Abstract:
A cross carrier beam for mounting between support members includes a beam having at each of its end an end bracket, having an attachment member for attaching the cross carrier beam to the support members, and a vibration isolation member mounted between each of the attachment members of the end bracket and the support member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    In building construction it is well known construct so called false or hollow walls in buildings. Such hollow walls comprise a frame with studs, wooden beams or other support members and covering elements, e.g. plaster plates covering the outside of the frame and constituting the wall surface. Commonly, pipes and other conduits extend through the hollow walls Water pipes or other conduits typically extend between the studs or beams of a wall and are fixed to cross carrier beams which are attached with their opposite ends to the studs or beams of the wall. 
         [0002]    From Hubbard Enterprises a cross carrier beam is known under the trade name Holdrite® Stout Bracket™. This cross carrier beam is telescopically adjustable in length to be attached with its opposite ends to the studs of a wall. The pipes or conduits are attached to the cross carrier beam by means of pipe clamps which are attached to the cross carrier beam. The pipe clamps have a vibration isolating member that prevents the noise coming from the pipes to be transferred to the cross carrier and further to the wall frame. 
         [0003]    Using pipe clamps that are individually provided with a vibration isolating member to prevent transfer of noise from the pipes into the wall structure is a relatively expensive solution and is in particular inefficient if a plurality of pipes are supported by a cross carrier beam. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, vibration isolating pipe clamps need to be provided with vibration isolating members specifically adapted for a specific pipe diameter or a specific cross carrier shape and dimension. 
         [0005]    The present invention has for an object to provide a pipe supporting structure which provides a more efficient use of vibration isolating material and elements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention this object is achieved by a cross carrier beam to be mounted between support members. The cross carrier beam comprises a beam member having at each end an end bracket. The end brackets have an attachment member for attaching the cross carrier beam to the support members. The cross carrier beam furthermore comprises a vibration isolation member to be mounted between each of the attachment members and the support member. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention the object is achieved by a cross carrier beam to be mounted between support members, which cross carrier beam comprises a beam member having at each end an end bracket. The end brackets have an attachment member for attaching the cross carrier beam to the support members. The cross carrier beam furthermore comprises a vibration isolation member which is provided between the beam member and the end bracket. 
         [0008]    The cross carrier beams according to the described aspects of the invention have the advantage that the vibration isolating members in the construction are associated with the cross carrier beam instead of with the individual components that may be mounted against the cross carrier beam, such as pipe clamps. Thus the pipes supported by the cross carrier beam are isolated from the frame structure by a minimum of vibration isolating elements in the structure. 
         [0009]    Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows in perspective an exploded view of a cross carrier beam according to a first aspect of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows in a perspective view the cross carrier beam according to the first aspect of the invention mounted between two studs; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows in perspective an exploded view of a cross carrier beam according to a second aspect of the invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows in a perspective view the cross carrier beam according to the second aspect of the invention mounted between two studs. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    In  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  is illustrated a cross carrier beam  1  according to a first aspect of the invention. The cross carrier beam has a central beam member  2 , which in the embodiment shown is configured as a channel profile also referred to as a C-profile. A C-profile has typically a bottom  21 , two parallel side walls  22  extending perpendicularly from the bottom  21  and two flanges  23  extending towards each other from the side walls  22 . The flanges  23  define a longitudinal slot  24  between them In the slot  24  may be inserted an elongate nut from an attachment assembly, or rod-like element with a hammerhead for attaching other constructional elements, for example pipe clips. The elongate nut or hammerhead can be aligned with the slot and inserted into the slot  24  thereby passing the flanges  23 , after which the nut of hammerhead is rotated such that the nut or hammerhead engages behind the flanges  23 . In the bottom may be provided holes for attaching other constructional elements to, for example pipe clips. 
         [0015]    The cross carrier beam  1  has two end brackets  3  on opposite ends, which end brackets  3  comprise an attachment plate  31  and an adjustment member  32  which extends substantially perpendicular to the attachment plate  31 . The adjustment member  32  and the plate  31  are fixedly attached to each other, preferably by welding. The attachment plate  31  is provided with holes  33  for running through screws, bolts or other suitable fastening means for fastening the end brackets  3  to a stud  5  or another support member. The adjustment member  32  is in the embodiment shown a C-profile, but may also be another rod-like element that fits in the hollow beam member  2 . The end brackets  3  are mounted to the beam member  2  by sliding the adjustment member  32  into the open ends of the beam member  2 . Thus the end brackets  3  are telescopically mounted on an end portion of the beam member  2  such that the length of the cross carrier beam  1  can be varied and adapted to the distance between the studs  5  or other support members. 
         [0016]    A pad  4  made of vibration isolating material, preferably rubber or another elastomeric material, is provided at the side of the attachment plate  31  which faces away from the adjustment member  32 . After installation of the cross carrier beam  1  between two studs  5 , the isolation pads  4  are each located between a stud  5  and an attachment plate  31 . The vibration isolation pads  4  prevent vibrations and noise originating from water supply pipes or the like, which are fixed to the beam member  2  to be passed on to the studs  5  and further into the support structure. 
         [0017]    The pads  4  have through holes in them for passing through screws, bolts or other suitable fastening means to fasten the end brackets  3  to the studs  5 . Preferably vibration isolating washers are arranged under the screw heads, bolt heads or nuts such that is prevented that noise is transferred from the beam member  2  to the studs via the screw or bolt shank. 
         [0018]    The isolation pads  4  may be separate components which are positioned between the attachment plates  31  and the studs  5  upon installation. Alternatively the isolation pads  4  are attached to the attachment plates  31 , for instance by means of an adhesive or in the case of a rubber isolation pad  4  by means of vulcanisation. 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  is illustrated a cross carrier beam  101  according to a second aspect of the invention. The cross carrier beam  101  has a central beam member  102 , which in the embodiment shown is configured as a channel profile also referred to as a C-profile. A C-profile has typically a bottom  121 , two parallel side walls  122  extending perpendicularly from the bottom  121  and two flanges  123  extending towards each other from the side walls  122 . The flanges  123  define a longitudinal slot  124  between them In the bottom may be provided holes  125  for attaching other constructional elements to, for example pipe clips. 
         [0020]    The cross carrier beam  101  has two end brackets  103  on opposite ends, which end brackets  103  comprise an attachment plate  131  and an adjustment member  132  which extends substantially perpendicular to the attachment plate  131 . The adjustment member  132  and the plate  131  are fixedly attached to each other, preferably by welding. The attachment plate  131  is provided with holes  133  for running through screws, bolts or other suitable fastening means for fastening the end brackets  103  to a stud  105  or another support member. The adjustment member  132  is in the embodiment shown a C-profile, but may also be another rod-like element that fits in the hollow beam member  102 . 
         [0021]    On the outer side of the adjustment members  132  is provided a vibration isolating sleeve  104 . The end brackets  103  are mounted to the beam member  102  by sliding the adjustment member  132  with the isolation sleeve  104  into the open ends of the beam member  102 . Thus the end brackets  103  with the respective vibration isolating sleeves  104  are telescopically mounted on an end portion of the beam member  102  such that the length of the cross carrier beam can be varied and adapted to the distance between the studs  105  or other support members. 
         [0022]    The vibration isolating sleeves  104  are preferably made of rubber or another elastomeric material. The vibration isolation sleeves  104  prevent vibrations and noise originating from water supply pipes or the like, which are fixed to the beam member  102  to be passed on to the studs  105  and further into the support structure. 
         [0023]    The beam member  2 ,  102  and the end brackets  3 ,  103  are preferably made of metal. The studs  5 ,  105  may be of metal, but also wooden beams may be used. The cross carrier beams  1 ,  101  according to the described aspects of the invention have the advantage that the vibration isolating members  4 ,  104  in the construction are associated with the cross carrier beam  1 ,  101  instead of with the individual components that may be mounted against the cross carrier beam  1 ,  101 , such as pipe clamps. Thus the pipes supported by the cross carrier beam  1 ,  101  are isolated from the frame structure by a minimum of vibration isolating elements  4 ,  104  in the structure. 
         [0024]    Moreover, the cross carrier beam  101  according to the second aspect of the invention has the advantage that no additional vibration isolating means are needed in the construction. As mentioned in the above, with the isolating pads  4  according to the first aspect of the invention it might be necessary to use vibration isolating washers or other suitable isolation means to prevent vibrations to travel through the screws, bolts or other attachment means that are used to fix the end brackets  3  to the studs  5 . With the vibration isolating sleeve  104  according to the second aspect of the invention the mentioned additional vibration isolating means can be omitted.