GB2260652A

GB2260652A - Cable ladders

Info

Publication number: GB2260652A
Application number: GB9120885A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Dugay; Richard John Allsop
Original assignee: WARWICK FINSPA Ltd
Current assignee: WARWICK FINSPA Ltd
Priority date: 1991-10-02
Filing date: 1991-10-02
Publication date: 1993-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-02
Also published as: GB2263821A; GB9120885D0; GB2260652B; GB2263821B; GB9302485D0

Abstract

A cable support comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails 6, 8 and cross members 10 secured to and extending between the rails at longitudinally spaced intervals and having an insert 30 such as a metal or plastic tray or trough, disposed between the side rails and providing a support for relatively flexible cable runs. The insert may be of nylon or polyethylene and be foraminous. It may be planar or have one or more troughs. It may also have apertures and be easily removed or permanently secured. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Improvements relating to cable supports" Description of Invention This invention relates to a cable support comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails and cross members secured to and extending between the side rails at longitudinally spaced intervals. Such cable supports are used, for example, to support runs of cable, which may be electric cable, fibre optic cable, fluid carrying hoses or the like in a variety of situations in a manner in which the cables are supported reliably and conveniently. Such situations may be in relation to a computer system, where a large number of information-carrying cables pass between a variety of terminals, or on an oil rig where numerous cables are required for power and lighting purposes.

Hereinafter the term "cable" is used to refer to all kinds of cable including electrical conductors, as well as hoses and other elongate generally flexible elements which require to be supported.

Whilst cable supports in which cables are supported directly by the cross members perform satisfactorily with cable runs which are relatively stiff, they are unsatisfactory for relatively flexible cable runs since the cables may sag between adjacent cross members.

An object of the invention is to provide a cable support which can satisfactorily support relatively flexible cable runs.

According to the present invention we provide a cable support comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails and cross members secured to and extending between the rails at longitudinally spaced intervals and having an insert disposed between the side rails and providing a support for relatively flexible cable runs.

The insert may comprise a generally laminar element which may or may not be foraminous.

The insert may be planar or of single or multiple trough shape.

The insert may comprise a metal sheet such as stainless steel or galvanised mild steel of planar or single or multiple trough shape.

Alternatively, the insert may be foraminous and comprise a metal sheet having apertures formed therein, for example by punching, or may comprise an expanded metal sheet or a grid of intersecting metal elements such as wires or rods which may be welded at least at some intersections.

Alternatively, the insert may comprise a plastics sheet and may be formed by any desired means including moulding extrusion or thermoplastic forming.

Alternatively, the insert may comprise a foraminous plastics element, for example a plastic sheet having a plurality of apertures formed therein by any suitable means such as punching or moulding, a plastics grid or the like. The plastics material may be any suitable material, for example, nylon or polythene.

The apertures, when present, save material and hence weight and provide a means to facilitate fastening a cable run in place by appropriate fastening means which utilise the apertures to facilitate connection to the insert.

The insert may be permanently retained between the side rails.

Alternatively, the insert may be removably retained between the side rails.

For example, where the side rails are slotted the insert may have a plurality of projections which engage in desired slots.

Alternatively, the insert may be retained by suitable fasteners such as clips, ties, such as plastic cable ties wrapped around the cross-members, or other suitable fasteners engaged with the cross members.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide a method of adapting a cable support comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails and cross members secured to and extending between the rails at longitudinally spaced intervals for use with relatively flexible cables comprising the step of assembling an insert, adapted to support relatively flexible members, between the side rails.

In both aspects of the invention the cable support may have the following features: Preferably the side rails provide inwardly-facing, generally planar faces to which cross members may be secured at spaced intervals. Preferably the side rails are provided with a plurality of slots, enabling ancillary components to be secured to the side rails by e.g. bolts or other securing members, and to enable longitudinally adjacent rails to be secured together in abutting relationship by the use for example of fish plates.

Preferably the side rails are of angle cross-section, conveniently being of generally C-shape, the inner edges of which being re-entrant, to reduce the risk of cable snagging against the edges, and to increase the strength of the rail.

Preferably the rails are provided with drainage holes located within the C-outline of the section, to drain water which would otherwise remain.

Preferably each cross member is slotted, similarly to reduce the weight of the rack. Advantageously slot formations of different profiles are provided on different sides of the cross member, enabling different profiles to be presented to the cable-receiving trough on selection. Desirably however the cross members are secured to and extend between the rails in alternating manner, so that both of the two different profiles are presented to the trough. In this manner, particularly where the slot profiles are designed to accommodate different designs of cable securement means, a high degree of versatility is provided.

The different profiles may be presented alternately, or at random, so that alternate ones are presented from time-to-time along the length of the rack.

Alternative to each cross member being provided with different profiles on different sides, different cross members may be utilised which provide different profiles, the cross members being located longitudinally of the rack in generally alternating manner.

It will be appreciated that more than two profiles may be utilised, and thus if the cross members are of generally rectangular cross-section, different slot profiles may be provided on each of the four sides, to provide for the use of four different types of securing means.

Preferably the side rails and/or the cross members are of cold rolled section, e.g. of mild steel or stainless steel.

Preferably however the side rails and the cross members are pickled e.g. by the use of acid, and passivated to provide a corrosion-resistant passive oxide film.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a cable support which is a preferred embodiment of the invention, for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view, partly broken away, of a cable support embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through an alternative configuration of inserts for use with the cable support of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 of another form of insert for use with the cable support of Figure 1, FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of an alternative form of insert similar to that used in Figure 1, and FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 4 but of a still further alternative.

The cable support shown in Figure 1 comprises parallel side rails 6, 8 secured to and extending between which at spaced intervals are a plurality of cross members 10. Both the rails 6, 8 and the cross member 10 are of generally C-shape or channel cross-section, being of stainless steel and subjected after a cold rolling operation to pickling and passivating.

If desired, the rails and cross members 10 may be made of any other suitable material, for example, galvanised mild steel or, if appropriate, of appropriate synthetic plastics material.

Each of the rails provides on an inner side a generally planar face 12, provided in which are a plurality of slots 14. In cross-section the rails are generally in the form of back-to-back C-shape, although being of generally angular form, terminal edges of the sections being re-entrant, as indicated by the numerals 16. This provides for an increase in the strength of the rail, and reduces the possibility of cables when being laid onto the rack being snagged by the edges 16.

In addition to the slots 14 each rail is provided at spaced intervals with drainage holes 15 in its upper and lower sides.

The cross members 10 are, in the preferred embodiment, identical, being provided on one side thereof with an elongate channel 20, and on the opposite side with spaced slots 22, drainage holes 24 being provided at spaced intervals on the other sides.

The cross members are secured between the side rails by welding, but may if desired be secured in position by bolts. The cross members 10 are secured in an alternating manner such that a different slot profile, 20 or 22, is presented to a cable-receiving trough 26 alternately. In this manner, different types of securement means, to retain relatively rigid cable runs located within the trough 26 and directly supported by the cross members 10, may be utilised, i.e.

securement means designed for operation within the channels 20, or for operation within the slots 22.

In addition to providing a reduction in weight, the slots 14 in the side rails 6 and 8 enable longitudinally adjacent rails to be secured together in close relationship by the use for example of square-headed bolts and fish plates.

In order to enable the cable support to properly support relatively flexible cable runs an insert is provided of perforated stainless steel in the form of a flat laminar plate 30. The plate 30 is supported on the cross members 10 and is retained releasably in position by projections 31 provided on opposite sides of the insert 30 at spaced positions to engage with desired ones of the slots 14.

The insert thus provides an upwardly directed cable supporting surface 32 which in the present example is planar and thus a cable run is supported by the planar surface 32 throughout a desired length of the cable support and hence even very flexible cables may be supported properly.

If desired, the insert 30 may be made of other material than stainless steel, for example, galvanised mild steel, particularly where the side rails 6, 8 and cross members 10 are made of such material. However, if desired, the insert 30 may be made of other metal or suitable synthetic plastics material such as nylon or polythene.

If desired, and as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 2, the insert 30 may, instead of being planar, comprise a laminar element but of trough shape having a base part 33 which provides said upwardly facing surface 32 and side walls 34 arranged to lie, for example, closely adjacent the inwardly facing surfaces of the side rails 6, 8. However, if desired, the insert shown in Figure 2 may be of less width than the distance between the inwardly facing surface of the side rails 6, 8, for example, half the width or less than half the width so that the insert provides an upwardly facing surface 32 over only a portion of the width of the cable support. The remainder of the cable support may be unprovided with an insert or, if desired, provided with a separate insert of desired configuration.In such cases the or each insert is fastened to the cross members at an appropriate position transversely between the side rails 6, 8 by suitable fastening means.

Further alternatively and as illustrated in Figure 3, the or each insert as described in connection with Figure 2 may, instead of being of single trough configuration, be of multiple trough configuration, having a plurality of upstanding walls indicated at 35 in Figure 3 between which are provided individual upwardly facing surfaces 32, thereby providing any necessary separation between adjacent cable runs.

In all the embodiments described previously with reference to Figures 1 - 3, instead of the insert being imperforate it may be foraminous, for example, as a result of being formed with apertures, for example circular apertures 36 positioned as shown in Figure 4, made by punching or moulding, or in any other suitable manner. If desired, the pattern and size of openings may be other than that shown in Figure 4 so long as an adequate supporting surface is provided for the flexibility of cable run and size of cable run concerned.

Further alternatively and as illustrated in Figure 5, the insert may comprise a grid which may, for example, comprise a plurality of orthogonally disposed metal wires or rods welded together to form a welded mesh or may comprise a plastics moulding of grid configuration similar to that shown in Figure 5.

Further alternatively, but not illustrated, the insert may be made of expanded metal or indeed may be made of any suitable material with any suitable desired pattern of apertures. The openings may be provided in the upwardly facing surface 32 alone, of the embodiments of the configuration shown in Figures 2 and 3, and/or in the side walls 34, 35 illustrated therein.

The openings, when provided, save material and hence weight and also facilitate the securing of cable runs to the insert by permitting engaging appropriate securing means with the openings.

The inserts of any of the configurations described hereinbefore may be fastened in position in any suitable manner, not only by the projection 31 described hereinbefore. Depending upon the width of the insert, the inserts may be fastened to the side rails 6, 8 alone or instead of or in addition to fastening to the side rails 6, 8 may be fastened to the cross members 10, for example by means of a ratchet type cable tie of conventional type or a nut and bolt type fastening or a suitable clip.

Although in the example illustrated the cross rails 6, 8 are rectilinear, if desired they may be curved and may be curved either about an axis which extends transversely to the cross rails so that the insert 30 in that case would provide a surface 32 which curves generally upwardly or downwardly, or they may be curved about an axis which is generally parallel to the planar face 12, in which case the surface 32 would be of generally annular configuration although, of course, it is not necessary that the side rails 6, 8 are of circular curvature, since they may be curved in any desired manner to achieve any desired shape and the surface 32 would be formed to conform therewith either as a result of bending the pre-existing generally planar rectilinear strip of material or by forming material or by pre-forming material to a desired configuration.

It is envisaged that the distance between the side rails 6, 8 may lie in the range 150mm - 1m and the insert may be supplied with a width corresponding to the above mentioned distance or may be provided in, for example, 150mm modules so that a plurality of inserts laid side by side and suitably fastened in place can be used to build up the desired width or, as mentioned hereinbefore, to provide a supporting surface 32 of desired proportional proportions of the distance between the side rails 6, 8.

If desired, the side rails and/or cross members may be of any other suitable desired cross-sectional shape and may be provided with a different pattern of slots 14, 22 and/or drainage holes 15, 24 and/or channels 20 and, indeed, if desired any one or more of said sets of slots 14 or 22 and/or drainage holes 15 or 24 and/or channels 20 may be omitted.

The invention provides a relatively light weight, durable and flexible cable support, which may be used in a variety of sizes dependant upon circumstances, with a packing density of cross members as may be required.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in the terms or means for performing the desired function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cable support comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails and cross members secured to and extending between the rails at longitudinally spaced intervals and having an insert disposed between the side rails and providing a support for relatively flexible cable runs.

2. A cable support according to Claim 1 wherein the insert comprises a generally laminar element.

3. A cable support according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the insert is planar.

4. A cable support according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the insert is of single trough shape.

5. A cable support according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the insert is of multiple trough shape.

6. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the insert is substantially imperforate.

7. A cable support according to Claim 6 wherein the insert comprises an imperforate metal sheet.

8. A cable support according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the insert is foraminous.

9. A cable support according to Claim 8 wherein the insert comprises a metal sheet having apertures therein.

10. A cable support according to Claim 8 wherein the insert comprises an expanded metal sheet.

11. A cable support according to Claim 8 wherein the insert comprises a grid of intersecting metal elements.

12. A cable support according to Claim 11 wherein the metal elements are welded at least at some intersections.

13. A cable support according to Claim 7 or any one of Claims 10 to 12 wherein the metal comprises stainless steel or galvanised mild steel.

14. A cable support according to Claim 6 wherein the insert comprises a plastics sheet.

15. A cable support according to Claim 8 wherein the insert comprises a foraminous plastics element.

16. A cable support according to Claim 15 wherein the foraminous plastics element comprises a plastics sheet having a plurality of apertures formed therein.

17. A cable support according to Claim 15 wherein the plastics element comprises a plastics grid.

18. A cable support according to any one of Claims 14 to 17 wherein the plastics material comprises nylon or polythene.

19. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the insert is permanently retained between the side rails.

20. A cable support according to any one of Claims 1 to 18 wherein the insert is removably retained between the side rails.

21. A cable support according to Claim 20 wherein the side rails are slotted and the insert has a plurality of projections to engage in at least some of said slots.

22. A cable support according to Claim 20 wherein the insert is retained by suitable fasteners.

23. A cable support according to Claim 22 wherein the fasteners comprise clips engaged with the cross-members or ties wrapped around the cross-members.

24. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side rails provide inwardly-facing, generally planar, faces to which the crossmembers are secured at spaced intervals.

25. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side rails are provided with a plurality of slots.

26. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side rails are of angle cross-section.

27. A cable support according to Claim 26 wherein the side rails are of generally "C"-shape, the inner edges of which are re-entrant.

28. A cable support according to Claim 26 or Claim 27 wherein the rails are provided with drainage holes located within the "C" outline of the section to drain water which would otherwise remain.

29. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each cross-member is slotted.

30. A cable support according to Claim 29 wherein slot formations of different profiles are provided at different sides of the cross-member.

31. A cable support according to Claim 30 wherein the cross-members are secured to and extend between the rails in alternating manner so that both of two different profiles are presented in the trough.

32. A cable support according to Claim 31 wherein the different profiles are presented alternately.

33. A cable support according to Claim 32 wherein the different profiles are provided so that alternate ones are presented from time to time along the length of the rack.

34. A cable support according to any one of Claims 1 to 29 wherein each cross-member is provided with the same profile on different sides, different crossmembers which provide different profiles being located longitudinally of the rack.

35. A cable support according to any one of Claims 30 to 34 wherein more than two profiles are utilised.

36. A cable support according to Claim 35 wherein the cross-members are generally rectangular cross-section and different slot profiles are provided on each of the four sides.

37. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side rails and/or the cross-members are of cold rolled section.

38. A cable support according to Claim 37 wherein the side rails and/or cross-members are made of mild steel or stainless steel.

39. A cable support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side rails and/or the cross-members are pickled and passivated to provide a corrosion-resistant passive oxide film.

40. A method of adapting a cable support, comprising spaced parallel elongate side rails and cross-members secured to and extending between the rails at longitudinally spaced intervals, for use with relatively flexible cables comprising the step of assembling an insert, adapted to support relatively flexible cables, between the side rails.

41. A cable support substantially as hereinbefore decribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

42. A method of adapting a cable support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

43. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.