FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001 ] The present invention relates to the field of cable clamps and, in particular, discloses a cable clamp for clamping multiple electrical cables together.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0003] Cable clamps for clamping together electrical cables are well-known. For example, the ID Technik company manufactures a series of cable clamps for clamping together electrical cables. For example, technical documentation relating to their KS series of cable clamps is illustrated in Fig. 1. The cable clamp 1 is generally of a two part form, with the two parts bolted together around a cables to be clamped therein.

[0004] Other forms of cable clamp are known, for example, US patent number 6892990 to Pisczak shows a cable clamp again of two part form where each part is hinged and clamped together.

[0005] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 illustrate a prior art multi-cable clamping device 4 manufactured by the Ellis Manufacturing Co. where a single metallic strap is designed to encompass multiple cable strands which are then affixed together by means of tightening via bolt 5. The arrangement 4 providing minimal assistance when multiple heavy cables are utilised.

[0006] Prior cable clamping arrangements have a number of significant drawbacks, especially during installation of heavy high current carrying cables when installed in difficult access environments.

[0007] Often a substation installation environment may involve difficult logistics in confined spaces. Large heavy cables are difficult to manage and affix in such environments. For example, large cable installations of around 33kV or the like normally use very heavy, bulky cables having greater than 15cm diameter. The confined spaces often necessitates the use of car winches or the like for manipulating cable positions. Further, any clamping arrangement should have minimal sharp protrusions which may damage cables during movement. Further, ideally, the clamp can, in practice, be assembled through the mere use of an impact wrench without risk of damaging the clamp. For example, normally minimal opportunities are provided for damaging threads or the like.

[0008] Further, cable clamps are often used in power line arrangements where large cables are fed from below ground to overhead distribution in a long vertical column. Where the cables have to be clamped together as one unit, the shear forces on the vertically hanged cables can become excessive, leading to tearing of outer sheaths etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of the invention, in its preferred form to provide an improved form of cable clamp for handling multiple electrical cables of a significant size.

[0010] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable clamp for clamping electrical cables together, the clamp including: A first base unit for mounting in a first position by means of at least two fixing screws; First and second clamping arms independently fixable to the base for clamping first and second cables to the base and forming a cavity surface for the clamping of a third cable to the clamping arms; A third clamping arm; A fixing means for clamping the third arm to the first and second arms so that a third cable is clamped there between in the cavity surface.

[001 1 ] The first base unit can be mounted in a first position by means of a barrel nut having a first and second opposed threaded apertures for attaching a screw, with a first of the apertures engaging with the fixing screw.

[0012] A second of the first and second clamping arms each can include an apertures there through, and are preferably affixed to the first base unit by means of clamping screws through corresponding apertures engaging a corresponding barrel nut aperture.

[0013] At least one barrel nut and wherein the third clamping arm can be affixed to the second clamping arm by means of clamping a screw to the barrel nut. The fixing means can comprise a clamping bar fixed at two ends around a third cable. The first and second clamping arms are preferably symmetrical. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0015] Fig. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of a prior art cable clamp;

[0016] Fig. 2 illustrates the side sectional view of the arrangement of Fig. 1 when clamping three cables;

[0017] Fig. 3 illustrates a first side photograph of a prior art type of multiple cable clamp;

[0018] Fig. 4 illustrates a second bottom side photograph of a prior art type of multiple cable clamp;

[0019] Fig. 5 illustrates a side perspective view of the clamping unit of the preferred embodiment;

[0020] Fig. 6 illustrates a side sectional view of the preferred embodiment in assembled form; [0021 ] Fig. 7 illustrates a side plan view of the assembled clamping bolts; [0022] Fig. 8 illustrates a top plan view of the assembled clamping bolts; and [0023] Fig. 9 illustrates a side perspective view of a clamping stud. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The preferred embodiment provides a cable fitting system able to handle the provision of independent location and lock down of cables.

[0025] Fig. 5 illustrates the cable clamp 10 of the preferred embodiment in an exploded, partly in section view. The clamp 10 is formed for clamping together three high current low voltage cables 11, 12, 13. As is common in the industry, each of the cables 11-13 can include a three or four phased internal core, which are surrounded by a neutral sheath and packing materials to form an overall cable e.g. 11. [0026] As will become more apparent hereinafter, in the preferred embodiment, the cables 11- 13 are individually bound or affixed to the overall cable clamp 10. The clamp 10 includes a top bar 20 which is clamped in place by means of threaded screws 41, 42 which engage male and female studs 21 22, which can comprise a threaded rod with barrel nut on top (an example of which is illustrated 90 in Fig. 9). The top bar 20 acts to clamp the third and final assembled cable 13. The cable 13 can be affixed by means of resilient insert 25. The bolts 41, 42 engage with corresponding recesses for tightening of top bar 20.

[0027] Upon removal, of the top bar 20, the cable 13 is also able to be removed. This cable is able to be removed whilst the other two cables 11, 12 remain clamped.

[0028] The remaining cables 11, 12 are clamped by arcuate clamping unit pair 31, 32, and clamping base 34. Each pair 31, 32 clamps a corresponding cable 12, 11 in a substantially symmetrical manner. The base 34 can be affixed to a mounting point (not shown), via studs 35, 36.

[0029] Studs 21, 22 engage with studs 35, 36 and in conjunction with washers 38, 39 act to fix the arcuate clamping units 31, 32 in place. The washers 38, 39 act to clamp the arcuate clamping units 31, 32, firmly against the surface of a corresponding cable. For example, stud 21 acts to clamp unit 31 against the surface of cables 12. A series of shims or pads e.g. 40 can be used to enhance clamping.

[0030] The clamping units 31, 32, 34 can be formed from glass reinforced nylon which is formed from a die with ejection moulded plastic.

[0031 ] The clamps of the preferred embodiment can therefore be operated in a three stage manner, with each cable independently placed. Operationally, the base 34 is initially affixed in place. A first cable 12 can then be routed and placed in position with clamping unit 31, used to clamp the cable 12 firmly in place. Next, the second cable 11 can be routed and clamped firmly in place by clamping unit 32 and stud 22. Next the third cable 13 can be routed and finally clamped using top bar 20.

[0032] Where a different size cables are to be used, an insert between each of the cables can be used to accommodate the overall cables, thereby allowing one clamp to service multiple sized cables. [0033] The preferred embodiment thereby provides a system which allows for the routing of one cable at a time and independent initial positioning of the base layer.

[0034] Fig. 6 illustrates a side sectional view of the assembled clamping unit 10, further illustrating the based clamping threaded studs 35, 36 which includes threaded ends 44, 45 which can be inserted into a mounting plate for mounting the clamping unit.

[0035] Fig. 7 illustrates a further end side perspective view of the clamping arrangement 10 in an assembled form and Fig. 8 illustrates a top plan view of the clamping arrangement 10.

[0036] Fig. 9 illustrates an example stud 90 which can include a threaded rod and barrel nut end.

Interpretation

[0037] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "some embodiments" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0038] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0039] In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

[0040] As used herein, the term "exemplary" is used in the sense of providing examples, as opposed to indicating quality. That is, an "exemplary embodiment" is an embodiment provided as an example, as opposed to necessarily being an embodiment of exemplary quality.

[0041 ] It should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, FIG., or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[0042] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0043] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0044] Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term coupled, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limited to direct connections only. The terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Thus, the scope of the expression a device A coupled to a device B should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

[0045] Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.