IE49644B1 - A distribution frame - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a distribution frame. It includes horizontal cross-members (2) which are perpendicular to the plane defined by a plurality of vertical uprights (1) and which are made fast to said uprights by means of connection parts (3), horizontal girders (4) fixed to the ends of said cross-members and suitable for connecting thereto fixing terminal strips (6), thereto jumber wire lead-through plates (7) fixed in rows to said uprights; said uprights, said cross-members and said girders being C-section bars, and each of said lead-through plates including a frame which has openings through which said wires pass. One end of said frame includes a catch 31 and a backed off portion provided with two studs 33, while the other end has a tab 35 as well as two holes 34 whose diameter is substantially equal to that of said studs.

Description

A DISTRIBUTION FRAME The present invention relates to a distribution frame.

In the field of telecommunications, the cables which generally come from the outside are guided via a cable rack to a distribution frame where the wires of said cables are individually connected to the pins of terminal strips whence they are connected via a cross-connection field of jumper wires to a switching unit, to subscribers' meters, etc.

It is therefore necessary to guide these wires and to guide them in great numbers towards said terminal strips So that it is possible to operate very rapidly in the case where they must be changed due to a breakdown in the network. , Known distribution frames are in the form of an assembly of flat irons or of angle irons with numerous holes in them, it being difficult and long to assemble them and their bulk being appreciable.

Further, such distribution frames are not readily extendable in particular in the case where an increase in the number of subscribers requires them to be extended.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention makes it 20 possible to remedy the previously outlined drawbacks and provide a distribution frame whose structure is simple and which can be rapidly and·easily set up in any premises at a moderate price.

The invention therefore provides a distribution frame having a plurality of vertical uprights, horizontal cross25 members which are perpendicular to a plane defined by said vertical uprights and which are made fast to said uprights by means of connection parts, horizontal girders fixed to the ends of said cross-members and suitable for connecting thereto fixing members for terminal strips, and jumper wire lead-through plates fixed in rows to said uprights; said uprights said cross-members and said girders being C-section bars, each of said lead-through plates including a frame which has openings through which said wires pass, one end of said frame including a catch and a backed off portion provided with two studs, while * 49644 the other end has a tab as well as two holes whose diameter is substantially equal to that of said studs.

An embodiment of the invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : - figure 1 is a side view of a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 2 is a partial front view of a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 3 illustrates a connection part used in a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 4 shows how the connection part of figure 3 is used; - figure 5 illustrates a fixing bracket used in a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 6 illustrates a fixing screw used in a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 7 illustrates a jumper wire lead-through plate used in a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 8 shows in detail how the lead-through plates used in distribution frame in accordance with the invention are fixed; - figure 9 shows a fixing member for terminal strips associated with a distribution frame in accordance with the invention; - figure 10 shows how the girders which bear the abovementioned terminal strips are fixed; - figure 11 shows one way of fixing a distribution frame in accordance with the invention to a floor; - figure 12 shows one way of fixing a distribution frame in accordance with the invention to a ceiling; and - figure 13 shows one way of fixing a distribution frame in accordance with the invention to a wall.

The distribution frame in accordance with the present invention illustrated firstly in figures 1 and 2 generally canprises a plurality of vertical uprights 1 to which horizontal crossmembers such as 2 are connected and spaced out at various levels of said uprights by means of connection parts 3. Fixing members 5 for terminal strips 5 can be fitted to horizontal girders 4 and are fixed to the ends of cross members 2. Also jumper wire lead-through plates 7 may be fixed to the uprights 1. Further, figures 1 and 2 show that the uprights 1 are fixed firstly to an upper girder S by means of brackets 9 and secondly to a lower girder 10 by means of analogous brackets 9.

The upper girder 8 may be fixed by means of brackets to 10 the ceiling or to the wall of the premises in which the distribution frame is set up, the lower girder 10 being fixed to the floor of said premises also by means of brackets 9. Further, guard rails 11 are fixed to the ends of cross-members such as 12 which are connected to lower portions of the uprights 1 so that neither personnel nor equipment moving around in the premises can come into contact in particular with the terminal strips 6. The strength of the guard rails is increased by braces 13 fixed to the floor of the premises as well as to the parts 11 and 12. lastly, the free ends of the girders 4 may be shielded by a protective rail 14 which is suitable for preventing injury to any persons who cane to contact with them.

The uprights 1, the cross-members 2, the girders 4, the guard rail 11, the cross-members 12, in particular, are C-section bars, that is to say bars of a section intermediate between channel section and box section. It is equivalent to channel section with the edges turned inwardly to partially constitute a fourth face, or to box section with one face having a centre portion missing to form a longitudinal slot.

The method of fixing the above-mentioned components and their structure will now be described.

Figure 3 shows the connection p$i~ts 3 with a portion 15 having flanges 16;said flanged portion 15 has a hole 17 and is integral with an angle section bar which is substantially perpendicular thereto and has two sides 18 and 19 one of which has two holes 20.

Figure 4 shows how the conneriaii pn: 3 is assembled.

The figure shows the portion 15 of said fixing member fitted onto the upright l to which it is fixed by a screw 21 in the hole 17, said screw co-operating with a nut 22, while the cross-member 2 fits into the holes 20, , the section bar being fixed to the cross-members by screw and nut assemblies analogous to the previously mentioned screw and nut assembly (not shown).

Figqre 5 shows a fixing bracket 9 each of whose two portions or arms has a hole 25.

Figure 5 shows in greater detail a screw 21 (figure 4) and in particular the head 26 thereof which has a rectangular cross-section two of whose opposite corners are split at angles as shown at 28.

In the position shown on the left-hand side of the figure, the head 26 is fitted into the C-3ection bar. It is then turned through a quarter of a turn to position the head 26, then the nut 22 is locked.

Figure 7 shows the jumper wire lead-through plate 7. Generally, it is in the form of a rectangular frame and is made of a plastics material. It has openings 30 for a plurality of cable strands or wires to pass through which come from cable ends (not shown) and for directing them towards the pins of the terminal strips 6.

The front surface of the plate 7 has, at one end, a catch 31 and a backed off portion 32 which is provided with two studs 33 and, at the other end, two holes 34 and a tab 35. The diameter of the holes 34 is equal to that of the studs 33.

There is a slightly backed off portion 36 on the rear surface of the plate 7.

Figure 8 shows in detail how such components are fixed.

It shows a plate 7 fixed to an upright 1 by its catch 31 and pressing against a neighbouring upright l by means of its tab 35 and of the end provided with holes 34. Advantageously, a safety clip 60 is snap-fitted round the catch 31 and the rim of the upright l. Figure 8 also shows the neighbouring plate 7A pressing against the section bar 1 by means of its tab 35A 9 6 4 4 δ and of its end which has holes 34A. Further, the studs 33 of the plate 7 fit into the holes 34a of the plate 7A, the corresponding end fitting into the backed off portion 36A of the plate 7A and so on for the other plates. Assuming that the plate 7 is the last in its row, it is fixed to the last upright 1 of the distribution frame by a bracket 37 which is itself fixed on said upright 1 by a screw 21 such as described with reference to figure 6, the bracket bearing against the end of the plate 7. The bracket also includes two stamped pieces 38 which fit into the holes 34 of said plate 7.

Figure 9 shows in detail a fixing member 5 for fixing a terminal strip 6 to a girder 4.

The fixing member includes a rectangular base plate 40 with holes such as 41, 42 for fixing the terminal strips by any suitable means (not shown). The base plate is connected to a rectangular part 43 two of whose opposite corners are split at angles as shown, at 44. The part therefore fits into the girders 4 and is locked therein by rotating through a quarter of a turn in a similar way to the head 26 of the screw 21 (figure 6) Figure 10 shows how the girders 4 are fixed on the ends of the cross-members 2 by means of a bracket 9 (figure 5) scraned firstly to the cross-member 2 by a screw 21 which co-operates with a nut 22 (figure 6) and secondly to the girder 4 by an ordinary type of screw.

Figure 11 shows how the distribution frame is fixed to the floor. It is seen that each upright 1 is fixed to the lower girder 10 by brackets such as 9 and screws 21, said girder being connected to the floor by means of brackets such as 9 each of which is screwed to the girder 10 by a screw 21 and fixed to the floor e.g. by means of a plug 48.

Figure 12 shows how the distribution frame is fixed to the ceiling. It is seen that each upright 1 is fixed to the upper girder 8 by a bracket 9 and screws 21. The girder 8 itself is fixed to the ceiling by (^section bars such as 50 each of which is screwed firstly to said upper girders 8 by means of a bracket 9 which co-operates with two screws 21 and secondly to the ceiling by means of a bracket 9 which cooperates with a screw 21 and a plug 48.

Figure 13 shows how similarly the distribution frame may be fixed to at least one wall of the premises. As in the preceding case, C-section bars such as 50 are used and are each screwed firstly to said upper girder 8 by means of a bracket 9 which co-operates with two screws 21 and secondly to the wall by means of a bracket 9 which co-operates with a screw 21 and a plug 48.

It is therefore seen that the distribution frame in accordance with the invention uses standard parts whose structure is simple and which are not very expensive. A limited number of such parts is used and assembly requires only a miniumum number of holes to be provided.

Further, such a distribution frame can be adapted to any premises.

It is also very easy to extend the distribution frame when required, for example, by the increase in the number of subscribers.

Claims (10)

1. / A distribution frame having a plurality of vertical uprights, horizontal cross-members which are perpendicular to a plane defined by said vertical uprights and which are made fast to said uprights by means of connection parts, horizontal girders 5 fixed to the ends of said cross-members and suitable for connecting thereto fixing members for terminal strips, and jumper wire lead-through plates fixed in rows to said uprights; said uprights, said cross-members and said girders being C-section bars, each of said lead-through plates including a frame which 10 has openings through which said wires pass, one end of said frame including a catch and a backed off portion provided with two studs, while the other end has a tab as well as two holes whose diameter is substantially equal to that of said studs.

2. / A distribution frame according to claim 1, wherein each 15 lead-through plate is firstly fixed to an upright by means of said catch and secondly presses against the neighbouring upright by means of said tab, the studs of said lead-through plate fitting into the holes of the neighbouring lead-through plate. 20

3. / A distribution frame according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each last lead-through plate of each row is fixed to an upright by means of a bracket which is connected to said upright and has two stamped parts which fit into the holes of said leadthrough plate. 25

4. / A distribution frame according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said connection parts has a flanged portion which is fixed to the upright, the flanged portion being fast with an angle section bar which has two sides and is fixed to a cross-member. 30

5. / A distribution frame according to any previous claim,, wherein each of said fixing members for fixing the terminal 48644 strips includes a base plate which, has holes, the base plate being connected to a substantially rectangular part two of whose opposite corners are split at angles and which can be fitted in a girder and blocked by rotating through a quarter of a turn,

6. / A distribution frame according to any previous claim, wherein said uprights are fixed firstly to a lower girder and secondly to an upper girder, in each case by means of a bracket and of screws and nuts, said lower girder being made fast with the floor of the premises by means of brackets, of screws and nuts and of plugs, said upper girder being fixed to the ceiling of said premises by means of C-section bars, of screws and nuts and of plugs.

7. / A distribution frame according to any previous claim, wherein said upper girder is fixed to at least one wall of the premises by means of C~ section bars, screw and nut assemblies and plugs,

8. / A distribution frame according to any previous claim, wherein said girders are fixed to the ends of said crossmemhers by means of brackets, screw and nut assemblies and screws,

9. / A distribution frame according to any previous claim, wherein the head of each of said screw and nut assembly has a rectangular cross-section two of whose opposite corners are split at angles, said head being suitable for fitting in said C-section bars and locked by rotation through a quarter of a turn and tightening the nut,

10. / A distribution frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,