GB2052165A

GB2052165A - A support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange

Info

Publication number: GB2052165A
Application number: GB8017651A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
Current assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
Priority date: 1979-05-30
Filing date: 1980-05-29
Publication date: 1981-01-21
Also published as: SE8003916L; DE2921884C3; IT8022397A0; DE2921884A1; IT1130685B; DE2921884B2; NL8003118A; FR2458194A1

Abstract

A support structure for the fastening and wiring of racks in a telecommunications exchange comprises a grid formed from tubes (1) extending in one direction and fourfold C-section members (4) extending transversely of the tubes (1). The tubes (1) are fastened to the upwardly directed "C" of each of the members (4). Racks are mounted through adapter elements (8) to the downwardly directed "C" of each member (4) and cable supports (11) with cable deflection tubes (17) are attached to each laterally directed "C" of each member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange The invention relates to a support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange.

Such a structure comprises a surface grid having the task of receiving the feed and connectiny cables of individual racks in an exchange. It is important to keep the cable weights to the minimum possible amount by using the most direct and the shortest cable connections. Such a surface grid, however, also serves for fastening of racks buiit up under the grid. Since the cable paths and the locations of the racks are not always fixed, it is expedient to construct a basic raster which enables alterations to be carried out.

Since re-equipping and rebuilding of racks is undertaken frequently in an exchange, there is a need for a grid on which racks can be fastened at any desired point with minimum assembly effort and on which receiving and deflecting devices necessary for the wiring of the racks can be rapidly mounted.

According to the present invention there is provided a support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange, the structure comprising a grid composed of a plurality of first elongate support members and a plurality of second elongate members extending substantially at right angles to the first members, each of the first members comprising in cross-section four substantially C-shaped mounting portions so arranged that the openings of two of the mounting portions face in opposite directions and the openings of the other two mounting portions face in opposite directions perpendicular to the firstmentioned directions, and one of the mounting portions of each first member being secured to the second members, at least one support rack mounted so that mounting portion of each first member which has its opening facing in the opposite direction to that of said one mounting portion, and at least one cable support means mounted to either of the other two mounting portions of each first member.

Advantageously, each rack is mounted to the associated mounting portion by means of an intermediate element, which for preference is substantially U-shaped. Each rack is preferably fastened to the arms of the U-shape and secured to the associated mounting portion by a suitable fastening device, for example a screw or other threaded member extending through the base of the U-shape. The intermediate element preferably comprises projections which engage in the opening of the associated mounting portion on each side of the fastening means. Expedientiy, each of the brackets is substantially L-shaped and preferably is secured by a single fastening device, for example a screw, to the associated mounting portion.Each bracket may be provided at the location of the fastening device with a projection which engages into the opening of the associated mounting portion, and cable deflecting tubes may be secured to and extend between the brackets.

The grid may further comprise additional pluralities of the first and second members arranged between and extending parallel to, respectively, the first members and second members of the first-mentioned pluralities.

A support structure of this construction may have the advantage that it is particularly amenable to assembly. Each of the added components, namely the intermediate elements for the fastening of the racks and the cable support brackets, can be mounted by only one screw to the basis grid, the format of which can be varied.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a support structure according to the said embodiment; Fig. 2 is a partly sectioned end view, to an enlarged scale, of a rack mounting element and a cable support mounted to a grid of the structure of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mounting element and part of the grid of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the basic layout of a surface grid which consists of tubes 1 extending in one direction, which are suspended by brackets 2 in known manner from a ceiling and fastened by brackets 3 to walls, and of fourfold C-section members 4, which have the cross-section shown in Fig. 4 and extend in a direction perpendicular to that of said one direction. The tubes 1 are connected to the members 4 through a strap 5, which is fastened by a screw 6 to the upwardly directed "C" of the member 4. A basic grid pattern can thus be formed, with desired spacings of the tubes 1 in longitudinal direction and of the members 4 in transverse direction.

With this basic grid, a plurality of racks 7, as used for example in a repeater and connection telecommunication network, can be secured to the grid together with support means for the necessary wiring, at desired locations on the grid.

The racks 7 are mounted by adapter elements 8 to the members 4, in particular two such racks are secured back-to-back to each adapter element.

It is also possible, as shown in Fig. 1, to install two rows of racks below a member 4. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the adapter elements 8 each have the shape of a "U", the racks 7 being secured by screws to the downwardly directed limbs of the "U". Each adapter element 8 is in fact connected by a single screw 9, which passes through the base of the "U", with the downwardly directed "C" of the respective member 4.

As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, each adapter element piece 8 is provided on the right and the left of the screw 9 with projections 10, which engage in the lower "C" of member 4 so as to lock the adapter element against rotation.

L-shaped cable supports 11 are each fastened by a single screw 12 to both the lateral "C's" of the members 4 (see Figs. 1 and 2). Each cable support 11 is secured against rotation by a projection 13 at the location of the screw passage, the projection engaging in the "C". The vertical limb of the cable support 11 is provided at its -lower end with a nose 14. When the cable support 11 is mounted at the division between two adapter elements 8, the nose 14 of the support engages in recesses 1 5 in the edges of the adapter elements, whereby additional stabilising of the cable support is provided. Each cable support 11 is provided with an integrally formed pin 1 6 in each direction of displacement. Cable deflecting tubes 17 each with an appropriate internal diameter are pushed over the pins 16 so that each cable deflecting tube can be tightened between each pair of cable supports. The length of each cable deflecting tube is adapted to the spacing of the respective cable supports.

Attached to the outermost corners of the cable supports 11 in this embodiment is a rail section 18 (Fig. 1), which serves to support an identification plate for, for example, rack designation.

The basic framework of the surface grid composed of the tubes 1 and members can, as Fig. 1 shows, be further subdivided, in accordance with the requirements for the mounting of the cables, by interspersing additional tubular elements 19.

Claims

1. A support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange, the structure comprising a grid composed of a plurality of first elongate support members and a plurality of second elongate members extending substantially at right angles to the first members, each of the first members comprising in cross-section four substantially C-shaped mounting portions so arranged that the openings of two of the mounting portions face in opposite directions and the openings of the other two mounting portions face in opposite directions perpendicular to the first mentioned directions, and one of the mounting portions of each first member being secured to the second members, at least one support rack mounted to that mounting portion of each first member which has its opening facing in the opposite direction to that of said one mounting portion, and at least one cable support means mounted to either of the other two mounting portions of each first member.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the second members is tubular.

3. A structure as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each rack is mounted to the associated mounting portion by means of an intermediate element.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the intermediate elements is substantially U-shaped and is secured to the associated mounted portion by a single fastening device engaging the base of the intermediate element, a respective rack being secured to each of the arms of the intermediate element.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fastening device comprises a threaded member extending through the base of the intermediate element.

6. A structure as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5, wherein each of the intermediate elements comprises projections extending into the opening of the associated mounted portion on both sides of the fastening means.

7. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, each of the cable support means comprising a substantially L-shaped bracket.

8. A structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the brackets is secured to the associated mounting portion by a single fastening device.

9. A structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the fastening devices securing a bracket comprises a threaded member.

10. A structure as claimed in either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein each of the brackets comprises a projection extending into the opening of the associated mounting portion in the region of the respective fastening device.

11. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising a plurality of such brackets secured to a common mounting portion and a cable guide tube connected to and extending between the brackets of said plurality.

12. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising further pluralities of first members and second members extending between and parallel to, respectively, the first members and second members of the firstmentioned pluralities.

13. A support structure for components of a telecommunications exchange, the structure being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.