GB2482281A

GB2482281A - One-piece clip for cable trunking

Info

Publication number: GB2482281A
Application number: GB1011572.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Wakeman
Original assignee: WOODALL BUILDING SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: WOODALL BUILDING SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2010-07-09
Filing date: 2010-07-09
Publication date: 2012-02-01
Also published as: GB201011572D0

Abstract

A clip made from flexible hardened steel (grade CS70) allows the fastening of a lid to cable trunking. It is held in place by an integral flange. It acts as a turnbuckle, requiring a quarter turn to rotate between the locked and unlocked positions, and has been designed to be an easy and quick fastening tool. It may have an arrow to show its current position, and a scoring edge (see Fig 3) to scratch the trunking body and ensure earth continuity.

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION Title

ONE Trunk Clip

1. Background

a) Traditionally in our industry a two-part fastener has been used to inter connect two partnering sections together. Our invention gives the benefit of a one-part fastening clip. It is more competitive than a two-part clip. In addition, it is quite easy to pull apart the two-part clip, whereas it is impossible to pull apart a one-part clip.

b) Traditionally, in the trunking market a two-part fastening clip has been utilised to hold together the electrical cable lids to its mating body, through the use of a Quarter Turnbuckle.

c) Our invention is original in that it is a one-piece fastening clip which maintains the innovative quarter turn feature. It essentially provides a superior, conventional and simpler fitting which seats itself superbly on its lateral mating lid. It provides an additional proficient benefit from extra earth connectivity, with interference through under cutting abrasively scoring on the under-side of the lid, thus providing exceptional installation, precision and durability.

d) The one-part fastening clip is faultless since it does not have to be assembled with a secondary part. It is expertly manufactured from state of the art multi-progression tooling, guaranteeing its unvarying high quality.

e) It is manufactured in the best available, and suitable, tensile material, It is hardened, then tempered and plated, producing its exceptional unique engineered design.

2.Statement of Invention

To overcome the issue of the high cost of a two-part fixing, we have developed a one-part fixing. In addition to preventing the clip coming apart (as is the case with a two-part clip) we have developed a one-part clip which has all the advantages, i.e. strength and durability, of a two-part clip, but does not have the same disadvantages.

3.Advantages 1. It is a one-part fastener 2. Due to it being one-part, it decreases the number of failures or possibilities of failures or splitting.

3. Increases earth conducting properties 4. More competitive than a two-part clip 4.Drawings a) An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: b) Diagram 1: A side elevation view of the turnbuckle that shows the design of the locking mechanism and its overall size.

c) Diagram 2: A top elevation view showing the method for locking and unlocking the turnbuckle and also shows an arrow indicating if it is in a locked or unlocked position.

d) Diagram 3: A front elevation view showing the locking mechanism' s steel scoring edge that ensures earth continuity by scratching the surface of trunking body's return flange on assembly.

5.Installation drawings a) To install clip into place Arm 1(11) is inserted into the hole(1O) at an angle and then tilted to enable arm 2(12) to fall into place (diagram 4) b) To secure clip thump compression is used (diagram 5) c) The clip is then tightened with a screwdriver (diagram 6)

6.Detailed Description

a) This invention is a one-piece clip that can be inserted into a round hole(1O) on the trunking lid(2).

b) It enables the lid(2) to be fastened to the trunking body(6) by way of a quarter turn system and ensuring both earth continuity by scratching into the surface of the lid and flange on the trunking and a variable fastening pressure to hold lids(2 to 5) from 0.8mm to 1.2mm thick material.

7.How it works a) The clip is inserted into a hole(10) on the trunking lid(2) arm 1 (11) first and is held in place by way of a retaining leg(12) that clips to the underside of the lid.

b) The lid(2) is then placed onto the trunking body(6). By means of a quarter turn of the clip, the lid(2) is secured in place to the return flange on the trun king body(6).

8.How it is made a) The clip is made of cold rolled spring steel, grade CS7O which is heat treated to 400VPM then electro plated and de embrittled.

b) This is flexible elastic hardened steel. Spring Steel Strip is steel used in the production of springs. This range of steels normally contains between 0.4% and 0.8% carbon.

c) It is made by way of a multi-stage progression tool, see below for diagram of finished product.

9.Tech nical Distinctive Features a) The present invention has been designed to be of a one-piece structure from flexible hardened spring steel making it an easy and quick way of fastening trunking bodies and lids together ensuring earth continuity. There is also an arrow that indicates whether the clip is in the open possession of closed possession.

PATENT -ONE CLIP

For the purposes of explaining the one clip in more detail each part has been labelled as follows: Clip (1) Trunking lid 50mm (2) Trunking lid 75mm (3) Trunking lid 100mm (4) Trunking lid 150mm (5) Trunking body 50mm (6) Trunking body 75mm (7) Trunking body 100mm (8) Trunking body 150mm (9) Hole (10) Arm 1 (11) Arm 2 (12)