Fixing bracket for pipes, and method for the production thereof

Abstract: A fixing bracket (10) for pipes comprises an essentially strip-shaped bracket body (32, 34) consisting of one or more parts, on which a strip-shaped covering (36, 38) made of elastomeric material is fitted at least on the inside of the bracket body facing the pipe accommodated in the bracket during use of the bracket. The longitudinal side edges (40, 42) of the strip-shaped bracket body (32, 34) are bent over towards the inside of the bracket body, and the bent-over side edges are bent towards each other in the transverse direction of the bracket body. The strip-shaped covering (36, 38) is clamped in the transverse direction between the longitudinal side edges of the bracket body which have been bent towards each other.

Description: The invention relates to a fixing bracket for pipes according to the preamble of claim 1. A fixing bracket of this type is disclosed in US-A-2 310 622. The known fixing bracket comprises a one-part bracket body. The bent-over side edges of the bracket body extend at right angles to the centre part of the bracket body. The object of the invention is to provide an improved fixing bracket in which the covering is firmly clamped between the bent-over side edges of the bracket body. This object is achieved with a fixing bracket according to claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for producing a fixing bracket according to the invention. With this method the fixing bracket can be produced in an easy way. The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the following exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a particular embodiment of a fixing bracket according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the fixing bracket of Fig. 1, along the line II-II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section similar to the cross-section of Fig. 2, with a different design of strip-shaped covering; Figs. 4 and 5 are a top view and side view of the strips of material from which the bracket body of the fixing bracket of Fig. 1 is produced; Figs. 6 to 9 show the successive steps for producing a fixing bracket according to Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is a section along the line X-X in Fig. 7; and Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically in cross-section the last step of the method. Fig. 1 shows a particular embodiment of a fixing bracket for round pipes, indicated in its entirety by reference number 10. The bracket 10 is composed of a first bracket part 12 and a second bracket part 14, which two bracket parts are a semi-circular shape. The two bracket parts 12 and 14 are hingedly connected to each other at 16. To this end, the first bracket part 12 is provided with an eye 18, which is hooked through an opening which is formed near 16 in the end of the second bracket part 14 and runs in the transverse direction. At the other side, at 20, the two bracket parts 12 and 14 are provided with flanges 22 and 24 respectively which are bent radially outwards, and said bracket parts can be connected to each other there in situ by means of a screw connection formed by a screw 26 and a nut 28. The screw 26 in this case projects through holes in the flanges 22 and 24. The nut 28 can be connected movably or immovably to the first bracket part 12. In general, any screw connection suitable for the purpose can be used as the screw connection. A nut 30 is fixed to the first bracket part 12, for example by welding. A threaded rod can be screwed into this nut 30, by means of which rod the bracket 10 can be fixed to a ceiling or wall. Each bracket part 12, 14 comprises a bracket body part 32, 34 and a strip-shaped covering part 36, 38 made of elastomeric material fitted on the inside facing the pipe accommodated in the bracket during use of the bracket. The bracket body parts 32, 34 together form a bracket body, and the strip-shaped covering parts together form a strip-shaped covering. As shown in Fig. 2, the side edges 40 and 42 of the bracket body parts 32, 34 are bent towards the inside of the bracket, and are also bent towards each other in the transverse direction of the bracket body. The parts 36 and 38 of the strip-shaped covering are clamped in the transverse direction between the side edges of the bracket body parts 32, 34 bent towards each other. In Fig. 2 the strip-shaped covering 36, 38 has an essentially rectangular cross-section. An alternative embodiment of the strip-shaped covering 36', 38' is shown in Fig. 3. In this embodiment the covering is provided with hollow ribs 44 on the inside. This strip-shaped covering is also clamped between the side edges 40 and 42 of the bracket body parts 32 and 34. Figs. 4 and 5 show the strips of material from which the bracket body 36, 38 of the fixing bracket of Fig. 1 is made. Figs. 6 to 11 show the successive steps for producing a fixing bracket according to Fig. 1. One starts with two essentially flat strips of material 52 and 54 (see Figs. 4 and 5), the first bracket body part 32 being formed from the strip of material 52, and the second bracket body part 34 being formed from the strip of material 54. The strip of material 52 is provided at the ends with lips 56 and 58, from which the eye 18 and the flange 22 respectively are formed. The strip of material 54 is provided at one end with the slit 60 which runs in the transverse direction, and through which the eye 18 must be hooked, and at the other end is provided with a lip 62, from which the flange 24 is formed. The two strips of material 52 and 54 are first bent to a preform of the bracket body parts 32 and 34 (Fig. 6), and the lip 56 is also bent into the form of a hook 64. In the next step the side edges 40 and 42 of the strips of material 52 and 54 are bent over inwards (Fig. 7), during which the U-shaped cross-section shown in Fig. 10 is produced. The side edges 40 and 42 are in this case situated essentially at right angles to the centre part 66 of the bent strip of material. The flanges 22 and 24 are also brought to their final form. These operations produce the two bracket body parts 32 and 34. The two production steps described above and illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 can also be carried out in one combined step. After the formation of the bracket body parts 32 and 34, the nut 30 can be fixed in a known manner, for example by welding, on the bracket body part 32 (Fig. 7). The two bracket body parts 32 and 34 are then connected to each other through the hook 64 on the bracket body part 32 being hooked through the slit 60 in the bracket body part 34 and formed to the eye 18 (Fig. 8). Finally, the strip-shaped covering parts 36 and 38 are fitted in the bracket body parts 32 and 34, and the side edges 40 and 42 are bent towards each other, clamping the strip-shaped covering parts (Fig. 9). This last production step is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11. The strip-shaped covering parts 36 and 38 are fitted in the bracket body parts 32 and 34 by means of a diagrammatically shown die 68 which places the strip-shaped covering parts 36 and 38 in the groove-shaped bracket body parts 32 and 34 and presses the side edges 40 and 42 of the bracket body parts 32 and 34 towards each other by means of the slanting edges 70 and 72. The fixing bracket for pipes according to the invention can be made from strips of material of relatively low thickness, in which case the rigidity is obtained through the bent-over side edges. The fixing bracket according to the invention is relatively light and can be produced in a relatively simple manner by the method described above. It is pointed out that the invention is not restricted to an embodiment of a fixing bracket such as that described above. For example, the bracket body can also be in one piece, in which case a weakened point is made in the bracket body at the position of 16, so that the bracket can be bent easily around a pipe. In this embodiment the strip-shaped covering can consist of one part or of two parts.

Claims: Fixing bracket (10) for pipes, comprising an essentially strip-shaped bracket body (32, 34) for embracing a pipe, the longitudinal side edges (40, 42) of the bracket body (32, 34) being bent over towards the inside of the bracket body and towards each other in the transverse direction of the bracket body, and a strip-shaped covering (36, 38) made of elastomeric material and fitted at least on the inside of the bracket body (32, 34), the strip-shaped covering (36, 38) being clamped in the transverse direction between the bent-over side edges (40, 42) of the bracket body (32, 34) characterized in that the bent-over side edges (40, 42) of the bracket body (32, 34) are bent towards each other in the transverse direction of the bracket body (32, 34) beyond the position where they form right angles with the centre part of the bracket body. Method for producing a fixing bracket for pipes according to claim 1, characterized by the following steps: a) bending at least one elongated strip of material to a preform of the bracket body, b) bending over the side edges of the bent strip of material towards the inside of the bracket body, in such a way that after they have been bent over, the side edges are situated essentially at right angles to the centre part of the bent strip of material, c) fitting the strip-shaped covering between the bent-over side edges on the bracket body thus formed, and d) bending the bent-over side edges towards each other in the transverse direction of the bracket body, while clamping the strip-shaped covering. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that steps a) and b) can be carried out in one combined step. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that steps c) and d) can be carried out in one combined step.

Inventors: HOLLEBOOM RENE GASTON, JASPERS ANTONIUS NICOLAAS JOHA, HOLLEBOOM, RENE GASTON, JASPERS, ANTONIUS NICOLAAS JOHANNES, Holleboom, René Gaston
Applicants: FLAMCO BV, FLAMCO B.V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: F16L3
IPC codes: F16L55, F16L3