GB2476794A

GB2476794A - Cable clearance apparatus for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2476794A
Application number: GB1000135A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Keith Tyler
Original assignee: CAMLOCK ENGINEERING Ltd
Current assignee: CAMLOCK ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date: 2010-01-06
Filing date: 2010-01-06
Publication date: 2011-07-13
Also published as: GB201000135D0

Abstract

A cable clearance apparatus comprising a guide rail 14 securable to a vehicle 10 by a plurality of brackets, the guide rail 14 including a downwardly sloped nose region 16 arranged such that, when the vehicle passes beneath low cables, the nose region 16 serves to lift the cables, the guide rail 14 carrying the cable over the vehicle 10. The guide rail may be of multi-part form 16-20, with posts 22 being provided if required to hold the rail above the vehicle. The rail may also be held in its elevated position by means of existing cable cutters. The rail may be of an electrically insulating material, and may also be transparent to radio frequencies. The guide rail serves to lift low slung cables over the passing vehicle, such as a personnel carrier or the like, without damaging either the vehicle or the cable and thus removing the need for personnel to exit the vehicle to carry out repairs.

Description

Cable Clearance Apparatus This invention relates to a cable clearance apparatus, and in particular to a cable clearance apparatus suitable for use with a vehicle to allow the vehicle to pass beneath relatively low slung power or communications cables.

Where roads or tracks are rarely used by relatively tall vehicles, or vehicles with tall aerials or other devices mounted thereon, there is a tendency for electrical power cables or communications cables to be suspended across the roads or tracks at only relatively low height. Consequently, when it is desired for such a relatively tall vehicle to pass along those roads or tracks, such movement is impeded. To allow passage of the vehicle each cable needs to be lifted to a height sufficient to allow the vehicle to pass there beneath and it will be appreciated that this is a time-consuming operation.

However, if the cables are not raised, then passage of such vehicles will result in damage to the cables and/or the vehicle or equipment mounted thereon. Obviously such damage is undesirable as time must be spent repairing the damage and, in the meantime, inconvenience is suffered by, for example, those who lose power and/or communications as a result of the damage.

Where the vehicle is a military vehicle passing through an area in which personnel are at increased risk if not within the vehicle, then repairing damage may not be possible in a safe manner, and if damage is sustained to the vehicle or equipment associated therewith then, depending upon the nature of the damage, the safety of the personnel maybe put at risk. For example, if vehicle mounted antennae are damaged, then the personnel within the vehicle may lose communications contact with other vehicles and/or fixed stations.

In order to avoid damage to vehicles and/or equipment mounted thereon, it is known to provide vehicles with cutting blades operable to cut cables which may otherwise cause damage. Although this can reduce the risk of damage to the vehicle and associated equipment, there are circumstances in which the damage to power and/or communications cables is not acceptable as, for example, the bad publicity arising therefrom, or the safety risks associated with having cut, possibly live, cables lying in public areas is unacceptable.

it is an object of the invention to provide a cable clearance apparatus whereby at least some of the disadvantages set out hereinbefore are overcome or are of reduced impact.

According to the present invention there is provided a cable clearance apparatus comprising a guide rail securable to a vehicle by a plurality of brackets, the guide rail including a downwardly sloped nose region arranged such that, when the vehicle passes beneath low cables, the nose region serves to lift the cables, the guide rail carrying the cable over the vehicle.

It will be appreciated that such an arrangement is advantageous in that the risk of damage to the cables and associated fixtures is reduced. Further, the guide rail can guide the cables over the vehicle and components or equipment mounted thereon, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the vehicle or components or equipment mounted thereon.

The guide rail is conveniently of an electrically insulating material, thereby enhancing safety. Preferably it is of a material that is transparent to radio frequencies, thereby avoiding interference with communications equipment provided in the vehicle.

Preferably the guide rail is of multi-part form, thereby enhancing the ease of transport and storage when not in use. Such an arrangement is further advantageous in that, by substitution of only a few component parts, the apparatus may be used with a range of different vehicle designs.

The invention further relates to a vehicle to which such an apparatus is fitted.

Preferably two such cable clearance apparatus' are fitted to the vehicle, one adjacent an upper part of each side of the vehicle.

The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a partially exploded view illustrating a vehicle with a cable clearance apparatus fitted thereto.

Figure 1 illustrates a vehicle 10 to which a pair of cable clearance apparatus 12 are fitted. The illustrated vehicle 10 is an armoured military vehicle for use in the transportation of personnel or other devices. Although illustrated in conjunction with a military vehicle 10, it will be appreciated that the cable clearance system 12 could be fitted to other forms of vehicle if desired. Further, although one form of military vehicle is illustrated, it will be appreciated that the cable clearance apparatus 12 may be modified in such a manner as to be suitable for use with a range of other designs of military vehicle.

The cable clearance apparatus 12 comprises an elongate guide rail 14 which extends over the vehicle 10 from a point close to the front thereof to a point adjacent the rear of the vehicle 10. The guide rail 14 is of multi-part form comprising a front, nose portion 16, a series of intermediate portions 18, and a rear portion 20. A pair of mounting posts 22 are provided, each being shaped at its upper end to allow connection of the adjacent portions 18 thereto, and including a fitting 24 at its lower end to allow mounting thereof to the roof or adjacent side of the vehicle 10, in use.

Likewise, the rear section 20 includes a post 26 and a mounting bracket 28 securable to the rear part of the vehicle 10 and arranged to support the rear end of the rearmost one of the portions 18, in use. Conveniently, the fittings 24, 28 allow the posts 22, 26 to be clamped to a lip lOa extending along the edge of the roof of the vehicle, or to other formations provided on the vehicle.

A fitting 30 is provided and arranged to be secured to a front part of the vehicle 10, the fitting 30 being arranged to support the lower end of the nose portion 16, the upper end of the nose portion 16 being connected by an angled part 32 to the leading end of the forward-most one of the portions 18.

If desired, the forward-most one of the portions 18 could be provided with a mounting bracket which, in use, is securable to a tip of a cable cutter of the vehicle 10 when the cable cutter is in a raised position. Conveniently it is securable to the cable cutter using bolts which can pass through openings provided close to the tip of the cable cutter. However, this need not always be the case.

Preferably the portions 18, nose portion 16 and rear portion 20 are of hollow form and the upper ends of the posts 22, 26 include reduced diameter fittings adapted to be received within the ends of the portions 16, 18, 20 to allow assembly of the rail 14.

The various parts of the cable clearance apparatus are formed from a material that is of electrically insulating form and that is transparent to radio frequency transmissions. It is conveniently of lightweight form, for example being manufactured from a suitable composite material.

A range of techniques may be used to secure the cable clearance apparatus to the vehicle. For example, rather than use the clamp arrangements mentioned hereinbefore, the cable clearance apparatus could be bolted or otherwise secured to the vehicle 10. However, it will be appreciated that other securing arrangements are possible.

In use, with the cable clearance apparatus fitted to the vehicle, if the vehicle is driven along a road or track across which cables are slung or suspended at a relatively low height, then it will be appreciated that the nose portion 16 of the cable clearance apparatus will move into contact with the cables. Continued forward movement of the vehicle 10 will result in the cables riding up the nose portion 16, the guide rail 14 serving to guide the cables over the vehicle as the vehicle passes beneath the cables, avoiding contact between the cables and the vehicle 10 itself or other components or equipment mounted thereon. Continued movement of the vehicle 10 in the forward direction will result in the cables falling from the rear sections 20. Conveniently the rear sections 20 overhang the rear of the vehicle such that the movement of the cables does not result in the cables moving into contact with parts of the vehicle 10 or equipment such as a spare wheel mounted thereon. It will be appreciated that the provision of the cable clearance apparatus allows the passage of the vehicle beneath the cables without causing damage to the cables or equipment to which the cables are secured, or that any such damage is reduced, and likewise that equipment or components carried by the vehicle 10 are not damaged, or the risk of damage thereto by becoming entangled with or otherwise contacting the cables is reduced.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the cable clearance apparatus 12 is conveniently positioned adjacent each side of the vehicle 10 in order to maximise the level of protection provided thereby. However, there may be arrangements in which only a single cable clearance apparatus is required.

Where the vehicle 10 is provided with a transmitter located towards the front of the vehicle, in order to provide cable clearance protection for the transmitter, the nose 16 may be shaped to include a suitably shaped additional guidance feature. Where such a transmitter or other equipment is not provided, then this guidance feature may be omitted. Further, where such a transmitter is provided, but is of a shape, size and position such that the guidance apparatus will guide cables past the transmitter without 1 0 requiring the provision of additional features, such as in the case of the transmitter 40, such features may be omitted.

It will be appreciated that the manner in which the cable clearance apparatus is secured to the vehicle will depend, to some extent upon the nature of the vehicle to which it is to be fitted. For example, if the vehicle does not include cable cutters, then posts 22 may be provided, for example as shown, to support the forward end of the forward-most one of the portions 18. Further, where the design of the vehicle is such that one or more of the portions 18 is of relatively great length, then it may be preferred to provide two or more such portions adjacent to one another, as shown, to enhance the strength of the cable clearance apparatus in these regions. However, the invention is not restricted in this regard and arrangements other than those described and illustrated a possible. Further, there may be arrangements where, rather than use a fitting 30 adapted to be secured to the bonnet of the vehicle, the front, lower end of the nose portion 16 may be secured to a bracket mounted to the front grill or the like of the vehicle. It will be appreciated that these dsign features are not critical to the invention and that there are a number of other possibilities which fall within the scope of the invention.

As shown in Figure 1, conveniently the nose regions 16 are secured to a part of the vehicle spaced from the side thereof. Such an arrangement is advantageous in that it is of assistance in the clearance of cables where the direction in which the vehicle is travelling is not perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the cables.

Consequently, as well as lifting the cables, the nose portion 16 can serve to push the cables in a sideways direction, if required.

It will be appreciated that a wide range of modifications and alterations may be made to the arrangement described hereinbefore without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A cable clearance apparatus comprising a guide rail securable to a vehicle by a plurality of brackets, the guide rail including a downwardly sloped nose region arranged such that, when the vehicle passes beneath low cables, the nose region serves to lift the cables, the guide rail carrying the cable over the vehicle.
2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the guide rail is of an electrically insulating material.
3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the guide rail is of a material that is transparent to radio frequencies.
4. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the guide rail is of multi-part form.
5. A vehicle to which a cable clearance apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims is fitted.
6. A vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein two such cable clearance apparatus' are fitted to the vehicle, one adjacent an upper part of each side of the vehicle.