Connector clamp

Claim 2

A clamp for attachment to a tube comprising a ring, means for causing said ring to tighten and embrace a tube, said clamp having combined means thereon for holding the ring in stable position over a support surface at a distance from the support surface related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be attached and for engaging a portion of a coupling member, said combined means comprising at least one longitudinally extending channel-shaped member integrally secured thereon and serving as a combined claw and spacer member, said channel-shaped member including an inner radially outwardly extending wall portion, a longitudinally extending web portion, and a planar radially inwardly extending wall portion secured to the remote end of the web portion, the web of a channel-shaped member serving as a spacer leg and the planar radially inwardly extending outer wall portion serving as a foot, the plane of the surface of the foot transverse to the axis of the ring, means coacting with said foot so that if the cylindrical ring is positioned so the foot engages a planar support surface the cylindrical split ring will be held in a stable position parallel to the support surface, the length of the web of the channelshaped member selected so it is related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be attached.

Claim 3

A clamp for attachment to a tube comprising a cylindrical split ring, adjacent edges of the cylindrical split ring extending radially outwardly to define flanges, an aligned opening extending through said radially projecting flanges whereby when a bolt is inserted through said aligned openings and a nut is tightened on the bolt, the diameter of the cylindrical split ring decreases so it can tighten and embrace the outer surface of the tube, said clamp having combined means thereof for holding the cylindrical split ring in a stable position over a support surface at a distance from the support surface related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be secured and for engaging a portion of a coupling member, said combined means comprising three identical longitudinally extending channel-shaped members integrally secured thereto in equal angularly spaced relation around the periphery of the split ring and serving as combined claws and gauge members, each channel-shaped member including an inner radially outwardly extending wall portion, a longitudinally extending web portion, and a planar radially inwardly extending outer wall portion secured to the remote end of the web portion, the web portions of each channel-shaped member serving as spacer legs and the planar radially inwardly extending outer wall portions serving as feet, the plane of the surface of the feet transverse to the axis of a cylindrical ring and in a common plane so that if the cylindrical split ring is positioned so the feet engage a planar support surface, the cylindrical split ring will be held in a stable position parallel to the support surface, the length of the web of the channel-shaped member selected so it is related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be attached.

Claim 4

A clamp for attachment to a tube comprising a cylindrical split ring, adjacent edges of the cylindrical split ring extending radially outwardly to define flanges, an aligned opening extending through said radially projecting flanges whereby when a bolt is inserted through said aligned openings and a nut is tightened on the bolt, the diameter of the cylindrical split ring decreases so it can tighten and embrace the outer surface of the tube, said clamp having combined means thereof for holding the cylindrical split ring in a stable position over a support surface at a distance from the support surface related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be secured and for engaging a portion of a coupling member, said combined means comprising three identical longitudinally extending channel-shaped members integrally secured thereto in equal angularly spaced relation around the periphery of the split ring and serving as combined claws and gauge members, each channel-shaped member including an inner radially outwardly extending wall portion, a longitudinally extending web portion, and a planar radially inwardly extending outer wall portion secured to the remote end of the web portion, the web portions of each channel-shaped member serving as spacer legs and the planar radially inwardly extending outer wall portions serving as feet, the plane of the surface of the feet transverse to the axis of a cylindrical ring and in a common plane so that if the cylindrical split ring is positioned so the feet engage a planar support surface, the cylindrical split ring will be held in a stable position parallel to the support surface, the length of the web of the channel-shaped member selected so it is related to the distance from the end of the tube where the clamp must be attached.

Claim 5

The clamp described in claim 1. wherein the clamp ring has two identically shaped claw-like longitudinally extending channel shaped members secured thereto on diametrically opposite sides of said clamp ring, the feet of said channel shaped member in a common plane and having sufficient area to hold the clamp ring in a stable position parallel to a support surface when the feet of said clamp engage the support surface.

Claim 6

The clamp described in claim 1. wherein the clamp ring has three identically shaped claw-like longitudinally extenDing channel shaped members secured thereto in equal angularly spaced relationship around the periphery of the clamp ring. the feet of said channel shaped members in a common plane to hold the clamp ring in a stable position parallel to a support surface when the feet of said clamp engages the support surface.

Claim 7

The clamp described in claim 4. where its feet of said channel shaped members are magnetic and hold the clamp ring to a vertical metallic surface.