Patent ID: 7661731

Claim:
Apparatus comprising: first and second removably connectable arcuate members for clamping around a pipe, each arcuate member comprising: opposing flange members, each flange member comprising an opening formed therethrough and a surface; a curved surface including first and second opposing ends; a recess formed in the curved surface and adjacent the surface of one of the flange members; a ridge extending at least partially along the length of and radially inward from the curved surface and having a distal end that is radially offset from the curved surface, wherein one end of the ridge is adjacent the recess; a plate disposed in the recess; and a protrusion extending along the length of and substantially radially inward from the plate and having a distal end that is radially offset from the curved surface; and a pair of fasteners for removably connecting the arcuate members; wherein each ridge has a first material hardness; wherein each protrusion has a second material hardness; wherein the second material hardness is greater than the first material hardness; and wherein, when the arcuate members are removably connected to each other and clamped around the pipe: the arcuate members form a ring that envelops a portion of the pipe, the openings of the flange members of the first arcuate member are vertically aligned with respective openings of the flange members of the second arcuate member, the fasteners respectively extend through the vertically-aligned openings of the flange members of the first and second arcuate members, the surfaces of the flange members of the first arcuate member almost contact or contact respective surfaces of the flange members of the second arcuate member, the ridge of each arcuate member penetratingly engages the pipe, and the protrusion of each plate penetratingly engages the pipe to a greater degree than the ridge of the corresponding arcuate member.