CABLE BRIDGE FOR ELECTRIC CABLES AND PNEUMATIC HOSES

Abstract: The invention relates to a cable bridge/cable channel for support of electric cables, pneumatic hoses etc. The cable bridge comprises two in parallel opposite side walls (1) with a cross member (2) between and a clamp member (4) that are an integrated part of the cable bridge where the locking unit (5) for the clamp member (4) is integrated in the side wall with at least one step for detachable locking of the clamp member (4).

Description: Cable bridge for electric cables and pneumatic hoses The present invention relates to a cable channel or cable bridge for support and mounting of electric cables, pneumatic hoses, hydraulic pipes or similar devices. A cable channel/ cable bridge comprises two in parallel separated side walls or flanges which are joined by a plurality of cross members or steps. Said cross members or steps have means at their ends for locking the cross members to the side walls and means for supporting the cables. Cable bridges are a suitable device for supporting large numbers of cables, pipes etc. A cable bridge provides a simpler, more rugged and more economical mode of installing cables or pipes. Cable bridges are used world-wide. Cables and pipes are normally fastened to the cable bridge by strips. Stripping the cables to the cable bridge is a tedious operation. The strips are normally made from a stainless steel wire or from plastic. It is known a cable clamp syεtsm for cable bridges from the inventor's NO patent application No. 890948. Said cable clamp system comprises a holding device made by a midsection or a distance section and two upstanding end walls formed from one piece of material which is bent to form longi¬ tudinal edges and end flanges. The side walls have nipples for selflocking the clamp member designed to support the cables in the area between the distance section and the upstanding side walls. The clamp member is also made of one piece of material which is formed with downwardly bent edges for interlocking the upstanding walls. Between the edges of the clamp member it is preferably fastened a compressible foam of neoprene rubber etc. to restrain all cables, even of different diameter. Said cable bridge can be manufactured by moulding or extrution, and it can be produced to fit various types of cable bridges. This will require a set of moulds or tools. The cable clamp replaces the stripping, but the elctrician still has to secure the cable clamp to the cable bridge. The cable bridge is expensive due to the fairly complicated design, and compared to stripping, the material costs increase considerably when cables are supported by the cable clamp. None of the above mentioned methods for supporting cables can be performed in one opera¬ tion. Firstly one has to secure the cable bridges to the wall or ceiling, secondly, the cables have to be supported to the bridge by stripping or the cable clamps have to be fastened to the cable bridge. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved cable bridge in which - the holding device for the clamp member is an integrated part of the cable bridge, the cable bridge and clamp member are simple and more economical to manufacture, - the operation for supporting the cables is quick and simple. These objects are achieved by finding ways of combining the securing device for the cable clamp and the cable bridge. The inventor started by developing his previous invention. The first step was to use a cable bridge with upstanding side walls and where the walls could be used for selflocking of the clamp. A further requirement was to develop a new type of clamp member which is economical to manufacture and simple to use. The first object was achieved by making a cable bridge with upstanding walls and where the locking means for the cable clamp was an integrated part of the wall itself. Thereafter one had to make a clamp member which was fitted for the new locking system. The present invention relates to a further developed and improved cable bridge where the locking part of the clamp member is an integrated part of the cable bridge itself and where the cables can be supported without the use of further means. Thus the production and mounting of the cable bridges and the support of the cables can be simplified considerably at the same time as the costs are reduced. The invention can both be used by employing the new developed cable bridges comprising upstanding side walls or it can be used by employing the modifying standard type cable bridges with upstanding side walls where the walls comprise at least one integrated step for locking the clamp member. The scope and characterizing features of the invention are defined in the corresponding claims 1-4. A more detailed description of the invention by the way of examples only, is given below, with reference to the aσcompaying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing of a cable bridge according to the invention where the cable bridge has a clamp member and where the steps for detachable selflock¬ ing of the clamp member are an integrated part of the side walls. Fig. 2 is an enlarged and sectional view of the cable bridge shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective drawing where the side walls have integrated steps for selflocking the clamp member. Fig. 4a-c illustrates various alternatives for dividing the cable channel. Fig. 5 , illustrates various parts of the clamp member for the cable bridge. Fig. 1 illustrates a cable bridge according to the invention comprising two in parallel separated upstanding side walls 1, cross members 2 positioned in between the side walls by using a device locking the end section of the cross member 2 to the side wall 1 and a clamp member 4 for support of the cables or pipes. The cable bridge can, as shown in Fig. 1, also comprise one or more flanges 3 for dividing the area between the side walls into two or more parallel cable channels of equal or only selected width. The clamp member 4 can be selflocked to the side walls 1 and the flanges 3 by the steps 5, nipples etc. The flanges can be manufactured by extruding or stamping a sheet material. Fig. 2 illustrates an enlarged and sectional view of the cable bridge shown in Fig. 1. The upper and lower edge of the side flange 1 is bejrt to form a horizontal edge 9. The height of the flange is determined by the number of cables and pipes supported to the cable bridge and is thus optional. The inwardly bent edge 6 and 7 at the lower part of the side wall 1 is for,supporting and locking the cross member 2 ends 8. The ends 8 can be locked in between 6 and 7 by using locking means such as e.g. glue, welding, screw/nut. The distance between the edge 6 and 7 is determined by the height of the cross member 2. The side wall 1 and the dividing flange 3 have steps 5 for lockable support of the clamp 4. The integrated steps 5 in the side wall 1 are positioned directly opposite side wall 1 or separatiηg flange 3 with an equal step. The steps 5 can be manufactured e.g. by stamping and they can have the form of nipples etc. The number of steps 5 is not limited to six as shown in Fig. 2, but can be one or several. The length of the steps 5 is depending on the width of the opposite locking means in the clamp member 4. The clamp member 4 comprises a guide 18 with a groove for guidance of the locking means 19 that are pressed against the steps 5 by using an elastic compressible plug. The clamp member can also be like the clamp member described in the inventor's NO patent application No. 890948, or the clamp member can be designed with vertically bent end sections equipped with nipples etc. The clamp member can be detachable locked to one or several integrated steps in the side flanges 1,3. Fig. 3 illustrates a cut away sectional view of the cable bridge according to the invention where the separating flange 3 as described in Fig. 2 is replaced with a flange 10. The flange 10 is formed as a vertical locking unit with steps 11. The steps 11 in the side wall extend over the total length of the side wall. The locking of the clamp member does not have to be at predetermined positions, but it can be varied over the total length of the side wall. Fig. 4a-c illustrates alternative partition members or flanges 10 for dividing the channel in two sections which can be applied for various types of cables or pipes. Fig. 4a illustrates a flange 10 which is bent and form two parallel walls 14 and 13. The flange 10 is manufactured by stamping followed by bending. The separating flange 10 is secured by entering it through the opening in two cross member 2 from below, and the barbed end 22 keeps the separating flange 10 in position. Fig. 4b illustrates a further example of a parti¬ tion member. This is manufactured by moulding etc. and it is designed to be secured to the cable clamp's base member 2 by using a bayonet joint 17, whereby the lower part of the parti¬ tion member is equipped with a male part which is formed for complementary operation with an opening in the base member and locked by fusing. The separation member 10 can either be manufactured in one piece with upstanding flanges comprising nipples 12 as shown in Fig. 4c or they can be formed as angu¬ lar members where one upstanding flange is supplied with said nipples 12. Cable bridges comprising more than one channel are practical to use when the cable bridge is wide and to separate dif¬ ferent types of cables and/or pipes with different diameters or applications. Fig. 5 illustrates a cable clamp 4 for supporting cables or pipes. The cable clamp 4 comprises a guide 18 with tracks for guiding the two opposite arranged locking units 19 which are pressed against the steps 5 and 11 or the side walls by using a spring such as a flexible compressible plug 20. This plug 20 connects two units 21 and presses the locking means to the side walls or the partition mode member. It is obvious that this clamp member can be equipped with a cushioning means of reoprene rubber restraining all the cables, even if they are of different diameters. Cable bridges are normally manufactured in aluminium or steel, but it is within the scope of the present invention possible to apply different materials such as PVC or other usable plastics. The choice of material is dependent on the environ¬ ment, costs etc. The inventor has by the present invention achieved a cable bridge with a clamp member which is economical to produce and simple to use. This is achieved by that the invention com¬ prises parts where the design is relatively simple, suitable for mass production and the support and mounting is quick and easy.

Claims: Claims 1. Cable bridge/cable channel for support of electric cables, pneumatic hoses and hydraulic pipes comprising two parallel separated side walls and cross members arranged in between and a clamp member, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the holding device for the clamp member (4) forms an integrated part of the cable bridge, whereby each of the flanges (1,3) have at least one groove or step (5) preferably being arranged diametri¬ cally opposite one another, for detachably locking the clamping member (4) between the flanges (1,3) . 2. Cable bridge according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the steps (5) extend in the total longitudinal length of the inside of the side wall or flange (1,3). 3. Cable bridge according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the cable bridge has one or more partition members (3) for dividing the cable channel into several channels and that the partitional member/flange is equipped with longitudinal steps or nipples (5) for detachable locking of the clamping member (4) . 4. Cable bridge according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the clamp member (4) comprises a guide (18) with a track for guidance of the two opposite arranged locking units (19) which are designed to be pressed against the steps etc. in the side wall or flange by using a spring (20) arranged between the locking units.

Inventors: KOKKERSVOLD TOR, KOKKERSVOLD, TOR
Applicants: KOKKERSVOLD TOR, KOKKERSVOLD, TOR
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F16L3
IPC codes: F16L3, H02G3