Abstract:
Disclosed is a frame for telecommunications equipment having a number of plates made slidable so as to be adjustable along the frame&#39;s length. The frame also has removable feet which suspend the frame above the floor and a number of strap receiving pins (or rings) to which straps can be attached in order that the frame can be lowered into a hole in the ground during installation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/288,108 filed Nov. 5, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,685. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to the field of supporting telecommunications equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to the field of frames used to support telecommunications equipment. Once the equipment is attached to the frame, the frame and attached equipment are installed in the field by lowering the frame into a recess in the ground. The frame is then encased in concrete exposing the equipment. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Metal frames have been used in the prior art to support telecommunications equipment. One such frame is referred to as the “Bratton” model. The Bratton frame has two longitudinal side members which are parallel one to the other. They are connected at their ends by two end members transverse to the side members. These end members are also parallel to one another. The side members are permanently welded to the ends of the end members. The rectangular frame defined by the side and end members also has a number of permanently fixed cross bars. These cross bars are welded at their ends to the side members. 
     These cross bars directly support the equipment on the Bratton frame. This causes problems. First, because of the limited surface area provided by the cross bars, there are large unsupported gaps between cross members. This makes it difficult to place the telecommunications equipment thereon. Additionally, articles of equipment (e.g., batteries) may fall through the frame as a result. Second, because the cross bars are fixed by welding, and because different kinds of equipment may require different support bar configurations, it is impossible to preweld the frames. Rather, each frame must be custom welded to match the particular equipment desired to be installed. 
     Another problem with the Bratton frame is that, because it rests directly on the ground, wiring is made difficult. It is often necessary to run cable (from the cabinet) slightly beneath the level of the frame when preparing 900 or 1200 pair cable as part of “pre-running” the telecommunications assembly. The fact that the Bratton frame rests directly on the ground sometimes will cause this cable to become undesirably bent. However, if the frame were to be suspended above the ground, this problem would be avoided. 
     Another problem with the Bratton frame is that it is difficult to lower it into the ground once at site of installation. Such frames are extremely heavy, and thus, are usually lowered using straps. However, there is no convenient place on the Bratton frame in which the straps are to be attached. Thus, users often simply loop the straps around the side and end members. This, however, is a risky venture, in that the straps may slide on the members. Additionally, there are balance concerns. Therefore, there is a need for a method of attaching the straps to the frame that will not result in such sliding and that will maintain proper balance when the frame is lowered. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The telecommunications frame of the present invention solves all of these problems present in the prior art frames by providing a frame having two spaced, substantially parallel, longitudinal side members; two spaced, substantially parallel, transverse end members; the longitudinal and transverse members being in substantially the same plane and together defining a frame. The frame also has two longitudinal slide rails which receive a number of slidable plates that are mounted on the slide rails. The plates are secured using special releasable clamps. 
     The frame may also optionally have a plurality of legs secured to and extending down from said frame. These legs are removably secured to the frame using a sleeve, reciprocating holes bored through each sleeve and leg, and an L-pin. 
     The frame may also have a plurality of strap receiving members on the outside of the longitudinal side members adapted to receive straps enabling the frame to be lowered into a recess for installation. These strap receiving members may be simple pins, or pins with rings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows the telecabinet frame of the present invention with the telecommunications equipment attached to the top thereof. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the telecabinet frame with the telecommunications equipment removed. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of the telecabinet frame. 
         FIG. 4  shows the telecabinet frame from above. 
         FIG. 5  shows an end view of the telecabinet frame. 
         FIG. 6  shows the slidable nature of the support plates of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows the leg of the telecabinet frame as it is attached using an L-pin. 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  show the clamping assembly of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows the teleframe  12  assembly with telecommunications equipment attached to the top thereof before installation. The typical telecommunications assembly  10  comprises a cross-box  14 , an electronics cabinet  16 , and a meter box  18  which is secured on the top of a power pedestal  20 . Cross-box  14  is used to interface with the customer side of a telecommunications network, by linking cabling between customers and the electronics in cabinet  16 . Cabinet  16  contains the electronics (i.e., multiplexor, transports, batteries) necessary to support the system. Meter box  18  and power pedestal  20  receive commercial AC power and convert it to comply with local code requirements. This equipment is attached to the top of the telecommunications frame  12  which is the subject of this invention. It is important to note that this invention is not limited in scope to any particular equipment arrangement. The cross-box  14 /cabinet  16 /meter box  18 /power pedestal  20  arrangement is shown here only for exemplary purposes. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the details of the telecommunications frame  12  are shown. Frame  12  comprises at its periphery, a first longitudinal side member  40  and a second longitudinal side member  42  which are substantially parallel to one another. Side members  40  and  42  are connected at their ends by first  44  and second  46  end members which are substantially parallel to one another. Side members  40  and  42  may be joined to end members  44  and  46  by welding, fasteners, or any other way known to those skilled in the art. The rectangular frame  12  defined by the side and end members is further supported by a first cross-member  48 , second cross-member  50 , third cross-member  52 , and a fourth cross-member  54 . These cross-members  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , are connected at their ends to side members  40  and  42  by welding, fasteners, or any other way known to those skilled in the art. They are also substantially parallel to end members  44  and  46 . Cross-members  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54 , along with end members  44  and  46 , serve to support a pair of slide rails  22 ,  24  thereon. Slide rails  22  and  24  are substantially parallel to side members  40  and  42 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  8 , and  9 , each of slide rails  22  and  24  are comprised of two bars, each bar simply welded to the tops of cross-members  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54  and end members  44  and  46  in an upright position (See figures). 
     Slide rails  22  and  24  are used to support any number of slidable support plates. See e.g.,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36 . Of these plates, a cross-box support plate  30  serves to provide support for cross-box  14 , said cross-box  14  being fastened to plate  30 . First and second cabinet support plates  32 ,  34  together support the electronics cabinet  16 . A free plate  36  is used in the instance that additional equipment is necessary to be supported by frame  12 . Plates  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  are not fixed directly to slide rails  22  and  24 , however. Rather, plates  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  are placed atop strut members  60 ,  62 ,  64 , and  66  respectively. See  FIG. 3 . Strut members  60 ,  62 ,  64 , and  66  are used as part of a novel method of clamping the plates to the frame which enables the plates to be slidable. 
     The way in which plates  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  are made slideable, is by use of clamping assembly  94  which is disclosed in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  FIG. 8  shows the use of the clamping assembly where it is used to secure free plate  36  to slide rail  22 . Because free plate  36 , as shown, does not secure any particular equipment thereto (like plates  30 ,  32 , and  34 ) the assembly  94  simply secures a plate to the particular slide rail  22 . Clamping assembly  94  uses a basic bolt  96  with a head  97  and a threaded end  99 , upon which is received a nut  108 . Bolt  96  is simply passed through a hole drilled through plate  36  and a reciprocating hole (not pictured) drilled through strut  66 . After passing through strut  66 , the bolt passes through a gap  95 . Gap  95  is defined by the slide rail  22 . A gutter-like reciprocating rail  102  defining a channel  103  which conforms to the lower part of the slide rail  22 . Reciprocating rail  102  helps perform a clamping function to secure plate  36 , strut  66 , and slide rail  22  together. Lock washer  98  and flat washer  100  beneath head  97  are used to place compressive forces on plate  36  from above. Nut  108 , lock washer  106 , and flat washer  104  are used to apply compressive forces on reciprocating rail  102  from below. Thus, to fixedly secure plate  36  in place on the frame, the four clamping assemblies on that plate should be clamped by tightening the bolts. In order to slide the plate to a new location on the frame, the bolts should be loosed. To remove a plate, all of the bolts on that plate should be completely removed. 
     Like principles would apply to the same clamping assembly  94  when used to attach a cabinet  16 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The only difference being that a portion of the floor of the cabinet  16  is also compressively secured underneath the head of the bolt  97 . This holds cabinet  16  in place on plate  34 . Replicas of the same clamping assembly  94  are used in a similar fashion to secure cabinet  16  to plate  32 , and to secure the floor of cross box  14  plate  30 . 
     The fact that these plates are made slidable by the adjustment of clamping assemblies  94 , described above makes the frame of the present invention much more versatile than those that existed in the prior art.  FIG. 6  shows the slidable nature of plates  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  on frame  12 . Plate  32  in particular is shown (by broken lines) as being slidable. However, it is to be understood that all of plates  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  are slidable, not just  32 . Plate  32  is merely selected as an example. Because these plates are slidable, they can be adjusted to conform to any desired cabinet placement on the frame. This means that the frame does not have to be prewelded like the prior art frames. This is because no welding is necessary to make adjustments to where the support plates are located on the frame. A frame may simply be pulled of the shelf, and adjusted to fit. 
     The fact that plates (like those shown in  FIG. 2  at  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36 ) are used on the frame of the present invention is another advantage over the prior art frames. You will recall that equipment on the prior art frames (e.g., batteries) tended to fall out through the bottom of the cabinet. This is because the prior art frames do not have plates—only cross bars. Cross bars have much less surface area than do plates. The additional surface area provide by the plates prevents non-fixed articles within the cabinet (e.g., batteries) to be better contained, and prevents them from falling out. 
     Besides the four support plates already described, a power pedestal support plate  38  exists in order to support power pedestal  20 . See  FIG. 2 . Plate  38  is supported from underneath by both side member  40  and a first short support  26 . A second short support  28  is provided. Short supports  26  and  28  create additional stability at the fore-end  46  of the frame. Like plates  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36 , power pedestal support  38 , is also supported on top of strut members  68 . See  FIG. 3 . 
     Another novel component of the invention is disclosed in detail in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . Frame  12  is suspended above the ground using six legs  80 . Each leg  80  is secured to the frame by being received in a tube  86 . Each of tubes  86  are welded (or otherwise fixed) to frame  12 . See  FIG. 4 . Legs  80  each have feet  84  which serve to provide additional stability. Each leg  80  is removably securable to the frame by the use of an L-shaped pin arrangement. In order that this attachment be accomplished, each leg  80  has a hole (not pictured) bored there through transverse to its length. Tube also has a pair of reciprocating holes (not pictured) bored transversely therethrough. To secure leg  80  to the frame, it is inserted into tube  86  and slid up until the hole (not pictured) in the leg  80  is even with the hole (not pictured) in the tube  86 . The alignment of these holes enables user to insert L-shaped pin  82  therein. This causes leg  80  to be securely held to frame  12 . 
     Another novel feature of the present invention The telecabinet frame  12  also uses hoist bolts  70  (or pins) which are used to receive straps which enable the frame to be lifted in and out of a recess in the ground. Four bolts  70  are connected to the frame using four receiving nuts  72  which are located at different parts and represented in  FIG. 4 . Receiving nuts  72  simply are threaded holes defined by side members (or welded to said side members) within which bolts  70  are received. Instead of plain bolts  70 , bolts with ring shaped heads (not pictured) could be used to enable the straps to me held more securely to the frame for hoisting purposes. 
     Thus, there has been shown and described a telecabinet frame which fulfills all of the object and advantages sought therefore. Many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification together with the accompanying drawings and claims. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.