Drop in loop hanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506582-B2
Application number	US-201414302810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Jun 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A drop-in loop hanger includes a U-shape portion or saddle for receiving an object to be supported, such as a pipe run, and an arm that guides the object to be supported into the U-shape portion. The hanger may include a moving portion that pivots at a hinge to allow entry of the object, then closes off the entryway to help retain the object within the hanger. The hanger may include a threaded portion for receiving a threaded rod, for example to mount the hanger from a ceiling or other structure or objects. The object may be placed in a series of already-installed hangers, for example placing a run of pipe in a series of hangers that support the pipe at different axial locations along the pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger to support an object, the hanger comprising:
a rod coupling at a top end of the hanger;
a saddle coupled to the rod coupling, the saddle extending from a first end of the saddle to a second end of the saddle, the second end coupled to the rod coupling, and the saddle at least partially defining an interior area of the hanger;
a catch arm that guides the object into the saddle as the object is moved relative to the hanger, the catch arm being closer to the first end of the saddle than to the second end of the saddle; and
a leg that is movable relative to the catch arm to selectively admit the object to be supported, the leg being hinged at a connection with the top end of the hanger and an opposing distal end of the leg pivots into the interior area of the hanger, and closing automatically to a closed position once the object is in the hanger;
at least one of the leg and the catch arm including a hook;
the hook on the at least one of the leg and the catch arm contacting another of the at least one of the leg and the catch arm when the leg is in the closed position.

2. The hanger of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tip between the saddle and the catch arm; and
a stem between the saddle and the top end.

3. The hanger of claim 2 , wherein the stem includes:
a vertical stem portion; and
an angled stem portion that extends from the vertical stem portion inward toward a centerline of the hanger, to the top end.

4. The hanger of claim 2 , wherein the tip is vertical.

5. The hanger of claim 1 , wherein the top end is horizontal.

6. The hanger of claim 1 , wherein the top end is centered over a center of the saddle.

7. The hanger of claim 1 , wherein the saddle is curved so as to accommodate a circular object as the object to be supported.

8. The hanger of claim 1 , wherein a centerline of the hanger extends between a center of the saddle and the rod coupling; and
wherein the catch arm extends laterally beyond the first end of the saddle by at least 50% of a linear distance between the first end of the saddle and the second end of the saddle.

9. The hanger of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tip between the saddle and the catch arm; and
a stem between the saddle and the top end;
wherein the catch arm, the tip, the stem, and the saddle are all parts of a single continuous, unitary piece of material.

10. The hanger of claim 1 , wherein the rod coupling includes a barrel nut that is configured to threadedly couple to a threaded rod.

11. The hanger of claim 1 ,
further comprising a tip between the saddle and the catch arm;
wherein there is an angle between the tip and the catch arm of between 120 and 150 degrees.

12. The hanger of claim 1 ,
wherein the saddle has a circular surface for receiving the object, with the circular surface having a radius; and
wherein the catch arm extends beyond the saddle, in a direction away from a centerline of the hanger that is between a center of the saddle and the rod coupling, by at least 100% of the radius.

13. A hanger to support an object relative to a structure, the hanger comprising:
a fixed portion at least partly defining a fixed-portion interior area;
a top portion to connect the hanger to the structure; and
a moving portion that pivots at a top end of the moving portion to move an opposing distal end of the moving portion into the fixed-portion interior area to admit the object into the hanger from a lateral side of the hanger;
the fixed portion including a catch arm that extends laterally beyond the moving portion to guide the object into the fixed-portion interior area;
the moving portion being biased to return to a closed position after the object is admitted into the hanger; and
the moving portion and the fixed portion together providing a load path to support the object against gravity when the object is admitted into the hanger and the moving portion is in the closed position, the load path extending from the fixed portion through the moving portion to the top portion.

14. The hanger of claim 2 ,
further comprising a curved portion between the tip and the catch arm;
wherein a combined distance along the curved portion and the catch arm is at least 50% of a linear distance between the first end of the saddle and the second end of the saddle.

15. The hanger of claim 7 ,
wherein the saddle is a semicircular saddle.

16. A hanger to support an object, the hanger comprising:
a rod coupling at a top end of the hanger;
a semicircular saddle to receive the object to be supported by the hanger, the semicircular saddle being mechanically coupled to the rod coupling and extending from a first end of the semicircular saddle to a second end of the semicircular saddle, and the semicircular saddle at least partially defining an interior area of the hanger;
a catch arm that guides the object into the saddle as the object is moved relative to the hanger;
a curved portion between the semicircular saddle and the catch arm;
a leg that is movable relative to the catch arm to selectively admit the object, the leg being hinged at a connection with the top end and an opposing distal end of the leg pivots into the interior area of the hanger, and closing automatically to a closed position, once the object is in the hanger; and
a stem between the second end of the semicircular saddle and the top end;
the stem including:
a vertical stem portion; and
an angled stem portion that extends from the vertical stem portion inward toward a centerline of the hanger to the top end;

the top end being horizontal and centered over a center of the semicircular saddle; and
the leg being mechanically coupled to the catch arm, when the leg is in the closed position, to provide a load path to support the saddle against gravity, the load path extending from the semicircular saddle to the rod coupling via the leg.

Assignees

• Erico Int Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Scott E
• Wilson Jeffrey A
• Wilson Eric J

Classifications

• F16L3/133

  and hanging from a pendant (F16L3/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L3/13 Primary

  and engaging it by snap action {(F16L3/1203 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title