Sprinkler mounting device and method

An assembly comprising:

• a drop ceiling having a ceiling support rail, the ceiling support rail having an uppermost edge, a lower flange, and a web, the web extending generally upwardly from an intermediate portion of the flange, the flange being adapted to engage edge margins of ceiling panels, the flange having first and second opposite edges, the flange having a width defined by the distance between the first and second opposite edges;
• a sprinkler system having a reducer support beam;
• a mounting device comprising a lower portion adapted to engage the ceiling support rail and an upper portion adapted to engage the reducer support beam;
• the lower portion of the mounting device being secured to the ceiling support rail, the lower portion of the mounting device being defined as that portion of the mounting device which is below the elevation of the uppermost edge of the ceiling support rail when the mounting device is secured to the ceiling support rail, the lower portion of the mounting device having a width which is less than the width of the lower flange of the ceiling support rail such that all parts of the lower portion of the mounting device are laterally between the first and second edges of the flange when the mounting device is secured to the ceiling support rail, the upper portion of the mounting device being secured to the reducer support beam.

A method of mounting a reducer support beam of a sprinkler system to a ceiling support rail of a drop ceiling in a building, the method comprising:

• providing a mounting device comprising an adjustable clamp portion and a mount portion, the adjustable clamp portion having opposing ceiling support rail engagement portions separated by a clamping space sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the ceiling support rail of the drop ceiling, the clamp portion comprising first and second generally downwardly extending sidewalls, the first sidewall having a lower end margin constituting at least a portion of the first ceiling support rail engagement portion, the second sidewall having a lower end margin constituting at least a portion of the second ceiling support rail engagement portion, the lower end margin of the first sidewall comprising a first inwardly extending flange and the lower end margin of the second sidewall comprising a second inwardly extending flange, the first inwardly extending flange constitutes at least a portion of the first ceiling support rail engagement portion, the second inwardly extending flange constitutes at least a portion of the second ceiling support rail engagement portion, the adjustable clamp portion further having a tightening mechanism spaced from the rail engagement portions, the tightening mechanism being operable in a manner to adjustably move the rail engagement portions relative to one another between a loosened position and a clamped position to vary the clamping space separating the rail engagement portions, the clamping space being sized to receive said portion of the ceiling support rail when the rail engagement portions are in the loosened position, the rail engagement portions being adapted to securely engage said portion of the ceiling support rail when the rail engagement portions are in the clamped position, the mount portion having opposing reducer support beam engagement portions separated by a mounting space sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the reducer support beam of the sprinkler system;
• positioning the mounting device relative to the ceiling support rail when the rail engagement portions are in the loosened position such that said portion of the ceiling support rail is in the clamping space and the tightening mechanism IS spaced above the ceiling support rail;
• operating the tightening mechanism to move at least one of the rail engagement portions relative to the other of the rail engagement portions to position the rail engagement portions in the clamped position when said portion of the ceiling support rail is in the clamping space such that the rail engagement portions securely engage said portion of the ceiling support rail;
• and
• positioning the mount portion relative to the reducer support beam of the sprinkler system such that said portion of the reducer support beam is in the mounting space.