AU708785B2 - Pipe bracket - Google Patents

Description

2 The present invention relates to pipe brackets for supporting pipes such as water pipes and, more particularly to a pipe bracket which enables a pipe to be supported where the pipe runs at an awkward angle to an otherwise suitable support for the pipe.

According to the present invention there is provided a bracket for supporting a pipe comprising a first connection means for connecting the bracket to a first structure, a second connection means for connecting the bracket to a second structure and an interconnecting means interconnecting the first and second donnection means whereby the second connection means is able to be tilted in a plurality of different planes with respect to the first connection means.

It is preferred that the first connection means is arranged to be connected to a support and the second connection means is for connection to a pipe.

The interconnection means preferably includes a pivot which enables the second connection means to be at least partially rotated with respect to the first connection means.

It is preferred that the connection means comprises a body portion with a cavity in its lower end which is arranged to receive the pivot of the interconnection 25 means so as to permit pivotal movement therebetween.

a It is preferred that the pivot of the interconnection means is removably located within the cavity by a retaining means.

According to one embodiment the interconnection 30 means comprises a sleeve which is able to slide over the second connection means.

:The second connection means preferably comprises a *"a.-strap.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an angled view of a bracket for pipes according to the preferred embodiment; and S :50544F7703 3- Figure 2 shows components of the bracket shown in Figure 1 in a disassembled form.

As shown in the drawings a pipe bracket 10 generally comprises a mounting portion 12 which is connected to a pipe attachment portion 14 by a ball pivot 16.

The mounting portion 12 consists of an elongated plastic body 18 with an I-shaped cross section. At its lower end, a small rectangular shaped housing 19 is provided which is open at its lowermost end so as to form a rectangular shaped cavity (not shown). The elongate body 18 because of its I-shaped cross sectibn has channels 20, 21 on opposing faces with horizontal holes evenly spaced along the length of the elongate body extending from the face of one channel 20 to the face of the other channel 21.

The housing 19 is provided with two horizontally extending holes 23, 24 starting in a front face 25 and extending all the way to a back face 26.

Both holes 23, 24 are arranged on either side of a larger central hole 27 which is located in both faces 26.

The front face 25 is also slightly recessed compared to the back face 26 resulting in a lower horizontally extending lip 27 as well as a parallel upper wall 28 with 25 the front face 25 being recessed and located therebetween.

*e The ball pivot portion 16 consists of a sleeve element 30 which is a moulded plastic strap like element 30 having a centrally located rectangular shaped portion 31 on its upper face with a rectangular slot 32 extending axially therethrough to form a sleeve.

~On the upper face of the rectangular section 31 a ball pivot 33 is located connected thereto by a short cylindrical neck 34.

The pipe attachment portion 15 is effectively a strap 40 with a buckle 41 located at one end so as to enable the other end 42 to be slidably locatable therethrough. Although not shown it is preferred that S:50544F/703 4 the strap 40 is provided with ratchet elements on its outer surface in a similar fashion to a cable tie so that once end 42 has been pulled through buckle 41 to tighten the strap it cannot then be loosened.

The individual components shown in Figure 2 are assembled to form the bracket shown in Figure 1 in the following manner.

The ball pivot portion 16 is mounted to the mounting portion 12 by inserting the ball 33 into the cavity in the bottom of housing 19. An end cap 50 which consists of a flat rectangular plastic element with two spigdts 51 in one of its major faces is connected to portion 19 by inserting spigots 51 into holes 23 and 24 respectively.

The end cap 50 is shaped so as to abut with the front face 25 of housing 19 so that its outer face 52 is flush with the adjacent walls of lip 27 and parallel wall 28.

With the spigots 51 inserted in the holes 23, 24 the ball pivot 33 is prevented from being removed from the cavit of housing 19 because the distance between the spigots 51 is smaller than the diameter of the ball 33.

Thus the spigots 51 act as shoulders which are located around the neck 34 of the ball pivot 33.

The strap 40 is connected to the ball pivot portion 16 by simply inserting one end of the strap 42 through 25 the slot 32. When the end of the strap 42 is then inserted through the slot 32 in buckle 41 the ball pivot portion 16 can freely slide along the strap 40 although it will not be able to slide pass the buckle 41.

.In operation the strap 40 is wrapped around a pipe 30 and end 42 is pulled to tighten the strap. On tightening arms 35, 36 of the ball pivot portion 16 bear against the oooe pipe and the pipe is supported by the strap The top end of the mounting portion 12 can then be attached to a support.

a In the preferred embodiment a fixing device 60 is utilised for fixing the bracket to masonry. This fixing 60 consists of a planar portion 61 with downwardly extending parallel planar lobes 62, 63. The space formed S:50544F/703 between the lobes 62, 63 allows the fixing to be placed over the channels 20, 21 so that a pin can be inserted through lateral holes in both of the lobes 62, 63 and through one of the interposing holes 22 in the channels 20, 21.

The way in which the bracket is assembled can be reordered and it is not necessary that the strap 40 be attached to a pipe before the mounting portion 12 is connected to a support.

According to one embodiment the strap 40 can be connected to a *pipe with the ball pivot portion 16 slidably connected thereto. The mounting portion 12 could then be connected to a support and the ball pivot 33 could then be inserted into the cavity of the housing 19 by moving the strap and pipe. By connecting the end cap 50 to the portion 19 the mounting portion 12 would then be connected to the strap 14.

The ball pivot or spherical element 33 and the cavity which is preferably a spherical recess, enable the attachment portion firstly, to be rotated through 3600 about the axis of the mounting portion 12 and secondly to be moved out of axial alignment with the mounting portion 12 in an infinite number of directions to the extent of the movement allowed by the ball pivot and the 25 complimentary cavity within which it is located. For Sexample the attachment portion 14 can be moved in the direction of arrow A through a tilting of upto 300 9The relative movement provided between the mounting portion 12 and the attachment portion 14 of the present 30 invention enable a pipe to be supported where the pipe runs at an awkward angle to an otherwise suitable support :for the pipe.

O4 9 S:50544F/703 7second connection whereby the interconnection means can move along at least a portion of the elongate element.

11. A bracket as claimed in claim 10, wherein the strap portion comprises a sleeve which is adapted to fit over the elongate element.

12. A bracket as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sleeve is able to slide along the elongate element.

13. A bracket as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sleeve includes an upper face with a ball pivot located thereon.

14. A bracket .as claimed in claim 7 wherein the.

lower end of the body portion comprises a housing with a cavity therein which is adapted to receive a ball pivot of the interconnection means.

15. A bracket as claimed in claim 14, comprising a retaining means for retaining the ball pivot within the cavity.

16. A bracket as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retaining portion comprises spigots which are arranged to fit into correspondingly shaped holes in the lower end of the body portion to retain the ball pivot inside the cavity.

17. A bracket as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spigots are separated by a distance less than the diameter of the ball pivot.

18. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2, or wherein the body portion comprises an elongate member with a plurality of holes along its length which permit 9o** fastening means to connect the elongate member with a 30 fixing which is arranged to be connected to a support.

19. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second connection means is able to be rotated through 3600 with respect to the first connection means.

A bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Dated this 9th day of June 1999 S• PLASTEC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD aBy their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK S:50544F/703 6 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A bracket for supporting a pipe comprising a first connection means for connecting the bracket to a first structure, a second connection means for connecting the bracket to a second structure and an interconnecting means interconnecting the first and second connection means whereby the second connection means is able to be tilted in a plurality of different planes with respect to the first connection means.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second connection means is arranged to be connectable to a pipe and the first connection means is arranged to be connected to a support.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interconnection means comprises a pivot which enables the second connection means to be at least partially rotated with respect to the first connection means.

4. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the interconnection means comprises a spherical portion which is adapted to be received in a cavity of the first connection means.

A bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first connection means comprises a body portion with a lower end which is connectable to the interconnection 25 means.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second connection means includes an elongate element.

7. A bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the 0. elongate element is able to encircle a pipe.

8. A bracket as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elongate element comprises a strap which can be tightened to fix it to a pipe.

S9. A bracket as claimed in claim 8, wherein the elongate element comprises a buckle for fixing the length r of elongate element around the pipe.

10. A buckle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the interconnection means comprises a strap portion which is adapted to be connected to the elongate element of the S:50544F/703

Claims (1)

1. A bracket for supporting a pipe comprising a first connection means for connecting the bracket to a first structure, a second connection means for connecting the bracket to a second structure and an interconnecting means interconnecting the first and second connection means whereby the first connection means is able to be moved with respect to the second connection means. t S *06* S0 S* 59 *S 55 *e