Connecting device

Claim 2

A connecting device for anchoring a duct segment to an opening in a wall, the duct segment having a peripheral edge portion closely receivable into the opening, the connecting device being formable of integral construction from a metal sheet of substantially uniform thickness and comprising a plurality of strips defined by bending said sheet along crease lines, the strips including first and second gripping strips and first and second flange strips, said first and second gripping strips being adapted for grippingly fitting over said peripheral edge portion of the duct, said first and second gripping strips being connected to said first and second flange strips along a joint and being substantially orthogonally aligned to said second flange strip and in parallel alignment with said first flange strip, said first and second flange strips being positioned to abut against said wall in close proximity to the opening, said first flange strip including a plurality of tabs substantially orthogonally aligned to said second flange strip and being manually bendable around said opening to a position parallel to said second flange strip with the portion of the wall immediately adjacent said opening included therebetween, whereby secure anchoring of the duct to the wall around said opening is effected.

Claim 3

The connecting device of claim 1 wherein said manually bendable tabs are rectangular and are separated from adjacent tabs by rectangular substantially parallel slots extending inwardly as far as said first flange strip, whereby said tabs are bendable between adjacent slots at a juncture of said tab and said first flange strip to grippingly enclose a portion of said wall adjacent the opening.

Claim 4

The connecting device of claim 2 wherein said first and second gripping strips comprise at least three folded substantially parallel aligned strips of said metal sheet, wherein said peripheral edge portion is grippingly engageable between a pair of said at least three folded strips.

Claim 5

The connecting device of claim 1 wherein said tabs are triangular in shape, and are formable as a serrated edge of said metal sheet, serrations formed in said edge having a depth extending substantially across said first flange strip.

Claim 6

The connecting device of claim 3 wherein at least two of said at least three gripping strips lie inside said duct segment.

Claim 7

The connecting device of claim 3 wherein at least two of said at least three gripping strips lie outside said duct segment.

Claim 8

The connecting device of claim 1 wherein said metal sheet is substantially rigid steel sheet or plate, and said tabs are formed by one of cutting and stamping of said metal sheet.

Claim 9

The connecting device of claim 3 wherein said first and second gripping strips include four strips formed by substantially parallel folds in said metal sheet, said peripheral edge portion being receivable between a pair of said four gripping strips.

Claim 10

A connecting device constructed of sheet metal having folds therein and being utilized for connecting a duct to an opening, said device comprising: gripping means grippingly attachable to a flat planar end portion of said duct so as to establish a connection between said duct and said connecting device, said gripping means including a first gripping strip and a second gripping strip, said frist and second gripping strips being in spaced-apart, planar parallel alignment and having a first pocket formed therebetween into which said flat planar end portion of said duct is grippingly positionable thereby to establish said connection between said duct and said connecting device, at least one of said first and second gripping strips being of a double fold construction wherein two folds of said sheet metal are in a planar parallel abutting relationship to form said at least one of said first and second gripping strips; and flange means attachable to a peripheral edge portion of said opening so as to establish a connection between said opening peripheral edge portion and said connecting device, said flange means being integrally attached to said gripping means and including first and second substantially orthogonally aligned flange strips, said first flange strip being in planar parallel alignment with said first and second gripping strips and being formed as a plurality of manually bendable tabs designed for insertion into said opening, said first flange strip being bendable into spaced-apart, planar parallel alignment with said second flange strip upon positioning of said first flange strip within said opening so as to form a second pocket between said first and second flange strips, said opening peripheral edge portion being positionable within said second pocket thereby to connect said edge portion to said connecting device, said second flange strip being of a double fold construction wherein two folds of said sheet metal are in a planar parallel abutting relationship to form said second flange strip.

Claim 11

A connecting device constructed of sheet metal having folds therein and being utilized for connecting a duct to an opening, said device comprising: gripping means grippingly attachable to a flat planar end portion of said duct so as to establish a connection between said duct and said connecting device, said gripping means including a first gripping strip and a second gripping strip, said frist and second gripping strips being in spaced-apart, planar parallel alignment and having a first pocket formed therebetween into which said flat planar end portion of said duct is grippingly positionable thereby to establish said connection between said duct and said connecting device, at least one of said first and second gripping strips being of a double fold construction wherein two folds of said sheet metal are in a planar parallel abutting relationship to form said at least one of said first and second gripping strips; and flange means attachable to a peripheral edge portion of said opening so as to establish a connection between said opening peripheral edge portion and said connecting device, said flange means being integrally attached to said gripping means and including first and second substantially orthogonally aligned flange strips, said first flange strip being in planar parallel alignment with said first and second gripping strips and being formed as a plurality of manually bendable tabs designed for insertion into said opening, said first flange strip being bendable into spaced-apart, planar parallel alignment with said second flange strip upon positioning of said first flange strip within said opening so as to form a second pocket between said first and second flange strips, said opening peripheral edge portion being positionable within said second pocket thereby to connect said edge portion to said connecting device, said second flange strip being of a double fold construction wherein two folds of said sheet metal are in a planar parallel abutting relationship to form said second flange strip.

Claim 12

The connecting device as defined in claim 9, wherein said first gripping strip is provided with a double fold construction, said first gripping strip being positionable against an interior surface of said flat planar end portion of said duct during a connection between said duct and said connecting device.

Claim 13

The connecting device as defined in claim 9, wherein said second gripping strip is provided with a double fold construction, said second strip being positionable against an exterior surface of said flat planar end portion of said duct during a connection between said duct and said connecting device.

Claim 14

The connecting device as defined in claim 9, wherein said first gripping strip is provided with a double fold construction, said first gripping strip being positionable against an interior surface of said flat planar end portion of said duct during a connection between said duct and said connecting device, and said second gripping strip is provided with a partial double fold construction wherein a first part of said second gripping strip includes two folds of said sheet metal in planar parallel abutting relationship and a second part of said second gripping strip includes only a single layer of said sheet metal.

Claim 15

The connecting device as defined in claim 12, wherein said first part of said second gripping strip is in an abutting relationship with an exterior surface of said flat planar end portion of said duct and said second part of said second gripping strip is in a spaced-apart planar parallel relationship with said flat planar end portion of said duct.