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US 11,229,811 B2Granted
Anchorage assembly and method of using
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorMichael N. Milbright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anchorage assembly including first and second plates that are slidably movable relative to each other, each plate comprising an upper head with an outwardly-extending flange, and the first plate including at least one spreader ramp positioned in an upper portion of the first plate.
Claims20
A method of installing an anchorage assembly into a strut channel, the method comprising:
- with first and second plates of the anchorage assembly in a first, ready position, inserting an upper end of the anchorage assembly into an interior of the strut channel;
- slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into a second, installed position in which a second upper end of the second plate is displaced outwardly away from a first upper end of the first plate;
- and,
- lowering the anchorage assembly so that a first upper head of the first plate, and a second upper head of the second plate, each engage a holder of the strut channel,
- wherein when the first and second plates are in their first, ready position, the first and second plates are both oriented at least substantially vertically and are vertically slidably movable relative to each other between the first, ready position and the second, installed position, wherein when the first and second plates are in the first, ready position a second upper head of the second plate is positioned lower than a first upper head of the first plate;
- and, wherein when the first and second plates are in the second, installed position, the second upper head of the second plate is positioned at least generally at the same vertical height as the first upper head of the first plate.
3 more elements
A method of installing an anchorage assembly into a strut channel, the method comprising:
- with first and second plates of the anchorage assembly in a first, ready position, inserting an upper end of the anchorage assembly into an interior of the strut channel;
- slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into a second, installed position in which a second upper end of the second plate is displaced outwardly away from a first upper end of the first plate;
- and,
- lowering the anchorage assembly so that a first upper head of the first plate, and a second upper head of the second plate, each engage a holder of the strut channel,
- wherein the process of slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into the second, installed position comprises moving the second plate relative to the first plate while the first plate remains stationary, and wherein the method comprises moving the anchorage assembly upward until the first upper end of the first plate contacts a ceiling of the strut channel so that the first plate is brought to a halt, and then pushing upward on the second plate to move the second plate relative to the first plate while the first plate remains stationary.
2 more elements
A method of installing an anchorage assembly into a strut channel, the method comprising:
- with first and second plates of the anchorage assembly in a first, ready position, inserting an upper end of the anchorage assembly into an interior of the strut channel;
- slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into a second, installed position in which a second upper end of the second plate is displaced outwardly away from a first upper end of the first plate;
- and,
- lowering the anchorage assembly so that a first upper head of the first plate, and a second upper head of the second plate, each engage a holder of the strut channel,
- wherein the first and second plates are non-separably connected to each other by at least one retainer that passes through a first retaining aperture in a main body of the first plate and through a second retaining aperture in a main body of the second plate, the first and second retaining apertures being at least generally aligned with each other and with at least one of the apertures being a vertically elongated slot along which the retainer is free to slidably move to allow the first and second plates to be slidably moved relative to each other.
2 more elements
A method of installing an anchorage assembly into a strut channel, the method comprising:
- with first and second plates of the anchorage assembly in a first, ready position, inserting an upper end of the anchorage assembly into an interior of the strut channel;
- slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into a second, installed position in which a second upper end of the second plate is displaced outwardly away from a first upper end of the first plate;
- and,
- lowering the anchorage assembly so that a first upper head of the first plate, and a second upper head of the second plate, each engage a holder of the strut channel,
- wherein the method further comprises engaging a lock that locks the first and second plates in the second, installed position, the lock being configured so that when the lock is engaged it prevents the first and second plates from slidably moving relative to each other out of the second, installed position, the lock being configured so that it automatically engages upon the slidable movement of the first and second plates into the second, installed position, and the lock being configured so that the lock must be manually disengaged in order to allow the first and second plates to be slidably moved out of the second, installed position.
2 more elements
A method of installing an anchorage assembly into a strut channel, the method comprising:
- with first and second plates of the anchorage assembly in a first, ready position, inserting an upper end of the anchorage assembly into an interior of the strut channel;
- slidably moving the first and second plates relative to each other from the first, ready position into a second, installed position in which a second upper end of the second plate is displaced outwardly away from a first upper end of the first plate;
- and,
- lowering the anchorage assembly so that a first upper head of the first plate, and a second upper head of the second plate, each engage a holder of the strut channel,
- wherein the first upper head of the first plate comprises a first flange that extends outwardly in a first direction and wherein the second upper head of the second plate comprises a second flange that extends outwardly in a second, opposite direction;
- and, wherein the first outwardly-extending flange of the first upper head of the first plate comprises a first lip extending downwardly therefrom and wherein the second outwardly-extending flange of the second upper head of the second plate comprises a second lip extending downwardly therefrom, and wherein the first and second outwardly-extending flanges and the first and second lips are all elongate with a long axis that is aligned with a transverse axis of the anchorage assembly and with a long axis of the strut channel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.