a pipe retaining position in which the pipe is held between said cradle and said yoke. A pipe fastener of this construction greatly facilitates the fitting of pipes to such support structures, since only a minimum number of separate fastener parts need be mani¬ pulated in the course of a pipe fitting operation. The cradle and the attachment yoke are preferably formed integrally with one another and mutually joined by a flex ¬ ible material bridge. This will enable the pipe fastener to be manufactured from a suitable plastics material in a single molding operation, in a simple and economic manner. To facilitate the work of fitting a pipe to a support structure with the aid of pipe fasteners according to the invention, the cradle is preferably constructed in a manner which enables it to be held detachably in relation to the attachment yoke in said pipe retaining position through a snap-locking action. This will enable the pipe to be fitted to the pipe fastener either when the fastener is completely free from che support structure or when t e fastener is loosely secured thereto. This snap-locking action is achieved in a particularly simple manner when the distance between the hinge axis of the cradle and the outer end of the yoke arm is made shorter than the dis¬ tance between the hinge axis and the central region of the arm. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof illus¬ trated in the drawing» Figure 1 is a side view of an inventive pipe fastener secured to a support structure and securing a pipe firmly in relation to the structure. Figure 2 is a view taken from the left in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view similar to the view of Figure 1 but showing the pipe fastener in a pipe receiving position. The pipe fastener illustrated in the drawing and generally re- ferenced 1 therein comprises an attachment yoke which inclu¬ des a shaft part 2 and a yoke arm 3. The shaft part 2 of the attachment yoke has provided therein a through-passing hole 4 adapted to accomodate a screw 5 for securing the attach¬ ment yoke 2, 3 to a support structure 6. A cradle 7 presents a cupped seating 8 for supporting a pipe 9 which in the illustrations of Figures 1 and 2 is held firmly between the cradle 7 and the yoke arm 3 extending over the cradle and the pipe 9. The cupped or curved undersurface of the yoke arm lies resiliently against the pipe section remote from the cupped seating 8 and holds the pipe in position in said seating, the cradle 7 forming a spacer or distance element which established a clearance.between the pipe 9 and the opposing surface of the support structure 6, as will best be seen form Figure 2. The cradle 7 is formed integrally wiτ_h the attachment yoke ~ , 1 ar>d is joined thereto ovc-r a flexible material bridge 10, which forms a pivot axis which is parallel with the pipe 9 and about which the cradle 7 can be swung relative to the attachment yoke 2, 3, as will be seen when comparing Figure 1 with Figure 3. The fastener comprising the yoke 2, 3 and the cradle 7 is preferably made of a suitable plastics material and is conveniently manufactured by molding the fastener in an appropriate molding operation. The cradle 7 can be swung relative to the attachment yoke 2, 3 about the pivot: axis 10, between or beyond the pipe fitting position illustrated in Figure 3, in which posi¬ tion the pipe can be inserted laterally between the cradle 7 and the resilient arm 3, and the pipe retaining position illustrated in Figure 1. In this regard, the yoke arm 3 is formed and the hinge axis 10 positioned such that the cradle 7 is held detachably in the pipe retaining position through a snap-locking action when the pipe is inserted between the cradle and the yoke arm 3 and the cradle is displaced upwards to the position illustrated in Figure 1. In the case of the illustrated embodiment this snap ¬ locking action is achieved because the distance between the hinge axis 10 of the cradle and the free outer end of the yoke arm is shorter than the distance between the pivot axis 10 and the central region of the yoke arm 3. It will be understood, however, that this snaplocking action can be achieved in some other way, for instance by means of a hook or catch provided on the cradle for snap-engagement with the yoke arm, or by shaping the outer end of the yoke arm so that it will hook firmly in the cradle when the cradle. is swung up against.the yoke arm. •When securing the pipe 9 to a supporting structure with the aid of the pipe fastener 1, the pipe 9 is placed on the cradle 7 and the pipe and cradle then swung up towards the yoke arm 3, such that the pipe is snapped securely be¬ tween the yoke arm and the cradle through the aforede- scribed snap-locking dCtion. The pipe fastener 1 is then secured to the support structure 6 by .means .of the screw 5, therewith attaching the pipe permanently in relation to the support structure. The invention thus provides a pipe fastener construction which can be readily given the following attributes: Sufficient strength to hold the pipe securely in the posi¬ tion intended; features which are acceptable aesthetically in visible installations; and a construction. hich can be easily cleaned, i.e. a fastener construction which lacks dust collecting nooks and crannies. The inventive pipe fastener also allows pipes to be fitted at a distance from the support, thereby facilitating cleaning. The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, but can be achieved in any desirable manner within the scope of the inventive concept defined in the following claims. For example, the aforedescribed pipe fastener illustrated in .the drawing is a single-pipe fastener. However, it is possible within the scope of the invention to provide a double-fastener for securing two pipes si ul- taneously to a support structure, e.g. a hot water pipe and a cold water pipe, in which case the attachment yoke will have two yoke arms which extend in mutually opposite directions, and two pivotal pipe-carrying cradles, each located beneath its respective yoke arm.

Claims: Claims 1. A pipe fastner intended for securing a pipe in relation to a support structure and including a cradle (7) which is intended to form a spacer element between a pipe (9) and the support structure (6) , and further including a fastener yoke (2, 3) which can be attached to the support structure and which comprises a yoke arm (3) which extends over the cradle (3) and also over any pipe located in the cradle, characterized in that the cradle (7) is pivotable in re¬ lation to the attachment yoke (2, 3) between a pipe receiving position in which a pipe (9) can be inserted between the cradle (7) and the attachment yoke (2, 3), >and a pipe re¬ taining position in which the pipe is held between said cradle and said yoke. 2. A pipe fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the cradle (7) and the attachment yoke (2, 3) are integral with one another, and in that the cradle and yoke are mutually joined by a flexible material bridge (10) forming a pivot axis for the cradle. 3. A pipe fastener according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said pipe retaining position the cradle (7) is held detachably relative to the attachment yoke -(2, 3) by a snap-locking action. 4. A pipe fastener according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance between the pivot axis (12) of the cradle (7) and the outer end of the yoke arm (3) is shorter than the distance between said pivot (12) and the central region of said yoke arm (3) .

Inventors: STROEM YNGVE, STROEM, YNGVE
Applicants: STROEM YNGVE, STROEM, YNGVE
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16L3
IPC codes: F16L3