Brace connecting fittings

Abstract

To provide a brace connection metal fitting allowing more efficient fitting work than ever.SOLUTION: A brace connection metal fitting 1 connecting brace bolts to a hanging bolt has a first metal fitting 2, a second metal fitting 3 and a pair of fastening bolts 4, 4. The second metal fitting 3 can be rotated around one fastening bolt 4 out of the pair of the fastening bolts 4, 4 fitted to a pair of first extension parts 11a, 11b of the first metal fitting 2. Rotation of the second metal fitting 3 opens or closes a space holding a hanging bolt 110 between a first holding part 10 and a second holding part 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a brace connecting fitting that connects a brace bolt, which serves as a diagonal reinforcement member, to a suspension bolt. [Background technology]

[0002] In a structure in which a ceiling-suspended object such as an air conditioner is suspended from a suspension bolt that hangs down from an upper floor structure such as a floor slab of an upper floor into a ceiling space of a lower floor, a brace bolt that acts as a diagonal reinforcement is connected to a position near the upper end and a position near the lower end of the suspension bolt to suppress vibration during an earthquake. Conventionally, an example of this type of brace connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] This conventional brace connecting fitting has an L-shaped first fitting and an L-shaped second fitting placed inside the first fitting, and is configured to hold a suspension bolt by sandwiching it between the first fitting and the second fitting at a corner portion of the overall L-shape. The first fitting and the second fitting are fixed to each other with the suspension bolt sandwiched between them by tightening bolts provided on both sides of the corner portion.

[0004] Furthermore, in conventional brace connecting fittings, fixing members for fixing the brace bolts are provided on the outsides of a pair of extension parts that extend at right angles to each other from a corner part of the first fitting, and the brace bolts are sandwiched and fixed between the pair of extension parts and the fixing member. Specifically, a pair of bolts are attached to both ends of the fixing member, and the brace bolts are fixed in a sandwiched state between the fixing member and the extension parts by tightening the pair of bolts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6635491 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when attaching the conventional brace connecting fitting described above to a hanging bolt, it is necessary to temporarily remove the bolt that secures the first fitting and the second fitting to each other, install the hanging bolt between the first fitting and the second fitting, and then reinstall the bolt to secure the first fitting and the second fitting. Therefore, the work of removing the bolt that secures the first fitting and the second fitting and reinserting the bolt into the screw hole takes time, resulting in a problem of poor work efficiency.

[0007] Furthermore, the installation of brace connecting fittings can be done at height, and if the bolt is removed and the first fitting and the second fitting are separated, there is a risk that the worker may accidentally drop the bolt or fitting. For example, if a worker drops a bolt or fitting while working at height on a stepladder, he or she must get off the stepladder, pick up the bolt or fitting from the floor, and then climb back up the stepladder to continue the work, significantly reducing work efficiency.

[0008] Furthermore, in the case of conventional brace connecting fittings, when connecting two brace bolts to one hanging bolt, it is necessary to perform the tightening work of bolts provided at a total of six places. For example, when the ceiling hanging object is an air conditioner, the hanging bolts are attached to the four corners of the air conditioner, and two brace bolts are placed between two adjacent hanging bolts. Therefore, a total of eight brace connecting fittings are used in the structure supporting one air conditioner. In this case, if the tightening work of six bolts is required to attach one brace connecting fitting, the tightening work of 48 bolts is required in the structure supporting one air conditioner, which also causes a problem of reduced work efficiency.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has an object to provide a brace connecting fitting that enables installation work to be performed more efficiently than before. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, firstly, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting for connecting a brace bolt to a hanging bolt, the brace connecting fitting comprising: a first fitting having a first retaining portion curved to fit along an outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of first extension portions extending from the first retaining portion in a direction forming an approximately right angle to each other in order to connect the brace bolt; a second fitting arranged inside the first fitting and having a second retaining portion curved to fit along an outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of second extension portions extending from the second retaining portion in a direction forming an approximately right angle to each other; and a pair of fastening bolts attached to each of the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting, The fastening bolt is attached to one of the pair of first extension portions so as to be rotatable relative to the fastening bolt attached to one of the pair of first extension portions, and when the pair of fastening bolts are pressed from the outside to the inside of the pair of first extension portions, Rotates around the fastening bolt death, The configuration is characterized in that the space for holding the hanging bolt between the first holding portion and the second holding portion can be opened and closed.

[0011] Secondly, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting for connecting a brace bolt to a hanging bolt, the brace connecting fitting comprising: a first fitting having a first retaining portion curved to fit along an outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of first extension portions extending from the first retaining portion in directions forming approximately right angles to each other in order to connect the brace bolt, the pair of first extension portions having a bolt insertion hole formed in each of the pair of first extension portions; a second fitting arranged inside the first fitting and having a second retaining portion curved to fit along an outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of second extension portions extending from the second retaining portion in directions forming approximately right angles to each other, the pair of second extension portions having a bolt insertion portion formed in one of the pair of second extension portions and a bolt engagement portion formed in the other of the pair of second extension portions; and a pair of fastening bolts that are inserted into the bolt insertion holes formed in the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting and have nuts attached to their tips in advance, the second fitting being attached in a state in which one of the pair of fastening bolts is inserted into the bolt insertion portion formed in one of the pair of second extension portions, When the pair of fastening bolts are pressed from the outside to the inside of the pair of first extension portions, Rotates around one of the fastening bolts death,The configuration is characterized in that the bolt engagement portion formed on the other of the pair of second extension portions can be engaged with the other of the pair of fastening bolts.

[0012] Thirdly, the present invention is characterized in that, in the brace connecting fitting having the second configuration described above, it further includes a biasing member provided on the outside of the pair of first extension portions and biasing the pair of fastening bolts inserted into the bolt insertion holes toward the outside of the pair of first extension portions.

[0013] Fourth, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting having the above-mentioned second or third configuration, characterized in that the pair of fastening bolts have bolt heads provided on the inside of the first fitting, and the nuts are attached to the tips of the shanks that protrude to the outside of the first fitting through the bolt insertion holes.

[0014] Fifth, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting having any of the configurations 2 to 4 above, characterized in that with the hanging bolt attached to the first retaining part, the second fitting rotates around one of the fastening bolts and engages the bolt engagement part with the other fastening bolt, thereby sandwiching the hanging bolt between the first retaining part and the second retaining part.

[0015] Sixth, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting having the fifth configuration described above, characterized in that the hanging bolt is fixed in a sandwiched state between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion by tightening the fastening bolt and the nut.

[0016] Seventh, the present invention provides a brace connecting fitting having any of the configurations 2 to 6 above, wherein the first fitting further includes a screw hole formed in each of the pair of first extension portions at a position a predetermined distance away from the bolt insertion hole, a pair of connecting bolts attached to the screw holes formed in each of the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting, and a fixing member provided on the outside of the pair of first extension portions and held by the connecting bolts and the fastening bolt, and the fixing member fixes the brace bolt inserted between the connecting bolts and the fastening bolts by sandwiching it between the pair of first extension portions. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the brace connecting fitting of the present invention, it is possible to attach it to the suspension bolt without removing the bolt, so that the installation work can be performed more efficiently than before. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the components of a brace connecting fitting disassembled from the front (outside). [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is an oblique view showing the components of a brace connecting fitting disassembled from the rear side (inside). [Figure 4] 13 is an enlarged view showing a bolt engagement portion of the second fitting. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of an installation mode of a brace connecting fitting. [Figure 6] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing a procedure for opening the space between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion in the brace connecting fitting. [Figure 7] 13A to 13C are diagrams showing a procedure for attaching a brace connecting fitting to a hanging bolt. [Figure 8] 13A to 13C are diagrams showing a procedure for attaching a brace connecting fitting to a hanging bolt. [Figure 9]FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of attaching a brace bolt to a brace connecting fitting temporarily fixed to a hanging bolt. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of attaching a brace bolt to a brace connecting fitting temporarily fixed to a hanging bolt. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating an example of an arrangement angle of the brace bolt. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the displacement of a fixing member caused by tightening a nut and a connecting bolt. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to below, common members are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a brace connection fitting 1 in one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the brace connection fitting 1 as viewed from the front side (outside) and (b) shows the brace connection fitting 1 as viewed from the back side (inside). FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the brace connection fitting 1 with each component disassembled, as viewed from the front side (outside). FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the brace connection fitting 1 with each component disassembled, as viewed from the back side (inside). FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the bolt engagement portion 23 of the second fitting 3. Furthermore, FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of an installation mode of the brace connection fitting 1.

[0021] First, as shown in Figure 5, the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment is a fitting for connecting a suspension bolt 110 that hangs down from an upper floor structure 100, such as a floor slab on the upper floor, to the ceiling space of the lower floor, and a brace bolt 120 that is arranged diagonally between a pair of suspension bolts 110.

[0022] The hanging bolts 110 are bolts that support a ceiling-suspended object 150, such as an air conditioner, while it is suspended in the ceiling space. For example, four hanging bolts 110 are attached to the upper floor structure 100 so as to be connectable to connecting parts 151 provided at the four corners of the ceiling-suspended object 150. The four hanging bolts 110 are connected at their lower ends to the connecting parts 151 at the four corners of the ceiling-suspended object 150, and support the ceiling-suspended object 150 at a predetermined height.

[0023] The brace bolt 120 is disposed diagonally between two adjacent suspension bolts 110 among the four suspension bolts 110, with its upper end connected to a position near the upper end of one of the suspension bolts 110 and its lower end connected to a position near the lower end of the other suspension bolt 110. The arrangement angle of the brace bolt 120 is appropriately adjusted according to the dimension from the upper floor structure 100 to the upper surface of the ceiling-suspended object 150. For example, assuming that the horizontal line is set as a reference of 0°, if the dimension from the upper floor structure 100 to the upper surface of the ceiling-suspended object 150 is longer, the arrangement angle of the brace bolt 120 becomes larger, and conversely, if the dimension from the upper floor structure 100 to the upper surface of the ceiling-suspended object 150 is shorter, the arrangement angle of the brace bolt 120 becomes smaller. The brace connecting fitting 1 has a structure that can connect the brace bolts 120 disposed at such various angles to the suspension bolts 110.

[0024] Two brace bolts 120 are arranged between two hanging bolts 110 so as to cross each other. Therefore, the brace connection fitting 1 is attached to two locations at different heights, the upper and lower parts of one hanging bolt 110, and connects the brace bolt 120 to the hanging bolt 110 at each of the heights. In FIG. 5, the brace connection fitting 1 attached to the lower part of the hanging bolt 110 is shown as brace connection fitting 1a, and the brace connection fitting 1 attached to the upper part of the hanging bolt 110 is shown as brace connection fitting 1b. The brace connection fitting 1a and the brace connection fitting 1b have the same configuration and function, except that they are used upside down.

[0025] Next, the brace connection fitting 1 will be described. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the brace connection fitting 1 has an overall L-shaped configuration bent at a substantially right angle. This brace connection fitting 1 is configured so that a suspension bolt 110 is attached to a central corner section bent at a substantially right angle, and a brace bolt 120 is connected to a section extending in two directions from the corner section at a substantially right angle to each other. In the following, the substantially right-angled area sandwiched between the sections extending in two directions from the central corner section in the L-shaped brace connection fitting 1 will be referred to as the "inside" of the brace connection fitting 1, and the approximately 270-degree area on the opposite side will be referred to as the "outside" of the brace connection fitting 1.

[0026] This brace connecting fitting 1 includes a first fitting 2, a second fitting 3, a pair of fastening bolts 4, 4, nuts 5, 5, a pair of connecting bolts 6, 6, a fixing member 8, and biasing members 9, 9. The first fitting 2 is a fitting bent into a substantially L shape. The second fitting 3 is also a fitting bent into a substantially L shape as a whole. The second fitting 3 is disposed inside the bent portion of the first fitting 2. For example, the second fitting 3 is disposed so that its outer surface is joined to the inner surface of the first fitting 2. Then, when the second fitting 3 is assembled to the first fitting 2, the L-shaped bent corner portion of the brace connecting fitting 1 is attached at a predetermined height position of the hanging bolt 110.

[0027] The first fitting 2 is an L-shaped fitting having a first retaining portion 10 curved to fit the outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt 110, and a pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b extending from the first retaining portion 10 in directions forming approximately right angles with each other in order to connect the brace bolt 120, with a bolt insertion hole 12 and a female thread portion 13 formed in each of the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b.

[0028] The first holding part 10 is formed at a corner part bent into an L shape in the center of the first fitting 2, and holds the hanging bolt 110 with the inner surface of the corner part joined to the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the first holding part 10 has an engagement protrusion 14 on the inner surface of the corner part that engages with a male screw formed on the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110. For example, the engagement protrusion 14 is formed in a state in which the inner surface of the corner part protrudes inward by pressing the outer circumferential surface of the L-shaped corner part of the first fitting 2 inward. This engagement protrusion 14 is formed as a linear protrusion along the curved shape of the first holding part 10. Also, the engagement protrusion 14 is slightly inclined in the same direction as the spiral inclination direction of the male screw formed on the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110, and is formed to engage with the screw groove of the hanging bolt 110. The first holding portion 10 is located in the center of the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b, and both ends thereof are smoothly connected to the first extension portions 11a, 11b.

[0029] The pair of first extensions 11a, 11b are formed as flat plate portions extending from the first holding portion 10 at a substantially right angle. The pair of first extensions 11a, 11b extending from the first holding portion 10 are formed to have the same length. In addition, the pair of first extensions 11a, 11b each have a bolt insertion hole 12 and a female screw portion 13 formed at a position spaced apart from each other in a diagonal direction by a predetermined distance. For example, the line segment connecting the center of the bolt insertion hole 12 and the center of the female screw portion 13 is formed to be at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to a horizontal line. The bolt insertion hole 12 is a hole for inserting the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4, and is formed as an elongated hole having a predetermined length in the horizontal direction, for example. The female screw portion 13 has a screw hole that screws with a male screw formed on the shaft portion 6b of the connecting bolt 6. The female screw portion 13 is formed by forming a hole in the first extension portions 11a, 11b with a thickened peripheral plate thickness by, for example, burring, and forming a female screw on the inner peripheral surface of the hole.

[0030] The second fitting 3 is an L-shaped fitting having a second retaining portion 20 curved to fit along the outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt 110, and a pair of second extension portions 21a, 21b extending from the second retaining portion 20 in directions forming right angles with each other in order to be attached to the inside of the first fitting 2, with a bolt insertion portion 22 formed in one second extension portion 21a of the pair of second extension portions 21a, 21b, and a bolt engagement portion 23 formed in the other second extension portion 21b.

[0031] The second retaining portion 20 is formed at an L-shaped bent corner portion of the second fitting 3, has a curved shape recessed toward the inside of the pair of second extension portions 21a, 21b, and retains the suspension bolt 110 with the outside of the corner portion joined to the outer circumferential surface of the suspension bolt 110. In other words, the second retaining portion 20 holds the suspension bolt 110 by sandwiching it between itself and the first retaining portion 10 of the first fitting 2. The second retaining portion 20 is located in the center of the pair of second extension portions 21a, 21b, and both ends are smoothly connected to the second extension portions 21a, 21b.

[0032] The pair of second extension parts 21a, 21b are formed as flat plate parts extending from the second holding part 20 at a substantially right angle. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the second extension parts 21a, 21b are formed as flat plate parts extending from the second holding part 20 in a trapezoidal shape, with the upper part being wider than the lower part. The second extension part 21a has a bolt insertion part 22 formed in its wide flat plate part. The bolt insertion part 22 is formed by a hole through which the shaft part 4b of the fastening bolt 4 can be inserted. The second extension part 21b has a bolt engagement part 23 formed in its wide flat plate part. The bolt engagement part 23 is formed by a U-shaped opening (notch) opened at the upper end of the second extension part 21b. The bolt engagement part 23 has an engagement protrusion 24 formed by bending inward at least one of two upper ends of the second extension part 21b that define an entrance to the U-shaped opening. The engaging projection 24 engages with the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 to prevent the fastening bolt 4 housed inside the bolt engaging portion 23 from coming off.

[0033] The fastening bolt 4 has a head 4a and a shaft 4b. The head 4a is a disk-shaped metal bolt head having a predetermined thickness. The shaft 4b is a cylindrical shaft connected to the center of the head 4a and extends in one direction, with a male thread formed on its outer circumferential surface. This fastening bolt 4 is attached to the second fitting 3 and the first fitting 2 from the inside of the brace connecting fitting 1 toward the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1.

[0034] Two fastening bolts 4 are attached to the brace connecting fitting 1. The tip of one fastening bolt 4 is first inserted into a hole of a bolt insertion portion 22 formed in one of the second extension portions 21a of the second fitting 3, and then inserted into a bolt insertion hole 12 formed in one of the first extension portions 11a of the first fitting 2, so that the bolt is attached in a state where it protrudes outward from the first extension portion 11a. The tip of the other fastening bolt 4 is first inserted into a U-shaped opening of a bolt engagement portion 23 formed in the other second extension portion 21b of the second fitting 3, and then inserted into a bolt insertion hole 12 formed in the other first extension portion 11b of the first fitting 2, so that the bolt is attached in a state where the bolt protrudes outward from the first extension portion 11b.

[0035] A biasing member 9 is attached to the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4 protruding outward from the first extension portions 11a, 11b, and further, a fixing member 8 is attached. For example, the biasing member 9 is formed of a coil spring, and is attached to the shaft portion 4b by inserting the shaft portion 4b into the inside of the spring. The fixing member 8 is formed of a metal plate-like member, and bolt insertion holes 8a, 8b are formed at two positions corresponding to the bolt insertion hole 12 and the female screw portion 13 of the first extension portions 11a, 11b, respectively. In addition, the fixing member 8 has a protrusion portion 8c protruding toward the first extension portions 11a, 11b between the bolt insertion holes 8a, 8b. This protrusion portion 8c is formed in a state in which it protrudes toward the front side by, for example, pressing the back side.

[0036] The shaft portion 4b to which the biasing member 9 is attached is inserted into one of the two bolt insertion holes 8a, 8b of the fixing member 8, and is attached with its tip protruding further outward from the fixing member 8. Then, a nut 5 is attached to the tip of the shaft portion 4b, and the fastening bolt 4 is attached to the brace connecting fitting 1. Therefore, the biasing member 9 and the fixing member 8 are attached in a state where they are sandwiched between the first extension portions 11a, 11b and the nut 5. The nut 5 is a hexagonal nut that can be installed with a general power tool.

[0037] The connecting bolt 6 includes a head 6a and a shaft 6b. The head 6a is a hexagonal head of the same size as the nut 5, and can be tightened using a general electric tool that is the same as the tool used to tighten the nut 5. The shaft 6b is a cylindrical shaft connected to the center of the head 6a, and a male screw is formed on its outer circumferential surface to screw into the screw hole of the female screw portion 13. This connecting bolt 6 is attached to the first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2 from the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1 toward the inside of the brace connecting fitting 1. At this time, the connecting bolt 6 is attached in a state in which the shaft 6b is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 8b formed in the fixing member 8, and then the tip of the shaft 6b is screwed into the screw hole of the female screw portion 13.

[0038] 4, the bolt engagement portion 23 formed on the second extension portion 21b of the second fitting 3 is formed so that the width W of the U-shaped opening is larger than the diameter D1 of the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4 and smaller than the diameter D2 of the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4. The bolt engagement portion 23 is also formed so that the depth D of the U-shaped opening is larger than the diameter D1 of the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4. Therefore, when the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4 is inserted into the U-shaped opening of the bolt engagement portion 23 and the peripheral portion of the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 is in contact with the second extension portion 21b, the engagement protrusion 24 engages with the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4, so that the fastening bolt 4 can be prevented from coming off the bolt engagement portion 23.

[0039] The brace connecting fitting 1 configured as described above is in a state shown in FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b) when the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 are in a provisionally fastened state in which they are not tightly fastened. That is, when the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 are in a provisionally fastened state, the nut 5 is at the tip of the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4, and the tip of the shaft portion 4b of the connecting bolt 6 is in a state where it is screwed into the female screw portion 13. At this time, the biasing force of the biasing member 9 acts in a direction to widen the gap between the first extensions 11a, 11b and the fixing member 8. Therefore, the biasing member 9 presses the fixing member 8 toward the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1, thereby moving the nut 5 away from the first extensions 11a, 11b. Accordingly, the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 is in a state of intimate contact with the inner surfaces of the second extensions 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3, as shown in FIG. 1(b). At this time, the second extension portions 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3 are provisionally fixed in a state where they are sandwiched between the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 and the first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. In addition, the fastening bolt 4 attached to the bolt engagement portion 23 of the second extension portion 21b will not come off the bolt engagement portion 23 because the head 4a is in a state where it is engaged with the engagement protrusion 24.

[0040] When the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 and the engaging protrusion 24 of this brace connecting fitting 1 are disengaged, the second fitting 3 can be rotated about the fastening bolt 4 attached to the bolt insertion hole 12 of the first extension portion 11a. Therefore, when attaching the brace connecting fitting 1 to the hanging bolt 110, the attitude of the second fitting 3 relative to the first fitting 2 can be changed by rotating the second fitting 3, and the space that holds the hanging bolt 110 between the first retaining portion 10 and the second retaining portion 20 can be opened or closed.

[0041] 6 is a diagram showing a procedure for releasing the gap between the first retaining portion 10 and the second retaining portion 20. As shown in FIG. 6(a), the brace connecting fitting 1 is first in a first position in which each of the second extension portions 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3 is joined to the inner surfaces of the first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. In this first position, when the biasing force of the biasing member 9 acts in the direction of the arrow F1, each of the second extension portions 21a, 21b is temporarily fixed in a state in which it is pressed against each of the first extension portions 11a, 11b by the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4.

[0042] Then, the worker places one hand on the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1, and, as shown in FIG. 6(b), pushes the two nuts 5 (or the tips of the shafts 4b of the two fastening bolts 4) arranged on the outside of the first fitting 2 toward the inside of the first fitting 2 in the direction of arrow F2 against the biasing force of the biasing member 9. Then, the heads 4a of the two fastening bolts 4 move away from the inner surfaces of the second extensions 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3. This creates a gap G1 between the heads 4a of the fastening bolts 4 and the second extensions 21a, 21b, and the provisionally fixed state of the second fitting 3 is released. At this time, the engagement between the engagement protrusion 24 and the heads 4a of the fastening bolts 4 is also released.

[0043] When the temporary fixing state of the second fitting 3 is released, the second fitting 3 becomes rotatable about the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4 attached to the first extension portion 11a of the first fitting 2, as shown in FIG. 6(c). Therefore, the worker can displace the brace connecting fitting 1 to the second position as shown in FIG. 6(c) by rotating the second fitting 3. In this second position, the second extension portion 21b of the second fitting 3 is separated from the first extension portion 11b of the first fitting 2. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(d), a gap G2 for introducing the hanging bolt 110 into the inside of the first holding portion 10 can be formed between the second extension portion 21b of the second fitting 3 and the first extension portion 11b of the first fitting 2. In other words, the gap G2 opens up a space for holding the hanging bolt 110. Furthermore, after rotating the second fitting 3 as shown in Figure 6(d), when the operation of pushing in the two nuts 5 is completed, the biasing force of the biasing member 9 acts in the direction of arrow F1, so that the second fitting 3 is sandwiched between the head 4a and the first extension portion 11a of the fastening bolt 4, and the brace connecting fitting 1 is again temporarily fixed in the second position.

[0044] Next, a procedure for attaching the brace connecting fitting 1 to the hanging bolt 110 will be described. FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams showing a procedure for attaching the brace connecting fitting 1 to the hanging bolt 110. Note that FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of a brace connecting fitting 1a attached to the lower part of the hanging bolt 110. First, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the hanging bolt 110 is inserted into the gap G2 generated between the first fitting 2 and the second fitting 3 in the brace connecting fitting 1 in the second position, and the hanging bolt 110 is placed in a state in which the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110 is joined to the inside of the first holding part 10. By joining the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110 to the inside of the first holding part 10, the engaging projection 14 engages with the screw groove of the hanging bolt 110, so that the brace connecting fitting 1 can be positioned so as not to be displaced in the axial direction (up and down direction) of the hanging bolt 110.

[0045] Next, the worker places one hand on the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1 and, as shown in Fig. 7(b), simultaneously pushes the two nuts 5 arranged on the outside of the first fitting 2 toward the inside of the first fitting 2 in the direction of arrow F2 against the biasing force of the biasing member 9. Then, the heads 4a of the two fastening bolts 4 move away from the inner surfaces of the second extension portions 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3. This creates a gap between the heads 4a of the fastening bolts 4 and the second extension portions 21a, 21b, and the second fitting 3 is released from the temporarily fixed state, making it possible to rotate the second fitting 3.

[0046] Then, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the worker rotates the second fitting 3 to change it to a first position in which the second extension portion 21b is parallel to the first extension portion 11b. At this time, by pushing the two nuts 5 toward the inside of the first fitting 2, it is possible to insert the second extension portion 21b into the above-mentioned gap. By inserting the second extension portion 21b into the gap, the shaft portion 4b of the fastening bolt 4 attached to the first extension portion 11b enters the bolt engagement portion 23. As a result, the second fitting 3 is displaced from the second position shown in FIG. 7(b) to the first position shown in FIG. 8(a).

[0047] When the second fitting 3 is changed from the second position to the first position, the worker finishes the operation of pushing in the two nuts 5. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the fastening bolt 4 is pushed back in the direction of the arrow F1 by the biasing force of the biasing member 9, and the second extension parts 21a, 21b of the second fitting 3 are temporarily fixed in a state in which they are sandwiched between the head part 4a of the fastening bolt 4 and the first extension parts 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. At this time, the brace connecting fitting 1 is in a state in which the suspension bolt 110 is sandwiched between the first holding part 10 and the second holding part 20, and is temporarily fixed at a predetermined height position of the suspension bolt 110. In this temporarily fixed state, the engagement protrusion 14 formed on the inside of the first holding part 10 is engaged with the screw groove of the suspension bolt 110. Therefore, even if the worker releases his / her hand from the brace connecting fitting 1, the brace connecting fitting 1 will not be displaced in the axial direction (up and down direction) of the suspension bolt 110.

[0048] In addition, the brace connection fitting 1 of this embodiment can easily adjust its mounting position (height position) relative to the hanging bolt 110 even when it is temporarily fixed to the hanging bolt 110. That is, when adjusting the height position of the brace connection fitting 1, the first fitting 2 is pulled toward the outside of the brace connection fitting 1 (in the direction of the arrow F1 in FIG. 8(b)) against the biasing force of the biasing member 9, thereby easily releasing the engagement between the engagement protrusion 14 formed on the inside of the first retaining portion 10 and the thread groove of the hanging bolt 110. Therefore, the height position of the brace connection fitting 1 can be easily adjusted by moving the first fitting 2 in the up-down direction with the engagement protrusion 14 and the thread groove released. In other words, the brace connection fitting 1 of this embodiment has the engagement protrusion 14 formed on the inside of the first retaining portion 10 and no similar engagement protrusion formed on the inside of the second retaining portion 20, so that the height position of the brace connection fitting 1 can be easily adjusted by pulling the first fitting 2 toward the outside. Then, after adjusting the height position of the brace connection fitting 1, when the operation of pulling the first fitting 2 is finished, the biasing force of the biasing member 9 brings the first retaining portion 10 of the first fitting 2 into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the hanging bolt 110, and the engaging protrusion 14 and the threaded groove of the hanging bolt 110 engage again. Therefore, the brace connection fitting 1 is temporarily fixed to the hanging bolt 110 again.

[0049] 9 and 10 are perspective views showing an example of mounting a brace bolt 120 to a brace connection fitting 1 temporarily fixed to a hanging bolt 110, where FIG. 9 shows the outside of the brace connection fitting 1 viewed from above, and FIG. 10 shows the outside of the brace connection fitting 1 viewed from below. Note that, like FIGS. 7 and 8, FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example of a brace connection fitting 1a attached to the lower part of the hanging bolt 110. The brace connection fitting 1 connects a brace bolt 120 to the outside of a pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the brace bolt 120 is inserted between the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6, and between the first extension portions 11a, 11b and the fixing member 8. When the brace connecting fitting 1 is temporarily fixed to the hanging bolt 110, the fixing member 8 is separated from the first extension portions 11a, 11b by the biasing force of the biasing member 9, so that in this temporarily fixed state, the worker can easily insert the brace bolt 120 between the first extension portions 11a, 11b and the fixing member 8 even if he or she is not supporting the fixing member 8 with his or her hand.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the installation angle of the brace bolt 120. As shown in FIG. 11, the worker inserts the tip of the brace bolt 120 between the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6 provided at both ends of the fixing member 8. As described above, the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6 are provided at positions inclined in an oblique direction in the first extension parts 11a and 11b. In addition, the interval between the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6 is such that the brace bolt 120 can be swung at least within a predetermined angle range. Therefore, when the worker inserts the tip of the brace bolt 120 between the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6, the installation angle of the brace bolt 120 can be adjusted within a predetermined angle range. For example, when a horizontal line is set as a reference of 0°, the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6 are regulated so that the installation angle θ of the brace bolt 120 is within a range of 45°±15°, and the brace bolt 120 can be inserted at any angle within that range. This is because the necessary strength cannot be ensured when the installation angle of the brace bolt 120 is less than 30 degrees or exceeds 60 degrees, and a decrease in strength can be prevented by regulating the installation angle of the brace bolt 120 according to the distance between the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6. Therefore, when attaching the brace bolt 120 to the brace connecting fitting 1, a worker will not mistakenly install the brace bolt 120 at an angle outside the specified angle range. In other words, the brace connecting fitting 1 has a fail-safe function regarding the installation angle θ of the brace bolt 120.

[0051] In this embodiment, the fastening bolt 4 and the connecting bolt 6 are attached at the first extension portions 11a, 11b so that they form an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Therefore, even if the brace connecting fitting 1 is turned upside down, the installation angle θ of the brace bolt 120 can be restricted to within the range of 45 degrees ±15 degrees.

[0052] After inserting the brace bolt 120 between the first extensions 11a, 11b and the fixing member 8 and adjusting the installation angle θ to an appropriate value, the worker tightens the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 using a power tool or the like. As a result, the fixing member 8 approaches the first extensions 11a, 11b against the biasing force of the biasing member 9, and the brace bolt 120 is sandwiched between the first extensions 11a, 11b and fixed. At this time, the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 exerts a large frictional force while in close contact with the second extensions 21a, 21b, so that the fastening bolt 4 does not rotate with the nut 5 even if a rotational force acts on the nut 5. In addition, since the nut 5 and the head 6a of the connecting bolt 6 are arranged outside the fixing member 8, the worker can easily attach a power tool or the like to the nut 5 and the head 6a of the connecting bolt 6, and can perform the tightening work simply and efficiently.

[0053] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the displacement of the fixing member 8 due to the tightening of the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6. When the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 are tightened with the brace bolt 120 inserted between the fixing member 8 and the first extensions 11a and 11b, the fixing member 8 is displaced from the state shown in FIG. 12(a) to the state shown in FIG. 12(b). That is, as the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 are tightened, the fixing member 8 approaches the first extensions 11a and 11b and presses the outer circumferential surface of the brace bolt 120. When the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6 are further tightened, the protrusion 8c formed on the surface of the fixing member 8 facing the first extensions 11a and 11b is deformed and engages with the outer circumferential surface (thread groove) of the brace bolt 120, as shown in FIG. 12(b). The protrusion 8c deforms and engages with the thread groove of the brace bolt 120, whereby the brace bolt 120 is fixed between the fixing member 8 and the first extension portions 11a, 11b. As a result, the brace bolt 120 is connected to the suspension bolt 110 while maintaining the mounting angle θ.

[0054] Furthermore, by tightening the nut 5 and the connecting bolt 6, the second extension portion 21 of the second fitting 3 is fixed in a state where it is sandwiched between the head 4a of the fastening bolt 4 and the first extension portions 11a, 11b. In other words, the second fitting 3 is completely fixed to the first fitting 2. As a result, the brace connecting fitting 1 is no longer in a temporarily fixed state, and is now completely fixed to the hanging bolt 110.

[0055] In this way, the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment can simultaneously fix the suspension bolt 110 and connect the brace bolt 120 by tightening the two nuts 5 and two connecting bolts 6 attached to the outside of the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. Therefore, compared to the conventional case in which a total of six bolts must be tightened, since the nuts 5 and the like only need to be tightened in four places, it is possible to reduce the work time to about two-thirds and improve work efficiency.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fastening bolt 4 has two functions: it serves as a bolt for connecting the brace bolts 120, and it serves as a bolt for fixing the second fitting 3 to the first fitting 2 and thereby fixing the brace connecting fitting 1 to the hanging bolt 110. With this configuration, not only can the number of bolts be reduced compared to conventional techniques, but it is also possible to position the fixing member 8 closer to the hanging bolt 110 than conventional techniques. Therefore, with the brace connecting fitting 1, the fixing position with respect to the hanging bolt 110 and the connecting position of the brace bolt 120 can be positioned closer than conventional techniques, which has the advantage of enabling the reinforcing effect of the brace bolt 120 to be enhanced compared to conventional techniques.

[0057] As described above, the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment is configured such that the second fitting 3 can be rotated around one of the pair of fastening bolts 4, 4 attached to the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2, and the space for holding the suspension bolt 110 between the first holding portion 10 and the second holding portion 20 can be opened and closed by rotating the second fitting 3. Therefore, when attaching the brace connecting fitting 1 to the suspension bolt 110, it is not necessary to remove the nuts 5, 5 that are attached in advance to the tips of the pair of fastening bolts 4, 4. In other words, the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment can be attached and detached to the suspension bolt 110 without removing the nuts 5, 5, and therefore has better work efficiency than conventional devices.

[0058] Furthermore, the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment includes a biasing member 9 that is provided on the outside of the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b and biases the pair of fastening bolts 4, 4 inserted into the bolt insertion holes 12, 12 toward the outside of the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b. Therefore, the biasing force of the biasing member 9 makes it possible to temporarily fix the second fitting 3 to the inside of the first fitting 2, which has the advantage that the suspension bolt 110 can be attached and detached with the position of the second fitting 3 temporarily fixed.

[0059] Furthermore, in the brace connecting fitting 1 of this embodiment, when a pair of fastening bolts 4, 4 are attached to the first fitting 2, the heads 4a, 4a are disposed on the inside of the first fitting 2, the bolts are attached with the tips of the shaft portions 4b protruding outward from the first fitting 2 through the bolt insertion holes 12, 12, and nuts 5, 5 are attached to the tips of the shaft portions 4b. With this configuration, when the suspension bolt 110 is fixed between the first retaining part 10 and the second retaining part 20, the nuts 5, 5 can be tightened from the outside of the brace connecting fitting 1, which has the advantage of allowing the work to be done more efficiently than when tightening must be done on the inside of the brace connecting fitting 1.

[0060] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to those described in the above embodiments. In other words, the present invention includes various modified versions of the above embodiments.

[0061] For example, in the above embodiment, an example has been given of a case in which the fixing member 8 is attached in an oblique direction to the pair of first extension portions 11a, 11b of the first fitting 2. However, this is not limited to this, and the fixing member 8 may be attached in a vertical direction (up-down direction) parallel to the hanging bolt 110, or may be attached in a horizontal direction. In this case, the same structure is obtained even if the brace connection fitting 1 is turned upside down, which has the advantage that the worker does not need to be concerned about the direction (posture) of the brace connection fitting 1 whether it is attached to the top or bottom of the hanging bolt 110. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 (1a, 1b)...brace connecting fitting, 2...first fitting, 2...second fitting, 4...fastening bolt, 5...nut, 6...connecting bolt, 8...fixing member, 9...biasing member, 10...first retaining portion, 11a, 11b...first extension portion, 12...bolt insertion hole, 13...female thread portion (screw hole), 20...second retaining portion, 21a, 21b...second extension portion, 22...bolt insertion portion, 23...bolt engagement portion, 24...engagement protrusion, 110...suspension bolt, 120...brace bolt.

Claims

1. A brace connecting fitting for connecting a brace bolt to a suspension bolt, a first metal fitting having a first retaining portion curved to fit the outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of first extension portions extending from the first retaining portion in directions forming a substantially right angle with each other in order to connect the brace bolt; a second metal fitting disposed inside the first metal fitting and having a second retaining portion curved to fit along an outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt, and a pair of second extension portions extending from the second retaining portion in directions forming a substantially right angle with each other; a pair of fastening bolts attached to the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting, respectively; Equipped with The second fitting is rotatably attached to one of the pair of first extension portions, and rotates around one of the fastening bolts when the pair of fastening bolts are pushed inward from the outside of the pair of first extension portions, thereby opening and closing the space that holds the hanging bolt between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion.

2. A brace connecting fitting for connecting a brace bolt to a suspension bolt, a first fitting including a first retaining portion curved to fit the outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt and a pair of first extension portions extending from the first retaining portion in directions forming a substantially right angle with each other in order to connect the brace bolt, the pair of first extension portions each having a bolt insertion hole formed therein; a second fitting disposed inside the first fitting and having a second retaining portion curved to fit along an outer peripheral surface of the hanging bolt, and a pair of second extension portions extending from the second retaining portion in directions forming a substantially right angle with each other, one of the pair of second extension portions being formed with a bolt insertion portion and the other being formed with a bolt engagement portion; a pair of fastening bolts that are inserted into the bolt insertion holes formed in each of the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting and have nuts attached to their tips in advance; Equipped with The second fitting is attached with one of the pair of fastening bolts inserted into the bolt insertion portion formed on one of the pair of second extension portions, and when the pair of fastening bolts are pushed inward from the outside of the pair of first extension portions, the second fitting rotates around the one fastening bolt, and the bolt engagement portion formed on the other of the pair of second extension portions can be engaged with the other of the pair of fastening bolts.

3. a biasing member provided on an outer side of the pair of first extension portions and biasing the pair of fastening bolts inserted into the bolt insertion holes toward the outer side of the pair of first extension portions; 3. The brace link of claim 2, further comprising:

4. The brace connecting fitting according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the pair of fastening bolts have heads provided on the inside of the first fitting, and the nuts are attached to the tips of the shafts that protrude to the outside of the first fitting through the bolt insertion holes.

5. A brace connecting fitting as described in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that with the hanging bolt attached to the first retaining portion, the second fitting rotates around the one fastening bolt and engages the bolt engagement portion with the other fastening bolt, thereby sandwiching the hanging bolt between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion.

6. The brace connecting fixture according to claim 5, characterized in that the hanging bolt is fixed in a sandwiched state between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion by tightening the fastening bolt and the nut.

7. The first fitting has a screw hole formed in each of the pair of first extension portions at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the bolt insertion hole, a pair of connecting bolts that are attached to the screw holes that are formed in the pair of first extension portions of the first fitting; a fixing member provided on an outer side of the pair of first extension portions and held by the connecting bolt and the fastening bolt; Further comprising: The brace connecting fitting according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the fixing member fixes the brace bolt, which is inserted between the connecting bolt and the fastening bolt, by sandwiching it between the pair of first extension portions.

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