DEVICE IN A TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

Abstract: The invention relates to a cable channel (1, 2) for telephone cables (7) in a telephone exchange (4). The cable channel is mounted to join up with a horizontal cable run (3) at a height (H) in the exchange. The cable run (3) can be placed at different heights (H) in different telephone exchanges, and for enabling the use of a single type of cable channel for the cable runs (3) at different heights (H), the cable channel in accordance with the invention is one such that it is adjustable in height and includes a first part (1), and a second part (2) movable in said first part so that the height of the channel can be varied and adjusted to the height (H) of the respective cable run (3). The telephone cables (7) are taken through the cable channel (1, 2) to the telephony equipment in a shelf rack (5).

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a cable channel for telephone cables in a telephone exchange. BACKGROUND ART In a telephone exchange, telephone cables in a fixed horizontal cable run are taken through a vertical cable channel to the telephone equipment on rack shelves. The cable channels available today often have a fixed height, depending on how high up the horizontal cable run is arranged. A device having an adjustable height with features which in technical meaning are similar to the device claimed in the pre-characterising part of the main claim 1 is disclosed in SE-B-375 659. Further US-A-3 792 189 discloses a telescopic guide for conducting a flexible cable between relative moving parts i.e. a device similar to the one disclosed in SE-B-375 659. Special manufacture of prefabricated telescopic cable channels of different sizes and heights complicates manufacture and thereby increases the cost of production. The lack of an opening on the channels makes difficult the input, output of and access to the cables running through them. The device in accordance with the invention, which solves the above-mentioned problem, is characterized by the claims and comprises a height-regulatable cable channel including a first and a second part, the second part being movable in the first part so that the channel height can be varied and thereby adjusted to the height of fixed cable runs in any telephone exchange and wherein the channel parts are of rectangular cross-section, that the second part is provided in situ with holes for locking the two parts together at different heights and that a cover is placed over an opening of the second part of the channel. By a simple adjustment in height, a single cable channel can accordingly join up to cable runs placed at different heights, i.e. the same type of cable channel can be utilized in different types of telephone exchanges with the holes in the second part being provided in situ, the height of the cable channel can easily be adjusted thereby simplifying production and removing the need for several different channel parts of different sizes. No special manufacture of the cable channel is thus required, which simplifies production and decreases the cost thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The arrangement in accordance with the invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of embodiment examples, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, where Figure 1 illustrates the device in accordance with the invention erected between a cable run and a shelf rack in a telephone exchange, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inventive device together with an exploded view of the parts thereof. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As will be seen from Figure 1, the embodiment example is a cable channel 1, 2 in accordance with the invention. The channel is intended for erecting a fixed horizontal cable run 3 in a telephone exchange 4. In accordance with the embodiment the fixed cable run 3 is a U-shaped cable trough. Figure 1 also illustrates the cable channel 1, 2 erected between the cable trough 3 and a shelf rack 5 in the telephone exchange. Rails 6 fixed at a given height in the exchange carry the cable trough 3, which is thereby placed at a height H in the exchange. The trough leads telephone cables 7 to the cable channel 1, 2, and can be placed at different heights H in different telephone exchanges, as previously mentioned. To enable the use of a single type of cable channel with cable troughs placed at different heights, the cable channel in accordance with the invention is adjustable in height and includes a first part 1 and a second part 2 which is movable in the first part so that the height of the channel can be varied and adjusted to the height H at which the respective cable run or cable trough is placed. The height of the cable channel 1, 2 is adjusted to the height H so that the second part 2 of the channel can be connected to the the trough 3. The telephone cables 7 in the cable trough 3 are taken through the cable channel 1, 2 to the telephony equipment in the shelves of the rack. The cable channel is intended for a shelf rack 5 which is lower than the first part 1 of the channel. Figure 2 illustrates how the second part 2 of the cable channel is displaceable in the first part 1, as well as illustrating the parts of the device individually. The first part 1 of the channel has a rectangular cross-section and an opening 8 at the front long side connected to the rack. The cables are distributed to different shelves in the rack 5 via the opening 8. The second part 2 of the channel has a corresponding cross section such as to enable it to be moved in the first part. The second part also has an opening 9 corresponding to the opening in the first part. The long edge portions of the opening 9 are joggled 10 to provide a recess in the front long side of the second part of the channel, such that a cover 11 can be arranged to close the cable channel opening 8, 9. The upper short side of this cover 11 is folded over such as to enable it to be suspended on the upper edges of the joggles 10 when it is accomodated in the recess formed by the joggles 10. The length of the cover 11 is such that when the cable channel is adjusted to maximum height, it covers the part of the opening 8,9 which is situated above the rack. The first part 1 of the channel is somewhat higher than the rack 5 (see Figure 1) resulting in that the two parts of the channel, after it has been adjusted to a suitable height, can be locked at this height with the aid of two screws inserted in holes 12 through the two parts of the channel just above the uppermost surface of the rack. The holes 12 through the first part of the channel are drilled during manufacture. When the height of the channel has been adjusted during erection, the holes 12 are then drilled through the other part of the channel so that the channel height can be locked by screws through said holes. A bracket 13 is used to fasten the cover 11 to the channel and for connecting the channel 1, 2 to the rack 5. This bracket 13 has a bottom plate 14 and two side flaps 15 upstanding at 90° to the bottom plate (see Figure 2). The bracket 13 is provided with a U-shaped hole 16 in the respective side flap, and when it is fitted the flaps are thrust down between the two channel parts over the screws in the screw holes 12 so that the edges of the holes 16 engage against the screws. The cover 11 is fixed against the cable channel 1, 2 by the side flaps 15 being placed such that a part of them lies between the channel parts and another part lies over the cover, whereby the side flaps 15 overlap the cover 11, which is thus kept in position. The channel is connected to the rack by the bottom plate 14 being attached to the rack by screws. A like bracket also fixes the cable channel to the floor in the telephone exchange. In this case the side flaps are screwed to the cable channel and the bottom plate screwed to the floor.

Claims: Device for taking telephone cables from a fixed horizontal cable run support (3) in a telephone exchange to telephony equipment in a shelf rack in said telephone exchange, comprising a cable channel including a first part (1) and a second part (2) movable in said first part, such that the height of the cable channel can be adjusted to the height (H) at which said fixed horizontal cable run support (3) is placed, said cable channel being joined up to said horizontal cable run and to said rack (5) so that the telephone cables (7) are taken from said cable run through said cable channel to the telephony equipment in the rack, characterized in that said first part (1) has a rectangular cross section and an opening (8) at the front long side connected to the rack, in that said second movable part (2) has a corresponding configuration allowing it to be moved inside said first part, the second part also having an opening (9) at the front long side, said first part being provided with prefabricated through holes (12) and said second part being in situ provided with corresponding through holes (12) for enabling locking the cable channel parts (1, 2) together at different heights by screws, and in that a cover (11) is placed over the opening (8, 9) along the front long side of the channel. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a bracket (13), including two side flaps (15) upstanding at an angle to a bottom plate (14), fix said cable channel (1, 2) to said rack (5), the side flaps being connected to said cable channel and the bottom plate to said rack. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said flaps (15) overlap said cover (11) such that the cover is locked to said cable channel when said side flaps (15) are fastened to it, each flap being provided with a U-shaped recess (16) which connects said bracket (13) to said cable channel when said recesses are pressed down over said screws inserted in said holes (12), and in that said bottom plate (14) is connected to the upper side of said rack with the aid of screws.

Inventors: KARLSSON, JAN-ERIK, WILJANEN, BO INGVAR
Applicants: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H02G3
IPC codes: H02G3