Humber, Jeffrey A. (Memphis, TN, US)
Cole, Steven R. (Collierville, TN, US)

Plaque It!

11/208827

10/28/2008

08/22/2005

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IPS Corporation (Collierville, TN, US)

248/59

248/58

F16L3/00

248/59, 248/327, 248/317, 248/159, 248/161, 248/125.8, 248/58, 248/307, 248/62

1784244	Adjustable pipe suspender	December, 1930	Morris	248/55
2161782	Pipe hanger	June, 1939	Flower	248/59
2339565	Pipe hanger	January, 1944	Goldberg et al.	248/62
2671232	Oar hanger	March, 1954	Brancel	114/364
3559910	PLASTIC PIPE HANGER	February, 1971	Babb	248/59
3718307		February, 1973	Albanese	248/57
4407478	Pipe hanger	October, 1983	Hodges	248/542
5221064	Height adjustable pipe hanger	June, 1993	Hodges	248/59
5350141	Versatile support apparatus	September, 1994	Perrault et al.	248/59
5385320	Hook shaped pipe hanger	January, 1995	Ismert et al.	248/62
5542631	Adjustable pipe hanger	August, 1996	Bruno	248/58
5746401	Universal pipe hanger with strap tightened by belt buckle ratchet	May, 1998	Condon	248/62
5845882	Staple hook pipe hanger	December, 1998	Hodges et al.	248/59
5890683	Tube hanger	April, 1999	DePietro	248/58
6575416	Adjustable length over-the door hanger	June, 2003	Avinger	248/307

King, Anita M.

Gauthier & Connors, LLP

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger assembly for suspending a pipe from a support, said assembly comprising: a hook for engaging the pipe, said hook having one or the other of two vertically extending shanks of differing widths; a shank extension having a leg projecting vertically from a sleeve, said sleeve having a stepped configuration defining a lower passage leading to an upper passage that is narrower than said lower passage, said lower passage being configured and dimensioned to receive one shank that is wider than said upper passage, and said upper passage being configured and dimensioned to receive another shank via said lower passage that is narrower than said lower passage; first fastening means for securing the one or the other of said shanks within said sleeve; and second fastening means for attaching said leg to the support.

2. The hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or the other of said shanks and said sleeve are provided respectively, with vertically spaced first and second openings arranged in a common plane, and wherein said first fastening means are received in selected mutually aligned first and second openings.

3. The hanger assembly of claim 2 wherein said leg is provided with vertically spaced third openings perpendicular to said plane, said second fastening means extending through said third openings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to J-hook carriers for suspending pipes and other like conduits from support structures, and is concerned in particular with an assembly of a J-hook carrier and an extension of its shank.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional J-hook carriers have shanks configured for attachment by screws, nails, etc. to beams, floor joists or the like. In certain installations, however, the length of the shanks is insufficient to accommodate the required pitch of the conduits. In the past, when faced with this problem, construction personnel have had to resort to other less convenient carrier arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a hanger assembly for suspending a pipe from a support comprises a J-hook engageable with the pipe. The hook has a vertically extending shank. A shank extension has a leg projecting vertically from a sleeve. The shank of the J-hook is configured and dimensioned for axial insertion to a selected extent into the sleeve. First fasteners serve to secure the thus inserted shank within the sleeve, and second fasteners serve to attach the leg to the support.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanger assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing one shank size of a J-hook inserted into the sleeve of the extension; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a smaller shank size of a J-hook inserted into the sleeve of the extension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference initially to FIG. 1, a hanger assembly 10 is shown in an operative environment suspending a pipe 12 from a support beam 14 . The assembly includes a J-hook 16 having a curved lower segment 16 a engaging the pipe 12 , and a vertically extending shank 16 b. 1

A shank extension 18 has a leg 18 a projecting vertically from a sleeve 18 b. The sleeve has a stepped configuration, with a lower end 18 b′ that is wider than an upper end 18 b″ . As can be best seen in FIG. 2, the lower end 18 b ′ defines a lower passage 19 ′ leading to a narrower upper passage 19 ″ in the upper end 18 ″.

The shank 16 b and sleeve 18 b are provided, respectively, with vertically spaced first and second sleeve-shaped openings 20 , 22 arranged in a common plane. FIG. 2 shows one shank size inserted into the wider lower end 18 b′ of sleeve 18 , with its nose bearing against stop shoulders 24 in the narrower upper end of the sleeve. When thus inserted, selected first and second openings 20 , 22 are transversally aligned to received first fasteners, e.g. screws 26 coacting with nuts 28 . The leg 18 a of the shank extension has vertically spaced third openings 30 extending orthogonally with respect to the common plane of the first and second openings 20 , 22 . The third openings 30 are arranged to accept second fasteners 32 which secure the leg 18 a to the support beam 14 .

FIG. 3 shows the sleeve 18 b accepting a narrower J-hook shank 16 b′. The shank 16 b′ extends into the narrower upper section 18 b″ of the sleeve, with its nose bottoming out at 34 .

The additional length provided by the shank extension 18 provides enhanced vertical adjustment of the J-hook 16 and the pipe 12 supported thereon, thus enabling installers to accommodate required pitches over longer pipe lengths.