GB2112846A

GB2112846A - Device for strapping cables etc. together

Info

Publication number: GB2112846A
Application number: GB08216872A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Arthur Pritchard; Michael Joseph Donnelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-06-16
Filing date: 1982-06-10
Publication date: 1983-07-27

Abstract

A device for strapping cables, pipes and similar items together or to a support comprises a strap (1) constituted by a strip of bendable material, preferably metal, attached at one end to a buckle plate (2), conveniently of sheet metal, by passing one end of the strap (1) through a slot (5) and bending it back to underlie a portion of the strap which is wrapped around the cables (6) or the like to be strapped. The buckle plate has a raised bridge portion (3) beneath which the other end of the strap (1) is passed. After pulling the strapping tight, its free end is bent back over the bridge portion (5) and secured, for example, beneath bent over ears (4) on the buckle plate. Other means for holding the free end of the strap are described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for strapping cables, pipes or other similar items, together or to supports This invention relates to a device for strapping cables, pipes or other similar items, together or to a support, and which is intended to be assembled around the cables or the like without the use of tools, it being sufficient to assemble the device by pulling the strapping hand tight, and thus avoiding the possibility of over-tensioning the strap.

The device according to the invention comprises a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material, preferably metal, attached at one end to a buckle plate, conveniently made of sheet metal, having a raised bridge which is wider than the width of the strip, the buckle plate also including means for holding the other end of the strap after it has been passed through the bridge passage and has been bent to overlap the top of the bridge portion.

Before assembly the said one end of the strap is attached to the buckle by passing it through a slot in the buckle, conveniently defined by one end of the opening formed by stamping up the buckle plate to form the bridge portion, and bending it back to underlie a portion of the strap which is wrapped around the cables or the like.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device, according to the invention, shown assembled around and tying together three electric cables.

Fig. 2 shows the strap of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the buckle plate shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section through Fig. 3 taken along the line A-A, and additionally showing how opposite ends of a strap are assembled to the buckle plate.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an alternative buckle plate.

Fig. 6 is a section along the line B-B in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another buckle plate.

Fig. 8 is a section along the line Z-Z of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the device comprises a strap 1 of bendable strip metal, conveniently 0.5 mms thick type 316 stainless steel, and a buckle plate 2, conveniently made of the same material 0.889 mms thick, and stamped to form a raised bridge portion 3 providing a passage beneath the bridge which is wider than the width of the strip steel forming the strap, the underside of the flat top of the bridge preferably being spaced from the surface of the plate by slightly less than the thickness of the strip.

At one end, the plate 1 is shaped to form two locking ears 4 projecting laterally in opposite directions. At the end of the bridge portion 3 remote from the ears 4 the plate is formed with an anchor slot 5, which may be defined by an end extension of the opening produced by stamping up the bridge portions 3.

Opposite ends of that opening may be formed downwards as shown to assist in pushing the strip through the bridge.

To assemble the device around, for example, a group of electric cables 6 to tie them together, one end of the strip 1 is passed through the anchor slot 5, from the raised bridge side of the buckle plate, for a distance of about 2.5 cms, and is folded back on the strip. The strip attached to the buckle plate is then wrapped around the cables 6 with the bridge portions 3 facing away from the cables, and the free end of the strip 1 is pushed through the passage under the bridge. Holding the buckle plate 2 firmly to prevent the assembly turning around the cables, the free end of the strip is pulled until the strip is tight, and at the same time the projecting end of the strip is bent back over the bridge 3, and is then firmly pressed beneath the locking ears 4 which are folded over and pressed down on it as shown in Fig. 1.

By using thin strip material, only a small tension is required to assemble the device around the cables.

An alternative buckle plate is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 which includes different means for anchoring the free end of the strip. In this embodiment the buckle plate 2 is formed with two raised bridge portions 3,3a. Instead of locking by folding down locking ears, the free end of the strip is passed through the bridges 3a and 3, pulled tight bent back over the bridge 3 and then passed again through 3a.

The components of the device may be protected from deterioration by appropriate surface coatings or treatments.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 in that the second bridge e.g. 3a is divided approximately along its centre line to form two fixed ears 3a' and 3a" and is made wider than the bridge 3. Thus after assembling the buckle and strip around, for example, a group of cables 6, threading the free end of the strip under the ears 3a' and 3a" and through the bridge 3, pulling the strip tight and bending it back over the bridge 3 and the ears, the free end of the strip is first tilted slightly about its axis and is slid through the gap between the fixed ears 3a' and 3a" with its edge inserted beneath one of the ears.It is then pushed sideways until its other edge is clear of the end of the second ear, whereupon the strip is pushed sideways in the opposite direction until its said other edge is engaged below said second ear and the strip is centralised beneath the fixed ears. The strip and buckle are now secured without any bending of the ears being necessary, with consequent reduction of damage to the surface finish on the buckle and strip. The fixing of the strapping is thus a simple operation to perform, even under difficult conditions. To facilitate inserting the free end of the strip beneath the ears, the overall width between their connections to the buckle 2 should approximately twice the width of the strip.For example, for a 41 inch (63 mm) wide strip of 26SWG (0.46 mm) stainless steel, the internal width of the bridge 3 can be 7/16 inch (112 mm) and of the bridge 3a 9/16 inch (143 mm). The free ends of the ears may be bent slightly away from the buckle as shown at 3b in Fig. 8, to form lead-in portions facilitating sideways insertion of the strip beneath the ears.

While particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of stainless steel, the components may be made of mild steel or other suitable material. The strips may be supplied in different lengths, e.g.

nominally 30, 45, 60 and 75 cms, their actual lengths being greater by about 2.54 cms to allow for the folded-under end required for anchoring the strip to the buckle plate. Or a strap may be attached to the buckle plate by welding, or even by stamping it integrally with the buckle plate as shown in Figure 9, in which a buckle plate 2 of the construction shown in Figure 8 is made in one piece with the strip 1. Instead of stamping up the fixed ears 3a' and 3a" from the centre of the buckle plate, they may be constituted by ears projecting from the edge of the buckle plate and folded back inwards to their fixed positions with the gap therebetween and the appropriate spacing between their points of attachment to the plate.

Claims

1. A strapping device comprising a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material attached at one end to a buckle plate which is adapted to secure the other end of the strip after the strip has been wrapped tight around the members to be strapped, wherein the buckle plate has a raised bridge portion providing a passage beneath the bridge postion which is wider than the width of the strip, the buckle plate also including means for holding the other end of the strip after it has been passed through the bridge passage and has been bent to overlap the top of the bridge portion.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the buckle plate is stamped out of sheet metal and the said one end of the strip is attached to the buckle by passing a portion of the strip at said one end through a slot in the buckle defined by one end of the opening formed by stamping up the buckle plate to form the bridge portion, and bending said end portion back to underlie a portion of the strip which is wrapped around the members to be strapped.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said holding means comprises ears projecting laterally in opposite directions from the buckle plate and positioned to be folded over the portion of said other end of the strip which has been bent back over the bridge portion.

4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said holding means comprises a second bridge portion formed in the buckle plate substantially in alignment with said first bridge portion.

5. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said holding means comprises a second bridge portion formed in the buckle plate substantially in alignment with said first bridge portion and divided approximately along its centre line to provide two fixed ears with a gap therebetween sufficient to permit the thickness of the strip to pass therethrough, the width between the connections of the fixed ears to the buckle plate being at least approximately twice the width of the strip.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the free ends of the ears are inclined away from the buckle plate to facilitate sideways insertion of the strip beneath the ears.

7. A buckle plate for connecting together opposite ends of a length of strapping constituted by a strip of bendable material, said plate having a first raised bridge portion providing a passage beneath the bridge which is wider than the width of the strip with which the buckle is intended to be used.

8. A buckle plate for connecting together opposite ends of a length of strapping constituted by a strip of bendable material, said plate having two aligned raised bridge portions each providing a passage beneath the bridge which is wider than the width of the strip with which the buckle is intended to be used.

9. A buckle plate for connecting together opposite ends of a length of strapping constituted by a strip of bendable material, said plate having a first raised bridge portion providing a passage beneath the bridge which is wider than the width of the strip with which the buckle is intended to be used, and a second raised bridge portion substantially in alignment with said first bridge portion and divided approximately along its centre line to provide two fixed ears with a gap therebetween, the width between the connections of the fixed ears to the plate being approximately twice the width of the strip with which the buckle is intended to be used.

10. A buckle plate according to claim 9, wherein the free ends of the ears are inclined away from the buckle plate to facilitate sideways insertion of the strip beneath the ears.

11. A buckle plate according to claim 7, 8, 9 or 1 0, wherein the plate is fabricated from sheet metal by stamping.

12. A buckle plate constructed substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the drawing.

13. A buckle plate constructed substantially as described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing.

14. A buckle plate constructed substantially as described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing.

15. A strapping device comprising a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material attached at one end to a buckle plate, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing.

16. A strapping device comprising a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material attached at one end to a buckle plate, substantially as described with reference to Figures 2, 5 and 6 of the drawing.

17. A strapping device comprising a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material attached at one end to a buckle plate, substantially as described with reference to Figures 2, 7 and 8 of the drawing.

18. A strapping device comprising a strap constituted by a strip of bendable material attached at one end to a buckle plate, substantially as described with reference to Figure 9 of the drawing.