AU749661B2 - Suspension bracket - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref:464688

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A DIVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant(s): Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Unistrut Australia Pty Limited, of 89 Kurrajong Avenue, Mount Druitt, NSW, 2770, Australia Roger Stokes Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 35, St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Suspension Bracket Associated Provisional Application Details [31] Application No(s). [33] Country [32] PP4706 AU Application Date 15 July 1998 Divisional Application Details [62] Original Application: 63780/98 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- [R:\LIBW]08499.doc:KEH 1 Technical Field The present invention relates to suspension assemblies to support items including cable trays and cable ladders.

Background of the Invention Cable trays and cable ladders are supported by a suspension system generally extending to a ceiling or ceiling structure. Typically, the cable ladders and cable trays have been attached to a suspension system by means of threaded fasteners.

The above discussed system of attaching cable ladders and cable trays to their suspension system is generally time consuming and requires the provision of threaded 1o fasteners, support channels, bars or angles. This adds to the overall cost of the construction and the labour required to install cable trays and cable ladders.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages to provide a useful alternative.

15 Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a suspension bracket adapted to engage and support a cable tray/ladder comprising: an attachment flange having an aperture through which a rod may pass; an extension part extending from the flange and having its major direction of extension generally normal to the flange; and a mounting lug projecting from the extension part and spaced from the flange but *projecting toward the flange from a region of attachment to the extension part, said lug having at least a lug portion spaced laterally of the extension part.

Preferably, the rod passes through said aperture, said flange is attached to said rod so that the bracket is suspended from the rod, and wherein the extension part includes an off-set region which would be displaced laterally of a longitudinal axis of the rod, and a lower region which would be generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rod, with said lug projecting from said lower portion.

Preferably, said region of attachment is generally inclined to said lower region by an acute angle.

Preferably, the suspension bracket further includes a hook extending from the extension part and spaced from the mounting lug. [R:\LIBLL]12898specie-NZ.doc:keh Preferably, wherein the hook and lug both serve to support an edge of said cable tray/ladder.

There is further disclosed in combination, a pair of suspension brackets as set out above and a cable tray/ladder located therebetween, said cable tray/ladder having a pair of parallel generally co-extensive spaced apart side rails and a base secured to and extending therebetween, each side rail having an aperture through which said lug of one of said brackets passes such that said cable tray/ladder is captively retained by and suspended from said brackets.

There is still further disclosed in combination, a pair of suspension brackets as set out above and a cable tray/ladder located therebetween, said cable tray/ladder having a pair of parallel generally co-extensive spaced apart side rails and a base secured to and extending therebetween, each side rail having an upper and lower lip adapted for engagement with said respective lug and/or hook of one of said brackets, such that said cable tray/ladder is captively retained by and suspended from said brackets.

Preferably, the upper lip of each said side rail is of a generally shape S: configuration such that said lip is mountable upon and suspends from said lug.

Preferably, the lower lip of each said side rail is of a generally shape configuration such that said lip is mountable within and protrudes from said hook.

S• "Preferably, the combination further includes abutment means to inhibit removal of the tray or ladder.

Preferably, said lower portion is provided with said abutment means, which abutment means is spaced above said lug.

Preferably, the combination further includes a suspension rod passing through said flange and supporting tray or ladder attached to the bracket.

25 Brief Description of the Drawing 0:00i Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic end elevational view of a suspension assembly supporting a cable tray, Figure 2 is a schematic end elevational view of another suspension assembly supporting a cable ladder, and 3 Figure 3 is a schematic side elevational view of part of the suspension assembly of Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted suspension assemblies 10 supporting a cable tray 11. In relation to the cable tray 11, it should be appreciated that the suspension assembly 10 can support other items such as cable ladders.

The suspension assembly 10 includes a mounting bracket 14 which is secured to a threaded suspension rod 12 by means of a pair of threaded nuts 13.

The bracket 14 includes an attachment flange 15 which has an aperture through which the rod 12 passes. Attached to or integrally formed with the flange 15 is an extension part 16 having its major direction of extension generally normal to the flange The extension part 16 includes a first off-set region 17 (off-set with respect to the longitudinal axis 18 of the rod 12) extending to a lower region 19 to which the cable tray S is 11 is attached. The region 19 has attached to it a projection or lug 20 which acts as a hook and passes through an aperture formed in the side flange 21 of the cable tray 11.

The projection 20 includes an upper extremity 22 which is spaced laterally of the lower region 19 and projects toward the flange 15. The extremity 22 is fixed to the region 19 by S.i an inclined attachment region 26, forming an acute angle with the region 19. That portion of the flange 21 surrounding the aperture in the flange 21, rests on the projection 20 so as to be supported thereby.

The lower region 19 is generally aligned with the axis 18 and is attached to the region 17 by an inclined region 27.

To inhibit removal of the tray 11, by disengagement with projection 20, an 25 abutment 23 is provided above the horizontal portion 24 of the flange 21. Removal of the i tray 11 from engagement with the projection 20 is inhibited as the flange 21 will engage the abutment 23. In this embodiment, the abutment 23 is provided by a hammer drive screw, or similar item such as a clip or rivet, which is installed after the tray 11 is mounted on the bracket 14. To remove the tray 11 it would be preferable to remove the abutment 23 which thereby allows lifting of the tray 11 from the projection [R:\LIBLL I 2898specie-NZ.doc:keh Preferably, the bracket 14 is formed of strip metal which is bent to the configuration depicted and has punched from it the projection 20, so that the projection is integral with the lower region 19.

The cable tray 11 would usually support one or more cables In Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings there are schematically depicted suspension assemblies 30 supporting a cable ladder 28. The suspension assemblies 30 are similar to assemblies 10 although include a hook 31 extending from the lower region 19. The hook 31 and the inclined attachment region 26 both serve to support an edge of a different type of cable ladder 28. In this embodiment, the inclined attachment region 26 fits under a lip 30 in the upper edge of the cable ladder side rail 21.

The hook 31 takes the form of a J defining a hollow within which a lower lip 29 of the cable ladder side rail 21 is received. The extremity of the hook 31 supports the cable ladder 28 in the region indicated by reference numeral 32.

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Claims (14)

1. A suspension bracket adapted to engage and support a cable tray/ladder comprising: an attachment flange having an aperture through which a rod may pass; an extension part extending from the flange and having its major direction of extension generally normal to the flange; and a mounting lug projecting from the extension part and spaced from the flange but projecting toward the flange from a region of attachment to the extension part, said lug having at least a lug portion spaced laterally of the extension part.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein when the rod passes through said aperture, said flange is attached to said rod so that the bracket is suspended from the rod, and wherein the extension part includes an off-set region which would be displaced laterally of a longitudinal axis of the rod, and a lower region which would be generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rod, with said lug projecting from said lower portion.

3. The suspension bracket of claim 1 wherein said region of attachment is ooooo generally inclined to said lower region by an acute angle.

4. The suspension bracket of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bracket further includes a hook extending from the extension part and spaced from the mounting lug. 20

5. The suspension bracket of claim 4, wherein the hook and lug both serve to support an edge of said cable tray/ladder.

6. In combination, a pair of suspension brackets according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and a cable tray/ladder located therebetween, said cable tray/ladder having a ooooo S"pair of parallel generally co-extensive spaced apart side rails and a base secured to and extending therebetween, each side rail having an aperture through which said lug of one of said brackets passes such that said cable tray/ladder is captively retained by and suspended from said brackets.

7. In combination, a pair of suspension brackets according to claim 4 and a cable tray/ladder located therebetween, said cable tray/ladder having a pair of parallel generally co-extensive spaced apart side rails and a base secured to and extending [R:\LIBLL] 12898specie-NZ.doc:keh 6 therebetween, each side rail having an upper and lower lip adapted for engagement with said respective lug and/or hook of one of said brackets, such that said cable tray/ladder is captively retained by and suspended from said brackets.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the upper lip of each said side rail is of a generally shape configuration such that said lip is mountable upon and suspends from said lug.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein the lower lip of each said side rail is of a generally shape configuration such that said lip is mountable within and protrudes from said hook.

10. The combination of any one of claims 6 to 9 further including abutment means to inhibit removal of the tray or ladder.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said lower portion is provided with said abutment means, which abutment means is spaced from said lug.

12. The combination of any one of claims 6 to 11 further including a 15 suspension rod passing through said flange and supporting the cable tray/ladder attached to the bracket.

13. A suspension bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. In combination, a suspension bracket, rod and cable ladder or tray S 20 substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 19 April, 2002 Unistrut Australia Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON :\LIBLL] I 2898specie-NZ.doc:keh