Device for wire cables used in crash barriers along roads The present invention relates to an arrangement for splicing of wire cables used in crash barriers along roads which are intended to extend along the side of a carriageway and are supported by uprights distributed along the aforementioned carriageway, in that an external conical clamping component, which is arranged divided in its longitudinal sense and exhibits an internally transcurrent hole with an internal thread, is so arranged as to be capable of being connected to a cable made of metal in that the end of a respective metal cable of the kind in question is so arranged as to be accommodated in an aforementioned clamping component, and in that the aforementioned external conical clamping component is capable of being accommodated in an internally conical splicing sleeve.

Previously disclosed arrangements for causing the splicing of cables made of steel that are intended to provide protection for traffic on roads comprise splicing means which require expensive equipment at the site of erection of the cables, for example in the form of presses to bring about connection of a tubular sleeve to the end of a cable with the help of a press of this kind which costs ca. one hundred thousand kronor, for example such a press which brings about such clamping of the tubular sleeve around the cable and is illustrated in Fig. 13.

Previously disclosed through US 6,065, 738 A is a cable anchor intended specifically for cables alongside carriageways, where anchoring takes place to the ground or to a foundation in the ground. Keyed joints between the cable and

internally in a conical hole in a fixing sleeve are used for this purpose, and the cable which extends through the aforementioned fixing sleeve is bolted securely to a ground- anchored attachment. This solution is not applicable, however, for the splicing of cables in the air at a distance from the ground.

The splicing arrangement previously disclosed through US 2180866A comprises a common splicing sleeve (1).

Rotation of the aforementioned splicing sleeve causes the clamping effect to be identical at both of its ends. Separate actuation of the respective clamping component is thus not permitted in the aforementioned previously disclosed arrangement, but both pairs of clamping components (5,6) are actuated jointly by the aforementioned splicing sleeve (1).

The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first instance, to solve the above-mentioned problem by simple and efficient means and to bring about the secure splicing of cables without the need to use expensive special machines and tools for this purpose.

The aforementioned object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, which is characterized essentially in that the clamping components are each connected together with an interconnecting component or an interconnecting holding stop via its own threaded rod or via its own pair of threaded rods, which threaded rods are connected to one another with the common interconnecting component or the common interconnecting stop.

The arrangement in accordance with the present invention is described below as a preferred illustrative embodiment, in conjunction with which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows schematically and in cross section a first embodiment of a splice in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows one end of the connecting means which is included in a splice; Fig. 3 shows schematically a crash barrier which is in the form of steel cables with splices in accordance with the invention; Figs. 4-5 show a clamping component included in the splice shown respectively in the extended position and in the contracted position; Figs. 6-8 show a second illustrative embodiment of a splice in accordance with the invention; Fig. 9 shows a sectioned view along the line IX- IX in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 shows a third illustrative example of a splice viewed from the side ; Fig. 11 shows a fourth illustrative example of a splice in accordance with the invention; Fig. 12 shows an interconnecting disc included in the aforementioned splice arrangement viewed from its one side; and Fig. 13 shows a previously disclosed method of splicing cables. The arrangement defined in Claim 1 enables the respective clamping components to be adjusted separately independently of one another, if required. This is not previously disclosed, and it cannot be considered to be obvious to a person skilled in the art.

The so-called central crash barrier is normally erected in the form of steel cables between the carriageways on roads of a kind which are hazardous due to oncoming traffic, or

where the decision has not yet been taken to widen the road into a motorway, although crash barriers of this kind are also erected between motorway carriageways which lie close to one another and in order to prevent vehicles from ending up on oncoming carriageways when overtaking or in the event of accidents involving leaving the road. In order to facilitate the splicing of such cables 1, it is now possible to use an arrangement 2 in accordance with the present invention. The aforementioned cables 1, which are intended to extend along the side 3 of a carriageway 4,5 of the kind in question, supported by a number of uprights 6 distributed along the carriageway 4,5 and anchored to the ground, are preferably in the form of strong steel cables 1, as shown in Fig. 9 as the preferred illustrative example.

A splicing arrangement 2 of this kind is formed by an externally conical clamping component 7, which is so arranged as to be divided into the desired number of parts 7A, 7B, 7C in its longitudinal sense 8 and which exhibits an internally transcurrent hole 9 which is provided with an internal thread 10. The aforementioned clamping component 7 is so arranged as to be capable of being connected to a cable 1 of the kind in question made of metal, in that one end 11 of the respective cable 1 is so arranged as to be capable of being accommodated in an aforementioned clamping component 7. The aforementioned externally conical clamping component 7 is so arranged as to be capable of being accommodated in a splicing sleeve 12 that is internally conical at one end 12A.

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-2, the aforementioned clamping arrangement 2 comprises a threaded bar 13, which is capable of being connected with an attachment component 14 that is also provided with a thread 15,

16. The aforementioned attachment component 14 is capable of being screwed securely with its external thread 16 to an internal thread 17 in each splicing sleeve 12. A common interconnecting component 19 containing threads and capable of being connected to the threads 18 in the respective rod 13 is so arranged as to connect the cables 1, which extend in a direction from one another 20,21, to one another via clamping components 7 and attachment components 14. Preferably arranged between the attachment components 14 and the clamping components 7 are interacting stop components 22, which can be formed by a number of pins projecting axially from the aforementioned connecting component 14 and/or attachment component 7, a ring or some similar pressure device integrated with the respective attachment component 14. A number of pins is preferably arranged distributed around the periphery of the aforementioned attachment component 14 and/or the clamping component 7.

Instead of arranging separate projecting stop components 22, the threaded rod 13 can be caused to press directly against the free end 1A of the cable, so that this is forced securely into the clamping component 13, which in turn is clamped in the splicing sleeve.

The aforementioned clamping component 7 is in three parts in the illustrated example, and the aforementioned parts 7A, 7B, 7C are so arranged as to be held together by an all-round annular element 23, such as an o-ring, which is accommodated in an all-round groove 24 in the aforementioned clamping component 7, which can naturally consist of a different number of components than the aforementioned three. The clamping component 7 also exhibits an internal fine thread 10, preferably an M18 x 1.5 thread, so that the grip on a cable 1 is strong and the cable is retained in the desired grip in the clamping

component 7 when it is caused to move axially 20,21 into the conical part 25 of the clamping component 7.

In order to be able to withstand the weather and the wind when erected in the open, the splicing sleeve 12 is manufactured so that it is formed preferably from stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized steel. The clamping component 7 can be executed from carbon steel, for instance.

The function of the aforementioned arrangement should have emerged from the foregoing, although it can be summarized briefly here in that the conical splicing sleeves 12 are first introduced onto the respective end of the cable so that the end of the cable and the splicing sleeve are situated axially more or less on the same level as one another. The clamping components 7 are then introduced onto the ends of the cables and engage with them so that the keyed joint enters into effect. The next stage involves drawing the cable connections towards one another, for example with the help of a hydraulic jack, using the force at which the cables will subsequently be pre-tensioned. With this force continuing to be applied, the clamping component 14 with the interacting stop components 22 is then screwed onto the respective splicing sleeve, after which the attachment component is tightened, for example with the help of key holes on the flat surface of the attachment component. In the next operation, the threaded rods 13 are screwed onto the respective attachment component. Finally, the two threaded rods are connected to the common interconnection component 19, after which the applied force is released.

The splicing arrangement 102 illustrated in Figs.

6-8 functions in a similar fashion to the splicing arrangement 2 described above. Pairs of round bars 119 then adopt the function of an interconnecting component, and each of these is securely

attached to its own internal clamping component 107, in the inner conical cavity 109 of which an end 101 of a cable is capable of being accommodated and so arranged as to be securely clamped.

Fig. 10 illustrates a larger splicing arrangement 202, in which the inside of its external tube 219 exhibits right-hand and left-hand threads, and where its keyed joint is externally threaded.

The disadvantage of this variant is that special tools are then required in order to secure a grip around the cable 101 when its ends require to be clamped.

Illustrated in Fig. 11 is a variant of the splicing arrangement 302, in which each of the cables 301 enters its own clamping component 307, 312, whereby each of these is connected via its own pair of threaded rods 350,351 to an interconnection stop 352 via its matching holes 353. Each threaded rod 350,351 is so arranged by means of its own nut 354 as to be capable of being drawn into the respective hole 353 when the nuts are tightened. The clamping components 307,312 can then be introduced in the direction of the arrows 375, 376, so that the cables are tensioned.

Fig. 13 illustrates the function of an ordinary method of splicing cables with the help of a tube or a sleeve pressed or rolled onto the end of the cable. This method calls for expensive equipment, however, in order to be able to press the associated tube/sleeve with a threaded bar securely onto the cable.

The invention is naturally not restricted to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, in particular with regard to the nature of the various component parts, or by the use of

equivalent technology, without departing from the area of protection afforded to the invention, as defined in the patent Claims.