The invention relates to a clamp for linking a mounting rail to a flange of a beam, especially a T-beam, a double T-beam or a Z-beam. Preferably, the clamp can also be used to link a threaded rod to the beam.
In the field of house technology, rail systems, generally with C-shaped rails, are used to secure pipes for heating, for hot water, for venting, for air conditioning, etc. In industrial buildings, T-beams and double T-beams are used as roof construction elements. Connecting elements are therefore required, which are able to connect the rails with the T-beams and the double T-beams.
A clamp, suitable for this purpose, is known from German Patent Document No. DE 20 2009 015 756 U1.
Further mounting units for fastening to T-beams are known from German Patent Document Nos. DE 20 2010 006 322 U1 and DE 92 04 055 U1.
The object of the invention is to provide a clamp for linking a mounting rail to a flange of a beam, the mounting clamp ensuring versatility and, at the same time, being particularly simple and reliable.
The invention provides a clamp for linking a mounting rail to a flange of a beam; with a lower base; an upper base; a connecting web, which connects the lower base and the upper base with one another; and a T-shaped element, which is disposed at the lower base and is intended for gripping a rail opening of the mounting rail from behind, wherein, in the upper base, an upper threaded hole, which corresponds to the lower T-shaped back-gripping element, is provided for a clamping screw, which presses the flange and the mounting rail against one another when the lower T-shaped element grips an opening of the mounting rail from behind, and an upper, T-shaped back-gripping element, disposed at the upper base, for gripping an opening of the mounting rail from behind, wherein, in the lower base, a lower threaded hole for a clamping screw is provided, which corresponds to the upper, T-shaped back-gripping element, with which the flange and the mounting rail can be pressed against one another when the upper T-shaped element grips a rail opening of the mounting rail from behind.
A first basic concept of the invention can be seen in providing the clamps with T-shaped back-gripping elements, which can be introduced into the rail openings of the mounting rail and grip these rail openings from behind for positively fastening the clamp to the mounting rail. A corresponding threaded hole for a clamping screw is assigned to each of the T-shaped back-gripping elements. The clamping screw can act on the flange of the beam in such a manner that the flange, from the outside of the rail, and the corresponding T-shaped back-gripping element, introduced into the rail opening from the inside of the rail, are pressed against the mounting rail. In this way, the clamp can secure the flange to the mounting rail.
A further basic concept of the invention comprises equipping each clamp with two or more such T-shaped back-gripping elements, a corresponding threaded hole for a corresponding clamping screw being assigned to each T-shaped back-gripping element. With that, the inventive clamp may be used in several space orientations, so that it has a particularly large area of use. Preferably, the two T-shaped back-gripping elements may have different dimensions, particularly, heads of different widths, so that they can be connected to rail openings of different dimensions. For example, the upper T-shaped element may be provided for gripping behind the elongated holes of the mounting rail, whereas the lower T-shaped element serves for gripping behind the longitudinal slots of the opening of the mounting rail. With that, one and the same clamp can be used to link different rail types to the profile or a mounting rail with different recesses can be linked in different space orientations. Accordingly, the range of applications can be increased even further.
Basically, the inventive clamp can be positioned in any arrangement in space. The reference surface, to which the concepts of “top” and bottom of the invention refer, need not be the surface of the earth. In particular, the invention also comprises such an arrangement, for which the upper T-shaped, back-gripping element is closer to the surface of the earth than the lower T-shaped, back-gripping element, and for which the upper threaded hole is closer to the surface of the earth than the lower threaded hole.
Pursuant to the invention, the two T-shaped back-gripping elements may have a central leg and two wings, protruding therefrom.
Preferably, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element has a larger wing span than the upper T-shaped back-gripping element. With that, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element may be provided for linking to wider dimensioned rail openings than the upper T-shaped back-gripping element. The wing-span is understood to be, in particular, the distance between the two wing tips of the respective T-shaped back-gripping elements.
In particular, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element may have a wingspan, which is larger than a width of the lower base, which is measured parallel to the wingspan. In accordance with this embodiment, the wings of the lower T-shaped back-gripping element protrude laterally beyond the lower base. This embodiment permits linking to relatively wide rail openings, for example, at the longitudinal slot of the mounting rail, with a comparatively low expenditure for materials.
Additionally or alternatively, the upper T-shaped back-gripping element may have a wingspan, which is smaller than or equal to the width of the upper base, measured parallel to the wingspan. In accordance with this embodiment, the wings of the upper T-shaped back-gripping element of the upper base are set back laterally or flush therewith. This embodiment permits linking to narrower rail openings, for example, at elongated holes of the mounting rail, while the clamp is equally stiff.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the center leg of the lower T-shaped back-gripping element is formed, preferably completely, by the lower base. Accordingly, the lower base and at least a portion of the lower center leg are constructed integrally. This particularly compact arrangement may be provided especially when the lower T-shaped back-gripping element serves for linking to the elongated slot of the mounting rail.
Additionally or alternatively, the center leg of the upper T-shaped back-gripping element may be offset from the upper base. This may include, in particular, that the center leg of the upper T-shaped back-gripping element is narrower than the upper base, particularly in a direction extending parallel to the wingspan, and/or that it protrudes from the upper base. In accordance with this embodiment, the upper T-shaped back-gripping element may also serve for linking to relatively narrow rail openings.
The two threaded holes preferably have the same diameter and, in particular, also the same thread parameters, so that one and the same clamping screw can be used in both threaded holes. The lower and the upper threaded holes—that is, the longitudinal axes thereof—preferably proceed parallel to one another. Pursuant to the invention, the lower and the upper threaded holes are through holes. The lower and the upper threaded holes each have at least one internal thread.
In accordance with an advantageous further development of the inventive clamp, the latter contains a U shape with an internal space for accommodating the flange, the internal space being formed by the upper base, the connecting web and at least one part of the lower base, especially by the front base leg of the clamp, as is explained in greater detail below. By these means, a particularly simple and reliable linking to the flange can be ensured, especially since the U shape can surround the flange on three sides.
Preferably, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element and/or the upper T-shaped back-gripping element are disposed at the U shape. By these means, a particularly compact and, at the same time, particularly stiff arrangement may be obtained.
Basically, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element may extend over the whole length of the lower base. In this case, however, the clamp would have to be pushed in from the end into the elongated slot of the mounting rail. It is therefore particularly preferred if the clamp can be inserted by rotation into the rail opening. In particular, provisions may be made so that the lower T-shaped back-gripping element is disposed offset with respect to the connecting web at the lower base in such a manner that the mounting rail can be inserted by rotation.
In an advantageous embodiment of the clamp, the longitudinal axis of the upper threaded hole passes through the lower T-shaped back-gripping element. Any unintentional tilting of the clamp while tightening the clamping screw, inserted in the upper threaded hole, can be prevented since, in the case of this embodiment, the axial vector of the clamping force of a clamping screw inserted in the upper threaded hole points in the direction of the corresponding lower T-shaped back-gripping element. In particular, the longitudinal axis of the upper threaded hole may pass through the accommodating space of the U-shape.
Furthermore, it is advantageous that the longitudinal axis of the lower threaded hole is offset with respect to the upper T-shaped back-gripping element. In accordance with this embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the lower threaded hole therefore does not pass through the upper T-shaped back-gripping element. This makes it possible for the clamp to be linked also to smaller openings of the mounting rail.
The longitudinal axis of a threaded hole can be interpreted, in particular, as being an imaginary, infinitely extending straight line that passes through the center of the threaded hole and around which the thread of the threaded hole revolves.
Preferably, the lower base may have a front base leg and a rear base leg, the web, connecting the front base leg to the rear base leg protruding from the lower base. In accordance with this embodiment, the lower base protrudes at two opposite sides over the connecting web, as a result of which a particularly compact construction and a particularly high diversity are provided. Preferably, the front base leg is disposed below the upper base; this means that the aforementioned U shape can be formed by the front base leg of the lower base, the connecting web and the upper base leg. In particular, the lower T-shaped back-gripping element may be disposed at the front base leg and/or the lower threaded hole at the rear base leg. The front base leg may also have additional linking openings, which may also have threads. The upper base and/or the lower base and particularly the base leg thereof are disposed at right angles to the connecting web.
A particularly compact construction may be provided advantageously owing to the fact that the upper base of the connecting web and the lower base form a p shape. For this purpose, for example, the lower base, particularly with in each case one of the two base legs, may protrude at two opposite sides of the connecting web from the connecting web, whereas the upper base protrudes at only one side of the connecting web from the connecting web. In particular, the longitudinal axis of the lower threaded hole can pass through the clamp only in the lower base. The aforementioned U shape can form a part of the p shape.
It is particularly preferred if the upper base, the lower base and, advantageously, also the connecting web have the same width. This may be advantageous with respect to the manufacturing process and the stiffness of the clamp.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the connecting web extends between the longitudinal axis of the upper threaded hole and the longitudinal axis of the lower threaded hole. In accordance with this variation, the two longitudinal axes and, accordingly, the two threaded holes are on opposite sides of the connecting web. In particular, the clamp may have a Z shape, consisting of the upper base with the upper threaded hole, the connecting web and that part of the lower base, which contains the lower threaded hole, that is, preferably, the rear base leg.
At least two securing pins may be disposed at the connecting web, particularly on opposite sides of the connecting web. The securing pins can prevent the clamp from falling through the longitudinal slot of the mounting rail into the mounting rail, before the clamp is fixed to the flange with the clamping screw. Accordingly, the securing pins advisedly are wider than the center leg of the lower T-shaped back-gripping element, particularly measured parallel to the wingspan of the lower back-gripping element.
The lower, T-shaped back-gripping element and/or the upper T-shaped back-gripping element preferably have or has a denticulation for increasing the friction of the mounting rail. This denticulation is disposed preferably at least at the respective wings.
The invention also comprises an arrangement consisting of an inventive clamp, a beam with a flange and, preferably, a mounting rail, wherein a clamping screw, which clamps the clamp and, optionally, the mounting rail to the flange, is disposed in one of the two threaded holes of the clamp. If a mounting screw is present, the clamp, as described, can grip, with its upper T-shaped back-gripping element, an elongated hole of the mounting rail or, with its lower T-shaped back-gripping element, a longitudinal slot extending along the whole of the mounting rail.
Aside from linking to the mounting rail, the inventive clamp can also be used for linking a threaded rod to the flange. In particular, the threaded rod may be screwed into the lower threaded hole, the clamp being clamped to the flange with a clamping screw disposed in the upper threaded hole. Accordingly, the range of applications is enlarged even further.
In the following, the invention is explained in greater detail by means of a preferred example, which is shown diagrammatically in the accompanying Figures.