Suspension system

• US 20050015939A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Gijsel, Geert van, Laughlin, Raymond S., Naaijkens, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/134.R
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/02 with parts deformable to grip the cable or cables; Fastening means which engage a sleeve or the like fixed on the cable
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/106 using a toothed surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/137 and consisting of a flexible band
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/31 Plural fasteners having intermediate flaccid connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/394 Cam lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3951 Dual cam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3996 Sliding wedge

Abstract

A suspension or staying system uses a length of wire or cable with a hook or plain bead secured to one end. The hook may be secured directly or indirectly to a structure, or pass around a fixed structure such as a beam, purlin or girder, or something fixed thereto, such as a clip, hook or eye, and hooked to the length of wire to form a loop. The hook may include an enlarged beaded end which may be used directly with some fasteners or clamps, or with a clip to form a loop. The clip may be used with the plain beaded end or a hooked beaded end. The enlarged bead of either enables the length of wire to be caught by somewhat smaller holes in a variety of structural fasteners. The other or free end of the wire or cable is extended through a jam cleat and around an object to be suspended or stayed, and then back through the jam cleat to form a tightenable, adjustable loop simply by pulling on the free end. The jam cleat uses swinging wire gripping levers accommodating a range of wire sizes driving the wire against a curved surface tightly to grip the wire to prevent wire movement in one direction. In one form the jam cleat may be locked for seismic applications. Also included is a cleat or termination for directly or indirectly supporting or hanging a fixture or object without passing the wire or cable around the object.

Claims

1. A jam cleat for wire or cable comprising a body having at least one wire or cable passage therein, a chamber communicating with said passage, and a lever pivoted in said chamber and including a distal wire gripping surface movable on an arc operative to interfere with and wedge a wire or cable moving in said passage in one direction but not in the opposite direction.

2. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 1, including a pair of side-by-side passages, and a lever for each passage.

3. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 2, including a curved surface in each passage against which the wire is wedged by the respective lever wire gripping surface.

4. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 3, including a spring for each lever urging the wire gripping surfacing into wedging engagement with the wire.

5. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 4, including a housing for the jam cleat, and respective openings in said housing enabling a tool to be inserted therein to engage the respective levers to move the levers against the spring to release the wire gripped by the lever.

6. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 4, wherein each lever includes a serrated curved jaw gripping surface not on a uniform radius to the pivot of the lever to engage and grip wire of different size.

7. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 3 including a serrated gripping surface on said curved surface.

8. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 3 including a serrated curved surface on each lever.

9. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 8 wherein said serrated curved surface has a variable radius from the pivot of the lever.

10. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 9 wherein the radius in the direction of gripping rotation is shorter.

11. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 3 including means to lock one or both levers in wire gripping position for seismic and like applications.

12. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 11 wherein said last mentioned means is adjustable.

13. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 12 wherein said last mentioned means is a locking screw.

14. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 13 wherein the tip of the locking screw bears against the back of the lever.

15. A jam cleat as set forth in claim 14 including a lock nut for said lock screw.

16. A cable cleat for attaching a cable to a suspended fixture comprising a body having at least two parts surrounding the cable, a wedge chamber in said body, wedges in said chamber operative tightly to grip said cable, means to lock said body around said cable, and means to secure a fixture to said body directly or indirectly to support said fixture without looping the cable around the fixture.

17. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 16 including a fitting in said body rotatable with respect to said body substantially on the axis of the cable.

18. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 17 wherein said body is a T-head fitting in a corresponding chamber in the bottom of said two parts.

19. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 18 including a central opening in said T-head fitting to accommodate said cable.

20. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 18 wherein said T-head includes an externally threaded sleeve adapted to receive a lock nut.

21. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 18 wherein said T-head includes a projecting bollard.

22. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 21 wherein said bollard includes a transverse passage adapted to accommodate a sling.

23. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 22 including the assembly of the sling, and beads on the ends of the sling.

24. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 18 wherein said T-head includes a hook.

25. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 24 wherein said hook includes a spring latch closing the opening of the hook.

26. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 16 including spring means in said wedge chamber operative to drive said wedges within the chamber to a cable gripping position.

27. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 26 wherein said chamber extends axially of the cable, and said wedges are driven axially of the cable by the spring.

28. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 27 wherein said wedges are provided with exterior wedge surfaces, and interior cable gripping surfaces.

29. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 28 wherein said interior cable gripping surfaces are toothed or serrated to grip the cable.

30. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 16 wherein said means to lock said body around said cable comprises a sleeve telescoped over one end of the body parts.

31. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 30 including a flange on the opposite end of the body parts against which said sleeve is seated.

32. A cable cleat as set forth in claim 31 including a crimp groove in said body parts whereby said sleeve may be crimped into said groove to lock it in place.