GB2471809A

GB2471809A - Anchor clamp for telecommunications cable

Info

Publication number: GB2471809A
Application number: GB1018778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Claude Libert
Original assignee: TELENCO Telecommunication Engineering Company SAS
Current assignee: TELENCO Networks SAS
Priority date: 2008-04-28
Filing date: 2008-04-28
Publication date: 2011-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-28
Also published as: GB2471809B; WO2009133250A1; GB201018778D0

Abstract

The clamp (1) comprises: a tubular body (2) with two parallel lateral walls (5a) linked by two transverse walls (6a), said four walls defining therebetween a channel (7) having a rectangular crosssection converging from the first to the second open axial end (9, 10) thereof, and a wedge (3) having a coruplementary shape to that of the channel, intended to receive peripherally a loop of the cable and to be inserted into the channel to occupy a fully inserted position in which the cable loop is clampped between the wedge and the transverse walls of the body by the tension transmitted to the cable. The wedge and the body include reciprocal means for locking (13a, 28) the wedge in the intermediate insertion position m the channel, so as to temporarily prevent the wedge from moving with respect to the body along the axis of the channel in either direction.

Description

ANCHOR CLAMP FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE

The present invention relates to an anchor clamp for a telecommunications cable.

This type of clamp is used to anchor a cable on a fitting arranged on the façade or on the top of a pole.

The document FR 2 844 111 describes such an anchor clamp, which comprises on the one hand a tubular body forming a converging channel, and on the other hand a wedge which receives on its periphery a loop of the cable to be anchored and which can be pushed into the channel of the body so that the loop of the cable is clamped between the wedge and the walls of the body by the tension transmitted to the cable.

The wedge has a through-orifice, into which a tool, of the screwdriver type, can be placed, this tool also bearing against an edge of the tubular body. The operator can thus prevent the wedge from being pushed in during the phase of adjusting the tension of the cable. Then, when the tool is withdrawn, the wedge is freed and can be pushed into the body so as to clamp the cable.

However, during the manipulations for adjustment, the wedge has a very high tendency to spring back from its partially pushed-in position, that is to say to be displaced relative to the body in the direction of exiting from the body. This movement cannot be prevented by the simple bearing of the screwdriver against the edge of the body. However, this spring-back of the wedge impedes the operation of adjusting the tension of the cable and may even lead to the wedge exiting completely from the body, making it necessary for the operator to restart his operation of placement and adjustment. This problem is even worse in the case of cables having a round cross-section.

Furthermore, the wedge described in the document FR 2 844 111 has, on one of its peripheral edges, two flanges which are offset from one another and between which the cable is intended to pass. This structure, although it makes it possible to hold flat cables around the wedge in an appropriate manner, is very poorly adapted to cables having a round cross-section which are not sufficiently held on the one hand between these offset flanges and on the other hand along the flat peripheral edge of the wedge. The structure proposed by the document FR 2 844 111 therefore does not make it possible to retain the characteristics of the clamp in terms of safety and ease of adjustment for application to round cables.

The present invention aims to remedy the disadvantages mentioned above, by providing an anchor clamp for a telecommunications cable which is easy to use and which allows an excellent hold of the cables, including cables having a round cross-section.

To this end, the anchor clamp according to the invention comprises: -a tubular body comprising two side walls which are substantially parallel to one another and which are connected by two transverse walls, said four walls defining between them a channel having an axis, this channel being open at its first and at its second axial end and having a substantially rectangular cross-section converging from its first to its second axial end; -a wedge having a shape complementary to that of the channel formed in the body, said wedge being intended to receive on its periphery a loop of the cable to be anchored and being intended to be inserted into the channel from the first end until it reaches a pushed-in position in which said loop of the cable is clamped between the wedge and the transverse walls of the body by the tension transmitted to the cable; and the wedge and the body comprise means for reciprocal locking in an intermediate position of insertion of the wedge in the channel, said locking means being designed so as to prevent any displacement of the wedge relative to the body along the axis of the channel, in both directions, in said intermediate insertion position.

By virtue of the invention, it is therefore possible to achieve a temporary locking of the wedge relative to the body, in a position which allows adjustment of the tension of the cable, without any risk of the wedge escaping from the body.

The operations of placement and adjustment are thus greatly facilitated and take less time, even in the case of anchoring round cables.

Advantageously, the locking means formed on the wedge and on the body may be designed so as to be able to be associated temporarily by means of a connecting member such as a screwdriver. This is therefore a jamming tool which does not belong to the clamp.

According to one possible embodiment, the locking means comprise a through-hole formed transversely in the wedge and two through-orifices formed transversely and opposite one another in the side walls of the body.

The locking means may comprise a through-hole formed transversely in the wedge and at least one tab projecting from the body, said tab extending beyond the first axial end of the channel and comprising a transverse through-orifice located beyond the first axial end of the channel.

"Beyond the first axial end of the channel" is intended to mean that the part in question is located, in the direction of the axis of the channel, further away than the first axial end of the channel from the second axial end of the channel.

In practice, with one and/or the other of the aforementioned two embodiments, the hole of the wedge and the orifice(s) of the body are made to coincide with one another and a screwdriver is inserted therein. It will be understood that the dimensions of the hole and of the orifice(s) (typically the diameter) must be adapted to the diameter of the screwdriver so that a satisfactory axial locking can be obtained. Holes and orifices having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the tool used for locking are thus preferably provided.

According to one possible embodiment, the body comprises a projecting tab on each of its side walls, each of the two tabs comprising a transverse through-orifice located beyond the first axial end of the channel, the orifices being opposite one another.

The or each tab is for example substantially parallel to the corresponding side wall and is located substantially in the same plane as this side wall.

Advantageously, the wedge may comprise, on one axial edge, two side flanges opposite one another, between which the cable to be anchored is intended to pass. This structure makes it possible to obtain a much better hold of the cable around the wedge and a better adjustment of the tension, particularly in the case of a round cable. In order to further improve this hold, it may be provided that the side flanges extend along substantially the entire axial edge (that is to say they are not localised along this edge).

Furthermore, the wedge may comprise a peripheral groove intended to receive the cable to be anchored, said groove having a curved bottom. This geometry aims to allow an improved hold of the cable around the wedge, especially in the case of a round cable.

One possible embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended figures: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the clamp according to the invention, the wedge not being inserted into the body; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of this clamp when the wedge is in the intermediate position of insertion into the channel of the body (the cable not being shown); and Fig. 3 is a side view of this clamp when the wedge is in the pushed-in position and the cable is clamped.

As shown in Fig. 1, the clamp 1 comprises a tubular body 2 and a wedge 3. In the embodiment shown, the wedge 3 is connected to the body 2 by a deformable filament 4, and these various elements are made in a single piece by moulding from a plastics material.

The body 2 comprises two side walls 5a, 5b which are substantially trapezoidal and parallel to one another and are connected by two substantially rectangular transverse walls 6a, 6b. A channel 7 is thus defined between these four walls 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, said channel having an axis 8 and being open at its first and at its second axial end 9, 10. The channel 7 has a substantially rectangular cross-section converging from its first to its second axial end 9, 10.

The body 2 additionally comprises, on each of its side walls 5a, 5b, a tab 11 a, 11 b which is substantially parallel to the corresponding side wall and is located substantially in the same plane as this side wall, but which projects beyond the edge 12 of the body 2 located on the same side as the first axial end 9 of the channel 7. Each tab 11 a, 11 b comprises a transverse through-orifice 13a, 13b located beyond the first axial end 9 of the channel 7, the orifices 13a, 13b being located opposite one another. In the embodiment shown, the orifices 1 3a, 1 3b are circular and have the same transverse axis 14.

Furthermore, the body 2 comprises hooking means composed of a U-shaped handle. The handle 15 comprises on the one hand a connecting branch 16 extending in the continuation of a transverse wall 6a on the same side as the first axial end 9 of the channel 7, and on the other hand a hooking branch 17. The two branches 16, 17 can be moved towards one another by virtue of the elasticity of the handle 15.

The hooking branch 17 has a rectangular cross-section and is equipped at its free end with a widened head 18 capable of being engaged in a housing 19 formed in the body 2 and opening to the side. This housing 19 has a main part 20 having dimensions sufficient to receive the head 18, said main part being extended by a slot 21 opening on the same side as the edge 12 of the body 2, close to the handle 15. The slot 21 is capable of receiving the hooking branch 17 and has dimensions smaller than those of the head 18. The housing 19 comprises a set-back zone 22 between the main part 20 and the slot 21, which set-back zone does not open to the side and is capable of receiving at least part of the head 18 and of locking the latter, when the handle is folded and fixed to the body 2.

The handle 15 is intended to be associated with a fitting (not shown), such as an eyelet arranged on the façade or on top of the pole, then to be locked, the head 18 being engaged and locked in the set-back zone 22 of the housing 19. After this engagement, the head 18 can no longer exit from the housing 19 without human intervention, which prevents unhooking for example under the action of a violent wind.

The wedge 3 has a shape complementary to that of the channel 7 formed in the body 2. It has two substantially parallel and triangular side faces 23a, 23b which are spaced apart from one another, and comprises an axial edge 24 opposite the tip 25 of the wedge 3. The wedge 3 comprises, on its axial edge 24, two side flanges 26a, 26b opposite one another, each located substantially in the same plane as the corresponding side face 23a, 23b extended thereby. These flanges 26a, 26b are relatively high (for example around 10 mm) and extend along substantially the entire axial edge 24. The filament 4 is for example joined to one of these flanges.

The wedge 3 also comprises a peripheral groove 27, of which the bottom is curved and which, at the axial edge 24, is located between the two flanges 26a, 26b. Finally, the wedge 3 comprises a through-hole 28 having an axis 29 oriented transversely. In the embodiment shown, the hole 28 is circular and has a diameter comparable to that of the orifices 1 3a, 1 3b of the body 2.

The use of the clamp 1 to anchor a cable will now be described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

A loop 30 of the cable is introduced into the channel 7 of the body 2 and placed around the wedge 3, thereby being housed in the peripheral groove 27 with a curved bottom and, locally, between the flanges 26a, 26b. The wedge 3 is then inserted into the channel 7, the tip 25 being introduced into the channel 7 from the first axial end 9.

The wedge is inserted into the channel 7 until the axis 29 of the ho'e 28 of the wedge 3 is substantially coincident with the axis 14 of the orifices 13a, 13b of the body 2. A tool of suitable dimensions, for example a screwdriver, is then introduced along this common axis 29, 14 so as to temporarily lock the wedge 3 relative to the body 2, in this intermediate insertion position (Fig. 2). The operator then adjusts the tension of the cable.

He then withdraws the tool, while maintaining the tension applied to the cable, and the wedge 3 is then inserted further into the channel 7 of the body 9, until it reaches the pushed-in position shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the loop 30 of the cable is clamped between the wedge 3 and the transverse walls 6a, 6b of the body 2 by the tension transmitted to the cable.

The invention thus makes a considerable improvement to the prior art, by providing an anchor clamp which allows easy adjustment of the tension of the cable to be anchored and an improved hold of this cable, this clamp being particularly suitable for round cables.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example, but rather encompasses all variant embodiments.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Anchor clamp for telecommunications cable, comprising: -a tubular body (2) comprising two side walls (5a, 5b) which are substantially parallel to one another and which are connected by two transverse walls (6a, 6b), said four walls defining between them a channel (7) having an axis (8), this channel (7) being open at its first and at its second axial end (9, 10) and having a substantially rectangular cross-section converging from its first to its second axial end (9, 10); -a wedge (3) having a shape complementary to that of the channel (7) formed in the body (2), said wedge being intended to receive on its periphery a loop (30) of the cable to be anchored and being intended to be inserted into the channel (7) from the first end (9) until it reaches a pushed-in position in which said loop (30) of the cable is clamped between the wedge (3) and the transverse walls (6a, 6b) of the body (2) by the tension transmifted to the cable; characterised in that the wedge (3) and the body (2) comprise means (13a, 13b, 28) for reciprocal locking in an intermediate position of insertion of the wedge (3) in the channel (7), said locking means being designed so as to prevent any displacement of the wedge (3) relative to the body (2) along the axis of the channel (7), in both directions, in said intermediate insertion position.
2. Anchor clamp according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking means (13a, 13b, 28) formed on the wedge (3) and on the body are designed so as to be able to be associated temporarily by means of a connecting member such as a screwdriver.
3. Anchor clamp according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the locking means comprise: -a through-hole (28) formed transversely in the wedge (3); -and two through-orifices (13a, 13b) formed transversely and opposite one another in the side walls (5a, Sb) of the body (2).
4. Anchor clamp according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the locking means comprise: -a through-hole (28) formed transversely in the wedge (3); -and at least one tab (11 a, 11 b) projecting from the body (2), said tab extending beyond the first axial end (9) of the channel (7) and comprising a transverse through-orifice (1 3a, 1 3b) located beyond the first axial end (9) of the channel (7).
5. Anchor clamp according to claim 4, characterised in that the body (2) comprises a projecting tab (ha, lib) on each of its side walls (5a, 5b), each of the two tabs comprising a transverse through-orifice (13a, 13b) located beyond the first axial end (9) of the channel (7), the orifices (13a, 13b) being opposite one another.
6. Anchor clamp according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the or each tab (11 a, 11 b) is substantially parallel to the corresponding side wall (5a, 5b) and is located substantially in the same plane as this side wall.
7. Anchor clamp according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the wedge (3) comprises, on one axial edge (24), two side flanges (26a, 26b) opposite one another, between which the cable to be anchored is intended to pass.
8. Anchor clamp according to claim 7, characterised in that the side flanges (26a, 26b) extend along substantially the entire axial edge (24).
9. Anchor clamp according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the wedge (3) comprises a peripheral groove (27) intended to receive the cable to be anchored, said groove having a curved bottom.