bec de corbeau

English translation: clevis fastener [in some situations]; more generally: hanger

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	bec de corbeau [plumbing, pipe installation/fixing]
English translation:	clevis fastener [in some situations]; more generally: hanger
Entered by:	Tony M

09:32 Dec 19, 2005

French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Engineering (general) / industrial refrigeration plant, pipework installation

French term or phrase: bec de corbeau

This term occurs just once, in the following context (from a section about installation of pipework):

"Le parcours de canalisation est mentionné sur les plans d’exécution. Toutes les canalisations sont placées sur des profils omega accrochés aux “becs-de-corbeau”. La distance entre les points de soutien sera déterminée de telle façon que la flexion des soudures soit évitée, dans tous les cas cette distance ne sera pas supérieure à 1,5 m."

It is far from clear to me (and very much in the muddled style of the document as a whole!) whether it is in fact the 'canalisations' that are fixed with these devices, but from the masculine plural agreement, I think not, and assume it is in fact the 'profils'. These are clearly some kind of 'top hat' section steel rails along which to run the pipes, and I very much suspect they may be running in ceiling voids etc., below steel girders. For this reason, I suspect these 'becs de corbeau' may well be what I know as 'girder clips' --- the sort of clamps that can be screwed onto the flange of an I-beam (RSJ) in order to attach things to it / suspend things from it. Certainly, the resemblence would justify the description!

Can anyone shed any light, please?

Tony M KudoZ activity Questions: 333 (2 open) (30 closed without grading) Answers: 15219 France
Local time: 22:58

...

Explanation:
Hi Tony,

Can't give you the English but this may help.

BEC *** Architecture: moulure saillante placée à la partie inférieure d'un larmier. Masse de maçconnerie placée aux extrémités de la pile d'un pont. A l'amont, avant-bec, à l'aval, arrière-bec. Masse de maçonnerie faisant saillie au pied des tours de défense pour éloigner l'assaillant.

BEC DE CORBEAU (syn) BEC DE CORBIN *** Moulure faisant saillie suivant une courbe ressemblant au bec de corbeau.

Selected response from:

Allan Jeffs
France
Local time: 22:58

Grading comment

Thanks Alex! Sound advice, as evere!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

ideas

Bourth (X)

clevis fastener

MatthewLaSon

...

Allan Jeffs

hook

SusanMurray

Answers

32 mins confidence:

...

Allan Jeffs
France
Local time: 22:58
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 72

Grading comment

Thanks Alex! Sound advice, as evere!

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks, Allan! In this instance, it's not a moulding, but some kind of fastening.

42 mins confidence:

hook

Explanation:
Hello,

I've found "ravehook" or "hook of lifting wire" for bec de corbin but neither fit your context

would hook work ?

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Note added at 57 mins (2005-12-19 10:29:32 GMT)
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Continuing this line of thinking I've found lots of references for pipe hooks. Just another possibility.

SusanMurray
Local time: 22:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 19

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks, Susan! I feel sure your ideas are along the right lines, but was nervous about using them 'as is'...

1 hr confidence:

ideas

Explanation:
The fact that they (presumably) have put it in inverted commas suggests that it is something a little "chinois" (as I have heard a number of times in recent days). The advantage is that you can put something equally "chinois" in quotes too!

My first thought was "corbeau", i.e. a corbel, bracket, projecting support. Second came "bec de corbin" which is, however, simply a decorative moulding.

Third, checking under "corbeau" in Dicobat, came what they propose as "pipe console": "support de canalisation dont le talon est scellé dans un mur ; il encercle partiellement la canalisation". The illustration shows what is basically a stone "corbeau" such as might support the end of a roof beam, only the top surface has a circular hollow for receiving a (large) pipe, i.e. with its very own "omega/top-hat" section.

Fourthly, checking "bec de corbin", I find a secondary meaning:
"En menuiserie, outil à fût dont le fer à une forme de croissant, pour pousser et refouiller les moulures creuses". "bouvement" is given as a synonym. "Bouvement" is not listed, but is presumably the name of the blade used in a "bouvet", a grooving/tonguing plane in which the plane blade is flush with the side of the plane.

The illustration of a "bec de corbin" blade shows a long narrow section with a circular "bite" out of one side at the bottom end, forming a sort of hook shape for planing out wood mouldings. It almost resembles a sort of "pipe hanger". If you clamped two of them together, the hole at the bottom could almost encircle a pipe. However, since you have these "top hat" pipe supports, it would seem reasonable to me that they should be supported by two hangers, one each side of the pipe. If they are sheet metal straps as opposed to threaded rod, say, they could almost resemble the joiner's "bec de corbin" blade, especially if they are notched in some way at the bottom to engage with the top-hat section.

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Note added at 1 hr 46 mins (2005-12-19 11:18:50 GMT)
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hanger - A metal STRAP, stirrup, wire, threaded rod, etc. from which a pipe, joist, suspended ceiling, etc. is hung. It may have HOLES for nails, adjustment screws, ATTACHMENT CLIPS, etc.
[Scott Penguin Building]

Bourth (X)
Local time: 22:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 1054

18 hrs confidence:

clevis fastener

Explanation:
Hello,

Pipes are kept in place with "clevis fasteners". They do indeed resemble a "crow's beak".

I reckon this a word you may want to consider, but you may be guessing correctly with "girdle clips."

I have seen errors in "numerical agreements" in French texts.
Always be aware of that. Texts of this nature are sometimes poorly written.

Reference: http://www.allmetalcorp.com/htm/pg8_8_00.htm#C

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 16:58
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 15

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks, Icetrance! You're certainly not wrong about errors -- of agreements, or worse! This text was riddled with them, which made me often reluctant to trust it at all! I feel pretty sure that your suggestion of 'clevis fastener' is the right term, but played safe and used 'hanger' as suggested by friend Bourth, to whom I'll give the point sout of courtesy. But thanks a lot for your contribution!

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