Fast beam clamp

• US 8,038,106 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Cai, Xueming, Magno, Joey D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Nkeisha
• Application Number:
  US12/277,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 248/65, 248/72, 248/73, 248/228.1, 248/74.5, 248/74.1, 248/317, 248/327, 248/228.4, 248/230.4, 248/231.51, 248/229.23, 248/229.13, 269/166, 269/249, 269/143, 269/257, 269/276
• US Class Current: 248/72
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/10 using pivoting jaws
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/32 using mounting clamps

Abstract

A beam clamp includes a clamp base and a rotational portion. The base includes an interior cavity and an external surface. The base and the rotational portion are pivotably connected by a mateable device. The rotational portion extends into the interior cavity of the base and the rotational portion includes a torsion spring.

Claims

1. A beam clamp comprising:

a body including a base, a rotational portion and a mateable device pivotably connecting said base to said rotational portion, said base having a C-shaped geometry, said C-shaped geometry defining an interior cavity, said base includes two parallel outer plates having said C-shaped geometry connected by a recessed portion, said base including a row of teeth extending into said interior cavity, wherein said base includes a curling bracket therein, said rotational portion extending into said interior cavity, said rotational portion including a series of protruding teeth at one end, said series of protruding teeth extend into said interior cavity.

2. The beam clamp of claim 1, wherein said mateable device includes a pin extending through said base and said rotational portion.

3. The beam clamp of claim 2, wherein said pin includes a torsion spring thereabout to limit the movement of said rotational portion within said interior cavity of said base.

4. The beam clamp of claim 1, wherein said body further includes a bolt extending through said body and engaging with said rotational portion.

5. The beam clamp of claim 1, wherein said rotational portion includes a protruding arch portion perpendicularly extending into said interior cavity of said base.

6. The beam clamp of claim 1, further including a threaded receiver extending through said base to provide for attachment of a threaded rod.

7. The beam clamp of claim 1 wherein said curling bracket includes sloped slots for accepting a mateable portion therein.

8. The beam clamp of claim 1, wherein said recessed portion extending perpendicularly between said plates.

9. The clamp beam of claim 1, wherein said curling bracket includes a rounded end, each rounded end includes said opening therethrough for accepting said mateable device therein, said rounded end includes inwardly facing extension stop which extends into said interior cavity.

10. A beam clamp comprising:

a body including a clamp base, a rotational portion and a mateable device pivotably attaching said clamp base to said rotational portion, said clamp base including two parallel C-shaped planar plates attached together by a recessed portion and a threaded receiver portion, each plate including a row of teeth and an opening through one end of each plate, said recessed portion includes a hole therethrough for a bolt to extend therethough, said threaded receiver portion including a threaded hole to accept a threaded rod therein;

said rotational portion includes a hole therethrough for accepting a mateable device therein; and

said mateable device extends through said openings through said plate ends and said hole through said rotational end.

11. The clamp beam of claim 10, wherein each plate includes a rounded end, each rounded end includes said opening therethrough for accepting said mateable device therein, said rounded end includes inwardly facing extension stop which extends into said interior cavity.

12. The beam clamp of claim 10, said mateable device is a pin.

13. The beam clamp of claim 12, said mateable device further includes a spring, said spring is coiled around said pin and said spring is sandwiched between one of said plates and said rotational portion.

14. The beam clamp of claim 13, said plates, said recessed portion and said threaded receiver portion define an interior cavity of said base, said rotational portion seats within said interior cavity of said base.

15. The beam clamp of claim 10, one end of said rotational portion includes a series of teeth extending outwardly from said end.

16. A beam clamp comprising:

a body including a base, a rotational portion, a mateable device, and a threaded receiver, said base includes an interior cavity and an external surface, said base and said rotational portion are pivotably connected by said mateable device, said rotational portion extends into said interior cavity, said rotational portion including a rounded surface with teeth covering said rounded surface, said rotational portion includes a torsion spring, said threaded receiver extends from said base, said base includes teeth extending toward the rotational portion, said rotational portion includes teeth extending toward the base, said mateable device includes a pair of pins and a pair of slots, said pins extend from said rotational portion and said pair of slots is integral with said base, said pair of pins being received by said pair of slots and pivotable therein; and

a threaded rod attached to said body by mating with said threaded receiver.

17. The beam clamp of claim 16, wherein said rotational portion includes a rounded wedge portion having said rounded surface thereon and a triangular portion integrally extending from said rounded wedge portion.

18. The beam clamp of claim 17, wherein said triangular portion contacts said rod, said rod forcing said rotational portion out from said interior cavity of said base.