GB1568221A - Brackets for pipes/sockets - Google Patents

Description

(54) BRACKETS FOR PIPES/SOCKETS (71) We, WAVIN B.V., a Dutch corporate body, of Handellaan 251, Zwolle, Holland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a bracket for selectively securing a pipe, or a socket therefor of larger diameter than the pipe, to a support surface.

Our Patent Specification No. 1,384,922 discloses such a bracket comprising a resiliently deformable clip member, and a mounting member adapted to be mounted on the support surface and having two differently spaced apart pairs of recesses extending thereinto, the clip member having two end sections which are selectively insertable into each pair of recesses for engagement with the mounting member such that when inserted in one pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the pipe and when inserted in the other pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the socket.

In the embodiment disclosed in our above mentioned Specification, each end section is bifurcated and each fork of the end sections is provided with a lug extending outwardly from the fork for engagement in slots in the recesses to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clip member from the mounting member. The forks of each end section are deflected towards each other as they are inserted into a recess and the slots allow the forks to return to their undeflected positions.

In order to withdraw an end section from a recess it is necessary to first deflect the forks towards each other and to this end the slots extend to the outside of the mounting member to provide access to the lugs of the end section so that they may be engaged by a tool and deflected inwardly out of engagement with the slots. As will be appreciated each of the two lugs on an end section has to be deflected before the end section can be withdrawn from the recess.

The present invention comprises a modification of or improvement in the invention disclosed in the above mentioned application and inter alia enables the end sections of the clip member to be more easily withdrawn from the recesses when this is required.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bracket for selectively securing a pipe, or a socket therefor of larger diameter than the pipe, to a support surface, comprising a resiliently deformable clip member, and a mounting member adapted to be mounted on the support surface and having two differently spaced apart pairs of recesses extending thereinto, the clip member having two end sections which are selectively insertable into each pair of recesses for engagement with the mounting member such that when inserted into- one pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the pipe and when inserted into the other pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the socket, and each of the end sections being provided with lug means extending outwardly with respect to the other end section for location in a slot extending from the recess into which it is to be- inserted to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clip member from the mounting member.

As will be appreciated, the invention enables a bracket to be provided in which in order to withdraw an end section from a recess it is only necessary to deflect the lug means of that end section towards the other end section to move it out of engagement with the slot.

In order that the invention may be well understood, two embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a part sectional side view of a bracket located on a wall; Figures 2 and 3 show a clip bf the same bracket, Figure 3 being taken along the line III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of detail IV in Figure 2; Figure 5 to 7 show a backblock of the same bracket, Figure 5 being a side view, and Figures 6 and 7 being taken along lines VI-VI and VIf-VII of Figure 5 respectively; Figure 8 is a part sectional side view of anther bracket located on a wall and illustrates the two positions of a clip thereof; Figures 9 and 10 show the clip, Figure 10 being taken along the line X-X of Figure 9; and Figures 11 to 13 show a backblock of the bracket of Figure 8, Figures 12 and 13 being plan views taken in the direction of the arrows XII and XIII in Figure 11 respectively.

The bracket shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings comprises a clip 1 shaped to embrace the outside of a pipe (not shown) or a socket (not shown), and a mounting member in the form of a backblock 2 which is adapted to be fixed to a supporting surface, for example a wall-3, and into which the clip 1 can be resiliently deformed and engaged to secure the pipe or socket, as the case may be in position. - - The clip 1, which is formed of a resilient material, for example unplasticised polyvinyl chlorides is porvided with two parallel end sections 4. The end sections 4, which each include a--reduced thickness end portion 5, are each provided with an outwardly extending lug 6 having a shoulder 7 and a tapered outer side 8. The backblock 2, which has a central hole 9 to enable it to be secured to the wall 3 by a screw (Figure 1) or similar fixing member, is provided with pairs of inner and outer recesses 10 and 11 into which the end sections 4 of the clip can be inserted so that the lugs 6 thereof locate in slots 12 extending through the backblock 2 at the bases o? the recesses 10 and 11. It will be noted that the entries of the recesses have chamfers 13, 14 which are engaged by the tapered sides 8 of the lugs 6 as the clip 1 is inserted into the backblock 2 and which cause the end portions. 5 of the end sections 4 to be deflected towards each other to allow the lugs 6 to be slid down the side walls 15 of the recesses until the lugs reach the slots 12 when the end portons 5 of the end sections 4 spring back into- their undeflected positions and engage the slots 12 with a snap-action, the shoulders 7.-of the lugs preventing the clip from being withdrawn accidentally from the backblock.

It will be appreciated that by inserting the end sections 4 of the clip in either the recesses 10 or the recess 11, the effective diameter of the clip can be varied. This renders the bracket suitable for supporting either a pipe (by using the inner recesses 10) or a socket for the same pipe (by using the outer recesses 11), the outside diameters of which vary only slightly.

In our Patent. Specification No. 1,384,922 we disclose an arrangement in our described embodiment where the slots of one pair of recesses are closer to the surface on which the backblock is mounted, in use, in order to compensate for the difference in outside diameters of the pipe and the socket and to enable the centre-lines of the pipes and sockets to be equidistant from the surface. In practice, we have found that such a compensation is not essential, and in the embodiment of the present invention all the recesses extend to common slots 12 which extend throughout the backblock.

As will be appreciated, after the backblock 2 has been fixed to the wall 3 with a single fixing member, no further tools are required to mount the pipe or socket within the bracket as the clip 1 fits into the backblock 2 with a snap action. Furthermore, the type of fit between the bracket and the pipe or socket and the distance from the wall 3 to the centre A of the pipe to be mounted is predetermined by the bracket itself, and not left to the fitter installing the pipe. This is particularly advantageous when it is necessary to fit the pipe with a specified clearance to allow for thermal expansion.

The allowance of thermal expansion is also assisted by an internal rib 16 on the clip of our presently preferred embodiment, which rib, rather than the whole of the inner surface of the clip engages the pipe or socket reducing frictional resistance therebetween.

In order to dismantle the clip from the backblock if this is required, each end section 4 is withdrawn from its recess by inserting a blunt instrument (not shown) into the slot 12 and using the instrument to deflect the lug 6 on the reduced portion 5 thereof out of engagement with the slot to allow the end section to be pulled from the recess.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 13 there is shown another bracket 20. The bracket 20 comprises a resilient clip 21 which, like the clip 1, is shaped to embrace the outside of a pipe or a socket, and a mounting member 22, which is provided with two differently spaced apart pairs of recesses, inner recesses 23 and outer recesses 24, into which end sections 25 of the clip are selectively insertable to cause the clip to have different effective diameter for embracing the pipe or the socket respectively, as illustrated in full and dotted line in Figure 8.

The end sections 25 are each provided with a lug 26 for location in slots 27 or 28 extending from the recesses 23 or 24 into which they are inserted to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clip from the mounting member. As with the bracket shown in Figures 1 to 7, the lug 26 of each end section extends outwardly with respect to the other end section and is deflected inwardly with respect thereto during insertion into a respective recess 23 or 24 until the lug is able to locate in the recess's slot. The surfaces 29 of the lugs and the surfaces 30, 31 of the mounting member defining the recesses are chamfered or tapered to assist insertion of the clip into the mounting member. In order to withdraw an end section from a recess into which it has been inserted it is first necessary to deflect the lug thereof towards the other end section out of engagement with the slot of the recess, and to this end access is provided through openings 32 in the mounting member to enable a blunt instrument (not shown) to be inserted into the mounting member to deflect the lug as required.

Adjacent, but circumferentially spaced from, each of its end sections 25, the clip is formed with two projections 33, 34 which engage and abut portions 35, 36 respectively of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted in recesses 24 and engage portions 37, 38 respectively of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted in recesses 23. The projections cause the clip to be more securely located in the mounting member and more accurately position the clip with respect to the socket or pipe embraced thereby.

The mounting member is provided with fixing holes 39 which enable it to be secured to a wall, or other support surface, by a suitable fixing member.

Preferably, the clip 21 and mounting member 22 are made of plastics and are injection moulded.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A bracket for selectively securing a pipe, or a socket therefor of larger diameter than the pipe, to a support surface, comprising a resiliently deformable clip member, and a mounting member adapted to be mounted on the support surface and having two differently spaced apart pairs of recesses extending thereinto, the clip member having two end sections which are selectively insertable into each pair of recesses for engagement with the mounting member such that when inserted into one pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the pipe and when inserted into the other pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the socket, and each of the end sections being provided with lug means extending outwardly with respect to the other end section for location in a slot extending from the recess into which it is to be inserted to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clip member from the mounting member.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one pair of recesses comprises an inner pair and said other pair of recesses comprises an outer pair.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said end sections are resiliently deformable for insertion into the recesses in the mounting member.

4. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the lug means are tapered to assist insertion of the end sections into the recess.

5. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting member is provided with access means to said lug means when the latter are located in said slots for deflecting said lug means out of engagement with said slots.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 5, wherein said slots of said pairs of recesses are common and extend throughout the mounting member.

7. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clip member is provided with an internal rib for engaging the pipe or socket.

8. A backet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the clip member is provided with projection means adjacent its end sections which abut respective portions of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted into each pair of recesses.

9. A bracket substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A bracket substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 8 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. clip into the mounting member. In order to withdraw an end section from a recess into which it has been inserted it is first necessary to deflect the lug thereof towards the other end section out of engagement with the slot of the recess, and to this end access is provided through openings 32 in the mounting member to enable a blunt instrument (not shown) to be inserted into the mounting member to deflect the lug as required. Adjacent, but circumferentially spaced from, each of its end sections 25, the clip is formed with two projections 33, 34 which engage and abut portions 35, 36 respectively of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted in recesses 24 and engage portions 37, 38 respectively of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted in recesses 23. The projections cause the clip to be more securely located in the mounting member and more accurately position the clip with respect to the socket or pipe embraced thereby. The mounting member is provided with fixing holes 39 which enable it to be secured to a wall, or other support surface, by a suitable fixing member. Preferably, the clip 21 and mounting member 22 are made of plastics and are injection moulded. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A bracket for selectively securing a pipe, or a socket therefor of larger diameter than the pipe, to a support surface, comprising a resiliently deformable clip member, and a mounting member adapted to be mounted on the support surface and having two differently spaced apart pairs of recesses extending thereinto, the clip member having two end sections which are selectively insertable into each pair of recesses for engagement with the mounting member such that when inserted into one pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the pipe and when inserted into the other pair of recesses the clip member is adapted to embrace the outside of the socket, and each of the end sections being provided with lug means extending outwardly with respect to the other end section for location in a slot extending from the recess into which it is to be inserted to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clip member from the mounting member.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one pair of recesses comprises an inner pair and said other pair of recesses comprises an outer pair.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said end sections are resiliently deformable for insertion into the recesses in the mounting member.

4. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the lug means are tapered to assist insertion of the end sections into the recess.

5. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting member is provided with access means to said lug means when the latter are located in said slots for deflecting said lug means out of engagement with said slots.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 5, wherein said slots of said pairs of recesses are common and extend throughout the mounting member.

7. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clip member is provided with an internal rib for engaging the pipe or socket.

8. A backet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the clip member is provided with projection means adjacent its end sections which abut respective portions of the mounting member when the end sections are inserted into each pair of recesses.

9. A bracket substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A bracket substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 8 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.