Abstract:
A pipe support to fit different size conduits and suitable for automotive exhaust systems includes a snap-in clamp formed of a single piece of spring wire to have offset resilient jaws of elliptical shape that spread apart upon insertion of the conduit and then snap in place through their own inherent resiliency to hold the conduit in the desired suspended position and a helical coil that is fitted on a rubber support grommet.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application covers portions of the structure shown in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 398,540, filed Sept. 17, 1973 of Franklin R. Hubbell, III, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,232, and assigned to the assignee hereof. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved snap-in spring type pipe support of a design that may be used in automotive exhaust systems and which provides quick and easy assembly and disassembly and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. 
     In a preferred form the support includes a pipe clamp with resilient spread-apart jaws of elliptical shape, the jaws preferably being offset and crisscrossed to improve their holding power. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of an automotive internal combustion engine with an exhaust system that is suspended by means embodying the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the hanger used in the system of FIG. 1 as taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a detail side elevation of the hanger as shown in FIG. 2 but with the pipe removed; and 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the hanger shown in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An automobile or other motor vehicle has an internal combustion engine 1 with an exhaust manifold 3 that discharges exhaust gases into an exhaust line or system 5 that may include an exhaust pipe 7 which is connected at its inlet end to the outlet 9 of the manifold 3. The exhaust pipe 7 conducts gases to an exhaust gas silencing muffler 11 which in turn discharges exhaust gases into a tailpipe 13 through which the gases flow for discharge into the atmosphere. The front part of the exhaust line or system 5 is supported by means of the usual attachment pad 17 that is bolted to the manifold outlet flange to hold the inlet of the exhaust pipe 7 in position. Mounting or support means 19 are used to support various points of the exhaust line 5 downstream from the mounting pad 17 on the chassis or frame 21 of the vehicle. 
     FIGS. 2-4 illustrate the support means 19 which comprises a bracket or strap member 23 and a spring wire clamp member 25. The strap 23 has a main section 27 which is solid metal and has a plurality of openings 29 along its length to provide a plurality of points at which it can be attached by a bolt 31 to the frame 21 or other support. The bottom of the strap section 27 is offset as seen at 33 to cooperate with a second strap section 35 which is offset in the opposite direction as seen at 37. The upper end of section 35 is reduced in width and offset to provide a tongue 38 that extends through a slot 39 in the section 27 so that section 35 fits flat against and is supported in position by opposite sides of section 27. In the supported position the offset portions 33 and 37 have aligned holes 41 through which a rivet or post 43 extends. An annular vibration and noise insulating rubber sleeve or grommet 45 fits on the rivet 43 and is clamped between the two portions 33 and 37 by the rivet heads 47 that bear against the outside faces of the portions 33 and 37. The various parts are sized and shaped to provide a sturdy, solid assembly at the bottom of the support member 23. Vertical loads on the grommet 45 and rivet 43 are transmitted into the upper portion of strap section 27 via the two offset portions 33 and 37. 
     The clamp member 25 comprises a single piece of spring wire that has two spaced ends 49 and 51. The central section of the wire is in the form of two helical loops 53 that fit on the grommet 45 as seen best in FIG. 4 to form a holding section for the clamp. The end sections of the wire extending between the loops and the ends 49 and 51 criss cross at 55 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and are shaped to provide tong arms or jaw sections 57 and 59. In front elevation the clamp has a Figure 8 shape with a first section that is the holding section and a second section which is open on the bottom between ends 49 and 51 to provide a tube receiving mouth 61. As seen in FIG. 3, the jaw sections 57 and 59 have an elliptical shape to enable them to fit and grip a variety of pipe sizes without rattling. Further, the jaws are inclined in opposite directions with respect to an imaginary midplane perpendicular to the axis of the post 43 or of the jaws or of a conduit held by the jaws and intersect and extend to opposite sides of such midplane, i.e., the jaws are convergent and criss crossed at 63 by means of opposite axial offsets in the direction of the axis or length of post 43. This offset arrangement serves as a means to prevent twisting of the clamp off of a pipe and thereby increases the holding power of the clamp. 
     As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ends 49 and 51 are shaped to have barbs 65 at their inner sides which act as ratchet teeth to prevent camming out of a pipe. The end faces of the wire form a taper and the corners are rounded at 67 to provide a chamfered, tapered, funnel mouth effect that makes it as easy as possible for the pipe 13 to expand the jaws upon insertion so that it can pass through the mouth 61. 
     When the jaw sections 57 and 59 are spread apart as seen in FIG. 2, they contact the pipe at the barbs and at points of tangency, due to their elliptical shape, thereby minimizing heat transference. Spreading of the jaws tends to raise criss cross point 55 and reduce the diameter of spring coils 53 so that they are tightly compressed around rubber grommet 45 to lock the clamp in position. The energy stored in the coils holds the barbs 65 in place, i.e., resists expansion of mouth 61, so that a down load on the pipe tends to straighten the jaws 57 and 59 and their resistance to this also holds the pipe inside the clamp. As already indicated, the elliptical shape of the jaws enables the foregoing action to take place with a rather wide range of pipe sizes. 
     Modifications in the specific structure illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is also apparent that the exhaust system can be vertically disposed, as in some truck or bus installations, and that the hanger means may be used for installations and applications other than exhaust systems.