Conduit support clamp

Claim 2

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and opposite end portions axially spaced from said central portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, and rigid means carried by said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit and fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said elastomeric body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 3

The clamp, according to claim 1, wherein said central portion attaching means comprises a rigid strap secured circumferentially of and to said central portion.

Claim 4

The clamp, according to claim 1, wherein said central portion attaching means comprises a rigid U-shaped strap disposed about and secured to said central portion, said strap having at least one apertured end extension formed integrally therewith and projecting laterally therefrom for attachment to the structure.

Claim 5

The clamp, according to claim 1, wherein said elongate elastomeric body is generally cylindrical and wherein said central portion attaching means comprises a rigid U-shaped strap having a part in the shape of a semicircle and a depth of substantially the diameter of the semicircle, said strap being embedded in and bonded to said central portion and having at least one apertured end extension Formed integrally therewith and projecting laterally therefrom for attachment to the structure.

Claim 6

The clamp, according to claim 4, wherein the exterior diameter of said opposite end portions is reduced relative to the exterior diameter of said central portion.

Claim 7

The clamp, according to claim 1, including means cooperating with each of said opposite end portions of said elastomeric body for reinforcing and maintaining said end portions in frictional engagement with the conduit.

Claim 8

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and opposite end portions spaced axially from said central portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body throughout the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation on the conduit, and rigid means spaced from said slit and carried by said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit and fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 9

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and opposite end portions spaced axially from said central portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body throughout the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation on the conduit, and rigid means spaced from said slit and carried by said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit and fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 10

The clamp, according to claim 7, including split resilient retaining ring means cooperating with said elastomer body end portions for reinforcing and maintaining said end portions in frictional engagement with the conduit.

Claim 11

The clamp, according to claim 8, wherein said ring means are embedded in and bonded to said elastomer body end portions.

Claim 12

The clamp, according to claim 7, including a groove circumferentially disposed in the exterior of each of said elastomer body end portions, and resilient retaining ring means disposed in said grooves for reinforcing and maintaining said end portions in frictional engagement with the conduit.

Claim 13

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and opposite end portion spaced axially from said center portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body throughout the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation of said body on the conduit, and a rigid generally U-shaped strap embedded in and bonded to said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit with said slit positioned in the space between the legs of said strap whereby said strap does not prevent resilient spreading of said elastomeric body, said strap having opposed apertured end extensions formed integrally therewith and projecting laterally therefrom for fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in rEsponse to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 14

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and opposite end portion spaced axially from said center portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body throughout the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation of said body on the conduit, and a rigid generally U-shaped strap embedded in and bonded to said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit with said slit positioned in the space between the legs of said strap whereby said strap does not prevent resilient spreading of said elastomeric body, said strap having opposed apertured end extensions formed integrally therewith and projecting laterally therefrom for fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in rEsponse to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 15

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate generally cylindrical elastomeric body having a cylindrical bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion and opposite end portions axially spaced from said central portion, the diameter of said bore through said opposite end portions substantially conforming to the diameter of the conduit to be supported and the diameter of said bore through said central portion being greater than the diameter of the conduit whereby said opposite end portions will receive the conduit in circumferentially engaging relation thereto and said central portion will receive the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations, said engaging relation of said opposite end portions with said conduit forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body through the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation to the conduit, and a rigid generally U-shaped strap having a part in the shape of a semicircle and a depth of substantially the diameter of the semicircle bonded to said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit with said slit positioned in the space between the legs of said strap whereby said strap does not prevent resilient spreading of said elastomeric body, said strap having opposed apertured and extensions formed integrally with the ends of the legs of said strap and projecting laterally outward therefrom for fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 16

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate generally cylindrical elastomeric body having a cylindrical bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a central portion and opposite end portions axially spaced from said central portion, the diameter of said bore through said opposite end portions substantially conforming to the diameter of the conduit to be supported and the diameter of said bore through said central portion being greater than the diameter of the conduit whereby said opposite end portions will receive the conduit in circumferentially engaging relation thereto and said central portion will receive the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof at axially spaced locations, said engaging relation of said opposite end portions with said conduit forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, said body also having a slit extending from the bore to the exterior of the body through the axial length thereof to allow resilient spreading of the body for easy installation to the conduit, and a rigid generally U-shaped strap having a part in the shape of a semicircle and a depth of substantially the diameter of the semicircle bonded to said central portion in spaced relation from said opposite end portions for substantially encircling the conduit with said slit positioned in the space between the legs of said strap whereby said strap does not prevent resilient spreading of said elastomeric body, said strap having opposed apertured and extensions formed integrally with the ends of the legs of said strap and projecting laterally outward therefrom for fixedly attaching said central portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said central portion with the structure relative to said opposite end portions in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit with said slit facing the structure to prevent removal of the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said body between said central and opposite end portions.

Claim 17

The clamp, according to claim 12, wherein the exterior diameter of said opposite end portions are reduced relative to the greater diameter of said semicircle and central portion.

Claim 18

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a first portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and a second portion axially spaced from said first portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, and rigid means carried by said first portion in spaced relation from said second portion for substantially encircling the conduit and fixedly attaching said first portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said first portion with the structure relative to said second portion in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said elastomeric body between said first and second portions.

Claim 19

A conduit support clamp for supporting an elongate conduit relative to a structure comprising an elongate elastomeric body having a bore extending axially therethrough for receiving the conduit therein, said elastomeric body having a first portion for receiving the conduit in circumferentially spaced relation thereto and a second portion axially spaced from said first portion for receiving the conduit in frictionally engaging relation circumferentially thereof and forming the only interconnection of said elastomeric body with said conduit, and rigid means carried by said first portion in spaced relation from said second portion for substantially encircling the conduit and fixedly attaching said first portion in circumferentially spaced relation of the conduit to the structure for movement of said first portion with the structure relative to said second portion in response to relative motion between the conduit and structure normal to the conduit, said relative motion being accommodated predominantly by shear in said elastomeric body between said first and second portions.