Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The present invention is directed towards a cable
gripping unit for use in gripping or dead ending cables.
Dead end devices and connectors are well known in the
cable field. Examples of such devices are illustrated in
U.S. Patent NoS. 3,253,308 and 3,852,850. A typical dead
end device is used to grip one end of a wire in order to
anchor it to a s-tationary object.
There have been a variety of different units developed
over the past years. Cost, convenience and efficiency are
impor-tant criteria. The device must effectively grip the
cable in a positive manner and over long periods of time.
A type of cable in common use today is stranded cable
in which the strands are -twisted so that each of the strands
is in the form of a helix. Helically wound stranded cable
of this type can be difficult to hold firmly in a gripping
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unit. Also, the cable material varies and may be made of
galvanized steel, aluminum coated steel (AW), copper coated
; steel OW or stainless steel for example. Accordingly,
the unit should be useful with different types of materials
and sizes. While the devices illustrated in the aforenoted
patents have proven eminently satisfactory in certain
applications, naturally further improvements in this type of
device would be advantageous and desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to
provide for a cable gripping unit for forming a dead end
connector which is relatively inexpensive, yet effective and
easily utilized.
It is another object to provide for a dead end
connector which has an improved gripping member and an
improved swing away bail adding to the convenient use of the
device.
In this regard, the present invention provides for a
gripping unit or dead end connector comprising a body, a jaw
assembly and bail. A gripping member is mounted in a
tapered bore of the body-and includes a plurality of jaw
hooks or sections so positioned so as to have a jaw bore
formed therebetween into which a cable can be inserted.
More particularly, these jaw sections are positioned
relative to one another by way of a retainer and form a
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frustoconical member with a central toothed jaw bore. A
longitudinal groove is provided separating the toothed
section into two areas on each jaw section which provides
for improved gripping. The jaw sections are allowed to ve
out to separately allow the guy wire, cable, or conductor
etc., to be inserted in one direction and to grasp the cable
when it is pulled in the opposite direction. A tapering
bore in the body is provided to contain the gripper member.
The body also includes flanges having oppenings to
receive the legs of a bail, and arranged so as to allow ease
of assembly and coupling of the cable and the dead end to a
support.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Thus, the aforenoted objects, advantages and others
will be realized by the present invention, the description
of which should be taken in conjunction with the drawings,
wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gripping device,
incorporating the teachings of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the gripping device,
incorporating the teachings of the present invention;
Figures 3A-3C are partially sectional views of the body
of the gripping device during various stages of insertion of
the cable therein, incorporating the teachings of the
present invention; and
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Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of
the jaw section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference now more particularly to the drawings,
there is shown a cable gripping unit or dead end 10. The
unit 10 preferably comprises a body 12 which includes a
cylindrical portion 14 and an enlarged flanged rearward
portion 16 having an oval shaped opening 18 and circular
opening 20 on opposite flanges thereon. Opening 20 includes
a slot 22 along its length for purposes that will be
apparent.
A frustoconical bore 24 is provided and centralized
with respect to the cylindrical portion 16 and extends from
the front face 23 to the back face 25 of the body. A
somewhat beveled opening 28 is provided on the front face 23
with an enlarged opening 30 on the back face 25.
The bore 24 serves as a receptacle for the gripping
member 32, as shown in Figures 3A-3C. In this regard, the
gripping member 32 includes three jaw hooks or sections 34
which are arched and somewhat triangular in shape tapering
from back 36 to front 38 in width and also thickness.
Gripping ribs 39 are positioned throughout the inner surface
of the sections 34. The outer surface 40 is smooth and
curved as shown and along each side of the jaw sections 34
is a flay portion 42 which allows the jaw sections 34 to
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rest against each other as shown in Figure 3a while forming
a circular jaw gripping passageway or bore therethrough.
A hollow retainer 44 is provided and includes a back
cylinder portion 46 and a circular wall 48 on which is
located T-shaped members 50, with adjacent ones forming
slots for the respective jaw sections 34. In this regard,
the width of the back 36 of the jaw sections 34 between
surfaces 42 is approximately equal to the distance between
the adjacent upright portions 52 of the T-shaped members.
The arched extensions 54 thereof are extended outward v
and are positioned in respective notches 41 in the jaw sec-
tions 34. The dimensions of the extensions 54 and notches
41 are as such that the jaw sections 34 are allowed to move
in and out to a certain degree. Such outward movement will
however be restricted by the surface of bore 23 when the
gripping member is inserted therein, as will be apparent.
With regard to Figure 4, for increased gripping, jaw
section 34' is shown which is the same as section 34 in all
respects except that it includes a longitudinal groove 41
running along the entire length of the section. While this
reduces slightly the area of ribs 39', it has been found that
improved gripping results due to improved encirclement of
the strand. A gripping member including three of these jaw
sections 34' would have the equivalent of six jaw gripping
surfaces each creating a more concentrated bite This jaw
section 34' is in all other respects the same as jaw section
34 and may ye readily substituted therefor so that the des-
cription herein which refers to the incorporation of jaw
section 34, eaually applies to section 34'.
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A spring 54 is provided with a portion o the spring
being free fitted about the cylindrical portion 46 as shown
in Figure 3a. The spring 54 is intended to bias thP gripper
member 32 forward in bore 24 when inserted therein with
washer or retainer 55 being affixed at the back face 25 over
opening 30 by perhaps crimping or any other means suitable
for purpose.
As shown in Figures 3a-3c, the spring 54' pushes the
gripping member 32 forward in the bore 24 into a rest position
with the outer surfaces of the jaw sections 34 coupled with
retainer 44 engaging the inner surface of the bore 24.
Prior to inserting the cable or guy wire 56 into the
body 12, a pilot cup 58 is placed thereon. Upon insertion
through opening 28, the pilot cup 58 engages ye front end
38 of the jaw sections 34 and pushes the gripper member 32
back into the bore 24 by depressing the spring 54. As the
member 32 moves back, the jaw sections 34 are allowed to
separate and move outward due to the increasing bore size,
which in turn allows the pilot cup 58 and cable 56 to enter
and pass through the center of the jaw sections 34, the
retainer 44, spring 54 and out the opening in the washer 55
(see Figures 3b and c).
When the conductor 56 is pulled in the opposite
direction, the ribs 39 clamp down upon the cable due to slight
rearward movement of the gripping member 32 caused by the
spring 54 and more importantly, by the engagQment of the
outer surface 40 of the jaw sections 34 and bore 24 causing
the ribs 39 to increase their grip on the cable. Movement
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in the opposite direction will still however be permitted.
Thus the gripping unit 12 allows for easy attachment
; and detachment of a cable. In turn, unit 12 is readily
l attached to an anchor which is fastened to the ground for
example, in the case of dead ends, by way of a bail 60.
; The U-shaped bail 60 includes a closed end 62 and a
pair of substantially parallel opposite legs 64 and 66. The
free end of each leg includes an enlarged knob or head.
Thus, leg 64 terminates in head 68 and leg 66 in head 70.
The under surfaces 72 and 74 of the heads 68 and 70
respectively form restricting and engaging surfaces for the
bail 60 as shown in Figure 1.
As previously discussed, the outer surface of the
cylindrical portion 14 of body 12 includes a pair of
diametrically opposing flanges which include openings 18
and 20. Opening 20 with its slot 22 allows for leg 64 to
be directed vertically therein or out whereas the opening 18
being enclosed requires passing of head 68 therethrough
as will be discussed.
In this regard, opening 28 has substantially a con-
stant diameter throughout its length which is slightly
larger than the dimensions of head 68 to allow it to be
inserted therethrough in the direction shown by the arrown
During insertion of leg 64, the bail 60 must be rotated
approximately 90 to allow an elongated flattened portion 76
to pass through opening 18. Flattened portion 76 has
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dimensions slightly smaller than that of opening 18 to allow
for this. The bail 60 is then threaded all the way through
until the round head 70 is positioned adjacent the front
face 24. Note that the dimensions of head 70 are such that
1 its diameter is larger than the width of oval opening 18 so
! to allow surface 74 to engage a portion of face 23, for
anchoring purposes. When the gripping unit is used as a
dead end for example, the bail 60 at this point via leg 64,
I would be slipped through the eye of an anchor and then swing
over so that the flat portion 76 enters opening 20 via slot
22. The body 12 is then pulled forward locking the bail in
position as shown in Figure 1. Note that the head 68 is
sized so as to be larger than the diameter of opening 20 so
as to allow surface 72 to engage a portion of face 23 for
anchoring. The conductor 56 can at this point, or even
prior to coupling the bail 69, be inserted into the body 12
and when coupled to the anchor, pulled therethrough until
the desired tensioning of the conductor is realized.
Thus, by the present invention, its objects, advantages
and others are realized and although preferred embodiments
have been disclosed and described in detail herein, its scope
should not be limited thereby rather its scope should be
determined by that of the appended claimsO
