GB2214604A

GB2214604A - Cable handling equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2214604A
Application number: GB8800325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rodney James Anthony Hunter; Mervyn Parker
Original assignee: University of Surrey
Current assignee: University of Surrey
Priority date: 1988-01-07
Filing date: 1988-01-07
Publication date: 1989-09-06
Also published as: GB8800325D0

Abstract

Cable handling equipment for protecting hoses and cables is made up of a number of links, each having an up-standing wall (1) with a pair of parallel extending arms (6) and (7). The cables and hoses (12), to be protected, are inserted between the arms (6, 7) and against the wall (1). A retaining strap is passed through apertures (8,9) and sits in a recess (11) on the outer surface of the walls (6,7). The strap is secured and holds the cables and hoses (12) in position. <IMAGE>

Description

Cable Handling Equipment This invention relates to cable handling equipment of the kind comprising a chain having a plurality of links, each link having an up-standing wall with means for a connection to an adjacent link. At least one pair of arms extend from one side of the link to define a space in which cables, hoses or the like, may be inserted.

Cable equipment of this type is disclosed in our prior patent specification No. 1 012 432

In this specification the cables and hoses are retained in the space defined by the arms by a removable pin which extends across the open ends of the arms. This pin is provided occasionally on links along the chain and is not required on every link.

In our patent specification No. 2 054 089

; a cable handling equipment of the kind described is disclosed which has a different form of retainer. This is canprised by a generally Shaped spring element, which is placed across the open mouth defined by the two arms and extends into the up-standing wall and clips behind the wall by projecting through apertures in that wall.

It has also been proposed to have a flexible tie element which passes through holes in the ends of the arms and is secured either by normally tying the free ends or by fixing them with a clip or the like element.

In order to allow variations of the retaining devices the principle of tying a flexible member around the cables has been suggested. However if this extends beyond the arms on the outside, there is a risk of this being dislodged or abraded and broken. It is an object of the present invention to overcome such a disadvantage.

According to the present invention, cable handling equipment of the kind comprising a chain having a plurality of links, each link having an up-standing wall with means for connection to an adjacent link and having at least one pair of arms extending from one side of the link to define a space in which cables, hoses or the like may be inserted, including the feature that the arms include over at least a greater part of their length on the outer surface thereof, a recess for receiving a flexible retaining element adapted to pass over the arms and cross the open ends thereof, opposite the up-standing wall.

The depth of the recess is preferably designed so that the retaining element received therein lies flush with the surface of the arms and does not protrude there from. The retaining element itself is preferably a flexible strap although it may be a spring. The retaining element may be made of. a plastics material or a metal band.

Apertures may be provided in the ends of the arms remote fran the up-standing wall, and the retaining means may pass through these apertures.

In a modification of the equipment there may be a plurality of pairs of arms extending on either side of the up-standing wall. These arms are preferably parallel to each other. The up-standing wall itself may be provided with apertures through which the retaining means may pass.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one example of a cable handling equipment, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described with reference to the three figures of the accompanying drawing. In the drawing, Figure 1 shows a side view of one link of a chain constituting the equipment, Figure 2 shows a plan view of the link of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a detailed view along the lines 3,3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, this shows a link of a cable handling chain for receiving cables and hoses used to feed power and supplies to a moveable mining machine and as described in our prior patent specification No. 1 012 432. Each link ccmprises a vertical up-standing wall (1) having two lugs (2,3) which are provided for connection to adajacent links. As can be seen from Figure 2, the lugs (2) are bifurcated and receive between them a mating lug of the type (3) from the adjacent link. Holes (4) and (5) are formed in the lugs (2) and (3) respectively, and pivot pins (not shown) secure adjacent links together through these holes.

A pair of arms (6,7) extend at right angles and in parallel from the up-standing wall (1) and each arm has a pair of recesses (8,9) at its rear and forward ends respectively (Figure 2). Further holes (10) are formed in the up-standing wall (1) in line with the holes (8) and (9) in the arms.

A recessed portion (11) in the outermost surface of each arm runs between the holes (8) and (9) and to the free end of each arm.

In use cables or hoses, indicated in Figure 2 at (12), are placed between the arms (6) and (7) and against the wall (1). To retain the hoses and cables (12) in position, a retaining strap (not shown) is passed along the recess (11) and around the cables and hoses (12) through holes (8) and (9) and secured across the open ends of the arms (6,7). The strap is a flat flexible band of plastics material and is secured by a clip across the gap between the free ends of the arms.

The use of the recess (11) ensures that the strap is properly located and will not during operation of the cable handling equipment be knocked out of position, but will retain itself in the correct position. Furthermore, with correct proportioning of the dimensions of the strap and of the recess (11), the strap will lie wholly within the recess (11) and will not rub or catch on any protrusions which the cable handling equipment may encounter. It can be seen from Figure 3 that the proportions of the depth of the recess (11) to the thickness of the arm is such as not to weaken in any material way the arm (11).

As an alternative the strap may just pass through the ert (9) and over the free ends of the arms (6,7) so as merely to bridge across the ends of these arms. Alternatively to secure the cables and hoses (12) more firmly within the equipment the strap may pass from the holes (8) through the holes (10) in the up-standing wall and thus hold the hoses and cables (12) against this wall.

The strap may in certain circumstances be a metal band or a tie of any other suitable material.

The use of the invention enables the cables and hoses securely to be fixed into the cable handling equipment without their being any risk of the securing means being themselves damaged by abrasion. This means that the equipment is able to be used in arduous circumstances such as in a coal mine and to give a long service life.

Claims

CLES:

1. Cable handling equipment of the kind comprising a chain having a plurality of links, each link having an up-standing wall with means for connection to an adjacent link, and at least one pair of arms extending from one side of the link to define a space in which cables, hoses or the like may be inserted, characterised in that the arms each include, at least over a greater part of their length on the outer side thereof, a recess for receiving a flexible retaining element adapted to pass over the arms and across the open ends thereof, opposite the upstanding wall.

2. Equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the depths of the recess is such as fully to receive the retaining element.

3. Equipment as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the retaining element is a flexible strap.

4. Equipment as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the strap is of a plastics material.

5. Equipment as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the retaining element comprises a metal band.

6. Equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a pair of apertures is provided in each arm and the retaining element extends along the arm and the through both apertures and passes across the open ends of the arms.

7. Equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, and including a pair of arms extending along each side of the up-standing wall, at least one of the pairs of arms including a recess on the outer surface thereof.

8. Equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the arms are parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

9. Equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the up-standing wall includes further apertures to receive the retaining means there through.

10. Cable handling equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1,2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.