Supports – Suspended supports – Fittings
Reexamination Certificate
2003-12-10
2004-11-02
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Suspended supports
Fittings
C248S062000, C248S065000, C248S075000, C052S506070, C052S715000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06811130
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mounting apparatuses for sprinklers, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus for sprinklers which has a simple but firm mounting structure in which a fixing bracket couples a sprinkler reducer to a reducer support beam, and a pair of vertical brackets mount the reducer support beam to a pair of ceiling support rails.
2. Description of the Related Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, a plurality of ceiling support rails horizontally extend in parallel on the ceiling in a building to form a ceiling support structure, with a ceiling panel being mounted to the bottoms of the ceiling support rails so as to form a desired ceiling. A plurality of reducer support beams are mounted on the ceiling support rails by a plurality of mounting apparatuses so as to hold reducers of a sprinkler system in the ceiling.
Such a conventional mounting apparatus for sprinklers includes a pair of ceiling support rails horizontally extending in parallel to the ceiling in the building, with a predetermined gap defined between the pair of ceiling support rails. The conventional mounting apparatus further includes a pair of vertical brackets which are respectively mounted at lower ends thereof to upper ends of the pair of ceiling support rails. The conventional mounting apparatus further includes a reducer support beam which is horizontally held on upper ends of the pair of vertical brackets to be perpendicular to the ceiling support rails, and a fixing bracket provided at a predetermined position of the reducer support beam between the pair of ceiling support rails, so as to vertically hold a sprinkler reducer which has a sprinkler head at an end thereof. However, when the fixing bracket couples the sprinkler reducer to the reducer support beam and the pair of vertical brackets mount the reducer support beam to the pair of ceiling support rails, the conventional mounting apparatus must use a plurality of bolts as a fastening means.
Due to the above-mentioned construction using the plurality of bolts as the fastening means, the conventional mounting apparatus for sprinklers is problematic in that assembling and disassembling processes thereof are complex, thus reducing work efficiency while installing or removing the sprinklers in or from the ceiling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting apparatus for sprinklers which has a simple but firm mounting structure in which a fixing bracket couples a sprinkler reducer to a reducer support beam, and a pair of vertical brackets mount the reducer support beam to a pair of ceiling support rails.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a mounting apparatus for sprinklers, including a pair of ceiling support rails horizontally extending in parallel to the ceiling in a building, with a predetermined gap defined between the pair of ceiling support rails; a pair of vertical brackets respectively mounted at lower ends thereof to upper ends of the pair of ceiling support rails; a reducer support beam horizontally held on upper ends of the pair of vertical brackets to be perpendicular to the ceiling support rails; and a fixing bracket mounted to a predetermined portion of the reducer support beam between the pair of ceiling support rails, so as to vertically hold a sprinkler reducer which has a sprinkler head at an end thereof, wherein the fixing bracket is formed by bending a metal plate having a predetermined width and length, and each of the vertical brackets is made of a metal plate having a predetermined width and length, and comprises first and second vertical sidewalls integrated together into a U-shaped single structure by a top wall. The fixing bracket includes a rear part; first and second side parts extending from both side edges of the rear part, respectively, so that the first and second side parts are perpendicular to the rear part; first and second curved parts extending from ends of the first and second side parts, respectively, while being bent inward to form a rounded shape; first and second tightening parts extending from ends of the first and second curved parts, respectively, so that the first and second tightening parts are parallel to each other; first and second notches respectively formed on predetermined portions of the first and second side parts such that the first and second notches are aligned with each other and internal edges of the first and second notches are in contact with an external surface of the reducer support beam, when the fixing bracket is fitted over the reducer support beam at the first and second notches; first and second bolt holes formed on the first and second tightening parts, respectively, such that the first and second bolt holes are aligned with each other; and a wing bolt tightened to the first and second bolt holes. Each of the vertical brackets includes front and rear guide projections extending upward from front and rear ends of the top wall, respectively; third and fourth bolt holes formed at predetermined positions on upper portions of the first and second vertical sidewalls, respectively, so as to be aligned with each other; a leaning part formed by inward bending a lower end of one of the first and second vertical sidewalls; fifth and sixth bolt holes axially formed on a lower end of a remaining one of the first and second vertical sidewalls and the leaning part, respectively, so as to be aligned with other; a coupling bolt tightened into an internal thread of the fifth bolt hole, so as to couple each of the vertical brackets to an associated ceiling support rail; first and second mounting holes formed on rear parts of the upper portions of the first and second vertical sidewalls, respectively, so as to be aligned with each other; first and second hook-type locking grooves formed on predetermined positions of front edges of the first and second vertical sidewalls, respectively; and a locking unit formed by bending a wire having predetermined diameter and strength. The locking unit has at an intermediate portion thereof a locking part so as to be removably locked to the hook-type locking grooves, with first and second ends of the locking unit being rotatably held in the first and second mounting holes so that the locking unit rotates around the first and second mounting holes, thus being locked to the hook-type locking grooves at the locking part thereof.
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U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0029983 A1, Inventor: Pfaller, Published: Feb. 13, 2003.
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
King Anita
Kofulso Co., Ltd.
Szumny Jon
LandOfFree
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