Abstract:
An anchoring device for securing objects and including a shaped rail ( 2 ) having a substantially C-shaped cross-section and inwardly directed rims ( 7   a,    7   b ) provided with a tooth profile ( 13 ), and a holding member ( 1 ) provided with a toothing ( 12 ) cooperating with the tooth profile ( 13 ) of the rims ( 7   a,    7   b ) and having a distribution ( 12   b ) of teeth ( 12   a ) different from the predetermined distribution ( 13   b ) of the teeth ( 13   a ) of the tooth profile ( 13 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an anchoring device having a shaped rail having a substantially C-shaped cross-section and inwardly directed longitudinal rims provided with a tooth profile and a holding member provided with a toothing cooperating with the tooth profile of the longitudinal rims.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Anchoring devices of the type described above are used for securing objects, e.g., pipes, on shaped rails having a substantially C-shaped cross-section. The shaped rail has extending parallel to each other, longitudinal rims extending into the interior space of the rail. The holding member is located in the interior space of the rail and, in a pre-assembled condition, can be displaced in the longitudinal direction. In order to prevent a longitudinal displacement of the holding member relative to the rail in the securing condition of the holding member, both the longitudinal rims of the rail and the holding member are provided with respective toothings that cooperated with each other.  
           [0005]    German Publication DE-4 432996A1 disclosed an anchoring device having a shaped rail with a substantially C-shaped cross-section and a holding member with toothing. The rail has inwardly directed longitudinal rims that cooperate with the holding member toothing. Due to the complementary profiles of the holding member toothing and the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims, in the securing position of the holding member, the holding member toothing and the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims form-lockingly engage each other, whereby a longitudinal displacement of the holding member relative to the rail is prevented. In a temporary attachment position the holding member toothing engages the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims so that while a slight locking effect is obtained, the holding member can be displaced within the rail in the longitudinal direction.  
           [0006]    European Publication EP-278252 A2 likewise discloses an anchoring device having a shaped rail with a substantially C-shaped cross-section and a holding member with toothing. The rail has longitudinal rims with a tooth profile. The tooth profile, e.g., is formed by rectangularly shaped, saw tooth-shaped or circular recesses. The holding member, in order to insure a form-locking engagement of both parts in the securing position, has a complementary toothing. The drawback of all of the known embodiments of anchoring devices of the type described above consists in that the achieved locking effect does not provide for any temporary secure attachment of the two parts because neither the holding member toothing nor the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims have a ramp.  
           [0007]    A further drawback of the known solution consists in that the coarsely formed holding member toothing and the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims does not provide for a fine adjustment of the position of the holding member relative to the rail which both parts should occupy in the securing condition, when a form-locking engagement takes place, to insure that the device can withstand a predetermined load. A more precise formation of the holding member toothing and the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims significantly increases manufacturing costs, in particular, of the rail.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device having a shaped rail with a substantially C-shaped cross-section and a holding member with toothing and which can be economically manufactured.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchoring device of the type discussed above and which would insure, on one hand, a fine adjustment of the holding member relative to the rail and, on the other hand, is capable to reliably withstand high loads.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a device of the type described above and in which the distribution of teeth of the holding member toothing differs from the teeth distribution of the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims.  
           [0011]    The different distribution of the teeth of the holding member toothing and of the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims insure a fine offset of the holding member relative to the rail upon a form-locking engagement of the teeth. Advantageously, the holding member toothing has a finer distribution of the teeth than the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims which insure an economical manufacturing of the rail and a robust tooth profile.  
           [0012]    In order to insure an optimal, form-locking connection of the holding member and the rail in the securing position, the distribution of the teeth of the tooth profile of the longitudinal rims exceeds in several times, in particular, in two times, the distribution of the teeth of the holding member toothing. Advantageously, the holding member toothing and/or the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims have a saw tooth shape which permits to obtain an optimal locking effect during displacement of the holding member relative to the rail. Naturally, it is within the scope of the invention, to form the holding member toothing and the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims with teeth having another geometrical profile; e.g., the teeth can be formed as pins with alternating recesses there between or be formed by rectangular recesses.  
           [0013]    To prevent wedging of the toothing of the holding member with the tooth profile of the rail longitudinal rims, the toothing has first guide surfaces movable, at least partially, in contact with second guide surfaces of the tooth profile, with the first guide surfaces being inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rail at an angle corresponding at most to an angle at which the second guide surfaces are inclined to the longitudinal direction.  
           [0014]    The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The drawings show:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an anchoring device according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 a transverse cross-sectional view of the anchoring device shown in FIG. 1 along line II-II; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 a detailed view of a section III in FIG. 1 at an increased scale.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    An anchoring device according to the present invention, which is shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 , has a holding member  1  and a shaped rail  2  having a C-shaped cross-section.  
         [0020]    The rail  2  has a bottom  3  and two parallel side surfaces  4   a,    4   b  extending from the bottom at a right angle thereto. The free ends of the side surfaces  4   a,    4   b  are bent inward into the interior space  6  of the rail  2  and form two longitudinal rims  7   a,    7   b.  The longitudinal rims  7   a,    7   b  limit a longitudinal opening  8  of the rail  2  and having a width b 1 .  
         [0021]    Within the inner space  6  of the rail  2 , there is located the holding member  1  having a width b 2  smaller than the width b 1  of the longitudinal opening  8  of the rail  2 . The length L 1  of the holding member  1  is greater than the width b 1  of the longitudinal opening  8  of the rail  2 . The holding member  1  has a through-bore  9  with an inner thread  11 . The through-bore  9  extends transverse to the longitudinal direction L and is located somewhat in the middle of the holding member  1 . The thread  11  can cooperate, e.g., with a threaded rod (not shown).  
         [0022]    The holding member  1  is provided with a toothing  12  that cooperates with a tooth profile  13  provided on the end surfaces of the longitudinal rims  7   a,    7   b  of the side surfaces  4   a,    4   b  of the rail  2 . The toothing  12  has a distribution  12   b  of teeth  12   a  different from a distribution  13   b  of teeth  13   a  of the tooth profile  13  in the longitudinal direction L of the rail  2 . The distribution  13   b  of the teeth  13   a  of the tooth profile  13  exceeds in several times, in particular in two times, the distribution  12   b  of the teeth  12   a  of the toothing  12 . The toothing  12  has first guide surfaces  15  that can be brought into contact with second guide surfaces  16  of the tooth profile  13 . The inclination angle α of the guide surfaces  15  with respect to the longitudinal direction L at most can correspond to the inclination angle β of the second guide surfaces  13  with respect to the longitudinal direction.  
         [0023]    When the anchoring device according to the present invention is used for securing an object, the holding member  1  is inserted into the inferior space  6  of the rail  2  through the longitudinal opening  8 . Because the width b 1  of the longitudinal opening  8  is larger than the width b 2  of the holding member  1 , it is possible to insert the holding member  1  through the opening  8  so that it extends parallel to the longitudinal direction L. When a plate-shaped holding plate  18 , which lies on the rims  7   a,    7   b  of the side surfaces  4   a,    4   b  of the rail  2 , is connected with the holding member  1 , e.g., by a threaded rod, the holding member  1  would so rotate relative to the rail  2  that the holding member  1  would engage from below, at least partially, the longitudinal rims  7   a,    7   b.  The insure a temporary attachment of the holding member  1  to the rail  2 , the longitudinal rims  7   a,    7   b  are slightly stressed between the holding plate  18  and the holding member  1 . In the condition of a temporary attachment, the holding member  1  is offset with respect to the rail  2  in the longitudinal direction L. The toothing  12  slightly engages the tooth profile  13 , whereby the holding member  1  and the rail  2  become locked with each other. When the holding member  1  occupies its intended position, the rims  7   a,    7   b  and stressed between the holding plate  18  and the holding member  1  and are fixedly secured there between as shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 . The toothing  12  form-lockingly engages the tooth profile  13 , making the displacement of the holding member  1  in the longitudinal direction L impossible.  
         [0024]    Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the present invention and are not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various