Expansion joint for a cable tray apparatus for a people mover system

In combination with an electric train which travels along a power rail positioned on a roadway;

• comprising:
• a plurality of generally rectangular electrical cable trays having first and second ends;
• said cable trays being connected together in an end-to-end relationship;
• and at least one generally rectangular cable tray expansion joint, having first and second ends, positioned between a pair of cable trays so that the first end thereof is connected to the second end of the adjacent cable tray and so that the second end thereof is connected to the first end of the adjacent cable tray;
• said cable tray expansion joint comprising:
• (a) a generally horizontally disposed rectangular bottom support member having a bottom wall, an upstanding first side wall, an upstanding second side wall, a first end and a second end;
• (b) a flat slider plate positioned on said bottom wall and secured thereto;
• (c) a plurality of first threaded studs extending upwardly from said bottom wall through said slider plate inwardly of said first end of said bottom wall;
• (d) a plurality of second threaded studs extending upwardly from said bottom wall through said slider plate inwardly of said second end of said bottom wall;
• (e) a generally horizontally disposed rectangular first body portion having a bottom wall, an upstanding first side wall, an upstanding second side wall, at least one upstanding partition between said first and second side walls, a first end and a second end;
• (f) said first end of said first body portion being secured to the second end of the adjacent cable tray;
• (g) said first body portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots formed in said bottom wall thereof inwardly of said second end of said first body portion;
• (h) said second end of said first body portion being longitudinally slidably mounted on said slider plate by said first threaded studs extending upwardly through said slots in said bottom wall of said first body portion;
• (i) a generally horizontally disposed rectangular second body portion having a bottom wall, an upstanding first side wall, an upstanding second side wall, at least one upstanding partition between said first and second side walls, a first end and a second end;
• (j) said second end of said second body portion being secured to the first end of the adjacent cable tray;
• (k) said first end of said second body portion being fixedly mounted on said slider plate by said second threaded studs extending upwardly through said bottom wall of said second body portion;
• (l) said partition of said second body portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots formed therein inwardly of said first end of said second body portion;
• (m) a first, vertically disposed flat connector plate having first and second ends;
• (n) said first end of said first connector plate being fixedly secured to said partition of said first body portion;
• (o) said second end of said first connector plate being longitudinally slidably secured to said longitudinally extending slots formed in said partition of said second body portion;
• (p) a first cover plate selectively removably secured to said first body portion for movement therewith which extends between the upper ends of said first and second side walls thereof between said first and second ends thereof;
• (q) a second cover plate selectively removably secured to said second body portion for movement therewith which extends between the upper ends of said first and second side walls thereof between said first and second ends thereof;
• (r) and a third cover plate secured to said second body portion at said first end thereof which is positioned on said second cover plate and which extends from said first end of said second body portion over said first cover plate to cover any gap between said first and second body portions caused by expansion and contraction of the cable trays.