The present invention relates to a telescopically adjustable support member, intended to faciliate attachment of pipes, electrical wiring or similar, adjacent to a ceiling surface or other supporting surface.

A frequently used type of support member for the above purpose comprises a distance member having a circular, rectangular or square cross-section, at one end portion arranged to faciliate attachment against the supporting surface by means of screws or similar, and at the opposed end portion arranged to faciliate attachment of a pipe strap, intended to embrace and support a pipe or similar. The suppor¬ ting member is cut to desired length when attached, and can be arranged with separated through holes or grooves, intended to faciliate a certain distance adjustment of the strap supporting the pipe in relation to the supporting surface when the strap is attached, said attachment usually being performed by means of a bolt connection. In order to simplify adjustment of the distance between the supporting surface and the supporting strap with related supported pipe or similar, support members have been proposed with a distance member divided in two parts, said parts being arranged in a parallel and adjacent relationship, attached to each other by means of a joining member. Said joining member may be a locking member including a bolt or screw, or a resilient member arranged to force the adjacent distance members together, and thus prevent a movement of the distance members in relation to each other. Examples of the latter type of support members are shown in AU-PS 109.796 and US-PS 2.696.674.

A major disadvantage with support members of previously known type is, that the distance members used are provided in rigid lengths having a considerably long length, which are difficult to carry during the attachment operation. A further disadvantage is the method in which the pipe strap is attached to the distance member, which causes a relatively long assembly and disassembly time. Furthermore, suitable types of straps and related attachment means must be carried during the attachment operation. The cost for each support point is thus relativly high both with regard to the parts used as with regard to attachment time.

The object of the present invention is to disclose a support member for the above purpose, which removes all the above disadvantages related to previously known types, and which with a minimum of basic parts faciliates attachment with maximum adjustment to existing pipe dimensions and desired attachment distances from a supporting surface, as well as rapid and simple adjustment of said distance. The parts used can also easily be carried during the attachment operation, and the installation time is reduced to a miminu .

The characteristic and novel features of the support member accor- ding to the present invention are disclosed in the following main claim, and further characteristic features are also disclosed in related subclaims.

Examples of a support member according to the present invention are more fully described below, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a support member according to the present invention, arranged supporting a pipe.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a part of a support member according to the present invention, slightly modified in relation to fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a section I - I through the support member shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a section corresponding to fig. 3, slightly modified. Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a first type of joint in a support member according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a second type of joint in a support member according to the present invention.

With reference to fig. 1, a first basic embodiment of a telescopi¬ cally adjustable support member according to the present invention is shown. According to this embodiment, the support member comprises of a mainly U-shaped section 1, into which a strip-shaped member 2, having a preferably rectangular cross-section, is inserted.

The strip-shaped member 2 is arranged extending from the bottom portion of the section 1 and extends past the sides of the section 1, whereby the strip-shaped member 2 extends from the section 1 with the edge portion arranged opposed to the edge portion being in contact with the internal bottom surface of the section 1. A preferably V-shaped

spring member 3, in each leg having a centrally located through slot 4, 4 ¹ , is arranged to embrace the section 1 and the strip-shaped member 2 inserted therein by means of said slots 4, 4'. When the legs of the V- shaped member 3 are manually moved in direction towards each other, the strip-shaped member can be moved in relation to the section 1, whereas the V-shaped member 3 in uninfluenced position resiliently takes up contact with the section 1 and the strip-shaped member 2 by means of the end portions of the slots 4, 4', thus preventing a sliding movement between said members, 1 and 2 respectively. The strip-shaped member 2 is at the free end portion arranged shaped circularly to a supporting part 5, intended to support a pipe 6 or similar. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, a strap member 7 of previously known type is used to lock the free end portion of the strip-shaped member 2 adjacent to the pipe 6 against the part extending into the section 1. Furthermore, the closed portion of the V-shaped spring members 3 is arranged with a centrally located through slot 8, intended to simplify manual depression of the legs of the V-shaped member 3 in direction towards each other.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a telescopically movable joining point in a support member. According to this embodiment, two U- shaped sections are utilized, 1 and 1' respectively, arranged with a longitudinally extending member inserted into the adjacent sections 1, l ¹ , and with the closed portions of the sections 1, 1' directed towards the end portions of the slots 4, 4'. The method in which the sections 1, 1' are arranged is also shown in fig. 3. A further modified embodiment is shown in fig. 4, in which two strip-shaped members, 2 and 2 ' respectively, are used in connection with the V-shaped spring member 3, both partly embraced by the U-shaped section 1, and with the edge portions not embraced extending from same. This embodiment can be used to accomplish a locking member in connection with the shaped portion 6 shown in fig. 1 and as replacement for the strap member 7.

In order to join included parts, there are several possibilities. With reference to fig. 5, it is shown how a joint of included strip- shaped members 2, 2', can be achieved, using a short section 1. The shαct section 1 is shown adjacent to the closed portion of the V-shaped member and with the strip-shaped members 2, 2' inserted into the section 1 in a position, in which the end portions of the strip-shaped members

2, 2' are located mainly central in relation to the V-shaped member 3 with the end portions in an adjacent position.

An alternative type of joint is shown in fig. 6, intended to faciliate joining of two U-shaped sections 1, V. In this embodiment, a short strip-shaped member 2 is utilized, inserted into each end portion of the U-shaped sections 1, 1', said members being joined by means of the V-shaped spring member in previously described fashion.

The above described embodiments faciliate accomplishment of a telescopically height adjustable supporting member with a miminu number of parts, and by use of parts which are not space consuming or difficult to carry during the attachment operation. The strip-shaped member 2, 2' is preferably a metal strip carried as a roll, from which suitable lengths are cut. The U-shaped sections 1, I ¹ are preferably carried in short lengths intended to be used for joining or strengthe- ning purposes. Further, only a number of V-shaped spring members 3 are required, unless strap-members of the type disclosed with reference to fig. 1 are intended to be used.

During ah attachment operation, a short length is cut from the roll of strip-shaped material , and bent around the pipe 6 or any other member intended to be supported by the supporting member. Preferably, a U-shaped section 1 is thereafter attached adjacent to the pipe 6, attached to the bent strip-shaped member 2 by means of a spring.member 3. In those case where the pipe 6 is intended to be attached adjacent to a supporting surface, the length of the section 1 may be the required length, in which case the end portion of the section 1 directed from the pipe 6 is bent and attached against the supporting surface by means of screws or bolts, or any other previously known method. When a larger distance is required, a strip-shaped member 2 is inserted into the end portion of the section 1 directed from the pipe 6, attached to same by means of a further V-shaped spring member 3. Attachment against the supporting surface can in this case be performed by attachment of the free end portion of the strip-shaped member 2 against the surface in a previously known way, or by attaching a further section 1 by means of a further V-shaped member 3. Accordingly, the major length of the supporting member can thus comprise of a strip-shaped member 2, or by one or a number of sections 1, 1' joined in the manner described with reference to figs. 2 and 3 or

fig. 6.

There are also other combinations with regard to supports, based on the different methods to attach and join the parts as previously described and shown in the accompanying drawings. A primary factor is, that the present invention discloses a method to create support members, which can easily be telescopically adjusted to desired length from the supporting surface, and that the support member uses a minimum of parts, which parts also require a minimum space for the person performing the attachment operation. Support members having a considerably long length extension can also be accomp¬ lished without need for rigid sections or rods having a corresponding length.

Furthermore, it is preferred to arrange the strip-shaped members in a position adjacent to the end portions of the slots 4, 4 ¹ which are adjacent to the free end portions of the legs of the V-shaped spring member. When the load is increased on the support member, the edge portions of the slots 4, 4' take up contact with the members surrounded by the slots 4, 4', whereby the risk for a sliding movement is eliminated. In view of the large number of combinations possible when accomp- lishing a support member according to the present invention, the shown and described embodiment only serve as examples of embodiments, intended to indicate the scope of the inventive thought. It should be emphasized, that many other possibilities exist for accomplishing combinations intended to faciliate creation of support members, based on the principals disclosed, and such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the present invention and the following claims.