Patent Abstract:
Cable Support Systems for supporting an object at a desired distance below an overhead beam or other overhead structure are provided. Novel clamps for clamping to the overhead structure are fitted to support cables that encircle objects to be supported by the cable support systems. The novel clamps have internal methods to support the cables. The cables are then encircled around the objects and fixed relative to the clamp. The distances between the object and the clamps may be precisely controlled.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to cable support systems for suspending an object from an overhead structure by means of cables. The cable support systems include novel clamps that clamp to the overhead structure and support the cable that suspends from them to secure the object to be suspended.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    Various cable support systems have been described and utilized in the prior art to suspend objects from overhead beams. The purposed of such systems is to suspend items such as conduit, heating and air conditioning ducts, piping, and other objects from overhead structures such as beams or roofs. The earlier cable suspension systems did not provide adequate methods of adjusting the height of the objects suspended precisely so as to equalize the weight on several cables that might be suspending the same object. Further, the earlier systems did not provide a simple and easy way of connecting the cables that suspend an object to the overhead structures. The present invention provides a cable system that may precisely control the height of an object suspended from an overhead structure and also form a ready and easy connection to the overhead structure by novel clamps.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A clamp for a cable support system is provided that includes a generally “C” shaped clamp body with a threaded fastener threadingly received within one leg of the “C” shaped body to clamp the “C” shaped body onto an overhead beam. A vertical bore through the clamp body receives a cable to be suspended from the overhead beam and there are various devices within the clamp body to restrict the downward vertical movement of the cable relative to the clamp body. One of the arrangements for restricting the downward movement of the cable within the clamp body is to provide a annular shoulder within the bore that cooperates with an oversized end portion on the cable and thereby restricts downward movement of the cable.  
           [0006]    Another arrangement for restraining the cable within the “C” shaped body of the clamp includes providing a conical end portion at the lower part of the vertical bore through the body. A wedge retainer is movable vertically within the bore. Wedges retained by the wedge retainer contact the cable within the bore and force the wedges against the cable by contact with the conical end portion of the bore when the retainer is at the lower part of the bore. A spring urges the wedge retainer downwardly relative to the bore so that when the cable is forced upwardly through the wedges, the cable is restricted from downward movement.  
           [0007]    Still another arrangement for restraining the cable within the “C” shaped body of the clamp includes providing a passage extending downwardly at an acute angle to the vertical bore with a wedge within the passage that is urged into the bore by a spring. The wedge prevents the cable from moving downwardly unless it is released by release levers that extend out from the wedge through slots in the “C” shaped body.  
           [0008]    Cable support systems are also provided which utilize the novel clamps and suspend an object from the cable with the use of cable clamps or by providing fixed loops at the end of the cable to secure an object to the cable.  
           [0009]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel clamp for securing a cable to an overhead beam.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide systems for securing objects to overhead beams which permit the height to be precisely regulated.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for securing an object to an overhead beam by means of suspension cables that is readily installable by workmen.  
           [0012]    These and other objects of the present invention all become readily apparent as this description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the clamp of the present invention clamped to a section of “I” beam.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the clamp of FIG. 1 clamped to the “I” beam.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the clamp of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the internal arrangement of the clamp.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clamp similar to that of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of the clamp of FIG. 4.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation of another form of clamp.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the clamp of FIG. 6.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a system for suspending an object from an overhead beam shown schematically.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a system similar to that of FIG. 6.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is another system similar to those of FIGS. 6 and 7.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , there is shown a clamp generally indicated at  10  clamped to an overhead beam  12 . The overhead beam  12  is depicted as an “I” beam but it could be a beam or support of any shape that would accept the clamp  10 . The clamp  10  has a generally “C” shaped body  14  with a threaded fastener  16  threaded through one leg of the “C” shaped body  14 . A lock nut  18  is included on the threaded fastener  16  to lock the fastener in place after the clamp  10  is secured to beam  12 . A vertical bore  20  (FIG. 3) is provided through the body  14  of clamp  10 . The vertical bore  20  has a conical end  22  at the lower end of the clamp  10 . Within the vertical bore  20  is positioned a wedge retainer  24  which is generally conical in shape with an extended cylindrical end portion  24   a  and which has a bore extending through the length of the wedge retainer  24  to accept a cable. The wedge retainer  24  retains wedges  26  about its periphery. The wedges  26  are depicted as balls but they could also be wedges of other shapes without departing from the spirit of this invention. The wedge retainer  24  is urged downwardly relative to the clamp body  14  by a spiral spring  28  that is secured at the upper end of the body  14  by a spring cap  30  fixed to the body  14 .  
         [0024]    A retainer lock nut  32  is threaded onto the outer extension of the wedge retainer  24  for a purpose to be described. A cable  34  is positioned within the body  14  of clamp  10 . The cable  34  may be moved upwardly in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. 3. If cable  34  is attempted to be moved downwardly against the direction of arrow A, the wedges  26  within the wedge retainer  24  are wedged against the cable as the wedge retainer  24  moves downwardly and the wedges  26  enter the lower conical portion  22  of vertical bore  20 . It will be seen that the position of the cable  34  relative to the clamp body  14  may be adjusted by moving the cable  34  upwardly in the direction of arrow A. Once the cable  34  is positioned in the desired location, the retainer lock nut  32  is threaded upwardly against the body  14  of clamp  10  to prevent movement of the wedge retainer  24  relative to the body  14  and thereby lock the cable  34  in place.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a second embodiment of a clamp adapted to fix a cable to an overhead beam. The clamp shown generally at  40  has a generally “C” shaped body  44  with a threaded fastener  46  threaded through one leg of the body  44 . A lock nut  48  is positioned on the threaded fastener  46  to lock it in place once the threaded fastener  46  clamps the body  44  of clamp  10  onto an overhead beam (not shown). Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a vertical bore  50  that has an oversized portion  52  at the top of the body of clamp  10 . The oversized portion  52  forms an annular shoulder  54  around the top of the smaller vertical bore  50 . A cable  56  is shown within the vertical bore  50  and cable  56  has an oversized end  58  which prevents the cable  56  from moving downwardly relative to the clamp body  44  when the oversized end  58  contacts the annular shoulder  54  within the clamp body  44 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a third embodiment of a clamp adapted to fix a cable to an overhead beam. The clamp shown generally at  80  has a generally “C” shaped body  84  with a threaded fastener  86  through one leg of the body  84 . A lock nut  88  is positioned on the threaded fastener  86  to lock it in place once the threaded fastener  86  clamps the body  84  of clamp  10  onto an overhead beam (not shown). A vertical bore  90  is provided through the body  84  of clamp  80 .  
         [0027]    The vertical bore  90  has a passage  92  communicating with it. Passage  92  extends downwardly at an acute angle to bore  90  and contains a wedge  94  that slides within passage  92 . The wedge  94  is urged toward bore  90  by a spring  96  that is retained by a spring cap  98  fixed to the upper end of passage  92 . The wedge  94  has release levers  100  fixed to it that extend outwardly from wedge  94  through slots  102  formed into each side of “C” shaped body  84 . The slots  102  extend generally parallel to passage  92  and permit the wedge  94  to be moved against the urging of spring  96 .  
         [0028]    It will be seen that cable  104  can be inserted upwardly into bore  90  and that the wedge  94  will move against the urging of spring  96  to permit passage of cable  104 . If there is an attempt to move cable  104  downwardly, it will be wedged against bore  90  by wedge  94 . If it is desired to move cable  104  downwardly, release levers  100  are moved against the urging of spring  96  to move wedge  94  away from cable  104 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 8, 9, and  10  show systems for supporting objects below overhead beams by means of cable supported from the novel clamps shown in FIGS.  1 - 7 . FIG. 8 shows a clamp  40  having the “C” shaped body  44  with the threaded fastener  46  and lock nut  48  clamped to an overhead beam (not shown). The cable  56  that suspends from clamp  40  is utilized to support an object  60  at a desired distance below the clamp  40 . The object  60  as shown in FIG. 6 has an eye through which cable  56  passes. It should be understood that the shape and size of object  60  form no part of the present invention and the object  16  may be a pipe, a heating or air conditioning vent, or any other object which is encircled by cable  56 .  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 8, the cable  56  passes through a cable grip  64  and then encircles the object  60  and is returned back through cable grip  64  where the free end  66  of cable  56  protrudes above the cable grip  64 .  
         [0031]    The cable grip  64  is a device shown and described in my copending patent application Ser. No. 10/029,087 entitled “Releasable Cable Grip” and filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 20, 2001. The cable grip  64  consists generally of a housing that has twin bores through the housing. One bore permits the cable to pass freely through the housing without being restricted. The other bore contains wedges and retainer elements that permit the cable to pass in only one direction through the housing and restrict the cable from being removed from the housing in the opposite direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the cable  56  suspends from the clamp  40  and passes through the passage within cable grip  64  which does not restrict it. The cable  56  is passed around object  60  and is then passed upwardly through cable grip  64  until the end portion  66  of the cable  56  protrudes above the cable grip  64 . The precise height of object  60  relative to clamp  40  will depend upon the amount of the free end  66  of cable  56  that extends above the cable grip  64 .  
         [0032]    Referring to FIG. 9, the clamp  10  of the type shown in FIGS.  1 - 3  is attached to an overhead beam (not shown) when the threaded fastener  16  in the clamp body  14  is threaded against the beam and the lock nut  18  is secured. In clamp  10 , the retainer lock nut  32  will hold the cable  34   a  in place. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the cable  34   a  has a permanent loop  68  formed on the end of cable  34   a  by means of a crimped retainer  70  that secures the end of cable  34   a  and forms the loop  68 . In FIG. 9, the object  72  is encircled by cable  34   a  and then cable  34   a  passes back through its own loop  68  to secure the object. The cable  34   a  is then passed upwardly into clamp  10  with the retainer lock nut  32  loosened to permit free movement of cable  34   a  through the clamp body  14 . The height of object  72  relative to clamp  10  is adjusted by adjusting the amount of cable  34   a  that protrudes above the body  14  of the clamp  10 . It will be appreciated that the system of FIG. 9 may also be practiced with the clamp  80  of FIGS. 6 and 7 since the amount of cable protruding above clamp  80  is adjustable.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 10 also shows a system which utilizes the clamp  10  of FIGS.  1 - 3 . Here again, a cable  34  is secured by clamp  14  as described in conjunction with the description of clamp  10 . The cable  34  passes through a cable grip  64  as described in conjunction with the configuration of FIG. 8 herein. The cable  34  passes through the free passage of cable grip  64 , encircles the object to be retained, and then passes back up through the restrained passage of cable grip  64  so that the free end  74  of cable  34  extends above the cable grip  64 . In the configuration of FIG. 10, the height of object  72  relative to clamp  10  may be adjusted by the amount of cable that is moved above clamp  10  by loosening retainer lock nut  32  and thereafter tightening it. The height of object  72  relative to clamp  10  may also be adjusted by the amount of the free end  74  of cable  34  that is permitted to protrude above the cable grip  64 . Thus FIG. 8 has two separate and distinct adjustment means for adjusting the height of the object  72  relative to the clamp  10 . Again, it will be appreciated that the clamp  80  of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be substituted in this system of FIG. 10 since it operates in a manner similar to the clamp  10  of FIGS.  1 - 3 .  
         [0034]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle, mode of operation and the preferred embodiments of my invention. It should be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described herein in accordance with the claims affixed hereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5