The present invention relates to a mounting bracket for mounting a heating element on a wall or similar.

More specifically the invention is intended for mounting a heating element on a wall, partition or similar that is provided with a least one mounting strip.

In particular the invention is suitable for heating elements of the radiator type that are often used for heating a building.

It is known that the mounting of such a heating element can be realised by providing it with one or more mounting strips with which the heating element can be mounted in a bracket on the wall.

To this end the bracket is provided with a slot or cutaway in which the mounting strip grips. Traditionally the heating element is equipped with four or more mounting strips that are at an equal height on the back of the heating element. The back is the side of the heating element that is intended to face the wall after mounting the heating element against the wall. Such known installations present the disadvantage that the heating element moves with respect to the wall in the event of a sidelong load. As the heating element only hangs on the brackets against the wall under its own weight, an inadvertent or otherwise sidelong load against the heating element can cause the heating element to move sideways. Moreover, as a result the water pipes that are connected to the heating element, in the case of a radiator, could be damaged.

A vertical upward load can cause the heating element to be lifted out of the brackets as it were and is thus completely removed from the wall.

This is of course undesirable as it can lead to damage to the wall, the floor and the heating element and must be avoided at all times.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to at least one of the aforementioned and other disadvantages.

To this end the invention concerns a mounting bracket for mounting a heating element on a wall or similar whereby the heating element is provided with at least one mounting strip, · whereby the mounting bracket comprises a mounting piece that is intended to be fastened against the wall with a slot in which the heating element with its mounting strip can be hooked, and a tensioning piece that is affixed movably in the mounting piece with a good lateral fit, whereby the tensioning piece is provided with a slot opposite the slot in the mounting piece, whereby the openings of the slots face one another and whereby means are provided to tighten the tensioning piece with respect to the mounting piece in the direction of movement in order to clamp the mounting strip between the slots facing one another .

An advantage is that a heating element that is mounted by means of a mounting bracket according to the invention withstands a sidelong load without the heating element moving with respect to the wall.

By tightening the tensioning piece further, the load that the heating element can withstand is greater.

Another advantage is that the heating element cannot be lifted out of the mounting piece by exerting an upward vertical load as the tensioning piece will prevent this.

In a practical embodiment the mounting piece is formed by a U-shaped plate section with two arms and a base, whereby two upright edges of the arms present a protruding section at the location of which the aforementioned slot is provided.

Preferably the slot is formed by one or more plastic parts each provided with a notch, whereby these plastic parts are affixed in cutaways in the protruding section of the aforementioned arms.

This has the advantage that the one or more plastic parts can accommodate the changes in the dimensions of the mounting strip as a result of expansion and contraction due to the effects of heat.

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention the slots in the mounting piece and/or the tensioning piece taper towards the base of the slots.

This has the advantage that when tightening the tensioning piece, the edges of the mounting strip are slid in the slots and can be fastened therein.

The invention also concerns a mounting set for mounting a heating element on a wall or similar, comprising at least one mounting bracket according to the invention with a first mounting piece and a tensioning piece, a second mounting piece and at least one spacer in the form of a mounting bar to which the mounting pieces are or can be affixed at a distance from one another with the opening of their respective slots oriented in the same direction.

Such a mounting set will enable the heating element with its mounting strips to be mounted on the wall and will ensure that the heating element cannot move with respect to the wall under the influence of a sidelong or upward vertical load after mounting. The invention also concerns a heating element provided with a mounting set according to the invention.

With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a few preferred embodiments of a mounting bracket according to the invention, a mounting set and a heating element provided with such a mounting set are described hereinafter by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a heating element that is provided with a mounting set with mounting brackets according to the invention; figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of a mounting piece of a mounting bracket according to the invention;

figure 3 schematically shows a perspective view of a mounting bracket according to the invention;

figure 4 schematically shows a perspective view of a mounting bar;

figures 5 to 10 schematically show the use of the mounting set for mounting a heating element on a wall or similar;

figures 11 and 12 schematically show different perspective views of a locking handle;

figure 13 shows an alternative embodiment of the mounting bar of figure 4;

figures 14 and 15 schematically show the operation of the locking handle and mounting bar of figures 12 and figures 16 to 19 schematically show the use of the locking handle and the mounting bar for mounting a heating element on a wall or similar.

The heating element of the radiator type shown in figure 1 is provided with four mounting strips 2a, 2b on its back 3 by which it is mounted on a wall or similar, whereby for clarity the wall is not shown in the drawing.

The mounting is realised using a mounting set 4 according to the invention, in this case consisting of two mounting brackets 5 according to the invention in which the two mounting strips 2a are affixed at the location of the top 6 of the heating element 1, two mounting pieces 7 for the two mounting strips 2b at the location of the underside 8 and two mounting bars 9 that act as a spacer.

The mounting brackets 5 and the mounting pieces 7 are affixed to the mounting bars 9, which in turn are affixed to the wall using mounting screws 10 or similar.

Figure 2 shows a mounting piece 7 in more detail, which in this case is formed by a U-shaped plate section 11 with two arms 12 and a base 13.

In this case, two upright edges 14 of the arms are folded back perpendicularly towards one another so that they form a back 15 as it were. There is an opening 16 between the folded upright edges 14 to fasten the mounting piece 7 to the wall. In this case the back 15 is also provided with a slot 17 that extends from an edge 18 of the back 15 parallel to the arras 12, and which in this case continues up to the aforementioned opening 16 so that the opening 16 is connected to the slot 17. In so doing the arms 12 are constructed such that they can be pushed elastically towards one another.

The mounting piece 7 is fastened with its back 15 to the wall.

The other two upright edges 19 each present a protruding section 20, in this case at the level of the base 13, so that a type of stepped edge is created. A cutaway 21 is provided in each protruding section 20.

A plastic part 22 is provided in each cutaway 21, whereby this plastic part 22 is provided with a notch 23 to form a slot 23. The slots 23 in the plastic parts 22 taper towards the base 24 of the slot 23.

In the base 13 of the U-shaped plate section 11 there is a round passage 25 in which a screw thread 26 is made. This screw thread 26 can act as a nut that is unturnably affixed in the mounting piece 7.

Lips 27a, 27b are made in the arms 12 of the U-shaped plate section 11, whereby one of the two lips 27b has a hook- shaped part 28 due to the end of the lip 27b being partly folded back into a hook 28. Figure 3 shows a mounting bracket 5 according to the invention in more detail. The mounting bracket consists of a mounting piece 7 as shown in figure 2 and a tensioning piece 29 that is movable along the direction of movement X- X' in the mounting piece 7 with a good lateral fit.

The tensioning piece 29 also consists of a U-shaped plate section 30 with two arms 31 and a bridge 32. In this case the width A of the tensioning piece 29 at the location of a section of the arms 31 is practically the same as the distance B between the arms 12 of the mounting piece 7. It is also possible that the width A of the tensioning piece 29 is equal to this aforementioned distance B over the entire length of the arms 31.

This will ensure that the tensioning piece 29 cannot turn and can move in the mounting piece 7 with a good fit. The arms 31 of the tensioning piece 29 are also provided with a protruding section 33, in this case at the level of the bridge 32, so that a type of stepped edge is created. Notches 34 are made in this protruding section 33 to form a slot 34. In this case these slots 34 also taper towards the base 35 of the slots 34.

The slot 34 of the tensioning piece 29 is located opposite the slot 23 in the mounting piece 7 and such that the openings of both slots 23 and 34 are oriented towards one another. A passage 36 is provided in the bridge 32 for a bolt 37 that extends along the direction of movement X-X' . The bolt 37 can be turned but is blocked in the axial direction X-X' with respect to the tensioning piece 29 by, in this case, the head 38 of the bolt 37 being larger on one side of the passage 36 than the passage 36 in the tensioning piece 29 and on the other side of the passage 36 the bolt shank 39 presents a local thickening 40 that is larger than the aforementioned passage 36.

The bolt 37 can mesh with the screw thread 26 in the base 13 of the mounting piece 7 and to this end is provided with a complementary screw thread 41 over at least a part of the bolt shank 39.

In this case the head 38 of the bolt 37 is suitable for use with a hex key or another less common tool.

This has the advantage that unqualified people who do not have the right tools cannot operate the bolt 37.

Figure 4 shows a mounting bar 9 of a mounting set 4 according to the invention. As mentioned above in this case the mounting set 4 comprises two such mounting bars 9.

The longitudinal edges 42 of the mounting bar 9 are folded so that the mounting bar 9 is U-shaped. The distance C between the folded edges 42 of the mounting bar 9 corresponds to the width D of the back 15 of a mounting piece 7 so that the mounting pieces 7 can be held with a good fit between the aforementioned edges 42. Two pairs of cutaways 43a, 43b located opposite one another are provided in the folded longitudinal edges 42, with one pair at the level of each end 44a, 44b of the mounting bar 9. The cutaways 43a, 43b are designed such that the lips 27a, 27b of the mounting piece 7 can grip therein by being snapped in to fasten the mounting piece 7 to the mounting bar 9. In this case the mounting bar 9 has two lock-shaped fastening holes 45 with a round passage 46 and a slot- shaped passage 47 connected thereto. These lock-shaped fastening holes 45 are at the level of the cutaways 43a, 43b.

The slot-shaped passages 47 are hereby oriented upwards, i.e. towards the end 44a of the mounting bar 9 that is intended to be oriented upwards when fastened. The operation of the mounting bracket 5 and the mounting set 4 for mounting a heating element 1 to a wall 48 or similar is very simple and as follows.

In a first step the first mounting piece 7 of the mounting bracket 5 and the second mounting piece 7 are fastened to each mounting bar 9.

By pushing the arms 12 of the first mounting piece 7 together, the lips 27a, 27b are brought together as it were, and the lips 27a, 27b in the cutaways 43a at the top end 44a of the mounting bar 9 can be snapped in. Preferably the lip 27a without a hook-shaped part 28 is first affixed in the recess 43a.

In this way a type of snap connection is realised between the first mounting piece 7 and the mounting bar 9.

The second mounting piece 7 is fastened in a similar way to the bottom end 44b of the mounting bar 9. This is shown in figure 5 where it can also clearly be seen that, by a suitable positioning of the lips 27a, 27b and the cutaways 43a, 43b in the mounting bar 9, in the mounted situation of the mounting pieces 7 the opening 16 and the slot 17 in the back 15 of the mounting pieces 7 coincide or practically coincide with the round passage 46 and the slot-shaped passage 47 of the lock-shaped fastening holes 45.

Then the mounting bars 9 are fastened to the wall 48 by means of two mounting screws 10 each time, which if desired can also form part of and be provided in the mounting set 4. These mounting screws 10 are fastened to the wall 48 in a suitable and known way. As shown in figure 6, the mounting bar 9 with the round passages 46 can then be affixed over the head of the mounting screws 10 according to arrow A and are slid downwards in the direction of arrow B so that the head 49 of the mounting screw 10 comes to the location of the slot- shaped passage 47. If necessary or desired the mounting screws 10 can be tightened such that the mounting bar 9 is firmly fastened against the wall 48. Figure 7 shows a detail of the mounting bar 9 of figure 6. As can be seen in this drawing, the mounting screw 10 is also affixed through the slot 17 in the back 15 of the mounting pieces 7. As in this case the diameter E of the shank 50 of the mounting screws 10 is practically equal to the width F of the slot 17 in the back 15 of the mounting pieces 7 without the arms 12 being pushed together, in this way the mounting screws 10 can prevent the arms 12 of the mounting pieces 7 being pushed together and thus the lips 27a, 27b being able to come out of the cutaways 43a, 43b in the folded edges 42 of the mounting bars 9.

Tensioning pieces 29 are affixed in the top two mounting pieces 7 that are slid between the arms 12 of the mounting pieces 7, as shown in figure 8. The bolt 37 is hereby partially affixed through the round passage 25 with the screw thread 26 of the mounting piece 7 so that the bolt 37 can mesh with the screw thread 26.

Then the heating element 1 with its mounting strip 2a, 2b can be affixed in the slots 23 of the mounting pieces 7, as shown in figures 8 and 9. The bolt 37 is tightened so that the tensioning piece 29 and the mounting piece 7 come together and the tensioning piece 29 is tightened with respect to the mounting piece 7 in the direction of movement X-X' . The top mounting strips 2a are hereby clamped in between the slots 23, 24 oriented towards one another. This is shown in figure 9.

It is possible that the tensioning pieces 29 are only affixed after the heating element 1 with its mounting strips 2a, 2b is affixed in the slots 23 of the mounting pieces 7.

Figure 10 shows a detail of figure 9, in which it can clearly be seen how the mounting bracket 5 can clamp in the mounting strip 2a. By tightening the tensioning piece 29, the mounting strip 2a is pressed against the base 24, respectively 35, of the grooves 23, respectively 34, so that the mounting strip 2a is clamped as it were in the grooves 23, 34. This results in the heating element 1 not being able to move with respect to the wall 48, not even with a sidelong or upward vertical load.

It is clear that it is also possible to affix the mounting brackets 5 and the mounting pieces 7 directly to the wall 48 without making use of the mounting bar 9. However, the use of the mounting bar 9 has the advantage that it will ensure that the mounting pieces 7 are always at the suitable distance from one another.

Because the lock-shaped fastening holes 45 in the mounting bar 9 are at the same distance as the distance between the mounting strips 2a and 2b, the appropriate location in the wall 48 can be determined where the mounting screws 10 must be affixed by measuring out the aforementioned distance on the wall 48. Instead of using a mounting set 4 based on a mounting bracket 5 and an additional mounting piece 7, it is also possible to make use of a mounting set 4 based on a mounting bracket 5 and an additional locking handle 51, as shown in figures 11 and 12.

As can clearly be seen in the drawings, this locking handle 51 comprises a slot 52 that is intended to grip over a mounting strip 2b of the heating element 1. Furthermore a section 53 is provided that is intended to be affixed on the mounting bar 9.

In order to fasten the locking handle 51 to the mounting bar 9, the mounting bar 9 is provided with a narrowing 54 at the end 44b in the direction of the end 44b concerned, as shown in figure 13.

This end 44b will be oriented downwards upon installation of the heating element 1.

The folded longitudinal edges 42 at the location of this narrowing 54 are folded over. This means that the longitudinal edges 42 are folded over towards one another so that the cross-section of the mounting bar 9 at the location of the narrowing 54 is C-shaped. Furthermore the aforementioned section 53 of the locking handle 51 is provided with a corresponding bevelling, such that the locking handle 51 can be slid in the narrowing 54 of the mounting bar 9.

Means are also provided to affix the locking handle 51 in a movable and lockable way in the mounting bar 9.

These means consist of the aforementioned section 53 on the side that comes against the mounting bar 9 being provided with grooves or ribs 55, as shown in figure 12.

The mounting bar is provided with a protruding lip 56 that can engage with these ribs 55, as shown in figure 13.

In this case this lip 56 is constructed as a U-cutout in the mounting bar 9, whereby the U-shaped section released is folded back. Figures 14 and 15 show the operation of the means. The locking handle 51 with the aforementioned section 53 with bevelling is slid in the corresponding narrowing 54 of the mounting bar 9, as shown in figure 14. The folded-over longitudinal edges 42 will hold the locking handle 51 in the narrowing 5 .

By sliding the locking handle 51 further into the narrowing 54 of the mounting bar 9, the protruding lip 56 will engage with the ribs 55 or grooves, such that the locking handle 51 cannot slide back up. This is shown in figure 15. In this way the locking handle 51 is locked as it were in the mounting bar 9.

The locking handle 51 is also provided with a hook 57, handle, handgrip or similar at the end of the bevelling of the aforementioned section 53, which enables the grooves or ribs 55 to be pulled away from the protruding lip 56.

Indeed, by pulling the hook 57 forwards, i.e. in a direction away from the mounting bar 9, the aforementioned section 53 with the bevelling will be pulled away from the protruding lip 56. As a result the lip 56 will no longer engage with the ribs 55 or grooves and the locking handle 51 can be slid out of the mounting bar 9 with an upward movement .

Note that to make this possible, the ribs 55 or grooves are affixed to a part of the aforementioned section 53 that is partly released from the aforementioned section 53 via two vertical incisions 58, whereby the vertical incisions 58 are such that the part thus created fits between the folded-over longitudinal edges 42.

It is also possible that the part where the ribs 55 or grooves are made at the end of the aforementioned section 53.

The hook 57 can also be used to lock the locking handle 51 in the mounting bar 9. A mounting set 4 consisting of a mounting bar 9 as shown in figure 13, a mounting bracket 5 as shown in figure 3, and a locking handle 51 in figure 11, can be used to mount a heating element 1 on a wall 48 or similar, according to the steps as shown in figures 16 to 19.

Two mounting bars 9 are fastened to a wall 48 at the suitable location, whereby a mounting piece 7 and a locking handle 51 is fastened to the mounting bar 9 each time.

It must be noted here that the locking handle 51 is not yet locked in the mounting bar 9, but is in a position as shown in figure 14, whereby the lip 56 does not yet engage with the ribs 55.

The heating element 1 can be affixed with its two top mounting strips 2a in the mounting pieces 7, as shown in figure 16. The heating element 1 will come to rest at the bottom against the locking handles 51 under the influence of gravity, as shown in figure 17.

The slot 52 is now above the bottom mounting strip 2b.

Then the locking handle 51 is moved downwards, for example by pulling it downwards by means of the hook 57. This is shown in figure 18. In this way the slot 52 will grip over the mounting strip 2b of the heating element 1. Moreover the protruding lip 56 will engage with the grooves or ribs 55 so that the locking handle 51 can no longer be moved upwards.

Finally the tensioning piece 29 can be mounted to fasten the top mounting strips 2a in the mounting brackets 5, in the same way as described above. In this way the heating element 1 is firmly mounted on the wall 48, as shown in figure 19.

The material from which the mounting bar 9, the mounting bracket 5 and/or the locking handle 51 are made is preferably sheet steel or similar.

In the most preferred embodiment use is made of rolled steel, whereby the rolling process creates a surface structure on the steel surface in the form of small projections and indentations with a specific form and dimensions and a certain pattern, as described in GB 2.454.820 and EP 0.674.551, for example.

The advantage of such a material is that the steel is stronger such that the sheet steel can be chosen to be thinner. This means that less material is required to manufacture a mounting set 4 with the same strength and sturdiness. Moreover such a surface structure gives the material an attractive appearance. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a mounting bracket 5 according to the invention, a mounting set 4 and a heating element 1 provided with such a mounting set 4 can be realised in all kinds of forms and dimensions, without departing from the scope of the invention.