A TWO PART CLAMP ARRANGEMENT

The present invention relates to a two part clamp arrangement and in particular to a two part clamp arrangement for jointing tubular components

A wide range of mechanical components are manufactured and assembled with multiple component parts and the component parts are often hollow to facilitate the passage of fluid from one component to the next It is often desirable to seal the hollow tubular component parts together along their abutting edges with their tubular walls in alignment and a range of clamps have been designed and manufactured to fulfil this function The standard clamp for tubular components with a circular cross-section comprises a two part clamp comprising two semi-circular components hinged together at one point and having means for securing the two semi-circular components together at a location diametrically opposed to the hinge Further technical advancements of the two part clamp arrangement include means for tightening the two semi-circular components together to form a strong seal on the mechanical component parts where water or high pressure fluid is being pumped through the component parts, for example

Although, this type of clamp is effective for its purpose, the two semi-circular component parts have different structures formed about their ends which are hinged together in use As a result of the different formations required about the hinged end of the two semicircular component parts, the manufacture of the clamp requires the use of two separate moulding tools with the inherent duplication of design and tooling costs There is also the problem of pairing off the two different semi-circular component parts for packaging and shipping which requires either manual or computerised pairing adding cost to the manufacturing process

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problem of manufacturing two separate forms for the two component parts of a clamp arrangement for clamping together two tubular mechanical components

Accordingly, the present invention provides a two part clamp arrangement for enclosing and clamping two items together, the two part clamp arrangement comprising two components which are identical, each component having a hinge formation on one end to be coupled together with an identical hinge formation on a corresponding end of the other component to form a releasable hinge

Advantageously, both components of the two-part clamp arrangement of the present invention are manufactured in the same moulding tool This has significant tooling and manufacturing cost savings It also reduces the labour costs associated with the prior art clamp which involve selecting two cooperating semi-circular components with different hinge formations off the production line This prior art problem is overcome because all of the components manufactured for the two-part clamp arrangement of the present invention are formed for cooperation with each other as they are identical

Preferably, the two components are identical semicircular ring type components Ideally, the semicircular πng type components have a main body with a truncated v- shaped cross-section

Preferably, the truncated v-shaped main body of the semicircular ring type component defines a truncated v-shaped groove therein Advantageously, the internal groove is formed for receiving flanges on mechanical component parts of for example adjacent tubular parts of a pump to be clamped together Preferably, the truncated v-shaped mam body of the semicircular ring type component tapers radially outwardly

Ideally, the hinge formation on one end of the component comprises means for receiving a protrusion and a separate protrusion

Preferably, the means for receiving the protrusion comprises a hook extending from a first lateral edge of the hinge end of the component and hooking inwardly towards the other end of the component

Ideally the hook has a side wall offset outwardly from the first lateral edge of the hinge end of the component

Ideally, the protrusion extends from a second lateral edge of the hinge end of the component

Preferably, the protrusion and the hook define a gap there between Ideally, the gap is substantially in alignment with the central portion of the truncated v- shaped groove

Ideally, the hook and the side wall of the hook of one component defines a space formed for receiving the protrusion of the second component when the two components are manipulated into position to form the releasable hinge

Ideally, each component has facilitating means on the end distal to the hinge end Preferably, the facilitating means receives means for fastening the two components together

Ideally, the facilitating means comprises a flange extending outwardly from the component

Preferably, the flange extends radially outwardly from the semicircular ring type component

Ideally, the flange defines a through bore for receiving a fastener The fastener can be any suitable fastening means such as a nut and bolt or a screw for holding the two components together

Preferably, the longitudinal axis of the through bore extends substantially perpendicular to the diameter of the semicircular ring type component

Ideally, the components are manufactured from a thermoplastic material Preferably, the components are manufactured from acetal The present invention further provides a two part hinge arrangement, the two part hinge arrangement comprising two components each having a hinge formation on one end to be coupled together with an identical hinge formation on a corresponding end of the other component to form a releasable hinge

Ideally, the hinge formation on one end of the component comprises means for receiving a protrusion and a separate protrusion

Preferably, the means for receiving the protrusion comprises a hook extending from a first lateral edge of the hinge end of the component and hooking inwardly towards the component

Ideally the hook has a side wall offset outwardly from the first lateral edge of the hinge end of the component

Ideally, the protrusion extends from a second lateral edge of the hinge end of the component

Preferably, the protrusion and the hook define a gap there between

Ideally, the gap is substantially in alignment with the central portion of the component Ideally, the hook and the side wall of the hook of one component defines a space formed for receiving the protrusion of the second component when the two components are manipulated into position to form the releasable hinge

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only one embodiment of a two-part clamp arrangement in accordance with the invention In the drawings -

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the two part clamp arrangement in an assembled condition,

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the two part clamp arrangement of Figure 1 ,

Figure 3 is an end view of the two part clamp arrangement showing the hinge end, Figure 4 is an elevational view of one semicircular ring type component of the two part clamp arrangement,

Figure 5 is a underneath plan view of the semicircular ring type component of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an end view of the semicircular ring type component of Figure 4 and Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a section view of Figure 6 taken along line A-A, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the semicircular ring type component of Figures 4 to 7

Referring to the drawings there is shown a two-part circular clamp arrangement indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 having two semicircular ring type components 2 which are identical, each semicircular ring type component 2 having a formation 3 on one end 4 to be coupled together with an identical formation 3 on a corresponding end 4 of the other semicircular ring type component 2 to form a releasable hinge

Each semicircular ring type component 2 has a facilitating member 7 on the end 9 distal to the hinge end 4 for receiving fastening members such as a nut and bolt 5 see Figure 2 or a screw for fastening the two semicircular ring type components 2 together The facilitating member 7 comprises a flange 31 see Figures 4 and 7 extending radially outwardly from the semicircular ring type component 2 and defining a through bore 32 there through for receiving a fastener for holding the two semicircular ring type components 2 together The longitudinal axis of the through bore 32 extends substantially perpendicular to the diameter of the semicircular ring type component 2

Advantageously, both semicircular ring type components 2 of the two-part circular clamp arrangement 1 of the present invention are manufactured in the same moulding tool This has significant tooling and manufacturing cost savings It also reduces the labour costs associated with the prior art clamp which involve selecting two cooperating semi-circular components with different hinge formations off the production line This prior art problem is overcome because all of the semicircular ring type components 2 manufactured for the two- part circular clamp arrangement 1 of the present invention are formed for cooperation with each other as they are identical

The semicircular ring type components 2 have a main body 32 with a truncated v- shaped cross-section The truncated v-shaped main body 32 of the semicircular ring type component 2 defines a truncated v-shaped groove 22 therein Advantageously, the internal truncated v-shaped groove 22 is formed for receiving flanges on mechanical component parts of for example adjacent tubular parts of a pump to be clamped together The truncated v-shaped main body 32 of the semicircular ring type component 2 tapers radially outwardly

The hinge formation 3 on one end 4 of the semicircular ring type component 2 comprises a member 11 for receiving a protrusion and a separate protrusion 12 The member 1 1 for receiving the protrusion comprises a hook 14 extending from a first lateral edge 15 see Figures 6 and 7 of the hinge end 4 of the semicircular ring type component 2 and hooking radially inwardly towards the facilitating member 7 The protrusion 12 extends from a second lateral edge 17 see Figures 5 and 6 of the hinge end 4 of the semicircular ring type component 2 and the protrusion 12 and the hook 14 define a gap 18 there between The gap 18 is substantially in alignment with the central portion of the truncated v-shaped groove 22 The hook 14 has a side wall 41 see Figures 7 and 8 offset outwardly from the first lateral edge 15 of the hinge end 4 of the component 2

The hook 14 of one semicircular ring type component 2 and the side wall 41 of the hook 14 define a space formed for receiving the protrusion 12 of the second semicircular ring type component 2 when the two semicircular ring type components 2 are manipulated into position to form the releasably engageable hinge The semicircular ring type components 2 are manufactured from a thermoplastic material and most preferably, the semicircular ring type components 2 are manufactured from acetal

In use, an operator places two tubular component parts of a mechanical component such as a pump together and lifts two identical semicircular ring type components 2 and places them with their hinge end 4 and their facilitating members 7 adjacent to each other so that they form a ring component In this position, the hook 14 and protrusion 12 of one semicircular ring type component 2 are in contact with the protrusion 12 and the hook 14 respectively of the facing semicircular ring type component 2 Holding one semicircular ring type component 2 in the left hand and one semicircular ring type component 2 in the right hand, the hinge ends 4 of the two semicircular ring type components 2 are held in contact while the facilitating member ends 9 are moved laterally relative to one another and the facilitating members 7 are moved past each other creating an oval shaped helix like form until the protrusions 12 of each semicircular ring type component 2 slip into the space created by the hook 14 and side wall 41 of the other semicircular ring type component 2

When this happens, the facilitating members 7 of both semicircular ring type components 2 are moved back towards each other and laterally relative to one another until the through bores 32 of the flanges 31 are in alignment Bolt 5 is then passed through the bores 32 of both flanges 31 and held in place by a nut or a tapped portion of the bore 32 or a tapped insert held in the bore 32

Variations and modifications can be made to the details of the embodiment outlined above without departing from the scope of the invention and as claimed hereafter