AU2009210383A1 - Cable stand - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRAL LiA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INVENTION TITLE: CABLE STAND The following statement is a full description oaihis invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 @ .d-8 7 - spec-cover.

STAND FOR CABLES Field of the Invention 'T his invention relates to a stand for cables and relates particularly. though 5 not exclusively. to an electrical cable stand for cables carrying mains electricitv. Background of the Invention and Prior Art In the building industry workers arc involved in tripping accidents caused by electrical leads or cables laying about a site. In addition, other materials. such as 10 steel, bricks and timber on the site. may cause abrasive damage to leads and/or cables laying about, and therefore increase the risk of electrocution of workers. These leads can be tripped over by the workers which may result in unrestrained movement of the appliance powered by the lead or other injury. Pools of liquid may be on the floor which may increase the work of electrocution from damaged leads or from the 15 appliance due to short circuits, Governments have legislated to have electrical leads suspended above the floor. Lhe usual makeshift solution is to use scraps of wood or pipe off cuts to attach the electrical leads thereto. These scraps of wood or pipe offcuts can be nailed to a wall or frame to allow the electrical leads to be suspended therefrom above the ground, 20 Such solutions are temporary and not transportable when the positioning of the leads must be changed. The solution is messy and unsightly and is not a permanent answer to the problem. 25 Furthermore. previous solutions are not readily adaptable for use in conjunction with scaffolding. where it may be desired to suspend a cable above the ground in proxiniity to the scaffolding. Moreover, a more permanent and/or safer solution may be desired for 30 suspending cables above the floor in proximity to a wall. fl9(09/09.}-14 7 speediadIo.2 A solution to at least some of the above-mentioned problems was described in Australian Patent No. 2002300157, in which there is provided a stand for suspension of at least one cable above the ground, said stand a central support having a cable retention means at one end for releasably holding a portion of at least one 5 cable above the ground and a ground engaging means coupled to said central support, said cable retention neans including a pair or axially displaced hubs with each hub having a plurality of fingers for engagement with said at least one cable, each finger having an angled tab at the free end thereof with the tabs on the lowermost hub being downwardly directed whilst the tabs on the uppermost hub are 10 upwardly directed, and said fingers are radially directed and the Fingers of the uppermost hub do not overlap the singers of the lowermost hub. The present invention provides an improvement to the stand for suspension of at least one cable disclosed in Australian Patent No, 2002300157. 15 Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a stand for suspension of at least one cable above the ground, said stand including a support having a cable retention means at one end for releasably holding a portion of at least one cable above the ground and 20 an anchoring means coupled to said support, said cable retention means including a part of axialy displaced hubs with each hub having a plurality of fingers for engagement with said at least one cable, each finger having an angled tab at the free end thereof with the tabs on the lowermost hub being downwardly directed whilst the tabs on the uppermost hub are upwardly directed. and said fingers are radially 25 directed and the fingers of the uppermost hub do not overlap the fingers of the lowermost hub. In an embodiment, the anchoring means may be adapted for anchoring the support to a surtace. such as a wall. The wail anchoring means may include a plate 30 welded. or otherwise coupled, to the stand. The plate may also include one or more bores adapted to accommodate a fixing means. such as a screw. for ixing the plate to a wail.

-4 Funther in this embodiment, the stand may be configured, such that, when the stand is fixed to a wall, the uppermost huh is located substantially vertically above the lowermost huh and a line perpendicular to the face plane of the anchoring 5 plate is directed horizontally. The stand may include an angled support. In another embodiment the anchoring means includes a clamp for engaging with a scaffolding frame. The clamp may include a latch and bolt assembly for reieasably securing the anchoring means to the scaffold. 10 In this embodiment, the support may include a vertically disposed central support part. connected to one end of a horizontally disposed support part. The clamp may be attached to the other end of the horizontal support part. 15 Brief description of the drawings In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGi is a perspective viewx of an embodiment of a cable stand adapted to be 20 fixed to a wall. FI.2 is a perspective viewy of an embodiment of the cable stand, adapted to be releasably attached to scaffolding. FIG.3 is a view of the stand shown in FIG.2, wherein the stand is releasahly anached to scaffolding, 25 Detailed description FIGC.1 shows an embodiment of a cable stand 10, which is adapted to be fixed to a wall 50. At one end of the support 12 is located a claw assembly 30 (a cable retention means), which includes a central sleeve 32 which slides over the end 30 of the support 12. The claw assembly 30 is made from non-conductive material or is coated with such a material. Suitable materials are polypropylene or glass '?8O h- |4 dp-I m P ti impregnated plastic, which also provide strength and durability. The claw assembly 30 may be a frictional fit or may be secured thereto by a threaded fastener. At opposing ends of the central sleeve 32 are a pair of hubs, including an 5 uppermost hub 36 and a lowermost hub 38. The uppermost hub includes a plurality of radially directed fingers 40. Similarly, the lowermost hub 38 includes a plurality of radially directed fingers 42. The fingers 40 of the uppermost hub 36 are offset from the fingers 42 of the lowestmost hub 38, so there is no overlap. 10 The fingers 40 of the uppermost hub have tabs 44, which are bent upwardly. The fingers 42 of the lowermost hub have tabs 46 which are bent downwardly. The tabs 44. 46 provide support and guidance for a cable or an electrical lead 48, which is looped between a tab 44A, under a tab 46A and over tab 44B This looping of lead 48 should prevent it from being slipped off the claw assembly 30 and ensure that the 15 lead does not droop after it has been fitted to the stand 10. At the other end of the support 12 is located an anchoring means 21, which. in the embodiment shown in FIG.I, is a plate 20. The plate 20 is welded to the support 12 and includes a plurality of bores 22. The anchoring means 21. s fixed to 20 the wall 50 by a fixing means which is a screw 24. The screw 24 goes through the bore 22 and screws into the wall 50, Also shown in FIG.1, the support 12 is angled so that. when the stand 10 is fixed to the wall 50. the central sleeve 30 is vertically disposed. The uppermost hub 25 36 is disposed substantially vertically above the lowermost hub 38. Furthermore, a line (not shown) perpendicular to the face plane of the plate 20, is horizontally disposed. FIG.2 shows an alternative embodiment, wherein the anchoring means 21 is 30 adapted to be releasably secured to a pipe, or similar object (not shown in FIG.2i. The anchoring means 21 includes a clamp 60, which includes a base support 64 and a latch 62. The latch 62 is roiatably mounted on the base support 64 via a rotating mount 74. When the clamp 60 is releasably secured to an object, the latch 62 rotates towards the base support 64. The base support 64 and the latch 62 are each forced with a bend, such that when the latch 62 is substantially closed towards the base support 64, the clamp 60 forms a tubular shape through which the object. such as a 5 scafiold pole, may be located. The latch 62 is secured in place via a rotating bolt 66 and nut 70 assembly. The rotating bolt 66 is rotatably mounted to the base support 64 via a rotating mount 72, The rotating bolt 66 fits into a slot 63 in the latch 62 and the nut 70 is screwed 10 eight to secure the latch 62 in a substantially closed position. The brace 60 may also include a washer 68 on the rotating bolt 66. In the embodiment shown in FIG2, the support includes a short vertically disposed support part 14, which is connected to at one end of a horizontally disposed 15 support part 16. The vertically disposed support part 14 is welded 15 to the horizontally disposed support part 16. The anchoring means 21 is disposed at the other end of the horizontally disposed support par 16 of the support 12, with respect to the vertically disposed support part 14. 20 FI.3 shows the embodiment of the stand illustrated in FIG2, wherein the stand 10 is releasabiv secured to a vertically disposed scaffold pole 80, It will be understood that the clamp 60 may be rotated through 90', so that it is adapted to releasably secure the stand 10 to a horizontally disposed scaffold pole. 2 5 lhe invention will be understood to embrace many further modifications as will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art and which will be deemed to reside within the broad scope and ambit of the invention, there having been sct forth herein only the broad nature of the invention and certain specific embodiments by way of example. 30 Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise. the word "comprise". and variations such as "comprises" and - I comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of imtegers or steps. 5 The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not he taken as, an acknowledgment or any form or suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia,

Claims (10)

1. A stand For suspension of at least one cable above the ground, said stand including a suppon having a cable retention means at one end for releasably holding 5 a portion of at least one cable above the ground and an anchoring means coupled to said support, said cable retention means including a pair of axially displaced hubs with each hub having a pluralty of fingers for engagement with said at least one cable, each finger having an angled tab at the f-ee end thereof with the tabs on the lowermost hub being downwardly directed whilst the tabs on the uppermost hub are 10 upward directed, and said fingers are radially directed and the fingers of the uppermost hub do not overlap the fingers of the lowermost hub.

2, A stand according to claim 1. wherein the anchoring means is adapted to be fixcd to a sutlace. 15

3. A stand according to claim 2, wherein the surface isa wall.

4. A stand according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 'wherein the anchoring means includes a plate adapted to he fixed to a surface. 20

5. A stand according to any ane of clams I to 4, wherein the stand is confiwured such that, when the stand is fixed to a surface, such as a wall, a line perpendicular with respect to a face plane of the anchoring means is directed horizontally, and such that the uppermost hub is disposed substantially vertically 25 above the lowermost hub.

6. A stand according to claim. , wherein the anchoring means is adapted to be releasably secured to an elongate object. 30

7. A stand according to claim 6, wherein the elongate object is a scaffolding pole. -.9

8. A stand according to either claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the elongate object has a vertically disposed longitudinal axis.

9. A stand according to any one of claims I and 6 to 8, wherein the anchoring 5 means is a clamp for releasahv securing the stand to the elongate object.

10. A stand according to claim 9. wherein the clamp includes a rotatable latch and a rotatable bolt, the rotatable bolt, for releasably securing the rotatable latch in a substantially closed position. 10 H1. A stand substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.