• • • RAIL INDUSTRY • • •


Manufacturing innovation for the rail industry


Ellis Patents is a leading company when it comes to securing power cables so that they remain operational and in place during a short-circuit, says managing director, Danny Macfarlane


F


or any electrical installation to be deemed safe, cables need to be restrained in a manner that can withstand the forces they


generate, including those generated during a short circuit, and this is exactly what cable cleats are designed to do. Without them, the dangers are obvious – costly


damage to cables and cable management systems, plus the risk to life posed by incorrectly or poorly restrained live cables.” And in the rail industry this risk can be extended


to costly and expensive delays caused by damaged cable installations on busy routes and in hard-to- access locations. Rail is an area that Ellis has focussed a lot of


time and effort on in recent years – especially in terms of new product development. The vast majority of work we do in other market


sectors is confined to new installations, whereas rail work can, and often does, cover everything from the oldest imaginable electrical systems right through to the very latest. And the challenges we face vary massively between them.” The challenges aren’t simply restricted to


securing standard specifications. Instead, the team at Ellis has been tested time and again to deliver innovative, often bespoke solutions; covering everything from curing a Network Rail health and safety headache through to finding a new way to install cable hangers in tunnels without disturbing the already installed power cables they needed to support.


Look…No Bolts! Ellis’ No Bolts cleat was the answer to a Network Rail health and safety issue that had led to a couple of employees experiencing near misses when adding new cable runs on top of existing ones. The problem stemmed from the fact that existing cleats needed to be disassembled, bolts removed and replaced by longer, protruding ones – all with the added danger of having to remove and place back live cables while doing the work. The innovative solution was a brand-new cleat


that could be stacked and fixed with nothing more complicated than a quarter turn fixing lock. This meant additional cable runs could be added quickly and easily, without any need to tamper with existing ones. Its rapid fit nature was further enhanced by the replacement of fixing bolts with a push fit locking mechanism that securely fastens the keepers and top clamps in place. Manufactured from a high strength nylon


specifically formulated to meet the London Underground’s 1-085 material approval, the No Bolts cleat is suitable for single cables ranging from 18-55mm.


Hanging on Ellis Patents has been successfully manufacturing and selling cable hangers for well over two decades, and it’s fair to say that its standard design was tried, tested and completely trusted. But despite this seemingly perfect situation, the


team of in-house engineers in Rillington has long felt there was room for improvement and have worked tirelessly on developing various reimagining’s of the original product. Key amongst these is a range of recently


launched convex galvanised steel cable hangers that are thinner, lighter and astonishingly, stronger than previous versions. And the product’s benefits don’t end there. It has rounded corners that reduce snagging points; is suitable for cables up to 100mm diameter; and is available with a curved backplate, making it perfect for installation in tunnels. Beyond the traditional galvanised steel hanger,


the team at Ellis has also developed Pegasus – a modular cable hanger system that was designed with customisation in mind. Based upon an extruded spine manufactured in


tempered engineering grade Aluminium and covered with an LUL 1-085 approved outer shell; the defining feature of Pegasus is its choice of four differently styled hooks, which means it can be offered in a multitude of formations depending upon specific project requirements. In addition, because Pegasus is an insulated


hanger it has excellent dielectric properties, which removes the need for earth bonding or grounding. The market for cable hangers has been growing


steadily for years but with so much development of the rail network in the UK – from HS2 to various electrification products – its growth is set to accelerate significantly.


24 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • MARCH 2022


electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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