Abstract:
A generally arch-shaped cable support having a portal suitable for the receipt of armored, metal-clad, or flexible metal cable. The cable support includes support legs and two sets of brace members having apertures therein. The apertures are suitable for the receipt of fasteners that permit attachment of the cable support to an underlying structure or to another cable support. According to a preferred embodiment, upward extending alignment walls are provided on one end of the upper surface of the arch-shaped support to assist with alignment of stacked supports. According to a further preferred embodiment, the interior curved section of the arch is provided with a tensioning tongue that engages the grooves in the metal cladding of an inserted cable to inhibit movement of the cable in the support.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a support for electrical cables and more specifically to such devices that, because of their design, are stackable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   With the ever increasing usage of armored cable (AC), flexible metal cable (FMC), or metal clad (MC) cable in lieu of conduit contained cable or wiring for buildings of a commercial or industrial nature there has occurred a concomitant proliferation of devices to support such cable at the code required every ten feet and within one foot of a panel box. 
   While existing devices that generally comprise a simple metal strap with a fastener hole therein have proven adequate for supporting the cable, their installation sometimes proves difficult when a large number of cables are to be installed in a confined space. This is especially true because of code requirements that force location of such cable supports to a point at or near the center of a joist or stud. Consequently, there has arisen a need for a reliable cable support that permits easy supporting in a space where several cables are to be installed in parallel arrangement. One option in such cases is stacking the cables in a series of supports; however, currently utilized “strap-type” supports are not stackable. 
   OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cable support that permits ready support of multiple cables, each in its own supporting structure, in a confined space. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a generally arch-shaped cable support having a portal suitable for the receipt of armored, metal-clad, or flexible metal cable. The cable support includes support legs and two sets of brace members having apertures therein. The apertures are suitable for the receipt of fasteners that permit attachment of the cable support to an underlying structure or to another cable support. According to a preferred embodiment, upward extending alignment walls are provided on one end of the upper surface of the arch-shaped support to assist with alignment of stacked supports. According to a further preferred embodiment, the interior curved section of the arch is provided with a tensioning tongue that engages the grooves in the metal cladding of an inserted cable to inhibit movement of the cable in the support. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the cable support of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an end view of the cable support taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the cable support taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the cable support taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the cable support taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of two cable supports according to the present invention stacked on a supporting surface. 
       FIG. 6A  is a side view of the stacked cable supports of  FIG. 1  as viewed from line  6 A- 6 A. 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the cable support according to the present invention having a fastener frictionally held therein within the support. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view similar to  FIG. 6  showing two stacked cable supports and the fasteners securing the cable supports together and to a supporting surface. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of four stacked cable supports and the fasteners securing the cable supports together and to a supporting surface. 
       FIG. 10  is an end view of the two stacked cable supports of  FIG. 8  as viewed from the right side of the figure. 
       FIG. 11  is a plan view of a metal blank that is used to form the arch-shaped cable support of the present invention. 
   

   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               Index to Reference Numerals in Drawings 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               20 
               arch-shaped cable support 
             
             
               20A 
               first cable support 
             
             
               20B 
               second cable support 
             
             
               20C 
               third cable support 
             
             
               20D 
               fourth cable support 
             
             
               22 
               arch shaped member 
             
             
               24 
               top span 
             
             
               26 
               first support leg 
             
             
               28 
               second support leg 
             
             
               30 
               first side 
             
             
               32 
               second side 
             
             
               34 
               portal 
             
             
               36 
               electrical cable 
             
             
               36A 
               first electrical cable 
             
             
               36B 
               second electrical cable 
             
             
               36C 
               third electrical cable 
             
             
               36D 
               fourth electrical cable 
             
             
               38 
               first set of brace members 
             
             
               40 
               brace 
             
             
               40A 
               first brace 
             
             
               40B 
               second brace member 
             
             
               42 
               second set of brace members 
             
             
               44 
               brace member 
             
             
               44A 
               upper brace 
             
             
               44B 
               middle brace 
             
             
               44C 
               lower brace 
             
             
               46 
               aperture 
             
             
               48 
               fastener 
             
             
               50 
               structural surface 
             
             
               52 
               upper portion of support leg 
             
             
               54 
               middle portion of support leg 
             
             
               56 
               lower portion of support leg 
             
             
               68 
               parallel alignment walls 
             
             
               70 
               upper surface of upper brace 
             
             
               72 
               recessed area 
             
             
               74 
               inner arch surface 
             
             
               76 
               tensioning tongue 
             
             
               78 
               curved outer surface 
             
             
               80 
               blank 
             
             
               84 
               lower end of second support leg 
             
             
               86 
               necked-down area 
             
             
               88 
               head of fastener 
             
             
               92 
               axis of apertures in first set of brace members 
             
             
               94 
               axis of apertures in second set of brace members 
             
             
               X 
               angle 
             
             
               Y 
               offset of axis of aperture from side of arch shaped member 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is an arch-shaped cable support  20  for anchoring one or more electrical cables to a surface in a stacked configuration. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred embodiment of the arch-shaped cable support  20  includes a substantially planar arch-shaped member  22  having a top span  24 , a first support leg  26 , and a second support leg  28 . The arch-shaped member  22 , which is typically formed from a flat blank metal blank, includes a first side  30  and a second side  32  (see  FIG. 2 ). A portal  34 , defined by the top span  24  and the support legs  26  and  28 , provides a passageway for an electrical cable  36  therein. A first set  38  of brace members  40  extends from the first side  30  of the arch-shaped member  22  and a second set  42  of brace members  44  extends from the second side  32  of the arch-shaped member  22 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , apertures  46  are provided in each of the brace members  40  and  44 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the apertures  46  in each of the sets  38 ,  42  of brace members  40 ,  44  are in axial alignment. 
   With reference to  FIG. 7 , the axially aligned apertures  46  are capable of accepting a fastener  48  therein for securing the cable support  20  to a structural surface (not shown). The support legs include an upper portion  52 , a middle portion  54 , and a lower portion  56 . The first set of brace members  38  includes a first brace  40 A at the upper portion  52  of the first support leg  26  and a second brace  40 B at the middle portion  54  of the first support leg  26 . The second set of brace members  42  includes an upper brace  44 A at the upper portion  52  of the second support leg  28 , a middle brace  44 B at the middle portion  54  of the second support leg  28 , and a lower brace  44 C at the lower portion  56  of the second support leg  28 . The cable support  20  further includes parallel alignment walls  68  extending upward from the upper portion  52  of the first support leg  26 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the upper brace  44 A includes an upper surface  70  and a recessed area  72  in the upper surface  70  with the recessed area concentric with the aperture  46  therein. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the arch-shaped member  22  further includes an inner arch surface  74  and a tensioning tongue  76  extending from the inner arch surface  74  into the portal  34 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the tensioning tongue  76  is bent outwards from the first side  30  of the arch-shaped member  22  by an angle X of at least 30 degrees and, most preferably, at an angle of 45 degrees. The tensioning tongue  76  includes a curved outer surface  78  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 11 , the cable support  20  of the present invention is preferably constructed from a metal blank  80  and the blank is preferably is formed from sheet steel having a gauge of between 12 and 20. The arch-shaped member  22  remains in the plane of the blank and the brace members  40 A,  40 B,  44 A,  44 B, and  44 C are bent outwards from the sides of the blank. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 6A , the cable support further includes a lower end  84  on the second support leg  28  and a necked-down area  86  on the lower end  84 . A first arch-shaped cable support  20 A according to the present invention is rendered stackable with a second arch-shaped cable support  20 B when the necked-down area  86  on the lower end  84  of the second support leg  28  of the second cable support  20 B engages the parallel alignment walls  68  of the first support leg  26  of the first cable support  20 A and the apertures  46  in the first set  38  and second set  42  of brace members of the first cable support  20 A and the second cable support  20 B are in axial alignment. 
   With reference to  FIG. 7 , the cable support  20  further includes a fastener  48  frictionally held in the axially aligned apertures  46  in the second set  42  of brace members. 
   With reference to  FIG. 8 , when securing multiple electrical cables with the present invention, a first arch-shaped cable support  20 A is rendered stackable and connectable with a second arch-shaped cable support  20 B when the second cable support  20 B is rotated 180 degrees to the first cable support  20 A and the axially aligned apertures  46  in the first set  38  of brace members of the first cable support  20 A are aligned with the axially aligned apertures  46  in the second set  42  of brace members in the second cable support  20 B. When an electrical cable is secured within the portal  34 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the cable is held securely by the tensioning tongue  76 , which is biased outwards of its unbiased angle with respect to the cable support. As the cable support is typically constructed of steel, the tensioning tongue  76  has resilience and is typically pressed outwards by the electrical cable. The stackable cable support of the present invention is capable of securely supporting armored, flexible metal, or metal-clad cable. For those electrical cables that include helically wound outer surfaces, the tensioning tongue  76  typically presses into a groove on the exterior of the cable and thereby holds it securely in place. 
   The operation of an arch-shaped cable support according to the present invention therefore provides the ability to secure electrical cables to a surface in a stacked configuration. Referring to  FIG. 8 , an installer would place a first cable support  20 A onto a supporting structural surface  50  with the support legs  26  and  28  straddling an electrical cable  36 A and the lower ends  84  of the support legs  26  and  28  on the surface  50 . The fastener  48  frictionally held in the first cable support  20 A is then tightened into the supporting surface  50  until the head  88  of the fastener  48  is driven into the recessed area  72  in the upper surface  70  of the cable support  20 A. A second electrical cable  36 B is then centered over the first cable support  20 A and a second cable support  20 B oriented 180 degrees with respect to the first cable support  20 A. The second cable support  20 B is then placed over the second electrical cable  36 B and onto the first cable support  20 A in such a manner that the axially aligned apertures  46  in the first support leg  26  of the first cable support  20 A are in axial alignment with the axially aligned apertures  46  in the second support leg  28  of the second cable support  20 B. The fastener  48  that is frictionally held in the axially aligned apertures  46  in the second set  42  of brace members in the second cable support  20 B is then tightened into the axially aligned apertures  46  in the first set  38  of brace members of the first cable support  20 A. 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , in a like manner as described in the preceding paragraph, additional electrical cables  36 C,  36 D and cable supports  20 C,  20 D can be stacked on top of the previously secured cable supports  20 A,  20 B until the desired total of electrical cables are secured thereon to the surface  50 . Practically, a total of five cable supports can be stacked together. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , the fastener  48  held frictionally within the cable support  20  of the present invention is preferably a screw. As the cable support of the present invention may be utilized to secure electrical cables to either wooden or metal studs or joists, the fastener can be varied to suit the particular medium it will be used with. 
   With reference to  FIG. 3 , the apertures  46  aligned along axis  92  in the first set of brace members  38  are offset, as denoted by distance Y, from the first side  30  of the arch shaped member  22  and the apertures  46  aligned along axis  94  in the second set of brace members  42  are offset, as denoted by distance Y, from the second side  32  of the arch shaped member  22 . Orienting a second cable support  20 B at 180 degrees with respect to a first cable support  20 A, such as shown in  FIG. 10 , therefore enables axial alignment of the apertures  46  in the two cable supports  20 A and  20 B. 
   Although the preferred embodiment of the cable support has been shown and described herein as being secured to a horizontal surface, it should be apparent that the cable support can just as easily be mounted to a vertical surface, or a surface at any other angle. The cable support described herein could also easily be attached to overhead rafters or the like to secure cables thereto. 
   As the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in any ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Any and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.