Cable hanger

Abstract

A cable hanger having a mounting end for attachment to a support structure and a cable support portion coupled to the mounting end. The cable support portion has at least two spaced parallel legs defining a receiving slot therebetween. Each receiving slot has a closed bottom and an open top end for receiving and locating loops of a cable formed into a coil. Preferably, the mounting end is adapted to be releasably attached to the support structure and the cable hanger is formed from bent rod. The mounting end will preferably have a hook shape with a free end attaching to the support structure which is spaced from the cable support portion to optionally receive a portion of a support structure therebetween. The receiving slots will have a height and width selected to accommodate the diameter and length of cable being supported and the number of receiving slots may vary accordingly. For some applications, the cable hanger includes tie bars whereby the associated cable may be secured in the receiving slots with a padlock and the cable support itself may be secured to a support structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the invention, several embodiments are described below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention shown in use in association with a coil of electrical cable;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the cable hanger of FIG. 1 (drawn to a larger scale) with the electrical cable unraveled;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a second embodiment of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 (drawn adjacent FIG. 3) is a plan view of the cable hanger of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 (drawn adjacent FIG. 3) is a side elevation view of the cable hanger of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the cable hanger of FIG. 3 shown with a hooked mounting end inserted into a hole;

FIG. 7 is a similar view to FIG. 6 of a third embodiment of a cable hanger shown with a hooked mounting end hooked over a cable conduit;

FIG. 8 is a similar view to FIG. 6 of the third embodiment of a cable hanger shown with a hooked mounting end located in a door jamb;

FIG. 9 (drawn adjacent FIG. 7) is a similar view to FIG. 6 of a fourth embodiment of a cable hanger shown with a hooked mounting end held by a lip on toolbox;

FIGS. 10 to 12 show the third embodiment of a cable hanger mounted to different structures by a mounting hook;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention and shown being carried by a hand;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of embodiment six of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of embodiment seven of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of embodiment eight of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 18 to 20 show the third embodiment of a cable hanger with tie bars in various positions for use to secure the cable hanger and cable;

FIG. 21 shows the second embodiment of a cable hanger with an adapter inserted to accommodate small diameter cable;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation view of embodiment nine of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of embodiment ten of a cable hanger made in accordance with the invention.

Claims

1. A cable hanger having a mounting end for attachment to a support structure and a cable support portion coupled to the mounting end, the cable support portion having at least three spaced parallel legs defining side-by-side receiving slots therebetween, each receiving slot having a closed bottom end and an open top end and adapted to receive and locate loops of a cable formed into a coil.

2. A cable hanger according to claim 1 in which said receiving slots each have a width commensurate with a diameter of cable to be supported therein and a height sufficient to receive a plurality of loops of the cable disposed one above the other in said receiving slots.

3. A cable hanger according to claim 1 formed from bent rod.

4. A cable hanger according to claim 1 in which the mounting end is adapted to be releasably attached to a support structure.

5. A cable hanger according to claim 4 having a hooked mounting end with a free end adapted to be attached to a support structure and spaced from the cable support portion to define an open bite portion.

6. A cable hanger according to claim 5 in which the mounting end and outer legs of the cable support portion are formed from one length of bent rod having a general S-shape configuration.

7. A cable hanger according to claim 1 having a releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open top end of the receiving slots to trap cable between the tie bar and the closed bottom of said receiving slots.

8. A cable hanger according to claim 5 having a releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open bite portion of the mounting end to trap a portion of the support structure received therein.

9. A cable hanger according to claim 5 having a releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open top end of the receiving slots and to lie across the open bite portion of the mounting end.

10. A cable hanger according to claim 7 in which the tie-bar is hinged to an outer one of said legs and has a free end which has a closed loop for receiving a padlock hasp.

11. A cable hanger according to claim 8 in which the tie-bar is hinged to the hooked mounting end and has a free end which has a closed loop for receiving a padlock hasp.

12. A cable hanger according to claim 9 in which the tie-bar is hinged to one of said outer legs and the hooked mounting end and has a free end which has a closed loop for receiving a padlock hasp.

13. A cable hanger according to claim 5 having a a first releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open bite portion of the mounting end, the first tie-bar being hinged to the hooked mounting end and having a free end with a first closed loop,a second releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open end of the receiving slots, the second tie-bar being hinged to an outer one said legs and having a free end which has a second closed loop,the length of said first and second tie-bars being selected so that said first and second closed loops lie side by side and are adapted to receive a padlock hasp therethrough.

14. A cable hanger according to claim 1 having at least one closed loop formed adjacent said closed bottom end of the receiving slots, said closed loop being adapted to receive a padlock hasp.

15. A cable hanger according to claim 1 in which a plate extending between legs of the receiving slots is fixed to the cable support portion and spaced from the closed bottom end of said receiving slots to define at least one said closed loop for receiving a padlock hasp.

16. A cable hanger having a mounting end for attachment to a support structure and a cable support portion coupled to the mounting end, the cable support portion having at least two spaced parallel legs defining a receiving slot therebetween, each receiving slot having a closed bottom end and an open top end and adapted to receive and locate loops of a cable formed into a coil, said receiving slot having a maximum width commensurate with a diameter of cable to be supported therein and a height sufficient to receive a plurality of loops of the cable disposed one above the other in the receiving slot.

17. A cable hanger according to claim 16 formed from bent rod.

18. A cable hanger according to claim 16 in which the mounting end is adapted to be releasably attached to a support structure.

19. A cable hanger according to claim 18 having a hooked mounting end with a free end adapted to be attached to a support structure and spaced from the cable support portion to define an open bite portion.

20. A cable hanger according to claim 19 in which the mounting end and outer legs of the cable support portion are formed from one length of bent rod having a general S-shape configuration.

21. A cable hanger according to claim 1 having a tie-bar disposed to lie across the open bottom end of the receiving slot to maintain alignment between the legs.

22. A cable hanger according to claim 19 having a tie-bar disposed to lie across the open bite portion of the mounting end to maintain alignment between said free end of the hooked mounting end and an outer leg.

23. A cable hanger according to claim 19 having a releasable tie-bar disposed to lie across the open top end of the receiving slots and to lie across the open bite portion of the mounting end.