Patent Application
20180231147
The present disclosure generally relates to an adjustable support. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable support, which includes a stationary member and an adjustable member coupled to the stationary member in a manner that permits movement of the adjustable member relative to the stationary member and securing the adjustable member to the stationary member at a preferred position.
Small bore pipe supports, which are used to support pipes with less than 2 inch diameters, are typically procured as bulk material and shipped to a project site for fabrication and installation. There may be 4000-6000 supports on a project site. In
One advantage to shipping supports as bulk material is not having to track the supports. If the supports are prefabricated, someone must track the exact support for each design difference prior to installation. When there are thousands of supports that all look alike, but only differ by a few millimeters, tracking becomes a major effort and responsibility. Prefabrication also creates more effort to design the supports to exact dimensions. Conversely, a significant disadvantage to shipping thousands of supports to a project site for fabrication and installation is the fabrication effort to build these supports at the project site (e.g. measure, cut, weld and touch up coating), particularly when it's a modular project with a tight schedule or the project is at a remote location.
There is therefore, a need for a support that is prefabricated, fully adjustable, and interchangeable with other supports so that tracking is not necessary.
The present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are referenced with like reference numbers, and in which:
The present disclosure overcomes one or more of the prior art disadvantages with an adjustable support, which includes a stationary member and an adjustable member coupled to the stationary member in a manner that permits movement of the adjustable member relative to the stationary member and securing the adjustable member to the stationary member at a preferred position.
In one embodiment the present disclosure includes an adjustable support, which comprises: i) a stationary member having a base attached to a brace; and ii) an adjustable member coupled to the stationary member, the adjustable member having another base attached to another brace and the another base including at least one of a base slot and another base slot for receipt of a plurality of different sized clamps.
In another embodiment, the present disclosure includes a method for a method for adjusting a support, which comprises: i) securing a base of a stationary member to a fixed surface; ii) coupling an adjustable member to the stationary member, the adjustable member having another base with at least one of a base slot and another base slot; iii) moving the adjustable member in a direction perpendicular to the base of the stationary member; iv) securing the adjustable member to the stationary member at one of a minimum position, a maximum position and a position between the minimum position and the maximum position; and v) securing a clamp within at least one of the base slot and the another base slot, the clamp having a predetermined size.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is described herein with specificity; however, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The subject matter thus, might also be embodied in other ways, to include different structures, steps and/or combinations similar to those described herein in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the term “step” may be used herein to describe different elements of methods employed, the term should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless otherwise expressly limited by the description to a particular order.
Referring now to
The brace 308 includes one opening 325 on one side of the brace 308 and two openings 326, 328 on another side of the brace 308. The one opening 325 and the two openings 326, 328 are also positioned near one end of the brace 308 opposite another end of the brace 308 attached to the base 306. Alternatively, the one opening 325 may be likewise positioned on one side of the another brace 312 and the two openings 326, 328 may be likewise positioned on another side of the another brace 312. Both embodiments permit maximum adjustment between the stationary member 302 and the adjustable member 304. Other designs may be also be employed to achieve the same function such as using more or fewer openings on the one side of the brace 308 and/or on the another side of the brace 308. In both embodiments, the one opening 325 is positioned in a plane equidistantly between each respective plane within which the two openings 326, 328 are positioned to also permit maximum adjustment between the stationary member 302 and the adjustable member 304. Because the one opening 325 and the two openings 326, 328 each are designed for receipt of a respective bolt, their positioning further permits free access to adjust (tighten/loosen) the bolt positioned through the one opening 325 without interference with each bolt positioned through the respective two openings 326, 328. The base 306 is secured to a fixed surface (e.g. floor 340) by a plurality of bolts 330 or, alternatively, screws.
The another brace 312 includes a brace slot 332 on one side of the another brace 312 and another brace slot 334 on another side of the another brace 312. The brace slot 332 and the another brace slot 334 may have the same or different lengths, which are constrained by the length of the another brace 312. The length of the brace slot 332 and the another brace slot 334, however, is preferably maximized within the length of the another brace 312 without compromising the stability of the adjustable support. Alternatively, the brace slot 332 may be likewise positioned on one side of the brace 308 and the another brace slot 334 may be likewise positioned on another side of the brace 308. In both embodiments, the brace slot 332 and the another brace slot 334 are aligned with a respective one of the one opening 325 and the two openings 326, 328 for receipt of the bolt positioned through the respective one opening 325 and the two openings 326, 328. In this manner, the adjustable member 304 becomes slideably coupled to the stationary member 302 and may be moved in a direction perpendicular to the base 306 of the stationary member 302 from a minimum extended position to a maximum extended position. The adjustable member 304 may thus, be secured to the stationary member 302 at one of the minimum extended position, the maximum extended position and a position between the minimum extended position and the maximum extended position using the bolts positioned through the respective one opening 325 and the two openings 326328 and the respective brace slot 332 and the another brace slot 334. Preferably, each bolt is an A 325 grade or better and may be secured to the proper tension/torque. One locking nut A194-2H for each bolt restricts slipping and the load indicating washer confirms the preloaded tension/torque have been achieved and a uniform distribution of stress about the contact area without having to take frequent measurements. Other coupling mechanisms and slot arrangements, however, may be employed to similarly move and secure the adjustable member.
Preferably, the brace 308, the another base 310 and the another brace 312 are 90° angle iron, however, may be made from any other material similar in strength, without an angle and/or with additional 90° angle iron for further support in the form of a square tubular design. The brace 308, the another base 310 and the another brace 312 may also have different lengths, which are determined by the support parameters such as the size and weight of the object to be supported. The base 306 may be attached to the brace 308 by a fillet weld. Likewise, the another base 310 may be attached to the another brace 312 by a fillet weld. Other techniques and means, however, may be employed to attached the same components while maintaining the required stability for support. The adjustable support illustrated in
Referring now to
The brace 508 includes one opening 525 on one side of the brace 508 and two openings 526, 528 on another side of the brace 508. The one opening 525 and the two openings 526, 528 are also positioned near one end of the brace 508 opposite another end of the brace 508 attached to the base 506. Alternatively, the one opening 525 may be likewise positioned on one side of the another brace 512 and the two openings 526, 528 may be likewise positioned on another side of the another brace 512. Both embodiments permit maximum adjustment between the stationary member 502 and the adjustable member 504. Other designs may be also be employed to achieve the same function such as using more or fewer openings on the one side of the brace 508 and/or on the another side of the brace 508. In both embodiments, the one opening 525 is positioned in a plane equidistantly between each respective plane within which the two openings 526, 528 are positioned to also permit maximum adjustment between the stationary member 502 and the adjustable member 504. Because the one opening 525 and the two openings 526, 528 each are designed for receipt of a respective bolt, their positioning further permits free access to adjust (tighten/loosen) the bolt positioned through the one opening 525 without interference with each bolt positioned through the respective two openings 526, 528. The base 506 is secured to a fixed surface (e.g. ceiling 540) by a plurality of bolts 530 or, alternatively, screws.
The another brace 512 includes a brace slot 532 on one side of the another brace 512 and another brace slot 534 on another side of the another brace 512. The brace slot 532 and the another brace slot 534 may have the same or different lengths, which are constrained by the length of the another brace 512. The length of the brace slot 532 and the another brace slot 534, however, is preferably maximized within the length of the another brace 512 without compromising the stability of the adjustable support. Alternatively, the brace slot 532 may be likewise positioned on one side of the brace 508 and the another brace slot 534 may be likewise positioned on another side of the brace 508. In both embodiments, the brace slot 532 and the another brace slot 534 are aligned with a respective one of the one opening 525 and the two openings 526, 528 for receipt of the bolt positioned through the respective one opening 525 and the two openings 526, 528. In this manner, the adjustable member 504 becomes slideably coupled to the stationary member 502 and may be moved in a direction perpendicular to the base 506 of the stationary member 502 from a minimum extended position to a maximum extended position. The adjustable member 504 may thus, be secured to the stationary member 502 at one of the minimum extended position, the maximum extended position and a position between the minimum extended position and the maximum extended position using the bolts positioned through the respective one opening 525 and the two openings 526, 528 and the respective brace slot 532 and the another brace slot 534. Preferably, each bolt is an A 325 grade or better and may be secured to the proper tension/torque and a load indicating washer. One locking nuts A194-2H for each bolt restricts slipping and the load indicating washer confirms the preloaded tension/torque have been achieved and a uniform distribution of stress about the contact area without having to take frequent measurements. Other coupling mechanisms and slot arrangements, however, may be employed to similarly move and secure the adjustable member.
Preferably, the brace 508, the another base 510 and the another brace 512 are 90° angle iron, however, may be made from any other material similar in strength, without an angle and/or with additional 90° angle iron for further support in the form of a square tubular design. The brace 508, the another base 510 and the another brace 512 may also have different lengths, which are determined by the support parameters such as the size and weight of the object to be supported. The base 506 may be attached to the brace 508 by a fillet weld. Likewise, the another base 510 may be attached to the another brace 512 by a fillet weld. Other techniques and means, however, may be employed to attached the same components while maintaining the required stability for support. The adjustable support illustrated in
The adjustable support described in reference to
While the present disclosure has been described in connection with presently preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to those embodiments. It is therefore, contemplated that various alternative embodiments and modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US16/54520 | 9/29/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62279159 | Jan 2016 | US |
