GB2161330A - An improved cable tray - Google Patents

Abstract

A simple, readily fabricated and inexpensive cable tray comprises a pair of elongate side walls and, extending between and secured to the side walls throughout their lengths, a separately formed elongate base wall comprising at least one expanded sheet of metal. Preferably, the or each expanded sheet of metal is secured to each side wall by deforming the side wall, either throughout its length or at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions along its length, in such a way that the adjacent edge of the expanded sheet is tightly gripped by the deformed side wall. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved cable tray This invention relates to cable trays for supporting electric cables and/or service pipes, which cable trays comprise a pair of elongate side members (hereinafter referred to as "side walls") and, extending between the side walls throughout their lengths, an elongate bottom or base wall (hereinafter referred to as the "base wall") on which electric cables and/or service pipes can be supported.

Such cable trays may also include coupling components such as bends for supporting electric cables and/or service pipes as the direction and/or plane in which they extend gradually changes, teeconnectors and cross-connectors, all such coupling components having, as common features, a pair of side walls with a base wall extending therebetween. For convenience, all such cable trays and coupling components therefore will hereinafter be included in the expression "cable tray".

In the construction of cable trays, it is the general practice to provide in the base wall, throughout its length, a multiplicity of apertures or perforations which facilitates the securing of fittings and electric cable and/or service pipe securing devices to the cable tray and, additionally, reduces the overall weight of the cable tray. In some circumstances, one or each of the side walls may also have apertures or perforations longitudinally space throughout its length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple cable tray which can be readily fabricated and which is substantially less expensive than cable trays hitherto proposed and used.

According to the invention, the improved cable tray comprises a pair of elongate side walls and, extending between and secured to the side walls throughout their lengths, a separately formed elongate base wall comprising at least one expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy.

By an expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is meant a network of metal or metal alloy formed by stamping or cutting a sheet of metal or metal alloy and stretching the metal or metal alloy of the sheet to form openings in the sheet without the removal of any metal or metal alloy.

Preferably, the openings in the expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy are of a substantially diamond-shape with one transverse axis of the diamond substantially longer than the other and, in this case, preferably the or each expanded sheet is so arranged with respect to the side walls of the cable tray that the longer transverse axes of the diamond- shaped openings extend lengthwise of the cable tray.

The or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy may be secured to each side wall of the cable tray by bolts, rivets or any other separately-formed securing devices but, with a view to avoiding the use of separately-formed securing devices and to maintaining the cost of the cable tray as low as possible, preferably the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall by deforming the side wall, either throughout its length or at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions along its length, in such a way that the adjacent longitudinally extending edge of the or each expanded sheet is tightly gripped by the deformed side wall.

To provide for stacking of one cable tray on top of another, each of the side walls of the cable tray over at least a part of the depth of the side wall may be inclined outwardly in a direction away from the base wall.

The invention is further illustrated, by way of example, by the accompanying informal drawing which shows a fragmental pictorial view of the preferred cable tray.

1. A cable tray comprising a pair of elongate side walls and, extending between and secured to the side walls throughout their lengths, a separately formed elongate base wall comprising at least one expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy.

2. A cable tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings in the expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy are of a substantially diamond-shape with one transverse dimension of the diamond substantially longer than the other.

3. A cable tray as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the or each expanded sheet is so arranged with respect to the side walls of the cable tray that the longer transverse dimensions of the diamondshaped openings extend transversely of the cable tray 4. A cable tray as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall by deforming the side wall, either throughout its length or at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions along its length, in such a way that the adjacent longitudinally extending edge of the or each expanded sheet is tightly gripped by the deformed side wall.

5. A cable tray as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall of the cable tray by bolts, rivets or any other separately-formed securing devices.

6. A cable tray as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein each of the side walls of the cable tray over at least a part of the depth of the side wall is inclined outwardly in a direction away from the base wall.

7. A cable tray substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION An improved cable tray This invention relates to cable trays for supporting electric cables and/or service pipes, which cable trays comprise a pair of elongate side members (hereinafter referred to as "side walls") and, extending between the side walls throughout their lengths, an elongate bottom or base wall (hereinafter referred to as the "base wall") on which electric cables and/or service pipes can be supported. Such cable trays may also include coupling components such as bends for supporting electric cables and/or service pipes as the direction and/or plane in which they extend gradually changes, teeconnectors and cross-connectors, all such coupling components having, as common features, a pair of side walls with a base wall extending therebetween. For convenience, all such cable trays and coupling components therefore will hereinafter be included in the expression "cable tray". In the construction of cable trays, it is the general practice to provide in the base wall, throughout its length, a multiplicity of apertures or perforations which facilitates the securing of fittings and electric cable and/or service pipe securing devices to the cable tray and, additionally, reduces the overall weight of the cable tray. In some circumstances, one or each of the side walls may also have apertures or perforations longitudinally space throughout its length. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple cable tray which can be readily fabricated and which is substantially less expensive than cable trays hitherto proposed and used. According to the invention, the improved cable tray comprises a pair of elongate side walls and, extending between and secured to the side walls throughout their lengths, a separately formed elongate base wall comprising at least one expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy. By an expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is meant a network of metal or metal alloy formed by stamping or cutting a sheet of metal or metal alloy and stretching the metal or metal alloy of the sheet to form openings in the sheet without the removal of any metal or metal alloy. Preferably, the openings in the expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy are of a substantially diamond-shape with one transverse axis of the diamond substantially longer than the other and, in this case, preferably the or each expanded sheet is so arranged with respect to the side walls of the cable tray that the longer transverse axes of the diamond- shaped openings extend lengthwise of the cable tray. The or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy may be secured to each side wall of the cable tray by bolts, rivets or any other separately-formed securing devices but, with a view to avoiding the use of separately-formed securing devices and to maintaining the cost of the cable tray as low as possible, preferably the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall by deforming the side wall, either throughout its length or at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions along its length, in such a way that the adjacent longitudinally extending edge of the or each expanded sheet is tightly gripped by the deformed side wall. To provide for stacking of one cable tray on top of another, each of the side walls of the cable tray over at least a part of the depth of the side wall may be inclined outwardly in a direction away from the base wall. The invention is further illustrated, by way of example, by the accompanying informal drawing which shows a fragmental pictorial view of the preferred cable tray. CLAIMS

1. A cable tray comprising a pair of elongate side walls and, extending between and secured to the side walls throughout their lengths, a separately formed elongate base wall comprising at least one expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy.

2. A cable tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings in the expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy are of a substantially diamond-shape with one transverse dimension of the diamond substantially longer than the other.

3. A cable tray as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the or each expanded sheet is so arranged with respect to the side walls of the cable tray that the longer transverse dimensions of the diamondshaped openings extend transversely of the cable tray

4. A cable tray as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall by deforming the side wall, either throughout its length or at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions along its length, in such a way that the adjacent longitudinally extending edge of the or each expanded sheet is tightly gripped by the deformed side wall.

5. A cable tray as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each expanded sheet of metal or metal alloy is secured to each side wall of the cable tray by bolts, rivets or any other separately-formed securing devices.

6. A cable tray as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein each of the side walls of the cable tray over at least a part of the depth of the side wall is inclined outwardly in a direction away from the base wall.

7. A cable tray substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.