초록 ▼

A cable rack arm and support system suitable for underground power and communication service is made from reinforced non-metallic polymers that will not rust or corrode. A cable rack arm up to thirty inches long may be compression molded with long glass fibers in a polyester or vinylester matrix. Ea

A cable rack arm and support system suitable for underground power and communication service is made from reinforced non-metallic polymers that will not rust or corrode. A cable rack arm up to thirty inches long may be compression molded with long glass fibers in a polyester or vinylester matrix. Each cable rack arm is securely mounted to a non-metallic stanchion that may be made from a reinforced, pultruded composite material. Nonmetallic pins may be used to secure the cable rack arms to the stanchions. Each cable rack arm then supports one or more cables in cable saddles that are snap-fit atop the arm, thus keeping the cables accessibly organized in a manhole, tunnel or vault. Each saddle may include elastomeric dampening material to reduce shock and vibration in the mechanical and electrical environment in underground tunnels, vaults and manholes.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a plastic housing for mounting atop the cable rack arm, the plastic housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including sides, a front and a back, and having an interior;a vibration dampener adapted to fit within the plastic housing; anda dampen

1. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a plastic housing for mounting atop the cable rack arm, the plastic housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including sides, a front and a back, and having an interior;a vibration dampener adapted to fit within the plastic housing; anda dampener support adapted to fit between the vibration dampener and elements in the interior of the housing. 2. The saddle according to claim 1, wherein the plastic housing is adapted to snap fit onto the cable rack arm. 3. The saddle according to claim 1, further comprising the cable rack arm. 4. The saddle according to claim 1, wherein the dampener support is joined to an underside on the interior of the plastic housing by a method selected from the group consisting of spin welding, ultrasonic welding, mechanical assembly and adhesive bonding. 5. The saddle according to claim 1, further comprising the cable rack arm and a stanchion adapted to mount the cable rack arm. 6. The saddle according to claim 1, wherein the vibration dampener comprises elastomeric material and voids. 7. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a plastic housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including sides, a front and a back, and having an interior, the plastic housing for mounting atop the cable rack arm;a vibration dampener adapted to fit substantially within the plastic housing; anda bottom pad adapted to fit under the vibration dampener, the bottom pad adapted to snap fit to the plastic housing, wherein the bottom pad further comprises two cantilever lugs and snap-fit hooks, the cantilever lugs and snap-fit hooks adapted to mate with joining elements in the interior of the housing. 8. The saddle of claim 7, wherein the bottom pad is an antifriction pad. 9. The saddle according to claim 7, further comprising a dampener support adapted to fit between the vibration dampener and elements in the interior of the housing. 10. The saddle according to claim 7, wherein the sides of the housing comprise cantilever lugs with snap-fit hooks, the cantilever lugs and snap-fit hooks adapted to mate with an under side of the cable rack arm. 11. The saddle according to claim 7, wherein the vibration dampener comprises resilient material having a Shore A durometer from about 30 to about 70. 12. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including sides, a front and a back, and having an interior;a bottom pad adapted to snap-fit to joining elements in the interior of the housing;a vibration dampener adapted to fit atop the bottom pad; anda dampener support adapted to fit atop the vibration dampener,wherein the housing is adapted to snap-fit to a top of the cable rack arm. 13. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the sides comprise cantilever lugs and hooks for snap fitting to the top of the cable rack arm, and wherein the cantilever lugs are sufficiently long to allow movement of the saddle along a length of the top of the cable rack arm. 14. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the vibration dampener comprises a layer of elastomer. 15. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the bottom pad and the vibration dampener are adapted to move together to absorb shock and vibration by moving vertically within the housing. 16. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the bottom pad comprises an anti-friction pad made of a low-friction plastic material. 17. The saddle according to claim 12, further comprising the cable rack arm. 18. The saddle according to claim 12, further comprising a cable rack arm comprising an upper flanged portion formed between a proximal end and a distal end of the cable rack arm; a lower flanged portion opposite the upper portion;a web connecting the upper flanged portion to the lower flanged portion; andan interface near the proximal end, the interface including:i. a gusset formed perpendicularly to a length of the cable rack for mating with a front face of a stanchion for supporting cable loads; andii. an orifice for mounting the cable rack arm to the stanchion, wherein an area surrounding the orifice forms a continuous surface connected to the upper flanged portion and spanning a width of the cable rack arm. 19. The saddle according to claim 18, wherein the interface further includes iii. a heel for mating with a web of the stanchion for mounting the cable rack arm, the heel comprising a continuous element spanning the width of the cable rack arm and connected to the gusset and the area surrounding the orifice; andiv. a hollow area between the heel and the orifice, the hollow area formed between continuous, gently-sloped surfaces. 20. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a low-friction composite or plastic material. 21. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein a snap-fit connection of the saddle to the cable rack arm is substantially non-reversible. 22. The saddle according to claim 12, wherein the dampener support is joined to an underside on the interior of the composite housing by a method selected from the group consisting of spin welding, ultrasonically welding, mechanical assembly and adhesive bonding. 23. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a non-metallic housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including side skirts, a front and a back, and having an interior;a bottom anti-friction pad adapted for joining to elements in the interior of the housing;a vibration dampener adapted to fit atop the anti-friction pad; anda dampener support adapted to fit atop the vibration dampener,wherein the housing is adapted to snap-fit to a top of the cable rack arm and the anti-friction pad is adapted for smooth movement of the saddle along a length of the cable rack arm on which the saddle is mounted. 24. The saddle according to claim 23, wherein a front and a back of the bottom anti-friction pad further comprise cantilever lugs and hooks for joining the anti-friction pad to joining elements in the housing. 25. The saddle according to claim 23, wherein the skirts comprise cantilever lugs and hooks for non-reversibly joining the saddle to the cable rack arm. 26. The saddle according to claim 23, further comprising a cable rack arm mounting the saddle, the cable rack arm comprising: an upper flanged portion formed between a proximal end and a distal end of the cable rack arm;a lower flanged portion opposite the upper portion, the lower flanged portion further comprising a gusset formed perpendicularly to a length of the cable rack arm, the gusset adapted for mating with flanges of a stanchion for supporting cable loads, the gusset formed between the distal and proximal ends of the cable rack arm;a web connecting the upper flanged portion to the lower flanged portion; andan interface near the proximal end. 27. The saddle according to claim 26, wherein the interface further includes: i. a heel for mating with a stanchion for mounting the cable rack arm, the heel comprising a continuous element spanning a width of the cable rack arm;ii. an orifice for mounting the cable rack arm to the stanchion, wherein an area surrounding the orifice forms a continuous surface spanning the width of the cable rack arm; andiii. a hollow area between the heel and the orifice, the hollow area formed between continuous, gently-sloped surfaces. 28. The saddle according to claim 23, wherein the housing comprises clearances allowing: upward and downward motion of the anti-friction pad and vibration dampener; backward and forward motion of the saddle atop the cable rack arm; side-to-side rocking of the saddle atop the cable rack arm. 29. The saddle according to claim 23, wherein the housing and the anti-friction pad comprise low friction, injection molded parts made of material selected from the group consisting of PTFE, HDPE, UHMW, PE and PP. 30. A saddle for a cable rack arm, comprising: a plastic housing having an exterior in a shape of a saddle, including side skirts, a front side and a back side, and having an interior;an anti-friction pad adapted to snap-fit to joining elements in the interior of the housing;a vibration dampener adapted to fit atop the anti-friction pad; anda dampener support adapted to fit atop the vibration dampener,wherein the housing is adapted to snap-fit to a top of a cable rack arm. 31. The saddle according to claim 30, further comprising the cable rack arm, wherein the cable rack comprises compression molded material with long glass fiber reinforcement. 32. The saddle according to claim 30, wherein the saddle has about ten degrees of rotational freedom about the cable rack arm. 33. The saddle according to claim 30, further comprising the cable rack arm and a non-metallic stanchion for mounting the cable rack arm, wherein the nonmetallic stanchion comprises a composite material having a cross-layered apertured mat. 34. The saddle according to claim 30, further comprising the cable rack arm and a non-metallic stanchion for mounting the cable rack arm, wherein the nonmetallic stanchion comprises a pultruded composite material having at least one layer with a reinforcement transverse to a direction of pultrusion. 35. The saddle according to claim 34, wherein the at least one layer is transverse to a direction of pultrusion plus or minus 15 degrees.