Clamp assembly

Claim 2

A clamp assembly comprising a U-bolt having a bight and a pair of legs, a pair of tubular portions slidable axially on said legs, a saddle web integral with and spanning the space between said tubular portions, and securing nuts threaded on the free ends of the bolt legs for drawing up against the adjacent ends of the tubular portions, each tubular portion having an axially extending terminal edge directed toward the adjacent face of the saddle web, and the nut-adjacent end edge face of each tubular portion being a spiral rise cam rising toward the nut in the direction of its drawing up rotation.

Claim 3

In the assembly of claim 1, each cam having a high point terminating flush with the axially extending terminal edge of its tubular portion.

Claim 4

In the assembly of claim 1, the saddle web and tubular portions being constructed of sheet metal spring tempered to bias the tubular portions resiliently against axial movement incident to drawing up rotation of the nuts.

Claim 5

A U-bolt clamp saddle comprising a planar formed blank of spring tempered sheet steel having at each end a tubular portion bisected by the plane of the blank and terminating in an axially extending free edge parallel to the adjacent face of the blank, one side edge of the blank being a work engageable clamp member, the ends of the tubular portions adjacent the opposite side edge of the blank having the configuration of cams rising spirally from their junction with said opposite edge of the blank and terminating flush with the adjacent terminal edge of their associated tubular portions.

Claim 6

A U-bolt clamp saddle comprising a planar formed blank of spring tempered sheet steel having at each end a tubular portion bisected by the plane of the blank and terminating in an axially extending free edge parallel to the adjacent face of the blank, one side edge of the blank being a work engageable clamp member, the ends of the tubular portions adjacent the opposite side edge of the blank having the configuration of cams rising spirally from their junction with said opposite edge of the blank and terminating flush with the adjacent terminal edge of their associated tubular portions.

Claim 7

In the saddle of claim 4, reinforcing means comprising a portion of the blank at said edge opposite the work engageable edge turned in the direction of the work engageable edge and in closely spaced parallel relation to the web.

Claim 8

In the saddle of claim 5, said reinforcing portion of the blank terminating in a straight edge spaced bElow the work engageable edge portion of the blank and in a plane normal to the axes of the tubular portions thereof.

Claim 9

A clamp for coupling a telescoped pair of cylindrical conduits in fluid leak preventing relation comprising, in combination: A U-bolt having a pair of parallel legs connected at one end by an integral semi-circular bight portion adapted to embrace the outer one of a telescoped pair of conduits when applied thereon, the other end of each leg being threaded for reception of a conventional securing nut; a saddle comprising a sheet of spring tempered steel extending transversely between the U-bolt legs and formed at each end thereof with an integral tubular portion housing and axially slidable on the adjacent bolt leg; each tubular portion having a free terminal edge parallel to the longitudinal axis of its associated bolt leg and closely adjacent a face of the saddle sheet, and each tubular portion being in cross section an open circle bisected by the plane of the longitudinal median of the saddle sheet between its bolt leg housing ends; the side edge of the saddle sheet facing the bight of the U-bolt having a semi-circular recess curved on the radius of the U-bolt bight and complemental thereto; the terminal edge of each tubular portion of the saddle sheet being constituted and arranged as an arcuate lip curved on the radius of said semi-circular recess and extending beyond the recess in the direction of the U-bolt bight; the side edge of the saddle sheet opposite its recessed edge being turned in the direction of said recess and extending parallel to the plane of the saddle sheet in closely spaced relation thereto and terminating in a straight edge spaced distally from the recessed edge of the saddle in a plane normal to the longitudinal axes of said tubular portions; the ends of said tubular portions opposite their curved lip ends being each formed as a single integral spiral cam rising from its junction with the saddle sheet to a high point coterminous and flush with said axially extending free terminal edge of the tubular portion; and a conventional securing nut on the threaded end of each U-bolt leg for drawing up against its adjacent cam, each cam rising in the direction of drawing up rotation of its associated nut, whereby, when the nuts are drawn up against their associated cams on the tubular portions, the recessed edge of the saddle will be advanced toward the U-bolt bight to its maximum clamping engagement with the outer one of a telescoped pair of cylindrical conduits when disposed between the bight of the U-bolt and the recessed side edge of the saddle sheet while at the same time said curved lips will, due to the action of the cams, be advanced axially along the legs of the U-bolt into further compressive clamping engagement with the outer one of the telescoped conduits beyond the point of maximum compression of said recessed edge of the saddle sheet against the conduit coupling clamped between it and the bight of the U-bolt.

Claim 10

A clamp for coupling a telescoped pair of cylindrical conduits in fluid leak preventing relation comprising, in combination: A U-bolt having a pair of parallel legs connected at one end by an integral semi-circular bight portion adapted to embrace the outer one of a telescoped pair of conduits when applied thereon, the other end of each leg being threaded for reception of a conventional securing nut; a saddle comprising a sheet of spring tempered steel extending transversely between the U-bolt legs and formed at each end thereof with an integral tubular portion housing and axially slidable on the adjacent bolt leg; each tubular portion having a free terminal edge parallel to the longitudinal axis of its associated bolt leg and closely adjacent a face of the saddle sheet, and each tubular portion being in cross section an open circle bisected by the plane of the longitudinal median of the saddle sheet between its bolt leg housing ends; the side edge of the saddle sheet facing the bight of the U-bolt having a semi-circular recess curved on the radius of the U-bolt bight and complemental thereto; the terminal edge of each tubular portion of the saddle sheet being constituted and arranged as an arcuate lip curved on the radius of said semi-circular recess and extending beyond the recess in the direction of the U-bolt bight; the side edge of the saddle sheet opposite its recessed edge being turned in the direction of said recess and extending parallel to the plane of the saddle sheet in closely spaced relation thereto and terminating in a straight edge spaced distally from the recessed edge of the saddle in a plane normal to the longitudinal axes of said tubular portions; the ends of said tubular portions opposite their curved lip ends being each formed as a single integral spiral cam rising from its junction with the saddle sheet to a high point coterminous and flush with said axially extending free terminal edge of the tubular portion; and a conventional securing nut on the threaded end of each U-bolt leg for drawing up against its adjacent cam, each cam rising in the direction of drawing up rotation of its associated nut, whereby, when the nuts are drawn up against their associated cams on the tubular portions, the recessed edge of the saddle will be advanced toward the U-bolt bight to its maximum clamping engagement with the outer one of a telescoped pair of cylindrical conduits when disposed between the bight of the U-bolt and the recessed side edge of the saddle sheet while at the same time said curved lips will, due to the action of the cams, be advanced axially along the legs of the U-bolt into further compressive clamping engagement with the outer one of the telescoped conduits beyond the point of maximum compression of said recessed edge of the saddle sheet against the conduit coupling clamped between it and the bight of the U-bolt.