JesperMP said:
What is this called ? Or someone know a supplier ?
We always seem to end up dissecting these thing to death, don't we?...
In my experience, "Cable Festoon System" is the more correct description when referring to the complete system. "Festoon" loosely meaning to hang from two points in a curve.
"Cable Trolley" more refers to just the "Cable Carriers", which are just one component of a Cable Festoon System, albeit an integral component.
Some manufacturers will refer to these as "Cable Festoon Systems", some will refer to them as "Cable Trolley Systems", some will refer to them as both, and others will use similar descriptions. The "Cable Trolley" reference may automatically infer, to someone who knows this component, a festoon arrangement of the cabling, and so the "less correct" description becomes widely accepted as the norm. But "Cable Trolley", to the less informed, may not always immediately infer a festoon arrangement. It could infer a portable cable carrier, or cable dispenser, for instance. It may be somewhat ambiguous here. That is why I've always used what I believe to be the correct overall description for these systems - Cable Festoon Systems. But I will, of course, use "Cable Trolley" when searching as I know that manufacturers will invariably use either description.
We used them extensively in the Grain Malting industry for large germination vessels where the cables traversed the length of Olympic swimming pools and some were circular. We always used the flat cabling from LAPP as the round cables would eventually fatigue and cause faults. Finding a broken core or two inside that much cabling, where the outer insulation was not visibly damaged was a "challenge". Once found, a temporary "patch" was applied and then we scheduled in replacing the entire cable. So, and depending on duty cycling and minimum bend radius, I would always recommend using flat cabling if high mechanical wear is expected.
Back in the day we used STEMMANN-TECHNIK
Cable Festoon Systems.
Interestingly, if you read the bottom of that page you will notice how they also refer to the many descriptions that these systems tend to have.
They have been around for over a hundred years. They are German made and very high quality. If you click on the "C-rails" link, which are the type we used, you will see references to the curved C-rail tracks we had to use. They'll custom make the curved tracks to suit your application. A guy actually flew over from Germany to view the application and measure up so as to make sure the curves were exactly right.
BryanG said:
I have always known it as a 'Catenary'...
A Catenary Wire Festoon System is very specific to the use of a catenary wire as the carrier or suspension method for the cable trolleys. This is as opposed to the use of rigid tracks or rails. I would not refer to these systems, in general, as "Catenary" systems, even though to some the word might imply a reference to how the cables are hung. This reference is to how the cable trolleys are hung. The link you provided is a very good example of a Catenary Wire Festoon Cable System.
Just to confuse things a little more...
There is also, as an additional component for some of these systems, the option to install a "catenary" wire, or chain, suspended with the cabling. This is often also referred to as a "tow" wire. This steel wire is shorter than the cabling loops and provides relief to the cabling by taking up the pulling forces exerted by the cable trolleys.
Here is a good example of that option...
Regards,
George
