Abstract:
A cable hanger is attached to a transmitting tower with a “snap-in” connection and permits a cable or cable guide to be installed in the cable hanger through a gap provided in the arms of the cable hanger immediately after the cable hanger is installed on the tower. The hanger includes a clasp which is closed across the gap and around the cable which insures that the cable remains in the hanger and biases the snap fitting of the cable guide against an installation aperture of the tower, thereby securing the cable guide in place.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation of U.S. Patent Provisional Application 60/323,208, filed Sep. 18, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a cable hanger for securing cables to a transmission tower. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Transmitting antennas are supported adjacent the top of a free-standing tower to transmit cellular, broadcasting, and similar signals. The signals are carried to the antennas by coaxial cables which are mounted on the tower by cable hangers. These towers extend for considerable heights. Since the cables must be attached to the towers at regular intervals, it is desirable that this connection be made by the installer easily. Existing cable hangers are of two general types. So called snap-in brackets are forced over the cables and the opposite sides of the hanger are pinched together, so that they may be installed in apertures provided in the tower. The resiliency of the hanger then spreads the sides apart to engage the hanger with the tower. Accordingly, some clearance must be provided between the hanger and the cable in order that the sides of the hanger may be pinched together. Another type of prior art cable hanger is slotted to receive the cables or cable guide. However, this type of hanger requires bolting to the tower, and the cable hanger must be installed before the cable is installed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a cable hanger which is attached to the tower with a “snap-in” connection and which permits a cable or cable guide to be installed in the cable hanger immediately after the cable hanger is installed on the tower. A clasp is then closed around the cable which biases the snap fitting of the cable guide onto the aperture of the tower, thereby securing the cable guide in place. Accordingly, the hanger may be quickly snapped into the tower and the cable can then be immediately installed in the hanger. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a cable hanger pursuant to the teaching of the present invention installs component of a transmitting tower and holding a cable or cable guide; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the combination illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the combination illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a view end perspective, taken from the front, of a cable hanger made pursuant to the teachings of present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the hanger illustrated in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a view taken from the front of the cable hanger illustrated in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a view taken from above the cable hanger illustrated in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 a perspective view similar to FIG. 4, but taken from below the side opposite the side illustrated in FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 9 perspective view taken from behind the tower structural component and illustrating the cable hanger of the present invention installed in a tower structural component. 
     FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the cable hanger generally indicated by the numeral  10  made pursuant to the teachings of the present invention is installed in an appropriate one of the apertures  12  in a tower cross member  14 , which is a component of a standard transmitting tower (not shown). Hanger  10  includes a first pair of circumferentially spaced arms  16 ,  18  and a second pair of arms  20 ,  22 . The first set of arms  16 ,  18  are divided into axially offset sections  16   a ,  16   b  and  18   a ,  18   b , which define a gap therebetween receiving the second set of circumferentially extending arms  20  and  22 . Circumferentially extending arm  20  of the second set is connected to section  16   a  and  16   b  of the circumferentially extending arm  16  by connecting portions  24 ,  26 , and the circumferentially extending arm  22  is similarly connected to sections  18   a  and  18   b  of circumferentially extending arm  18  by a connecting portion  28 ,  30 . Circumferentially extending arm section  16   a  is connected to circumferentially extending arm  18  via connecting portion  32   a , which includes radially outwardly extending resilient elbows  34   a ,  36   a . Similarly, a connecting section  32   b  includes elbows  34   b  and  36   b  which connect the arm section  16   b  with the arm section  18   b.    
     The ends of the arm sections  16 ,  18  and corresponding ends arms  20  and  22  cooperate to define opposite end surfaces  38 ,  40 . Surfaces  38 ,  40  define a gap G through which a coaxially cable or cable guide generally indicated by the numeral  42  is installed, as will hereinafter be described. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the arms  16 ,  18  and  20 ,  22  extends circumferentially around cable or cable guide  42 . 
     The ends of the arms  20 ,  22  opposite the ends define the gap G terminate in radially outwardly extending barbs  44 ,  46 , the barb  44  being defined by grooves  48   a ,  48   b , and the barb  46  being defined by grooves  50   a ,  50   b . The maximum dimension of the barbs  44 ,  46  is slightly less than the diameter of the aperture  12 , so that if the barbs  44 ,  46  are manually deflected together the barbs will pass through the apertures  12 , but when the arms are released, resiliency of the arms  20 ,  22  spreads the arms apart locking the barbs  44 ,  46  to the corresponding aperture  12  as is most clearly shown in FIG.  9 . Furthermore, the distance between the elbows  34 ,  36  and the grooves  48   a ,  48   b  and the equivalent distance between the grooves  50 a and  50 b is such that when the barbs  44 ,  46  are manually installed in the apertures  12 , the elbows  34 ,  36  deflect slightly; however, the resiliency of the elbows upon release of the barbs acts to maintain the barbs in a locking orientation with the bur  14 . 
     A clasp  52  is pivotally mounted on the end of the arm  22  defining the gap G and is swingable between an open position illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 and a closed position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. In the closed position, the clasp is latched on a turned-over latch  54 . The length of the clasp  52  is slightly less than that of the gap G, so that when the clasp is engaged with the latch  54 , the arms  20 ,  22 , are spread apart slightly, thereby urging the barbs  44 ,  46  away from each other, causing the latter to tightly grip against the cross-member  14 . At the same time, this latching force is transmitted to the arms  16 ,  18 , causing them to more tightly grip the coaxial cable or cable guide  42 . 
     When the cable or cable guide  42  is to be installed on the aforementioned tower, the installer first installs hanger  10  by forcing the arms  20 ,  22 , toward one another (with the clasp  52  open) to thereby move the barbs  44 ,  46  toward one another a distance sufficient to permit the barbs to pass through the aperture  12 . When the barbs have passed through the aperture  12  and the portion of the cross-member  14  defining the aperture is received within the grooves  48 ,  50 , the arms  20 ,  22  are released, thereby permitting the resiliency of the arms to spread the barbs apart to thereby latch the arms in aperture  12 . At the same time, the elbows  34 ,  36  exert an axial force on the barbs  44 ,  46 , thereby assuring that the barbs will not become accidentally dislodged. The installer then grasps the cable or cable guides  42  and forces the latter through the gap G, thereby spreading the surfaces  38 ,  40  by an amount sufficient to urge the barbs  44 ,  46 , apart to cause the latter to more tightly grasp the tower cross member  14 . After the cable or cable guide  42 , is installed within the hanger  10 , the clasp  52  is engaged with the latch. 
     Referring now to the embodiment of FIG. 10, where elements the same or substantially the same as those of the embodiment FIGS. 1-9 retain the same reference numeral, the clasp  52  has been replaced by a clasp  56  consisting of a plate defining an aperture  58  of substantially the same size as the apertures  12 . Accordingly, after the clasp  56  is closed and latched by the latch  54 , a second cable hanger  10  may be joined to or “piggy backed” with an existing cable hanger  10  installed on the tower cross member  14 , thus permitting multiple cables and/or cable guides to be supported from the same aperture  12  of a tower cross member  14 . The additional cable hanger  10  is installed in the aperture  58  in exactly the same way that the cable hanger installed in the aperture  12  that is, the arms  20 ,  22  are forced toward one another to thereby move the barbs  44 ,  46  towards one another a distance sufficient to permit the barbs to pass through the aperture  58 , thereby securing the additional cable hanger (not shown) onto the cable hanger  10  already installed in one of the apertures  12 .