GB2233161A

GB2233161A - Retaining cables in trunking

Info

Publication number: GB2233161A
Application number: GB9010438A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberto Boffelli
Original assignee: BTicino SpA
Current assignee: BTicino SpA
Priority date: 1989-05-24
Filing date: 1990-05-09
Publication date: 1991-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-09
Also published as: GB9010438D0; GB2233161B; IT8921134V0; IT216610Z2; FR2647523B1; FR2647523A1

Abstract

Cables are retained in trunking or a raceway by clips 10, 11 on a tie rod 12. The lower clip 10 is rotated (Figs 4 & 5) to secure its edges in channels formed at the bottom of the trunking by edges 8, 9. The edges 8, 9 may be integrally formed in the walls 4, 5 or by strips attached to the walls. The clip 10 may be slid along the channels before clamping the cables in place (Fig 3). <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a raceway for laying and protecting electric cables encased therein, being of a type which comprises a substantially U-shaped profile member ard means associated with said profile member to hold releasabty therein a plurality of electric cables.

A major objective of this invention is to provide a raceway of the type specified above, which has such structural and performance characteristics that, additionally to providing effective protection and hold for electric cables laid therein, can make for easy, quick, and inexpensive laying of the electric cables through the use of cable retainers of simple construction, which are readily handled and employed, and above all highly reliable in performance.

This and other objects to become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a raceway as indicated being characterized in that it comprises a substantially T-shaped seat formed at the location of the bottom of said raceway, including said bottom, and extending longitudinally to said raceway for at least a section thereof, first and second plate-like clips associated with each other by at least one tie rod, the first of said clips being releasably engaged in said substantially T-shaped seat at any selected location therein.

The advantages and features of the invention may be better appreciated from the following detailed description of a raceway for laying and encasing electric cables, given with reference to the accompanying illustrative and non-limitative drawings, where: Figure 1 shows in perspective and part-sector a raceway according to the invention; Figure 2 shows in perspective, to an enlarged scale, a detail of the raceway in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in Figure 1; and Figures 4 and 5 are top plan views showing the raceway of Figure 1 at two successive stages of its use.

With reference to the drawing views, generally shown at 1 is a raceway for laying and encasing electric cables 2, which raceway consists basically of a profile member 3 having a substantially U-shaped cross-section and side walls indicated at 4 and 5, and a bottom wall 6. The free ends of the side walls 4 and 5 are bent inwardly of the raceway 1 to provide respective bands 4a, 5a of predetermined width.

Defined within the raceway 1 at the bottom 6 thereof, is a substantially T-shaped seat 7 including said bottom wall 6 and extending longitudinally along the entire length of said raceway.

In particular and in accordance with a characteristic feature of this invention, the seat 7 is defined by a pair of bands 8, 9 extending longitudinally in the opposed walls 4 and 5 of the raceway near the bottom 6 of the latter.

Said bands 8, 9 may be strips (not shown) formed integrally with or otherwise attached to the walls 4 and 5 of the raceway 1, or alternatively, they may be formed by the outward faces of flutes 8a, 9a extending longitudinally in the walls 4 and 5 of the raceway 1 and being formed during the forming (or extruding, or the like) process of the raceway itself.

A first plate-like clip 10 is releasably engageable in the seat 7. A second plate-like clip 11 is associated with the clip 10 by a tie rod 12, in a manner to be explained.

In a preferred embodiment, the tie rod 12 consists of a fully threaded rod having one end engaged, using a nut and locknut 13-14 (Figure 3), in a hole 15 formed centrally in the plate-like clip 10, and the other end, which is passed loosely through a hole 16 formed centrally in the plate-like clip 11, engaged by a wingnut 17 with an intervening washer 18.

The clips 10, 11 and the tie rcd 12 jointly form a cable retainer associated with the interior of the raceway 1.

That retainer may be positioned as desired along the raceway, because of the first clip 10 being allowed to slide freely along the seat 7 in the raceway.

Advantageously, the plate-like clips 10 and 11 are identical with each other and substantially rectangular in shape with a major side nearly as long as the seat 7 is wide. For readier engagement of the clip 10 in the seat 7 (which engagement occurs as illustrated), bevels are provided at the opposed corners on either diagonals of the clip considered (Figure 2).

Between the clips 10 and 11, the electric cables 12 to be laid in the raceway 1 are gathered together and held securely. The force to be exerted on the cables 2 to ensure that they are effectively retained in the raceway 1 is produced by manipulation of the wingnut 17.

The invention as disclosed hereinabove is susceptible to variations as may occur to the skilled one, and all within the true scope of the invention. As an example, the seat 7 for accommodating the clip 10 could be structured geometrically different from the one shown, while performing the same function of holding the clip and reacting to the wingnut 17 action. In this respect, a raceway could be formed with convergent walls 4 and 5 at a selected angle to provide a substantially dovetail type of engagement with the plate-like clip 10.

Furthermore, the bands 8 and 9 which define the seat 7 may extend along the full length of the raceway 1 or partway therealong.

Claims

1. A raceway for laying electric cables, being of a type which comprises a substantially U-shaped profile member (3) and means associated with said profile member to hold releasably therein a plurality of electric cables (2), characterized in that it comprises a substantially T-shaped seat (7) formed at the location of the bottom (6) of said raceway (1), including said bottom (6), and extending longitudinally to said raceway (1) for at least a section thereof, first and second plate-like clips (10,11) associated with each other by at least one tie rod (12), the first (10) of said clips being releasably engaged in said substantially T-shaped seat (7) at any selected location along said raceway (1).

2. A raceway according to Claim 1, characterized in that said substantially T-shaped seat (7) spans the full length of said raceway (1).

3. A raceway according to Claim 1, characterized in that said substantially T-shaped seat (7) comprises the bottom (6) of said raceway (1) and two bands (8,9) extending longitudinally along respective opposed walls (4,5) thereof.

4. A raceway according to Claim 3, characterized in that said bands (8,9) are respective strips formed in, or otherwise attached to, the opposed walls (4,5) of the raceway near the latter's bottom (6).

5. A raceway according to Claim 3, characterized in that said bands (8,9) are the outward faces of respective flutes (8a,9a) formed or otherwise produced in opposed walls (4,5) of the raceway.

6. A raceway according to Claim 1, characterized in that said tie rod (12) is a fully threaded rod having one end affixed to said first plate-like clip (10) and the other end loosely engaged through a hole (16) in the second plate-like clip (11) and engaged by a respective nut (18).

7. A raceway according to Claim 1, characterized in that said first plate-like clip (10) is guided slidably in said seat (7) longitudinally with respect to the raceway wherealong it may be positioned as desired.