Abstract:
Clevis hanger systems including at least an upper bracket configured to connect to one or more support rods each able to receive one or more pipe hangers in various relative positions. I-beam sway bars, spacers and/or vertical plates may be incorporated in the clevis hanger systems as well.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiments of the present invention relate to a clevis hanger system for supporting multiple pipes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Clevis hangers are a type of pipe hanger which often includes a swivel yoke supported by at the top by an adjustable vertical rod. Other clevis hanger types are also available. Clevis hangers are ubiquitous in building structures including homes and commercial establishments. Unfortunately, conventional clevis hangers are limited and often require structures to be designed based on such limitations. 
     It would be advantageous to develop a clevis hanger system providing additional versatility including support for multiple pipes. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, the clevis hanger systems of the embodiment of the present invention comprise at least an upper bracket configured to receive one or more support rods each able to support one or more pipe hangers. 
     One embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises an upper bracket having a support rod connected thereto. Said support rod receiving a lower pipe hanger and upper pipe hanger. With this configuration, a first pipe may be supported by the lower pipe hanger and a second parallel running pipe may be supported by the upper pipe hanger. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises an upper bracket having two support rods connected thereto. A first support rod receives a lower pipe hanger while a second support rod receives a pair of pipe hangers in a side-by-side relationship. 
     Another embodiment, a clevis hanger system comprises an upper bracket, a first pair of vertical slats, a second pair of vertical slats and a pair of intermediary connectors. Multiple pipe hangers are received by multiple support rods. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises vertical slats connected to an upper bracket. Multiple support rods are connected to the upper bracket and vertical slats which support multiple pipe hangers. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises multiple upper brackets with a first upper inner bracket supporting a first pipe hanger and a second upper outer bracket supporting a second pipe hanger. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises a first upper bracket connected to a support rod supporting a first pipe hanger, and a lower bracket which is connected to a second upper bracket which is connected to a support rod which receives a second pipe hanger. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises a first upper bracket connected to a support rod which supports a first pipe hanger which supports a second upper bracket which supports a second pipe hanger. In one embodiment, the second upper bracket is connected to the first pipe hanger via a welded coupling. 
     Another embodiment of a clevis hanger system comprises an upper bracket connected to a support rod which receives a series of rod and loop arrangements which each support an upper bracket which are each connected to a support rod which each receive a pipe hanger. 
     Another embodiment a clevis hanger system comprises an upper bracket connected to a support rod which receives three pipe hangers in a side-by-side relationship. 
     Other embodiments incorporate I-beam sway bars, spacers and/or vertical plates as detailed below. 
     Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a first prior art clevis hanger system; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a second prior art clevis hanger system; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a third prior art clevis hanger system; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a first embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a second embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an upper bracket of the type suitable for various embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  third embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8 a  and 8 b    illustrate vertical slats used with various embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a fourth embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a fifth embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a sixth embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a seventh embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an eighth embodiment of a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a ninth embodiment of the a clevis hanger system according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 15 a -15 c    show various components for use with various embodiments of clevis hanger systems according to the embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a clevis hanger system using spacers according to the embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a clevis hanger system using an I-beam sway bar according to the embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed. 
     The components of the embodiments of the present invention may be fabricated of any suitable materials, including plastics, alloys, composites, resins and metals, and may be fabricated using suitable techniques, including molding, casting, machining and rapid prototyping. 
       FIGS. 1-3  show different prior art clevis hanger systems  100 ,  110  and  120 . Each of the prior art clevis hanger systems  100 ,  110  and  120  is configured to support a single pipe. Conventionally, a series of clevis hangers are attached in a spaced relationship to a rigid ceiling structure such that a pipe may be supported thereby. 
       FIG. 4  shows a first embodiment of a clevis hanger system  150  according to the embodiments of the present invention. The clevis hanger system  150  comprises an upper bracket  155 , lower pipe hanger  160 , upper pipe hanger  165  and support rod  170 . In this embodiment, the support rod  170  receives the lower pipe hanger  160  and inner pipe hanger  165 . With this configuration, a first pipe is supported by the lower pipe hanger  160  and a second parallel pipe is supported by the upper pipe hanger  165 . In this embodiment, and those described below, nuts  175  or similar connectors are used to attach the support rod  170  to the upper bracket  155  or other article. 
       FIG. 5  shows a second embodiment of a clevis hanger system  200  according to the embodiments of the present invention. The clevis hanger system  200  comprises an upper bracket  205 , lower pipe hanger  210 , a first upper pipe hanger  215  and a second upper pipe hanger  220 . A first support rod  225  receives the lower pipe hanger  210  and a second support rod  230  receives the first upper pipe hanger  215  and the second upper pipe hanger  220  in a side-by-side relationship. Nuts  235  secure the first support rod  225  to the upper bracket  205  while nuts  240  secure the second support rod  230  to the upper bracket  205 . 
       FIG. 6  shows an exemplary upper bracket  245  of the type suitable for various embodiments of the present invention including the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . The upper bracket  245  includes an upper horizontal section  250 , a pair of angled sections  255 - 1  and  255 - 2  extending therefrom and a pair of vertical sections  260 - 1  and  260 - 2  extending therefrom. An opening  251  provides means for attaching the upper bracket  245  to a rigid member (e.g., ceiling beam) while openings  251 - 1  and  251 - 2  provide means for receiving bolts for supporting hangers. The vertical sections  260 - 1  and  260 - 2  may be fabricated of any length to allow multiple bolts to be joined for support of multiple hangers. For example, see  FIG. 5  wherein the vertical sections of the upper bracket are extended and include six openings along their length allowing the upper brackets to support multiple bolts at various positions. As shown, the upper bracket  205  supports two bolts  225  and  230 .  FIG. 6  shows a potential extension  261  of vertical section  260 - 1  in dotted lines. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a clevis hanger system utilizes multiple vertical slats rather than an upper bracket having extending vertical sections.  FIG. 7  shows a third embodiment of a clevis hanger system  300  utilizing vertical slats according to the embodiments of the present invention. With this embodiment, the clevis hanger system  300  includes an upper bracket  305 , a first pair of vertical slats  310 - 1  and  310 - 2 , a second pair of vertical slats  315 - 1  and  315 - 2 , and a pair of intermediary connectors  320 - 1  and  320 - 2 . Multiple pipe hangers  325 - 1  through  325 - 4  are received by multiple support rods  330 - 1  through  330 - 4 .  FIGS. 8 a  and 8 b    show two different vertical slat configurations  335  and  340 . The first vertical slat  335  includes a pair of openings  336 - 1  and  336 - 2  while the second vertical slat  340  includes nine openings  348 - 1  through  348 - 9 . In either instance, the vertical slats are able to support multiple hangers and, if desired, may be connected to additional vertical slats via said intermediary connectors. 
       FIG. 9  shows a fourth embodiment of a clevis hanger system  350  according to the embodiments of the present invention. The clevis hanger system  350  utilizes vertical slats  340 - 1  and  340 - 2  connected to an upper bracket  355  via support rod  360 . Support rods  365 - 1  through  365 - 3  each receive a pipe hanger  370 - 1  through  370 - 3 . The support rods  360  and  365 - 1  through  365 - 3  are connected to the upper bracket  355  and vertical slats  340 - 1  and  340 - 2  via bolts  375 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a fifth embodiment of a clevis hanger system  400  according to the embodiments of the present invention. This embodiment includes multiple upper brackets  405  and  410  with a first upper inner bracket  410  connected to a support rod  415  receiving a first pipe hanger  425  and a second upper outer bracket  410  connected to a support rod  430  receiving a second pipe hanger  435 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a sixth embodiment of a clevis hanger system  450  according to the embodiments of the present invention. This embodiment includes a first upper bracket  455  connected to a first support rod  460  receiving a first pipe hanger  465 , and a lower bracket  470  connected to a second upper bracket  475  connected to a second support rod  480  receiving a second pipe hanger  485 . As shown, the second upper bracket  475  is connected to the lower bracket  470  via a nut and bolt arrangement  490 . 
       FIG. 12  shows a seventh embodiment of a clevis hanger system  500  according to the embodiments of the present invention. Clevis hanger system  500  includes a first upper bracket  505  connected to a first support rod  510  receiving a first pipe hanger  515  which connects to a second upper bracket  520  which is connected to a second support rod  525  receiving a second pipe hanger  530 . As shown, the second upper bracket  520  is connected to the first pipe hanger  515  via a welded coupling  535 . In other embodiments, different types of connectors are used. 
       FIG. 13  shows an eighth embodiment of a clevis hanger system  550  according to the embodiments of the present invention. With this embodiment, an upper bracket  555  receives a support rod  560  which receives a series of rod and loop arrangements  565 - 580  each connected to an upper bracket  585 - 600  each connected to a support rod  605 - 620  each receiving a pipe hanger  625 - 640 . As shown, each rod and loop arrangement  565 - 580  has a different length such that pipes at different elevations may be supported. In other embodiments, the rod and loop arrangements may have the same length. 
       FIG. 14  shows a ninth embodiment of a clevis hanger system  650  according to the embodiments of the present invention. With this embodiment, an upper bracket  655  is connected to support rod  660  which receives three pipe hangers  665 - 675  in a side-by-side relationship. 
       FIGS. 15 a -15 c    show an I-beam sway bar  700 , spacer  705  and vertical plates  710 . In one embodiment, the spacer  705  is pre-stressed at ¼ inch increments along its length allowing users to easily form a spacer of desired length. The I-beam sway bar  700  includes multiple holes  701  along a length thereof for allowing the I-beam sway bar  700  to be joined to a clevis hanger system as shown in  FIG. 17 .  FIG. 16  shows a clevis hanger system  750  utilizing multiple spacers  705 - 1  through  705 - 5 . The spacers  705 - 1  through  705 - 5  provide means for positioning pipe hangers  715 - 1  through  715 - 3  along support rods  720 - 1  and  720 - 2 . 
       FIG. 17  shows a clevis hanger system  800  utilizing four I-beam sway bars  805 - 1  and  805 - 4  which receive two vertical plates  810 - 1  and  810 - 2 . An upper bracket  825  is connected to two upper I-beam sway bars  805 - 1  and  805 - 2  which are connected to two lower I-beam sway bars  805 - 3  and  805 - 4  via said two vertical plates  810 - 1  and  810 - 2 . The I-beam sway bars  805 - 1  and  805 - 4  and vertical plates  810 - 1  and  810 - 2  provide extra durability for seismic activity or other forces which act upon the structure in which the pipes are running. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.