IP Library Granted Patent US 7,793,988
Granted Patent B1
US 7,793,988 · App. 09/849,635 · Granted Sep 14, 2010

Connector for electrical wire-carrying conduits

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,793,988
App. No.
09/849,635
Granted
Sep 14, 2010
Kind
B1
Abstract

A coupling device for electrical wire-carrying conduits for assembly with an overhead support member having a stem with a free threaded end. The coupling device includes an integral tubular member having axially opposed ends, each of which receives an end of a mating conduit, and the integral top surface on the tubular member has an aperture for engagement with the free end of the stem of the supporting member.

Claims (73)

1. A combination of a coupling member, an electrical wire-carrying conduit, and a connecting member adapted for positioning and securing said conduit to a remote supporting structure having an elongated surface spaced from said coupling member, said combination comprising:

said electrical wire-carrying conduit having opposite ends;

said coupling member receiving and supporting said conduit, said coupling member comprises a tubular member having a longitudinal axis and at least one end, said end receiving one end of said conduit along said longitudinal axis, and said tubular member having a wall containing an aperture extending generally perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis of said tubular member; and

said connecting member having opposite ends, one end of said connecting member securely engaging said aperture in said wall of said tubular member, the opposite end of said connecting member extending outwardly beyond said wall and away from said aperture, and

a clamp assembly comprising

i) a clamp body having a generally C-shape configuration and comprising

(1) a first arm having opposite ends and having a generally smooth, flat surface

(2) a second arm having opposite ends and spaced from and having a surface generally parallel to said flat surface of said first arm,

(3) a web connecting one end of said first arm and a corresponding one end of said second arm, and

(4) each of said first arm and said second arm having threaded apertures extending therethrough, and

ii) a threaded member threaded through said threaded aperture of said second arm for threaded adjustment,

iii) said opposite end of said connecting member threaded through said first arm aperture for threaded adjustment of said first and second arms,

said clamp assembly being adapted to be selectively and adjustably connected along said remote supporting structure to permit said connecting member to adjustably and selectively support and position said conduit with respect to said elongated surface of said remote supporting structure and being adapted to selectively and securely engage said remote supporting structure to securely hold and support said coupling member and said conduit in a selected position with respect to said elongated surface of said supporting structure and adapted to be removably engagable to said remote supporting structure.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said wall is raised relative to the exterior surface of said tubular member.

3. A combination as in claim 2 wherein said aperture is threaded internally and said end of said connecting member is externally matingly threaded for engaging into said internally threaded aperture.

4. A combination as in claim 3 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

5. A combination as in claim 4 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

6. A combination as in claim 2 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

7. A combination as in claim 3 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

8. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said aperture is threaded internally and said end of said connecting member is externally matingly threaded for engaging into said internally threaded aperture.

9. A combination as in claim 8 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

10. A combination as in claim 9 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

11. A combination as in claim 8 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

12. A combination as in claim 1 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

13. A combination as in claim 12 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

14. A combination as in claim 2 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

15. A combination as in claim 14 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

16. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

17. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said aperture is threaded internally and said end of said connecting member is externally matingly threaded for engaging into said internally threaded aperture.

18. A combination as in claim 17 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

19. A combination as in claim 18 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

20. A combination as in claim 17 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

21. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said end of said connecting member is positioned within the confine of said tubular member in direct contact with said conduit.

22. The combination of claim 1 , wherein each of said ends of said tubular member is externally threaded for receiving said conduit.

23. The combination of claim 1 , wherein each of said ends of said tubular member further having an opening through said tubular member, said opening is internally threaded to receive a set screw for securely positioning said conduit.

24. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tubular member further having a wall surrounding an interior space, wherein said aperture receiving said end of said connecting member within said interior space.

25. The combination of claim 1 wherein said conduit further having a longitudinal axis coaxially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said tubular member.

26. In combination, a remote supporting structure and a device depending from said remote support structure for selectively positioning at least one conduit in depending relationship with respect to said remote supporting structure, said device comprising, in combination,

an electrical wire-carrying conduit, having a first and second opposite ends,

a coupling member receiving one end of said conduit,

a connecting member, and

a clamp assembly selectively positioning and adjustably securing along said conduit with respect to the remote supporting structure having an elongated surface generally parallel to the conduit

wherein,

b) said electrical wire-carrying conduit has opposite ends,

i) each of said ends having a longitudinal axis, and

ii) said conduit having a longitudinal axis coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of at least one end;

c) said coupling member comprising a tubular member having at least one end and having a wall containing an aperture facing the remote supporting structure above said coupling member,

i) said aperture being threaded internally,

ii) said at least one end of said tubular member having a longitudinal axis and receiving one end of said conduit and

iii) said longitudinal axis of said one end of said conduit being coaxial with respect to said longitudinal axis of said tubular member;

d) said connecting member having opposite ends,

i) one end of said connecting member being externally matingly threaded for securely engaging into said internally threaded aperture of said tubular member,

ii) the opposite end of said connecting member extending outwardly beyond said wall of said tubular member and toward said remote supporting structure from which said device depends; and

e) said clamp assembly comprising

i) a clamp body having a generally C-shape configuration and comprising

(1) a first arm having opposite ends and having a generally smooth, flat surface

(2) a second arm having opposite ends and spaced from and having a surface generally parallel to said flat surface of said first arm,

(3) a web connecting one end of said first arm and a corresponding one end of said second arm, and

(4) each of said first arm and said second arm having threaded apertures extending therethrough, and

ii) a threaded member threaded through said threaded aperture of said second arm for threaded adjustment,

iii) said opposite end of said connecting member threaded through said first arm aperture for threaded adjustment of said first and second arms,

said clamp assembly being selectively and adjustably connected along said remote supporting structure to permit said connecting member to adjustably and selectively support and position said conduit with respect to said elongated surface of said remote supporting structure and being adapted to selectively and securely engage said remote supporting structure to securely hold and support said coupling member and said conduit in a selected position with respect to said elongated surface of said supporting structure and to be removably engagable to said remote supporting structure.

27. A combination as in claim 26 wherein said wall is raised relative to the exterior surface of said tubular member.

28. A combination as in claim 27 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

29. A combination as in claim 28 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

30. A combination as in claim 27 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

31. A combination as in claim 26 further comprising a lock nut along said end of said connecting member for locking said end of said connecting member into said aperture.

32. A combination as in claim 31 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

33. A combination as in claim 26 wherein said tubular member further having a stop member having a round shape projects internally at about the middle of said tubular member.

34. The combination of claim 26 , wherein said end of said connecting member is positioned within the confine of said tubular member in direct contact with said conduit.

35. The combination of claim 26 , wherein each of said ends of said tubular member is externally threaded for receiving said conduit.

36. The combination of claim 26 , wherein each of said ends of said tubular member further having an opening through said tubular member, said opening is internally threaded to receive a set screw for securely positioning said conduit.

37. The combination of claim 26 , wherein said aperture is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tubular member.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2021
From: AFC CABLE SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLIED TUBE & CONDUIT CORPORATION; ATKORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.; CALPIPE INDUSTRIES, LLC; UNISTRUT INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; WPFY, INC.; US TRAY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056409/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2021
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.; ATKORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 056377/0971 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2020
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053634/0323 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2016
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
To: AFC CABLE SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLIED TUBE & CONDUIT CORPORATION; AMERICAN PIPE & PLASTICS, INC.; ATKORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.; FLEXHEAD INDUSTRIES INC.; UNISTRUT INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; WPFY, INC.
Reel/Frame 041178/0655 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2016
From: STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
To: ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 039106/0919 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2016
From: SHEMTOV, SAMI
To: STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 039099/0093 →
SECOND LIEN NOTICE AND CONFIRMATION OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jun 2, 2015
From: ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 035812/0789 →
FIRST LIEN NOTICE AND CONFIRMATION OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jun 2, 2015
From: ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 035813/0911 →
ABL NOTICE AND CONFIRMATION OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jun 2, 2015
From: ATKORE STEEL COMPONENTS, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 035813/0922 →