Cable support method and apparatus

Claim 2

Clamping apparatus for clamping together a plurality of elongated articles extending generally parallel to each other, said articles being arranged in rows and columns, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a plurality of separate substantially rigid bar members extending parallel to and spaced apart from each other, with each of said rows of said articles being situated between adjacent pairs of said bar members; and a plurality of separate flexible straps inserted through and extending between said bar members, at least one of said bar members including a plurality of ratcheting locking means engaging respective cooperating locking means on said straps to maintain tension in said straps and maintain each row of said articles clampingly engaged by and between a respective pair of said bar members, said apparatus being unsupported except by said articles.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said bar members includes a plurality of slots spaced apart along its length, each of said straps extending through a respective slot in each of said bar members.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one of said bar members includes a plurality of slots and said plurality of ratcheting locking means on said bar member comprise a plurality of resiliently deformable insert means adapted to lock in respective ones of said slots, each of said insert means having a through passage and tooth means extending within said through passage to prevent movement in one direction of a strap through said passage.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said columns of said articles is situated between a respective adjacent pair of said straps.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of said locking means on said one of said bar members comprises tooth means situated in a respective one of said slots, and each of said cooperating locking means on said straps comprises a plurality of recesses spaced along each of said straps, said teeth cooperating with said recesses to prevent said straps from being moved in one direction through said slots.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of said straps includes a widened head portion adapted to seat on one of said bar members adjacent a respective slot of said one of said bar members.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said one of said bar members is formed of molded plastic and said ratcheting locking means comprises tooth means formed adjacent to and extending into each of slots to partially occlude each of said slots.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of said ratcheting locking means on said one of said bar members comprises tooth means extending into a respective slot in said one of said bar members.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said straps has a plurality of teeth spaced along a first portion of its length and a second portion between said head portion and said first portion which is slidable through said slots in both directions.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said bar members has a pair of substantially straight parallel edges extending along its length against which said articles are clamped.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said bar members is channel-shaped in cross-section and has a pair of flanges engaging a row of said articles on one side of said one of said bar members.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said flexible straps has a head portion widened to limit insertion of its respective strap through said bar members, said head portions of said straps being spaced apart from each other along one of said bar members.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said flexible straps extends through a plurality of said ratcheting locking means on a plurality of said bar members.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein said step of passing said straps includes threading a plurality of said straps between selected cables of each of said rows of said cables.

Claim 18

In a cable assembly having a plurality of flexible cables suspended between a pair of spaced apart fixed support means, a plurality of clamping assemblies spaced apart from each other along said cables between said fixed support means, each of said clamping assemblies being unsupported except by said cables and comprising a plurality of separate substantially rigid bar members extending parallel to and spaced apart from each other, said cables being arranged in rows and each of said rows of cables being situated between adjacent pairs of said bar members, and a plurality of separate flexible straps inserted through and extending between said bar members, at least one of said bar members including a plurality of ratcheting locking means adapted to engage respective cooperating locking means on said straps to maintain each row of said cables pressed between a respective pair of said bar members.

Claim 19

In a cable assembly having a plurality of flexible cables suspended between a pair of spaced apart fixed support means, a plurality of clamping assemblies spaced apart from each other along said cables between said fixed support means, each of said clamping assemblies being unsupported except by said cables and comprising a plurality of separate substantially rigid bar members extending parallel to and spaced apart from each other, said cables being arranged in rows and each of said rows of cables being situated between adjacent pairs of said bar members, and a plurality of separate flexible straps inserted through and extending between said bar members, at least one of said bar members including a plurality of ratcheting locking means adapted to engage respective cooperating locking means on said straps to maintain each row of said cables pressed between a respective pair of said bar members.

Claim 20

A cable assembly according to claim 16 having a further one of said clamping assemblies affixed to said cables at one of said fixed support means, and means for affixing one of said bar members of said further one of said clamping assemblies to said one of said fixed support means.