Hanger clamp for circular objects

Abstract

A hanger for hanging a circular cross-section object, such as a pipe or conduit, includes a top portion that has a channel for receiving a rod therethrough, and a bottom portion that includes a curved section for receiving the circular object. The bottom portion is hingedly coupled to the top portion at a hinge point. A free end of the top portion fits into a slot in the free end of the bottom portion, with the bottom portion free end secured in a notch in the top portion. Tips of the free end of the top portion may be bent away from each other to lock the portions together. The bottom portion may be in two parts that may be rotated relative to one another to facilitate installing the bottom portion around a pipe or conduit that is to be supported.

1 . A hanger for supporting a circular cross-section object comprising: 
 a top portion having a central channel for receiving a circular cross-section rod; and    a bottom portion hingedly coupled to the top portion at a hinged end of the top portion;    wherein the bottom portion and the top portion are releasably mechanically couplable at a free end of the top portion.    
   
   
       2 . The hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion includes a U-shape object-receiving surface.  
   
   
       3 . The hanger of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom portion includes a pair of bottom portion parts connected together so as to allow the bottom portion to open up to receive the circular cross-section object.  
   
   
       4 . The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom portion parts include respective curved sections that form part of the U-shape object-receiving surface.  
   
   
       5 . The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein one of the bottom portion parts includes a tab that is inserted in a tab-receiving slot in the other bottom portion part.  
   
   
       6 . The hanger of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom portion parts may be relatively twisted, to open up an opening between the top portion and the bottom portion, while the tab is inserted through the tab-receiving slot.  
   
   
       7 . The hanger of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom portion includes: 
 a proximal end that is hingedly coupled to the top portion; and    an upper slot at a distal end away from the proximal end.    
   
   
       8 . The hanger of  claim 7 , 
 wherein the free end of the top portion has a notch for receiving the upper slot of the proximal end of the bottom portion; and    wherein the hinged end and the free end are on opposite sides of the central channel.    
   
   
       9 . The hanger of  claim 8 , wherein the free end of the top portion has an angled corner along a lower edge.  
   
   
       10 . The hanger of  claim 8 , wherein the proximal end of the bottom portion includes a bent end, bent away from the central channel of the top portion when the bottom portion is coupled to the free end of the top portion.  
   
   
       11 . The hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion is a folded over sheet metal part.  
   
   
       12 . The hanger of  claim 11 , wherein at the hinged end of the top portions, the top portion overlaps on both sides an upper end of the bottom portion.  
   
   
       13 . The hanger of  claim 12 , wherein a pivot pin couples together the top portion and the bottom portion at the hinged end of the top portion.  
   
   
       14 . The hanger of  claim 12 , 
 wherein the bottom portion includes a twist section between the upper end of the bottom portion and a lower section of the bottom portion; and    wherein the twist section changes orientation of material of the bottom portion, from that of the upper end to that of the lower section.    
   
   
       15 . The hanger of  claim 14 , wherein the twist section includes a 90-degree change in orientation of the material of the bottom portion.  
   
   
       16 . The hanger of  claim 14 , wherein the lower section includes a downward vertical section and a curved section.  
   
   
       17 . A method of supporting a conduit or pipe run, the method comprising: 
 coupling a top portion of a hanger to a rod supported by structure, wherein the coupling includes securing the rod in a central channel of the top portion;    pivoting a bottom portion of the hanger about a hinged end of the top portion, wherein a proximal end of the bottom portion is hingedly coupled to the hinged end of the top portion by a pivot pin; and    connecting a distal end of the bottom portion to a free end of the top portion, wherein the hinged end and the free end are on opposite sides of the central channel of the top portion.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , 
 wherein the bottom portion includes: 
 a proximal part that is hingedly coupled to the hinged end of the top portion; and  
 a distal part that is connectable to the free end of the top portion;  
   wherein the proximal part and the distal part may be moved relative to one another; and    wherein the connecting includes moving the distal part relative to the proximal part to as to move the distal end of the bottom portion closer to the free end of the top portion.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the moving includes twisting the distal part relative to the proximal part, with a tab on one of the parts received through a slot in the other of the parts.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the connecting includes inserting the free end in the top portion through a slot in the distal end of the bottom portion.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the connecting further includes engaging the slot in the distal end in a notch in the top portion.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the connecting further includes outwardly bringing tips of the top portion that have been inserted through the slot in the distal end, to thereby secure the top portion within the slot in the distal end.