A wire cable tray generally has an elongate form and is of U-section. It comprises longitudinal wires, also termed warp wires, and transverse wires, also termed weft wires. The warp wires are generally straight and the weft wires are U-shaped. The weft wires are welded to the warp wires and are regularly spaced. The cable tray so produced has a bottom adapted to serve as a support for the cables or the like, and side walls, or flanges, adapted to hold the cables on the bottom.
In all that follows, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the description will be made with reference to electric cables. However, the invention applies to any other type of longilinear item that can be supported by a wire cable tray: tube for conveyance of fluid (pneumatic or hydraulic), optic fiber, etc.
Such cable trays are appropriate anywhere that it is desired to pass electric cables. However, when a cable tray is adapted to support electric cables at the floor, it is preferable to raise it in order to protect the electric cables which it conveys, in particular in case of flooding.
To raise a cable tray, it is known for example to have feet regularly distributed along the cable tray. For example, there may be two feet on the same weft wire and this may be repeated at regular intervals. It is also known to rest the cable tray on a stirrup fixed to the floor. The connection between the stirrup and the cable tray is made for example using hooks formed on the stirrup which come into engagement with a warp wire of the cable tray.
To splice together two cable trays, it is known to use for example a splicing member for linking two cable trays placed end to end. Two weft wires are then disposed face to face. The splicing member comprises for example clipping means enabling it to clip onto each of the weft wires that face each other, so providing the connection between the cable trays.
The devices known from the prior art are not intended to provide at the same time the raising and the splicing together of two cable trays. Furthermore, the known raising accessories most often cannot be mounted in advance on the cable tray for which they are intended. When such a pre-mounting is possible, this is carried out using nuts and bolts or welds. Such a pre-mounting is costly in terms of time.