DEFORMED BLIND RIVET LOOP CLAMP

Abstract

A pipe or tube hanger consisting of a loop clamp combined with a blind rivet fastener which has the joint deformed to stiffen the blind rivet so it may be used as a tension member in the application. This will replace cast iron parts which have been typically used for this application. See FIG. 1. Because of air pollution many small cast iron foundries no longer operate in the United States. This novel methodology also eliminates weld joining of the two parts which requires post plating to restore cladding or galvanizing or post painting of the parts. Using this mechanical joint enables the use of pre-painted or galvanized material and allows fully finished parts to exit the automated fabricating process and go directly into shipping containers dramatically reducing handling and reducing the customers costs and making domestic manufacturing of the product competitively possible.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. A method for assembling a suspension loop clamp consisting of a flanged blind rivet nut element and a clamp loop element and the said clamp loop element's associated fastener, where the said clamp loop element has an aperture within it through which the said flanged blind rivet nut element is inserted into the said loop clamp element from the inside of the loop and then the said blind rivet nut element is collapsed axially by a compression means to form a bulged section and then thereafter the collapsed bulged portion section of the compressed said blind rivet element is further deformed by a second shaped compression means, so as to make the said collapsed bulge portion of the blind rivet element be non-planar.

4. A suspension loop clamp produced using the method of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0013] FIG. 1. shows prior art and is a cast loop clamp, commonly known as a split ring hanger.

[0014] FIG. 2. shows a side view of an assembled loop clamp.

[0015] FIG. 3. shows a cross section view of loop clamp showing blind rivet insert element (2) deformed about the loop clamp (1). No fastener is shown.

[0016] FIG. 4. shows a deformed blind rivet loop clamp with a suspension threaded rod (3), a blind insert element having a cylindrical shaped deformation (2), and the attached loop clamp (1) with its associated fastener (4).

[0017] FIG. 5. shows a blind rivet element with a conical shaped deformation.

[0018] FIG. 6 shows a cross section of blind rivet element with a conical shaped deformation.

[0019] FIG. 7. shows a blind rivet element with a ripple shaped deformation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A suspension loop clamp which consists of a blind rivet element that includes a setting head attached to one head of a shank that is smaller in diameter than the setting head and has an opposite end with an internal female thread or a receptacle for a threaded rod as well as a deformation section disposed axially there between and a strip of flat material. The blind rivet nut (FIG. 3 part 2) is inserted into the flat strip through a hole in the loop. The blind rivet is then plastically deformed by compression axially applied to both ends of the blind rivet by flat plates opposed to each other from an unset condition to a set condition collapsing it and forming a radially outwardly protruding bulge or bead, which serves to retain the blind rivet element to the loop. The loop clamp is a strip of sheet material, preferably metal but not exclusively such which has bends at each end and a fastener aperture at each end. See FIG. 2. The blind rivet element flange and bead and the loop clamp it is attached to are then deformed together through axial compression applied to just the bead and flange by a tool which is hollow and shaped to allow the tubular section of the blind rivet nut to slip inside so the bulged portion of the collapsed rivet nut may be deformed so the bead at this juncture is no longer planar. The final deformation is to the clamp loop as well as the bead and flange of the blind rivet nut. This stiffens the protruding bead so as to restrict the blind rivet from reverting back to its original shape when a tensile load is applied by a threaded rod attachment. See FIG. 4. It is this new ability of the blind rivet to resist the unbending when used as a tension member by means of the deformation process that is the novelty of this patent application. This may be accomplished in individual steps or combined through the use of delayed high pressure compression gas springs in a press. The gas spring compresses the blind rivet first and then the overriding mechanical force of a press deforms the bead.

[0021] The clamp loop thus created is used then to support cylindrical cross sectional members such as pipes or tubes using all thread rods. The clamp loop locks the cylindrical section generally perpendicular by means of a threaded fastener as shown in FIG. 4. The fastening may be applied as a bolt and nut as shown in FIG. 4 or by any alternative method.

Statement:

[0022] This specification contains no new matter.