- 1 CABLE PLOUGH AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to cables ploughs and more particularly attachments for cable ploughs to facilitate the installation of one or more flexible elongated members into the ground. Background of the Invention 10 Cable ploughs are used to install cables or conduits in the ground. A cable plough normally comprises a tractor or prime mover which supports one or more drums on which is wound the cable or conduit; and, a plough that is pulled by the prime mover through the ground. A feed pipe is attached behind 15 the plough through which the cable or conduit passes into the ground. As the plough is pulled through the ground, it creates a void into which the cable is fed. Thus as the plough traverses the ground the cable is fed from the drum through the feed pipe and into the ground. The ground may be compacted behind the plough by a wheel attached to the plough or via a separate machine travelling 20 behind the cable plough. Laying depth is adjustable usually between 1 m to 1.5m. Summary of the Invention 25 In one aspect the invention provides an apparatus capable of attachment to a prime mover for installation of at least one flexible elongated member in the ground, the apparatus comprising: a chute capable of holding a quantity of sand; and, a feeder system for feeding the at least one elongated member through 30 the chute to a discharge location where the at least one elongated member and sand exit the chute together and in a manner wherein the sand wholly surrounds the elongated members. The feeder system may be arranged to feed multiple flexible elongated 35 members wherein the multiple flexible elongated members are juxtaposed in a predetermined spatial relationship to each other at a flexible elongated member exit location coincident with or upstream of the discharge location. 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -2 The feeder system may comprise a channel for each flexible elongated member, each channel extending from a location adjacent an upper end of the chute and following an arcuate path toward the discharge location. 5 The or each channel may have an inlet disposed above an upper end of the chute. The or each channel may comprise a corresponding conduit. 10 The inlet of each channel may comprise a funnel portion which increases in inner diameter in an upstream direction with respect to a direction of feed of the flexible elongated member into the ground. 15 The feeder system may comprise a guide system located upstream of the or each channel and elevated with respect to the channels, the guide system configured to effect a change in direction of travel of the flexible elongated members between upstream and downstream ends of the guide system. 20 The guide system may comprise a tube for each flexible elongated member, the or each tube arranged so that a corresponding flexible elongated member passes through a corresponding tube. Each tube may be provided with a set of rollers on which a corresponding 25 flexible elongated member runs when being fed to the channels. For at least one of the tubes, the set of rollers may include a lower set of rollers and at least one upper roller wherein a flexible elongated member running through that tube runs between the lower set of rollers and the at least one 30 upper roller. The chute may comprise an upper receptacle for holding a supply of sand and a lower portion configured to extend into the ground, the lower portion comprising a bottom wall closing off a bottom end of the chute up to the 35 discharge location wherein sand held in the upper receptacle is able to flow through the lower portion to wholly surround the flexible elongated members and exit the chute with the flexible elongated members at the discharge 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -3 location. The feeder system may comprise a zero tension payout system operatively associated with a prime mover to which the apparatus is attached and a supply 5 of the flexible elongated member, the zero tension payout system arranged to payout the flexible elongated member at a rate such that the flexible elongated member is subject to zero or minimal tensile force when being laid in the ground. 10 In a second aspect the invention provides an apparatus capable of attachment to a prime mover for installation of at least one flexible elongated member in the ground, the apparatus comprising: a chute capable of holding a quantity of sand; and, one or more channels for feeding respective flexible elongated members 15 through the chute to a discharge location where the flexible elongated members and sand exit the chute together; the chute comprising a lower portion in which the discharge location is provided a pair of planar spaced apart walls; and, one or more braces extending between the walls. 20 In the first or second aspects the lower portion may comprise a pair of planar spaced walls, where the walls extend parallel to each other. In an alternate embodiment the lower portion may comprise a pair of planar 25 spaced walls, wherein the walls are mutually divergent in a direction from the upper receptacle toward the discharge location. The chute may comprise an upper receptacle from which the lower portion depends, the upper receptacle having side walls that converge, from an 30 opening of the chute through which the sand is deposited into the chute, toward the lower portion. The apparatus may comprise at least one further brace extending between the side walls of the upper receptacle. 35 The apparatus may comprise three or more brackets capable of together coupling the chute to a prime mover. 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -4 Each of the brackets may be is attached to the lower portion of the chute. The brackets may comprise hinges allowing the chute to pivot with respect to 5 the prime mover. The apparatus may comprise a plough coupled between a prime mover and the chute, the plough configured to form a trench downstream of the chute into which the or each flexible elongated member is laid. 10 The chute may be coupled to the plough by the brackets. In each aspect of the invention the apparatus may comprise a vibrator operatively associated with the chute and capable of assisting flow of sand in 15 the chute toward the discharge location. In a third aspect the invention provides an apparatus capable of attachment to a prime mover for installation of at least one flexible elongated member in the ground, the apparatus comprising: 20 a chute capable of holding a quantity of sand; one or more conduits for feeding respective flexible elongated members through the chute to a discharge location where the flexible elongated members and sand exit the chute together; and, one or more holding mechanisms supported on an outside of the chute, 25 each holding mechanism capable of releasably holding a respective supply of a continuous strip of material which is laid in the ground with the at least one flexible elongated member. Each holding mechanism may comprise a cassette on which a corresponding 30 strip of material is wound. The apparatus may comprise one or more strip guides supported on the chute, each strip guide having an inlet portion adjacent a corresponding holding mechanism and an outlet opening position to discharge a corresponding strip at 35 a location above at least one flexible elongated member. The outlet of a first strip guide may be disposed below the outlet of each other 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -5 strip guide wherein a strip of material discharged from the first strip guide lies closest to an uppermost of the at least one flexible elongated member laid in the ground. 5 The inlet portion of at least one strip guide may be tapered to decrease in width in a direction toward the outlet of that strip guide. Each strip guide may comprise a tube portion extending between the inlet portion and the outlet opening, the tube portion having a tail in which the outlet 10 opening is formed, the tail being curved in a direction away from the chute. The apparatus may comprise one or more supplies of continuous strips of material, wherein one supply comprises slabbing. Alternately the one supply comprises a warning tape. In a further alternative the one or more supplies of 15 continuous strips of material comprises at least both a supply of slabbing and a supply of warning tape. The apparatus may be arranged so that the slabbing is fed through the first strip guide. 20 A forth aspect of the invention provides a cable plough for installing one or more flexible elongated members in the ground, the able plough comprising: a prime mover; a plough attached to the prime mover; and, 25 an apparatus in accordance with any one of the first, second or third aspects of the invention coupled to the prime mover via the plough. Brief Description of the Drawings 30 Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a representation of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention attached to a cable plough; 35 Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus; Figure 3 is a back end view of the apparatus; Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus; 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -6 Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a guide system incorporated in the apparatus; Figure 6 is a plan view of the guide system shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a representation from one side of a portion of the apparatus coupled 5 to a cable plough; Figure 8 is a view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 7 but from an opposite side; Figure 9 is a plan view of the second embodiment of the apparatus; Figure 10 is a side view of the second embodiment shown in Figure 9; and, 10 Figure 11 is a representation of cables and sand laid in the ground by use embodiments of the apparatus. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments 15 Embodiments of the present invention comprise an apparatus that can be attached to a cable plough to facilitate the feeding and installation of at least one flexible elongate member such as a cable, conduit, pipe or hose (hereinafter referred to in general as "member") into the ground behind the plough. The apparatus is arranged to feed the member into the ground 20 together with a bed of sand. In one embodiment the bed of sand wholly surrounds the member when being placed into the ground. This provides physical protection to the member. Further when multiple members are laid the sand assists in maintaining a fixed spatial relationship the members. For example, the apparatus may be configured to install three members 25 simultaneously into the ground in a fixed spatial relationship. The apparatus comprises, in broad terms, a chute which is able to hold a supply of sand, and a feeder mechanism that feeds members from respective supplies supported and carried by the cable plough to a discharge location in 30 the chute. Sand flows to the discharge location and is arranged to surround the members exiting the discharge location. In this way, the members are laid in a bed of sand in the ground. The feeder system comprises one or more conduits that extend through the 35 chute for receiving respective conduits, and a guide system that is disposed above the conduits for directing members from respective supplies carried by the cable plough to the conduits. The feed system comprises one or more 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -7 tubes for receiving respective members. The tubes are provided with sets of rollers for guiding the members passing through the tubes. In one configuration a set of rollers comprises a lower set of rollers together with one or more upper rollers which are juxtaposed so that a member travelling through that tube 5 passes between the upper and lower rollers. Both the guide system and the conduits within the chute comprise respective arcuate portions that curve in opposite directions and have a radius greater than a critical bend radius of the member in question at which damage may arise to the member. The chute is provided with a lower portion which is lowered into the ground and has a width 10 commensurate with the plough dragged by the cable plough. Braces extend within opposite walls of the lower portion of the chute to provide structural rigidity and prevent the chute from bowing outwardly under pressure from the sand contained within the chute. A vibrator can be provided in or on the chute to provide vibrations that assist in providing a continuous flow of sand through 15 the chute to the discharge location. Three or more brackets which may be in the form of hinges are used to connect the chute to the cable plough via the plough itself. This allows pivotal motion of the chute relative to the cable plough. The provision of three or more brackets or hinges substantially minimises the likelihood of the chute breaking from the plough during use as a 20 result of frictional forces generated on the chute when travelling through the ground. The feeder system may also be provided with a zero tension payout system which pays out the members being laid in the ground at a rate to avoid or 25 minimise tensile forces being applied to the member during the laying process. The payout system is operatively associated with the cable plough or prime mover of the cable plough to drive a drum on which a member is wound at a rate determined by the speed of the cable plough over the ground. 30 With a view to minimising the likelihood of damage to conduits laid in the ground, the apparatus also contemplates the provision of one or more holding mechanisms such as cassettes for holding continuous strips of material such as indicator tape and slabbing which is laid in the ground above the member. The tape provides a visual indicator to people who may subsequently excavate 35 above or near the previously laid members to provide visual warning of the existence of the conduits. The slabbing is laid above an uppermost of the members and provides a degree of protection to the underlying members from 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -8 damage by digging implements. Figure 1 depicts a first embodiment of an apparatus 10 attached to a cable plough 12 for installation of one or more flexible elongated members in the form 5 of cables 14 in the ground 16. The cable plough 12 comprises a prime mover 18 which supports a plough 20 on a boom 22. Cable plough 12 is also provided at a front end with a mounting frame 24 supporting drums 26 on which respective cables 14 are wound. With further reference to Figures 2 to 5, apparatus 10 comprises a chute 28 which is capable of holding a quantity of 10 sand, and a feeder system 30 for feeding respective cables 14 through chute 28 to a discharge location 32 where the cables 14 and sand exit the chute 28 together and in a manner where the sand wholly surrounds the cables 14. Chute 28 comprises an upper receptacle 34, and a lower portion 36 which 15 contains the discharge location 32. Upper receptacle 34 is in the form of a relatively large prismatic container having side walls 38 that taper or slope inwardly relative to each other toward the lower portion 36. The upper receptacle 34 is open at its upper end 40 to facilitate the filling of receptacle 34 with sand by, for example, a front loader. 20 Lower portion 36 depends from a central region of upper receptacle 34 and comprises a pair of planar side walls 42. Side walls 42 are divergent relative to each other in a direction from upper receptacle 34 toward the discharge location 32. This divergence is believed to assist in the flow of sand to the 25 discharge location. Braces 44 extend between side walls 42 at a number of spaced apart locations. The braces 44 are connected at opposite ends to each of side walls 42 and assist in maintaining the structural integrity of lower portion 36 and in particular aid in preventing side walls 42 from bowing outwardly under the pressure applied by sand held within the upper receptacle 34. One or more 30 further braces 46 may also be provided within upper receptacle 34 extending between opposite side walls 38. In one embodiment, the braces 44 to 46 may be in the form of lengths of steel pipe. As shown in Figure 1, and indicated in phantom in Figure 2, a lower corner 48 35 of lower portion 36 at the discharge location 32 is or may be cut away to assist in the discharge of sand from chute 28 in a manner to wholly surround cables 14 being laid in the ground. In one embodiment, the discharge opening 32 and 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 -9 lower corner 48 is configured so that a substantially uniform pad of sand with dimensions of 300mm x 300mm is deposited in a trench being formed by the plough 12 and which encases the conduits 14 exiting apparatus 10. The bed of sand maintains a predetermined or substantially fixed spatial relationship 5 between cables 14 when in the ground. Feeder system 30 comprises a number of components or subsystems including conduits 50a, 50b and 50c (hereinafter referred to in general as "conduits 50") shown, for example, in Figures 2, 4, 7 and 8; and, a guide system 52 shown in 10 Figures 5 to 8. Conduits 50 extend through chute 28 from a location near upper end 40 to respective cable exit locations 54a, 54b and 54c (hereinafter referred to in general as "cable exit locations 54"). The cable exit locations 54 may be 15 coincident with or upstream of the discharge location 32. A conduit 50 is provided for each cable 14 (i.e., a flexible elongated member) laid in the ground by the cable plough 12. The conduits 50 are configured in terms of their internal diameter and radius of curvature to coincide with the 20 outer diameter and preferred or appropriate bend radius of the cable passing therethrough. In this particular embodiment, conduit 50a has an inner diameter of about 120mm whereas conduits 50b and 50c have internal diameters of about 50mm. Each of the conduits 50 is configured to have a radius of curvature of approximately 2400mm. It is stressed, however, that the 25 dimensions mentioned herein are for illustrative purposes only and are varied to suit the application at hand. Each of conduits 50a to 50c is provided with a respective funnel portion 56a to 56c (hereinafter referred to in general as "funnel portions 56"). The funnel 30 portions 56 increase in inner diameter in a direction upstream with reference to the direction of feed of cable 14 through the conduit 50. Conduits 50 and lower portion 36 are relatively dimensioned so that sand within the chute 28 wholly surrounds the conduits 50 up to a level of sand within the 35 chute 28. This entails respective downstream ends 58a - 58c of conduits 50a 50c are spaced above a bottom wall 60 of chute 28. Also in this specific embodiment, downstream ends 58b and 58c extend further in the downstream 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 - 10 direction than downstream end 58a. Guide system 52 which forms part of the feeder system 30 guides cables 14 into corresponding conduits 50. Guide system 52 follows an arcuate path 5 between its upstream end 61 and downstream end 62. As shown most clearly in Figure 8, downstream end 62 is located near funnel portions 56 of conduits 50. Guide system 52 comprises separate guides 64a, 64b and 64c (hereinafter referred to in general as "guides 64") for each cable 14. The guides 64 are in the form of tubes and are provided with respective sets of rollers 66 which 10 assist in the passage of corresponding cables 14 through the guides 64. In the case of guide 64a, a set of rollers 66a comprises a first or lower set of rollers 68a and a number of other rollers 70 which follow the path of, but are spaced above, rollers 68a. Cable 14a runs between the upper and lower sets of rollers 68a and 70. Guides 64b and 64c are each provided with only a single set of 15 rollers 68b and 68c respectively on which respective cables 14b and 14c run. All of guides 64 are contained within an arcuate housing 72 (see Figure 8) provided with a mounting bracket 74 which is used to attach the guide system 52 to an upper end of plough 20. 20 Chute 28 is coupled to prime mover 18 via plough 20. More particularly, chute 28 is attached to plough 20 via three or more brackets 76 which are fixed to lower portion 36 of chute 28. Brackets 76 are formed as hinges to allow pivotally movement of chute 28 relative to plough 20 and prime mover 18. In a further embodiment, four brackets 76 may be used to further strengthen the 25 connection between chute 28 and prime mover 18. Chute 28 is further configured to enable the laying of indicator and/or protective strips in the ground above cables 14. These strips are in the form of continuous lengths of material such as plastic tape providing warning of underlying cables, 30 and slabbing which provides limited physical protection to the cables from damage by excavating equipment such as shovels and mechanical diggers. To this end, chute 28 is provided with one or more holding mechanisms which hold supplies of continuous strips and materials such as slabbing S and indicator tape T in the form of support arms 77 for laying in the ground over the cables 35 14. These strips in this embodiment are held or wound about respective drums or spools 78a and 78b hereinafter referred to in general as "spools 78". The slabbing S and tape T are fed through corresponding strip guides 80a and 80b 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 - 11 which are supported on a back end of the lower portion 36 of chute 28. Strip guides 80a and 80b are each provided at respective upper ends with inlet portions 82a and 82b having widened mouths and tapering in width in a downstream direction with relation to direction of travel of the slabbing S and 5 tape T. The inlet portions 82a, 82b lead to respective conduits 84a and 84b each provided with respective tail portions 86a and 86b which are curved in a direction away from chute 28. Tail portion 86a has corresponding outlet opening 88a which is disposed below outlet 88b of strip guide 80b. Outlet 88a is also disposed marginally above the outlet of conduits 56b and 58c. As a 10 result when chute 28 is in use, the strip fed via strip guide 80a, which typically will be slabbing S, will lie above cables 14b and 14c while indicator or warning tape T will be disposed above the slabbing S. In a variation shown in Figures 9 and 10, the holding mechanism 77 is in the 15 form of one or more cassettes 90 which are demountably supported on chute 28 and hold one or more reels of slabbing S and/or indicator tape T. In Figures 9 and 10 an arrangement is shown in which three cassettes 90a containing slabbing S and one cassette 90b containing indicator tape T are supported on chute 28. In this embodiment, as cassettes 90 are arranged side by side, it is 20 not possible for two cassettes 90 to be simultaneously aligned with strip guides 80. Accordingly one or more additional guide rollers (not shown) may be provided to guide the strip material from a cassette not aligned with a corresponding strip guide for directing the strip to that guide. 25 Figure 11 depicts three cables 14 in a bed of sand 100 installed in the ground by an embodiment of apparatus 10 with a portion of the sand 100 removed to expose the cables 14 and slabbing S. The slabbing S overlies the cables 14 with the cables 14 being spaced apart and held apart by the sand 100. 30 Now that embodiments of the invention have been described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the broad inventive concepts. For example the chute 28 and in particular the discharge outlet 32 are described and illustrated as being arrange to lay three members (e.g. cables or conduits) 35 14 in the ground. Hoverer the number of cables can be varied to meet the requirements for a particular job. For example the chute can be arranged to lay one, two, four, five or more members in the ground. Depending on the size of 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12 - 12 the conduits the size of the sand bed may also be varied to ensure sand wholly surrounds the members. For example if laying five members such as two multi core power cables, two optical fibres and a multi strand signalling cable the sand bed may be reconfigured to a 300mm high by 500mm wide sand bed. 5 All such modifications and variations together with others that would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined from the above description and the appended claims. 10 3934478_1 (GHMatters) P85980.AU.1 12/12/12