Supports – Pipe or cable – Brackets
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-27
2001-07-17
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Brackets
C248S072000, C248S343000, C248S534000, C248S317000, C052S712000, C052S715000, C052S506070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260810
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sprinkler mounting devices and, more particularly, to a device for mounting a reducer support beam of a sprinkler to a ceiling support rail in a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, a plurality of ceiling support rails horizontally extend in parallel to 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 to the ceiling support rails at desired positions so as to hold the reducers of a sprinkler system in parallel to the ceiling. In such a case, a sprinkler mounting device is used for holding each end of a reducer support beam to a desired ceiling support rail.
A conventional sprinkler mounting device, used for holding each end of a reducer support beam to a desired ceiling support rail, has a U-shaped profile defined by one top wall and two sidewalls. This conventional mounting device is thus provided with a fitting channel between the two sidewalls and is fitted over a desired ceiling support rail at the fitting channel. The conventional sprinkler mounting device may be also provided with a locking projection on at least one sidewall thereof at a lower portion so as to be locked to a ceiling support rail at the fitting projection inserted into a hole of the ceiling support rail. A bolt hole is formed at the top wall. A notch is formed on the mounting device at an upper portion and perpendicularly receives a desired portion of a reducer support beam thereon. In order to mount opposite end portions of a reducer support beam of a sprinkler to desired two ceiling support rails, two sprinkler mounting devices are fitted over desired positions of the two ceiling support rails prior to seating the opposite end portions of the reducer support beam in the notches of the two mounting devices. Therefore, the reducer support beam is primarily mounted to the ceiling support rails by the two mounting devices. Thereafter, a locking bolt is threaded downward into the bolt hole of each mounting device, and so the reducer support beam is biased downward by the locking bolt, thus finally coming into close contact with the lower edges of the notches at its lower surface. The position of the reducer support beam relative to the two mounting devices is thus fixed.
However, such a conventional sprinkler mounting device is problematic in that it has a structural defect undesirably inducing an incomplete engagement between the device and a ceiling support rail. In addition, when the locking bolt for fixing the position of the reducer support beam within the notch is exceedingly tightened, the conventional mounting device may be structurally deformed at positions around its fitting channel and or its notch, thus being easily and unexpectedly loosened even by a small external impact. Another problem experienced in the conventional sprinkler mounting device resides in that it is designed to be limitedly usable with a ceiling support rail having specified size and shape, and so it is necessary for manufacturers or users of such sprinkler mounting devices to separately produce or purchase a variety of mounting devices having different sizes and shapes since marketed ceiling support rails have different sizes and shapes. The conventional sprinkler mounting devices are thus very inconvenient to manufacturers and users.
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 sprinkler mounting device, which is designed to firmly mount a reducer support beam of a sprinkler to a ceiling support rail in a building.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler mounting device, which is usable for firmly mounting a reducer support beam of a sprinkler to a ceiling support rail in a building regardless of a size or a shape of the ceiling support rail.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler mounting device, which is less likely to be deformed even when it is exceedingly tightened by a locking bolt to firmly mount a reducer support beam of a sprinkler to a ceiling support rail in a building.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a device for mounting a sprinkler to a ceiling support rail in a building, comprising two vertical sidewalls integrated together into a U-shaped single structure by a top wall, wherein the two sidewalls are bent inwardly at their lower ends to form clip flanges used for gripping the head of the ceiling support rail positioned between the two sidewalls, with a first bolt hole being formed at the lower portion of each of the two sidewalls and a first locking bolt being threaded into the bolt holes of the two sidewalls so as to tighten the lower portions of the two sidewalls and allow the two sidewalls to firmly grip the ceiling support rail, and a notch being formed at the upper portion of each of the two sidewalls and being used for seating a reducer support beam of the sprinkler therein; and the top wall has a second bolt hole, with a second locking bolt being threaded into the second bolt hole so as to hold the reducer support beam seated in the notches of the two sidewalls.
In the above device, two inward projections are formed on each of the two sidewalls to space the two sidewalls apart from each other by a predetermined gap when the first locking bolt tightens the two sidewalls to each other.
In addition, a reinforcing rib is formed along the edge of the notch of each of the sidewalls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2375513 (1945-05-01), Bach
patent: 3341909 (1967-09-01), Havener
patent: 3608857 (1971-09-01), Hibbeler
patent: 3612461 (1971-10-01), Brown
patent: 3652780 (1972-03-01), Wilson
patent: 3874035 (1975-04-01), Schuplin
patent: 4135692 (1979-01-01), Ferguson
patent: 4717099 (1988-01-01), Hubbard
patent: 4723749 (1988-02-01), Carraro et al.
patent: 5595363 (1997-01-01), DeLeebeeck
patent: 220680 (1910-02-01), None
patent: 670887 (1939-01-01), None
Dong-A Flexible Metal Tubes Co., Ltd.
Ramirez Ramon O.
Shlesinger & Arkwright & Garvey LLP
Wood Kimberly
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