US3154889A - Spacer clip for holding insulation about a vessel - Google Patents

Description

P. S. MONROE Nov. 3, 1964 SPACER CLIP FOR HOLDING INSULATION ABOUT A VESSEL Filed July 31. 1961 INVENIOR E 0 m M S w m United States Patent "Ce 3,154,889 SPACER CLIP FUR HOLDING INEUIIATION ABOUT A VESSEL Paul S. Monroe, Chatharn, N..I., assignor to Halcon Internationfi, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,129 5 Claims. (Cl. 50-160) This invention relates to a new and improved spacer clip. More specifically, this invention relates to a spacer clip which may be utilized for holding insulation about heat exchangers, tanks, towers, pipes and like vessels.

I In many applications in the chemical process and other industries it is desirable to surround vessels with insulating material. Since these materials are often fragile and gen eraliy incapable of supporting themselves, it is necessary to secure them to the vessels. One means of accomplishing this end is to surround the vessel with concentric sheets of material, such as a sheet metal sheathing. The sheathing is approprately spaced from the outer wall of the vessel. Located between the sheathing and the outer wall is the insulation.

Securing insulation in this manner has in the past been difficult and cumbersome for the following reasons: firstly, it is difiicult to maintain a uniform spacing between the vessel and the sheathing. Hence, the insulation is not of a uniform thickness. Secondly, since the sheathing cannot be conveniently handled if it is the full size of the vessel, it is necessary to join a series of sheets, one on top of the other, in order to surround the entire vessel. In the past, it required much labor and precision to properly align these sheets, and, in addition much riveting was necessary to secure them together.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a means for conveniently securing the ends of a series of sheets together.

Another object of the instant invention is a clip for securing sheet material comprising means for engaging a lower sheet and means for supporting an upper sheet, said means being so adapted as to maintain said sheets in a substantially parallel plane.

Still another object of this invention is to secure sheets at a uniform distance around a vessel.

Another object of the instant invention is an insulated vessel with at least two partially overlapping sheets of sheathing around and concentric to said vessel, a plurality of said clips, said clips being adapted to engage the top edge of a first sheet of sheathing and the bottom edge of second sheet of sheathing and having projecting therefrom a spacer bar adapted to maintain said sheathing a fixed distanceirom said vessel, and a belt adapted to engage said spacer clips and bring sid spacer bars into contact with said vessel.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In brief compass, the instant invention concerns a spac er clip which is provided with means for receiving a first sheet and a second sheet and maintaining the adjacent ends of saidsheets in substantially parallel planes. Additionally, the spacer clip is provided with a substantially perpendicular extension, referred to as a spacer bar herein, adapted to engage the vessel at a uniform distance from said plates. Preferably, the spacer clips are provided with a loop or slot capable of receiving a belt or the like for holding the spacer bar firmly against the vessel.

To more fully describe the instant invention, attention is directed to the attached figures.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the spacer clip.

3,154,83fi Patented Nov. 3, 1964 FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the spacer clip as part of an insulated vessel.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a top view of a series of spacer clips as they are employed about a vessel.

FIGURE 4 shows the use of the spacer clip to join the edges of a single piece of sheathing.

Turning now to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the spacer clip is composed of a first rigid member 1, a central rigid member 2 and a third rigid member 3. These members are substantially parallel. The first rigid member 1 is integrally joined to the central member 2 at their top edges, thereby forming a slot indicated by the numeral 4. Similarly, the third rigid member 3 is integrally joined to the central member 2 at their bottom edge, thereby forming a second slot indicated by the numeral 5. The upper end of the third rigid member 3 is bent outwardly to facilitate the insertion of the sheathing. A spacer bar 6 extends perpendicularly from the first rigid member 1 and is integrally joined to the bottom edge of the latter. The far end of the spacer bar 6 may be bent upward to form a right or acute angle to add strength to the spacer bar and facilitate its insertion. It will be understood that the rigid members 1,2 and 3 and the spacer bar 6 may be readily formed from one continuous sheet which is merely bent into the appropriate configuration. This in fact is the preferred mode of construction of the spacer clip. In addition, to those elements described, a hole 7 may be provided in the central member 2 and the first member 1'to receive a rivet. The loop or slot 8 in the third rigid member 3 is also provided to receive a belt as hereinafter described. Preferably, the slot 8 is at right angles to the spacer bar 6, and located so that a projection of the spacer bar would pass approximately through the slots horizontal center.- This configuration minimizes the tendency of the clip to pivot about the spacer bar.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a cross-sectionof the spacer clip as it is actually used in insulating a vessel 10. A sheet 12 secured at its bottom portion a fixed distance from the vessel 10 is passed into the slot '4 formed by the rigid members 1 and 2. A rivet 13 through hole 7 secures the sheet 12 to the spacer clip. Spacer bar 6 maintains the top portion of the sheet 12 a fixed distance from the vessel 10. A second sheet 11 is shown in the slot 5 which is formed by the walls of the rigid members 2 and 3. This sheet 12 may merely rest in the slot under the force of gravity, or if desired, fastened to the spacer clip in a like manner to that of sheet 12. The slot or loop 8 receives a belt 14 (shown in FIGURE 3) which exerts a force in the direction of the vessel 10, thereby securing the spacer bar 6 against the vessel.

FIGURE 3 shows a top view of a vessel 10, surrounded by a steel sheathing, employing a plurality of the spacer clips of the instant invention. The spacer clips are indicated by the numerals 20 and maintain the sheathing at a uniform distance from the vessel 10 by means of a spacer bar 6. In order to hold the spacer bars in secure contact with the vessel 10, a belt 14 is passed through the loop or slots 8 of each of the spacer clips. The belt is drawn tight and fastened by a buckle or other convenient means indicated by the numeral 15. The space defined by the outer wall of the vessel 10 and the inner wall of the sheathing 11 contains a suitable insulating material (not shown).

While in the illustration the spacer clip is utilized to stack the sheathing, it may also be employed to join each section of sheathing at its edges so as to maintain it in a continuous cylindrical configuration. This application of the spacer clip is illustrated in FIGURE 4.

While the spacer clip has been described to secure sheathing around a cylindrical vessel, the invention should not be so limited. For example, the spacer clip may be employed to join portions of the sheathing to a flat wall. The only modification necessary is that the belt be secured to the ends of the walls so as to hold the spacer bars rigidly against the vessel. In addition, the clip may be advantageously employed for insulating an irregular vessel.

It is preferred that the spacer clip be formed from a flat continuous sheet of metal. The metal is first cut to the overall dimensions required and stamped to form the slot or loop 8 for receiving the belt. Additional holes may be drilled for receiving rivets where required. The continuous sheet is bent on each of a first, second and third line, said lines being substantially parallel, said sheet comprising a front portion defined by the top edge of said sheet and the first line, a central portion defined by said first and second lines, a rear portion defined by said second and third lines, and a spacer portion defined by said third line and the bottom edge of said sheet. The said first and second bends are approximately 180 in opposite directions so as to bring said front, central and rear portions into substantially parallel relation and said third bend is approximately 90 so as to position said spacer portion substantially perpendicular to and away from said front, central and rear portions. The front, central, rear and spacer portions defined above correspond to the numerals 3, 2, 1 and 6, respectively, shown in FIGURES 1' and 2.

While the spacer bar is described as substantially perpendicular to the spacer clip, equivalent constructions can be readily employed. For example, the spacer bar may form an acute or obtuse angleit being essential only that it provide a means to maintain the clip a predetermined distance from the vessel.

Furthermore, the spacer bar may be employed as a right angle flange. In this adaptation, the spacer bar is directed away from the vessel and perpendicular sheets are riveted or welded thereto. This embodiment is employed where it is desirable to cover projections from the vessel, such as pipes or manholes.

In'insulating a vessel in accordance with this invention it is preferable to insert the belt through the slots in the spacer clip prior to joining the clips to the sheet material. In previous constructions, it is necessary to insert the belt after the sheathing is erected around the vessels. This procedure made the threading of the belt extremely diificult and time consuming.

A wide variety of materials may be used for the cononly and should not be taken as definitive.

I claim:

1. A spacer clip for joining plates in a partially overlapping relationship which comprises: a first, a central and a third rigid member in substantially parallel overlying relation, said third member having a loop adapted to receive a belt, the top edge of said first member being integrally joined to the top edge of said central member, whereby a slot is formed between said members, and the bottom edge of said third member being integrally joined to the bottom edge of saidcentral member whereby another slot is formed between said last named members; a spacer bar joined integrally and perpendicularly to the bottom edge of said first member and projecting in a direction opposite from said central member.

2. The spacer clip of claim 1 wherein said clip is fabricated from a single sheet of material.

3. The spacer clip of claim 2 wherein said material is sheet metal.

4. An insulated vessel which comprises: a vessel, at least two partially overlapping sheets of sheathing around and concentric to said vessel, a plurality of spacer clips, said clips being adapted to engage the top edge of a first sheet of sheathing and. the bottom edge of a second sheet of sheathing, and having projecting therefrom a spacer bar adapted to maintain said sheathing a fixed distance from said vessel, and a belt adapted to engage said spacer clips and bring said spacer bars into contact with said vessel.

5. The vessel of claim 4 wherein insulating material is located between the outer wall of said vessel and said sheathing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED srArEs PArENrs 1,585,897 Davidson May 25, 1 926 FOREIGN PATENTS 350,140 Italy July 6, 1937

Claims (1)

1. 4. AN INSULATED VESSEL WHICH COMPRISES: A VESSEL, AT LEAST TWO PARTIALLY OVERLAPPING SHEETS OF SHEATHING AROUND AND CONCENTRIC TO SAID VESSEL, A PLURALITY OF SPACER CLIPS, SAID CLIPS BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE TOP EDGE OF A FIRST SHEET OF SHEATHING AND THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A SECOND SHEET OF SHEATHING, AND HAVING PROJECTING THEREFROM A SPACER BAR ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID SHEATHING A FIXED DISTANCE FROM SAID VESSEL, AND A BELT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID SPACER CLIPS AND BRING SAID SPACER BARS INTO CONTACT WITH SAID VESSEL.

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