Splice plate for a wire cable tray

• US 7,608,786 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ICM Group
• Original Assignee: ICM Group
• Inventors: Quertelet, Stephane, Deciry, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III; William H
• Application Number:
  US11/886,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 174/135, 174/99.R, 248/41, 248/49, 248/58, 526/77, 526/96, 527/12
• US Class Current: 174/135
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0443 formed by wire or analogous netting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0608 Joints for connecting non cylindrical conduits, e.g. channels

Abstract

A splice plate which is used to connect two cable tray sections, whereby each section comprises longitudinal warp wires and transverse weft wires. The inventive splice plate has: an elongated base; a lateral flange, known as the upper flange, which extends essentially perpendicularly to the base from a first longitudinal edge of same; and a lateral flange, known as the lower flange, which extends essentially perpendicularly to the base from the longitudinal edge opposite the first longitudinal edge. Each of the two flanges is equipped with a notch that opens at the free edge of the corresponding flange, wherein said two notches are disposed facing one another. The upper lateral flange has coupling means on either side of the notch, which are intended to co-operate with a warp wire of a cable tray section.

Claims

1. Splice plate for wire cable trays intended to connect two sections (20) of that cable tray placed end-to-end, each section (20) of cable tray including on the one hand longitudinal warp wires (22, 26) and on the other hand transverse weft wires (24),

characterized in that it has an elongate bottom (2), an upper side flange (4) extending substantially perpendicularly to the bottom (2) from a first longitudinal edge thereof, and a lower side flange (6) extending substantially perpendicularly to the bottom (2) from the longitudinal edge opposite the first longitudinal edge, in that each of the two flanges (4, 6) has at least one notch (8, 14) opening into the free edge of the corresponding flange (4, 6), the two notches (8, 14) facing each other, and in that the upper side flange (4) includes on either side of its notch (8) attachment means (12) adapted to cooperate with a warp wire (26) of a section (20) of cable tray.

2. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that each flange (4, 6) includes two adjacent notches (8, 14) separated from each other by a spacer tongue (10, 16).

3. Splice plate according to claim 2, characterized in that the notches (8, 14) produced in the upper flange (4) and the lower flange (6) are substantially centrally positioned relative to the bottom (2) of the splice plate.

4. Splice plate according to claim 2, characterized in that the attachment means include a tongue (12) extending in a curved manner from the free edge of the upper flange (4) opposite the bottom (2) of the splice plate toward the bottom (2) of the splice plate, the tongue (12) being curved toward the exterior of the splice plate, i.e. to the side opposite the lower flange (6).

5. Splice plate according to claim 2, characterized in that the attachment means (12) are disposed in the vicinity of the ends of the splice plate.

6. Splice plate according to claim 2, characterized in that locking means (18) are associated with one notch (14).

7. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the notches (8, 14) produced in the upper flange (4) and the lower flange (6) are substantially centrally positioned relative to the bottom (2) of the splice plate.

8. Splice plate according to claim 7, characterized in that the attachment means include a tongue (12) extending in a curved manner from the free edge of the upper flange (4) opposite the bottom (2) of the splice plate toward the bottom (2) of the splice plate, the tongue (12) being curved toward the exterior of the splice plate, i.e. to the side opposite the lower flange (6).

9. Splice plate according to claim 7, characterized in that the attachment means (12) are disposed in the vicinity of the ends of the splice plate.

10. Splice plate according to claim 7, characterized in that locking means (18) are associated with one notch (14).

11. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the attachment means include a tongue (12) extending in a curved manner from the free edge of the upper flange (4) opposite the bottom (2) of the splice plate toward the bottom (2) of the splice plate, the tongue (12) being curved toward the exterior of the splice plate, i.e. to the side opposite the lower flange (6).

12. Splice plate according to claim 11, characterized in that the attachment means (12) are disposed in the vicinity of the ends of the splice plate.

13. Splice plate according to claim 11, characterized in that locking means (18) are associated with one notch (14).

14. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the attachment means (12) are disposed in the vicinity of the ends of the splice plate.

15. Splice plate according to claim 14, characterized in that locking means (18) are associated with one notch (14).

16. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that locking means (18) are associated with one notch (14).

17. Splice plate according to claim 16, characterized in that said locking means are associated with a notch (14) formed in the lower side flange (6).

18. Splice plate according to claim 16, characterized in that the locking means include a locking tongue (18) that can be bent from a first position in which it allows free access to the notch (14) with which it is associated to a second position in which it at least partially closes said notch (14).

19. Splice plate according to claim 17, characterized in that the locking means include a locking tongue (18) that can be bent from a first position in which it allows free access to the notch (14) with which it is associated to a second position in which it at least partially closes said notch (14).

20. Splice plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom (2) of the splice plate is of concave shape, the concave side being on the same side as the flanges (4, 6) of the splice plate.