Water heater restraint

#The field of the invention is brackets and the invention relates more particularly to brackets used to secure a water heater particularly against movement during an earthquake.

#Water heaters have been secured to a wall in numerous ways. One bracket is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,573 where a strap or outer collar is bolted to a joint tie strap and a second support is used to hold the water heater away from the wall and is also secured to the joint tie strap. A bracket for holding a water heater in a corner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,760. A pair of angle brackets is used to hold a water heater to a concrete floor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,133. A bracket for holding gas containers and similar tanks is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,635. A water heater restraint must secure attachment to the studs behind a wall board and, since most water heaters are already in place when such a device is used, it must be accurately positionable in the position in which it is located.

#It is the object of the present invention to provide a water heater restraint which may be positionable at any location independent of the location of the studs, is easy to install and adaptable to different sizes of water heaters and capable of withstanding an earthquake.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the water heater restraint of the present invention shown affixed to two vertical studs and surrounding a water heater shown in phantom view.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 to FIG. 1.

#A water heater restraint system is shown in perspective view in FIG. 1 and indicated generally by reference character 10. The water heater 11 is shown in phantom view and is secured near but not touching wall 12, which, in turn, is secured to a pair of vertical studs--13 and 14.

#Water heater restraint 10 may be positionable anywhere along the wall depending upon the position of the water heater and independent of the position of the wall studs. A bi-channel strut 15 is secured to wall 12 by two pairs of channel clamps 16, which are bolted by lag bolts 17 into studs 13 and 14. The detail of construction of the bi-channel strut 15 is shown best in FIG. 3 where channel clamps 16 can be seen to have an inwardly directed flange 18 which abuts a first channel 19 in bi-channel strut 15. Strut 15 has an elongated back portion 20, which has a top edge 21 and a bottom edge 22. Each of the first channels 19 extend from the top and bottom edges of back portion 20 and in turn lead to outwardly extending portions 23. Outwardly extending portions 23 support a second channel 24, which holds a pair of gussets in a manner described below.

#Turning now to FIG. 2, bi-channel strut 15 may be slid back and forth horizontally in channel clamp 16 so that channel clamp 16 can be securely held to vertical studs. Similarly, gussets 25 are slidingly held in bi-channel strut 15 by backer plates 26, which are placed behind second channel 24 as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Gusset 25 is generally in the shape of a right triangle (shown best in FIG. 4). Gusset 25 has a base 26, which actually has two separate portions 27 and 28 which overlap and each has a hole 29 therethrough through which a bolt 30 is secured by a nut 31 and appropriate washers 32. The angled edge of hypotenuse of the right triangle is indicated by reference character 33 and forms an angle face to support a water heater as shown best in FIG. 4 of the drawings. This securely prevents the water heater from moving sideways along the wall during an earthquake and yet there is a certain amount of give based upon the fabrication of gusset 25 from sheet metal and the positioning of strapping 34 around the heater. Gusset 25 has an outer side 35 for strength. The strapping 34 has a hole 36 formed near its inner end 37. Inner end 37 is passed through slot 38 in hypotenuse 33. This means, of course, gusset 25 need not be a right triangle but provides a preferred shape. End 37 of strapping 34 also passes through slot 39 in portion 27 of base 26. It is then bent at roughly a right angle, as shown in FIG. 2, and bolted against backer plate 26 as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings.