AU2008255271B2 - A conduit support assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a conduit support assembly (10) for supporting conduits (12) at a preset spacing from each other. It has a number of sets (18) of interconnectable support modules (20) made up of a pair of interlockable frame members (22). Each frame member has opposed sides (26,28) , an outer flange (30) between said sides, an inner flange (32) opposed to said outer flange and configured to form a recess (34), and frame interlocking means (38,40) on or adjacent to said inner flange for locking engagement with compatible frame interlocking means of the other frame member of said pair of frame members. The recesses of said interlocked frame members form an opening (50) for supporting a conduit thereat. Each said module has module interlocking means (26,28) adapted for locking engagement with compatible module interlocking means of one or more adjacent module(s). Whereby, the conduits supported in the openings are spaced at a preset distance from each other.

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: SPACERS PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): JAMES ANTHONY McPARTLAND Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: A CONDUIT SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Details of Associated Australian Patent Application No 2007907003 Provisional Application(s) No(s): filed 20 December 2007. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 A CONDUIT SUPPORT ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a conduit support assembly for supporting conduits at a preset distance therebetween. 5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electricity, telephone and data cables, and optical fibers to be laid underground are generally housed in conduits. The conduits once laid underground do not always maintain at a safe distance from each other. The cables in the conduits generate heat. If the conduits are too close, the heat built 10 up in the conduits could reach a level that results in lessening power and may cause an underground fire. While it is known to maintain a set distance between conduits, there is no formal methodology for ensuring the space between conduits is maintained. Some contractors use timber strips to separate the conduits. Others use pieces 15 of pipe off-cuts and many do not use any formal means of separation and expecting the conduits to keep separated when backfilling is carried out. The timber strips are not shaped to contain and to fix the conduits in position. The timber will rot over time which could allow the conduits to move closer together. Pipe off-cuts could move while back filling the trench. 20 It is known to manufacture onsite a concrete structure with specific number of holes to match the number of conduits to be laid. The concrete structure requires a crane to lift it and then lower it the trench.

3 The precast concrete structures are cumbersome and time consuming to produce and to move. They do not support additional conduits if they are required later. If additional post takeoffs on the lines are necessary, the conduits will 5 need to be cut. The tasks of cutting and working on a line are difficult when the conduits have moved closertogether. Similar problems also exist in underground pipes which carry a liquid or gaseous material such as water or natural gas. In this specification the word "conduit" is taken to include a pipe. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 10 It is an object of the present invention to provide a conduit support assembly which alleviates or at least reduces to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a conduit support 15 assembly for supporting conduits at a preset distance therebetween. The assembly comprises one or more sets of interconnectable support modules. Each module includes a pair of interlockable frame members, and each frame member has opposed sides, an outer flange between said sides, an inner flange opposed to said outer flange and configured to form a recess, and frame 20 interlocking means on or adjacent to said inner flange for locking engagement with compatible frame interlocking means of the otherframe member of said pair of frame members. The recesses of said interlocked frame members form an opening for supporting a conduit thereat. Each said module has module interlocking means adapted for locking engagement with compatible module 4 interlocking means of one or more adjacent module(s). Whereby, the conduits supported in the openings are at a preset distance from each other. Preferably, said frame interlocking means includes one or more male interlocking elements and said compatible frame interlocking means includes 5 one or more female interlocking elements. In preference, said module inter locking means include a plurality of male interlocking elements on said outer flange and/or on one of or both said sides, and said compatible interlocking means include a plurality of female interlocking elements on said outer flange and/or on one of or both said sides. 10 Each male interlocking element may be a prong and each female interlocking element may be a hole configured for receiving a corresponding prong. Each said frame member may be formed with a cavity between said outer and inner flanges, and may have one or more pillars extending between said 15 outer and inner flanges. Each said frame member may also have one or more reinforcing ribs on said sides and/or flanges. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention can be readily understood and put into practical effect the description will hereinafter refer to the accompanying 20 drawings which illustrate non limiting embodiments of the present invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a partial cut-away perspective view showing an embodiment of the support assembly according to the present invention supporting four conduits in a trench; 5 Figure 2 is a perspective view from the outer flange of a frame member of the assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of from the inner flange of the assembly shown in Figure 1; and 5 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a set of modules being assembled for forming the assembly according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is shown an embodiment of the conduit assembly 10 according to the present invention 10 arranged for supporting four conduits 12 in a trench 14. The trench 14 is filled with filler materials 16 which may be gravel or rocks. The assembly 10 has a number of spaced sets 18 (one only shown in Figure 1) of interconnected support modules 20. In this embodiment, each set 18 has four modules 20 of paired frame members 22. 15 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each frame member 22 has a cavity 24 bounded by opposed sides 26 and 28, an upper flange 30 and a curved lower flange 32. The lower flange 32 is between two frame connection portions 36 each provided with frame interconnection means in the form of a male connection prong 38 and a compatible female connection hole 40. Each prong has a neck 20 42 terminating in an enlarged head 44. A shoulder 46 is formed between the head 44 and the neck 42, and the head 44 has is bifurcated with a slot 48. The head 44 is sized so that it can clipped into the corresponding hole 40 when the pairing frame members 22 are brought together as shown in Figure 4. The shoulder 46 prevents the members from separation.

6 Similar male and female connection means are formed on the sides 26 and 28 and the upper flange 30 for interconnecting adjacent modules 20 as shown in Figure 4. The curved lower flange 32 defines a semi-circle shaped recess 34. When 5 the pairing frame members 22 are brought together, they form an opening 50 for supporting a conduit 12 thereat. Each frame member 22 has two spaced pillars 52 and 54 connecting the upper flange 30 to the lower flange 32. Reinforcing ribs 56 are also provided in the cavity 24. 10 In use, adjacent lower frame members 22 for the number (such as three) of conduits 12 are clipped together and then lowered to the trench 14. The conduits 12 are then placed in the corresponding recesses 34 of the lowered frame members 22. From outside the trench 14, the pairing upper frame members 22 are clipped together and then as a whole are placed over the 15 conduits 16 and secured to the lower frame members 22 so that the conduits 16 are in corresponding openings 50 of the paired upper and lower frame members 22. The number of paired frame members 22 can be varied depending on the number of conduits 16 to be buried in the trench 14. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the 20 present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth in the following claims.

Claims (5)

1. A conduit support-a -sembly for supporting conduits at a preset distance therebetween, comprising one or more sets of interconnectable support modules, each module in luding a pair of interlockable frame members, and 5 each frame member havin opposed sides, an outer flange between said sides, an inner flange opposed t said outer flange and configured to form a recess, and frame interlocking me ns on or adjacent to said inner flange for locking engagement with compact le frame interlocking means of the other frame member of said pair of frar ie members, the recesses of said interlocked frame 10 members forming an op ing for supporting a conduit thereat, said frame interlocking means includi g one or more male interlocking elements and said compatible frame interlock ig means including one or more female interlocking elements, each said mod le having module interlocking means adapted for locking engagement with c >mpatible module interlocking means of one or more 1-5 adjacent module(s), wher y, the conduits supported in the openings are at a preset distance from each other, said module inter locking means including a plurality of male interlockir g elements on said outer flange and/or on one of or both said sides, and said umpatible interlocking means including a plurality of female interlocking eleme s on said outer flange and/or on one of or both said 20 sides, each said male inter ocking element of the frame interlocking means and the module interlocking ans being in the form of a prong having a neck extending to an enlarged I ead and a shoulder formed between the head and the neck, and each sai female interconnecting element of the frame interlocking means and th module interlocking means being in the form of a 8 connection hole configur d to receive a corresponding male interlocking element when pairing fr me members or adjacent modules are brought together for clipping, where by the neck of the corresponding male interlocking element extending into the hole and the enlarged head and the shoulder of the 5 corresponding male interlo king element passing through the hole.

2. The assembly acco ing to claim 1 wherein each said frame member is formed with a cavity betw aen said outer and inner flanges, and has one or more pillars extending bety een said outer and inner flanges.

3. The assembly acco ding to claim 2 wherein each said frame member 1-0 has one or more reinforcin( ribs on said sides and/or flanges.

4. The assembly accoi ing to any one of claims I to 3 wherein the head is bifurcated with a slot.

5. The assembly acco ing to any one claims 1 to 4 wherein the recess is semi-circle shaped, and sr id pairing frame members, when brought together, I5 form a substantially circula opening for supporting a conduit thereat.